Zeppelin Mysteries Hosted by Steve A. Jones

[SteveAJones]

Not much of a mystery...it seems typical that this would happen. Everyone was switching labels earler in that decade or later. The Stones, Aerosmith, etc...The Firm may have had something to do with it, but I do recall Geffen was pretty progressive as a label in those days. Led Zep's back catalogue was still selling no doubt, but maybe the floodgates hadn't kicked in yet?

The mystery, if you like, is why Atlantic apparently made little effort to keep him. You are correct about Geffen having been progressive and they certainly had robust promotional campaigns for Outrider as well as Coverdale/Page.

Edited May 3, 2010 by SteveAJones

[SteveAJones]

Very early Jimmy Page - Is this correct?

Odeon Theatre, Leeds

Gig on 27/11/63 from the Duane Eddy/Shirelles UK Tour with Gene Vincent as support. Also supporting was Carter Lewis & the Southerners, containing a 19 year old Jimmy Page.

I'm looking into this as Jimmy only performed with them for a brief period of time. On March 27, 1964 the group released a single featuring him on lead guitar, "Skinny Minnie" on the Oriole label (CB 1919), a cover of the Bill Haley and the Comets song originally released in 1958 as a Decca single and on the Bill Haley's Chicks album. I seem to recall Peter Grant chauffered Gene Vincent at one point; wouldn't it be something

if their paths did cross that long ago!

[Conneyfogle]

I'm looking into this as Jimmy only performed with them for a brief period of time. On March 27, 1964 the group released a single featuring him on lead guitar, "Skinny Minnie" on the Oriole label (CB 1919), a cover of the Bill Haley and the Comets song originally released in 1958 as a Decca single and on the Bill Haley's Chicks album. I seem to recall Peter Grant chauffered Gene Vincent at one point; wouldn't it be something

if their paths did cross that long ago!

Found this

November 27th 1963 Odeon, Leeds

Gene Vincent

Gary 'US' Bonds (not Sheffield)

Carter-Lewis & The Southerners

Mickie Most

Flintstones

Roof-Raisers

Ray Cameron (compere)Promoter : Don Arden

A continuation of the earlier tour

Edited May 3, 2010 by Conneyfogle

[Sems Fir]

If I'm not mistaken I've already provided the list within the same thread you've referenced. If not I will post the list to this thread tomorrow. I do own at least 119 books on Led Zeppelin, bearing in mind that is BOOKS not titles, meaning for some books I have various editions and languages. I have over 800 magazines with Led Zeppelin/solo on the cover and over 5,500 magazine and newspaper articles on file.

Hi Steve!

I'm not sure if you've made any progress on the questions I submitted back on page 143 or page 144 (I forget which thread page) but I was curious if you know why for song writing credits in the film It Might Get Loud that "Whole Lotta Love" no longer credits Willie Dixon and just has the lads listed? Also in the TRB promo video the limo's pull up to a stadium, do you happen to know which stadium gig the limo's pull up to?

On a side note 119 books is certainly not out of the question. When I responded to the books thread, I did not include multiple editions, other languages etc. but my book count is roughly 50, and I can list them all. A listing of the titles would be cool to see though!

Have a good one Steve!

Robert

Edited May 4, 2010 by Sems Fir

[swandown]

Very early Jimmy Page - Is this correct?

Odeon Theatre, Leeds

Gig on 27/11/63 from the Duane Eddy/Shirelles UK Tour with Gene Vincent as support. Also supporting was Carter Lewis & the Southerners, containing a 19 year old Jimmy Page.

I'd say there's a good chance that Jimmy was at this show, although it's possible that he had ended his full-time involvement with the group by that point (he joined Mike Hurst's band in late 1963).

[SteveAJones]

Found this

November 27th 1963 Odeon, Leeds

Gene Vincent

Gary 'US' Bonds (not Sheffield)

Carter-Lewis & The Southerners

Mickie Most

Flintstones

Roof-Raisers

Ray Cameron (compere)Promoter : Don Arden

A continuation of the earlier tour

Great find! Don Arden is of course the one who helped Peter Grant break into the business by hiring him to assist artists like Gene Vincent.

