Zeppelin Mysteries Hosted by Steve A. Jones

[SteveAJones]

No, they were very big at that point, in the So.Cal. area, HENCE the reason they were cutting demos for Gene $immons.

Regardless, for as I said from '74-'77 they were relatively unheard of.

Led Zeppelin = Biggest rock band in the world.

Van Halen = Pasadena-based bar band.

[SteveAJones]

About the time when Eddie was in the studio at work on Van Halen II perhaps? He did say so himself apparently, but he did not state that he met John Bonham in 1979, although Jas Obrecht of Guitar Player Magazine interviewed Eddie Van Halen in 1979.

The key to solving this is to confirm when Bonzo and Blackmore were in LA at the same time between 1974-1977. I know this meeting didn't happen after '77 because John Bonham never returned to the United States after he and Dennis Sheehan accompanied Robert back to England on July 26 1977.

The possibilities (John Bonham):

Circa May 9-11 1974 (Swan Song West Coast Launch)

Circa March 10-29 1975 (1975 North American Tour)

Circa Sept/Oct 1975 (Studio sessions)

Circa Jan/Feb/Mar 1976

(Page, Plant & Bonham in town to check out local acts such as The Runaways)

Circa May 22-23 1976 (Hanging out with Bad Company)

Circa Jun 15-27 1977 (1977 North American Tour)

* Note: Zep's Sept 6th 1975 concert at Rose Bowl in Pasadena was postoned on

August 8th 1975 following Plant's car crash on the island of Rhodes and ultimately

cancelled. Perhaps Eddie Van Halen held a ticket?

[SteveAJones]

Perhaps Eddie Van Halen met John Bonham in 1972.

Possible but unlikely. Eddie said at the time of the meeting he had "grown up on" him.

Eddie was only 17 in 1972. He also indicates "we" were playing clubs and while it is

true Mammoth formed in 1972, Michael Anthony did not join to complete the classic

Van Halen line-up until 1974, and the band name was then changed to Van Halen.

If I had to guess I'd say this meeting occured in '77, but I won't guess because I will

figure it out!

[eternal light]

The key to solving this is to confirm when Bonzo and Blackmore were in LA at the same time between 1974-1977. I know this meeting didn't happen after '77 because John Bonham never returned to the United States after he and Dennis Sheehan accompanied Robert back to England on July 26 1977.

The possibilities (John Bonham):

Circa May 9-11 1974 (Swan Song West Coast Launch)

Circa March 10-29 1975 (1975 North American Tour)

Circa Sept/Oct 1975 (Studio sessions)

Circa Jan/Feb/Mar 1976

(Page, Plant & Bonham in town to check out local acts such as The Runaways)

Circa May 22-23 1976 (Hanging out with Bad Company)

Circa Jun 15-27 1977 (1977 North American Tour)

* Note: Zep's Sept 6th 1975 concert at Rose Bowl in Pasadena was postoned on

August 8th 1975 following Plant's car crash on the island of Rhodes and ultimately

cancelled. Perhaps Eddie Van Halen held a ticket?

Maybe it was on the celebration of John Bonham's 24th birthday, May 31, 1972? Eddie Van Halen grew up locally so he would have heard about the Rainbow; it seems he may have seen Led Zeppelin in concert in Los Angeles in 1971.

Eddie Van Halen helped popularise the tapping technique for the modern audience. From Eddie Van Halen demos and live performances it appears that he started tapping in late 1976/1977. He has mentioned in an interview he adapted the technique after watching Jimmy Page's "Heartbreaker" guitar solo at a Led Zeppelin concert in Los Angeles in 1971 but Eddie Van Halen's comments on the origins of his tapping technique vary from interview to interview.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapping

Edited April 5, 2008 by eternal light

[SteveAJones]

Maybe it was on the celebration of John Bonham's 24th birthday, May 31, 1972? Eddie Van Halen grew up locally so he would have heard about the Rainbow.

No. Led Zeppelin had played in Brussels, Belgium just three days prior (May 28th) and

the tour opened in Detroit on June 6th. The only possibility for '72 is circa June 22-27.

Eddie said he ("we") was playing clubs at the time of the meeting so this time period

(1972) is a remote possibility at best, and anything prior to '72 is impossible as he was

not playing clubs with Mammoth (Van Halen) prior to '72.

Edited April 5, 2008 by SteveAJones

[eternal light]

No. Led Zeppelin had played in Brussels, Belgium just three days prior (May 28th) and

the tour opened in Detroit on June 6th. The only possibility for '72 is circa June 22-27.

