You disagree when he's playing in the wrong key by accident? You disagree that sometimes his fingers are barely hitting the strings? You disagree that sometimes he probably just drops his pick or breaks a string? You disagree that sometimes Robert squelches like a pre-pubescent teen or forgets some lyrics? Or when Bonham jumps into the turn around too quickly or gets a beat reversed? Or when someone throws an M80 at the stage and disrupts the show? I think people are still missing my point in doing these and getting butthurt by only looking at the negatives. All I'm doing is dissecting the individual parts that make up the whole picture, good and bad, for anyone interested in keeping an eye out for these bits while listening to the shows. Sort of a listening guide and a text analysis on which performances are the most technically solid, and which pieces might have gone unnoticed to a casual listener. I'm trying to be as technically biased as possible and not opinion based, although I do voice some opinion at times. We can all say "You know that version of Stairway where Page obviously couldn't remember how to play? Well that's my favorite version!" That's fine, I wouldn't dare attempt to dictate what someone enjoys. All I wanna do is find the hidden gems within the songs and point out the performances that stand out in some way, be it good or bad. Hell, maybe some people are interested in hearing an example of Page falling flat on his face. It's all interesting to me anyway, the good and the bad. There are some people who enjoy hearing Achilles from Tempe 77 because it's interesting. Edit: Do you also disagree with the good parts I point out?

Have you heard 3/19? I'm doing it currently and there's no comparison, to me anyway. Edit: No Quarter, that is.

I couldn't find any info about value on it. What's it worth?

A guide on how I'm personally rating the tracks: (Although I don't follow this strictly) A+, An overall exceptional performance with good energy. A, Pretty much a flawless (Or near) performance with good lead work from Page. B+, A good performance with a few flaws that hold it back. B, A mediocre performance with too many noticeable flaws. C+, A below average or lackluster performance. Cringe inducing in some areas. C, Severely flawed in some way.