[SteveAJones]

Hi Steve!

I'm not sure if you've made any progress on the questions I submitted back on page 143 or page 144 (I forget which thread page) but I was curious if you know why for song writing credits in the film It Might Get Loud that "Whole Lotta Love" no longer credits Willie Dixon and just has the lads listed? Also in the TRB promo video the limo's pull up to a stadium, do you happen to know which stadium gig the limo's pull up to?

Hi Robert,

The IMGL credit for WLL could simply be an oversight or a typo as certainly the Dixon estate retains royalty rights associated with it.

In the Traveling Riverside Blues promo video the limos pull up to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh on that same July '73 leg of the tour.

I shall revist your questions on pg 143-144 to see if any update can be provided at this time.

[Ledzep101]

I have a blue almost turquise t shirt with all 4 faces and rays shooting out it is in the usa tshirt section and has asian writing on it. Where and when is it from?

[SteveAJones]

I have a blue almost turquise t shirt with all 4 faces and rays shooting out it is in the usa tshirt section and has asian writing on it. Where and when is it from?

Post a photo or provide a link please.

[Ledzep101]

Post a photo or provide a link please.

I tried to do both. Im not sure if they worked though. Its a pretty common t shirt.

http://ledzeppelin.shop.bravadousa.com/Product.aspx?cp=733_3657&pc=BGCTLZ42

[Flyingzepp]

I apologize in advance if this has been spoke of already, but my dad brought this up to me & now I am curious myself if anyone knows...

ARMS concert, Jimmy is playing with D&D's song "Layla", before I fell asleep through listening to Clapton play, I notice a man comes up and yanks a cord out beside Jimmy. I have done a little research and most people are saying they were unplugging Jimmy's guitar. Can anyone clarify?

[SteveAJones]

I tried to do both. Im not sure if they worked though. Its a pretty common t shirt.

http://ledzeppelin.s...657&pc=BGCTLZ42

Yes, it's simply officially licensed merchandise sold thru Bravado USA. The graphic images are taken from the back cover of Led Zeppelin III.

[SteveAJones]

I apologize in advance if this has been spoke of already, but my dad brought this up to me & now I am curious myself if anyone knows...

ARMS concert, Jimmy is playing with D&D's song "Layla", before I fell asleep through listening to Clapton play, I notice a man comes up and yanks a cord out beside Jimmy. I have done a little research and most people are saying they were unplugging Jimmy's guitar. Can anyone clarify?

Jimmy performed that song eight times in 1983 (two concerts in the UK and six in the US) with Clapton and Beck, and the three of them traded solos while doing so. Which performance are you referring too because

I have never heard of such a thing (the unplugging of his guitar)?

[Flyingzepp]

Jimmy performed that song eight times in 1983 (two concerts in the UK and six in the US) with Clapton and Beck, and the three of them traded solos while doing so. Which performance are you referring too because

I have never heard of such a thing (the unplugging of his guitar)?

This is during the 2nd verse of the pro-shot footage from the ARMS show. The man comes up from behind Jimmy, and yanks a cord out of the ground and some people are saying they were unplugging jimmys guitar.

I was not aware there was 8 total shows that year with the trio.

Http://www.youtbe.com/watch?v=IHg672FXzfU

[3hrsoflunacy]

Jimmy mystery (to me):

Jimmy Page w/Safe Sex (Dennis Le Bass, Jason Bonham, Mike Thompson)

1. Is the correct year 1985? I think you mentioned once Jason was there that year working on the Virginia Wolf album.

2. I have 2 recordings, one audience, one soundboard. Both are different performances (for obvious reasons I won't go into detail about). At the end of the audience recording, there is an announcement that Jimmy will be back tomorrow night. So, I am gonna assume the SBD is the next night. So, is AUG 4th the first night they performed, or AUG 3rd?

Interestingly enough both bootlegs are dated AUG 4, 1986. The AUD is a Schnuckelpfred Production (fan made), and the SBD is from Blimp Records (BL005).

