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Thoughts?

I cant beleive this topic hasnt been posted yet (I think - and sorry if it has).

It does warm my heart that many in here thinks that TSRTS version was the best. For a long time I thought I was all alone in thinking that was the best solo all time.

Seatle 75 comes a close second for me. Same kind of tangent as the 72-73 jams (except piano instead of organ), but if Page's solo was crying then, it was absolutely weeping in 75. Outstanding.

I didnt really like or understand the fifties style boogie thing in 77.

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Page and Plant 98 tour Vancouver. Without a doubt the best version I've heard. Just long enough, and Page's playing made the hair on my neck stand up. Brilliant stuff :)

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Without question the versions of No Quarter from Earl's Court '75 were the BEST. I don't remember the date, but I have one version (soundboard, of course) that Page's guitar just growls, Plant's vocals are wailing, JPJ's piano is magical and Bonzo was, well, Bonzo. A magical series of shows for sure!! I do also like the 6-23-77 version, but mine fades out in the middle, which loses some points with me.

Peace.

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Without question the versions of No Quarter from Earl's Court '75 were the BEST. I don't remember the date, but I have one version (soundboard, of course) that Page's guitar just growls, Plant's vocals are wailing, JPJ's piano is magical and Bonzo was, well, Bonzo. A magical series of shows for sure!! I do also like the 6-23-77 version, but mine fades out in the middle, which loses some points with me.

Peace.

5-24-75 is the date you're most likely thinking of. That IS a great version.

Fades out in the middle? Are you talking about the Dragonfly vinyl version of Badgeholders? I've got that one. I was sure glad to get it on CD, where there's no cuts. (Sgt. Page's Badgeholders, the best cd version by far. The rest are hit and miss. Too many cuts.)

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Page and Plant 98 tour Vancouver. Without a doubt the best version I've heard. Just long enough, and Page's playing made the hair on my neck stand up. Brilliant stuff :)

Page and Plant, Shepherds Bush, 1998. Hear it on the Shining In The Light CD single. Definitive version for me, perhaps helped by the fact that I was at the show, I dunno.

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Page and Plant, Shepherds Bush, 1998. Hear it on the Shining In The Light CD single. Definitive version for me, perhaps helped by the fact that I was at the show, I dunno.

Another good one. They sure kicked the shit out of it in Mountain View that year. :D

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if the one on the last night in LA 1975 was a little slower during the solo section it'd be the all time best IMO. Come to think of it regardless of the pace, it was the best. Its just a little too fast in the solo part --- JPJ and Bonham start it off at a really fast pace and you can tell that with what Page wanted to do with the solo, he was trying to get them to go slower. STILL an unbelievable NQ and very enjoyable.

Other contenders for the best are the ones from EC 75, or the one from TSRTS original soundtrack. One of Page's very best solos captured on record ever.

I also like the 77 versions but I just think the above mentioned ones were better. I firmly beleive that NQ was Zeppelin's best live perfomance showcase as a whole. The ultimate live song in many ways.

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if the one on the last night in LA 1975 was a little slower during the solo section it'd be the all time best IMO. Come to think of it regardless of the pace, it was the best. Its just a little too fast in the solo part --- JPJ and Bonham start it off at a really fast pace and you can tell that with what Page wanted to do with the solo, he was trying to get them to go slower. STILL an unbelievable NQ and very enjoyable.

Other contenders for the best are the ones from EC 75, or the one from TSRTS original soundtrack. One of Page's very best solos captured on record ever.

I also like the 77 versions but I just think the above mentioned ones were better. I firmly beleive that NQ was Zeppelin's best live perfomance showcase as a whole. The ultimate live song in many ways.

Which LA 75 version are you talking about? I love the one from the 25th(only time JPJ switches back to keyboards halfway though the 3 peice jam) but the 27th would probabley be my favourite performance. JPJ gives a great solo with no wasted time then the three peice jam pays off all the ideas they'd been building up for the last month. Some say Page's soloing in sloppy but I like the contrast of his ultra heavy playing to the jazzy backing, he leaves more space for JPJ than some other versions I'v heard aswell. Seattle from the 21st wouldnt be far behind either, when Boonham joins in it goes totally insane.

The version from the 18th at EC is maybe the most "perfect" one I'v heard, really grand and graceful. The 23rd would be my pick for JPJ's best ever solo, I don't know if he's quoting something or not but the first 3-4 mins are amazingly grand and atmospheric.

Badgeholders is probabley the best I'v heard from 77 but Eddie was pretty speical aswell, mainly because Bonham totally steals the spotlight in thats sposed to be a Page/JPJ vechicle. Some interesting versions with difference structures during that tour aswell such as Nutrocker from the 28th destroyer show and a fast paced rock jam instead of the blues section on the MSG SB fragment.

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Don't have a favorite No Quarter but almost any version from '75 suits me just fine.

NQ is performed normally under the 20 minute mark and it's length is just perfect. Not too long (as in '77) and not too short (as in '73).

1975 is just right.

Too bad Page can't find one multitrack from '75 to release commercially (in it's entirety). Heck, Earl's Court is the definitive '75 performance (next to LA and Seattle).

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I have a favorite by year:

1973: Madison Square Garden 7/28 - It was the main version of the TSRTS Video and Soundtrack. Just a truly masterpiece. Page's solo is legendary.

Highlights: Page's Solo is just one of his finest. Jonesy Solo also is spectacular and very dark.

