SteveAJones
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Jimmy has been known to trap his finger in the doors of trains, fall over and break fingers. But ten years or so ago he was admitted to hospital for a stomach operation, I never read anymore about it, but was wondering what it was, maybe appendicitis?
No, it was a twisted colon and the surgery was done the third week of August '88. This
caused four dates of his tour starting the following month to be affected.
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OK, here is one that may have been asked before, but can we get a timeline of when each member had a beard? I've started seeing a bunch of photos of them having beards and it looks like the pattern was them growing beards between tours and keeping them on during the initial european gigs and getting rid of them when they hit the states.
Also, I'd like to know the origin of Jimmy's Zoso sweater vest and a listing of gigs he wore it
I'm sure we can come up with something. I know Jimmy shaved his beard off in-between
dates on the '72 Australia tour. I can come up with additional details.
Insofar as the Zoso sweater, I've always believed it was given to him as a gift, because it fits him very snugly. If he had been the one to have it tailor-made I presume it would have fit better. I seem to recall it was worn in Copenhagen '71, among others, but a definitive listing may be impossible given no photographic evidence exists for many gigs.
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They played both cities on July 4, 1985.
Correct. Pro-shot video is from a Beach Boys tv special titled 'Bring On The Summer'.
Philadelphia Art Museum - Philadelphia Freedom Festival
Page joins Beach Boys "From Sea to Shining Sea" set for an unrehearsed rendition of 'Lucille'…1,500,000 in attendance
The Mall Washington D.C.
Page joins the Beach Boys for unrehearsed renditions of 'Surfin' USA' and 'Barbara Ann'…750,000 in attendance
The June 21st 1985 edition of the 'Houston Chronicle', among other sources, reported Page was among several artists to perform with The Beach Boys in Philadelphia on the fourth of July. A promotional flyer from WAVA FM Radio in Washington D.C. confirmed
he would be joining them there. So both of his jams were publicly known ahead of time.
Philadelphia:
This concert was broadcast on FM radio in Philadelphia. It is unconfirmed if it aired in its entirety. Joan Jett, Christopher Cross, Jimmy Page, and the Oak Ridge Boys were special guests for this concert and performed one song apiece with The Beach Boys.
Beach Boys:
Mike Love
Al Jardine
Bruce Johnston
Carl Wilson
Backup band/guests:
Mr. T (drums on #16-20)
John Stamos (drums on #13-15)
Joan Jett (on "Barbara Ann")
Jimmy Page (on "Lucille")
The Oak Ridge Boys (background vocals on "Come Go With Me")
Christopher Cross (lead vocal on "Good Vibrations")
SETLIST
1. California Girls
2. Getcha Back
3. Sloop John B.
4. Wouldn't It Be Nice
5. Do It Again
6. Little Deuce Coupe
7. I Get Around
8. Surfer Girl
9. God Only Knows
10. Come Go With Me
11. Rock & Roll Music
12. Good Vibrations
13. Rockin' All Over The World
14. Lucille
15. Help Me Rhonda
16. Surfin' Safari
17. Surf City
18. Surfin' USA
19. Barbara Ann
20. Fun Fun Fun
Washington D.C:
It was Mike Love’s idea to perform free Independence Day concerts on the grounds of the Washington Monument in the nation’s capital beginning in 1980. After a national uproar following Secretary of Interior James Watt’s ban of The Beach Boys for this event, they returned on July 4, 1984, by a personal invitation from First Lady Nancy Reagan. On July 4, 1985, The Beach Boys played to an afternoon crowd of one million in Philadelphia and the same evening they performed for over 750,000 people on the Mall in Washington. The day’s historical achievement was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.
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Dick Dale was never in the Ventures....and I recall Jimmy getting quite irritated with Robert Plant during a 1998 interview about Walking Into Clarksdale when Robert kept referring to Page's guitar playing on WIC being akin to Dick Dale. Jimmy advised him to find another comparison.
Dick Dale was the King of Surf Music and I suggested Jimmy copped that style for WIC. Yes, the comparison to Dale does irk him, which is why I said it the way I did here.