Thanks Steve for any info you can provide on this.

[swandown]

This is during the 2nd verse of the pro-shot footage from the ARMS show. The man comes up from behind Jimmy, and yanks a cord out of the ground and some people are saying they were unplugging jimmys guitar.

Is this what you're talking about? I guess it's possible that the guy is unplugging Jimmy's guitar, but either way Jimmy can be heard loud and clear during the second half of the song.

[SteveAJones]

Is this what you're talking about? I guess it's possible that the guy is unplugging Jimmy's guitar, but either way Jimmy can be heard loud and clear during the second half of the song.

Seems to me he is not unplugging Jimmy at all, he is untangling the cord from Jimmy's effects pedal board.

It looks like the person doing it could be Jimmy's guitar tech, Tim Marten, but it's hard to tell for certain.

[SteveAJones]

Hey forgive me if this is already in here but what happened to jimmys Gibson "Black Beauty" Les Paul. Jimmy used it a lot with the Yardbirds, and during the '70 tour. It was equipped with a Bigsby vibrato arm. (I didn't hear him using it much, though). It was stolen during the '70 tour, in April, while going to Canada. Jimmy issued an ad in Rolling Stone, but he never got it back. serial #: 06130

Usually I never took that on the road, because it was so precious. But things were going so well for us that I eventually took it over and it suddenly went.

It had a big tremlo arm and Joe Jammer custom wired it for me. I was starting to use it more than anything else. It got nicked off the truck at the airport. We were on our way to Canada. Somewhere there was a flight change and it disappeared. It just never arrived at the other end. I advertised for it in Rolling Stone. Just a photograph -no name- and a reward. No luck though, even though it was very recognizable for all the custom work that Joe Jammer done on it.

-- Jimmy Page

Rolling Stone July 19 1973

[SteveAJones]

Jimmy mystery (to me):

Jimmy Page w/Safe Sex (Dennis Le Bass, Jason Bonham, Mike Thompson)

1. Is the correct year 1985? I think you mentioned once Jason was there that year working on the Virginia Wolf album.

2. I have 2 recordings, one audience, one soundboard. Both are different performances (for obvious reasons I won't go into detail about). At the end of the audience recording, there is an announcement that Jimmy will be back tomorrow night. So, I am gonna assume the SBD is the next night. So, is AUG 4th the first night they performed, or AUG 3rd?

Interestingly enough both bootlegs are dated AUG 4, 1986. The AUD is a Schnuckelpfred Production (fan made), and the SBD is from Blimp Records (BL005).

Thanks Steve for any info you can provide on this.

According to a 1985 issue of Rock Scene, Jimmy arrived on holiday in Ibiza with bassist Chris Squire of Yes (in late July or early August 1985).

According to the Apr/May/Jun 1998 issue of Proximity (Led Zeppelin fanzine), the jam with Safe Sex was held

at the Heartbreak Hotel in Ibiza on August 4, 1985. Phil Carson was on bass and Jason Bonham on drums.

Jason was in Ibiza to record tracks for Virginia Wolf's debut album.

Audio Link:

http://ibiza-blog.com/2009/02/03/jimmy-page-in-ibiza/

At the Sun Power Festival held in Ibiza on August 28, 1985, Jimmy and Jason as well as Chris Squire of Yes

and Mick (or Mike?) Thompson (vocals) joined Opus for a 50 minute blues jam.

I am aware that most of the bootleg recordings in circulation as well as the link above cite August 4, 1986 as

the date but based on the publications that may be incorrect, unless they jammed in Ibiza on August 4th two years in a row. I was unaware until now of any announcement that Jimmy would return the following night, calling into question if indeed he did. So far as I know there was just the one at Heartbreak Hotel in 1985. If your sbd recording is not the Sun Power Festival then perhaps there was a a second unconfirmed gig in 1985 or another in 1986?

