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SteveAJones

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I have a large print of this shot, packed up somewhere. Great photo.

Sam, do you concede it is probably photoshopped or do you have reason to believe it is authentic? If authentic, that

would be a second confirmed vist to Graceland, the first having been in '83 when he played Memphis. However his

'85 tour went nowhere near Graceland.

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I'm not too sure about the date, but it was definitely in Life magazine at some point around the late/mid-1980s.

Edit:

Here it is:

Elvis.com link

"Robert Plant made his second visit to Graceland this week. Plant's first visit was in 1987 for a LIFE Magazine photo shoot with other music stars for the magazine's feature commemorating the 10th anniversary of Elvis's passing."

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I'm not too sure about the date, but it was definitely in Life magazine at some point around the late/mid-1980s.

I've checked my publications database and it notes an Elvis Presley feature was published in the Sept 1987 issue of Life. Apparently the article mentions Robert Plant visiting Graceland and includes quotes. Unfortunately, I don't have this issue in my archive to review further. Even so, this rules out the visit having occured after this date - narrows it down. His first visit was with his band on 9/13/83 but the photo you've provided certainly does suggest a second (his '85 era hairstyle and the caption). Continuing to search!

Edit: I see your edit above. The Jul-Sep '83 issue of the 'Feathers In The Wind' fanzine reported Plant and band spent the day touring Elvis Presley's estate the day of the Memphis concert. Primary contributors to the fanzine were following the tour in person so I never doubted their input. It seems I must now further confirm that, as the Life/Presley.com link suggest Aug '87 was the first visit and Nov 06 a second. If correct that is the first US sighting of Plant in '87 that I've ever heard of. The album (Now & Zen) wasn't completed yet so not sure if the tenth anniversary of Presley's passing was his sole reason for visiting the states at that time.

It's said a photo is worth a thousand words, yet sometimes a photo leads to a thousand words.

smile.gif

Edited by SteveAJones
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The "occasional bass" quote can be found in some early press releases, including this press release from the Boston Tea Party show in January 1969.

Thanks for that Swandown - staring me right in the face here on the site. Can't imagine why RP was given such a credit at all, but maybe he was once seen picking up a bass out of curiousity.

Next mysteries: what's the Madonna & Child picture on one of the inner jackets of Physical Graffiti (third row down, between the Pear's Shaving soap ad and the bondage gear)? And if ITTOD supposedly came in six different covers, how come my vinyl copy shows the models in marginally altered positions than I've ever seen reproduced (the Dear John letter hasn't caught fire, and the girls are looking in different directions)?

As you can see, I'm going way deep with some of these. Happy New Year, all.

There was a time that I stood tall, in the eyes of other men...

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When they arrived in Montreux they already knew they'd be right back on tour the following month as you indicated above. The dates for that North American tour were announced on July 7th, and roughly ten days rehearsal were scheduled to be held in France from August 10-20. Of course, all of the dates as well as the rehearsals were cancelled following the Plant's car crash in Rhodes on August 4. As a by the way, Jimmy had flown to Sicily on August 3rd.

Hey Steve,

Very interesting point you made above, referencing my question to you a couple weeks ago about Zep being asked to play Montreaux in the summer of 1975. Your partial answer above in laying out Zep's 1975 summer timeline had me thinking: have you ever seen pictures/copies of actual Zep concert tickets for the Fall 1975 tour? I never have, yet it reminds of the tickets that were printed in Chicago for the 1980 US tour that were never used for obvious reasons (and the tickets can be seen in Dave Lewis's book, "The Concert File").

Given your timeline above, you would think that tickets for the first announced US dates would have been printed and possibly distributed, since it was 6 weeks between the announcement of the Fall US Tour dates and the first scheduled date in Oakland, California.

Were tickets ever printed, and have you seen pictures or actual copies of any tickets from these Fall 1975 US dates (Oakland, Tempe, Denver, Kansas City, etc...)?

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Hey Steve,

Very interesting point you made above, referencing my question to you a couple weeks ago about Zep being asked to play Montreaux in the summer of 1975. Your partial answer above in laying out Zep's 1975 summer timeline had me thinking: have you ever seen pictures/copies of actual Zep concert tickets for the Fall 1975 tour? I never have, yet it reminds of the tickets that were printed in Chicago for the 1980 US tour that were never used for obvious reasons (and the tickets can be seen in Dave Lewis's book, "The Concert File").

Given your timeline above, you would think that tickets for the first announced US dates would have been printed and possibly distributed, since it was 6 weeks between the announcement of the Fall US Tour dates and the first scheduled date in Oakland, California.

Were tickets ever printed, and have you seen pictures or actual copies of any tickets from these Fall 1975 US dates (Oakland, Tempe, Denver, Kansas City, etc...)?