Nitpicking Page 3/27/1975 L.A. Forum (Deep Throat disc 3) The second Forum show was undoubtedly a step up, now let's see what happens with the big finish. Great audio for the most part. Rock And Roll- Plant already sounds warmed up. Solo- Almost dead on to the studio version. Very good. Considering Plant is already sounding good, I'd have to give this an "A+". Sick Again- Speedy tempo sounds good. Minor flub at 0:38. First solo- Doesn't flow very well, but at least he's keeping a good pace and not trying to cram too much in there. 3:58, Plant yodel. Outro solo- Also doesn't flow well. 5:07, ok then? I do this kind of thing when I get bored practicing. Apart from lackluster solos, not too bad. "B+". OTHAFA- Intro drags too much. Weird note at 2:28. 2:50, oh no. Get on track Pagey. 3:07-3:11 is a good run, but ends on a wrong note. Finally gets going. Off track again at 4:00. Loses direction at 4:38. 5:48, Page jumps keys. 6:33, misses his cue and waits for the next bar. A slightly embarrassing solo. Page almost forgets how to end the song. "C+" is generous. IMTOD- First solo- Good, but loses it a little at 5:18. Second solo- A nice extended solo that flows well. Plant sounds great throughout. You Shook Me at the end for a great finish. "A". TSRTS- Very energetic start. Page sounds alive now. Very slight flub at 2:15. Solo- Good articulation and phrasing. Outro solo- Not perfect, but really good. Solid version, "A". The Rain Song- Mellotron sounds good. 4:08, tape cut straight to the end of the rock section. Damn it, this was sounding great. If anyone has an uncut version please PM a link. Kashmir- The mellotron is almost nonexistent, making for a pure rock version of the song. Plant lets out an excellent scream at 4:20. A slight voice crack at 4:53. Voice is shaky around 5:40. Again at 5:59. Chord flub at 6:16. Page drops out at 7:18, returns next bar. Again at 8:33. Plant rests his voice for the final bars. A slightly sloppy version, "B". SIBLY- A very strange place on the set list. Flub at 2:06. Again at 2:49. Page sounds unfamiliar with the structure. Solo- Excellent. Nails it. 5:22-5:28, Page is having trouble remembering the chords. A great showing from Plant, who admits to the crowd that they were out of practice "B+". No Quarter- Something happens to Page at 3:29. Nitpicking Jones- Some fine cocktail lounge keyboard noodling. 10:35, Page comes in with an awkward rhythm. 11:35, I really like that. Solo- Seems to struggle to get a good flow going. 12:40 is cringey. Does some decent runs, but still seems lost. Jones is showing him up in the background. 15:52, there it is, that timeless fall back riff. 17:30, once the rhythm switches up Page manages to do some more solid playing. 21:59-22:19, awesome runs. 26:27 starts a great run but he loses it a bit. This was a hell of a jam session, but I didn't really hear anything that stood out that much. I'd honestly like to hear Page's entire solo removed so I could listen to Jones and Bonham groove for thirty minutes. Barely a "B+" version. Trampled Underfoot- Solo- 3:35-3:42, absolutely awful. Even Bonham sounds off. Not a good flow. 5:55-6:02 sounds like two cats fighting. 7:44, I think Bonzo gives him the "let's wrap this up" signal. 9:52, Plant throws in some Gallows Pole. "C+". Moby Dick- 4 minutes of snare rolls before we get to the toms. Then it's back to the snare rolls for 4 minutes. This version seems very subdued and uninspired. Dazed And Confused- Muscular, moody intro. First workout- Page is playing very chill and experimental. Woodstock- A little too unstructured. Sounds alright once it gets going. 10:46, some unique vocal additions by Plant. Bow section- fair. Has to retune at 20:56. Workout section- Flubs guitar part at 21:45. 