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SteveAJones

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I just watched virtual Zep and it made me wonder..... (qualifies as a SAJ Mystery????)

Did Peter/Jimmy ever get approached about film clips to their catalogue at any time? MTV and the music video thing was obviously after their time - BUT there are quite a number of really nice video's put together from way before 68/69. Communication Breakdown they did the promo clip for, TRB's had a clip put to it as well.

Apart from the odd promo clip (Kashmir using Earls Court footage - which I can't believe is a rarity! WLL I think) - none have been produced officially AFAIK, but was it ever discussed or considered?

When Jimmy did the re-release campaign should he have selected key tracks off each album and authorized some video? Bring Zep to TV's music channels??? He could have engaged top music video creators/producers - or whoever he wanted really. I don't see how anyone would turn down a gig like that and it could have added a dimension to tracks that take nothing else away from it if done right.

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44 minutes ago, rm2551 said:

I just watched virtual Zep and it made me wonder..... (qualifies as a SAJ Mystery????)

Did Peter/Jimmy ever get approached about film clips to their catalogue at any time? MTV and the music video thing was obviously after their time - BUT there are quite a number of really nice video's put together from way before 68/69. Communication Breakdown they did the promo clip for, TRB's had a clip put to it as well.

Apart from the odd promo clip (Kashmir using Earls Court footage - which I can't believe is a rarity! WLL I think) - none have been produced officially AFAIK, but was it ever discussed or considered?

When Jimmy did the re-release campaign should he have selected key tracks off each album and authorized some video? Bring Zep to TV's music channels??? He could have engaged top music video creators/producers - or whoever he wanted really. I don't see how anyone would turn down a gig like that and it could have added a dimension to tracks that take nothing else away from it if done right.

These sorts of things and more were scrapped together to produce official music videos for Traveling Riverside Blues (1990) and Whole Lotta Love (2007).

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9 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

IMG_20190101_210948766.thumb.jpg.8c1d9ff42efbf7d207e2cc51d71cd3ed.jpg

Any other photos of this session? Is this the only cliche "running through a field" shot there is of the group?

Now that is a holy grail lol

I don't think any of us have ever seen any of those have we?

Edited by TheStairwayRemainsTheSame
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4 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

These sorts of things and more were scrapped together to produce official music videos for Traveling Riverside Blues (1990) and Whole Lotta Love (2007).

Side q: Those shots of Jimmy at home in the Horus shirt we see during TRB, which I've always assumed is him making Ten Years Gone, who/where is that whole video

 

Lot of pics from this session too, why the whole "lets video you producing and take a load of pics"? Maybe it was going to be inserted into TSRTS?

Image result for jimmy page horus shirtec442948aa1cbb3efc1fa0e49cfc9408.thumb.jpg.591a5be605d8154841baa5cfc09e8f09.jpg

Edited by TheStairwayRemainsTheSame
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10 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

IMG_20190101_210948766.thumb.jpg.8c1d9ff42efbf7d207e2cc51d71cd3ed.jpg

Any other photos of this session? Is this the only cliche "running through a field" shot there is of the group?

That's from the Teen-Clubs Copenhagen newsletter/programme, March 1969.  http://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/march-15-1969
The photo was taken in Sept. '68.  We do have a print of it in the band's archive, but no others from this exact session that I recall.

There's also a few from this session, which is from generally the same time:

1968-lz_uk12s.jpg

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5 hours ago, TheStairwayRemainsTheSame said:

Side q: Those shots of Jimmy at home in the Horus shirt we see during TRB, which I've always assumed is him making Ten Years Gone, who/where is that whole video

Lot of pics from this session too, why the whole "lets video you producing and take a load of pics"? Maybe it was going to be inserted into TSRTS?

 

Yes, those are Jimmy in his home studio which was located in the upper level of Plumpton Place. It's the same shirt he's wearing in TSRTS so the footage was almost certainly filmed that same evening for possible inclusion in the film.

 

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22 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

These sorts of things and more were scrapped together to produce official music videos for Traveling Riverside Blues (1990) and Whole Lotta Love (2007).

Cheers. What about any time anyone discussed with them the possibilities of doing film clips to their music either during their reign or afterwards? Or if Page/Grant themselves ever discussed or considered it?

I don't recall seeing anyone ever (in interviews) bring this up. Surely it must have been broached at some point. Maybe early on and immediately ruled out??

