The Firm

[ledsabbath]

Live In Peace is one of my favorite Firm songs............

Definately. What a magnificent ballad, so underrated. I love The Firm, but unlike most people here who seem to think that the debut album was better than Mean Business, I prefer the latter. I too wish there was another Firm album. And Paul Rodgers has a brilliant voice with a superb tone. In fact, he's Ritchie Blackmore's favourite vocalist, (along with Candice Night of course-man, what a fox!!!)

But I digress.

I have a question though. What the hell were Page and Rodgers thinking when they did that cover of "You've lost that loving feeling?" What a veritable pile of puke song to do a cover of!!!! Of all the songs in the world that they could have chosen to do a cover version of, they choose that soppy, poppy, mushy, sloppy, bubble gum tear jerker song. Ugh!!

*shakes head* It would be like Deep Purple finishing off their Machine Head album with a cover of Elton John's Crocodile Rock.

Does anyone know the story behind that temporary insanity choice of cover song?

[Chicago]

Does anyone know the story behind that temporary insanity choice of cover song?

[songbird]

and chris farlow's (or whatever his name is - i don't feel like looking it up) vocals on prison blues are unlistenable (in my opinion anyway).

Uugh agreed! I can't even listen to that song, I hate the vocals so much! Mainly because of the lyrics.. eew...

The instrumentals on Outrider are good, and I like Blues Anthem and Hummingbird. The other songs I'm not a huge fan of.

Not a fan of Coverdale/Page either.. but I guess it has some good moments.

As for The Firm I only own Mean Business, and I love it..... only have it on cassette though so I can't put it on the computer, wish I could.

[SteveAJones]

Does anyone know the story behind that temporary insanity choice of cover song?

I remember in an interview with Page at that time and the above question was asked. Apparently Jimmy asked Paul what cover songs he'd like to. Paul Rodgers brought up You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and Page then worked out an arrangement for it. The song came across much better live than on LP.

This song was featured in the blockbuster film Top Gun starring Tom Cruise and had

become popular amongst the ladies. Paul Rodgers decided to cover it.

[sharwoodjr]

I had no idea that Page even knew Chris Squire! That's some great triva. I'll have to dig out my 90210 give it another listen!

Speaking of the March 19 (?) 1986 show at the Cap Centre; I was incarcerated at military school at the time. I think it was a Wed night. I and some friends snuck out to get to the show (DC was about 60 miles away). We made it to the show in time to catch Virginia Woolf. I bought the concert jersey with the black sleeves, and the All the Kings Horses picture on the front. We got incrediby baked with a soda can. Anyway, we made it back in time to sneak into morning formation without getting busted. Unfortunately, one of our group got pee-tested a few days later and was thrown out!

I would love to get my hands on that Westwood recording. I guess I'll go sniff around ebay!

[sharwoodjr]

This song was featured in the blockbuster film Top Gun starring Tom Cruise and had

become popular amongst the ladies. Paul Rodgers decided to cover it.

I'm certainly no expert, but Top Gun was realsed in (I think) 1986, a year or two after the Firm's debut, so I don't think Top Gun had any effect on the decision to cover the song. Personally, I don't really care for the cover tune because the original is really overplayed. When I listen to the Firm, that's probably the one song I skip over 90% of the time.

Up until about 15 years ago, I played in a classic rock cover band around DC (some of the same places Dave Grohl played with his pre-Nirvana punk band, we grew up in the same neighborhood, but that's a different story).

Anyway, I tried and tried to convince the band to do a Frim cover. They finally agreed to do Satisfation Guaranteed. When we played it for the first time, I was thrilled to hear some chicks in the crowd actually recognize and sing along with it!! This was somewhere like 1992-93 when the Firm was just a bad dream to most folks. So I was glad to see that they were gone but not forgotten, and it's just as thrilling to see the same on this thread so many years later!

[SteveAJones]

I had no idea that Page even knew Chris Squire! That's some great triva. I'll have to dig out my 90210 give it another listen!

