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gibsonfan159

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  1. Nitpicking Page 3/10/1975 San Diego, CA (Symphony Of A Thousand Parts- TDOLZ) Decent audience source, a little muffled and distant but very listenable. Rock And Roll- 0:44, Bonham mixing up the beat like crazy. Plant sounding decent but still scratchy, clearly reserved. Page's riffing on the first verses is on the loose side. Solo- Bonham again just going nuts. Page keeps the phrasing steady for a very solid solo. Rob is very hoarse on the return. 3:06, he does get a good scream in here. The energy definitely sounds promising. "A-" for cold Robert. Sick Again- Opening verses are played well, keeping the energy up. Solo- phrasing just a tad choppy but overall very good. Strong last verse and the outro solo sounds about how it usually does, controlled chaos. Impressed with these two openers. "A". OTHAFA- Jim nails the intro. The verses hit hard and heavy, with Plant keeping good control of his vocals. Solo- 3:00, Page goes into a low register that almost sounds like the Bond theme. He's staying on track well. 3:36, some strained notes through here. 4:00, playing with extra "oomph". 4:20, nice aggressive phrases. 4:45, phrasing sounding loose now. 4:56, chord flubs. 5:20, Jimmy plays the ascending end phrase like a hippo walking a tightrope, wobbling about but surviving. Last verses have Rob singing with passion and Jimmy plays the outro very delicately. Good energy with some minor offsets, "B+". IMTOD- Flawless intro and verses, sounding thunderous on this boomy recording. First solo- Jimmy plays smoothly, not going wild but staying focused and following the groove nicely. Second solo- Jimmy is more erratic on this one as he tries to force some odd phrasing. 7:00, just not a good flow here. 8:48, Jim replies to Plant's Jesus section with some improv riffing. The groove and energy on the outro is perfect. Let's ignore that second solo and rate this overall, "A+". TSRTS- Lightning fast tempo, gotta be one of the fastest versions. First solo- No idea how Jim keeps up but he actually plays a fluid set of phrases. Plant cracks just a little on the Honolulu verses. 4:12, Plant sings "Stop that thing" in response to a rowdy crowd. Page's outro solo is also somehow mostly nimble fingered. Not bad if you're into speed records. "A+". Rain Song- Plant opens with "This should be the springtime of your loving". The mellotron appears to be in tune and the duet section is dreamy and captivating. The rock section blows the roof off without a single voice crack from Plant. Page's outro is delicate perfection. Very good, "A++". Kashmir- Takes off like a 747 roaring overhead. A slightly fast tempo adds to the excitement and energy. Plant sounds strong as ever here, absolutely giving his all through the verses. Instrumentally a powerhouse as well. 6:01, very slight chord flub by Jones. Jim's Arabic soloing is chaotic but controlled. A few more big fills by Bonham would've been nice but it's a tremendous version. "A++". No Quarter- 0:55, some weird tones behind the wah pedal. Otherwise solid intro and good emotion from Plant on the verses. Jones' transition is hesitant as it takes him a while to readjust. A very unexciting routine as John takes extra long to get through the warm up phrases. Things liven up more once Bonzo enters. 9:57, Page enters out of nowhere to join the jam. Solo- James plays steadily but a little hesitant. 11:27, finally taking off but playing on the looser side. 12:27, a fluid start on this run but tangles up on the end. 13:20, Bonham getting restless on the hi hat. 15:24, some experimental licks. Not bad playing here but the flow and phrasing is very lackluster. 18:50, the energy picks up on the excellent outro as Jimmy shreds with the wah. Plant and Bonham were the most inspired for this mostly sleepy version. "B". Trampled Underfoot- Plant miffs the lyrics on the first verse. Plenty of energy. 1:31, slight transition flub. Jones' section is solid. Solo- Jimmy tests the waters a bit before going all in with some screeching leads. 4:05, sounding sticky but good energy. 4:36, this descending phrase falls just right. 4:50, Bonham pushes the energy and Page gets a little lost, dropping out completely. Jones comes back in which makes me think Jim broke a string. Jimmy eventually jumps back in for the last verses. Tons of energy and not bad considering a few mishaps, "B+". Dazed- Intro is pretty average. Jimmy starts the first workout with a massive slur of notes that are completely unintelligible. The ensuing jam is good however. The extended Woodstock/San Fran transition is done very well with everyone playing with confidence. Bonham gets in some nice fills as Jimmy switches to the bow. Bow section pushes nine minutes. Second workout- a mix of nimble fingers a sticky fingers. 21:50, quite sloppy on this ascending phrase. 22:06, sticky. 22:15, some early Mars riffs. 24:10, excellent jamming here as Jones switches up his phrasing. 24:45, Bonzo bashing away. 25:20-25:30, a series of sticky runs. Mars hits well and they carry the workout nicely towards the climax. Jimmy's outro wah noodling is excellent with some experimental riffs. The tape ends just before the finish. An exciting version to say the least though it's not Jim's most technically perfect. "A-" but definitely worth a listen. Stairway- Recording quality is fantastic now. The intro and first verses are played with a calm, soothing effect and flawless execution. Bonham's interplay over the melody and with the others is done very well without being distracting. A fantastic first half. Solo- Jimmy enters per usual then gets a steady stream of notes flowing. 7:19, this phrase works but teeters on being awkward. 8:02, some choppy phrasing through the soft section. 8:21, a giant smear run sounding sticky. 8:58, the tremolo chording has some off notes. 9:19, kinda sounds like Page is running out of ideas by this point. 9:58, doesn't quite get that last phrase down. Plant comes in strong for the climax. 10:55, some loose chords for the finish. I'd call this above average but the big picture here isn't a very impressive one. Page failed to get "in the zone" with his solo but it's honestly not bad. I think "A-" is fair. WLL- An inspired start. The funk jam enters nicely. 2:12, a little trouble adjusting to The Crunge but it smooths out. 4:09, they return to the funk jam as Jim cooks up some black magic with an extended Theremin jam. "A-". Black Dog- Decent start. 1:44, vocal cracks. 2:52, Page attempts a sticky run. 3:24, Plant's airraid is powerful yet painful sounding. Solo- Jim starts nicely, sounding coherent. 4:03, he starts getting chaotic but stays on the path. 4:39, off the path here as he loses focus and plays in erratic fashion. His finishing runs are smooth however. Pretty mediocre finish. "B+". Final Assessment- A tight performance through the first half with Robert sounding fairly good early on. There's a slump with the lazy sounding No Quarter and some technical difficulties on Trampled. Dazed picks the energy back up and the three closing tracks are just average. But average in 1975 might be an understatement. Kind of a rare show where there are no trainwreck moments, just minor blips. Highlight is an excellent one/two punch with a superb Rain Song and Kashmir. Dazed is definitely noteworthy as far as being dynamic.
  2. Just a cool random fact: one of the "window" photos is indeed a nude Robert sitting beside a pool in Dallas. I've never seen it mentioned anywhere before.
  3. Oh, I guarantee they'll be purchased by people who don't even know how to play guitar and stored in a warehouse for their grandkids. But what else would be expected? Any musician who actually has a need for a double neck can easily find a cheaper one.
  4. I think it's pretty obvious that Page using the EDS at the Link Wray tribute was done as an advertisement. No other need for such a guitar for a three chord song. Wouldn't surprise me if Gibson asked him to use it as an early promotion. But, such is the business side of rock stardom.
