Nitpicking Page (The quest for the best performance of 1975)

[1975NQ]

1 hour ago, Tainted cheese said:

I have been reading replies to this post for awhile now and have enjoyed the many ideas and opinions. I have listened to many of these shows mentioned here but I keep coming back to FEBRUARY 14 - NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM, NY. when needing a '75 fix! The band is top notch form and Plant especially sounds healthy and strong given his struggles during this tour. This show is easily in the top 5 (top 3 in my rankings) for the '75 tour and my personal favorite.

Good to hear another voice in the mix! I've said this before on the forum, but I'll say it again because it bears repeating. Whatever show someone likes best and listens to the most - that's the best one! I love the sound quality from the 2-14 boot (Grame remaster) - you feel like you're right there. Clearly, it's a great crowd and everyone is having a great time. And that STH solo is something else. I went back and listened to STH and the encores from the show just now. It's a really fun listen. Someone on the forum once commented that the Baton Rouge 75 show sounds "really Zeppy" which I agree with. I'd say the same thing about the 2-14 show. 

[rm2551]

12 hours ago, Tainted cheese said:

I have been reading replies to this post for awhile now and have enjoyed the many ideas and opinions. I have listened to many of these shows mentioned here but I keep coming back to FEBRUARY 14 - NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM, NY. when needing a '75 fix! The band is top notch form and Plant especially sounds healthy and strong given his struggles during this tour. This show is easily in the top 5 (top 3 in my rankings) for the '75 tour and my personal favorite.

The pics from Throwing the Wild Seeds alone are awesome. Not sure if from that night (anyone?) but have been produced very nicely. Sick Again, that outtro. Inspite of the bass heavy start, Sick Again turns into a BEAST. That outtro is insane.

 

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 2/7/1975 MSG, NY (Source Mix)

A decent but distant mix of audience sources.

Rock And Roll- Hopefully the taper's voice goes out at sometime. Good energy from the band as well although Plant's voice isn't near as strong as the taper's. Solo- mildly sticky but mostly good. Apart from a very scratchy Rob it's a pretty solid version. "A-".

Sick Again- Decent verses. First solo- Not bad at all. Plant starts to loosen up some near the end. Outro solo- Page appears to be fairly coherent as the phrasing and bends are all done flawlessly. "A". 

OTHAFA- The taper asks someone for a "roach clip". Page nails the intro with a good tempo. Good verses. Solo- decent noodling to start. His phrasing builds nicely. 4:00, possibly very sloppy articulation here. Apart from that it's a textbook 75 solo and done fairly well. 5:01, Page chord flub. Solid outro. "A-". (The P.A. system makes an audible hum which Plant comments on.)

IMTOD- Intro played perfectly. 3:40, tempo picks up nicely. First solo- a frantic start smooths out for some good phrasing. Second solo- perfect phrasing off the start. Very good soloing from Jim here. The energy continues afterwards. 8:26, Jim gets a little loose here. 9:12, Bonham really driving this thing home. One of the more energetic versions I've heard. "A+".

TSRTS- Keeping with the ultra fast tempo. Good intro and verses. First solo- Page seems to be mostly coherent but missing some notes in a couple places. Plant is scratchy but manages the climax vocals. Outro solo- a bit hard to make out but mostly sounds good. Very energetic with only a few flubs. "A-".

The Rain Song- Very solid verses with the mellotron fitting perfectly with the mix. Plant strains a bit on an otherwise good rock section. Page nails down a solid outro. Maybe not the smoothest flowing version but there's no flaws here. "A-".

Kashmir- Good start. 2:12, Plant hitting a rare falsetto note. The interlude is done decently with Plant straining slightly throughout. 7:30, Page's Arabic soloing is erratic but fitting. 8:11, Jones hits a wrong note on the bass pedal. An exciting version but maybe not the most solid. "B+".

No Quarter- Solid intro verses. Jones section- excellent 73-ish build up. Page drops in ever so slightly with some rhythmic riffing. Solo- good flow and phrasing to start. 8:30, getting into a groove. 9:19-9:23, a little sloppy. 9:55, Page's tone becoming much harsher. 10:56, wrong note before he takes a few seconds to switch to some decent wah licks. Not a bad solo for 1975. The return is good and Jimmy gets some decent soloing in to close the song. "A-". 

Trampled Underfoot- Blazing tempo. Verses sound decent. Jones' solo is fast paced and good. Solo- 4:33, rockabilly licks. 4:57, phrasing gets off track. 5:17, playing vigorously but loosely. Plenty of energy but lacking some technique. The energy continues til the end. Not terrible, "B+".

Dazed- Decent start. 2:55, tape cut to an inferior source. First workout- Jimmy sounding pretty sloppy initially but jumps to some more stable licks. San Francisco has a wonderful intro by Page. Bow section sounding good. Second workout- starts out a little unorthodox. 14:05, some slop. 14:24, Page having a difficult time finding a flow. He does keep it lively however. The call and response section is done well. 17:30, sticky. Page throws in the kitchen sink on the final stages of the solo, not sounding too bad. Mars- some choppy playing on this. The climax hits good although Page flubs the notes at 20:17. 20:35, Jones having trouble getting in sync. The return sounds good and Page gets some minorly sloppy wah licks in toward the end. Definitely an uber dynamic version that's worth a listen, but I imagine the subpar recording is masking an already sticky sounding Page. "B".