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SteveAJones.
Can you tell me why they bake tapes ? Is it because of the fragile nature of old tape physically or the magnetic information on it that gets miscued or jumbled ?
I'm going to guess it's because of the tension the tape receives with repeated playbacks during remixing and/or remastering.
Could it also be to hold the magnetic particles together ? I know old tapes 'shed', so, can you explain it ?
Thank you.
Tape baking is a technique used to reduce the amount of moisture the tape absorbed over the years...it's a physical limitation. This has been done with some of the Led Zeppelin masters. The internet has several links pertaining to this topic. Here's an overview:
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They should have done a Beach Boys number or two or maybe the Ventures, "Wipeout" during their rehearsal...
Funny you should suggest that as Jimmy has always rated guitarist Dick Dale highly. I
like to joke Jimmy copped this style for the Walking Into Clarksdale album.
Wipe Out:
Walk Don't Run:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ11y7pYl-8...feature=related
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Oh I am sure he had that intention. I cannot imagine them going on as New Yardbirds or a permutation thereof...I mean it'd be like the Spinal Tap scene... The Originals, the new Originals...
Yes, and the musical vision Jimmy had in mind for this new lineup had little to do with what had gone before. All those early performances on the Scandanavian tour must
have convinced him this was indeed shaping up to be something else entirely.
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No, pre-Knebworth rehearsals took place at Bray. This is one of the pics taken there.
I meant in Sept '80 but good catch! This is from late June/early July 1979.
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Note: In numerous print interviews and at least one audio interview (to promote the Led Zeppelin Boxed Set) John said the first rehearsal in London was at 39 Gerrard Street.
An advert has also been found to substantiate 39 Gerrard Street was available for hire
at the time. His recollection of the 9/24/80 rehearsal being at Shepperton Film Studios
is simply false. In his defense, they'd done reenactments for TSRTS there in Aug '74
and it's much closer to where he was living at the time. They only rehearsed once at
Bray, so it's understandable why he may not have recalled it here.
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..."the group held a rehearsal at Bray Film Studios, ending at 8pm (9/24/80)"
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Sources cited: 'Tight But Loose' fanzine (August 1981), 'Led Zeppelin: The Concert File',
recollections of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Richard Cole, etc
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I was also under the impression that the last rehearsal was in Windsor. Thanks Steve for the clarification.
btw- where is Bray Manor located? Is it close to Old Mill House?
Bray Film Studios is located in Bray, Berkshire. I've made the drive from Bray to Old Mill House (actually located in Clewer Village, near Windsor) in about 15-20 minutes. The
film studio was associated with Hammer Film Productions in the 60s, many films from which I'm also keenly interested in.
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They were supposed to go to Bray the week after. Windsor was the last rehearsal.
No, they rehearsed at Bray until 8pm on September 24th 1980. Their final rehearsal.
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Regardless, everyone sidestepped the fact that the "Marquee Mailer" called them The New Yardbirds
Actually, I mentioned Peter and Jimmy met with George Hardie in an upstairs room at the Marquee the day of this gig. Jimmy showed him the famous photo of the airship
in flames and said it was the image he wanted on the front of the album cover. My
point is by mid-Oct '68 Jimmy intended to change the name, regardless of how they
were being billed by promoters. The mailer does prove at least one promoter billed
them as The New Yardbirds, and the poster proves a second promoter did as well.
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Perhaps the astronaut album cover graphics were used/concept used, because in 1968, we went to the Moon (and Led Zep was launched as a band)???
That works as a cover concept for Early Days, but not so much for Latter Days. I'm not surprised Jimmy ensured both were phased out by Mothership.
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Here's one for ya... Tried to search to see if I could find a topic concerning Zep ever being billed as the New Yardbirds? Remember that discussion Steve, on FBO? Either way I think the concensus was no they were never billed that way... till now...
here's something to chew on...