  5. Nitpicking Page 2/16/1975 St Louis, MO (Liriodendron Soundboard Remaster) Rock And Roll- Right off the bat I can tell this soundboard guitar tone isn't gonna help anything. Plant is a little raspy, naturally, but really not too bad. Solo-1:54, sticky start. 2:24, sticky ending. Everything in between was perfectly average. Plant cracks a little on the return. Good energy and enthusiasm anyway. "B". Sick Again- Decent start. First solo- solid noodling up to the last phrases where he strains badly. 2:43, Page slightly misses the chords here but also can be heard flipping the guitar toggle switch rapidly, a first that I've heard. 3:30, either hitting wrong notes or the phaser effect is making it sound that way. Outro- Jim is a bit sluggish but he stays on track. 4:54, he mistimes the finishing phrases and noodles for another measure. Not terrible but close. "B". OTHAFA- 0:23, a string out of tune. 0:42, flub. The verses flow nicely with Robert sounding good. Solo- good flow to get it started. It's abstract for sure, but Jim sounds coherent. 4:10 is a fluid run. 4:22, this common phrase always sounds a little sticky. Nothing overly impressive but honestly not bad from Jim. Good last verses and that wonky string stands out badly on the outro. *insert Ray Thomas joke. "B+". IMTOD- 2:42, some of these transitions sound very loose. First solo- Jimmy's phrasing is excellent here, some of the best slide phrasing I've heard by him as he smoothly works his way through a variety of licks. Second solo- again Jimmy plays a fluid set of slide phrases. 6:46, a little dive here but not bad. 7:41, slight Jones flub. 8:22, Robert sings "It's a Sunday, happy Sunday!" The ending jam flows well and they wrap it up nicely. Apart from a shaky start this one is very solid. "A-" overall with top tier solos. TSRTS- The twelve string sounds a little muddy in the mix for this. 1:26, verse transition sounds rough. 1:51, again, it sound like they can't hear each other in the monitors and all play slightly out of sync. First solo- Jimmy's fingers sound good to start. 3:00, second part is just a tad sticky. Robert cracks a little on the Honolulu verse. 3:58, Jones dropping out for a couple seconds. It should be mentioned that Jones' fingers are dancing away through this. Outro- 4:46-4:55, Jim strains a bit here but it's mostly solid playing. A little rough on the edges but there's hardly anything really worth mentioning. "A-". Rain Song- 1:20, Rob feeling it. Maybe hard to believe but the mellotron is just a hair out of tune. It's not enough to ruin the song this time however and the duet section flows nicely. Rock section- excellent enthusiasm and Robert sounds great. 7:24, Jimmy loses track of the outro phrasing but they skip ahead to the next one. Not perfect but this one has good vibes. "A-". Kashmir- Something sounds very out of whack through the first verses. For one, the bass synth isn't coming through. The tempo is dragging badly and there might be a string out of tune. They get the bass synth sorted by the end of the first bridge section. 6:05, Page drops out for a bit. 6:26, second bridge comes in awkwardly. 7:11, Plant attempts an airraid. Jimmy's Arabic soloing is a little erratic but he stays on track. Maybe too sluggish, sounding more like Tea For One than Kashmir. "B". No Quarter- Page's tone sounding fantastic with the wah on the opening. Jones' solo section really shines here as he keeps a consistent groove going and nails an excellent jam with Bonzo. Jim's lead in licks sound great as well. Solo- 8:38, nice fluidity. 9:04, Jim seems to be in good spirits. 9:08, this lick is always a bit sticky. 9:57, doing the "Finger brushing" like he does during the San Francisco section. 10:57, getting a little sticky. 11:18, this experimental bend doesn't fall right. 11:55, phrasing gets adventurous and some of it doesn't flow well. I actually think the shuffle Jones and Bonham are doing might be throwing Jim off some. 13:15, Jim starting to get stretched out too thin but it's not bad, just sounds very unfocused. Plant sounds a bit tired on the return. 17:26, sticky phrases on the outro. Lots of potential but that solo fizzled out halfway through and the finish was weak. "B". Trampled Underfoot- Perfect start with good energy. 1:31, out of sync phrasing. 2:41, Jones hits some off notes in a nervous sounding solo spot. Solo- 3:28, some wild, inarticulate phrasing that strangely works. 3:40-3:50, this doesn't work as well. 4:08-4:15, just not good as the phrasing is all over the place. He does tighten up some to finish. 6:26, Page plays a palm muted riff that sounds fantastic here. 6:56, they lock in to boost the energy before finishing. On the surface it's an entertaining, lively version but the nitpick rating is "B". Dazed- Bonham gets several good drum fills in on the intro. 1:23, off notes by Jim. Robert's vocals are irritatingly strainful. 2:40, monster drum fill. 3:20, slight flub. First workout- 3:53, Jim playing lazily. He does get on track for a good jam section. 5:15, Bonham picks up the pace and Jim tries a few riffs from Train Kept A Rollin. 6:05, the "brushing" technique sounds fairly sloppy on the San Fran lead in. 6:48, playing loosely. 7:15, Jimmy improvises a nice run but ends awkwardly. 8:45, for whatever reason Jim starts soloing on the lead in jam and it's honestly amazing. 9:50, a little loose but the phrasing is spectacular. Roughly seven minute bow section. Second Workout- 18:51, very sticky run. 19:00, Page lashes out in frustration with these bends. 19:33, a mix of nimbleness and sloppy. 19:56, hesitant through here as he finally jumps into familiar phrasing. The ascending/descending section is a bit sticky. 23:00, going into jazz fusion territory. 23:25, Page actually sounds articulate through here with some fast runs until he attempts a sticky Walter's Walk riff. 24:38, and of course Mars is flubbed horribly. 25:48, Jim running out of road here. 26:15, the climax has Bonzo leaving Page in the dust. 28:15, anybody else hear the Allman Brothers' "Jessica" here? The outro jam is pretty stable overall, not exactly a Euro 73 level. We're pretty far into 1975 and this still shows signs of rust. "C+". Stairway- Intro and verses played well, maybe not the most inspired. 3:23, Plant goes for an extended vocal line and ends on a croak. 4:38, the song gets a much better flow going once John Henry enters and the Rhodes sounds excellent. 5:32, check out that little trill by Jones. Solo- 6:28, flub. 6:38, flub. 7:55, Jim starts recycling phrases on the slow section but he does get some nimble runs in. 8:35, he improvises a little on the tremolo section and it's not bad. The final phrases are played perfectly. 9:47, loose chording. 10:40, Plant off key for the ending. If you look past the details this is a decent version, but that's not what we're doing here. "B" at best. WLL (partial)- Not the tightest playing here. 2:00, bad chords on the funk jam while Jones and Bonham get locked in. Robert looks for the bridge while Jim plays a mundane theremin solo. It's just alright, "B+". Black Dog- 0:56, some sticky riffs. 1:43, slight flub. 2:45, Page improvs a unique phrase that strangely works. Solo- the opening run is flubbed. 4:20, not bad. 4:28, straining pretty badly here. 5:03, very close to being messy. Half of the solo is decent, half is rough. "B". Heartbreaker- 0:19, flubbed note. 1:33, Jim makes several of these note flubs throughout. Solo- the lead in noodling is fairly solid. The rockabilly section is quite smooth as Jim's foot taps along. They change course and do a rendition of "Shame shame shame", played pretty well. The outro solo can best be summed up as not bad on the surface but it's certainly sticky fingered and loose throughout. The energy is good but it's a low tier performance. "B". Final Assessment- Well, this is just a "B" show put simply. There were a few glimmers of hope as the OTHAFA, IMTOD, TSRTS, and RS stretch were in the average range for the year, but a major slump followed. Plant is just okay here. He's still hoarse in places but even when he sounds good he still sounds uninspired. Bonham and Jones both play with enthusiasm for most of the show., though it's not perfect for them either. All of this sounds incredibly negative and would make one think it's an absolute disaster, but it's probably one of those where if you don't notice the small things it might actually sound great.
