dazedjeffy Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Steve, Just thought of this question. At the end of tour legs and end of tours (73-77), did The Starship & Caesar's Chariot fly over the Atlantic and take the boys back to England or did service end somewhere on the east coast and they relied on other travel arrangements to get back to their families? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nech Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Scott is absolutely correct, and neither Donovan nor Jimmy have ever suggested Bonzo was on this session either. The first session featuring Jimmy, JPJ w/Bonzo (and Robert) was for PJ Proby's 'Three Week Hero' album. You seem to have forgotten how in his last book Donovan states the opposite of what you say here, and did so as recently as his appearances in Woodstock, NY ( the real Woodstock not Bethel ) where he was promoting I forget at the moment some film. And what about all his other jibberish about how he's resposible for Zeppelin?1 eh? And fwiw, when the book mention was first discussed elsewhere, a certain guitarist I am very fond of, did NOT disagree with Donovan. Too many shrooms or not, you'd think after all that talk, someone would have made a definite retort if none of Donovan's claims were true. ..just some other food for thought apprentice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 You seem to have forgotten how in his last book Donovan states the opposite of what you say here, and did so as recently as his appearances in Woodstock, NY ( the real Woodstock not Bethel ) where he was promoting I forget at the moment some film. And what about all his other jibberish about how he's resposible for Zeppelin?1 eh? And fwiw, when the book mention was first discussed elsewhere, a certain guitarist I am very fond of, did NOT disagree with Donovan. Too many shrooms or not, you'd think after all that talk, someone would have made a definite retort if none of Donovan's claims were true. ..just some other food for thought apprentice. At best he could arguably take credit for his sessions having brought JPJ and Jimmy together, but neither Robert Plant nor John Bonham were involved. Are you saying he has claimed otherwise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstickbonzo Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 ^ I'd say at best, Donovan is lucky he can remember anything about 1968. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nech Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 At best he could arguably take credit for his sessions having brought JPJ and Jimmy together, but neither Robert Plant nor John Bonham were involved. Are you saying he has claimed otherwise? I'm a traveller of both time and space at the moment, but I went return again I shall go thru my inventory and find the relevent passages/places/times where Donovan does indeed make claims of JP,JPJ *&* Bonzo being around for the HGM sessions. I don't think he ever outright says that they all appear on the final cut, but aludes to them all being present and taking part in the times. Again, could be pure Donovan spouting off making time, but the part that intrigued me from the get go was the UN-denial. And subsequent non retorts to every time Donovan continued to make this claim. the archives are your friend....just like the little smoke ; ) never empty the ashes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 I don't think he ever outright says that they all appear on the final cut, but aludes to them all being present and taking part in the times. Again, could be pure Donovan spouting off making time, but the part that intrigued me from the get go was the UN-denial. And subsequent non retorts to every time Donovan continued to make this claim. Will stay tuned for more. It just seems preposterous for him to claim, if he did, that Bonham was involved in his album sessions at all. Jimmy's recollections are not always accurate either; not long ago he spoke of their five nights at Earls Court in 1976. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 Steve, Just thought of this question. At the end of tour legs and end of tours (73-77), did The Starship & Caesar's Chariot fly over the Atlantic and take the boys back to England or did service end somewhere on the east coast and they relied on other travel arrangements to get back to their families? This is a really great question for Frank Smith's Starship stewardess. I've never seen any evidence to suggest The Starship or Ceasar's Chariot made trans-Atlantic flights for Led Zeppelin, nor have I seen a photograph of either aircraft on a London tarmac from '73-'77. So far as I know the band always entered and exited the U.S. on commercial airliners via New York during this period. For example, on 1/15/75 they flew from London on British Airways to JFK International in New York. Upon arrival, they boarded The Starship and departed for Chicago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 There are all those airport pics of them near airline signs or clutching the bags of certain airlines (I remember when they used to give those things out free ), which wouldn't have been the case if they hadn't been flying commercial across the Atlantic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 Many moons ago someone had inquired on why The Firm covered the Righteous Brothers' classic 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling' on their debut album. Well, this from Paul Rodgers: "We were in the rehearsal room, really searchin' for material and Jim just said 'What is the one song you've always wanted to do?' I said, 'Do you really mean that? I don't know if you're gonna like it. It's a real blue-eyed-soul song - 'You've Lost That Loivin' Feeling'." And he got right into it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nech Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Will stay tuned for more. It just seems preposterous for him to