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This Zep material is not easy to play for one guitarist. We all know that. When Clapton plays, he has assistance, Townsend has a second guitarist, Richards always had. If you notice Jimmy at the 02 he played a lot of heavy distorted rhythms because the modern sound made it sound monumental. When it came to his fine picking leads, he was much better in 88 through 96. The only one that’s gets away with it is Beck. However , Jeff plays totally different type of music where the other musicians play for him as Jimmy needs to play for the song. There is a lot of stuff gong on and one guitar player at seventy something years old today cannot handle. When he first came on with the blistering GTBT solos ( best of night ) , I thought , wow holy hell does he sound good. But he went back and resorted to some apprehension and sloppiness by the time SIBLY was played. What made Jimmy stand out that night is that it seemed like he had some real pro audio techs for a change not like the stoned out ones back in the day that would hand him a guitar ( techs) that was out of tune in front of 25000 fans.

Pittsburg 1973. Good show

Hated the whole production. No backstage footage. No audience footage even though it was filled w rock stars. Most of all I hated Bonhams snare sound. Sounded more like Alex Van Halen. SRTS I thought was real good but didn't get much fanfare on this site. Page came out of gate in great shape but I personally think he tires fast. His finger work on the guitar was sloppy at times towards TUF and especially STH. How the guy who wrote the damn solo cannot play the damn solo is beyond me. Plant was fantastic. Jones wonderful. Jason stellar all the way through. Jimmy killer tone , pacing and overall played very well. Camera work a bit dodgy and scattered but overall ok.

I love Jimmy but he needs to show he is a musician first. By Plant not doing Zep doesn't mean Robert doesn't like the fans. He's just on his own trip as a musician. Jimmy on the other hand to boast album sales releases a 240.00 package of Song Remains The Same where only a sharp ear would really hear the difference in the recording. Plus leaving the butchered NQ just shows you that Jimmy can give a crap about what the fans want. Jimmy, please act like a true musician and not like a manager ....of the past. McCartney still makes music, Clapton, Plant, Daltrey, Neil Young, Springsteen, Gilmour. Musicians are always creating. Jimmy's best way to show that he gives a crap about the fans is too release some new stuff or go to live archives and release some hard to find stuff. Robert is mature enough to move on, All the amateur fans out there ( in public ) think that Plant coming back would heal all their breakup wounds. Zeppelin music is physical and tiresome performed live. It's asking Mike Tyson to come back to fight. Or even George Foreman. It's impossible. It's actually incredible to read fans reaction in 2007 that Plant can't sing like he used to.....???? Of course not!!!. No one can. Especially in his vocal register. Do you think now it would sound good..?? Acoustic is the answer but Planty would probably sprinkle it with his Arabic beats and chants like PP of the 90s. Rubbish. At least Robert is not living in the past 100% likemJimmy is. Jimmy is always been aloof in the British rock guitar scene. Not the most highly regarded by his English peers ( Americans , yes ) and I think a lot has to do with his ability to keep to himself, away from the crowd ( which is fine ) and really not creating new material. You would think that the documentary with The Edge and JBlck would have done it. Instead he charges fans an enormous amount of money for "upgraded " sounding past recordings with no real true " finds ". Really, LZ 4 special edition? Wow !! an alternate " Rock n Roll" without 1 overdubbed guitar. An acoustic GTC with no vocal...??? Please guys let's get real here...

It's sad that Jimmy has lost all connection to fan base. What he should REALLY do is release the show , even with Philly or Pittsburg inserts in its entirety. This film with the fantasy sequences to me is the only mistep the band ever took. Jimmy taking away that solo from the fans, to me , is another. Seems like Robert has more of a connection.

Well done sir! I was addicted to Creem and Circus. I was a huge KISS fan at the time and for a while they always placed second quite often. I used to hang out at the 7-11 and just read and read because I couldn't afford them. Then they would ask me to leave.

Haha it wasn't on the RS or even Hit Parader scale. It was Creem, Circus, Rock Scene, HP. With these polls ,the fans voted,and most were young. I'm might be wrong but pretty sure it was the fans.

Jeez I remember Creem and used to read it religiously. I was graduating at the time from Kiss to Led Zeppelin . Just looking at the Creem photos , I remember every single one and every award list. !! Great job. Just remember, in 1977 , Zep was picking up a younger fan base. Much younger. The days of John Lennon catching a Zep show in 1973 at MSG were gone. The fan base was less critical. It was all about the experience of just seeing the band in motion since they were still kinda mysterious to America. The music scene was changing and punk was making its headway. A lot of older fans were leaning in other directions ( to come back once agin in the future of course). Zep were picking up alot of Kiss fans who were seeing that band go to comic child like status. You can hear in the audience recordings the, audience was changing. So the fanfare of 1977 was more hysterical than actually detailed ( and rehearsed) music. I'm not saying 75 was that stellar but I just prefer the " scene" a bit more. The band regardless of Plant's condition seemed more focused. Jimmy wasn't always on the verge of a mistake, it seemed. All good though from different point of view. You know how us Zep heads are, we go through our bootleg years , favoring some for some time and discerning others and then favoring the one we once disliked. I'm in my 1977 mode now just trying to find that , besides LA, wonderful show. One as good as 1975 Montreal where I just don't think the rhythm section in 1977 even reached that peak. Page and Bonham are beasts!! The last great Stairway solo. !!!Give a listen and compare to any 1977 shows with that stop and go staccato type playing Jimmy mustered up to disguise his lack of detailed picking which was falling by the wayside on that solo. He all good, lads!!! Blaize NYC Also, as an afterthought, weren't Zep in the Creem readers poll voted " worst live band " in some years at the same time voted "best". ???