1975: Earls Court 5/24 - It is, by almost everybody the best version of No Quarter played by Jonesy with an expectacular solo.

Highlights: Jonesy played virtuoso... just like all the Earl's Court night's.

1977: LA Forum 6/23 - It is by far, the best version of No Quarter played as a jam. The improvisation is just tremendous, and the recording is excellent.

Highlights: Just hear the jam... no words about it.

1979: Knebworth 8/4 - The last time Page played the song with a very good solo, although a compact version, but still very good.

Highlights: Page's Solo is a verygood one, even for the year. Jonesy also put a very good performance.

Honorable mentions:

1973/05/13 - Mobile Alabama: One of the very first performances of this great song.

1975/02/16 - New Orleans: Beautiful version.

1975/03/14 - San Diego: Although, the performance was mediocre, Jonesy plays something he didn't though the entire tour.

1975/03/21 - Seattle: One of the longest US performances. And a good one.

1975/03/25 - LA Forum: One of the best US performances.

1975/03/27 - The longest version?

1975/05/18 - Jonesy plays one of the most capturing moments of this masterpiece.

1975/05/23 - The playing by the band makes this a very favorite for a lot of people.

1975/05/25 - Even being the last time played in 1975, is still a very good one. The band delivers very well.

1977/04/28 - Even with the cut, it has a very good performance and nutrocker.

1977/06/11 - One of the best renditions of this masterpiece. The solos and the jam are awesome.

1977/06/21 - If the 6/11 was awesome, this one will not dissapoint you too, just gets better. BEST AUDIENCE recording. A must have.

1977/06/25 - Good performance by all the band.

1977/06/27 - Good Times, Bad Times, but at least, they played one of the longest versions.

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Absolutely awsome jams. I wish I had a tenth of you guy's collection!

For a song that I love so much, it's funny that I will usually always fast forward to the jams. B)

Jones organ\piano, Bonham kicking in, then Jimmy folding what is a great solo as it's originally written into a cosmic soufflé that usually is simply mind blowing. What masters.

Id love to hear a CD mix of just the jams, and how that thing progressed over the years. To me, thats a sometimes overlooked iconic jam that is on par with D&C.

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I've always enjoyed the last version from Earls Court. On the previous night, Page was much more restrained but on the last night at the Court he went balls to the wall. To bad the soundboard recordings cuts off at the end of it though. I much prefer the versions from the 1975 tour than the other incarnations.

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Wow - I can't believe that there are more versions that rival the Song Remains recording! Every element of what they did there is just so far beyond anything I've ever heard any group do live...

If you liked TSRTS version, then you would LOVE any 75 version IMHO. Kind of the same, yet on a totally different level. Musical genious. Fun to hear that jam evolve...

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Every element of what they did there is just so far beyond anything I've ever heard any group do live...

..I could lay some Grateful Dead jams on you that would knock your socks off....as a band they were very mild mannered compared to Zeppelin but had some mind blowing jams all the same....

As for No Quarter I have to admit I was never a fan of the versions where JPJ played with the piano as opposed to his electric keyboard with the shimmering effect-I just LOVED that sound! He also played the piano in the days before synthesized pianos really sounded very good....

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I really wished they more songs as Moody as this. The badge-holders (6/23 with the moon the loon i think) is really my favorite out of 8 i have. The best part is the little jam jonesey does with himself at around the 4 min part. He's playing this sweeping organ part that just sounds awesome, and then comes in with the bass pedals. I don't know if he did this before or it was part of another song, but to come with that on the spot is amazing. TSRT is my second favorite.

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Which LA 75 version are you talking about? I love the one from the 25th(only time JPJ switches back to keyboards halfway though the 3 peice jam) but the 27th would probabley be my favourite performance. JPJ gives a great solo with no wasted time then the three peice jam pays off all the ideas they'd been building up for the last month. Some say Page's soloing in sloppy but I like the contrast of his ultra heavy playing to the jazzy backing, he leaves more space for JPJ than some other versions I'v heard aswell. Seattle from the 21st wouldnt be far behind either, when Boonham joins in it goes totally insane.

The version from the 18th at EC is maybe the most "perfect" one I'v heard, really grand and graceful. The 23rd would be my pick for JPJ's best ever solo, I don't know if he's quoting something or not but the first 3-4 mins are amazingly grand and atmospheric.

Badgeholders is probabley the best I'v heard from 77 but Eddie was pretty speical aswell, mainly because Bonham totally steals the spotlight in thats sposed to be a Page/JPJ vechicle. Some interesting versions with difference structures during that tour aswell such as Nutrocker from the 28th destroyer show and a fast paced rock jam instead of the blues section on the MSG SB fragment.

I'm referring to the last night in LA 1975. I think March 27.

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Earl's Court, May 24 I believe. In the early 90's I bought a vinyl bootleg at a local shop that had part of the concert. Since it was a single record, I believe it only had Dazed & Confused, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, and Tangerine. But I recorded it to a cassette and listened to it in my car constantly. Jimmy was on fire in that version of NQ.

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Earl's Court, May 24 I believe. In the early 90's I bought a vinyl bootleg at a local shop that had part of the concert. Since it was a single record, I believe it only had Dazed & Confused, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, and Tangerine. But I recorded it to a cassette and listened to it in my car constantly. Jimmy was on fire in that version of NQ.

I used to have that vinyl album too. And was thrilled to death when the show hit CD. Definitely one of the better versions of NQ!

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