Speaking of the March 19 (?) 1986 show at the Cap Centre; I was incarcerated at military school at the time. I think it was a Wed night. I and some friends snuck out to get to the show (DC was about 60 miles away). We made it to the show in time to catch Virginia Woolf. I bought the concert jersey with the black sleeves, and the All the Kings Horses picture on the front. We got incrediby baked with a soda can. Anyway, we made it back in time to sneak into morning formation without getting busted. Unfortunately, one of our group got pee-tested a few days later and was thrown out!

I would love to get my hands on that Westwood recording. I guess I'll go sniff around ebay!

Beginning in Feb 1981, Chris White & Alan Squire of Yes wrote and recorded about seven tracks for their Cinema project with Jimmy at his Sol Studio in Cookham, Berkshire. Some of Squire's ideas for later used for The Firm. He and Chris Squire continued to socialize over the years, to include going to Ibiza on holiday in Summer 1985.

You are correct on the Capital Centre date: Wed, March 19th 1986.

Edited February 13, 2008 by SteveAJones

[Stargroves Tangie]

For those who like The Firm, I posted some pics from their Apr 1986 show at the Nassau Coliseum in the Photos section.

[anita1967]

For those who like The Firm, I posted some pics from their Apr 1986 show at the Nassau Coliseum in the Photos section.

oh man, its good to hear from other people who were at that show! Cant wait to see your pictures! Any source for a boot of that show? I was 8th row center and would love to relive it. Ive got some snaps too, if I can get the scanner working, Ill add mine to the mix!

[marolyn]

saw the firm at assembly hall in champaign, ill in early 1986... spectacular to see jimmy from fourth row center

anybody have any info or reviews?

googled and also checked local newspaper archives to no avail.

maybe i just dreamed the whole thing...

[kdh]

The Firm was great for that time period. Page touring the US after the ARMS tour. Saw them on both tour stops at Landover and in Philly. I remember Page falling on his back at one the shows and doing a leg and arm kick while on his back, quite comedic. Also remember him rushing behind the amps after several songs(?). All in all, great rock and roll. Live in Peace was a stand out as was Cadillac. Page being Page. What else could you ask for? Don't pooh-pooh it. Appreciate the live shows for what they were.

[SteveAJones]

saw the firm at assembly hall in champaign, ill in early 1986... spectacular to see jimmy from fourth row center

anybody have any info or reviews?

Concert was held on Wed, April 30 1986. It's so obscure I'd never seen confirmation of

the venue until you posted it (Assembly Hall)! I presume that hall is on one of the local

college campuses, in which case a review may have been published in the school paper.

I will have to look into that; there is someone I know who may be willing to visit the

campus library. The Chicago Sun-Times chose to review the Rosemont Horizon concert instead.

Here is the setlist for the next concert on the tour. This setlist was fairly consistent throughout the tour:

May 2^nd 1986 Detroit, MI USA Joe Louis Sports Arena

Fortune Hunter

Closer

Someone To Love

Make Or Break

Prelude

Money Can't Buy

Satisfaction Guaranteed

drum solo

Radioactive

Live In Peace

All The Kings Horses

bass solo

The Chase

violin bow solo

Cadillac

Midnight Moonlight

You've Lost That Loving Feeling

-----------Encores------------

Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

-----------------------------------

I Just Wanna Make Love To You

Edited May 15, 2008 by SteveAJones

[marolyn]

Concert was held on Wed, April 30 1986. It's so obscure I'd never seen confirmation of

the venue until you posted it (Assembly Hall)! I presume that hall is on one of the local

college campuses, in which case a review may have been published in the school paper.

I will have to look into that; there is someone I know who may be willing to visit the

campus library.

hey steve, thanks for the info. and for responding so fast!!! (and for confirming im not insane) ...have looked online over the years for info on this concert with no luck.

assembly hall is where they do the basketball games for the fighting illini. i checked the archives online for the "daily illini" the student paper and nothing comes up but don't know if they have them from that far back available on the net.

i remember the security kept everything very civil....we were required to stay in our seats on the floor and absolutely no cameras were allowed. been hoping maybe someone got one in and the photos will show up.

was a beautiful thing to see jimmy so close up...i could hardly contain myself!