I'll give you a quick answer for now, then follow up later with some finer details. I can't recall ever seeing any of the

Fall '75 tickets in circulation, but I need to confirm if and when they went on sale. If they went on sale, ticketholders

would have had to return them for a refund, which would taken most out of circulation. It could be they were not

produced yet. It could be they were produced but destroyed when Bill Graham Productions in San Francisco burned

down many years ago. Bill discusses that fire in his autobiography - he lost so much.

The Chicago '80 tickets went on sale and as I recall ticketholders had to return them for a refund. However, the big

difference is a few years later the tickets were made available for sale to the secondary market - collectors. The

same thing happened with the Detroit '80 tickets, which were purchased in bulk from the promoter by an entrepreneur.

I have Chicago & Detroit '80 tickets in my archive, but I'm certainly not the only one who does.

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Next mysteries: what's the Madonna & Child picture on one of the inner jackets of Physical Graffiti (third row down, between the Pear's Shaving soap ad and the bondage gear)? And if ITTOD supposedly came in six different covers, how come my vinyl copy shows the models in marginally altered positions than I've ever seen reproduced (the Dear John letter hasn't caught fire, and the girls are looking in different directions)?

ITTOD definitely was packaged in six different covers, with either an A,B,C,D,E, or F on the spine. What letter is yours?

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ITTOD definitely was packaged in six different covers, with either an A,B,C,D,E, or F on the spine. What letter is yours?

Steve, my copy is "F." This has the bartender's view on one side and the jukebox girl's on the other. However, on mine the Dear John letter hasn't started burning yet and the jukebox girl is looking straight ahead rather than off to her left; likewise, on the reverse the (incidentally gorgeous) blond girl is looking off to her right rather than toward the bar. If I had a scanner and knew how to use it I'd post the covers, but I assure you these are the poses.

My copy was purchased in about 1985 and the watercolor effect on the inner sleeve didn't work, so perhaps I only got a later print run where some different proofs were used; presumably more than just six photos were taken for the original shoot. I'm thinking of contacting Storm Thorgerson directly through his website to ask what he remembers of this project. Thanks as usual for your insights.

I took her love at seventeen, a little late these days, it seems...

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Steve, my copy is "F." This has the bartender's view on one side and the jukebox girl's on the other. However, on mine the Dear John letter hasn't started burning yet and the jukebox girl is looking straight ahead rather than off to her left; likewise, on the reverse the (incidentally gorgeous) blond girl is looking off to her right rather than toward the bar. If I had a scanner and knew how to use it I'd post the covers, but I assure you these are the poses.

My copy was purchased in about 1985 and the watercolor effect on the inner sleeve didn't work, so perhaps I only got a later print run where some different proofs were used; presumably more than just six photos were taken for the original shoot. I'm thinking of contacting Storm Thorgerson directly through his website to ask what he remembers of this project. Thanks as usual for your insights.

I took her love at seventeen, a little late these days, it seems...

I'm still not convinced your F is an obscure variation. Check out this gallery of ITTOD covers to see if you can match it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B000002JSP/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1

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I'm still not convinced your F is an obscure variation. Check out this gallery of ITTOD covers to see if you can match it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B000002JSP/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1

I see one of mine there - where the blonde is looking away from the bar - but I don't see any where the letter hasn't caught fire and the jukebox girl is peering straight over toward the customer. I just sent an e-mail to the Thorgerson website asking what he remembers of the project. I realize these are small details, but perhaps the "six different covers" story is more accurately described as "six different points of view," where multiple shots were taken (and printed) from each POV of the various "characters."

There will now be a pause while I make breakfast for my daughters. They are only two and six years old and it's a real fine way to start.

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I see one of mine there - where the blonde is looking away from the bar - but I don't see any where the letter hasn't caught fire and the jukebox girl is peering straight over toward the customer. I just sent an e-mail to the Thorgerson website asking what he remembers of the project. I realize these are small details, but perhaps the "six different covers" story is more accurately described as "six different points of view," where multiple shots were taken (and printed) from each POV of the various "characters."

I don't think the Dear John letter is actually on fire in any of them, he's just holding up a lighter. More examples here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Through_the_Out_Door

"The sepia quality was meant to evoke a non-specific past and to allow the brushstroke across the middle to be better rendered in colour and so make a contrast. This self same brushstroke was like the swish of a wiper across a wet windscreen, like a lick of fresh paint across a faded surface, a new look to an old scene, which was what Led Zeppelin told us about their album. A lick of fresh paint, as per Led Zeppelin, and the music on this album... It somehow grew in proportion and became six viewpoints of the same man in the bar, seen by the six other characters. Six different versions of the same image and six different covers". - Storm Thorgerson

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Anyone from LA/Southern Cal recall seeing this promotional poster back in 1986? Measures 15"x22" and was alledgedly spared from a guy who was stapling them to telephone poles on Cahuenga Blvd near Universal Studios at the time. I realize many of these boxing style posters in circulaton from various other concerts are obvious fakes - such as the 1969 Led Zeppelin concert poster with a photo from 1977 - but sometimes they prove to be authentic.