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19 hours ago, sam_webmaster said:

That's from the Teen-Clubs Copenhagen newsletter/programme, March 1969.  http://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/march-15-1969
The photo was taken in Sept. '68.  We do have a print of it in the band's archive, but no others from this exact session that I recall.

There's also a few from this session, which is from generally the same time:

 1968-lz_uk12s.jpg

Bloody hell!

Are these newly found or something?!

 

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3 hours ago, rm2551 said:

Cheers. What about any time anyone discussed with them the possibilities of doing film clips to their music either during their reign or afterwards? Or if Page/Grant themselves ever discussed or considered it?

I don't recall seeing anyone ever (in interviews) bring this up. Surely it must have been broached at some point. Maybe early on and immediately ruled out??

Highly doubt it, they didn't even want to video the 12 years barely

 

15 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

Yes, those are Jimmy in his home studio which was located in the upper level of Plumpton Place. It's the same shirt he's wearing in TSRTS so the footage was almost certainly filmed that same evening for possible inclusion in the film.

 

So out there is a huge reel of Page @ Plumpton messing around...

Holy grail.

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3 hours ago, rm2551 said:

Cheers. What about any time anyone discussed with them the possibilities of doing film clips to their music either during their reign or afterwards? Or if Page/Grant themselves ever discussed or considered it?

I don't recall seeing anyone ever (in interviews) bring this up. Surely it must have been broached at some point. Maybe early on and immediately ruled out??

They did do some promo videos for the German and Japanese markets, but generally speaking they (Page & Grant) didn't have much confidence that television was a suitable medium for promoting the group. They preferred to build the band's reputation on mystique and word of mouth. Were it not for Plant's accident in 1975 there likely never would have been a film release either, at least in the 1970s.

41 minutes ago, TheStairwayRemainsTheSame said:

So out there is a huge reel of Page @ Plumpton messing around...

There was also additional footage of Peter Grant at home I'd enjoy seeing one day if it still exists.

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11 minutes ago, SteveAJones said:

They did do some promo videos for the German and Japanese markets, but generally speaking they (Page & Grant) didn't have much confidence that television was a suitable medium for promoting the group. They preferred to build the band's reputation on mystique and word of mouth. Were it not for Plant's accident in 1975 there likely never would have been a film release either, at least in the 1970s.

There was also additional footage of Peter Grant at home I'd enjoy seeing one day if it still exists.

 

Well and I assume Plant, Jones and Bonham's full video sessions

I wonder who has it all, Warner Bros, Massot hid it somewhere or Peter Clifton.

Considering that Page footage of him recording is on TRB I'm assuming Warner Brothers has the lot.

Edited by TheStairwayRemainsTheSame
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20 hours ago, TheStairwayRemainsTheSame said:

 

Well and I assume Plant, Jones and Bonham's full video sessions

I wonder who has it all, Warner Bros, Massot hid it somewhere or Peter Clifton.

Considering that Page footage of him recording is on TRB I'm assuming Warner Brothers has the lot.

Warner Brothers did not finance the film, the band did. So the band would own any outtake footage, aside from whatever Joe Massot kept out of their possession. Grant did forcibly retrieve footage from him at one point, prior to bringing in Peter Clifton to complete the project.

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4 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

Warner Brothers did not finance the film, the band did. So the band would own any outtake footage, aside from whatever Joe Massot kept out of their possession. Grant did forcibly retrieve footage from him at one point, prior to bringing in Peter Clifton to complete the project.

Not saying Warner Bro's did finance it. I'm saying that they own the footage and I'm assuming have that Page footage if it was on the TRB video.

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2 hours ago, TheStairwayRemainsTheSame said:

Not saying Warner Bro's did finance it. I'm saying that they own the footage and I'm assuming have that Page footage if it was on the TRB video.

I'm saying it's outtake footage they didn't "own", at least not until it was provided for use in TRB by Page. Ordinarily, they wouldn't own any of the outtake footage not used in the film or a promo video because they didn't finance it.

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1 hour ago, SteveAJones said:

I'm saying it's outtake footage they didn't "own", at least not until it was provided for use in TRB by Page. Ordinarily, they wouldn't own any of the outtake footage not used in the film or a promo video because they didn't finance it.

Ah so you think Page lent it to them for TRB?