Stairway- Excellent verses with Jones' keys adding a perfect balance and mood. 5:37, Page hesitates for a moment between chords. Solo- of course it switches to the inferior source. 6:32, bending these notes perfectly. 6:46-6:53, very nice phrasing. 7:18, switching to more short, choppy runs. Final phrases sound good. Maybe not the most articulate but this was a phrasing mastery class. Plant sounds absolutely dreadful on the climax. Outro is good. "A+" solo bit Plant's vocals and some small flubs keep it at an "A-" overall. (The taper encourages someone to throw more firecrackers afterwards.)

WLL- Partial and Plant is rough again.

BD- 0:37, minor guitar flub. 1:05, Plant barely hanging on. Tempo drags badly throughout assuming the tape speed is correct. 3:28, Plant really going for the scream, voice be damned. Solo- decent start, a bit sluggish. 4:20-4:30, return of the turkey gobble. 4:36, runs out of road. The finish is ok for a rough version. "C+".

Heartbreaker- They're all really struggling to get through the verses. Solo- fortunately for Jim and unfortunate for nitpicking, the solo is almost entirely cut. I'm sure it was something else but oh well. "B" for what we have. 

Final Assessment- Another classic tale of a 1975 show going downhill after the midway point. Everything up to Dazed is quite consistently good however. Highlights are a brutal IMTOD and one of the better STH solos I've heard for 1975. Plant somehow warms up quickly for the show and soon gets cold again. 

[1975NQ]

On 2/12/2022 at 9:22 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

Heartbreaker- They're all really struggling to get through the verses. Solo- fortunately for Jim and unfortunate for nitpicking, the solo is almost entirely cut. I'm sure it was something else but oh well. "B" for what we have. 

 

You're not missing out with Hearbreaker. This is one of my fav shows from 75, but that solo is not his finest hour. 😂  Sounds like he was hitting the Jack backstage. The version I listen to is complete as far as I can tell. It's a 2 source merge from ledzepfilm, up on LZ Boots' channel:

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by 1975NQ

[JohnOsbourne]

What I like about 2-7 (after having ignored it for so many years) is the energy level.  Technical issues aside, that's where I find a lot of '75 shows struggle.

[1975NQ]

6 minutes ago, JohnOsbourne said:

What I like about 2-7 (after having ignored it for so many years) is the energy level.  Technical issues aside, that's where I find a lot of '75 shows struggle.

My thoughts exactly. So many shows from 75 sound lethargic to me, right from the opening numbers . To my ears, they sound a bit more peppy in January and early February, particularly with this show. It just has a great vibe to it. Yes, Page is a little more fluid the next night in Philly, and Robert's in slightly better voice the next night as well, but this show - for the most part - is killer, flows well and is just a lot of fun (not taking anything away from Philly, which was clearly a special night). It has a quality. That's why I keep talking up the video for this show that's up on YT - you can see with your own eyes how into it Page is.

[1975NQ]

On 4/18/2018 at 2:00 AM, Crimson Avenger said:

2.16 is a very good show too, after maybe a sluggish start. It often seems to get overlooked for some reason.

+1

2-16 is a really fun and unique show with killer sound quality. Definitely a rough start but gets better starting with OTH. Not Page's best show of the year, he's hit and miss on this one, but he's doing some fun stuff I haven't heard him do before and Jonesy and Bonzo are ON.  

[Bonzo_fan]

On 2/7/2022 at 11:41 AM, 1975NQ said:

Finally ... a little solidarity!! 😛

3/21 is actually my personal favourite show of their entire career, factoring sound quality, setlist, etc. I freely admit that it's not a perfect technical performance and that the "vibes" (which are A++) and all of the other intangibles influence my opinion greatly. I think part of it is, when you listen to the whole tour chronologically,  it's really rewarding to hear them finally put it all together for one that has that epic quality like an Osaka '71 or Seattle '72 (not in their league technically speaking, I know).

On the technical side, I personally feel that 3/21/75 is Jones' best show of their career. Of course he was the most consistent member by far, but I do find that his creativity is really off the charts in March '75. The setlist allows him to "show off" a lot, and the recordings make it so easy to hear all of his brilliance. I think 3/21 is the best of the bunch for him; my favourite piano solo of his in NQ — and crazy playing throughout the jam — and some mind-blowing bass playing throughout...check TSRTS! My copy of 4/27/69 is titled The Jimi Page Experience; you could call 3/21/75 The John Paul Jones Experience...

[1975NQ]

3 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

3/21 is actually my personal favourite show of their entire career, factoring sound quality, setlist, etc. I freely admit that it's not a perfect technical performance and that the "vibes" (which are A++) and all of the other intangibles influence my opinion greatly. I think part of it is, when you listen to the whole tour chronologically,  it's really rewarding to hear them finally put it all together for one that has that epic quality like an Osaka '71 or Seattle '72 (not in their league technically speaking, I know).