  6. Nitpicking Page 2/10/1975 Landover, MD (Grame Remaster Soundboard with audience patches) A clear, slightly distorted soundboard. Rock And Roll- Robert sounds cold and scratchy to start this one, in true 1975 style. Tempo is medium paced and the energy sounds good. Solo- everything note lands perfectly, almost verbatim with the 1973 MSG solo. 3:02, Jones is feeling good as he throws in some showoff notes. A very solid opener, "A". Sick Again- Plant very hoarse on the first verses. 0:44, Bonham sounding lively tonight. His fills through the verses are top notch. Solo- Page has good articulation but he struggles with the phrasing, almost forgetting where he's at toward the end. Last verses still have Robert straining. Outro solo- not bad as Page plays some basic stuff to end. At least it's not the chaotic mess that will come in later versions. "B+". OTHAFA- Intro played a little stiff but otherwise beautiful. Plant sounds smoother on the verses which are played well. 2:08, sloppy chord. Solo- the usual slow build up before taking off at 3:42. Page playing fluidly with good phrasing. 4:40, nailing these pulloffs. 5:17, a little loose but nothing bad. 5:46, Page jumps into this early but everyone meets him on the other side. A surprisingly solid solo here. Page nails the outro. Not perfect but not a bad version at all, "A-". IMTOD- Smooth playing through the opening verses. First solo- Page finds a nice groove here and keeps the phrasing on point. 5:30, Bonham misses the transition but quickly corrects himself. Second solo- not as smooth here as he gets a little erratic, but nothing bad. 7:50, monster drum fills. Plant sounds out of breath on the "Jesus" verses. 9:29, another sloppy transition. Rough on the edges but fairly solid. "B+". TSRTS- Intro has excellent energy and Robert manages the verses well. First solo- Jimmy struggles with the phrasing to start but nails the pulloffs on the second part. Robert cracks badly on "Honolulu". Outro- Page struggles to keep up with the speedy tempo, getting his fingers crossed in places. A few rough spots on a very lively version. "B+". Rain Song- A good start is brought down by an out of tune mellotron. Jones does some fancy footwork with the bass pedals to accent the melody (or to mask the mellotron). The rock section is explosive but poor Rob can't match the intensity. The outro is played well but Plant hits the ending note flat. "B". Kashmir- Decent start with Plant sounding much smoother. 5:12, Jim drops out for a second. His timing is noticeably loose throughout. 7:20, bass pedal comes in full blast. Page's outro noodling sounds good as Bonham gets a couple of massive fills in. "B+". No Quarter- Average start, maybe missing some grit and appropriate attitude. Jones' section, like a few before, sounds mundane at the beginning but he slowly gets into a groove. 7:57, strange notes by Jones. Page's intro jam sounds half hearted but his drop in to the solo is smooth. Solo- 9:15, nice flow of notes here. 9:51, a familiar phrase he often overuses but played very well here without sounding forced. 9:58, using this repeated phrase nicely. 10:25, I'm really liking this fluidity. 10:52, again playing off a repeated riff and doing it with perfect flow. 11:30, a couple sticky notes but nothing noticeable. The wah section isn't bad but it's a little harsh and the phrasing less smooth. 13:37, some off notes Jim repeats to try and make work. 14:00, unique sounding riffs as they wrap it up quietly. Jones' transition back is mesmerizing. Robert just sounds adequate on the last verses and that's seriously the only lull to this performance. Jimmy's outro wah noodling is passionate and very well played. This was a surprisingly strong jam and an unusual one where Jimmy carries the load. "A+". Trampled Underfoot- Strong start. 1:31, energetic fill from Bonzo followed by a mistimed bass note. 1:52, Jones is having trouble syncing up his hands and feet. He does come alive for his solo as Bonham hammers out some nice snare rolls. Solo- Page starts out alright but soon goes into a sticky fingered frenzy and even deviates to some rockabilly riffs. Not good. 6:10, Jones and Page still not syncing up at the verse end. A slightly comical performance, as in it's a joke. "C+". Moby Dick- 0:31, sticky notes. 0:56, very sticky notes. Bonham is on point though with precision snare work and tons of energy. Dazed- The usual pretty solid start. First workout- energetic but not particularly smooth articulation from Jim. Kind of a rough transition into San Fran (with a string out of tune) but good once it kicks off. Plant is raspy through the verses. The jam seemingly goes on forever but is very good. Bow section is over seven minutes. Second workout- Bonham ramps it up to get things started but Jimmy has some trouble keeping up. 19:15, Page isn't bad through here but it's certainly loose. 21:42, phrasing struggles as Bonham jumps in to push him along. 22:56, kind of messy. Honestly if Jim had his Euro 73 tone here it would help tremendously. Mars- 24:00, flubbed badly by Jim as he botches the Major/Minor chords. The climax is loose as well. 26:00, Jimmy straining to hit these notes correctly on the return. 26:38, Jim tripping up. The outro jam is entirely too long as Jimmy meanders aimlessly through most of it. Bonham and Jones however were notably locked in throughout. Still sounding rusty. "C+". Stairway- Page plays the opening loosely, skewing a couple notes. 0:40, Jones flub. 3:20, tempo is dragging badly but the verses are played well. 6:05, unusual notes by Jones. Solo- 7:14, sticky and his phrasing takes a dive for a measure. 8:16, hanging up. This whole thing reeks of inebriation. 9:16, strange notes. He does get the final pullofffs down. The climax features decent output from Plant. 9:53, Jones flub. Well, not good. Plant strangely comments "We'd like to thank you for being everything you should be". Possibly a backhanded remark to feeling like he let them down? "C". WLL- Robert croaking some on the verses. Black Dog- 0:55, loose transition. 1:40, Robert musters up everything he's got for that pitiful scream. 2:55, chord flub. Solo- sticky throughout but it's got some grit behind it. 4:04, Jones flub. Not a terrible solo but the bar is pretty low. Bonham's ending drum fill levels the building. "C+". Heartbreaker- Page's playing through the verses are loose at best. The acapella section again has Jimmy playing very rough. The smear section is an absolute disaster. The fast section has Jim putting in good effort but it's a slopfest. 5:50, an energetic Bonham pushes things along and Jim does get on track more afterwards. 6:46, mistiming the ending phrase. I guess you had to be there to enjoy this one. "C+". Final Assessment- A decent start soon turns sour as Page stumbles through the last half of the show. Plant never really gets above average 1975. Arguably one of Jones' worst shows considering the amount of flubs. Bonham however is alive and very energetic. The band overall just don't sound very inspired tonight. Surprisingly there is a highlight- No Quarter features very fluid playing from Jimmy and stands out as one his better performances of the year. It's still overall not a mind-blowing version as it's played more on the safe side, but solid nonetheless. Everything after that is disastrous.
  7. Nitpicking Page 2/4/1975 Uniondale, NY (Master Cassette- Weedwacker) Not the clearest recording but it's certainly enjoyable. Some parts are distant and boomy. Rock And Roll- Plant doesn't sound great but it's seemingly a vast improvement over the last couple weeks. Energy sounds on point. Solo- Jimmy enters with a tangled mess of notes but nails the phrasing from there on. Sounds like he ends the very last phrase a bit early and Plant has some trouble timing his return, but it all evens out. A decent start. "B+". Sick Again- Good start. Solo- a good start gets off track at 1:50 as Jimmy trips up a bit. 2:40, something sounding off here. The tempo is frantic, maybe too fast. Outro- Jimmy sounds nimble all the way up to 4:30 where he possibly has a small stroke and repeats a terrible riff several times. Not terrible but iffy. "B". OTHAFA- Crowd goes wild for this one. Intro sounds solid. 2:30, slight hang up. 2:49, a blazingly fast run. 3:22, sounding fluid. 3:54, honestly going into shred level on some of this. 4:28, getting stretched a little thin but he keeps pushing forward. The muffled recording might be playing tricks but it appears to be an excellent solo from Jimmy. Plant manages well though he sounds tired in places. No problem in calling it "A+". IMTOD- Off the bat the guitar sounds either slightly out of tune or Jim is being a little sloppy with the slide. Tempo is slow and heavy through the verses. First solo- Nothing off track as Jimmy repeats similar phrases relentlessly. Second solo- tape is very murky but Jimmy again seems to stick with repeating riffs. The energy picks up on the outro as Plant unleashes some primal moans. The ending is interrupted by some expletives from the crowd. A very solid version but almost too straightforward. "A". No Quarter- Cuts in on Jones' solo routine, which is basic to start but he finds a nice flow as it moves along. Tape gets very distant by the time Jimmy drops in. Jimmy sounds fairly coherent and nails some aggressive tremolo licks at 5:20, flubs some notes at 5:30 and takes a break. Possible string break? He comes back in for some decent phrases though there's nothing too impressive until he uses the wah effect, then it takes off more for a strong finish. The last verses are solid and Jimmy grooves with the wah pedal for an exciting finish. One mishap on this incomplete version, I'd still go "A-". Trampled Underfoot- Recording is still very muffled and boomy with Jones' bass pedal crowding the mix. Tempo is upbeat with attitude. 2:00, Plant gets in a nice kung fu scream. Jones sounds fantastic on his solo section. Jimmy comes ripping in, playing aggressively but controlled. 4:16, articulation is certainly suspect but he's energetic. Plant getting hoarse on the last verses. 6:54, the ending is mistimed a little bit. A fairly strong version with a rowdy sounding crowd. "A-". Moby Dick- 0:45, I believe Jones misses some notes here. The muffled recording kinda ruins the appeal of this one. Dazed- Cuts in and the tape is worse than before, basically impossible to judge anything. The first workout does sound exciting though. The San Fran transition sounds excellent with mournful woes from Plant. The tape ends near the end of the bow section. No rating. Final Assessment- Some solid playing for most of what we have but there are a few usual rough spots in between. A full recording of this would be excellent.