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4 minutes ago, TheStairwayRemainsTheSame said:

Ah so you think Page lent it to them for TRB?

I'm suggesting he provided source material (outtakes) to them with the understanding their production department would incorporate it into a promotional music video for TRB, after which they would hold the copyright to the content of the video. The label doesn't retain any rights to any outtake footage not featured in the film or video(s).

 

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2 minutes ago, SteveAJones said:

I'm suggesting he provided source material (outtakes) to them with the understanding their production department would incorporate it into a promotional music video for TRB, after which they would hold the copyright to the content of the video. The label doesn't retain any rights to any outtake footage not featured in the film or video(s).

 

We're in agreement here SAJ

So where's the rest?! Rewatching that it seems like there's bloody hours from Plumpton, Starship, Driving, Baltimore.

Bloody loads hanging about somewhere

WHERE

Edited by TheStairwayRemainsTheSame
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9 minutes ago, TheStairwayRemainsTheSame said:

We're in agreement here SAJ

So where's the rest?! Rewatching that it seems like there's bloody hours from Plumpton, Starship, Driving, Baltimore.

Bloody loads hanging about somewhere

WHERE

In Jimmy's possession, aside from anything withheld by Massot and/or Clifton. I don't know about "hours" but there is a fair amount that wasn't used. However, the Plumpton Place footage was most likely shot in one day. I have a photo of Clifton and Melody Maker photographer Pennie Smith conversing with Jimmy at Plumpton Place on the day of the shoot and he's wearing the same shirt as in this scene. Additionally, it's the same shirt he's wearing in the home studio outtakes, which appear to have been filmed later that evening. My point is it seems it was a one day shoot that yielded all of the Plumpton Place footage.

 

See the discussion below on this topic from nearly ten years ago for more:

 ...also this...

http://ledzepnews.com/2018/06/17/director-peter-clifton-who-worked-on-the-song-remains-the-same-has-reportedly-died/

thA93LKSFM.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Jimmy Page's First Visit to America

Not much is known about Jimmy's first visit to America in December 1964. It is known he accompanied Jackie DeShannon, and spent time in New York on their way to Los Angeles. While in New York, he visited Bert Berns at the Brill Building and was a guest of Bert and his wife Ilene. In 1965, Jimmy had told a UK magazine he attended a James Brown concert, which seemed a little odd. However, having found the press coverage it makes complete sense now as Jackie DeShannon also performed at that show. In 2014, Jimmy told the Chicago Tribune he had attended a Byrd's concert at Ciro's in Los Angeles around this time, but I have been unable to find anything on that. The Ciro's location is now The Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip.

Article 1: Los Angeles Times (December 20, 1964)

Article 2: Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA) (December 25, 1964)

1964 12 20 Los Angeles Times.jpg

1964 12 25  Independent-Press Telegram (Long Beach, CA).jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Led Zeppelin Robert Plant's Annual Christmas Performances at Frank Freeman's Dance Club

...seeking any additional information, particularly photos and eyewitness accounts...

Frank Freeman's Dance Club, Kidderminster

Frank Freeman met Wynn at a church hall dance in Leicester in 1940, during the war.

They were married two years later, and moved to Frank's home town of Kidderminster in 1947.

They both loved dancing and had trained as dance teachers.

Frank and Wynn's first dance school, at the New Meeting Church Hall, opened in 1948.

They were rather limited there, as they could only run classes two days a week, so Frank took a part-time job as a book-keeper for Sid Simmonds, the butcher.

Sid was the owner of a property in Lower Mill Street, which had once been the home of the Bijou Cinema, Kidderminster's first picture house, which ran until the start of the First World War.

When the premises became vacant at the end of 1955, Sid offered the lease to Frank.

After a lot of hard work, which included the removal of the balcony and the installation of a floor for dancing, the school was opened in the first week of January 1956.

During that first year, an old lady came into the club and said that she remembered going there as a child, when it was also a variety hall, as well as a cinema, and recalled seeing dancing bears perform there.

The Dance School was a great success and Frank often promoted the famous dance bands of the day at Kidderminster Town Hall.

He put on Victor Sylvester, Joe Loss, and Edmundo Ross, amongst others.

When rock 'n' roll started, Frank and Wynn were soon off the mark, running jiving classes and eventually putting on rock 'n' roll groups on Sunday nights.