23:22, a sloppy mess. The energy is there, but his phrasing ability isn't. There isn't much to brag about. Some good noodling around 28:00. The guitar/vocal duel has Plant sounding very 73 ish. 32:44, very cool riff. 33:40, good jamming here. Mars- A little trouble with the chords. 35:55, Jones and Bonham go into the climax and leave Page behind, which actually turns into a good jam session. 37:10, Page again misses the cue. 39:21, Page finally gets some fluid licks going. 42:38, whoops. This honestly sounded like a practice run after a year off. I know they experiment with and expand their songs from night to night, but that doesn't excuse missing the basics. There are parts where Page sounds like he's practicing new riffs to add later. Not a great thing to do in front of a live audience. "B". Stairway To Heaven- Very sluggish tempo. There are parts where it sounds like Page is nodding off. The solo- A little too much overdrive on the amp makes this sound kind of twangy. Nevertheless, he's playing with a good flow and phrasing. 7:28-7:35 is a beautiful run. For crying out loud, another tape cut at 7:38. This one doesn't seem to lose too much though. Page is flowing along nicely, but it sounds slightly lethargic. Flub at 10:00 and 10:07. 10:20-10:35, a little sloppy. 10:45-10:55, the notes Jones is playing through here sound surreal. Page flubs the final triplets. 11:28, Plant straining. 11:55, Page gets in the way of those beautiful keys. This was another version where if Page had been in his right mind, he could've blown everyone away. "B+". Possible "B" considering the lethargy. Whole Lotta Love- Weird intro. Also sluggish. Funk section- Page has trouble maintaining the rhythm and cuts it short. Theremin- Actually an A+ theremin section. Plant further blows out his voice at 5:20 lol. "A" considering the extended jam. Black Dog- 1:59, Page has trouble holding on to the tempo. Plant is still feeling good. Must be thinking about Ms. Lovelace backstage. The solo- 3:59, he choked that note to death. Some decent runs but they all sound a little awkward. 4:42-5:00, A.D.D. kicks in as he keeps switching lead phrases. 6:15, the most fluid run. Not bad, but not good. A solid "B+". Final assessment- It's tough hearing all these crap performances of OTHAFA, one of my favorite songs. Rock And Roll, IMTOD, and TSRTS are the highlights. Of course Jones was fantastic on No Quarter. None of these Forum shows really stand out as superior. You'd just have to pick your favorite version from each one to make a best of compilation, but I'm glad I gave them a thorough nitpick to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I think Rock And Roll from this show may be the single highlight of all three, considering Plant sounded great out of the gate. Very rare.

Anyone have the Crawdaddy magazine with the Burroughs interview?

Or make you realize that a track is actually better than it seems on the surface. Breaking down the individual elements of a performance can expose (at least to me) certain things I would've been quick to dismiss had I not listened more closely. For example; I'd completely dismissed the 3/25 show before without ever realizing how awesome that Stairway was. There are No Quarters where Page is crap, but Jones and Bonham more than make up for it. Or Rain Songs that seem mediocre but have an incredible climax section. So I suppose I do this less to find "the best version" and more to find the little hidden gems that lie within a live performance. Again, I'm not nitpicking to only expose flaws. I'm looking for random good bits as well. But I see what you're saying on the other hand. If you enjoy a show, you enjoy it. Don't let some flubs get in the way of an enjoyable performance.