On the technical side, I personally feel that 3/21/75 is Jones' best show of their career. Of course he was the most consistent member by far, but I do find that his creativity is really off the charts in March '75. The setlist allows him to "show off" a lot, and the recordings make it so easy to hear all of his brilliance. I think 3/21 is the best of the bunch for him; my favourite piano solo of his in NQ — and crazy playing throughout the jam — and some mind-blowing bass playing throughout...check TSRTS! My copy of 4/27/69 is titled The Jimi Page Experience; you could call 3/21/75 The John Paul Jones Experience...

Yeah, I realize my opinion on that show is unpopular (to put it mildly) in the Zep community 😂. I would never say it's a *bad* show, it just never clicked with me. It's funny you mention the vibes because to me, they sound "off" like they're  too coked up or something. But from what I can tell from this forum and other corners of the internet, it's one of the most beloved shows of their career! And that was the case when I first heard it back in 88. It was highly recommended by one of my trader contacts in the bootleg community I tapped into back then. We'd send each other our lists with notes on each show and trade for blank tapes. And this guy was just raving about the show. So, I was super excited to hear it because back then '75 was my fav year for Zep, and I was on a hunt to find that magic show. But after listening to it, I was like " ... is that it?" So, I listened again. And again. And again. It just never clicked with me. (shrugs).

Plant sounds great, though. And I like hearing other people's thoughts on shows, whether it's a show I like or not. Especially from musicians - because you guys are hearing things and listening for things that I won't always catch. For instance, I've never listened closely to compare Jones' performance among all the 75 shows - at least as far as bass playing goes. So, it's cool to hear about shows through people who are listening through a different channel, especially regarding Bonzo and Jones. I'll def check out SRTS from that show and listen just for that bass!

I do get what you're saying about the epic quality, and I think that influences the opinion of a lot of listeners for 3/21. It's definitely the "biggest" show of the tour (along with 3/27 LA).

My fav Jonesy NQ solo is the one from 2/16 - at least the "groove" section. In fact, he and Bonzo sound epic (to my ears) that whole show! My fav solo piano from JPJ is from 3/20 Vancouver. I don't know if you like classical music or not, but his playing reminds me a bit of Debussy on that one. Which perfectly suits the solo, as I feel like when they get into that section of the song (queue dry ice) they're really inviting the audience into an imaginary world. Almost like a cinematic thing going on. A lot of Debussy's music has that same cinematic quality.

Edited March 17, 2022 by 1975NQ

[Bonzo_fan]

4 hours ago, 1975NQ said:

Yeah, I realize my opinion on that show is unpopular (to put it mildly) in the Zep community 😂. I would never say it's a *bad* show, it just never clicked with me. It's funny you mention the vibes because to me, they sound "off" like they're  too coked up or something. But from what I can tell from this forum and other corners of the internet, it's one of the most beloved shows of their career! And that was the case when I first heard it back in 88. It was highly recommended by one of my trader contacts in the bootleg community I tapped into back then. We'd send each other our lists with notes on each show and trade for blank tapes. And this guy was just raving about the show. So, I was super excited to hear it because back then '75 was my fav year for Zep, and I was on a hunt to find that magic show. But after listening to it, I was like " ... is that it?" So, I listened again. And again. And again. It just never clicked with me. (shrugs).

Plant sounds great, though. And I like hearing other people's thoughts on shows, whether it's a show I like or not. Especially from musicians - because you guys are hearing things and listening for things that I won't always catch. For instance, I've never listened closely to compare Jones' performance among all the 75 shows - at least as far as bass playing goes. So, it's cool to hear about shows through people who are listening through a different channel, especially regarding Bonzo and Jones. I'll def check out SRTS from that show and listen just for that bass!

I do get what you're saying about the epic quality, and I think that influences the opinion of a lot of listeners for 3/21. It's definitely the "biggest" show of the tour (along with 3/27 LA).

My fav Jonesy NQ solo is the one from 2/16 - at least the "groove" section. In fact, he and Bonzo sound epic (to my ears) that whole show! My fav solo piano from JPJ is from 3/20 Vancouver. I don't know if you like classical music or not, but his playing reminds me a bit of Debussy on that one. Which perfectly suits the solo, as I feel like when they get into that section of the song (queue dry ice) they're really inviting the audience into an imaginary world. Almost like a cinematic thing going on. A lot of Debussy's music has that same cinematic quality.

Lmao, fair enough 😂 Art is subjective at the end of the day...there are a few shows (Zepp and other bands) that have never clicked with me to the extent that they do for others, despite my best efforts.

I agree, it's nice to hear differing perspectives. I'm a drummer, so I love getting a guitarist's perspective -- like reading these nitpicks. 

Oh, I have a big soft spot for 3/27, which is a bit less popular of an opinion to have 😅 It's the longest show of their career if you only count the music (i.e. eliminate all Plantations, gaps between songs, etc.) and has the longest average song length by quite a bit, reaching that length with just 15 songs! The other three that cross 3h 40m in total run time (incl. gaps) -- 3/21/75, 5/25/75 & 6/27/77 -- are 17, 20 and 21 songs, respectively. Not that length is directly correlated to quality, but I think it's cool to hear them stretching everything out like that on the last night. That NQ is one of my favourites.