19860522-23PromotionalPoster.jpg

Edited by SteveAJones
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The Firm - Unconfirmed 1985 Tour Dates

Can anyone substantiate (ticket stub, photo, review, etc) if the following dates were performed or cancelled:

April 11, 1985 Hampton, VA Coliseum

April 12, 1985 Charlotte, NC Coliseum

May 6, 1985 Philadelphia, PA The Spectrum

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I can't think of any either, Frank.

There is now a confirmed BBC Playhouse Theatre session photo from Jimmy's forthcoming photo "autobiography" - check out the scans from the latest Mojo magazine (photo notes are in black and the photo in question is on page 8 top left, page 7 has the info):

http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?/topic/12585-jimmys-book-very-limited-edition/

Edited by thozil
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There is now a confirmed BBC Playhouse Theatre session photo from Jimmy's forthcoming photo "autobiography" - check out the scans from the latest Mojo magazine (photo notes are in black and the photo in question is on page 8 top left, page 7 has the info):

http://forums.ledzep...imited-edition/

Here it is:

1969BBCPlayhouseTheatre.jpg

BBC session, Playhouse Theatre, London

A. March 3, 1969 recording session between 2pm and 6pm. 'Communication Breakdown', 'Dazed And Confused', 'You Shook Me' 'I Can't Quit You' including 'Nineteen Years Old'

or

B. June 27, 1969 rehearsal at 7pm; recording 8:45pm-10:15pm for 'Top Gear' (broadcast on August 10th 1969)

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

The details for the image below are unconfimed, but it seems to have been taken with days, weeks or months of the image above, as JPJ is wearing the same shirt. Elevators in the back ground suggests this may have been in a hotel lobby.

1968-08-XX_London-GerrardStreetunco.jpg

Edited by SteveAJones
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Hey Steve, I heard on "Get The Led Out" that during the '77 rehearsals that some photographer took some shots of the band. There are some of Jimmy with a mandolin and a steel pedal guitar (which he didn't play on tour). Do you know if they are available for public viewing (aka on the web)?

Also, could you shed some light on the '77 rehearsals. I never heard much about them and I'm sure these were a little different than the past ones due how big the tour was going to be.

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I've seen the second pic you posted, Steve, labeled in several books as being the first ever picture of the band, at their initial rehearsal when they played Train Kept a-Rolling, the photographer having just happened across them and taken a pic. All that could be completely wrong, as I don't have the books immediately to hand, but that's what my increasingly-faulty memory says, anyway.

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I've seen the second pic you posted, Steve, labeled in several books as being the first ever picture of the band, at their initial rehearsal when they played Train Kept a-Rolling, the photographer having just happened across them and taken a pic. All that could be completely wrong, as I don't have the books immediately to hand, but that's what my increasingly-faulty memory says, anyway.

It was it one of the special mags I think after the O2 as that also Aqua.

I'm too lazy to dig it out due to a lack of interest. ;)

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I've seen the second pic you posted, Steve, labeled in several books as being the first ever picture of the band, at their initial rehearsal when they played Train Kept a-Rolling, the photographer having just happened across them and taken a pic. All that could be completely wrong, as I don't have the books immediately to hand, but that's what my increasingly-faulty memory says, anyway.

Thanks, Aquamarine, that may explain why the person I obtained it from also shows it was "Aug 1968, Gerrard Street".

However, I just don't think any of the buildings on Gerrard Street had what appear to be those elevators behind them. JPJ said the rehearsal site address was 39 Gerrard Street, so perhaps one of our greater London-based forum members can inquire/do a bit of field research to confirm or disprove the photo description is accurate. I wish I had known this the last time I was on Gerrard Street as I would have done so myself.

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Hey Steve, I heard on "Get The Led Out" that during the '77 rehearsals that some photographer took some shots of the band. There are some of Jimmy with a mandolin and a steel pedal guitar (which he didn't play on tour). Do you know if they are available for public viewing (aka on the web)? Also, could you shed some light on the '77 rehearsals. I never heard much about them and I'm sure these were a little different than the past ones due how big the tour was going to be.

Jimmy said they began tour rehearsals "a month before Christmas" (1976), took a break over the holidays then held a month of uninterrupted rehearsals at Manticore in Fulham in January, "usually ten hours a day". If I recall correctly, Sam

posted some of the photos previously in this thread or elsewhere on this site. I've got to get downtown at the moment

but I will provide a link when I return if no one posts them here again.

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