Ha…now that would be some impressive Zep prep!

Had to laugh at this horribly incorrect caption in the recent Bob Spitz Zeppelin book. Any Zep fan worth their salt has seen the pic countless times and would know it’s taken in 1975 ahead of their date at the Met Center in Minneapolis. You can even see that venue’s unique multi-colour seats behind the curtain. Not to mention Bonzo did not have his circles symbol on his bass drum for Knebworth, or his Perspex kit for that matter. Heck, just a look at JPJ and any diehard could tell you this is his 1975 look. Also, it can’t even get Knebworth right…it says ‘the Knebworth gig”…well, which one? There were two! Another basic Zep fact that is wrong here, and it makes me wonder how much else is wrong in the book.

A bit of ‘Ramble On’ was played during a break in the action of the Capitals-Jets NHL game in Washington. First time I’ve heard that Zep number at a sporting event. Usually it’s Immigrant Song or Rock n Roll, etc. Nice!

Sounds quite plausible, Steve. They did like their countryside settings when making new music!

Page has noted that a Zeppelin rehearsal session that included the development of the track ‘The Song Remains the Same’ was done in “Puddle Town on the River Piddle in Dorset, UK.” What a beautifully incongruent name for the location where one of the most powerful guitar epics in the history of rock came together! (Although, if they also happened to be working on the Rain Song, it would seem to fit rather well.) After taking a virtual stroll through Puddle Town on Google Maps, much to this Canadian's expectations, it appears to be a classic pastoral English village with no doubt a gentle pace of life and generally not a great deal of noise. It’s funny to think that on one day in (presumably) 1972, LED ZEPPELIN had invaded this quaint little town and was concocting one of the greatest rock masterpieces ever written, while the townsfolk went about their regular days, oblivious to what was taking place somewhere in their midst: the creation of the opening track of their next album, a live performance institution from 1972 on and eventual set opener, and my personal favorite Zep song. I’m curious why they chose this location, as I haven’t heard it mentioned anywhere else as a place for Zep to record or rehearse. Not sure what connection brought them to Puddle Town…perhaps it’s another Zeppelin mystery that will never be explained (unless someone here knows?)

Makes perfect sense. Thanks for the sanity check this thread needed. How I would have liked to have heard a live Carouselambra. <sigh>

Been watching some clips of Cream's phenomenal Farewell Concert of Nov. 26, 1968 at the Royal Albert Hall and couldn't help but wonder whether any members of Zeppelin would have been in attendance that night. Dave Lewis's concert book shows they were in England at the time between gigs, so that at least likely puts them in the right geography. Quite plausible that Page would have been there, given his relationship with Clapton and the fact that it was THE concert event of the time in London. Wondering if anyone had ever heard him mention that he was there (I haven't)? Also interesting to think that Zep was just lifting off as Cream was wrapping up...

On a recent trip to Honolulu I made a point of going by the arena Zeppelin played there on September 6, 1970 – the Honolulu International Center, now known as the Neal S. Blaisdell Center – and took this pic. It’s a cool-looking building, sort of a cross between a UFO and a huge clam. Nice to know it’s still there. I was certainly not in attendance that night, being only 11 months old at the time. Forty years to the day later, my daughter was born. Zeppelin played three other gigs in Honolulu, all at the Civic Auditorium, which was torn down in 1974. “Honolulu Starbright...The Song Remains the Same”

A great YouTube Channel devoted to 'No Quarter': https://www.youtube.com/@thenoquarterchannel3633 Nice chronological collection from the origins of the song in the studio through the many live versions. I for one am going to be spending a lot of time here!

I've honestly only ever had one remotely negative thought regarding Mr. Page's consistently brilliant solos: Always thought the studio version of Immigrant Song could have used the solo from the BBC Sessions version. It is absolutely perfect.

Amazing post. Thanks for undertaking and sharing this excellent Zeppelin research. It's sort of a strange feeling to realize that these places actually exist...they really always seemed like something not real, a true "fantasy sequence," after having only seen them in the movie so many times.