claim, if he did, that Bonham was involved in his album sessions at all. Jimmy's recollections are not always accurate either; not long ago he spoke of their five nights at Earls Court in 1976. Here's a perposterous claim : Source: Donovan's Friends; Issue 6 - circa 1989 SNAP - KCRW Radio, Los Angeles interview by Dierdre O'Donoghue S: "Hurdy Gurdy Man maybe responsible for an entire genre of music by virtue of the people playing with you, the musician in the background, from which sprang metal music." D: "When I wrote "Hurdy Gurdy Man", I thought, this is for Jimie (Hendrix) and my producer, Mickie Most, said "No, this is your song", so I said "Well, maybe Jimmy Page should play on it". Jimmy Page at that time was doing sessions. They hadn't formed 'The Band' yet, they were about to form. All around the "Hurdy Gurdy Man" sessions Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, the bass player on many of my recordings, especially "Mellow Yellow" he wrote the horn section, a band was forming around these sessions and Led Zeppelin, I believe, looking back, was formed around "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" sessions. A ballad form of song where I played it on guitar, a very heavy drum section and a very wild guitar sound and story telling. So if I formed Led Zeppelin I want to call upon those boys next year, I wanna record it with them next year! OK, I started Led Zeppelin and it goes like this. OK, I STARTED LED ZEPPELIN!!!" That's just a start.... It's in the book "Hurdy Gurdy Man", 2005 I believe where he first alludes to Bonham being at the sessions...not handy so can't transcribe But in his film biography Sunshine Superman:The Journey of Donovan I am told the Bonham reference is made as well. Anyone actually see this film and care to comment? OK time to search & destroy... I was very tempted to drive up to the quaint village of Woodtock for the Film's premiere back in Oct 2008 just to see if I can personally ask/confront him with his various claims as it has been a quite heatedly debated topic elsewhere for some time. more to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecil. Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Steve, promo pictures of 1977 tour, could you help out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 Steve, promo pictures of 1977 tour, could you help out? Can you be more specific as to what your seeking? Produced by whom for what? They were among the biggest groups in the world by 1977 and as such the need to produce promotional materials for a North American tour was minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave2007 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Steve, Just thought of this question. At the end of tour legs and end of tours (73-77), did The Starship & Caesar's Chariot fly over the Atlantic and take the boys back to England or did service end somewhere on the east coast and they relied on other travel arrangements to get back to their families? From what I've read they only had a licence to fly within the USA on Starship/Caesars. In one of the Zep books ( sorry, can't remember which) they refer to a break (unscheduled?) during the tour and they take a vote where they want to go . Bonzo wanted to go back to the UK but was reminded they only had a licence to fly within USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 From what I've read they only had a licence to fly within the USA on Starship/Caesars. In one of the Zep books ( sorry, can't remember which) they refer to a break (unscheduled?) during the tour and they take a vote where they want to go. Bonzo wanted to go back to the UK but was reminded they only had a licence to fly within USA. Yes, that's right. Their 1/26/75 St. Louis gig was postponed because a bed-ridden Plant was suffering with the flu in Chicago. Their next date was not until Greensboro on 1/29/75 so it was decided to get out of Chicago for a few days to enjoy the delights and warmer weather of Los Angeles. It was not possible to fly back to England aboard The Starship as Bonzo had suggested. Page, Jones, and Grant arose early to fly to Greensboro from LA the day of the show while Plant was flown in from Chicago. Greensboro is cited by some as their worst gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabe Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Yes, that's right. Their 1/26/75 St. Louis gig was postponed because a bed-ridden Plant was suffering with the flu in Chicago. Their next date was not until Greensboro on 1/29/75 so it was decided to get out of Chicago for a few days to enjoy the delights and warmer weather of Los Angeles. It was not possible to fly back to England aboard The Starship as Bonzo had suggested. Page, Jones, and Grant arose early to fly to Greensboro from LA the day of the show while Plant was flown in from Chicago. Greensboro is cited by some as their worst gig. I bought a two CD boot of this concert 10-12 years ago at a music/headshop. It was titled, "Footstomping Graffiti." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 (edited) I bought a two CD boot of this concert 10-12 years ago at a music/headshop. It was titled, "Footstomping Graffiti." This review of the performance and recording courtesy of theyearofledzeppelin.com: 1/29/1975 Greensboro, NC Bootleg title: Footstomping Graffiti Set List: Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown Plant is a shadow of his former self, gasping his way through Rock and Roll, choking on every word. Before Over the Hills and Far Away, someone near the taper can be heard exclaiming "look at how low Page has his guitar!" The end of the song is punctuated by a loud firecracker explosion. Plant's injured moans add a mournful tone to The Rain Song. Before Kashmir, someone near the taper can be heard saying "I want a copy of that tape." No Quarter features an excellent, moody piano solo from Jones. Page solos wildly during the coda. Plant again mentions Page's broken finger before introducing Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "Mr. Ultraviolence" before Moby Dick. How Many More Times is sloppy and uninspired. Plant is almost inaudible by the end of Stairway to Heaven. Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings during the guitar solo at the end of Black Dog. The band closes the show with a quick and dirty Communication Breakdown. Truly a night to forget. The tape is fairly clear, if a bit distant and boomy. Edited June 27, 2009 by SteveAJones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 "Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings?" I mean, there's a bad guitar solo, and there's screwing up so badly the roadies have to come and disentangle you from your guitar. "We might have to saw the neck off, Jimmy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 "Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings?" I mean, there's a bad guitar solo, and there's screwing up so badly the roadies have to come and disentangle you from your guitar. "We might have to saw the neck off, Jimmy." I have a film of Jimmy's performance at one of the two ARMS Benefit Concerts held at the Cow Palace near San Francisco (Dec 1-2 1983) and as the guitar tech attempts to take his guitar the neck inadvertently thwacks Jimmy upside the head. It had to hurt! Perhaps this show is available on youtube or elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Hi Steve- Don't know if anyone has asked this before- On the DVD - Traveling Riverside Blues promo there is footage of an older woman touching Robert's hair and singing? Who is she? Is there a story behind that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 Hi Steve- Don't know if anyone has asked this before- On the DVD - Traveling Riverside Blues promo there is footage of an older woman touching Robert's hair and singing? Who is she? Is there a story behind that? So far as I know she was simply a member of the hotel staff where they were staying at the time. I believe there's also a photograph of that or a similar encounter in circulation. Perhaps someone else has heard something different about this footage but I have not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 So far as I know she was simply a member of the hotel staff where they were staying at the time. I believe there's also a photograph of that or a similar encounter in circulation. Perhaps someone else has heard something different about this footage but I have not. I could be wrong here but wasn't she the lady mentioned in "Living Loving Maid"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 I could be wrong here but wasn't she the lady mentioned in "Living Loving Maid"? Have never heard that one before. It's an interesting suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieshoes Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I could be wrong here but wasn't she the lady mentioned in "Living Loving Maid"? No chance of that. The clip in the TRB video is definitely from 73. Besides, LLM is a song where the woman was supposed to be an ex. You know, the "alimony, alimony, paying your bills" line. So, an old woman wouldn't fit that anyway. Looks like it was just a lady in the hotel who was amazed at Plant's hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators sam_webmaster Posted July 2, 2009 Administrators Share Posted July 2, 2009 This is all 8mm silent home movie footage filmed by the band / John Bonham. We provided some of this Headley Grange footage for use in "It Might Get Loud". Japan '71 footage shows them traveling around, on the train, walking in Hiroshima park where the well-known photos were taken, etc. What is the story behind these enigmatic photos? They're obviously video stills as we've seen a snippet of Robert & Jimmy dancing with the German Shepherd from the Stargroves or Headley Grange session attributed to Eddie Kramer. Are we to infer that some of the recording sessions @ Headley Grange or Stargroves were filmed? Incredible if true. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...286336133602850 http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...286338054128530 Stargroves or Headley Grange http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...871650744119074 http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...286338485616530 http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...886449283998466 http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...886458182774962 http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...886467090594194 Japan http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...286345102809666 http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...286346657245330 http://picasaweb.google.com/CaptCrunge/STI...286353072013794 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieshoes Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 (edited) Steve, What is the story behind these enigmatic photos? They're obviously video stills as we've seen a snippet of Robert & Jimmy dancing with the German Shepherd from the Stargroves or Headley Grange session attributed to Eddie Kramer. Are we to infer that some of the recording sessions @ Headley Grange or Stargroves were filmed? Incredible if true. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Just to further clarify, the film of Page and Plant outside on a lawn with the Stones' Recording Truck, are from Headley Grange, not Stargroves. And the engineer who was with the band at Headley for the fourth album was Andy Johns, not Eddie Kramer. Stargroves/Eddie Kramer was 1972. Different house, different engineer, different year. Whereas the footage you're asking about is from early 1971. I have never heard of any footage from Stargroves existing. There are lots of photos by Kramer from the sessions, though. Edited July 2, 2009 by cookieshoes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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