One of Wynn's favourites were 'The Deltas' from Birmingham.

The mod scene started at Frank's in 1965; a group of ten people - Rod Gilchrist, Nick Clegg and David Shuck, amongst others - used to travel regularly to the Whiskey club in Birmingham, where they picked up on soul music and mod fashion.

This small group stuck together at Frank's, where they attracted the attention of rockers who also used to frequent the Flamingo Café next door.

The mods had been threatened by the rockers, that they were "Going to get beaten up next Sunday", so the Kidderminster mods spread the word at the next Saturday all-nighter at the Whiskey, and about 200 mods turned up at Frank's on the Sunday.

When the rockers tried to get into Frank's for a ruckus, they were shocked to see so many mods, so they turned round and left.

From then on, Sundays were mod sessions.

Frank put on blue beat and soul acts from Birmingham such as The Stringbeats and the Jamaican Nobles.

This lasted until the summer of love 1967, when things almost changed overnight and some of the new young hippies were, in their turn, occasionally set on by die-hard mods.

Frank once again was tuned into the current trends; he soon began booking what were known as underground or progressive groups, with a few tips and encouragement from DJ Rod Gilchrist, and Robert Plant and Kevyn Gammond from the Band of Joy, who were one of the new breed of groups to appear.

Rod Gilchrist became almost evangelical about his new music, astonishing his mod friends when he invited them around to his house, when his parents were away.

He played the 'Forever Changes' LP by Love and other West Coast groups all night, to their utter amazement.

The change in music and fashion, from mods to hippies, also involved a change in the drug culture.

The mods essentially used drugs to keep them awake, in order to dance all night; uppers in the form of French Blues, Green Clears and Dexys.

With the advent of progressive rock and hippy culture, people were chilling out more, listening to music rather than dancing.

A more contemplative ambience was required; hallucinogenic drugs became very popular, particularly cannabis, but also LSD "To expand your mind and unlock your hidden consciousness"; it was a very cool thing to do.

As Kidderminster was a real hotspot for music, it inevitably became a hotspot for drugs.

Vans would turn up in town on gig nights.

With their fur-lined interiors, they dispensed their wares to a young and expectant clientele. For most of the youngsters this was an exciting and exploratory time, but there were casualties.

Excessive usage and dangerous combinations, sometimes with alcohol, led an unfortunate few to serious damage, and even death.

At the beginning of 1968, some now famous bands started appearing at Frank's.

Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac had gone down a storm in January, and John Peel himself brought Tyrannosaurus Rex up to Frank's for an all nighter on Easter Sunday, after he had broadcast his Top Gear radio show on Sunday afternoon.

In those days, Marc Bolan and Peregrine Took were very short of money, and DJs Paul 'Pig' Jennings and Rod Gilchrist put them up for the night in their respective parent's houses.

On Sunday May 19th, Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band made their legendary appearance at Frank's.

When John Peel told the band the name of their next gig was Frank Freeman's Dancing Club, they said "What a groovy name".

John Peel said it wasn't a groovy name, it was a dance club run by a bloke called Frank Freeman!

John Peel drove the Captain (Don Van Vliet) and drummer, John French, up to Frank's, after broadcasting his radio programme.

This was the only Midlands' date, and one of the very few in the country, that Captain Beefheart played.

Wynn Freeman remembers them arriving, wearing very large stovepipe hats.

The Captain asked Wynn if they served alcohol.

When the answer was no, he replied "Thank God for that", and took off his hat and explained to Wynn and Frank that at some of the places they played they had bottles thrown at them.

They then all sat down with Wynn and Frank to cups of tea and cucumber sandwiches, with the crusts cut off.

The band enjoyed this homely touch.

The Captain had a few games of pinball at the Flamingo Café next door, and checked out the local shoe shops.

He apparently fell in love with a pair of boots, which were only available in England, and eventually had a pair sent to the States.

On the night, the place was packed to the hilt.

People were standing outside listening, the band was so loud you could just about follow the set.

The Captain played his famous reed instrument, the shenai, that had been given to him by Ornette Coleman, and held the enthusiastic young audience spellbound; no walkouts.

For some reason, John Peel turned up late during the set and had trouble getting in the door, as the doorman didn't recognise him.

He set up a tape recorder, and the last four numbers of the set were recorded for posterity.