Nitpicking Page 3/25/1975 LA Forum (Deep Throat Disc 2) Couldn't be worse than the previous night. Could it? Some slight bootleg ears required at first, but clears up later. Then there's a loose cable from Page's guitar. Rock And Roll- A little slop on the solo, not too bad. "B". Sick Again- Plant isn't sounding so good. First solo- Good start. 1:55, struggling. 2:02, yikes. Outro solo- Not as bad, but you can tell he's straining to put something together. "C+". OTHAFA- Decent intro. Solo- Solid, average noodling throughout. 4:28, gobbling. Though a solid performance, this version seems to lack some energy. "B+". IMTOD- First time I've heard Page get sloppy on the main riff. Plant is warmed up and sounding good. Bonham is doing some thunderous drum fills. 2:58, flub. First solo- Guitar cuts out intermitently. A good flow, not bad. Second solo- Phrasing is great but he's hitting the notes a little off key. 8:46- 9:24, still hitting notes off key. "B". TSRTS- Guitar still cutting out. Good playing on the intro. First solo- Nimble fingers and pretty good articulation. Outro solo- Energetic, but lacking articulation. "B+". The Rain Song- Some accidental notes in the intro. 1:31, mellotron mishap. Rock section- Plant puts a little extra in and it sounds great. 5:22, mellotron mishap. Guitar is also now slightly out of tune. All of the mishaps knock this down to a "B". Kashmir- An uptempo version, and it sounds great. 4:15, careful Plant. 5:24, Plant yodel. 6:17, Plant is struggling a little. 8:30, awesome drums. Despite Plant's straining, I still give this energetic version an "B+". No Quarter- Nitpicking Jones- Maybe a little slow to get going, but incredible playing from Jonesy with good atmosphere. 11:57, some wrong notes. Page- 14:15, comes in wrong and tries a few more times. Disappears from 15:18-15:33. Comes back in with some fire. 17:14, awesome drum fill. Page is grooving fairly well. Not exactly shredding, but playing smoothly with good phrasing. 19:49, some good playing. 21:22, cool riff. Excellent finish. Very cool performance, but has enough flubs to make it a "B+". Trampled Underfoot- The solo- Bad phrasing, bad articulation. Some good bits here and there, but mostly a slopfest. "B". Moby Dick- This version failed to hold my attention. Dazed And Confused- First workout is pretty good, decent flow and phrasing. Woodstock- Very good noodling on the lead in with a haunting atmosphere. Plant just doesn't sound good here, though Page is nailing it. Bow section is pretty average with a good finish. Second workout- Page is flowing quite well with only a couple hangups. 25:40-25:57, excellent series of runs. 27:36, Page is testing Plant with the guitar/vocal duel. 28:35, minor hang up. This might be the best phrasing during the latter half of the workout I've heard in a while. No bedroom jamming. Mars- something sounds off at 31:12. 32:20, Bonham flexes a little. Finale- Page again throws down some good noodling. Flub at 38:43. A very solid version overall and worth sitting through. Once again though, Plant's straining keeps it at a "B+". I'd have to give Page an "A". Stairway To Heaven- Excellent clarity. Jones' keys are up in the mix and sound amazing. Solo- The guitar starts cutting out, but is still audible. Page's fingers are quite nimble, but the phrasing could be just a tad bit better. 8:14, very cool riff here. An excellent finish to a very good solo. Plant sounds better now as well. It's a shame this had the technical difficulties with the guitar. A solid "A" version. Stay tuned until 12:05 for the massive M80 lol. Whole Lotta Love- Plant sounding squeaky at first. Funk section- Sounding quite good, despite the audio problems. Theremin drags on a bit, but Jones is putting down a good rhythm. Weird transition into Black Dog. "B+". Black Dog- 1:10, Plant forgets the lyrics and throws Page off as well. Solo- Page comes alive, but his articulation isn't great. An honest "C+" version. Heartbreaker- Dropped. Final assessment- Not a standout show, but a rare one considering Page starts out terrible and gets better throughout. I'm guessing he did some snorting instead of drinking during Moby Dick. A very good Stairway. Solid versions of No Quarter and Dazed. This Kashmir would've really been something had Plant been in better shape.