As a by the way, Jimmy and Robert Plant did perform a set with Phil May and various members of The Pretty Things at Heartbreak Hotel in August 1984 (specific day unconfirmed) but so far as I know there are no recordings in circulation.

[3hrsoflunacy]

According to a 1985 issue of Rock Scene, Jimmy arrived on holiday in Ibiza with bassist Chris Squire of Yes (in late July or early August 1985).

According to the Apr/May/Jun 1998 issue of Proximity (Led Zeppelin fanzine), the jam with Safe Sex was held

at the Heartbreak Hotel in Ibiza on August 4, 1985. Phil Carson was on bass and Jason Bonham on drums.

Jason was in Ibiza to record tracks for Virginia Wolf's debut album.

Audio Link:

http://ibiza-blog.co...-page-in-ibiza/

At the Sun Power Festival held in Ibiza on August 28, 1985, Jimmy and Jason as well as Chris Squire of Yes

and Mick (or Mike?) Thompson (vocals) joined Opus for a 50 minute blues jam.

I am aware that most of the bootleg recordings in circulation as well as the link above cite August 4, 1986 as

the date but based on the publications that may be incorrect, unless they jammed in Ibiza on August 4th two years in a row. I was unaware until now of any announcement that Jimmy would return the following night, calling into question if indeed he did. So far as I know there was just the one at Heartbreak Hotel in 1985. If your sbd recording is not the Sun Power Festival then perhaps there was a a second unconfirmed gig in 1985 or another in 1986?

As a by the way, Jimmy and Robert Plant did perform a set with Phil May and various members of The Pretty Things at Heartbreak Hotel in August 1984 (specific day unconfirmed) but so far as I know there are no recordings in circulation.

The audio link you provided is for the SBD recording, and not the one with the announcement that Jimmy would be back tomorrow night. Since Phil Carson was a guest on both recordings, I would doubt either are from the Sun Power Fest. Plus I don't detect Chris Squire type of bass playing on either recording. So, with the similar set lists, I would think these recordings are from the same year, just different nights.

[SteveAJones]

The audio link you provided is for the SBD recording, and not the one with the announcement that Jimmy would be back tomorrow night. Since Phil Carson was a guest on both recordings, I would doubt either are from the Sun Power Fest. Plus I don't detect Chris Squire type of bass playing on either recording. So, with the similar set lists, I would think these recordings are from the same year, just different nights.

If Carson is on both recordings and the setlists are similar then it seems the audience source is Aug 3 1985 and soundboard source Aug 4 1985. Great find! Does it sound as if Jason performs both nights as well?

Edited May 13, 2010 by SteveAJones

[3hrsoflunacy]

Sounds like Jason to me. I will listen to it again tomorrow, as I do believe they mention him by name at some point.

[Flyingzepp]

Okay thought so, had just heard the rumors wanted to clarify. I didnt think someone was unplugging him.

[dazedjeffy]

It had a big tremlo arm and Joe Jammer custom wired it for me.

The custom wiring has to be the 3 extra switches seen in this picture from April 10, 1970

What time frame was it done? Did Joe Jammer do the work in Chicago or did he do it in England? I know Peter Grant offered to find Jammer a band in England to play with but Jammer refused and Jammer eventually formed his own band in Chicago and took them eventually to England in 1970.

Any thoughts?

[SteveAJones]

The custom wiring has to be the 3 extra switches seen in this picture from April 10, 1970

What time frame was it done? Did Joe Jammer do the work in Chicago or did he do it in England? I know Peter Grant offered to find Jammer a band in England to play with but Jammer refused and Jammer eventually formed his own band in Chicago and took them eventually to England in 1970.

Any thoughts?

Jammer started working for Led Zeppelin at the Newport Jazz Festival (July 6 1969) so it could have been done anytime after that date. They did play Chicago July 18 & 19 1969 and returned to play Chicago October 19 1969.

If it was done in England it would have been Sep, Nov or Dec '69 or Jan '70. One way to narrow the possiblities

would be to ascertain the first or earliest date it was used with the modifications made. Photographs anyone?