They were 'Rollin' 'n' Tumblin', 'Electricity', You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond' and 'Kandy Korn'.

These tracks later appeared in a rarities five CD album called 'Grow Fins'.

After 'Kandy Korn', Captain Beefheart can be heard saying "Thank you very much folks".

'The Magic Band' line up on the night was: Don Van Vliet, vocals and reed instruments; Alex St. Clair, guitar; Jeff Cotton, guitar; Jerry Handley, bass and John French, drums.

Other well-known visitors that Wynn remembers well include Rick Wakeman.

During one of his sessions when the audience were shouting for encores, Rick's amp blew up and brought a swift end to the show.

Once, when 'The Strawbs' played at Frank's on a Sunday afternoon, they followed DJ Paul Jennings down to the Wharf in the evening, where he did some DJing and helped Rob Baynham out with his light show.

Rick Wakeman and Dave Cousins bought a lot of drinks that night.

Wynn also remembers Peter Green; when she commented on how quickly they set up and sound checked, he replied "Why not, they should know what they're doing by now".

He also once returned £10 to Frank, saying he had been overpaid.

In spite of Frank insisting it was correct, the £10 was returned to him.

Another of Wynn's favourites was Robert Plant.

Frank and Wynn always had a party on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day, between 2pm and 8pm.

Robert would always turn up with his family, and stay from start to finish.

Bronco with Jess Roden on vocals, would supply the live music, and Robert would normally sing at least a half-hour set, and this was at the height of his fame with 'Led Zeppelin'.

When a tribute gig had been arranged at the Gainsborough following Frank Freeman's death, Robert interrupted vital rehearsal sessions for a Freddy Mercury tribute concert, that was due to be held at Wembley, to attend the memorial show at the Gainsborough.


These famous rock sessions finished in 1971 when the groups became very famous and too expensive.

Bands like 'Yes' for example, would honour bookings far below their normal fee, but eventually the gigs stopped.

The groups were well beyond the price that Frank could afford.

The ballroom dancing carried on as normal, and Frank still put the occasional dance band on at either Kidderminster Town Hall or Stourport Civic Centre.

Victor Sylvester and Joe Loss were both booked by Frank in 1972.

While preparing for a children's party on October 27th, 1991, Frank collapsed and died in his beloved Dance Club.

Over the years, he had gained the respect of everyone he met, whether they were avant-garde musicians from California or young mums bringing their kids in for tap dancing, Frank treated them all the same.

The occasional drunk that would wander in would be gently escorted to the Coach and Horses next door, and told to come again on another night; a gentleman in the true sense of the word.

He had an open mind to any sort of music, although his great love was dancing.

He was rather puzzled that the youngsters would rather sit down and listen than dance, but he accepted things as they were.

The usual Christmas party went ahead that year; the club was packed to the hilt, with Robert Plant there from beginning to end.

So the next time you walk past the studded door surrounded by white tiles with the famous Dance Club sign above, think of everything that has gone on there, from dancing bears to silent movies, and ballroom dancing to acts such as 'Captain Beefheart', 'Tyrannosaurus Rex' and 'Fleetwood Mac'.

From the book 'Get Your Kicks on the A456'.
ISBN-0-9550482-0-6.
Price £12.99.
Used with the kind permission of John Coombe.

 

2003 07 17  Kidderminster News.jpg

_81136960_plant-and-wynn.jpg

Edited by SteveAJones
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What do we know about Jimmy's father's father, Jimmy's grandfather...

His name, and where he lived, his occupation...

I thought of this after watching a film made in Halifax in 1902, when Jimmy's grandfather would have been alive.
 

 

Edited by The Rover
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16 hours ago, The Rover said:

What do we know about Jimmy's father's father, Jimmy's grandfather...

His name, and where he lived, his occupation...

I thought of this after watching a film made in Halifax in 1902, when Jimmy's grandfather would have been alive.

I know that he was also named James Patrick Page, that's about it. Jimmy seldom if ever mentioned him.

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Suspicious uncredited chauffeur in the Who's "Tommy". 

IMG_20190528_132106.thumb.jpg.8e30f7867e9f8109fd0f1cd7252a2237.jpg

Not only looks like Bonzo, but very possible considering he also made a guest appearance (with Keith Moon) in the film "Son Of Dracula" in 1974.

Anyone know more details on this?

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