The Song Remains The Same Screening (Newcastle)

[Knebby]

Steve, I can answer a couple of your questions by PM, which I will do as soon as I have the time.

Have the PM ready when your inbox has space.

[SteveAJones]

Have the PM ready when your inbox has space.

Oh, many thanks! I will get it sorted ASAP.

[Bonzoghost]

A splendid evening indeed.

Mr Carruthers is the perfect host. And a very honest one. Was Bath 1970 considered for DVD........?

I also had the pleasure of being seated next to Knebby for the duration.

So that's Knebby, Dick Carruthers and TSRTS all in the same room!

Nice!

[SuperDave]

Hi Knebby!

I looked at the last thread so as not to duplicate a question. So why was the alternate fantasy version of Robert with Maureen not used? Who's decision was it not to use this version?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHobwuPGdhQ

Thanks Sam for the original post:-)

Thanks for the link. I remember this footage as it was circulating back around 1990 I believe.

[Knebby]

It was worth a long trip to an old stomping ground for this night - the cinema is beautiful and has been wonderfuly refurbished, and it was so interesting picking out the tiny differences in a soundtrack that I knew so well - I must have seen the film 50 times in this cinema alone back in the late 70s /early 80s so seeing (and hearing) the remastered version here, albeit in slightly more salubrious surroundings, was a treat.

Chris Phipps can't be faulted for his enthusiasm, and Dick Carruthers was a fascinating raconteur, I would happily have spent a whole evening listening to his tales but the hour or so that we got was really wonderful.

They had been given a list of the questions posted here to go through, but sadly the Q&A part of the session was really short due to the Billy Connolly-style tendancy of Carruthers to begin one story, drift off into several others, and forget where he had come in - all very entertaining. I particularly liked his Harvey Goldsmith impressions, and the story of how he was refused entry to the DVD premiere in New York because he was wearing shorts, and had to get help from inside.

Anyway - he did briefly skim through a few of your questions and give answers so here they are in precis -

* If he is taking questions about the 02 show, aside from the obvious when will it be released? I'd ask how good is the captured footage and the sound?

Briefly he said the footage and sound is absolutely brilliant - but as he explained, the filming taking place in the 02 was NOT to specifically record the event, it was to use on the screen behind the band during the show - therefore the aims behind the filming were very different.

Like we have read before, they had all been to the Elton John gig at the O2 to study the venue and so when they met Dick their request had been for "...a fu**ing massive screen like fat Reg!"

Jimmy was very against the initial release of a clip for media, but was persuaded that it was the best idea. Carruthers said he has not worked on, nor been asked to work on, this footage with a view to make it suitable for release, but says the nature of his working relationship with them - and Jimmy in particular - could involve Jimmy calling him tomorrow and saying "Right we're gonna do the 02 DVD starting on Monday"

* Which artist(s) today do you feel come closest to capturing that spontaneous/organic/magical quality that Zeppelin possessed onstage?

- No-one.

* In the original TSRTS, why was the alternate fantasy version of Robert with Maureen (his wife) not used? Who's decision was it

- No idea, nothing to do with him.

* Was inclusion of The Kinks' 'You Really Got Me' (during Cameron Crowe's Jimmy Page interview segment) on the 2007 cd release deliberate or an oversight? Did the subsequent lawsuit surprise him or the band? I'm aware it was featured on the original production.

- this was not deliberate and in his opinion just made this version more valuable to a collector.

* Has Jason Bonham (or his people) contacted you regarding any unreleased footage, promotional materials, etc.. from TSRTS film needed to incorporate into his upcoming tribute concert tour this fall for his dad?

- No he hasn't, he joked he would remind him of his number.

Sadly there wasn't really time for anything else. He read them from the list , and as the time became short he hurriedly asked Chris Phipps the first question from Steve's selection - regarding the Midsummer Night's Tube - Chris responded that there were still some parts of that incident that were subject to legal proceedings, but that regardless it was a kind of gentleman's agreement because of his respect for Robert and his band of the time that he would not go into details about the incident - it is regarded as a closed subject.

Anyway - it was a really fascinating insight into the making of the DVD and the remastering of TSRTS and I hope they do consider doing this again elsewhere.

[Virginia]

Thank you Knebby for bringing our questions to them and Sam for letting us know about the event; I think it's wonderful that there's still so much interest in this film. I'll always have a fondness for it.

[Deborah J]

Thank you Knebby for the follow up. Sounds like you had a great time! Must have been great to see this in a theatre again.

[SteveAJones]

Many thanks to Knebby for engaging with Dick Carruthers and Chris Phipps on behalf of the forum, and to them both for their candid responses.

It certainly is true there's never enough time which makes these opportunities all the more appreciated!

Edit: Thanks also to Sam for providing the electric magic we enjoy every day.

[ninelives]

Cheers Knebby for the wonderful report! Sounds like a great evening was had and thanks for getting some of the questions to be answered

[jsj]

ah.. those midnight showings of the film up and down the country in the late 70s / early 80s, what great times they were

thanks for the report knebby. i would have loved to have gone but to had to be in london as my girlfriend was playing a gig

[SuperDave]

Good work Knebby and thanks for sharing. Sounds like you had a great time!