  8. Nitpicking Page 2/3/1975 Madison Square Garden, NY (1st Gen cassette) A mostly clear audience recording with frequent commentary by legendary NY taper, Artie Costanzo Rock And Roll- The tapers comment on Plant's hoarse voice throughout the song. Solo- The opening slur of notes aren't too off the track. 3:52, a slight hang up here, otherwise good solo. Not a bad start, "A-". Sick Again- Bonham sounding very lively and the tempo is blazing. Plant has warmed up just a bit. First solo- Page is entirely coherent and lays down a solid set of phrases. Outro solo- again, Jimmy's fingers and brain sound perfectly fine as he noodles on some nice pentatonic runs to end it. Outside of some scratchy vocals this is a top tier version. "A+". OTHAFA- Excellent intro and Robert manages quite well on the opening verses. 2:01, Page is feeling so good tonight he's throwing in extra little funk riffs between the chords. Solo- 3:19, Jimmy's fingers very nimble. 3:45, just impressive fluidity all around. 4:02, a little sticky but this phrase always is. 4:40, the tapers can be heard discussing the recording volume of their equipment. The outro verses are played well to end a very solid version. Shame Robert's voice isn't matching the intensity of the other three. "A+". IMTOD- Opening up with incredible swagger and Robert's raspy vocals are finally suiting the music. First solo- he plays almost too relaxed but at the same time it's very controlled phrasing. Second solo- same issue here as Jimmy plays straight forward but flawlessly. I think a soundboard of this would shine more. 7:52, first scream of the night and the tapers immediately remark "He sounds F'd up". The energy and groove are good on this one though Plant starts sounding very tired toward the end. "A". TSRTS- Good opening. Robert croaks a bit on the verses as Bonham nails some giant drum fills. First solo- Jimmy's fingers dance along nicely with excellent articulation. Plant strains badly on the bridge verses. Outro- 4:44, Page is absolutely on fire for this one, easily sounding like his 1973 self. How do you grade instrumental perfection with terrible vocals? Let's leave Rob out of the equation here and go "A++". Overall it averages to "A-". Rain Song- Everything flowing smoothly, even the mellotron is in tune. Artie and his buddies provide endless commentary throughout. The rock section blows the roof off and Plant sounds passionate on the outro verses. Excellent, "A+". Kashmir- 0:49, Bonham hesitates on a beat, causing Jones to do the same. 1:46, Plant gets lucky and hits a high note. The first bridge section is good but on the end it's apparent the mellotron sounds flat. Jim's outro Arabic phrases sounding nice. This one lacks some groove and energy but isn't bad. "B+". No Quarter- Solid intro and verses. Jones' acapella section has plenty of soul and moves along nicely. Solo- Jimmy's entrance is energetic with fluid playing. 8:52, Jones improvises with his feet. 9:30, Page uses the wah to perfection. 10:50, nimble fingers on a fast run. His phrasing is very coherent here, showing excellent control of every note. Plant manages well on the outro as Jim shreds on the wah licks. Top notch version for the year, "A++". Trampled Underfoot- Booming energy. 1:00, tight snare roll. 1:18, Plant repeating the last verse. Jones sounds hesitant to let go on his solo. Jimmy however goes into reckless abandon like a bull in a china shop. It's certainly erratic in places but he manages to avoid any disasters, making for an exciting solo. Solid on the exit verses. "A-". Moby Dick- Page can be heard tuning to drop D. Very strange his tech didn't just hand him a guitar already tuned correctly but that seemed to be a problem with Ray Thomas. Bonham wastes no time destroying his kit as he plays very dynamically. I usually don't nitpick Bonham's solo but I'd call this a standout performance with amazing enthusiasm from John. Dazed- First appearance of the year. Robert straining as he sings unusually high on the verses. Page is still feeling great, improvising nicely around Robert's lyrics. The first workout features a nice jam that picks right up from 1973. The San Francisco section flows perfectly. Bow section is around five minutes. The second workout kicks off well. 13:00, Jim gets sticky here. 13:28, very sticky. 15:28, still sticky. 15:50-16:00, Jim is clearly struggling with the dexterity needed for the phrasing, likely due to that ring finger (or just flat out being rusty). He sounds dreadful on the Mars section. The outro jam is a bit more controlled as Jimmy works the wah pedal. Not an absolute disaster but close. "B". Stairway- Robert sounding hoarse on the verses but the impact isn't affected much. Page's fingers working perfectly now and Jones' ad libs flow nicely. 5:26, Bonham's fill lands a bit awkward. Solo- phrasing is a little choppy on the start. 7:17, very nimble through here. The final phrases played perfectly. Overall a very nice solo. Robert surprisingly holds it together well on the climax. Not perfect but the spirit is strong on this one and Jimmy's solo is very fluid overall. "A-". WLL- They return to stage with plenty of energy to get the encores started. Black Dog- Energetic and instrumentally tight. 1:35, Plant was saving up for that scream the entire show. Solo- another good scream to kick it off. Jim goes all out, playing aggressively and keeping everything on track for a gritty set of smear style runs. Top tier version for the year. "A+++". CB- Preceded by an interesting, impromptu funk jam before Jimmy rips into the opening riff. Energy through the roof and somehow Robert sounds perfect on these last numbers. Solo- showing patience as he relaxes a bit and focuses on fluidity and phrasing. "It's Your Thing" jam features some lemon squeezing as Plant pays tribute to the "USA". More noodling from Jimmy before wrapping it up. Very nice, "A++". Final Assessment- First of all, thank goodness we have some clear audience recordings to contrast with the lifeless, flat soundboards of the year. It's nice to hear the depth of the drums and the crunch of Jim's Marshalls, which don't come through on the boards. Definitely one of those shows where you just have to separate Plant's vocal abilities from the rest of the group. Instrumentally everyone is on fire, with Page especially sounding impressive for the era and denying any "sloppy" critics of having their say. He's clearly sober, focused, and coherent for most of the show, playing even more fluently on the encores which is very surprising. Dazed is the only let down and it's perfectly excusable considering not playing it for over a year. TSRTS, NQ, and the encores are the highlights.
