Christopher Lees
-
Posts
252 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by Christopher Lees
-
-
Zeppelin in 77 was like Muhammad Ali in 77. Still the world champions but just a shadow of their former selves, albeit with moments of genius flashing through here and there. Although the members of Zeppelin were still very young in 77, being between 29 and 33 years old or so, there's still no way to fake the genuineness of the youthful exuberance they displayed between 69-73. They got lazy, they were doing too much dope, drinking too much and screwing around too much.
People talk about whatever happened to Robert's voice after 72, but I think Jimmy's playing suffered a decline just as steep, if not more. Robert did recover some voice in 77, but he still sounded like he was shouting a lot rather than singing, and I don't really go for that. If Plant still sang in 77 like he did in 71, then we could handle Jimmy slopping around. Likewise, if Jimmy kept improving like he did from 68-73, then 77 would be really interesting even if Plant still had his vocal troubles. But with both of them in post Thrilla in Manila mode, it makes 77-80 difficult for a true fan. It takes a special talent as a fan and listener to learn not to be majorly disappointed with 77-80 gigs, and indeed even 75 gigs. One has to really be of the mind to look for the silver lining in the dark cloud to find a way to appreciate most of the shows in 77-80 (and 75).
If Jimmy wasn't a heroin addict and had the character and drive to practice his guitar all the time, like a professional musician should, from 73 onward, he would have easily maintained his killer technique and overall feel from Europe 73 and MSG 73, but instead, he got rich, spoiled and lazy, and the playing showed. It's part of being human, all too human as Nietzsche might say.
Plant couldn't help his voice giving out I don't think. It's not like he was lazy so his voice turned to shit. It's just that there was some kind of physical problem. It's a shame, but that's life. -
The Rain Song
-
1. Led Zeppelin IV
2. Houses of the Holy
3. Led Zeppelin I
4. Led Zeppelin II
5. Physical Graffiti
6. Led Zeppelin III
7. In Through The Out Door
8. Presence
9. Coda -
3 hours ago, kingzoso said:
Tonight Dallas' Get the Led Out featured "The Rover", "Immigrant Song" and "Down By the Seaside".
Tonight, Portland ME 102.9 WBLM's get the led out featured "In My Time of Dying", "Celebration Day" and "Moby Dick"
-
On 3/22/2019 at 8:52 PM, Sultan of Swing said:
WBIG 100.3 on Two-for Tuesdays will play a big Zep song (Immigrant song, stairway, heartbreaker) and then a REAL Zep song I've heard Tangerine, The Ocean, When the Levee Breaks, The Rover!!! Sometimes they will just play another biggie and that makes me furious. Also, just a side, I never knew Kashmir was big, and when I heard it on the radio I was surprised and I loved it, but now its always stuck in my head.
What town/city is WBIG 100.3 based out of?
-
4 hours ago, Mithril46 said:
There is no logic to stage fright, regardless of talent, accomplishments, fan or critical praise etc..I also know this because I
have experienced stage fright. In my case(s) it didn't happen so much in bands tI was in.open mikes. Actually, there is good logical reason for nerves in that scenario, as you maybe playing songs you don't know with players you don't know. Jimmy
in fact, in Zep anyway, Jimmy not only mentioned live stage fright , but terrible studio nerves as well, saying "my bottle goes".
I don't remember what Zep book/article contains these statements, as I have at least 25 to 30 Zep books. One thing I've noticed
is the greater the music talent, usually the more difficult are most tasks which are easy for "normal" people.
Very interesting. I have a case of stage fright myself. I always figured that people like Jimmy and the rest of Zep, these people were just different than me. They're wired differently. Some people are introverts and others are extroverts, and it's all about different wiring. Watching TSRTS growing up, I just figured these people weren't afraid of the stage, just as some people are afraid of heights and others just aren't.
-
2 hours ago, Mithril46 said:
Also Plant said "I'd like to wake up in the morning and play tennis",
whereas "Jimmy wanted to stay up all nite". I'm not sure how much of this was partying and how much was really bad
stagefright.
Are you talking about Jimmy having stage fright? I can't imagine it, after all the experience he's had on stage for so many decades. He's done it all so many times, and then some. Did you read something about Jimmy having stagefright? That would be so interesting to read about. It could be the case. I saw an interview with Johnny Carson once where he admitted to having stagefright the whole time. Every night when the Tonight Show theme song would play, with the introductions rolling and such, as the audience was waiting for Johnny to come out from behind that big curtain, he was back there with his knees knocking, and that was Johnny Carson!
-
5 hours ago, SteveAJones said:
There were witnesses.
See above. What you do with the information is entirely up to you.
How do you know? Where can I read about these eyewitness accounts?
Or is it just gossip?
-
Where is the evidence that Plant smacked Jimmy?
Is there evidence, or is it just gossip?
-
6 hours ago, SteveAJones said:
Robert slapped Jimmy across the face backstage before the show that night. There were very few bystanders so you won't find much about it on public forums and nothing in the press.
Then how do we know it’s true and not just a rumor?
-
What is Jimmy's best guitar playing since Zeppelin?
I never listened to Heaven Knows from Now and Zen before, but when I listened to it tonight, I was shocked at how awesome the guitar solo was! Jimmy wasn't playing too well in the 80s and I would never have expected such a slick, sleek, contemporary sound from him, with modern (for the 80s) phrasing to boot. It's easily as good as any Zeppelin solo from their heyday. Have you guys listened to his solo on Heaven Knows? What a pro. He plays what the song requires and does it so well. Still had that studio musician touch. Very tasty.