Hi Nech. You've posted what is known as the "Marquee mailer", a promotional flyer sent
out prior to the gig. Here's additional details from a thread called "The Yardbirds Name"
I originally posted on April 30, 2008 (note Chris Dreja has since said words to the effect
the cease & desist order was "nothing heavy"...and the lawyer had acted on his behalf).
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From April 30th 2008:
Funny you should ask as I have been investigating this privately for years. If Chris Dreja is to be believed, Jimmy's right to use the name was limited to fulfilling the Scandanavian tour The Yardbirds were still under contract for at dissolution of the band in July 1968. Dreja originally intended to join Page in the new lineup, but opted out to pursue a career in photgraphy (Dreja is credited with the photos on the back cover of 'Led Zeppelin').
Dreja allegedly issued a cease and desist order when he learned the name continued to be used upon their return to England. So far as is known, they only played one gig (The Mayfair in Newcastle on Oct 4 1968) before Jimmy and Peter met with graphic artist
George Hardie at The Marquee in London on Oct 18th to discuss with him Jimmy's Hindenburg concept for the front album cover.
Clearly, Jimmy Page was intent on changing the name in October 1968. The debate
centers upon if he was compelled to do so by a cease and desist order or if he freely
chose to change the name. It does not help Peter Grant has said Jimmy came away
with ownership of the name The Yardbirds (although he may have meant for the one
tour only).
The below would seem to help clarify this matter, but it only complicates it:
Oct 4 1968 Newcastle The Mayfair
Note: Billed as "The Yardbirds featuring Jimmy Paige" (sic)
Oct 18 1968 London Marquee
Note: Billed incorrectly as "The British Debut of The Yardbirds". Also billed as "The New
Yardbirds" in a promotional flyer mailed out prior to the gig.
Oct 19 1968 Liverpool Liverpool University
Note: Reported as last appearance of Yardbirds…Page will stay to form…Led Zeppelin
Oct 25 1968 Surrey Surrey University - Great Hall
Note: Debut performance billed as Led Zeppelin but there is a poster for this date billing them as "New Yardbirds featuring Jimmy Page"
Oct 26 1968 Bristol Bristol Boxing Club
Note: I have seen no confirmation of how they were billed for this date
Nov 9 1968 Camden Roundhouse
Note: Billed as "Yardbirds now known as Led Zeppelin"
Nov 16 1968 Manchester College of Science and Technology
Nov 23 1968 Sheffield Sheffield Univeristy
Nov 29 1968 Richmond Athletic Club
Note: I have seen no confirmation of how they were billed for these dates
Dec 10 1968 London Marquee
Note: Billed as "Led Zeppelin (nee The Yardbirds)"
Note: (Their performance contract was signed on November 27th 1968)
Dec 13 1968 Canterbury Canterbury Bridge Club
Dec 16 1968 Bath Pavilion
Dec 19 1968 Exeter City Hall
Note: I have seen no confirmation of how they were billed for these dates
Dec 20 1968 London Fishmonger's Arms
Note: Billed a "Led Zeppelin (formerly Yardbirds)"
My definition of "billed": how the performance was advertised/promoted. This does
not necessarily mean the band wanted it billed as such. Sometimes the promoters
did not respect the wishes of the band and promoted in whatever way they thought
would sell tickets.
Finally, here is some recent correspondence on the matter (from two days ago in fact):
----- Original Message ----
From: Steve A. Jones <undisclosed here>
To: <undisclosed here>
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 9:24:45 PM
Subject: RE: <undisclosed here>
Jimmy (and Peter Grant) doesn't seem to agree with you on whom held ownership of the name. I know your position would be bolstered if the "cease and desist order" was made public. I understand that may never come to pass.
I'm not about to start arguing with you over it because I consider you my friend and value your perspectives. It seems to me Dreja, McCarty and Page have a lot of water under the bridge after 40 years!