Oh, interesting. I'd nominate 3/27's groove section as a challenger! 3/20 is an amazing NQ for sure, and finished second to 3/21 in my ranking of the '75 NQs last year: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1119254/8206579

I should explore classical more than I have, to be honest. I took a few courses on it in university and always enjoy what I hear, but sort of forget to listen to it/don't know where to start 😅 I will listen to some Debussy now 👍 Agreed on the cinematic quality of NQ, especially in March '75. I ended up using some pretty fantastical language trying to describe them on the podcast 😂

[1975NQ]

1 hour ago, Bonzo_fan said:

Lmao, fair enough 😂 Art is subjective at the end of the day...there are a few shows (Zepp and other bands) that have never clicked with me to the extent that they do for others, despite my best efforts.

I agree, it's nice to hear differing perspectives. I'm a drummer, so I love getting a guitarist's perspective -- like reading these nitpicks. 

Oh, I have a big soft spot for 3/27, which is a bit less popular of an opinion to have 😅 It's the longest show of their career if you only count the music (i.e. eliminate all Plantations, gaps between songs, etc.) and has the longest average song length by quite a bit, reaching that length with just 15 songs! The other three that cross 3h 40m in total run time (incl. gaps) -- 3/21/75, 5/25/75 & 6/27/77 -- are 17, 20 and 21 songs, respectively. Not that length is directly correlated to quality, but I think it's cool to hear them stretching everything out like that on the last night. That NQ is one of my favourites.

Oh, interesting. I'd nominate 3/27's groove section as a challenger! 3/20 is an amazing NQ for sure, and finished second to 3/21 in my ranking of the '75 NQs last year: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1119254/8206579

I should explore classical more than I have, to be honest. I took a few courses on it in university and always enjoy what I hear, but sort of forget to listen to it/don't know where to start 😅 I will listen to some Debussy now 👍 Agreed on the cinematic quality of NQ, especially in March '75. I ended up using some pretty fantastical language trying to describe them on the podcast 😂

Just listened to the bass from SRTS 3/21 .. you weren't joking! That thing is a BEAST. As a drummer, which 75 shows do you think are Bonzo's best? If you already cover that in one of your podcasts, I'll bet a lot of people would tune in, drummers and non-drummers alike. 

I think a lot of people like 3/27 .. maybe for similar reasons? 5/25/75 used to be my favorite Zep show and the one I listened to the most - until I got back into listening again last year. Partly for the reasons you mention, and partly because I just thought it was the best show I'd heard from them. The NQ from 3/27 has really grown on me in recent months. And this is after years and years of thinking it was the most boring thing I'd ever heard. It's not technically killer as far as Page goes, but you can get a sense of what he's after with that guitar solo. His mind is in a good place creatively, his fingers less so lol. I should give that one another listen soon.

Yeah, classical is something I have to be in the right mood for myself, for sure. No right/wrong way to approach it, just jump in!

I think using fantastical language to talk about NQ from 75 is pretty appropriate lol. They created a whole new world to jump into (both them and the audience) every night. It was def the high mark of that tour.  

[BobDobbs]

4 minutes ago, 1975NQ said:

Just listened to the bass from SRTS 3/21 .. you weren't joking! That thing is a BEAST. As a drummer, which 75 shows do you think are Bonzo's best? If you already cover that in one of your podcasts, I'll bet a lot of people would tune in, drummers and non-drummers alike. 

I think a lot of people like 3/27 .. maybe for similar reasons? 5/25/75 used to be my favorite Zep show and the one I listened to the most - until I got back into listening again last year. Partly for the reasons you mention, and partly because I just thought it was the best show I'd heard from them. The NQ from 3/27 has really grown on me in recent months. And this is after years and years of thinking it was the most boring thing I'd ever heard. It's not technically killer as far as Page goes, but you can get a sense of what he's after with that guitar solo. His mind is in a good place creatively, his fingers less so lol. I should give that one another listen soon.

Yeah, classical is something I have to be in the right mood for myself, for sure. No right/wrong way to approach it, just jump in!

I think using fantastical language to talk about NQ from 75 is pretty appropriate lol. They created a whole new world to jump into (both them and the audience) every night. It was def the high mark of that tour.  

Seattle is a great show but I concur with your assessment Sir. After re-listen I have a new appreciation for this gig. The only weak point is Page being a bit rusty (not bad, just misses some notes and a bit too loose) in the beginning and then he really comes alive from OTHAFA on. Page get's his fingers caught in the strings during the legato run in Heartbreaker, but otherwise the song is great. I still do not care what anyone says, Page F-ed up that legato phrase waaaay too much during shows because he always held the LP over his head when he did it. Unless you rub baby powder on the neck beforehand your hand will stick at some point while sliding it down the neck due to the weight of the guitar. It may have looked cool but damn it, it F-ed up the run! Every time I tried it my hand gets stuck around the 7th fret.