What do you think is Jimmy's finest piece of work post Zep? -
4 hours ago, luvlz2 said:
Yes physically.
Where can I read about this?
-
You mean, Plant actually smacked him, like physically? As in, he took his hand and slapped it up side Jimmy's face leaving a red mark?
-
7 hours ago, NealR2000 said:
I think that if there were actual issues between band members, it was dealt with on an intermediary basis via Grant, with the best known example in the early days where Jimmy got Bonzo to not play so loud.
Where can I read about this?
-
On 3/1/2019 at 12:39 PM, SteveZ98 said:
I remastered the May 21, 1977 Houston show. Here's a sample. If anyone wants the full show, send me a message:
Bad ass!
Please PM me with the whole show.
-
4 hours ago, Darth Hoek said:
Here in Eastern Massachusetts we have 100.7 WZLX's "Stairway to Seven" nightly...always a factoid for the fans and sometimes live and alternate takes from the various releases. This has been a thing for quite some time..
I didn't realize that. I thought they gave up their Get the Led Out time spot a long time ago. Living in Western Mass, we used to have a Zeppelin set at 10:00 PM on Rock 102 out of Springfield. WZLX doesn't really come in out here. Good to hear they are still doing it!
-
When it comes to 1980, it's pretty disappointing for me. However, Jimmy's "less is more" approach to Since I've Been Loving You is unbeatable at Zurich 1980! He plays with such incredible feel. It's palpable .Face stomping emotional outbursts at its very best. It must be listened to ridiculously loud in order to fully appreciate the way Jimmy manipulates the dynamics.
-
When I was a kid back in the 80s, classic rock (they just called it rock radio back then) stations would routinely have a special time set aside each weeknight where they would play three Zeppelin songs back to back to back. Where I grew up in New Hampshire, it was Portsmouth's WHEB 100.3. At 10:00 every weeknight, they would play three Zeppelin songs. Every now and then they would even play something from a bootleg, so I had a blank cassette in the radio with my finger on the record button at all times.
Nowadays it's hard to find radio stations that are still getting the Led out. However, 102.9 WBLM in Portland Maine still gets the Led out at 10:00!Let's hear from Zep fans from around the world on this and see which COOL radio stations are still getting the Led out.
-
11 hours ago, JTM said:
I'm going to say it again, there is nothing claustrophobic nor is there anything poorly executed about "The Crunge". I really don't get your comment about the vocal being recorded to close.
I agree. The production sounds fine to me. I think the Crunge rocks and it has it's own special groove. Perfect.
-
13 hours ago, White Phone said:
undoubtedly Bonzo's most lackluster tour,
I read a lot of people saying this, but I don't really hear it that way. To me, Bonzo kept getting better and better, unlike poor Jimmy, who got worse and worse.
-
On 2/17/2019 at 5:11 AM, Christopher Lees said:
These are the songs I used to not like, would skip over if I could, but I like them now, many, many years later:
Hots On for Nowhere
Royal Orleans
Hot Dog
Southbound Saurez
Darlene
Ozone Baby
I forgot one: The Crunge!
I used hate, hate, hate it, but now I love it. It's genuine too. I didn't have to force it if you know what I mean. -
Wearing and Tearing
Candy store rock
Bonzos Montreaux
-
I chose these 10 songs based entirely on the studio versions and disregarding any preference I have for their live renditions.
1. Since I’ve been loving you
2. Black dog
3. Stairway to heaven
4. Heartbreaker
5. Going to California
6. Good Times bad Times
7. Over the hills and far away
8. I’m gonna crawl
9. The rover
10. Houses of the holy
-
These are the songs I used to not like, would skip over if I could, but I like them now, many, many years later:
Hots On for Nowhere
Royal Orleans
Hot Dog
Southbound Saurez
Darlene
Ozone Baby
Need Advice on Gigging Amps
in Musician's Corner
Posted
I've joined a Zeppelin cover band and never played out before (just once and it was with this band) and I need some advice on which amps to use and any other general advice from you more experienced gigging Zeppelin guitar players.
All my life I played tube amps and one thing I like about them is that if you set it to a certain volume, but turn your guitar down or play really quietly, you get a clean/pretty clean sound, but then if you change your pick attack or turn up the volume, you get the necessary distortion. Digital effects processors always struggled with this. When using them, if you were on an overdrive setting but turned your guitar down, instead of getting a clean sound you got a sort of fizzy sound. I have to admit, from the experimentation I've done lately, the digital processors have come a long way and I'm actually able to sound like I'm playing on a tube amp, getting clean tones with light pick attack/low volume and breakup without the fizz with aggressive pick attack/higher volume. I'm bringing this up to see if you guys recommend using an Ax Fx pedal in combination with 4x12 cabinet or something.
Or, should I just pick up a Marshall head and a 4x12 cabinet?
Here's the thing about Marshalls that I want some advice on. In my experience, when I've played Marshalls in the past, they really only sounded good cranked up. Jimmy got a lot of his tones with the suckers cranked. My problem is that if I get a 100 watt head and a 4x12 cab, I won't be able to crank it in a pub. It will be way too loud.
One more thing: What I'm trying to do, mostly (with a few exceptions) is to replicate as closely as possible the guitar tones as recorded on the albums, rather than Jimmy's live tone. This is why I'm thinking about getting the Ax Fx. A few years ago I read that one of the guitarists for Get the Led Out uses the Ax Fx and to my ears, they sounded right on.
Recommendations?