[SteveAJones]

i remember the security kept everything very civil....we were required to stay in our seats on the floor and absolutely no cameras were allowed. been hoping maybe someone got one in and the photos will show up.

Well, I have the next concert (Detroit) on video so you never know what might turn up.

I'll make some inquiries concerning photos and recordings. Like I said, Champaign was a

relatively obscure place to play and it seems the Chicago media did not cover it.

[Zep Power]

I saw the Firm at MSG in 1985. I rmember my seats were pretty far up (wish they had video screens), but just seeing Jimmy was more than a bargain. I remember the encore was "Everybody needs somebody to love" and Page just tore that solo up. He kept pointing to the crowd when Paul Rogers was singing "You! You! You!" Very refreshing to think about it. I was in my sophmore year in HS and I was on the train going to the show with hundreds of other people. OK back to 2008!!

[SteveAJones]

I saw the Firm at MSG in 1985. I rmember my seats were pretty far up (wish they had video screens), but just seeing Jimmy was more than a bargain. I remember the encore was "Everybody needs somebody to love" and Page just tore that solo up. He kept pointing to the crowd when Paul Rogers was singing "You! You! You!" Very refreshing to think about it. I was in my sophmore year in HS and I was on the train going to the show with hundreds of other people. OK back to 2008!!

In so doing, a genuine connection between the artist and the audience was made, which to me is the point of live performances. It's truly something how those

moments in time stay with us always.

[alwizard03]

Atlanta the Omni

Jason was pretty dang good even then

Edited May 25, 2008 by alwizard03

[Otto Masson]

I have a Firm bootleg called Royal Darkness, supposedly from Montreal 1985. The artwork is absurd in that it has a picture of Jimmy playing with Led Zeppelin in 1977, but I've also seen info that the bootleg actually isn't Montreal 1985, but Cleveland on May 11, 1986 - and that it's a pretty good version of that show in fact. Can anybody confirm this?

And could somebody post a complete list of The Firm's tour dates, especially in 1986?

[SteveAJones]

I have a Firm bootleg called Royal Darkness, supposedly from Montreal 1985. The artwork is absurd in that it has a picture of Jimmy playing with Led Zeppelin in 1977, but I've also seen info that the bootleg actually isn't Montreal 1985, but Cleveland on May 11, 1986 - and that it's a pretty good version of that show in fact. Can anybody confirm this?

And could somebody post a complete list of The Firm's tour dates, especially in 1986?

The Firm never played Canada, let alone Montreal. The May 10th show was postponed

to May 11th on account of Jimmy remaining at the hotel in Chicago with the flu. Since

May 11th was Mother's Day, a special section was set aside for free admission to any

Mother attending with children. One would think there may be a reference to Mother's

Day or apologies for the postponement by Paul Rodgers during the show.

Edit: This was also the night Westwood One professionally recorded the concert for later broadcast on their weekly Superstars in Concert series. It has been bootlegged

many times over the years.

Edited June 7, 2008 by SteveAJones

[SteveAJones]

Here's a tentative listing...

1984

11.29 Gota Lejon, Stockholm, Sweden

11.30 Falkoner Theatre, Copenhagen, Denmark

12.01 Olympen, Lund, Sweden

12.03 Kongresshalle, Frankfurt, Germany

12.04 Pfalzbau, Ludwigshafen, Germany

12.05 Audiomax, Hamburg, Germany

12.07 Town Hall, Middlesborough, England

12.08 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England

12.09 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England

1985

02.28 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX

03.02 Civic Center, Wichita, KS

03.04 Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI

03.07 Mecca Arena, Milwaukee, WI

03.08 Civic Center, Omaha, NE

03.10 McNichols Arena, Denver, CO

03.12 Arizona State University - Compton Terrace Amphitheatre, Phoenix, AZ

03.14 The Forum, Inglewood, CA

03.15 Oakland-Alameda County Arena, Oakland, CA

03.16 Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, CA

03.18 Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, NM

03.21 The Summit, Houston, TX

03.23 Frank Erwin Center for Performing Arts, Austin, TX

03.24 Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, LA

04.16 Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL

04.18 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

04.19 Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center - Freedom Hall, Louisville KY