Great NQ though at this gig, no doubt about that. Pretty much everything from OTHAFA to the end are amazing! And yes, both JPJ & Bonzo are off the chart shit-hot this night. Everyone is great.

[Bonzo_fan]

1 hour ago, 1975NQ said:

Just listened to the bass from SRTS 3/21 .. you weren't joking! That thing is a BEAST. As a drummer, which 75 shows do you think are Bonzo's best? If you already cover that in one of your podcasts, I'll bet a lot of people would tune in, drummers and non-drummers alike. 

I think a lot of people like 3/27 .. maybe for similar reasons? 5/25/75 used to be my favorite Zep show and the one I listened to the most - until I got back into listening again last year. Partly for the reasons you mention, and partly because I just thought it was the best show I'd heard from them. The NQ from 3/27 has really grown on me in recent months. And this is after years and years of thinking it was the most boring thing I'd ever heard. It's not technically killer as far as Page goes, but you can get a sense of what he's after with that guitar solo. His mind is in a good place creatively, his fingers less so lol. I should give that one another listen soon.

Yeah, classical is something I have to be in the right mood for myself, for sure. No right/wrong way to approach it, just jump in!

I think using fantastical language to talk about NQ from 75 is pretty appropriate lol. They created a whole new world to jump into (both them and the audience) every night. It was def the high mark of that tour.  

Off the top of my head, going chronologically: 2/3, 2/8, 2/12, 2/13, 2/28, 3/3, 3/5, 3/11, 3/12, 3/19-21. I think his playing in '75 gets a bad rap sometimes due to him being more reserved at Earls Court for whatever reason...he was pretty fiery most of the time on the North American tour.

As a matter of fact, I have an episode planned for about a month from now with two fellow drummers in the community detailing the evolution of his playing across the entirety of their live career!

I quite like 5/25 as well. If it had the Dazed from the night before, I would have no complaints! No, it's not Plant's best night of the year, but it's '75...I consider great vocals a bonus if they happen to be there 😂 

You're bang on about 3/27 NQ. If you're able to listen to what Page was trying to play, I think it's one of his best-structured NQ solos in terms of the sense of plot and emotional arc...just not his absolute best execution. That lick he hits just before the motif from the studio version (and the crowd's response) gives me chills every time! Jones' solo is one of his best and most concise, and the groove between he and Bonzo is probably my fav. Plus, Plant gets quite an air raid in on the outro for good measure! 3/27 is one of his better nights of the year...

Lol, fair enough!

Exactly. I agree, it was the highlight of most '75 shows.

[Bonzo_fan]

1 hour ago, BobDobbs said:

Seattle is a great show but I concur with your assessment Sir. After re-listen I have a new appreciation for this gig. The only weak point is Page being a bit rusty (not bad, just misses some notes and a bit too loose) in the beginning and then he really comes alive from OTHAFA on. Page get's his fingers caught in the strings during the legato run in Heartbreaker, but otherwise the song is great. I still do not care what anyone says, Page F-ed up that legato phrase waaaay too much during shows because he always held the LP over his head when he did it. Unless you rub baby powder on the neck beforehand your hand will stick at some point while sliding it down the neck due to the weight of the guitar. It may have looked cool but damn it, it F-ed up the run! Every time I tried it my hand gets stuck around the 7th fret.

Great NQ though at this gig, no doubt about that. Pretty much everything from OTHAFA to the end are amazing! And yes, both JPJ & Bonzo are off the chart shit-hot this night. Everyone is great.

LOL, that always frustrates me too, but I'd be willing to bet that those in attendance went home talking about him playing above his head and either forgot or didn't notice the bit of slop that resulted from it. I have to remind myself of that sometimes: these bands were playing with the people in the seats in mind, and them alone...not we "armchair quarterbacks" decades later.

Yeah, I'll concede Page has some loose moments on RAR>SA, but the other three are so good and the energy is so high I'm able to not notice it when I so choose...sometimes ignorance is bliss 😂😎 I'd say 3/21 STH is one of the best of all time btw...great structure to the solo, keeps the momentum building the whole way (and it's a long one...clocks in just under 13 minutes), which didn't always happen.

[BobDobbs]

59 minutes ago, Bonzo_fan said:

LOL, that always frustrates me too, but I'd be willing to bet that those in attendance went home talking about him playing above his head and either forgot or didn't notice the bit of slop that resulted from it. I have to remind myself of that sometimes: these bands were playing with the people in the seats in mind, and them alone...not we "armchair quarterbacks" decades later.

Yeah, I'll concede Page has some loose moments on RAR>SA, but the other three are so good and the energy is so high I'm able to not notice it when I so choose...sometimes ignorance is bliss 😂😎 I'd say 3/21 STH is one of the best of all time btw...great structure to the solo, keeps the momentum building the whole way (and it's a long one...clocks in just under 13 minutes), which didn't always happen.

Me thinks the slop would not have been noticeable being there due to all the ambient noise and volume causing echo etc. I say I hope they release this officially some day. They could replace the RnR/SA with another, better shows version, and then splice the legato section out and replace with one from 71' but make it super obvious for shits. 