$150-$300.

The Jimmy Page figurines are on my wish list. Which one do you think is best?

The Obelisk and Bonzo dressing like a droog in 75. These guys had a serious fascination with Kubrick. I wonder if there were any legal problems with it? But you know, that rectangular black figure had been used for hundreds of years /sarcasm.

I'm actually going for belt buckles now. They're cheap, and some of them are actually pretty unique.

What do you hardcore collectors go after once you've got the main items (i.e. vinyls, tshirts, ticket stubs,)? Is it smart to go after custom made art? What's the most expensive item you've nabbed?

Snowed Monday night, waited for the snow to melt Tuesday so I could mow the yard in 75° weather, now it's back below freezing for a few days. Fruit trees will be scrogged this year.

Definitely gonna get those.

I've definitely neglected the first three EC shows, so I'd like to get them just for my own benefit.

I think I got the best of the February shows that were listenable, except for Baton Rouge, and we know how that turns out. I jumped to 3/12 because a couple people had requested it. I'd like to get the Texas shows too.

Nitpicking Page 3/24/1975 L.A. Forum (Deep Throat Disc 1) The Forum has always been a hot spot for magical Zep performances, but I'll admit that every time I've listened to these shows before I was not impressed. I always thought the third show was the best but still mediocre. But on the other hand, doing these nitpicks has allowed me to notice things in detail that I hadn't heard before. There's a Winston remaster of these shows, but the tracks are cut in an odd fashion and don't sound a whole lot better. The version I'm using has the guitar on a soundboard quality, with the other members in the background. It also sounds like he's playing through a $50 practice amp. I'm not sure how this was achieved. Rock And Roll- Guitar sounds slightly out of tune. Solo- Played very aggressively and pretty well flawless. I just wish he'd dialed up the overdrive a bit to thicken the tone. 3:10, some sloppy chording, which brings it down to a "B". Sick Again- The guitar again sounds off. Solo- Not bad at all. Good phrasing and flow. Outro solo- The phrasing isn't great here, but he's playing with authority. He flubs the last chord. "B". OTHAFA- Again, the guitar is out of tune. I'm surprised he hasn't swapped this thing out yet. Good intro with a monstrous build up to the first verse. Solo- Sounds a little awkward in the beginning. Gets a good flow going by 3:30. 3:42, excellent run. 4:12, some turkey gobble. 4:20-4:32, fingers stuck in strings. Nice ending, but still only a "B" version. IMTOD- The midrange heavy guitar tone on this sounds much better than the Winston version. Very swampy. First solo- Gets off to a great start. Phrasing issues at 4:47. Finishes up nicely. Second solo- Ok, but doesn't really get a good flow going. The energy from Plant and Bonham knock this up to a "B+". TSRTS- Good energy. Solo- A little sloppy, not bad. 2:49-3:00, Ok, it's kinda bad. Outro solo- Not very articulate. A "B" version despite the energy. The Rain Song- A very beautiful, delicate version with the mellotron low in the mix (Thank God). Rock section- Hard hitting with Plant singing with passion. A solid "A" version. Kashmir- 2:12, guitar sounds out of tune. The arabic phrases sound great. 6:16, out of tune.6:43, cool riffing. Outro solo doesn't flow well. 7:53 lol. Page played with some frustration through this. "C+". No Quarter- Page's wah pedal is shaving off the treble too much. Nitpicking Jones- 8:04-8:28, I need a handkerchief. Was that improvised or did he steal it? Jones is from another planet. Page- Good intro riffing. 13:05, Page will practice guitar sometimes while playing live. If he doesn't get something right the first try, he'll play it a few more times. 14:16 just doesn't flow well. 14:24, good run. He's picking it up a little now. 14:52-15:10, very nice. 16:42, on the verge of cringe. The nasally wah pedal kicks in and he stays within his comfort zone. 19:17, careful. 20:15, recycling any trick he knows. He just doesn't seem to know where to go. Thankfully Jones comes back in. 22:49-23:06, some serious problems going on. 23:31-24:12, out of nowhere a hell of a run. Very problematic playing from Page overall. And the guitar still sounds out of tune. Did he not bring his back ups? A "C+" version, though I'll give Jones an "A". Trampled Underfoot- 0:53 and 1:14, at least he's throwing in some cool ad libs. The guitar is way up in the mix on the version I'm listening to, which exposes his background rhythm playing during Jones' solo. It's pretty atrocious. I don't know if those are chords or if he threw the guitar down some steps. 2:51, he finally manages to get a sensible rhythm going. Page solo- Turkey gobbling galore. He's certainly playing with some fire though lol. 4:12, elbow deep in the strings. 5:15, he settles down a little. Not a good solo. "C+" is being generous. Moby Dick- This seems to go anywhere from mundane to very dynamic. Dazed And Confused- Page finally tries to tune up at 2:11. 4:03, tries tuning again. First workout- Page seems afraid to cut loose, then finally does a little at 5:18. 5:52, out of tune. San Fran/Woodstock section sounds ok once it gets going. Flub at 8:46. Better get "Back to the guitar shop". 9:11, tuning. Bow solo- At least you can't tell the guitar is out of tune. Second workout- Slop out of the gate. 19:30-20:00, not bad. It actually gets going ok in the later half. Mars- Not bad. 25:52, some struggling. Good build up to the climax. 27:51, ouch. Outro solo is decent. 32:42, I wish Page had never discovered that shitty lick. A more balanced mix on this might hide a lot of the flubs, but it's still a "C" version. I half expected Plant to say "Jimmy Page, mellotron!" lol. Stairway To Heaven- The trusty double-neck is tuned up. Plant sounds great. Solo- Gets out of the gate very good. 7:03-7:12, very nice. A little slop at 7:23. 7:55, loses the flow a little. 8:40, I think Jones flubs. 8:55, flub. 9:36, flub. Doesn't even attempt the final triplet riff, finishes at a lower octave. 10:47, flub. I really had high hopes for the solo for a second, but he just couldn't put it together. "C+" considering Jones flubs. Whole Lotta Love- A hint at The Rover at the start. Damn you Page. Ok beginning. The Crunge- 2:05, careful. Page is playing this with all downstrokes, which doesn't make sense. To keep the rhythm going for the odd time, you need to throw in those upstrokes as well. Licking stick- Sounds like Trampled Underfoot again. The theremin seems to be in tune. 7:24, Jones coming alive. 8:09, there's the upstrokes. Sounding good. I don't know what 8:46 is, but I love it. Not too bad, "B+". Black Dog- 1:16, fingers getting sticky. 2:11, Page gets tangled up. Solo- It starts but Page isn't there lol. Finally comes in ok. Some speedy playing, but the phrasing is ungodly. The final series of runs are pretty good. "B". Heartbreaker- 2:08-2:14, pretty good run. Solo- Not bad at all. Some decent noodling. Sort of flubs the chords at 6:01. Turkey gobbling at 7:06. "B+" is being generous. Final assessment- All I can say is "Where's that confounded guitar tech?" Not a great showing from Page.