  9. Nitpicking Page 1/31/1975 Detroit, MI (Master Cassette- Revision) A fairly clear and well balanced audience source. Rock And Roll- If I said Robert sounded fully recovered from influenza for this show, would anyone believe me? Well, he doesn't. Actually sounds quite bad on the opener. Jim's solo opens with a slur of unintelligible notes and followed by aggressive, refrained bends that push the limits of playing in time. 3:24, possible tape blip but more likely a Jim broken finger blip. Not terrible, just not good. "B". Sick Again- Jimmy flubs the intro chords. Plant seems more stable and the vibes are better. 1:08, nice fills by Bonham. First solo- actually sounding good as Jim paces it and phrases well. 1:56-2:00, questionable playing here but he makes it work, with an extended bend to end. Outro- Page stays coherent here for some decent fast runs without going into the ditch. Shame about the intro, "B+" overall. OTHAFA- Solid intro. Surprisingly good start with Plant managing okay. 3:14, tiny flub. Solo- Some experimental playing here. Not bad, just strange. The phrasing is choppy but the runs in between are lightning fast. 4:42, dying animal noises. 4:49, sloppy run as Jones sticks to one note. 5:13, getting loose on the last phrases. Outro is so-so. Too rough on the edges overall, "B". IMTOD- First solo- bit of an awkward start as Page, Jones, and Bonham all seem to go in different directions. They come out unscathed and Page's phrasing is just okay. Second solo- the tempo gets going pretty fast and Jim struggles to keep up, but his phrasing here is pretty on point. Bonham and Jones are killing it. Robert strains on the Jesus section. The outro has a nice little jam to wind everything down. Certainly an interesting version if a little loose. "B+". TSRTS- Jimmy sounds on track for the intro. Bonham gets some restless, extended fills in during the verses. First solo- excellent start but the second half has some off chords. Plant cracks badly as he sings the outro verse early on the Honolulu section. The energy is booming despite the small mishaps. Outro- 5:25, strange phrasing. 5:38, sounding very nimble here. Plant still struggling but it's the correct lyrics this time. I suppose it could pass as a "B". The Rain Song- Good start. 1:38, horrible tuning issues with the mellotron. Jones knows it as well as he keeps his playing to a minimum and let's the guitar shine more. Plant does manage to come alive on the very good rock section. 7:48, Plant's ending note falls a little flat (to match the tron). Tuning issues keep this at a "B" but it's actually a solid performance. Kashmir- Jim's Les Paul cuts through the mix well here as you can here slight vibrato notes during the ascending riffs. Plant still screechy but the mellotron seems to be fixed. 3:20, the flow and attitude on this one is incredible. 5:33, incredible refrained drum fill by Bonzo. 6:17, you can hear the tron is still slightly off on the outro. 7:57, Page gets a little erratic on the last bits but it's effective musically. An instrumental powerhouse but Plant keeps the overall impact from being great. "A-". No Quarter- The mellotron crowds the mix but the recording is clear. 3:38, Rob sounding weak. Jones' acapella routine is a little slow to take off. Once the others come in it's a much better flow. Solo- Jimmy drops in smoothly with that signature neck pickup tone. Sounds almost identical to the MSG 73 version on the surface. 9:23, a nice extended run. 9:48, bending the string while playing a trill. Phrasing is smooth as Jim switches up riffs nicely. 11:38, things get a little shrill once the wah kicks in and the phrasing gets erratic on the last measure. Plant still sounds weak on the outro and Jim plays some aggressive wah licks before the end. Not bad but lacks some spirit. "B+". Trampled Underfoot- Plant describes Jimmy's finger injury while they're getting set up, that he's playing with "Two and a half fingers". Excellent energy on the start. Page's chugging rhythm work almost drowns out Jones' solo. Jimmy is hesitant to get a flow going on his spot, and sounds very chaotic once he does. The previous shows walked an excellent line between expression and articulation. This one is just too far in slop territory as Jimmy tries to force every phrase. 6:26, awkward note by Jim. 6:44, nothing really flowing correctly. 7:21, playing this phrase in the wrong spot. A promising start quickly goes south. It's a good thing Robert gave the finger speech. "C+". Moby Dick- Page plays the intro loosely. Bonham sounds fantastic. Page sounds out of tune on the outro. HMMT- An alright start marred by a weak, scratchy Plant. 3:45, Page takes his time with some interesting blues licks for the first solo break. 5:10, things go from interesting to sticky. 6:06, loose. The lead in to the bow section goes pretty smoothly. The Hunter starts well but Plant hangs on the lyrics and Jimmy's entrance is drowned by tape speed issues. Then it's cut before the return. Probably a decent performance overall but I'll be honest, none of the 1975 versions have really left a good impression due to Plant's vocals and the band lacking the power and dynamics of their younger selves to really pull it off. No rating for this final run through. Stairway- Tape warbles continue. A very slow intro picks up some once Plant enters (or it could be the tape speed). The arrangement through the verses sounds very unconfident and uninspired. Not even Bonzo can lift it up. Solo- geez, just no energy at all going into this. Page does play fluidly for the opening measures. 8:12, Jimmy tries to come alive more but the phrasing gets choppy. Both Bonham and Jones sound drugged. 8:55, 9:14, off notes by Jim. 10:00, Jimmy struggling with the last phrases. Plant naturally sings the most depressed sounding climax/coda possible. This one is dangerously close to being a funeral march. "C+". WLL (Partial)- Thank God, a little more life. Black Dog- 0:44, getting loose as Jim plays out of sync. 2:40, forget injured fingers, Jim's entire arm falls off here. He gets back on track until the solo starts and whoo boy. And here I thought 2/28 had the worst BD solo of all time. A perfectly disastrous ending for the downhill slide of these last few songs. "C". Final Assessment- It should be known that there are photos of Page leaving the stage with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. Combine that with painkillers for the finger and you've got a recipe for notably bad solos. The show isn't a complete bust however. Sick Again, Kashmir and No Quarter are all fairly solid despite small setbacks. And any audience source with this amount of clarity is certainly worth a listen, good or bad.
  10. Nitpicking Page 1/29/1975 Greensboro, NC (1st Gen) Audience recordings that start rough and clean up nicely half way through. Rock And Roll- Vocals aren't great but they might be an improvement from Indy. The energy is good. Solo- messy intro followed by good phrasing and a unique, ultra gritty riff to end. Last verses are spot on to end a decent opener. "B+". Sick Again- How ironic this song title was. The attitude and swagger is all there. First solo- some shaky notes to start but the rest is solid, though a bit unexciting. Plant powers through the last verses as Jimmy lays down a good flow of phrases with the outro. "A-". OTHAFA- Intro played perfectly and Plant survives the verses well enough. Solo- Jim sounds very coherent, ripping through some speedy phrases with no hesitation. 4:30, nailing the ascending phrase. Articulation might be suspect behind the hissy recording but I'd give him the benefit here for a very nice solo. Robert strains a bit through the last verses but sings with enthusiasm. "A". (6:19, a huge cherry bomb explosion). IMTOD- Solid start and Plant is slowly getting warmed up. He does squeak a bit throughout. First solo- kind of a messy start but once he moves up the neck the phrasing improves. Robert struggles some afterwards. 5:52, a bad mix up as Jimmy misses his solo cue and replays the previous riff. Jones follows suit but Jimmy suddenly jumps into the solo leading to a jumbled mess. Robert is also straining badly again after starting the song sounding decent. 9:10, the energy level is there but the overall performance takes a hit. "C+". TSRTS- Page's guitar intro is barely audible under the boomy recording. On the surface everything is sounding good to start. Plant's voice sounds smooth through the verses. First solo- coherent phrasing and the articulation is so-so. Not bad. Plant surprisingly pushes through the Honolulu verse unscathed. Outro- a little rough on the edges as Jim dances across the fretboard. Overall not bad considering a few sticky/squeaky spots. "B+". Rain Song- A straight forward performance with few flaws I can hear. The rock section drags just a little with a screechy Plant but otherwise very solid. "A-". Kashmir- The groove and attitude hit perfectly to get this one going with Plant sounding decent through the first verses. Bonham's drums echo throughout the Greensboro coliseum. 4:20, a mishap here as Jimmy misses the train back to the verse. They go another measure and everything gets sorted out. The outro features excellent drum fills and well played Arabic guitar leads from Page. Minus some points for weak vocals and a pretty noticeable flaw, but otherwise a strong rendition. "B+". No Quarter- Perfectly good start. Jones' acapella section is still within the 1973 framework and very straight forward, but features a nice groove. Jimmy sounds coherent upon his entry and works through some aggressive phrasing. 9:27, excellent control of those vibrato notes. 10:17, speaking of aggressive. Very nice playing by Jim throughout. 14:00, Jimmy comes alive again on the outro for some amazing wah licks. I see nothing wrong with throwing an "A+" on this. Trampled Underfoot- Some vocals squeaks throughout the verses but the energy is pretty good. 2:32, Plant barely hanging in there. 2:36, missed notes by Jim. Jones gets a solid, extra funky keyboard section in. Page's entrance in contrast is a chaotic, aggressive explosion of notes with a shrill wah-wah driven guitar. Despite the sonic punch in the face, Jimmy actually stays on track with his playing and lays down a coherent, ultra expressive solo. They finish up nicely with some more funky licks on the outro. Vocals kinda hurt this one but those solo sections are something else, "B+". How Many More Times- Decent start to the classic. 3:00, Page goes all in on a Heartbreaker style smear run. It's pure aggression but pretty sticky overall. 4:08, phrasing troubles. The bow section plays out effectively and transitions into The Hunter with subdued vocal effort. 10:52, Plant actually shoots for the air raid scream and does ok. "B". Stairway- Smooth and confident on the opening verses. 3:40, some raspiness sneaking into Plant's voice. Solo- Jimmy honestly gets off to a rough start with some offbeat phrasing but levels out soon afterwards. 7:37, Jim's playing isn't bad but he's jumbling up the phrasing throughout, like here where he jumps to the tremolo part before the measure ends. 8:15, this lower register phrasing is unique and works perfectly. Page kills it with the final phrases, Plant does his best on the climax and it's not bad. Not the strongest version obviously but it's a good listen. "B+". WLL (partial)- Plant musters up some inspired vocals here and the tempo is lively, they even go an extra measure with it. Black Dog- Lightning fast tempo and Robert sounds tolerable. Verses have energy aplenty and I'm very surprised at how well Jim keeps up. Solo- 3:33, some slight stickiness throughout but he's playing very coherently with lots of attitude. 4:37, definitely a sloppy run here. A soundboard might reveal more stickiness but the ratio is in favor of the emotion for this solo. Huge finish pushed over the top by Bonzo's fills. "A" Communication Breakdown- Sticking with the blazing energy which is appropriate for this one. Instrumentally excellent but poor Plant is out of breath and barely hangs on. Solo- superb outing here from Page as he nails the wah soaked phrasing. "It's Your Thing" jam sounding good and Jimmy solos a bit more. Another strong finish to end the night. "A-" considering Plant might've died onstage. Final Assessment- I've always heard "One of their worst shows" when referencing this concert but I honestly don't see how one can justify that claim. Plant, even though sickly, is arguably better than other shows from 75. Page reminds me a lot of Montreal, not perfect but 90% of his playing is on point and he's noticeably more coherent than a lot of 75 shows. Also plays with fire throughout. The only bad mix up is IMTOD and I think he got a little ADHD for the Stairway solo. I'd say definitely worth a listen.
