MHD Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Many of you will be familiar with this story but I thought it was worth posting for newbies and because of the various eye witness accounts. This appears in the April 2008 issue of MOJO Magazine as part of an article written by Kris Needs on London's Roxy Club. DAZED AND CONFUSED Led Zep visit The Roxy. Bonzo offers out the audience... After assorted press coverage and John Peel reporting a rollicking night at the Roxy in early 1977, the Rock Establishment felt compelled to check out the scene. The most high profile visit came from a band that had, possibly more than any, been targets for punk iconoclasts:Led Zeppelin. In attendance to check out The Damned during one of their trips to the Roxy, Zeppelin joined in the fun and left their own mark on the proceedings... Brian James (guitarist, The Damned): They (Zeppelin) really loved The Damned which was great. We'd hear stories that Page would drive everybody on the tour crazy because he'd be playing The Damned album constantly. Their mate B.P. Fallon was helping out with Stiff and brought them down. They really got into it. Jimmy Page(guitarist, Led Zeppelin): Robert and I went to see The Damned (at the Roxy). I was aware there was a bit of nudging going on from the audience when they saw us in there, but we felt very comfortable. And when (The Damned) kicked off...it was absolutely fantastic. You felt this wall of sound almost pressing down on you. Glen Matlock(bassist, Sex Pistols): I was at the bar talking to Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Everybody was winding everybody up. "What are they doing down here?" The Damned played for about 20 minutes then went off. There was a big kerfuffle. Next thing John Bonham was on-stage going "What is this? We play for four f*****g hours! Get the band up there without that Mouse Scabies and I'll play drums!" He was really p****d. Barry Jones (co-founder, the Roxy): This big drunken guy gets on stage with a beer, a cigarette and his coat in one hand, grabs the mike with the other and starts screaming about getting them back for more, calling the crowd a bunch of c***s. He was so f*****g loud I thought he would blow the PA! So I run up to our security guys saying "Throw that old drunk f****r off the stage!" I was very shocked to find out it was John Bonham. Brian James: Bonham was carried out, he was out of his head, drinking vodka all night. It was cool that these geezers were willing to chance their arms down there with no security. The press was making such a big thing about the violence but it wasn't violent at all, just the odd Sid incident because he thought Malcolm would be happy. It was just people having fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyalla Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Thanks MissHoneydripper. Bonzo! They don't make men like that anymore. A quote from Captain Sensible. "I was standing onstage at the Roxy Club, and I saw two hippies standing at the back. I thought, 'What are they doing here?' Then I looked a bit closer, and it was JIMMY PAGE and ROBERT PLANT." Page and Bonzo also played on a Sonny Vincent record "A Good Day for Rock" with Captain Sensible and Brian James of the Damned as guest musicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledded1 Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 And now the punks are the dinosaurs I remember this way back then, the press made it into something bigger than it was and the violence was purely cos zep members were in the audience. Now many punk shows were violent enough without a so called dinosaur of the time wandering into the venues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyalla Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Actually, my notes show this occured on a Thursday in December 1976, prior to taking a one-month holiday break from tour rehearsals. Actually, the Roxy didn't open until December 1976 and the only acts that month were Generation X, The Heartbreakers and Siouxsie & the Banshees. On 1st January 1977 The Clash and the Heartbreakers opened the Roxy proper. There were two dates when members of Zeppelin went to the Roxy, Covent Garden, London to see The Damned. The first was Thursday 13 January 1977, when Robert and Jimmy went and saw the Damned supporting Eater and then on Monday 17 January, when Robert and Bonzo saw The Damned, who were then supported by Eater and the Boys. The Damned were supposed to play the Roxy Theater in Harlesden, London (not the famous Roxy as above, but what was the old Odeon) on Sunday 26 December 1976 on the Anarchy Tour with the Sex Pistols and the Clash but it was canceled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyalla Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Edit: Dave Lewis' 'The Concert File' shows Robert took Bonzo to The Roxy to see a package show featuring The Damned, Eater, and Generation X on Jan 21st 1977. Can anyone confirm this third visit or perhaps it should have read Jan 17th 1977? I certainly wouldn't want to contradict anything Dave Lewis has published, as my knowledge of this event is fairly limited. It would be unlikely (not impossible) that they went to The Roxy on 21st Jan 1977, but as the club didn't present live music on Friday nights until the following month it would seem more probable that Jan 17th 1977 is the date. But, the bands playing that evening were The Damned, Eater and the Boys. I don't think The Damned ever played with Generation X however they have played with Chelsea (the precursor to Gen. X) at The Roxy on 28th Feb 1977 which was the last time they played The Roxy. But it 'is' possible that The Damned, Eater, and Generation X have played on the same bill at The Roxy because Eater were the resident band at The Roxy and Gen. X were managed by Andy Czezowski, who both started up The Roxy and was the ex-manager of The Damned. Dunno!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the ocean Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I've always loved this story, mostly because I was always a fan of The Damned as well. "geezers". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Actually, the Roxy didn't open until December 1976 and the only acts that month were Generation X, The Heartbreakers and Siouxsie & the Banshees. On 1st January 1977 The Clash and the Heartbreakers opened the Roxy proper. There were two dates when members of Zeppelin went to the Roxy, Covent Garden, London to see The Damned. The first was Thursday 13 January 1977, when Robert and Jimmy went and saw the Damned supporting Eater and then on Monday 17 January, when Robert and Bonzo saw The Damned, who were then supported by Eater and the Boys. The Damned were supposed to play the Roxy Theater in Harlesden, London (not the famous Roxy as above, but what was the old Odeon) on Sunday 26 December 1976 on the Anarchy Tour with the Sex Pistols and the Clash but it was canceled. Cheers Whyalla. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigeGSX1400UK Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Bonzo was typical of many guys in the Black Country area (although born just outside it). Knock back the booze, then let rip and sod anyone who complains. He was a real hero to all of my group of mates. I do remember being a teen back in the late 70s early 80s and it seemed everyone was a Mod, Rocker, Punk, Ted etc and each group fought with the others. Used to headbang to Led Zep and the rest at the local Town Hall disco and laugh at the Mods who would run onto the dance floor thinking it was the Kinks 'You really got me' when it was the Van Halen version. Stupid I know, but at the time it seemed everyone defended THEIR music with fists over why Led Zep, Sabbath etc were better than Ska, Soul etc. The Who have a lot to answer for with Quadrophenia and its Rockers and Mods rivalry. Including making some great music (although I didn't admit it back then as The Who were seen as a Mod group despite the genius of the Rock they produced) and an excellent film full of British talent e.g. Phil Daniels (Jimmy) and Ray Winstone (Kev). Rant over Nige Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsj Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 it's something i find puzzling, that they visited the damned live, liked them and the energy they represented and a few other bands at that time, but then went on to do their most indulgent and least "down" with the crowd tour (thats just my opinion, not an invite for another discussion on the pros & cons of the 77 tour). i envisage a scene in the bentley leaving the damned gig planty: jimmy, maybe we should drop the 20 minute guitar noise project you have planned for the next tour and just play communication breakdown and c'mon everybody instead, like the old days bonham: yeah fucking hell, bostin! show these new punk whippersnappers how to do it page: i'll drop my solo if you will page/bonham: hhhmmm...... planty: yeah well, it was just a thought. i'll phone audrey to tell her to be ready backstage with a good book for when you two noodle away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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