This from Frank Reddon's Enzepplozine (Feb 19, 2009 issue):

Meet Joe Jammer!

“Here comes ‘Joe the Jammer’”. That’s what Robert Plant and Jimmy Page used to say when they saw him, and the sobriquet was later shortened to simply “Joe Jammer”. But his real name was Joseph Edward William Wright II, in honour of his grandfather, an accomplished athlete at St. Dennis Grammar School and St. Lawrence High School in Chicago. Both Joe Wrights were active in sports. For Joe Wright II, music took a back seat to athletics, but it was always part of his life. Joe told Rudis, “I was the old hockey player, the old football player. Whatever was happening, I was on the scene. Music was always secondary.”

Joe Wright’s life was about to become a real-life fairy tale come true! The teenager played guitar in blues and psychedelic bands that covered the popular songs of the day by artists like Jimi Hendrix and Cream.

There was a psychedelic ballroom in Chicago, typical of music venues in the mid to late 1960s. Located on Clark Street near Lawrence Avenue, The Kinetic Playground was operated by Aaron Russo, who would later become Bette Midler’s manager. (As an interesting aside…Ahmet Ertegun, who signed Led Zeppelin to his Atlantic Records label, would also sign Bette. Her now-classic debut album, The Divine Miss M, was released in 1972).

Because he helped organize the Tuesday night jam sessions at the Kinetic, Joe Wright got in free to hear the concerts and was allowed to roam the venue. That’s how he happened to meet the members of Led Zeppelin backstage before they performed in Chicago on the band’s First U.S. and Canadian Tour of 1968-69. The band was opening for Vanilla Fudge on February 7 and 8, 1969.

As Joe told Rudis, he had read about a new group coming to the Kinetic Playground. It was called Led Zeppelin and it featured guitarist, Jimmy Page, from The Yardbirds. No one there had ever heard of Led Zeppelin, but Joe really dug The Yardbirds so he decided to check out this new band of Page’s.

Arriving in the afternoon, he was sitting around the backstage area playing his Les Paul guitar with a friend accompanying him on bass. Suddenly, his friend told him that the members of Led Zeppelin were listening to him! So he decided to really put on a show and give them an earful.

Afterward, the boys in the band struck up a conversation with him. Drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham offered to buy his guitar. Then Jimmy Page. Finally, vocalist Robert Plant said he wanted it and they argued. Joe broke it up with “It’s not for sale!”

It’s interesting that Joe never mentioned John Paul Jones. Perhaps he wasn’t there yet. Maybe he just didn’t want a Les Paul guitar! Or maybe he was simply being his quiet, retiring self.

When Zeppelin performed that night, Joe said the band just blew the audience away, himself included. After the show, Jimmy Page said to him, “See you next time”. And Page DID remember Joe the next time the band played Chicago, on May 24 and 25 of that year. Their friendship started to grow.

Joe said that Jimmy Page’s playing inspired him to start taking his own music-making more seriously. He admired him so much. Joe started working in a number of Chicago-area bands but found it hugely unsatisfying. When The Newport Jazz Festival rolled around in the summer of ’69, Joe didn’t need much convincing to attend and leave his current band behind.

In those days, The Newport Jazz Festival and other similar events experimented by showcasing hot new rock acts as well as jazz bands because rock’n’roll was progressive, cutting edge music that could draw a crowd. As it happened, Led Zeppelin was one of the acts booked into the Festival.

Once again, Joe made his way backstage and was greeted as a friend by Jimmy Page. Joe told Page of his difficulties in finding the right people for his band to suit his creative, musical needs. He reasoned that Jimmy must meet all kinds of musicians while touring, so would he mind recommending any he might happen across?

Of course, Jimmy Page had survived the same dilemma himself only the year before! He had been a super guitarist in search of quality musicians to make up a band that would fulfil his vision.

Page replied that he was pretty busy while on the road touring. But his next suggestion completely took Joe by surprise. He invited the teenager to come on the road with Led Zeppelin! That way, Page explained, Joe could meet and recruit musicians himself.