  11. Page plays a note outside of the pentatonic scale and boomers lose their mind.
  12. We shouldn't forget that the Seattle footage was used in the OTHAFA promotional video from 1990, so Jimmy is definitely willing to use 77 footage to some extent.
  13. One part of me wants to agree and keep hope alive for a pro shot Pontiac. The cynical side realizes Page has licensed snowboards, sneakers, and toy cars to make an extra buck and a 77 pro shot release would definitely be out there in some form if he had it.
  14. Pretty sure those are broadcast cameras, not film reels. They simply transferred the image to the overhead screen. The signal would have to be recorded offstage somewhere (like the Seattle footage was). It seems plausible that with this many cameras onstage (blocking the view of the audience even) that their intention could've been to document this to an offstage source just like Seattle. But as others have mentioned if the footage actually exists it would've likely been used in the DVD (since the inferior Seattle was).
  15. Nitpicking Page 1/25/1975 Indianapolis, IN (Revision) A good audience recording with some cuts throughout. Rock And Roll- Per usual we have Robert sounding very rough on the opener. Verses otherwise sound tight. Solo- good start, just a little loose on the last half. A decent start but of course points are deducted for the vocals. "B+". Sick Again- Keeping up the energy at least as Rob strains. Verses good. 1:52-2:00, a tad sloppy on the ending. 2:52, slight Jim chord flub. Outro solo- Jimmy plays recklessly but I'll be damned if he doesn't keep a good flow going with an adequate amount of expression that doesn't spill over into slop. Not bad at all, "A-". OTHAFA- That G string dangerously close to being sharp. 0:49, staggering a little. Plant had me hopeful on the intro but he strains badly on the verses. Solo- Nimble fingers to start with Jimmy sounding coherent. Maybe not the most impressive display from Page here but he stays on track throughout for a solid solo. 5:35, slight hiccup on the solo exit. 5:49, slight chord flub (or possibly out of tune). Plant really pushing through these sickly verses. Page gets the outro down nicely. Hard to rate this one considering the vocals but I think "B+" is fair overall. This solo is fairly notable however. TSRTS- Energy off the charts and the intro sounds solid as a rock. Robert's vocals much improved now. First solo- certainly some stickiness beneath the surface but overall Jimmy's fingers dance along nicely. Unfortunately the tape cuts before the bridge (enter confounded joke). "A-" for what we have. Rain Song- Tape cuts in just before the mellotron section and Jim's guitar is badly out of tune. Rob almost disappears during the rock section and struggles badly. Apart from that it's quite explosive. 5:05, microphone gets bumped/adjusted, probably to battle some feedback issues (or it could be the taper's mic). Jim plays the outro with a still out of tune guitar. "B" for what we have. Kashmir- The mood is there but the vocals surely aren't as Plant struggles just to make a noise. Instrumentally this is a powerhouse with Page's outro noodling landing perfectly. "A-" overall. The Wanton Song- Bonham does a three count to kick it off. Plant pushes himself through the verses, still sounding sickly. Solo- well done by Page. Solid despite the scratchy vocals. "A". No Quarter- Some small tape cuts on the intro. Poor Rob still struggling on the first verses. Jones' section is slow moving but has a moody, soulful groove very reminiscent of the 7/28/1973 version. Solo- Page finds a good pocket of phrases with some slightly loose articulation. He's not rushing it here and staying in his lane but some runs teeter on being too loose. A cut near the end of the solo takes us to the outro verses. Page fires up the wah pedal for some aggressive outro licks. 12:20-12:30, excellent expression on these bends. A shame it isn't complete but what we have gives us a good idea of the overall effect. "A-" considering the very subdued vocals and a cut in the solo. Trampled Underfoot- At this point we have to accept Robert isn't warming up for this show. The instrumental side however is tight as it gets. Solo- Jimmy follows suit from the No Quarter solo and dives in with aggressive, reckless abandon and paints a vibrant picture with his fingers. Impossible to judge technicality when the expressiveness is so on point. They carry out the final verses nicely. "A+" without Rob, probably "A-" if you include him. HMMT- Bonzo gets started with a jungle like rhythm and the verses come in rather quickly, with Robert basically dying on stage vocally. Jimmy sounding very fluid for the initial solo parts. Unfortunately a tape cut takes us to the outro. I think I'd rather have the solo and cut the rest on this one. No rating. Stairway- Plant pushes himself along, managing a little better here. 2:53, guitar flub. 3:50, second time Jimmy has flubbed this phrase. 4:42, I think he attempts it again here just to see if he can get it right. Solo- The momentum Jim was building up so far in the show completely falls apart as he stumbles out of the gate and bounces off the walls throughout the solo. There's still some good expression beneath the surface but this time it's overshadowed by the technical flaws. 9:44, this might be the low point for the final pulloff phrase. Robert simply mumbles the first lines on the climax. Easily a "C". WLL- yep. Black Dog- Somehow Plant manages the verses here better than previous songs. Still nothing great however. Instrumentally sounding fairly tight. Solo- Page almost fools us for a second but soon starts tripping over his own fingers. 4:50, the most unique phrase I've ever heard in this solo. It gets pretty sketchy near the end as Jim gets reckless. 5:27, just no sustain from the Les Paul here as he chokes this bend out. "C+". Final Assessment- When you listen to 1975 (and most of 1973 for that matter) you pretty much accept that Robert is a different singer and more often than not you have to just look past his sickly vocals. This one is a worse case of that subject matter, arguably the worst Robert of 1975. But he pushes himself through as always to give the fans what they stood in line for. Jimmy stayed on track quite well for the first two thirds and only took a dive near the end. Bonham and Jones are solid as a rock. This is one of those must listens not for the greatness of it, but maybe because of the uniqueness, if that makes sense. The Wanton Song and the Trampled Underfoot solo are the highlights.