Cheers,
SAJ
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:38:52 -0700
From: <undisclosed here>
Subject: Re: <undisclosed here>
To: Steve A. Jones <undisclosed here>
Steve,
That's not going to happen. I don't care if Jimmy doesn't agree, but he's never expressed this. Peter Grant can't obviously say anything. It all goes back to the same point - why all of a sudden did the group name change right after those Marquee shows? The group name didn't change because they felt like changing it. If Dreja says that he has the paperwork, that's good enough for me.
Just as important, why would Dreja leave himself open for a lawsuit if he made the paperwork public? This happened 40 years ago, nobody cares anymore and even I lost interest in it.
I run a much bigger publishing company than I had years ago - I have lots of things to worry about now - and this is so unimportant to me. I really don't care if people don't agree with what I presented - Jim, Chris and Keith's family are in full agreement with me. 3 against 1...case closed.
<undisclosed here>
In September 1971 Jimmy filed an injunction against Epic Records one week after the release of the album 'Live Yardbirds! Featuring Jimmy Page'
On February 15, 1977 Epic Records destroyed the masters, parts, and lacquers for the 'Live Yardbirds! Featuring Jimmy Page' album. Jimmy eventually received Epic's master tapes in the 1980s.
In December 2000 Jimmy cancelled a meeting established to resolve 'Live Yardbirds! Featuring Jimmy Page' royalties and ownership issues.
On January 22, 2001 Jimmy suggested to the other principles that he produce an album of all the Yardbirds Anderson Theatre and New York studio tracks. This offer was has yet to be accepted.
As you can see, generally speaking any Yardbirds release featuring Jimmy requires his authorization for commercial sale, while any he wishes to release featuring them requires consensus from Dreja, McCarty, Samwell-Smith and Keith Relf's estate. It's strictly business and the coordination can be complicated. Their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1/15/92) led to a flurry of authorized releases which otherwise may have languished on shelves in a vault.
It should be said I don't sense any real animosity amongst them. Jimmy even attended a reunited Yardbirds gig at the 100 Club in London (September 25, 1996), and while he spent most of the evening in the company of Jeff Beck he did call Chris (Dreja) the next day to compliment him on the performance.
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Robert Plant live in Toronto
July 17th 1985
...thought this old promo item might rekindle a few memories for someone
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Bray Film Studios
Site of Led Zeppelin's last rehearsal
September 24, 1980
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Steve,I was absent from class the day this subject was introduced,if it ever was.
Who gets credit for the titles of each Led Zeppelin album,and, is there a story or meaning that goes with said title? My take..I understand LZ I and LZ II.Their immense popularity by now, I could see LZ III having a different title.Their fourth album was so far ahead of the curve with its "title",or lack thereof. Then the remaining albums with non-numeric titles.Very interested to read what you know. Anyway,I and countless others enjoy reading your historical perspectives on Led Zeppelin.
There are quite a few quotes in publication on their thoughts for each album, this is a quick summation:
The first three album titles were intended to put emphasis on the band's name. By the fourth, Jimmy knew they'd established themselves and came up with the "untitled" album concept as both an artistic statement and response to critics. HOTH was originally the band's reference to the concert venues hosting their shows and reflects the respect they had for their fanbase. Physical Graffiti is something Jimmy came up with whilst reflecting on the enormous amount of work that went into it's production. Presence, as I recall, was developed by Hipgnosis to accentuate the band's mystique. Recording sessions had completed the day before Thanksgiving '75 in Munich, and it was briefly
considered for release with the title Thanksgiving. In Through The Out Door was chosen because the music scene had changed so much and releasing a rock album was like going ITTOD - "the hardest way back in". Hipgnosis took their theme of releasing unfashionable music one step further and came up with the brown paper bag. I have heard JPJ suggested the title Coda for their final album but I still need to confirm that. There are quite a few quotes in publication on their thoughts for each album, this is a quick summation
Since we're discussing album titles, I'll add the astronaut album cover graphics on
the Early Days Latter Days are there because the original title, Blast Off!, was
changed by the label just prior to release. Page/Plant's The working title of Most High
for Page/Plant's second album was changed to Walking Into Clarksdale, explaining the angel wings on the front cover. The working title for Robert Plant's Dreamland was
Head First, because he'd had the music on it in his head for so many years.