Eddie said he ("we") was playing clubs at the time of the meeting so this time period

is a remote possibility at best.

So the photo at the Rainbow of John Bonham with the band was taken in another year besides 1972? You know the one where the band is sitting at the table and Robert Plant is glaring at the girl next to him? What year was that taken?

Edited April 5, 2008 by eternal light

[eternal light]

Possible but unlikely. Eddie said at the time of the meeting he had "grown up on" him.

Eddie was only 17 in 1972. He also indicates "we" were playing clubs and while it is

true Mammoth formed in 1972, Michael Anthony did not join to complete the classic

Van Halen line-up until 1974, and the band name was then changed to Van Halen.

If I had to guess I'd say this meeting occured in '77, but I won't guess because I will

figure it out!

Eddie Van Halen helped popularise the tapping technique for the modern audience. From Eddie Van Halen demos and live performances it appears that he started tapping in late 1976/1977. He has mentioned in an interview he adapted the technique after watching Jimmy Page's "Heartbreaker" guitar solo at a Led Zeppelin concert in Los Angeles in 1971...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapping

So perhaps Eddie Van Halen was just 16 years old when he first saw Led Zeppelin perform live in Los Angeles? I wonder when he began to play clubs. It was not unusual for sixteen and seventeen year olds to frequent the music scene in Hollywood during the sixties and seventies.

Edited April 5, 2008 by eternal light

[SteveAJones]

So the photo at the Rainbow of John Bonham with the band was taken in another year besides 1972?

John Bonham very well could have been photographed with Led Zeppelin at The Rainbow in 1972, circa June 22nd-27th (they stayed down the road at the Continental Hyatt House while on tour in Southern California). I very much doubt his May 31st 1972 birthday was held there as the opening date of their summer tour was Detroit, June 6.

[SteveAJones]

*

Edited April 5, 2008 by SteveAJones

[eternal light]

John Bonham very well could have been photographed with Led Zeppelin at The Rainbow in 1972, circa June 22nd-27th (they stayed down the road at the Continental Hyatt House while on tour in Southern California). I very much doubt his May 31st 1972 birthday was held there as the opening date of their summer tour was Detroit, June 6.

When was this photo taken? Maybe it was in 1973 after the Forum show that night?

Edited April 6, 2008 by eternal light

[Suz]

When was this photo taken?

Hey, is that Jonesy standing behind the girl, flipping someone off? Or just some random dude.

[Virginia]

Swandown, you actually mentioned this to me about five years ago but I don't think

we resolved it then beyond a reasonable doubt. I have the fanzine in question, but

not within arm's reach at the moment. It's the Oct/Nov/Dec 1981 issue of 'Runes'.

Five Americans visited him at Old Mill House on August 31st 1981 and while there he mentioned something to the effect of what you've said.The drummer in question was

not identified in the fanzine, and the name of the possible drummer eludes me at the moment, but it's worth noting it could have been someone involved with the 'Death

Wish 2' soundtrack or one who recorded at his Sol Studio down the road in Cookham.

I'll continue to jog my memory over this mystery so show this one as very much in progress.

Could the album in question have been Phil Collins' "Face Value"? That was released in '81.

[SteveAJones]

Could the album in question have been Phil Collins' "Face Value"? That was released in '81.

I may have mentioned 'Face Value' somewhere in the thread. If not, I agree it very well may have been the one. I don't have the fanzine in question within arm's reach at the

moment so I don't want to misquote what the writer claims Jimmy to have said. I don't

think Jimmy necessarily told anyone he had played on it. He may have said something like "a new album of mine by a very famous drummer" and was immediately misheard or misunderstood by the author as saying "a new album of I and a very famous drummer".

The closest we ever got to a possible drummer's name insofar as a collaboration was Dave Mattacks on the Death Wish II soundtrack, but this get together in question was held on August 30th 1981 and Jimmy did not begin work on that project until September

(give or take a week or so).

He delivered the mastertapes for that album to the film studio in December 1981 and devoted most of January 1982 to remixing and reworking the monaural masters into stereo. if we can agree he had no reason to have a test pressing or an acetate cut in

August 1981 then we agree it didn't exist on the night in question!