What an amazing opportunity! And how generous of Jimmy Page. Joe didn’t even bother to return to Chicago. He bid his friends adieu in Newport. He dropped everything to replace a roadie who wasn’t working out for the group and he became Led Zeppelin’s equipment man.

It was during Led Zeppelin’s Third U.S. and Canadian Tour of 1969 that Joe Wright earned his nickname. He would often jam with Page in his dressing room or with all the members of Zeppelin before a gig. Joe would jam with the supporting acts and back-up bands, too. And so Joe Wright became Joe the Jammer, as far as Page and Plant were concerned.

The name suited him and stuck. While jamming with Jimmy, Joe was also receiving phenomenal instruction in technique and composition. Page taught him the fundamentals of intro, verse, chorus, bridge and conclusion.

For the first time, Joe Jammer started writing his own material. He’d play his songs for Page and learn how to create cohesive musical statements. What aspiring guitarist wouldn’t have been thrilled to have Jimmy Page as his personal musical mentor?

Joe Jammer worked for more than 40 dates but it was time for Led Zeppelin’s Third U.S. and Canadian Tour of 1969 to end. The band was going home to England after its last gig. That was the Texas International Pop Festival, held at the Dallas International Speedway in Lewisville on Sunday, August 31, 1969.

In October of that year, the boys in the band were back for Led Zeppelin’s Fourth U.S. and Canadian Tour of 1969. Once again, Joe Jammer met up with Jimmy Page. Peter Grant told Joe that, if he were willing to go back to England with them, he’d see to it that Joe would get a suitable band to enhance his talent.

Joe thought Peter Grant was just being kind and obliging. Or maybe Joe had just lost faith in himself. Whatever the reason, he gave up on his dream and declined Grant’s generous and, as it turned out, genuine offer.

Joe went back to Chicago and formed a band with musicians he had found on the road with Zeppelin that summer. Eventually, he would take this band to England.

Things didn’t go Joe’s way with this group but, while he was in England, he became the “pop protégé” of Mickie Most, the famous British music producer. Most set him up with a great career and a very comfortable lifestyle in England. Joe Jammer recorded two studio albums while he was there and also did a lot of session work for other artists.

After five years, Joe and Mickie parted ways. And then Joe was kicked out of England because he’d been living and working there for five years on a one-month tourist visa that he simply renewed every month!

Back home in the United States, Joe Jammer’s luck was once again about to change, courtesy of Led Zeppelin. When the band returned for another tour, he was sent an airline ticket and invitation to their concert in New York City. They put him up at the Plaza Hotel and treated him like a king during his stay.

Peter Grant then made him yet another offer. He asked Joe if he would like to play guitar for Maggie Bell, a singer recently signed to Zeppelin’s Swan Song label? This time, Joe was happy to accept and participate in this major 1974 tour of Maggie Bell’s.

While on tour with Maggie, Joe discovered the oriental art of tai chi and began incorporating some of its ballet-like moves into the blues-rock music of her band. To heighten the overall effect, he also shaved his head!

As he toured with Maggie Bell, Joe’s visa problems were slowly being resolved. When the tour ended, he was able to go back to England. He and some musician friends formed a studio group called The Olympic Runners. The band cut an album of soul-based music whose songs became disco hits in the United States. Put the Music Where Your Mouth Is and Do It Over were two such hits for the group.

One of the members of The Olympic Runners decided to record his own solo album, backed up by his band mates, including Joe Jammer. One of the tracks on Peter Wingfield’s record was an in-joke derived from music industry jargon. But Eighteen with a Bullet became a huge hit!

In his 1975 article, Al Rudis concluded that Joe Jammer was still very much like a wide-eyed, awestruck teenager who would just die to meet a favourite rock star!

The fantastic, fairy-tale life of Joe Jammer continues to this day. Although he has made his own musical mark in the pop music business, he still seems incredulous at his luck in connecting with Led Zeppelin. He gratefully recognizes that he owes his career to the band and its management.

http://www.learn-about-led.com/Enzepplozine-enzepplozinevolume209.html