I don't know how any fan can listen to a soundboard recording. It takes the important elements out of the the reason we like bands live in the first place.There is no reverb, bottom, bass or echo. They all sound like crap. Give me good audience recording especially in 1975 when they had more bass bottom than 1973 and band was tighter than 1977. When you get past Plant's opening numbers, you get used to it as he gets stronger.

Let's be real here...1977 North American Tour Best show is Pontiac just from the enormous vibe. 1977 Bonzo - overplayed very often especially in NQ and STH I think to mask Jimmy's poor soloing. His snare sound to me was off key quite often with Jimmy's guitar. He was looking heavy also. Also to me , physically , he played more with his wrists and that swing you see in the EC TUF video during Jimmy's soloing, is lost. That movement around the toms with big arm gestures, which created space , was lost in 1977. He seems tight on the snare and I just think his physical condition altered his play. In the videos I see on YT , he seems lackluster at times. Bonzo - didn't like the snare tone. 1975 was a better tone for him . Overall he played better in 1975. More reserved and solos didn't bore. It's simply called drugs man!! Percy - carried the band in 1977. He was nasal during acoustic set and used no falsetto , but overall strong. Jonsey - NQ was way too long and didn't like the STH key tone. Other than tha, t he was stellar even with the new bass. Jimmy and Bonzo were a mess most of the time. It's easier to hide as a drummer than a guitar player. Robert knew he needed to be on his game or else the tour would have collapsed.

Long Beach March 12 1975. The band is vicious !!!! I love the 75 shows when the band is on which was rare due to Robert flu and voice issues. However, this show along with Montreal demonstrates that Jimmy was still lightening fast in 1975 . Also Robert is fantastic here . I love when he gets bluesy in DAC and throws in extra lines and also hesitates and sings behind Pagey chord changes. He makes the verses drag which just adds to the tension and feel. Nobody and I mean No band was doing it like this and hanging it out there pass or fail and very often of times they did fail. When they are on like this night it is pure magic.

Never a big fan of 1977 but I must say June 26 show at LA Forum has hit my attention. Killer simply killer version of SIBLY. I didn't realize Jimmy's fingers could be so nimble at that point in the band.

1977 didn't exactly finish well for Bonzo. In fact the next gig was only 13 months later and not in 1980 which sounds so distant. The Copenhagen shows were great and the Knebworth shows were spotty and to me he looked heavy. Going to America is a big endeavor for a band not to mention a " dinasour " band. I think the mix of heroin and alcohol was still breathing from the 77 tour ( hence the Graham incident ). I think John welcomed alcohol better than H. I feel that when reality set in and America was in sight , the images from the last tour were weighing as was Jimmy's condition , Grant's condition and Cole being a total looney. I feel that he was nervous. Believe it or not on another note, Zep did suffer from Stage fright quite often hence the pic from , I believe , a 77 show , maybe Pontiac , where they are backstage drinking and smoking before hitting the stage. Bonzo was homesick ..period. I bet his wife was pressuring him and his only shoulder was Robert. He was there for Percy when Karac past and John was a good friend when reality set in. Again I will say it was Cole, Pagey and Grant that didn't stop him from his demons. I still believe Robert wears that truth every day and doesn't want anything to do with it. As far as him and Pagey in the 90s, it was maybe for reasons I will never know. I know there were alot things going on and a lot , this fan , and every other fan were not privey to since Zep were a mystery. I welcome any explanation.