The title would be Gene Therapy a Jolly Romp Through the Timbers

[Bonzo_fan]

43 minutes ago, BobDobbs said:

Me thinks the slop would not have been noticeable being there due to all the ambient noise and volume causing echo etc. I say I hope they release this officially some day. They could replace the RnR/SA with another, better shows version, and then splice the legato section out and replace with one from 71' but make it super obvious for shits. 

The title would be Gene Therapy a Jolly Romp Through the Timbers

Exactly. LMAO...sadly, I think our best hope now is Jason having a more liberal view of what's release-worthy once he inherits the keys to the vault (assuming it would go to him after the three of them, which perhaps isn't a safe assumption?). Obviously I hope that's not anytime soon...

They should really hire an archivist/legacy manager like the Grateful Dead have done. It helps to have someone with a bit more of an "outsider"'s perspective, even if they're a diehard fan.

Edited March 18, 2022 by Bonzo_fan

[1975NQ]

On 3/17/2022 at 8:10 PM, Bonzo_fan said:

Off the top of my head, going chronologically: 2/3, 2/8, 2/12, 2/13, 2/28, 3/3, 3/5, 3/11, 3/12, 3/19-21. I think his playing in '75 gets a bad rap sometimes due to him being more reserved at Earls Court for whatever reason...he was pretty fiery most of the time on the North American tour.

As a matter of fact, I have an episode planned for about a month from now with two fellow drummers in the community detailing the evolution of his playing across the entirety of their live career!

I quite like 5/25 as well. If it had the Dazed from the night before, I would have no complaints! No, it's not Plant's best night of the year, but it's '75...I consider great vocals a bonus if they happen to be there 😂 

You're bang on about 3/27 NQ. If you're able to listen to what Page was trying to play, I think it's one of his best-structured NQ solos in terms of the sense of plot and emotional arc...just not his absolute best execution. That lick he hits just before the motif from the studio version (and the crowd's response) gives me chills every time! Jones' solo is one of his best and most concise, and the groove between he and Bonzo is probably my fav. Plus, Plant gets quite an air raid in on the outro for good measure! 3/27 is one of his better nights of the year...

Lol, fair enough!

Exactly. I agree, it was the highlight of most '75 shows.

He is def fired up on those nights! 2/3 (carrying the load for the band a bit I think), 3/3 (ferocious!) and those March runs of 3/10 - 3/12  and 3/19 - 3/21 stand out for me. I'm a big fan of 2/8 ... I'll have to pay more attention to Bonzo the next time I fire that one up.

With EC, 5/17 has really grown on me even though the sound quality is horrible. 5/18 is hit/miss with some truly amazing playing from Page. My go-to is usually 5/25 up through SRTS than I switch over to 5/24 for the rest of the show.

[1975NQ]

Also - very cool about the podcast! I will def check that one out. 👍

[1975NQ]

On 2/12/2022 at 9:22 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

Dazed- Decent start. 2:55, tape cut to an inferior source. First workout- Jimmy sounding pretty sloppy initially but jumps to some more stable licks. San Francisco has a wonderful intro by Page. Bow section sounding good. Second workout- starts out a little unorthodox. 14:05, some slop. 14:24, Page having a difficult time finding a flow. He does keep it lively however. The call and response section is done well. 17:30, sticky. Page throws in the kitchen sink on the final stages of the solo, not sounding too bad. Mars- some choppy playing on this. The climax hits good although Page flubs the notes at 20:17. 20:35, Jones having trouble getting in sync. The return sounds good and Page gets some minorly sloppy wah licks in toward the end. Definitely an uber dynamic version that's worth a listen, but I imagine the subpar recording is masking an already sticky sounding Page. "B".

I feel the need to stick up for this version of Dazed. 😂

This is easily one of Page's most fluid nights for 75, Robert sounds great here, and as you mention the whole thing is uber dynamic. I personally think it flows really well. Most DAC from 75 bore me to tears, but this one is a really fun listen even with some slop here and there. I agree with your nitpicks about 90% of the time, 5% soft disagree and occasionally I think "what is he talking about" lol. This is one of those times. If you're going to give Seattle 75 an 'A', where Page is less fluid to my ears and your original nitpick picked out loads of errors, this one deserves at least an 'A' as well.

Normally, I wouldn't care .. one person's opinion is just as valid as anothers when it comes to music. But people who are unfamiliar/new to Zep boots might read these nitpicks as gospel - which they are not - and I wouldn't want them to skip this one based on the low grade.

 

[gibsonfan159]

3 hours ago, 1975NQ said:

If you're going to give Seattle 75 an 'A', where Page is less fluid to my ears and your original nitpick picked out loads of errors, this one deserves at least an 'A' as well.

Yeah, 3/21 didn't deserve an "A" either. I must've been in a good mood while picking it apart lol. 

[1975NQ]

3 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Yeah, 3/21 didn't deserve an "A" either. I must've been in a good mood while picking it apart lol. 

Lol fair enough. 