  16. Let's see how many elderly folks on here can name hip hop artists of the last ten years. I'd guarantee if there was a contest between the two the younger generations could name more classic rock artists than vice versa. You can chalk that up however you want but this is very much "people who don't share my interests are inferior".
  17. " As for how that photo ended up on the album cover: Legend has it that Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin’s vocalist, and his bandmate Jimmy Page were in an antique shop in Pangbourne, a village about 50 miles west of London along the River Thames, where they spotted a colorized version of the photograph that will be on view in the Wiltshire Museum. Because the photographer, Mr. Farmer, was also a teacher, Mr. Edwards said, one plausible theory is that he used the picture to teach colorizing to his students. One of those versions may have ended up in a frame in an antique shop. That colorized version of the picture seems to have been lost." Ok, now I'm piecing it together. This is simply the original photo the colorized version Plant found was based from. The museum purchased the album for about £400. Talk about a deal.
  18. Am I missing something or is there still no indication of how that photo/album ended up at the Regional History Center? Was the colorized photo on the album cover simply a photo taken of the photo, which was edited?
  19. Jimmy saying Wray was the essence of cool when we all consider Jimmy the same. I admit I've skimped on Link Wray's discography (especially shameful considering he was a local boy), but hopefully I change that.
  20. Nitpicking Page 1/22/1975 Chicago, IL (Windy City Tapes Vol III) A clear but distant aud tape. Rock And Roll- Plant at least sounds tolerable now but still very rough. Solo- the structure sounds good as usual but beneath the surface you can hear Page's fingers are sticky. Not a bad start, "B+". Sick Again- Sounding good through the verses. First solo- impressive playing from Jim with flawless phrasing. One of the more stable solos here. Outro- Page keeps it within the lanes with controlled playing. Nothing too impressive but also not the erratic mess of later versions. "A-". OTHAFA- Intro sounding very nice. 2:25, is that a unique bass line from Jones? Solo- 3:20, Jimmy's fingers appear to be fine as he rips some fluid runs. A couple small hang-ups but otherwise a 73 level solo. 4:44, small flub on the solo outro. 5:45, a slight pause before playing the outro, likely to roll the volume down on his guitar. Not bad at all, "A-". IMTOD- The tempo moves swiftly and the first verses sound strong. 4:20, slight flub. First solo- nothing out of the ordinary as Jimmy puts down solid phrasing. Second solo- decent playing here. Plant sounds fully warmed up on the later half and Bonzo gets some giant fills in. Solid version. "A". TSRTS- Cuts in during the intro with everyone sounding excellent. 1:35, Jim a little loose here. 2:07, again loose on the same phrase. First solo- a rough start and Jimmy struggles a bit on the finger picked part. Plant sounds screechy on the bridge verses. Outro solo- good start. 4:35, some off notes through here. A croaky Rob and struggling Jim keep this at a "B". The Rain Song- Textbook first half with a good balance from the mellotron. The rock section is played well and Robert really comes alive on the last verses. "A". Kashmir- First verses sound very good. 5:15, possibly some off notes from the mellotron. Outro played well. "A". The Wanton Song- Plant sounding fairly strong with good energy. Solo- solid playing from Jim though the phrasing could've been more exciting. I'm also not sure he uses his phaser effect here but it's hard to tell. 3:05, chord flub. Overall very good. "A". Despite Rob's vocal impairments they seemed to be pretty consistent with this number. No Quarter- Cuts in on the intro. First verses sound good as usual. Jones' section seems to drag on a bit as he repeats several uninspired phrases. Solo- decent start. 6:57, this riff just doesn't work tonight. His general creativity appears to be hampered as well as he avoids any fast runs, opting more for the sonic landscape routine. 10:02, these unique phrases are actually quite interesting. The recording quality takes a dive toward the end but this rather sleepy version winds down normally. "B+". Trampled Underfoot- Plenty of attitude and energy to start. Page's rhythm riffing completely drowns out Jones' section. Solo- 3:28, lots of aggressive riffing but not a lot of lead runs. 3:45, an oddball phrase as Jimmy repeats a boogie woogie style riff, which strangely fits well. More raunchy licks to finish up this unique solo, done quite well. The outro verses sounding good to end. This one stands out as exceptional and we'll assume Jones played well, "A++". HMMT- A loud firecracker pop as Plant introduces the song. 3:17, sticky fingers. Page's articulation isn't perfect through the first solo but his phrasing is on point. 11:25-11:32, suspect phrasing during The Hunter. Plant's airraid isn't bad at all. The tone of the Les Paul doesn't quite match the fat fuzz from the Telecaster but it does alright. "B+". Stairway- 0:26, off notes from Jim. 0:43, definitely something different about the EDS as Jim's fingerpicking sounds overly twangy. Otherwise the verses are played very well. Solo- 6:12, apparently Jimmy breaks a string which throws him off for a couple measures. He pulls it together for the last half but still has some sticky moments. Plant cracks horribly on the first climax verse but survives the rest. Couldn't be more than a "B" but Jim deserves credit for pushing through minus a string. WLL (Partial)- A good start for the encores. Black Dog- 2:05, Page trips up a little. Solo- Jim sounds completely coherent as he shreds through the usual phrases, fingers sounding nimble as well (Although a soundboard might reveal something different). This one has excellent vibes and energy. "A++". Communication Breakdown- Robert strains some on the opening verses. 0:43, Jones coming through very well. Solo- 1:55, finger sounds fine to me. Not a bad finish at all, "A". Final Assessment- A very enjoyable listen for a still early setlist with mostly solid performances. Plant sounds better than previous shows but still struggles in places. Not a perfect showing from Jimmy but overall he's in good form for the year. And I think we can conclude that his injured finger didn't hinder his playability as much as his treatment for said finger. Highlights include Jimmy in peak form on TUF, BD, and CB. There are also a lot of near flawless songs such as SA, IMTOD, TRS, Kashmir, and TWS. I feel like a couple more encores would've really made this show stand out considering they were hitting on all cylinders at the end.
  21. Nitpicking Page 1/21/1975 (two source mix) Unfortunately a very incomplete aud source that also requires some bootleg ears. A lot of releases for this show have jumbled up tracks that are spliced from the other Chicago shows. As far as I know this is the true 1/21 source which includes audio from the 8mm footage. Rock And Roll- Much too boomy to accurately judge anything. No Quarter- Only a snippet of the intro. Trampled Underfoot- A frantic tempo and Robert sounds decent. Jones' section is hard to make out but sounds good. Solo- very shrill tone and Jim is doing some erratic phrasing. It's at the least aggressive and exciting but definitely not the smoothest solo. "B+". How Many More Times- Might be a good thing the vocals are murky in the recording because they contrast very noticeably with the early days of the song. Jimmy however is playing great throughout, sounding like his old self up through the first interlude. The bow solo here is obviously straight from the usual Dazed section. The second half is pretty straightforward with The Hunter section. Robert does somehow manage to hit a decent airraid for the Coda. Not terrible but there's definitely a significant amount of magic missing compared to the old performances. "B+". WLL (Partial) Black Dog- Only the first few verses. No rating. Final Assessment- I only really wanted to review this one for How Many More Times and even still I'd call it a completely skippable bootleg. It would however be interesting to hear Jimmy on a complete recording. Only for the diehards.
  22. 1. Why has this just now surfaced? 2. There has to be more than a two second snippet, right?