I could only find the first disc of source 3. If you can send me a link for stairway that would be appreciated, and I could put a final stamp on it. I'm gonna stick to 75 for a while considering I'm in that mindset and can judge fairly. I still wanna do the Forum shows, Vancouver shows, and the other Seattle.

Nitpicking Page 3/12/75 Long Beach Arena (Source 3 mix/Taking No Prisoners Tonight) A very popular show that I've shamefully only skimmed through a few times. I'm switching between the two different sources mentioned above. Rock And Roll- Bonham seems excited tonight. That's always a good sign. Solo- Absolutely perfect. Could've passed as the studio take. Plant seems warmed up already toward the end, but the audience source may blur reality. Badass drum finale. Gotta say "A+" for the opener, especially for 75. Sick Again- Thunderous start. First solo- I've listened five times trying to find a flaw and can't. Fluidity supreme. Slight chord flub at 2:53. Sounds like Page jumps into the ending chords a little early. Outro solo- Very good fluidity. The phrasing is a little erratic, but this song doesn't have a very structured solo anyway. He's definitely feeling his oats so far tonight though. Even with the one flub I'd call it an "A" version. OTHAFA- Glad to hear a speedy intro to this again, compared to the NY versions. Solo- Very good flow and phrasing.4:35, letting those fingers fly a little. Bonham is also solid as a rock. 4:57, nice lick. 5:11? What's he doing here? It almost sounds like an extremely fast sweep arpeggio, but I know better than that from Page. I suppose he's just holding the chords down and steadily strumming them. Phrasing out of this world. I would hold this solo to any OTHAFA solo from previous years. Maybe better than most of them. Considering how smooth Plant's voice is as well, this is a top tier version. "A+". IMTOD- It's funny to think that by the time this song even takes off, most other songs have ended. The murky mix makes this one very hard to judge. First solo- 5:14, a vibrato so strong it sounds like Blind Willie Johnson. Beautiful and flawless. Solo 2- After the intensity of first one, this one doesn't hit quite as hard. Still solid playing though. 9:40, Page is actually rushing the tempo of this a bit. I think Bonham tries to bring it back down at 10:07. Excellent version, "A". TSRTS- I won't count the mishap at 0:58 lol. Excellent pace. 4:28, very close to a Plant yodel. First solo- As good as it's ever been played, except for an almost unnoticeable wrong note on the ending string of pull offs at 5:11. 6:14, is Bonham using double bass here? Outro solo- Very good. Plant really has to strain for this song now. Easily an "A" version for 75. The Rain Song- A slightly up-tempo version. Rock section- Plant hits a strong high note. The way Page plays the chords here reminds me of the 72 versions. No real flubs. "A". Kashmir- The only negative is 8:20, he's trying to do too much instead just laying down some cool arabic licks. "B+". No Quarter- Unique, haunting intro. Nitpicking Jones, beautiful grand piano groove. Page- 13:17, this fluidity is easily on par with 2/8. 15:06, a missed note, but calling this out seems ludicrous. 16:09, what an awesome little groove, 16:17, Page switches over to the bridge pickup, which is almost too trebly. 16:38-16:44, not perfect, but damn what a nice run.17:45, Bonham matching the intensity. Outro solo- "Give it to me". Page gonna give it to ya. 22:18-22:47, wow. One of the best versions ever, period. "A+". Trampled Underfoot- Solo- Page is obviously playing with fluidity, but I don't think his phrasing matches the groove of the song. Nevertheless, a "B+" version. Moby Dick- Sound quality takes a dive on this, but still sounds pretty good. This one gets a little repetitve, in my opinion. Dazed And Confused- Plant is sounding great, almost like a good night in 72. First workout- not bad. Takes forever to get the San Fran section going. Apparently there's some technical issue. 8:33, excellent wah pedal riffing. It's starting to drag a little. Bow section- OK, but it obviously has less impact on an audience source. The crowd chatter tends to interfere with the atmosphere. Workout 2- 19:46, there's some straining. His fluidity picks up for some nice runs. 20:56 is blurred by the recording, but I bet that would be severe turkey gobbling on a SB. 25:00 in and he starts to lose his way a little. 25:13-25:23, very nice run. Mars section- Those drum triplets leading in was awesome, but Page hits the chords on the upbeat which sounds a little off. 26:49, he's not playing badly, but it sounds like he's just throwing in whatever he can think of. The buildup to the climax doesn't flow so well. Despite Page's fluidity, this version seemed too loose and unstructured with no hard hitting moments. "B". Stairway To Heaven- Does Jones flub a little at 6:00? Almost unnoticeable. Solo- Sounds like a tape cut at 7:14, anyone know how much is missing? 8:04-8:10, very nice fluidity. Very smooth sailing with good phrasing. 9:52, Page tries to change it up some but flubs a few times. Very solid finish. Sounds like an excellent version but is hard to judge with the tape cut. Whole Lotta Love- Page gets a little off track at 1:43. The Crunge- Almost a total screw up. I guess the rhythm was even too complicated for them. Page seems eager to get out of it at 4:02 and starts doing some very funky improvised riffs. Is that the Ozone Baby riff at 4:50? A seemingly short theremin solo. "B". Black Dog- Good pace and energy. 0:54-1:00, Page showing some fire. Solo- His fingers are flying but the phrasing is a little too sporadic. Feels like he's in a hurry to go nowhere. Struggles with the bends a bit at 4:25. Reminds me a little of the soundtrack version, not bad but not great. "B+". Heartbreaker- Page's guitar tone starts out great but gets noticeably duller by the 1:00 mark. I suppose Millard was moving around a bit at the show. Some fine runs leading up to the solo. Solo- Very solid and reminiscent of the 71/72 versions. 4:30, for once the boogie section doesn't feel so forced and contrived. 5:06- 5:27, solo phrasing at it's finest. Page is feeling like his younger self. 6:10, very nice. 9:00-9:05, listen to that speed. Again at 9:21. One of the best versions I've heard in a while with Page's playing as smooth as butter. "A+". Final assessment- The Jekyll and Hyde of Page on this tour is unbelievable. How he can turn around and lay something this fluid down after so many lethargic shows is mind-blowing. This show makes me wonder why anyone considers 3/21 to be so good. From a guitar standpoint, there's no comparison, this and 2/8 are way up there for 1975. Although I did think Page was a little A.D.D. at times, starting very quick, sporadic runs that didn't seem to go anywhere. And I noticed Bonham calms down after the first few numbers, unfortunately. A tremendous show nonetheless and restores some of my faith for Page in 1975.

