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Led Zeppelin at Live Aid

poortom

By poortom
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poortom

poortom

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I was watching a programme about Live Aid last night (25th anniversary) and i was wondering if anybody knows who actually approached the remaining members of Led Zeppelin to perform? Was it Bob Geldof? It was saying about the american side having really bad trouble with promoters, and i was wondering why the remaining members decided it was time for a re-formation at that time. I know in hindsight that they wish they never actually did it.

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Knebby

Knebby

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Bob Geldof approached Robert. Robert told him he would consider it and let him know, as he would be on a US tour at the time and had commitments. Geldof then announced his name in the list of artists who would be appearing when he revealed the gig at a press conference - a typical Geldof trick, leaving the artist to risk looking like a jerk if they backed out.

Robert was considering appearing with Clapton - who was also already on the bill - when it was suggested to him that he ask Page - something that he already had in mind. The phone call was placed from a hotel in San Francisco whilst he was on tour - Page wasn't home. When Page returned the call, Plant and his band were out watching Paul Young in concert in San Fran, and a friend of the touring party spoke to him about it. I don't know who invited Jones to join in but I'm told it was a mutual decision, and as for Phil Collins, as much as he was a mate of Robert's he was very much foisted on them in that circumstance - it felt right in a way to have two drummers stand in for Bonzo, but lack of rehearsal and the "novelty value" thing of Collins playing in two continents on one day didn't sit well with anyone.

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ninelives

ninelives

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Thanks for the info Knebby! As much as I know it was not their finest musical moment, it was still for me, an incredible experience. I ended up getting tickets a week prior (thanks to staying home with a case of hives and the radio on making the announcement tickets opened). Just an incredible day overall but was really beyond words to have seen them walk on stage. Amazing. A week later I saw Robert's solo tour and was blessed with Jimmy joining him on stage for the encore. Good week :)

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dpat

dpat

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... it felt right in a way to have two drummers stand in for Bonzo, but lack of rehearsal ...

Good post, Knebby. The lads were very forthcoming in later interviews about their frustration of spending what little practice time they had (Plant having tour committments) was used up try to teach Tony Thompson Bonzo's licks (I think) to Rock And Roll. Not sure if this was a cop-out, though, but I seem to believe the lads on this one.

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SuperDave

SuperDave

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Thanks for the info Knebby! As much as I know it was not their finest musical moment, it was still for me, an incredible experience. I ended up getting tickets a week prior (thanks to staying home with a case of hives and the radio on making the announcement tickets opened). Just an incredible day overall but was really beyond words to have seen them walk on stage. Amazing. A week later I saw Robert's solo tour and was blessed with Jimmy joining him on stage for the encore. Good week :)

How lucky of you. I believe the show Jimmy joined Robert was at the Meadowlands Arena. Am I right? I saw Robert at his next show at the now non-existent New Haven Coliseum, which was imploded a few years ago.

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Hand_Of_Omega_91

Hand_Of_Omega_91

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I don't know who invited Jones to join in but I'm told it was a mutual decision

I read somewhere (could be Mick Wall's book) that Jones wasn't invited, in fact Paul Martinez had already been asked to do bass. I think Jones invited himself but had to play keyboards as they already had a bass player.

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Knebby

Knebby

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I read somewhere (could be Mick Wall's book) that Jones wasn't invited, in fact Paul Martinez had already been asked to do bass. I think Jones invited himself but had to play keyboards as they already had a bass player.

Paul Martinez WAS already lined up to play bass, as it was originally Robert and his band plus whoever he chose to guest with, Robert was announced initially as a solo artist - but Jonesy was invited along - he couldn't, in these circumstances (and wouldn't, as I think we can see from his temperament ) have invited himself. Even if he had suggested himself that he should join in (which I'm told isn't what happened), it had to be agreed to - he couldn't force his way in. I'm sure it could have been written that way in what you read, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

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Hand_Of_Omega_91

Hand_Of_Omega_91

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Paul Martinez WAS already lined up to play bass, as it was originally Robert and his band plus whoever he chose to guest with, Robert was announced initially as a solo artist - but Jonesy was invited along - he couldn't, in these circumstances (and wouldn't, as I think we can see from his temperament ) have invited himself. Even if he had suggested himself that he should join in (which I'm told isn't what happened), it had to be agreed to - he couldn't force his way in. I'm sure it could have been written that way in what you read, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

Ah, thanks for that. Mick Wall's book (as any Zeppelin book) probably isn't an accurate account of events.

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ninelives

ninelives

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watching the concert reminds me of how bad 80's music was sheesh

Led Zeppelin refused to let any of the performance to be shown!!!

good job really

Being there you had a different perspective on their performance.

I loved a lot of 80s music <_<

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mstork

mstork

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I read somewhere (could be Mick Wall's book) that Jones wasn't invited, in fact Paul Martinez had already been asked to do bass. I think Jones invited himself but had to play keyboards as they already had a bass player.

I remember Wall saying that but it's not true that Jones had to play keys. He played bass on Rock and Roll and Whole Lotta Love. The only song featuring Martinez on bass was Stairway, and Jones always played keys on that anyway. A little sloppy on Wall's part!