Bonzo was a home body ...period. You can see the footage that he selected for TSRTS and it shows you what he was best at. John was also very very young and I think we forget that a lot. Being in your mid to late 20s in the presence of Jimmy Page and Peter Grant ,who were actually the ones leading band, he was influenced as would almost a teenager would be. Him and Percy were the inexperienced young ones of the band. John would binge drink, take it all out on his lad Robert , who he was closest with, and say things that were pure emotion. Jimmy , Richard Cole and Grant were industry guys who knew the ropes and dealth with them by using drugs. John followed and I would assume it was late 1976 where things started to get crazy. Robert was intelligent enough to command control of himself and be a gentlemen . It was actually Robert who matured the most during Zeps tenure ( you can tell with his voices d singing changes also). It was Jonsey who continued to not participate. It was Page who was losing playing ability and was probably nearing rehab in 1980. However, Bonzo lacked the maturity of Plant, the focus of Jonsey and he wasn't the leader of the band. Bonzo was the kid who was prompted to do pranks and was everyone's foil especially Cole and the Road crew. We all had a kid like this as a friend growing up. As Bonzo reached the age of 30 and his kids were getting bigger, the 80s were looming , music was changing , touring in the 70s exhausting and ITTOD signaling a band change musically a bit...I think Bonzo needed to refuel. He needed his family but the older wouldn't have it because simply they didn't understand it. John would cry on Robert and just use alcohol and drugs to ease his pain. I personally feel, and this is just me, that Robert feels that Jimmy, Grant and Cole could have maybe stepped in and guided Bonzo into a different direction instead of influencing him. I think that past pain along with the death of Karac is something Robert will take to his grave.

Over - new orleans 73 alot of 1973 shows to me lacked a bottom sound . Page was more a lead soloist here than a combined LS and rhythm player. His tone I didn't like , not to say that some if the SRTS stuff isn't great but some songs that need a heavy bottom to sound proper, didn't go down well in this tour . ex- MMHop - terrible shallow sounding WLL-'the main riff which draws on its baritone like tone sounds empty. Black Dog - another one where the riff sounds empty. Much better in 1975 with more bottom. Under - Copenhagen birth shows 1979 Knebworth 8/4/79 Montreal 75 killer Page Philly 75 some of the Europe 80 shows are quite good with great versions of All My Love and Achilles.

Any version of ten years gone in 1977... what is so hard about playing that solo...a piece that he wrote to boot!!. whats with the 3 neck gimmick that never really made that much of a difference , to me that is. The beginning was never poweful Bonzo was always a bit heavy handed in the live versions. Percy was always great especially in the verse after the so called solo. and Jimmy flubbing the solo night after night and if he did at least nail half of it , he gets too much credit especially from some threads on this site. It's his job to,play well. To rehearse. To nail it. To be a professional. In this song he played like a ten year old with his first guitar. There might be a version or two from LA and Copenhsgen but most suck.

Always thought the MSG shows in 75 were overrated. Uniondale much better show.

I personally believe that 2 of the bands most played songs on mainstream radio come from this album. All my Love and Fool in the Rain. FITR I believe gets no respect. Who would of thought that type of beat and tempo would come out of the mighty Zep. Bonham's Purdue Shuffle is pure genius and never tires during the song. The insane samba soccer chant beat in the middle is brilliant followed by what I think is one of Jimmy's best solos. Robert is as clear as ever with one if his best vocal performances ever. All my Love should have stuck with the original Jimmy solo ending. I'm Gonna Crawl has cheesy keyboard intro but has a wonderful Jimmy solo and Robert singing his balls off with heavy echo. Hot Dog is fun In The Evening - pure Zep. A little over produced with Robert coming in too heavy on the reverb. Live is better. Carouselambra- take away the keyboards a bit and raise Roberts vocals and it's a gem. The ending fade had Bonham in top form coming off and on the rider cymbal and floor toms with breakneck speed but it fades too fast. The song should have ending with just Bonham and that beat. South Bound Suarez sounds like a Plant solo album song. Has a great riff though and Bonzo is holding a great pocketed beat. Happy Holiday

Osaka Osaka Osaka 1971 - The intro - Jimmys outro solo on IS is serious shit..the acoustics ..Tangerine - the Percy banter - the group infighting w a drunk Bonzo- Moby Dick marching snare patterns -Pennies from heaven in middle of DAC- all systems full throttle- no drugs !!!

Hands down without going any further - Pure Blues Live boot - Plant is incredible. This version really made me realize how good he his as he rephrases portions of the verse intros. He also gives it a different key when the second - " to eleven every night " comes and and so forth during the song. Page is low in the mix but Percy and JB are up front. This is Plant reaching or near his peak. Powerful. Play it real loud !!!

Plant was never a trained singer. He sang from the throat not the abdomen most likely. He was lucky to reach the highs he did before 1972 even though he did hit it now and then in 1973 ( LA ). I always thought that HTWWW had Plants voice recorded too high . I personally don’t like it . There is little baritone and it was pitched way too high in the recording. To me it had little feeling. The 71 Osaka dates were Percy in top form. He can hit the highs , be spontaneous and on key and also supply a baritone Elvis like feel in medleys. Orlando also is a peak. Plant had a mature voice so imagine him on American Idol at the age of 20 and he would have blown those teenyboppers off the stage. It matured fast I guess with his harmones and one had to realize how young he was in 72 and 73. He never lost his voice as much as he juat just got older. His voice changed. Yes they did 3 hr shows 4x a week which would not be happening now and he could have cancelled a ton of them. Alcohol and cigarettes don’t help plus the grueling touring of the seventies. It was a voice stress for anyone.