Nitpicking Page 2/14/75 Uniondale, second show (Throwing The Wild Seeds) The follow up to the good show the previous night. Let's see if Page can get it going again. I'm using the matrix version. Rock And Roll- Sounds like the building comes crashing down when they launch into this. Plant is a little rough, but not too bad at all. The solo- Not as solid as the previous night, but pretty good. No real flubs. "B+". Sick Again- Good energy. First solo- Solid, but sounds like he strains just a little to put the last couple of measures together. Maybe the finger is hurting tonight? 2:56, slight flub. Outro solo- Not a good flow at all. He's really struggling a bit here, but manages to survive without disaster. "C+". OTHAFA- Another relaxed start. Solid beginning. The solo- I already don't like how this starts out of the gate. 3:27-3:31 is nice. 3:33-3:45, sticky fingers galore. At the 5:30 mark and I don't know what to say. He's playing. He's hitting notes in the key. But there's absolutely no fire behind his playing and very little fluidity. Articulation? Nope. I've listened about six times now trying to find something that stands out. I mean, there are some decent bits like 4:25-4:36, but calling this professional guitar playing by the biggest rock band on the planet seems like a crime. 4:53, he attempts something nice, but it comes out a slopfest. I wonder if he realizes how he's playing or if in his head he's playing like Vienna 73? 5:45 and on isn't too bad I suppose. He ends the song just fine. After the song Plant comments that Page hadn't slept much. Maybe he's noticed his playing as well. Let's just go ahead and assume Page indulged a bit before the show. "C". IMTOD- The guitar is really low in the mix on this. First solo- Not bad but the flow of it seems off, like the rhythm section is about to take off and leave him. Second solo- A little more fire on this one with a little better phrasing. A "B+" version, mainly because of Jones and Bonham. SIBLY- This is one of those songs like The Rain Song where Page almost never screws up, no matter how off he is. Intro is beautiful. Solid playing through the first half. Solo- Not mind blowing, but a good solid solo played with accuracy. 6:18, Plant sounds really rough. Page's playing though the last half is present, but not making any kind of impact. I'm glad to hear this played in 75, but it's a mediocre version at best. Plant thinks it was great though. "B". TSRTS- Good energetic start. Slight flub at 0:53. First solo- He struggles a bit to get it going, but gets through okay. Second solo- Much more accurate and aggressive. Really not bad, a "B+" version. The Rain Song- A flub at 4 seconds in, but I'll give him a break on that. The vibrato on the mellotron is way too heavy. Rock part- The phaser effect on Plant's vocals almost ruin this. Otherwise alright. The ending exposes a string out of tune. "B". Kashmir- Bonham corrects his beat at 5:53. Plant sounds really tired toward the end. Not a bad version. "B+". No Quarter- Nitpicking Jones, an absolutely wonderful groove jam. I almost feel like Page comes in too soon and interrupts. 8:26, Bonzo has some fun and doubles the tempo for a measure (and will continue to do so throughout). Page solo- Good solid phrasing and surprisingly good fluidity. Bonzo's impatience really makes this stand out. 14:30, I don't know if Bonzo is trying to outshine Page or if he's just feeling great, but this is a rarity for 1975. 16:05, these three guys are killing it. 18:02, wrong chord Pagey. Outro solo- Page comes alive with some fire, smothered in wah pedal of course. 20:24, Jones misses the correct chord change. A very strong and unique version, but the small flubs make it a "B+". Trampled Underfoot- 0:34, somebody screwed up. 1:40, listen to those pull offs! 3:00, some serious turkey gobbling. Solo- Articulation isn't great, but his phrasing is really good. 4:18-4:28, excellent flow. 5:13, sounds like a chase scene in a movie. I can't hear 5:40 well, but it sounds pretty awesome. 