Great show last night....

Laurel Park's Not History But Has A Century Of It By: Rick Snider | 10/13/11 | Examiner Sports Columnist | Laurel Park has seen more revivals over the past century than a country preacher. Maybe there's another one coming. The thoroughbred track is celebrating its 100th anniversary Saturday, and in that century Secretariat, Seabiscuit and Led Zeppelin graced its oval. Kent Desormeaux rode a world record 598 winners in 1989, including one during which both his boots fell out of the irons in the stretch. Not bad for a track that started as a fair meeting and was the state's fourth-best venue -- maybe -- for many decades. Laurel drew 50,000 during the 1950s, when its international race attracted Russian horses during the Cold War. By the 1980s, the "faithful 5,000" were the only ones rattling around the aging facility. But track owner Frank De Francis turned Laurel into the "Maryland Miracle" shortly after his 1984 arrival. Behind giveaways and gimmicky bets, big TV screens attracting sports fans and simulcasts that allowed patrons to wager on races across the country every two minutes, Laurel became the lion of Mid-Atlantic racing. Bowie closed in the mid-1980s, ending the famed winter racing that attracted trainloads of New York and Philadelphia gamblers. Timonium shortened its "spa" summer meeting, and Pimlico essentially became the Preakness Stakes festival each spring. Meanwhile, Laurel chugged along like a nickel claimer trying to earn enough to pay for its oats. Too bad Maryland legislators were a decade late in approving slot machines. Neighboring states grew fat off their slot earnings as tracks. Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia choked Maryland racing into submission, luring away its top stables and riders. But those tracks will never have Maryland racing's history, which dates to 1743 and featured galloping through the cobblestone streets of Annapolis. George Washington's diaries mention his betting losses. Maryland raced while Kentucky was just an open prairie. Secretariat was among five Triple Crown winners that scored at Laurel, and immortals Kelso, Seabiscuit and Spectacular Bid also raced there. The first international race in the United States began there. The Maryland Million day for state-sired progeny -- meant to bolster the breeding industry -- became a national trend. Jockeys Chris McCarron, Sandy Hawley and Desormeaux started Hall of Fame careers in Maryland, while trainer King Leatherbury ranks third in career victories nationally. Even top musical acts played on the track apron, from Jethro Tull to Led Zeppelin. Sadly, Laurel's grandstand is largely empty again; bettors now wager on the Internet or from off-track parlors. The crowd no longer swarms to the paddock to watch trainers give final instructions to jockeys or see how horses warm up in the post parade. It's now mostly a numbers game -- minus the insider tips of the Nathan Detroits and Lemon Drop Kids in the stands. Still, there's nothing like rooting home a long shot, flashing the winning ticket to buddies while heading to cash in at the window. That's why Laurel remains, maybe for a century more. http://washingtonexa...-has-century-it

Press Conference - Tokyo, 9/30/72, Hilton Hotel. Info here: ledzeppelin.com/event/september-30-1972

Not sure if this has been covered before..... There's a Beatles book which chronicles all the rehearsal & studio tapes and I found this interesting reference to Zeppelin / John Bonham. -- January 22, 1969 -- Someone asks George if he already listened to the new record by Jimmy Page. "Jimmy Page", wasn't he the one who was in the Yardbirds?", he asks. The answer if affirmative, so George is told. The conversation continues: The largest group is talking at the table. The new band of Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, is briefly discussed. "John Paul Jones on bass, he is very young", someone says. And a kid called John Bonham on drums. He is unbelievable. Fantastic to hear this."

Classic Rock (UK) Aug. 2011

Kutiman's New Mash-Up Video for Black Dog

Thought someone might want to try to identify the girl.......

I remember seeing him perform Closer on the Tonight Show (I think it was) in the 80s. I'm pretty sure he did. (JPJ as well) There's a bootleg recording of it (audio).

JBLZE Article by noted author/journalist, Ritchie Yorke: http://www.jasonbonh...e_new_yorke.pdf [PDF]

Great work PlanetPage! Thank you.