  23. Nitpicking Page 1/20/1975 Chicago, IL (Two Source Merge) A muffled AUD source that improves as it goes. Rock And Roll- A very, very rough Plant suffering from the Flu, barely hanging on through the verses. Solo- Page absolutely nails it with good fluidity. Plant did alright considering he's near death here, but the vocals hold this to a "B". Sick Again- Plant managing just a tad better now. Solo- Page plays coherently but repeats the same phrase several times. Outro solo- much more controlled than the erratic slopfest he would construe in later performances. "B+". OTHAFA- A very articulate intro by someone supposedly having broken his finger. Rob stays reserved on the verses, careful not to crack his voice. Solo- Coherent and articulate on every phrase for a wonderful extended solo. Good noodling from Page here, honestly on a 73 level. Plant certainly holds it back but it's a solid performance. "A-". When The Levee Breaks- The drums sounding very thin on the recording and especially compared to the thundering studio sound. Plant is of course still rough. The first break/interlude is played well and Plant's second harmonica section sounds excellent. Jim gets a little loose at 4:10. 5:28, Page's slide work is nervous sounding through here but Bonzo puts down some amazing fills. The outro features aggressive riffing by Page. Not too bad, "B+". TSRTS- Solid intro and Robert sounds fairly smooth on the verses. Solo- Jimmy's fingers sound fine here as he blazes through perfect phrasing. 3:37, Jones showing off his own finger strength. Robert stays alive on the bridge verses, barely. 4:45, Page is seriously killing it here with flawless picking. At this point I realize there's not much point in factoring Plant into the rating because he's just out of it tonight, but instrumentally this is an "A+++" easily. The Rain Song- 7:00, the only flub I heard taking place on the outro. Otherwise about as good as you can get with a sick vocalist. "A-". (Plant even has a voice crack introducing Jones at the end) Kashmir- Rob's voice cracks are too many too count but overall he holds it together fairly well. Instrumentally very solid with good phrasing from Jimmy on the outro. "A-". The Wanton Song- 1:33, Plant more or less gives up here and just mumbles. 2:20, Page is a little slow to get his phaser turned on but the solo sounds good. "B+". No Quarter- Perfectly good start. Jones is again straight forward with his section. Solo- good fluid playing by Page but it doesn't have a lot of impact as far as phrasing. Bonham certainly livens it up with some dynamic playing. 11:00, easy Rob. They wind it down nicely for the finish. Kind of a sleepy version. "B+". Trampled Underfoot- Jones is up in the mix for this lively version. Solo- Very hard to make out how Jimmy is playing but he's got the energy down anyway. Rob makes it through decently. I'll play it safe with an "A-". IMTOD- First verses sounding good with a smoother Rob. First solo- hard to hear details but Jimmy seemingly plays well. Second solo- again, impossible to make out the articulation but everything sounds good on the surface. Really no flaws at all. "A". Stairway- 0:25, small cut. 2:06, hesitation on the lyric. Verses not bad and Plant sounds in good spirits. Solo- 7:18, 7:33, getting in some very good runs. Pretty much flawless here but it lacks some of the usual majesty. Robert doesn't sound too bad on the climax. His voice does crack on the outro verse. In the "A-" range and Jimmy shows no signs of finger trouble. WLL (Partial)- The only thing notable here is a monster drum fill. Black Dog- Plant is squeaky throughout but not terrible and the energy is good. The crowd fills in for Plant on the airraid sections. Solo- kind of a disjointed start but he rips through a speedy run at 3:52. Very aggressive playing by Jim but it lacks a smooth flow. "B+". Communication Breakdown- Perfect energy, verses sounding solid. Solo- Page goes off here and hits shred level. Unfortunately he keeps it short. The following jam also ends quickly as they sound eager to get off the stage. This had huge potential but is what it is, a quick blast of energy to end the show. "A+". Final Assessment- Immediate impression is that this is another 1975 Jimmy show that kind of goes unnoticed, like Philadelphia. His supposed injured finger doesn't really hinder his playing level at all, at least not in a technical sense. And if he's playing with only three fingers he's already perfected the technique. Which makes me think the injury actually got aggravated as the year went on. Unfortunately Plant is the opposite and barely hanging on with sickness. The distant recording lacks some vibrance and aura which lowers the overall appeal but instrumentally it's on par with about any other show of the year. Obviously the setlist isn't quite worked out yet and will change over the next few shows. Pointing out any highlights is moot considering most of the vocals are rough no matter what, but the show is definitely worth a listen for the instrumental side.
  24. Nitpicking Page 1/12/1975 Brussels, Belgium (Three Source Revision) Decent audience source. Rock And Roll- Recording is a tough one but everything sounds okay through the verses. Solo- fairly basic phrasing but solid. Last verses carry the song out nicely, with Plant not sounding half bad. "A-". Sick Again- Energy is good. First solo- a tad loose in places but not bad. Return verses also sounding good. Outro solo- a little more structured than the erratic later versions. "A-". OTHAFA- Some warbly chords and hesitant phrases on the intro. 2:31, flub. 3:13, not flowing well at all. 3:58, flub. On the surface this one isn't terrible but there's definitely some staggers along the way. "B". When The Levee Breaks- A good heavy start with thick guitar tone. 1:04, some wobbly slide notes by Page. 2:22, hard to tell if Jimmy has an effect on his guitar but something makes the notes sound out of key. Then again he's not a great slide player. Robert is killing it on harmonica though. The verses sound great anyway. 5:05, sloppy Page. 7:00, Jim uses the wah with the outro solo and the results are questionable, but it's unique. 8:17, they time the ending perfectly. "B+". (Plant introduces "Jimmy Page on steel guitar", which is a different instrument) TSRTS- Blistering speed on the start. Everyone sounds nimble through the murky recording. First solo- a little choppy but it flows well with good energy. Robert strains on the bridge verses. The outro has some suspect areas, 4:36 being very sticky. Not terrible but has a few rough spots. "B+". The Rain Song- Verses are good per usual. The mellotron is barely noticeable during the instrumental break. The rock section has some punch but Robert struggles. The outro is very laid back and sleepy. Nothing that really stands out here. "B+". Kashmir- 1:08, a nasty mix up but soon gets corrected. 1:43, feedback. 5:06, Plant very flat on that one. 6:42, some unusual chording. The spirit is there but the performance is shaky. "B". The Wanton Song- Plant's voice cracks slightly as he strains on the opening verse. Apart from that they're sounding good. Solo- solid playing to start but a little loose toward the end. They finish up nicely. "A-". No Quarter- Plant mumbles the opening verse and the vocals are low in the recording throughout the chorus. Jones' spot is very straightforward, no big improv section here. Solo- Jimmy sounds nimble on the takeoff. 7:30, he keeps an energetic flow of phrases going, hardly stopping to catch his breath. 11:00, Jim gets some aggressive wah licks in on the outro, playing very fluidly. There seems to be a little "Oomph" missing on this one but it's mostly a solid performance. "A-". Trampled Underfoot- Breakneck tempo. Jones gets in a funky solo section and Jimmy follows suit with good guitar noodling. Strong finish as well. "A+". IMTOD- Intro and verses sounding great. 3:34, tempo at a furious pace here. 4:05, Jim has some trouble keeping up and nearly botches the start of the solo. The second solo is played tighter. 7:02, flub. 8:37, Jim and Bonzo get out of sync. Maybe too much energy on this one. "B". Stairway- Very good intro and verses with a Rob singing well. Solo- 6:33, phrasing is lackluster and offbeat to start. 6:53, some fluid fingers are marred by off notes. 7:41, sticky. 8:00, smoother here for some good runs. He barely gets the final pulloffs down. Plant strains on the climax but it's not terrible. A lot of potential but Page struggled to get on track for the solo. "B+". WLL (Partial)- Robert improvises some "Squeeze my lemon" lyrics and that's all there is to it. No rating. Black Dog- Instrumentally sound verses but Robert struggles both vocally and lyrically. 3:30, guitar flub as it sounds like Jim maybe drops his pick and strums the notes with his fingers. 4:16, Plant's air raid is at least somewhat impressive. Solo- nimble fingers to start. 5:05, straining on these bends and the following phrases. Not the best here, "C+". Communication Breakdown- Robert again sounding rough vocally. Solo- blazing opening runs followed by some sketchy phrases, not too bad. The "It's Your Thing" jam is short and sweet. Plant returns with improvised lyrics to finish. Decent close for the show, "B+". Final Assessment- Page apparently hadn't broken his finger by this point so his issues are chalked up to flat out sounding rusty. In between those moments you can clearly hear some remnants of his 1973 fluidity. Plant sounds okay through some songs but clearly sounds tired on most of them. There are a few worthwhile listens here however. The opening two numbers aren't bad at all and the three song stretch of The Wanton Song, No Quarter, and Trampled Underfoot are above average for a rusty performance.
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