Edited April 6, 2008 by SteveAJones

[Virginia]

I may have mentioned 'Face Value' somewhere in the thread. If not, I agree it very well may have been the one. I don't have the fanzine in question within arm's reach at the

moment so I don't want to misquote what the writer claims Jimmy to have said. I don't

think Jimmy necessarily told anyone he had played on it. He may have said something like "a new album of mine by a very famous drummer" and was immediately misheard or misunderstood by the author as saying "a new album of I and a very famous drummer".

The closest we ever got to a possible drummer's name insofar as a collaboration was Dave Mattacks on the Death Wish II soundtrack, but this get together in question was held on August 30th 1981 and Jimmy did not begin work on that project until September

(give or take a week or so).

He delivered the mastertapes for that album to the film studio in December 1981 and devoted most of January 1982 to remixing and reworking the monaural masters into stereo. if we can agree he had no reason to have a test pressing or an acetate cut in

August 1981 then we agree it didn't exist on the night in question!

I thought it might make sense since they played together later at Live Aid too. But I just looked at the info from Phil's official website and if he played on it, he's not credited. It came out in Feb '81. So never mind I guess!

http://www.philcollins.co.uk/face1.htm

Edited April 6, 2008 by Virginia

[SteveAJones]

I thought it might make sense since they played together later at Live Aid too. But I just looked at the info from Phil's official website and if he played on it, he's not credited. It came out in Feb '81. So never mind I guess!

But that's my point -- whatever album Jimmy put on the record player I don't think he actually played on it.

[Virginia]

But that's my point -- whatever album Jimmy put on the record player I don't think he actually played on it.

Oh, okay; gotcha!

[eternal light]

John Bonham very well could have been photographed with Led Zeppelin at The Rainbow in 1972, circa June 22nd-27th (they stayed down the road at the Continental Hyatt House while on tour in Southern California). I very much doubt his May 31st 1972 birthday was held there as the opening date of their summer tour was Detroit, June 6.

On what day was this photo taken?

Make your own Glitter Graphics

[swandown]

The Van Halen-Bonzo meeting could not have taken place in 1972. Eddie did attend the L.A. Forum concert in 1972 (where Jimmy's "Heartbreaker" solo inspired Eddie to develop his string-tapping style), but he did not form Van Halen until 1973 (or possibly late 1972) and they didn't start playing clubs until late 1974.

The Gene Simmons demos (c. late 1976) do indeed rock, but I much prefer the initial Warner Bros. demo tape from mid-1977.

[eternal light]

The Van Halen-Bonzo meeting could not have taken place in 1972. Eddie did attend the L.A. Forum concert in 1972 (where Jimmy's "Heartbreaker" solo inspired Eddie to develop his string-tapping style), but he did not form Van Halen until 1973 (or possibly late 1972) and they didn't start playing clubs until late 1974.

The Gene Simmons demos (c. late 1976) do indeed rock, but I much prefer the initial Warner Bros. demo tape from mid-1977.

Maybe it was 1973.

30/05/1973 The Forum, Inglewood, California (cancelled)

31/05/1973 The Forum, Inglewood, California

02/06/1973 Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California

03/06/1973 The Forum, Inglewood, California

ledzeppelin.alexreisner.com/tourdates

Edited April 6, 2008 by eternal light

[bouncing~ship]

ehh Steve...did you find out anything about their "magic"...like the Alister Crowley shit.

[Cactus]

ehh Steve...did you find out anything about their "magic"...like the Alister Crowley shit.

Seriously......?? I don't even know what to say......

[bouncing~ship]

Seriously......?? I don't even know what to say......

why not?

[Cactus]

It's been covered extensively several times here and also, it's not just "Aleister Crowley shit". It's an important aspect to Jimmy Page's life and music, and he was an important figure in the development of society through the 60s and 70s.......and shit

[SteveAJones]

ehh Steve...did you find out anything about their "magic"...like Alister Crowley.

Yes, but as the first post stipulates topics of that nature are generally not addressed in this thread. Such inquiries are generally best discussed within their own threads.

Edited April 6, 2008 by SteveAJones

[SteveAJones]

On what day was this photo taken?

Make your own Glitter Graphics

You sent this to me via private email with the caption "John Bonham's Birthday Party".

If that caption is correct then it is almost certainly May 31st 1973, his 21st Birthday.

They then played The Forum in Inglewood that night and attended an after-show party at a radio station owner's home in Laurel Canyon to further celebrate his birthday. George Harrison hit Bonzo with his own birthday cake and many people were thrown into the pool. Jimmy alledgedly protested he was unable to swim, but he had also sprained his finger three nights prior so he was allowed to wade in fully clothed.