04.20 Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH

04.22 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN

04.23 Civic Center Arena, St. Paul, MN

04.24 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL

04.26 Joe Louis Sports Arena, Detroit, MI

04.27 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH

04.29 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

05.01 Capitol Center, Landover, MD

05.04 Civic Center, Hartford, CT

05.05 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA

05.07 The Centrum, Worcester, MA

05.08 The Centrum, Worcester, MA

05.09 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

05.11 The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA

05.18 National Exhibition Centre Arena, Birmingham, England

05.20 Playhouse Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland

05.22 Wembley Arena, London, England

1986

03.14 University of Southern Florida - Sundome, Tampa, FL

03.15 Sportatorium, Hollywood, FL

03.17 Ocean Center, Daytona Beach, FL

03.19 Capitol Center, Landover, MD

03.21 Civic Center, Providence, RI

03.22 Coliseum, New Haven, CT

03.24 Civic Center, Springfield, MA

03.25 Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghampton, NY

03.27 Civic Center, Pittsburgh, PA

03.29 War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY

03.31 The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA

04.01 The Garden, Boston, MA

04.03 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

04.04 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

04.23 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

04.25 Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, LA

04.27 Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI

04.29 Purdue University - Elliot Hall, Lafayette, IN

04.30 University of Illinois - Assembly Hall, Champaign, IL

05.02 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI

05.03 University of Toledo - Centennial Hall, Toledo, OH

05.05 Metropolitan Sports Center, Bloomington, MN

05.06 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL

05.09 Hara Arena, Dayton, OH

05.11 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH

05.13 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO

05.14 Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO

05.16 Civic Center, Oklahoma City, OK

05.17 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX

05.19 The Summit, Houston, TX

05.22 Forum, Los Angeles, CA

05.23 Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, CA

05.25 Concord Pavilion, Concord, CA

05.26 Concord Pavilion, Concord, CA

05.28 Center Coliseum, Seattle, WA (Phil Carson joins)

[kirchzep27]

The last couple of days, been listening to a live, -the firm show and just loving it. I dont think -page revisited that kind of playing until -walking into clarksdale. imo

[reezon]

I was at the 4-26-85 show as well as 5-02-86 show

I was 10th row center stage in the former.Just incredible

Jimmy played great in both shows.It was the first and second time that I had seen Page live and was blown away.

[docron]

I also don't think Zep should take any credit for Midnight/Swansong. They should have recorded it but they didn't. I find Rodgers singing good and Franklins bass playing really good. I can't imagine Midnight Moonlight without that bass style. lot of people carry songs for years with putting them out.

lol, Zeppelin did record it, I've got the studio cuts from 1975 to prove it (and they are mind blowing).

I think what you meant to say is that they never released it.

Nevertheless, its still a Zeppelin track.

[docron]

I also don't think Zep should take any credit for Midnight/Swansong. They should have recorded it but they didn't. I find Rodgers singing good and Franklins bass playing really good. I can't imagine Midnight Moonlight without that bass style. lot of people carry songs for years with putting them out.

lol, Zeppelin did record it, I've got the studio cuts from 1975 to prove it (and they are mind blowing).

I think what you meant to say is that they never released it.

Nevertheless, its still a Zeppelin track.

[FireOpal]

lol, Zeppelin did record it, I've got the studio cuts from 1975 to prove it (and they are mind blowing). I think what you meant to say is that they never released it. Nevertheless, its still a Zeppelin track.

Docron, is Robert singing on the track or is it an instrumental?