[Old Man]

March 05, 1975, Dallas!!  The whole band was on fire that night.  Moby Dick, which I don't always listen to, is Bonzo at his very best.  This show - should have - been recorded legally.  Thank goodness we have a well recorded boot of this show. 

[1975NQ]

On 5/23/2018 at 4:12 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

No Quarter- Amazingly clear intro. You can hear the "swishing" from the chorus effect. Nitpicking Jones- 6:27-7:16, some of the most elegant, perfectly structured piano phrasing I've heard from Jones. Then Bonzo comes in for an excellent, dreamy jam section. I think Page even holds off a little longer than usual to let it flow. Solo- Page is playing very relaxed which works well for this. Good, smooth runs. 14:39-15:04, perfect phrasing and articulation. 15:42-16:25, Stevie Ray Vaughn level of bends and phrasing here, sans the beefy guitar tone. That bend at 16:16 gets me rigid. He merges the ending theme with some creepy chorded arppegios. Perfection. It seems wrong to bring the verses back after that. Decent outro solo, though the intensity is lacking after the previous solo. Page may not have had the frenetic energy he did in 72/73, but his fingers and brain are just as nimble. "A++" considering Jones really nailed it too.

Listening to NQ today from this show today and noticed something new that I love. At the beginning of JPJ solo, someone in the crowd gets chatty. A loud "SHHH!!" can be heard - and the chatting instantly stops haha. Gotta love a polite crowd. Some things *are* sacred. 😛

[Christopher Lees]

On 2/8/2022 at 7:42 PM, Tainted cheese said:

I have been reading replies to this post for awhile now and have enjoyed the many ideas and opinions. I have listened to many of these shows mentioned here but I keep coming back to FEBRUARY 14 - NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM, NY. when needing a '75 fix! The band is top notch form and Plant especially sounds healthy and strong given his struggles during this tour. This show is easily in the top 5 (top 3 in my rankings) for the '75 tour and my personal favorite.

 

Finally, someone else appreciates 2-14-75 as much as I do. I purchased The Diagrams of Led Zeppelin's version of this boot back about 2001 or so. It was a very good audience recording with only one drawback, which was some overloading and distortion caused by the bass and especially the bass pedals. Having said that, I'll take that incredibly ambient recording over the much-improved remastered recordings that have come out over the last 10 years or so. They're amazing, but something is missing for me. The Rain Song on TDOLZ's version is my all time favorite. It feels like I'm there. The rawness of the audience recording makes NQ an amazing listening experience. It's not the same with the "perfect" recordings. Plant's plantations are great on this show as well.

My favorite solos are Dazed, NQ and Stairway. This was the first 75 show that I listened to that finally seemed to measure up to the great 73 shows. Dazed is monstrous! The feedback during the NQ solo is the kind of controlled chaos that made Zeppelin so great and it's accentuated on TDOLZ recording. What a great and special show that is. 

[gibsonfan159]

*Soundboard Revision Nitpicking Page 3/24/1975 Los Angeles, CA (Awesome Foursome- EVSD)

Literally years since I've relistened to this show and this is my first listen with the newer SBD. Let's see if my perspective differs.

Rock And Roll- Bonham has fun switching up the beat on the intro and Robert sounds pretty rough on the verses. Solo- solid for the most part. A fairly flawless performance except for a bad chord flub at 3:10. "B+" considering the croaky throat.

Sick Again- Robert a little smoother now. 0:31, tight drum fill. Tempo is energetic with good enthusiasm. Solo- 1:54-2:00, loses the flow a bit and repeats a previous phrase. Not bad overall. Outro solo- The phrasing isn't great here, but he's playing with authority. 4:48, flubs the last chord. "B+".

OTHAFA- Guitar is a bit out of tune, naturally. Good intro with a monstrous build up to the first verse. Solo- Sounds a little awkward in the beginning. Gets a good flow going by 3:30. 3:42, excellent run. 4:07, some turkey gobble. 4:15-4:28, fingers stuck in strings. 5:00, loose on the solo outro. Nice ending, but still only a "B" version. That solo had serious potential.

IMTOD-  Solid intro and first verses with a nice swampy guitar tone. First solo- Gets off to a great start. Loose phrasing at 4:40. Finishes up nicely. Second solo- He keeps a steady flow going and changes everything up nicely. 10:40, Jimmy again hits a wonky chord at the very end. A pretty solid performance overall, "A-".

TSRTS- Good energy out of the gate. Verses sounding good. 2:09, some off chords. Solo- A little sloppy, not bad. 2:47-2:57, ok, it's kinda bad here. 2:59, Plant actually nailing the bridge verses without cracking. 3:33, Jones showing off those finger muscles. Outro solo- Not very articulate but he keeps a good flow going. I think "B+" is fair.

The Rain Song- Good intro and verses, maybe just a little loose strumming by Page. Unfortunately the mellotron can be heard well on the SBD and I'm swatting at invisible mosquitos. Ok, it's not that bad. Rock section- Hard hitting with Plant singing with passion. Plant barely holding key on the exiting scream. A solid "A" version.