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Wow ! So Linda McCartney, she was Linda Eastman at the time, must've seen one of the rare shows where Jimmy and Jeff Beck both played guitar. I wonder. And I'm curious about the McCartney part. Was this photo not published till she'd married Paul ? Anyone know it's first publication date ?
Staples High School in Westport, CT Sat, Oct 22nd 1966
This was a date booked independently of the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour (Gary Lewis and The Playboys / Sam The Sham and The Pharohs / Brian Hyland etc). The
support act was Chain Reaction (vocalist Steven Tyler would later achieve fame with Aerosmith).
Unless I'm mistaken, she only mentions the tour in her book 'Sixties: Portrait of an Era'
but the photo appears on pg. 49 of the book 'Walk This Way - The Autobiography of Aerosmith' ? Steven Tyler recalled this concert during the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Induction speech for Led Zeppelin. He remembers Jimmy coming out of the dressing room with the girl whom he'd been living with up to that point - Lynn Collins - and
having this incredible visual of all his clothing being thrown into the street as she
runs off with him...as she did.
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...it dawns on him wrong bar, wrong night just as someone takes a photo...
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and the fangirl inside goes wild.
good god... O_o
Oh, yes that was a good one on the motorcycle with Peter Grant as Father Christmas.
It was taken alongside the World's End Pub on the Kings Road in Chelsea. Coincidentally,
several years later Swan Song Records moved into offices on the center top floor of the
building directly across the street. Pub and office building are still standing there today.
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Ah, that's troubling. For years I've seen this series of photos identified as being taken at Sol Studios, Cookham, in 1973 - unless I've gotten some wires crossed mentally, which is a distinct possibility:
Below is another taken from a different vantage point. Note how the window is an exact match to those on the second floor of Plumpton Place. I imagine it was taken when the camera crew was on the grounds to film his fantasy segment for TSRTS.
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If you listen to the clips on Youtube, Jimmy is clearly playing on them. Whether he contributed to the songwriting is up in the air. Both Squire and White both claim to have written the guitar riffs on Mind Drive and just directed Jimmy what to play. They can't both be right. Not sure about the other stuff.
It's been years since I listened to those tracks and having just heard them again it's a harsh reminder of why that project went nowhere. Talk about mind-numbingly dull music that goes absolutely nowhere. Even so, to me the first seven seconds of Telephone Secrets sounds similar to The Firm's upbeat, rather enjoyable Spirit of Love.
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Here is something that's been nagging me. Jimmy has said on several occasions that he put away his guitars after John Bonham died for a long stretch of time and the ARMS concert was what pulled him out of inacivity. But he actually had a lot to do during those first few post-Zep years. There was finishing up Coda (not sure how much guitar work was involved). There was the XYZ sessions, and there was Death Wish II. So I'm wondering whether Jimmy was exaggerating or there really is a long stretch there where he had his guitars in storage with no break inbetween and exactly WHEN that was?
Secondly, has anyone actually tried to deconstruct Jimmy's solo songs to figure out which songs and portions of songs has him playing guitar synthesizer? I have a pretty good idea which bits on Death Wish II feature it. Outrider and C/P it's a little harder to figure out. Some of the synth parts are keyboards so it's a little hard to distinguish between the two. But with the GR-300 and the GR-700, more of the string technique bleeds through so you can tell, vs. later Roland synths that merely translate pitch to MIDI. I've often heard that Death Wish II had a combination of GR-300 and GR-700 but if the soundtrack was recorded in 1981 or 1982, the GR-700 hadn't yet been released (unless Jimmy got a prototype model). There is a photo of him playing the GR-700 taken from a high angle that is hard to find online. I don't know the date on that one. I've never seen it in high resolution. He also did a print ad endorsing the VG-8 but I have no documentation of him ever using one in the studio or live. He eventually stopped using guitar synths and stuck to the Transperformance instead. He gave an audio interview for the Transperformance guys where he talked about his frustrations trying to get good tracking on guitar synths.