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kenog

kenog

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'Knebby' date='14 July 2010 - 08:33 AM' timestamp='1279096407' post='468889'

Bob Geldof approached Robert. Robert told him he would consider it and let him know, as he would be on a US tour at the time and had commitments. Geldof then announced his name in the list of artists who would be appearing when he revealed the gig at a press conference - a typical Geldof trick, leaving the artist to risk looking like a jerk if they backed out.

Geldof pulled the same trick with Madonna in 2005 at the 'Make Povery History' gig in London. He announced her appearance before she had the chance to do so, thereby committing her to perform. Madonna put Geldof in his place beautifully when she was interviewed backstage at the concert by Fearne Cotton. FC asked 'did Bob phone you to do the concert?' to which Madonna replied 'Bob doesn't have my phone number'. She then said that Geldof had had to go through mutual friends.

I have never bought into the 'Saint' Bob thing, nor have I believed that his intentions were entirely altruistic. On Monday, the Daily Mail featured an excerpt from a book by showbusiness agent, Jon Roseman, which appears to confirm this contention to some extent. I've copied the relevant passage here:-

"..... Thankfully, not every shoot was so problematic and I'm proud to have worked on some excellent videos, including one which promoted the Boomtown Rats' single I Don't Like Mondays in 1979. Everyone raved about it, including Bob Geldof, who never seemed to love anything very much except Paula Yates. But the band's popularity waned in the Eighties, leading to a curious encounter I had with Geldof in early 1985. It was a few months before the historic Live Aid concert burst onto the world's TV screens and I happened to be in New York visiting a friend at CBS Records. When I learned that Geldof was in one of the meeting rooms there, talking on the phone to one of the other Boomtown Rats, I popped in to say hello. Seeing me at the door, he waved at me to sit down and continued with his animated conversation. Listen we've got to do it,' I heard him say. 'It could be the way back for f***'s sake.'

At the time, I thought it seemed that he might have seen Live Aid as a chance to revive the career of his band, as well as benefiting the people of Ethiopia. No one, including him, had any conception as to what an iconic event it would turn out to be ......"

The rest of the article is off-topic for this thread, but it's worth reading for an insight into Roseman's dealings with the big names in rock. I've posted the link below:-

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1294148/Rod-mind-cocaine--I-breaking-Britt-Eklands-house-The-lurid-confessions-showbiz-insider.html#ixzz0tkdGKOQ4

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  • 5 months later...
leddy

leddy

Posted
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Here's a link to program 1

and pt 2

UK only

Live Aid documentry

pt 2

I do think they should have let the performance be aired on th prog and on the dvd release as it was an ok performance, The event overshadows everyone. Did Duran Duran allow their performance on dvd, they did on that prog and even aired the Le Bon howler that the guy had to live with...so thumbs down in my opinion from vetoing it...it makes me feel uncomfortable, kinda bit like old blokes being party poopers at a party.

Collins is obviously angry at being blamed for the performance, which if true seems unfair...he said the black cloud when the Zep guys get together or something like that.

Thank goodness in 2007 they did the name justice :)

Do you know a little band called Queen that was there at the Live Aid?

Of course we do why ?? they stole the whole show that day...great band.

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SteveAJones

SteveAJones

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Paul Martinez WAS already lined up to play bass, as it was originally Robert and his band plus whoever he chose to guest with, Robert was announced initially as a solo artist - but Jonesy was invited along - he couldn't, in these circumstances (and wouldn't, as I think we can see from his temperament ) have invited himself. Even if he had suggested himself that he should join in (which I'm told isn't what happened), it had to be agreed to - he couldn't force his way in. I'm sure it could have been written that way in what you read, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

Absolutely correct, Knebby. As I recall Jimmy rang up JPJ and when he expressed he was keen to participate everyone else was receptive.

Robert played the Rosemont Horizon on July 10th and he and Jimmy allegedly rehearsed there the following day (July 11th) before the crew dismantled the stage gear. I don't have confirmation on that but Jimmy and Robert were spotted together at The Checker Board lounge in Chicago that night. Otherwise, the only other rehearsal the band members held together was the morning of the event at JFK Stadium in Philly and went as you described.

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planted

planted

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Do you know a little band called Queen that was there at the Live Aid?

Bingo. Queen owned the stage that day in July of '85. There I was, (fresh out of high school) with my cassette recorder held up to the speaker of my tv. ROTFLMAO. Imagine?? I thought I was so freakin cool.

I need to hunt down those tapes...

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Jahfin

Jahfin

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watching the concert reminds me of how bad 80's music was sheesh

There was tons of great music in the 80s. What was shown on MTV and who played at Live Aid aren't at all indicative of the music released during that decade.

Led Zeppelin refused to let any of the performance to be shown!!!

That was only in relation to the DVD, their performance was indeed broadcast that day, the VHS does not lie.

Queen were the only ones that turned in a stellar performance at Live Aid, U2 gained many new fans that day as well.

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