Kashmir- First verses are decent with the mellotron serving more as a distraction, but I won't count against that. It's more tolerable on the bridge section. 4:26, Plant slurring some lyrics. Jimmy's guitar drops out of the recording on the second bridge section. 7:35, Jim hanging up a bit. Outro solo doesn't flow well and is on the erratic side. In juxtaposition with the previous review this one leaves a better impression as Page's guitar being more up front on the AUD version reveals some sloppy playing. Here it's nearly inaudible. Realistically a "B" for this SBD version.

No Quarter- Page's wah pedal is shaving off the treble too much. Verses sounding good with a strong Plant. Nitpicking Jones- 5:52, a hint of an Arabic scale in there. 7:25, again. 8:20-8:50, Concierto Aranjuez motif sounding excellent. The boogie jam section comes in nicely with Bonham putting down a funky beat. Page- Good intro riffing following the increased tempo. 13:20, off phrasing. 13:40, some strange notes in there. 14:30, just doesn't flow well. 14:56, some catchy repeated riffs. 15:17, good fluidity here. He's picking it up a little now. 17:00, losing the flow a bit and starts using the wah to spice it up, but still lacking some energy. 19:56, Jones and Bonham are killing it while Jimmy tries to conjure up something. 22:40, off notes by Jones. 23:17, Page sounding sticky. 23:54, Jimmy finally sounding inspired on the outro. Very problematic playing from Page overall on the solo. Jones shines on his solo spot, Robert and Bonzo sound very good. Page struggles pretty noticeably throughout however. "B" overall. (Plant mentions some carpentry going on behind him, a "Nail being knocked into wood" which you can hear at 22:15)

Trampled Underfoot- 1:40, both Robert and Jimmy are struggling to keep up. Jones- not bad but he's very hesitant to get going on any real phrasing. Page solo- 3:20, very rough. 3:48, turkey gobbling galore. He's certainly playing with some fire though lol. 4:14, sticky and the phrasing is all over the place. 4:47, sticky. Not a good solo at all. They finish up ok. "C+".

Moby Dick- Rather impressive on the soundboard with tight playing by Bonzo.

Dazed And Confused- Guitar tuning at 3:11. 4:03, tries tuning again. 4:50, more tuning. I guess a backup guitar swap was out of the question. First workout- Very sticky start and still not in tune. The jam does eventually develop but it's nothing great. The transition to San Francisco is slow and Jimmy still fiddles with his tuners. Plant's vocals sound half hearted and straining. Better get "Back to the guitar shop". 9:11, tuning. Bow solo pushes the seven minute mark. 19:00, sounds like we finally get a guitar swap. 19:20, flub. Second workout- Slop out of the gate as Page struggles with the phrasing. 22:05, bad articulation everywhere. 24:56, fingers stuck in strings. 25:18, erratic. Mars- sloppy chording by Jim. 27:08, Good build up to the climax. 28:20, a random panning effect. 28:42, sloppy. Outro solo is decent from Page but Bonham is laying down some impressive rhythms. Page struggles on the final phrases with his "sweep pick" riff. Definitely a "C".

Stairway To Heaven- The trusty double-neck is tuned up but the mellotron sounds just a hair flat (and is loud in the mix). Plant sounds great. 2:04-2:10, Jones puts a little pizzazz on that phrase. 4:50, off notes by Jones. Solo- Gets out of the gate very good. 6:38, a bit sticky. A little slop at 7:16. 7:48, loses the flow a little. 8:34, loose. 9:19, just stiff articulation here. Doesn't even attempt the final triplet riff, finishes at a lower octave. Plant does sound strong on the climax. 10:39, flub. "C+" at best. (Page plays the Rover riff before starting the next number)

Whole Lotta Love-  Ok beginning and verses, Bonham's playing is again noticeably tight and energetic. The Crunge- 1:38, careful Jim. His riffing is very stiff and awkward as he struggles to get the timing down. Licking stick- Jimmy loosens up some for this. The theremin seems to be in tune and the freakout section is intense, with more flawlessly tight jamming by Jones and Bonham. 7:55, Page finally gets the funk rhythm down. Sounding good. 8:24, very cool, heavy riff. Not too bad, "B+".

Black Dog- Jim and Bonzo mistime the intro. 1:01, fingers getting sticky and some more tuning issues. 2:07, Page gets tangled up. 2:48, flub. Solo- 3:18, sounds like another guitar swap, which causes him to come in late for the solo. Some speedy playing but the articulation is terrible. "C". This one gives 2/28 a run for it's money.

Heartbreaker- Jimmy loose on the intro. A horrible sine noise is present through the verses. 2:08-2:14, pretty good run. Solo- Amateurish through most of it. 5:12, some decent noodling. 5:32, smear section is pretty sticky. 6:26, fairly smooth here. The last verses are decent. "B+".

Final Assessment- A legendarily bad show shines a slightly different light under a soundboard source, but nothing that is really gonna help it. Page struggles with articulation and phrasing throughout which isn't helped by constant tuning issues. Robert warms up quickly but never really reaches a strong level. Bonham shines more than anyone here, being energetic and focused through the show. Highlights are a fairly good IMTOD and an awesome Jones section on NQ. Moby Dick has some mind blowing work from Bonzo.