7:16, Page is feeling the groove as the right hand comes alive. His outro accents are great as well (7:53). A very good version apart from the few flubs. "A". Moby Dick- Maybe it's this recording but Page's guitar sounds all out of whack. Bonham sounds tremendous and energetic. The sound quality really helps too. I'm only an amateur wannabe drummer, but this sounds like a tour de force. 19:00, Jesus. I imagine this bores the shit outta people who don't appreciate drumming, but I'm thoroughly impressed. Now let's hope Jimmy didn't chug a fifth of Jack backstage. Dazed And Confused- Excellent guitar tone. First workout- 4:39, good run. Some articulation problems at 5:36. Bonzo and Jones are laying down a hell of a rhythm. Tape cut. San Fran, not a great start, guitar out of tune. Sounds excellent later on though. Fair bow solo. Workout- 19:40, starts a good run but loses it. 20:04, loses the flow. 20:17-20:22, not bad. 20:31, oh no. 20:50, jamming in the bedroom. 21:05 sounds like someone who's played guitar for a year took a Zep bootleg, cut out Page, and overdubbed their own playing onto it. 21:52, sticky fingers. 22:12 also. And 25:15. 26:12, slightly embarrassing. Mars- Not good. 30:32, Freebird licks. The wah pedal outro solo isn't too bad. "C". Stairway To Heaven- A quick paced intro. The guitar drops way down in the mix and even this matrix sounds more dry soundboard-ish. Solo- Good flow at the start. Slight flub at 7:03. 7:28-7:42, I love these unusual low notes he's noodling with, and does an excellent run coming out of them. 8:00-8:25, really good articulation and phrasing through here. 8:58-9:06, yes sir. 9:25-9:29, a run reminiscent of 73 Page. 9:46, a very slight flub. 10:13, some articulation problems. Flub at 10:43. He barely catches the very last note at 10:47, maybe the most important one of the solo lol. If you could go back in time and slap the whiskey out of Page's hands for this show, this might have been the best Stairway solo ever. He was definitely feeling it here. The phrasing was perfect, but his ability was lacking a little. Even with flubs, a "B+" version. Whole Lotta Love- Page sounds very loose now. Funk section- 2:25, Jones with the slap, Flea style. Page is doing some wicked stuff with the theremin here. Incoming Crunge. If you find the bridge, throw Page's whiskey stash off it. An "A" for a 75 version WLL. Black Dog- Bonham loses beat at 0:46. Guitar at maximum twanginess. Plant belts a confident scream before the solo. Solo- A little hesitant at first. 3:52-4:17, well hot damn. 4:33-4:48, excellence, even with a dry soundboard tone. 4:58, struggling a little. 5:04-5:14, throwing in TSRTS style solo just for fun. Possibly the best Black Dog solo of 75? Shame the tone was so thin. "A". Maybe "A+" for 75 Page. Heartbreaker- Awesome, unique intro. Slip up at 1:30. The solo- Page sounds a little unsure of what he wants to do. 5:28, slight flub. Mess O Blues, sounding good. The second part of the solo sounds a lot smoother, with some nifty finger work. 9:08 and on is pure comedy gold. 9:33-9:50, I'm dying. What a way to end. I'll give an "A" for uniqueness, performance wise- "C+". Final assessment. Bonham was really impatient for this show which made for some great moments (and some bad ones). Page was up and down, one minute playing a lightning fast run and completely zoning out the next. There's absolutely no rhyme or reason to his playing ability in 1975. Somehow he manages to sober up enough to impress in between drooling on the strings. Plant was rather mediocre, sounding very out of breath at the beginning and straining to hang on to notes. I'd still say 2/13 is the best of the NY run. But that's an opinion, not a nitpick.

I think that's why people love 3/21 so much. It has a tremendous amount of energy and Plant sounds great for 75, but I absolutely can not stand by Jimmy's playing and still be honest.

If you don't listen to Tempe closely it almost sounds normal. If you do then you realize they're all playing out of sync. It's quite a comedy routine.

I had no idea. Can't wait to nitpick this one lol.

Man, I played this non-stop back in the day.