Suffice to say Jimmy's recollection of not having played guitar for over a year (or words to that effect) is patently false:
In regards to the XYZ sessions, which commenced Feb 28, 1981, I believe that was primarily Alan White & Chris Squire of Yes writing and recording about seven tracks for
a proposed project with Page which Jimmy could not convince Robert to participate in. Have never seen any evidence to suggest Jimmy contributed anything to those sessions beyond the use of his Sol Studio. Jimmy actually did use some of Squire's ideas for The Firm years later.
The fact is his first confirmed public performance following the demise of Led Zeppelin was during an encore jam on 'Going Down' with Jeff Beck at the Hammersmith Odeon on March 10, 1981. Jimmy was mobbed by fans afterwards at the stage door as he and Jeff were leaving to meet up with Pete Townsend for a drink at The Venue, located in New Cross (London).
Jimmy's studio work on the 'Death Wish II' Soundtrack for his neighbor, film director Michael Winner, was completed on time in eight weeks (September/October 1981).
He delivered the masters to the film studio in December 1981 and remained in L.A. to devote most of the following month to remixing and reworking the monaural masters into stereo.
His next confirmed public performance occured because he had been busy working on the soundtrack album and Robert had been busy working on his solo album. So they fancied going somewhere to have a break and they went to Munich, where they jammed
during an encore of 'Lucille' with Foreigner at the Sports Arena on May 12 1982.
His next confirmed public performance was an encore jam session on 'Roll Over Beethoven', 'Further On Up The Road', & 'Cocaine' with Eric Clapton at the Civic Hall in Guildford on May 24, 1983.
He played the first charity performance to benefit Action For Multiple Sclerosis at the
Royal Albert Hall on Sept 20, 1983, and a charity performance to benefit The Prince's Trust at the same venue the very next day with his family in attendance.
Jimmy and Paul Rodgers wrote 'Midnight Moonlight' in Sep/Oct '83. Jimmy rang Paul up in Nov '83 to inquire if he would join him on the ARMS tour in America…Rodgers accepted. Jimmy would later say Paul's courage to do so was "quite valiant, really", but it was even more so for Jimmy to return to touring. When that brief six-date tour ended, he and Paul put together The Firm, with Jimmy essentially holding what amounted to four months of open rehearsals starting in Jan '84.
Having said all that, it's important to note he was shattered by the loss of John and he
could not pick up his instrument without reflecting on that devestating loss for quite some time. I believe this is precisely what he means when he comments on not having
played his guitar for an extensive period. I remember he also said the first time he sent someone to get his guitar out of storage when they opened the case it was missing and
he took it as an omen. Fortunately, it turned up safe and sound shortly thereafter.
In regards to the acquisition of a synthesizer, I do have some notes available and I will
post those details as soon as I can.
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May 1978, Clearwater Castle, The band performs tests for ITTOD; a song "Say You Gonna Leave Me" is interpreted by them ... In what ended it all? This song was part of another?
Those rehearsals, which lasted one month, consisted of medleys and earlier attempts at 'Carouselambra'. Only fragments exist of 'Fire (Say You Gonna Leave Me)' so for me it's
difficult to say if it was a cover version of some obscure song, an-ad lib within a medley
or new material. Perhaps someone else on the board has examined it further and can
offer additional insight.
Zeppelin Mysteries Hosted by Steve A. Jones
in Led Zeppelin Master Forum
Posted
Back injury on 8/13/00 requiring constant therapy thru March 2001 (perhaps longer).
Insurance considerations stemming from cancellation of the ZoCrowes tour necessited he not make any public performances for six months.
Slower than anticipated recovery from knee surgery in May/Jun 2006 cited as the reason for cancellation of pre-announced jam with Robert Plant at Ahmet Ertegun tribute in Montreux (6/29/06) and cancellation of a pre-announced performance of songs from Harper's album 'Stormcock' with Roy Harper in Clapham, England (8/5/06).
Clearly has had dental ('90s) and eye work ('00s) done along the way. He looks good!