Right on!

Check out Bonhamology's breakdown of the Candy Store Rock drum track. This song is a serious pain in the ass to play on drums and there are, I think, three or four turnarounds which are super tricky to pull off but Bonzo does it. Plus there is still some contention on exactly how he played it to this day. Funny because the three songs on the album with the most creative and interesting drum parts (RO, CSR, & HOFN) most consider filler songs though all three I really like. Presence is in my top 4 Zep Albums (PG, 4th, HOTH, & Presence). Funky

When only the very best will do. Enjoy my friends 😉

Well, it is fish & chips so deep frying is kinda the point. They did use Cod up until the Cod War of the late 70's at which point they served Pollock as the price of Cod had quadrupled as a result. This is what caused the end of Arthur Treachers as the franchise owners expected Cod but got Pollock which resulted in lawsuits, bankruptcy, being bought out, reorganization, etc. There is still a single location left in Ohio.

Yes, Chicago Stadium on Easter Sunday. Best show I ever saw with Page / Plant in 98' a close second.

Carlos Casteneda: A Separate Reality & Ralp Waldo Ellison: Shadow & Act

Hey now, I was just generalizing for the non-UK punters out there. Ya have to understand the American education system, most know of only one town in the UK...London. You think most of us thick Yanks would know what Tyneside or Weardale is much less where? Maybe a few may of heard of Newcastle, but even that's a stretch. Yes, cod is the go-to for proper fish and chips. I am a serious fish and chips freak, love the stuff. There is a restaurant on Coronado Island (off the coast of San Diego, CA) called The Brigantine which has without a doubt the best fish and chips in the states. At least as far as the ones I have tasted 🙂

28F (-2.2C) & snowing

Now let's break down the difference between what chips & crisps are On a side note, we used to have a chain restaurant (fast food) called Arthur Treecher's Fish & Chips back in the day which served "authentic" English-style fish & chips. They even served them in newspaper just like in good Albion. I loved that place but whenever I wanted to go and my dad was around he said, "no way, their food gives people food poisoning!" and that was that. My mom was quick to point out the Treech was fine, just slightly more expensive than McDonald's and that me dad was a cheap bastard so he made the food poisoning up to deter us from seeking the holy Treech Fish & Chips. They went out of business in the early 80's and I have yet to find an authentic English fish & chips joint in the states since 😞 Bonus: They also provided little packets of malt vinegar for the fish, just like in London-town 🙂

My dream: A UFO lands and the members of Parliament / Funkadelic walk out being led by Michael Schenker 😉

Have to say, some of that age progression they did on Jimmy in TSRTS turned out a bit spot on once you toss him into a Santa suit. Now here's an idea, swap out the Hermit Jimmy in TSRTS and replace with Santa Jimmy, gives the whole fantasy sequence a whole new dimension 🙂

I think Jimmy may have hit the Absinthe a bit too hard before the encores as the rest of the show is damn fine IMO.

All of a sudden visions of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas come to mind, the casino bar scene in particular.

Oh Myyyyyyy

So far I am extremely impressed with 2-8. One of the highlights is possibly the best D&C from 75' and the last 10 min alone could make it the best D&C ever. Pages goes full Miles Davis in his playing around 4 min toward the end, really avante garde, Bitches Brew style and incredibly psychedelic. Then he ends it with an interesting phrasing plus and extra bar on the endling riffs. It really is a spectacular version. Then Page goes full EVH about 4 min into the STH solo. Funny thing about this STH solo, IMO it starts out kinda wrong. Not bad just something is a bit off the first 2 min of the solo and then BAM! Something fires inside of Page and he is 73' Essen level playing but with even more interesting and creative phrasing. Now an amazing Black Dog with again, a white hot Page and a shit-hot JPJ, JB, and especially Planty! He even hits the legato phrase in the Heartbreaker solo after a false start and Page rarely nails the legato phrase in HB in any year. The smear solo pretty much has no smear, he is articulating every note perfectly. This is one of the best Heartbreakers I have heard post-Euro 73'. I say, when Page is "ON" in 75' he really is on, just cannot understand WTH is going on in 75' with Page. If it were his finger why is he fluid and articulate in the several of the early Jan shows? Is Page simply trying to push songs like D&C to places the song is simply not capable of going and then losing momentum and interest? You know, I think the problem in 75' was Satan. Rat bastard got jealous of the ultra-funkadelic awesomeness of Zep and decided to step on their collective dicks here and there in certain songs and / or shows just to be a dirty prick. Old Scratch was pissed Jimmy was getting all the ladies while the Butter Queen would not give Little Nicky the time O' day 😉

The Landover show is one which requires serious bootleg ears, unless there is a remaster out there I am not aware of. You right about the 75' D&C's, most are rather meandering and sluggish IMO. Almost sounds like Zep is trying to be an evil-Yes but without the cohesion of Yes. Page has a tendency for many of the D&C's to play with an idea, trying to work something out and almost falling asleep mid-phrase and then...SQUIRREL! He goes off on something completely unrelated and even if executed properly just sounds disjointed and weird. Especially the part pre- San Francisco / Woodstock break and again after the bow solo about 5 minutes in.

Oh I understand as I too am a musician. I no longer gig but I did consistently from 1988 - 1996 so I can look at the link and know exactly what Page used on which song. However the layman or amateur musician may get a bit overwhelmed with all the technical talk, especially the first part. You're likely still a gigging musician so it's second nature and if I still were I probably would have posted a similar link. I always admire your posts Woz as it is obvious you know your stuff and it's always to the point, no bullshit. Cheers and Merry Christmas Woz 🙂

It was a quote from Robert out of a book I purchased around 1982. Cannot remember which book but I will look for the reference. You are correct though as it can be interpreted several different ways depending on your perspective. The lyrics are actually quite genius in that regard as almost every passage can have multiple meanings.

That link really answers the question

Actually Woz, the explanation I gave was straight from Robert's own mouth as far as the meaning of that verse which he wrote.

Not yet but gonna give it a listen over the Christmas holiday break. I figure it must be a damn good show as Montreal (day before) and Philly (day after) were both white-hot and Philly even has Robert in good voice too!!! After 2-7 I am gonna give 2-10 a listen as I believe this was a very good show as well.

A bustle in this particular instance is a witch. Old Robert must have found this reference from an old book as the use of "bustle" as a reference for a witch is pre-18th century English slang. I wondered about this as well until I read it in a book years ago. Honestly, WTF was a bustle (undergarment suspension) doing in a hedgerow and who would care? Once I found out it was a witch it made sense. "If there's a bustle in the hedgerow, don't be alarmed now...it's just a spring-clean for the May Queen." The May Queen refers to May 1st May Day celebration in pagan areas where a girl dressed all in white leads the May Day procession. So the lyric means a friendly witch clearing away the prior season in preparation for May Day and the start of Summer in the old calendar.

Hi Gibson... The effect Jimmy used on the Fool in the Rain solo is a MXR Blue Box. Took me years to find that out as I wondered what the hell that effect was. Joe Walsh used the same effect for the solo on Disco Strangler (Eagles The Long Run album).