solar Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 OK here is a question. I was listening to a few live items tonight, and RP introduces No Quarter at one 1973 gig as "something we've been working on for a long time, and Houses of the Holey felt like the right place for it" ... or something along those lines. Does anyone know when they actually BEGAN working on this piece? Oh, and also, best live version? Vancouver '75. No question. Hands down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chetta2323 Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 this is really a great zeppelin song. I love the piano solo and the guitar in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chef free Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I love those '75 versions with JPJ on bass pedals (Vancouver is a nice version and an excellent recording, the soundboard version makes the piano sound clearer). My old fav is 6/23/77 but it has been replaced recently by the 6/27/77 version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 OK here is a question. I was listening to a few live items tonight, and RP introduces No Quarter at one 1973 gig as "something we've been working on for a long time, and Houses of the Holey felt like the right place for it" ... or something along those lines. Does anyone know when they actually BEGAN working on this piece? Oh, and also, best live version? Vancouver '75. No question. Hands down. According to Kieth Shadwick's book NQ was rehearsed during the 4th album's sessions and an earlier version may have been worked on during rehearsals for III. JPJ might have started working on it shortly after his father's death in early 1970, which would account for the brooding nature of the song. It was originally intended to be a jazz-like instrumental jam that evolved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Them On Back Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Song gives me good imagery when I listen to it, pictures of dark cold snowy nights. ^^ It still is pretty jazz-like I reckon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom kid Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 No Quarter is awesome. Although I rarely listen to the studio version anymore, will have to do it sometime soon. I prefer just getting lost in the live versions. My favourite year for NQ would definitely be '77, although I love the jazzy interplay between Bonham and Jonesy before Jimmy comes in in the '75 versions. It's just amazing that they are just jamming out in front of massive crowds, take the Silverdome show for example: 76,000 people! And they are just up there lost in the music. I find it awesome. Favourite versions of mine are: 6/23/77, 6/21/77, 5/21/77, 11-6-77 (recently acquired the SBD fragment from this show, and it includes No Quarter! Although I must admit Page's guitar tone sounds so much better on the excellent audience recording of this show.), 3/19/75, 5/2475, 29/7/75 and 30/5/77. I only have one version from '73 on that list as I prefer the longer marathon versions of '75 and '77. As You can see I'm a big fan of the '77 tour, I don't care what people say about it it's by far the tour I would have seen if I was born in 1960 instead of 1990. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountainHopper Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Yeah, I like the live versions better, if its late and I'm like half awake the studio version scares me sometimes I love the organ though... C#minor!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Action Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 I just HAD to weigh in here... My favorite live versions by year: 1973- Seattle 7-17. Very moody, almost spooky in places. The first live version I ever heard. 1975- Dallas 3-5, from "Days Confused". A beautiful performance in perfect sound. 1977- 6-23, of course! FLAWLESS. Jimmy is on FIRE, as is Bonzo. It doesn't get any better than this. Honorable mentions go to the 5-28 and 6-21 shows. 1979- 8-4. Surprisingly fiery in the middle section. Underrated in my opinion. 7-24 is a smoker too, even if it is a bit short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonman74 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 yes awesome song One of my favs.I jammed on the studio version for years until i got the SRTS cassttes ,then the albums(i have all LZ albums on vinyl),then the vhs ,now i have TSRTS on dvd....I love the live version,but TSRTS is the only one that i've heard ,besides when i seen the Page &Plant unledded show in Knoxville,TN.But that is a totally different version of the song,although i like it as well.man jimmy was smokin' that night....it's the only time i have got to see them live,as i was too young in the 70's.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenman Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 I think its often overlooked just going f***ing great a pianist JPJ was/is, long piano/keyboard solo's were not uncommon in the 70's but nobody from a rock background I'v heard comes anywhere close(sorry Emerson and Wakeman but its true) to his work on NQ live. The best comparason for me is Keith Jarret, JPJ may not be quite as technically gifted as him but both men had the same talent for building a long jazz/classical solos while keeping them meldoic, tasteful and dramatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 No Quarter was always one of the highlights of a Zeppelin concert and I always anticipated the band performing the song...and crossing my fingers that it hadn't been dropped from the setlist. My 5 favourite performances of No Quarter that I saw are: May 31, 1973 LA Forum March 12, 1975 Long Beach Arena March 27, 1975 LA Forum June 21, 1977 LA Forum June 23, 1977 LA Forum Other NQ's that I recommend from other shows: July 17, 1973 Seattle...that's 1973, not 1977. February 14, 1975 Nassau Coliseum...even better than the 2/12/75 MSG version...as heard on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre cd. March 5, 1975 Dallas March 19, 1975 Vancouver May 24 & 25 1975, Earl's Court July 24, 1979 Copenhagen...a little different, back to a more shorter succint style but still effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddot Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 The song conjures up memories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovetuber Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 No Quarter is unreal, I believe the first version I heard was the Song Remains the Same version, and not only is that my favorite rendition of the song, but it's probably my favorite Zeppelin track altogether! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 When I got the "Houses of the Holy" album I thought NQ was okay...it definitely was different...but it wasn't my favourite song on the album, and something about the way the vocals were recorded bugged me. Then when I saw them on the 1973 tour, (May 31, June 2, and June 3), I was stunned by how NQ had become a complete beast of a song and wondered why they hadn't recorded the studio version like that. By the 1975 tour. it had become one of my favourite Zeppelin concert songs and even surpassed Dazed & Confused as my favourite concert jam. And the way cool visuals added to the effect...the dry ice flooding the stage...the dancing blue lights...the lazers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott78 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I think N.Q is by far one of the best Zeppelin songs ever . Everything about the song is brilliant ! the Intro by JPJ , the Lyrics , Jimmy's solo . Just a great ! song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I've never understood the love for the Houses of the Holy "No Quarter".... But it's the live versions that really have my love. So magical.... so other-worldy. Zep always did amazing thing with their studio songs in a live setting.... I am just under-impressed with the studio version of "No Quarter". Live.... it's one of their best live songs.... IT IS ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 This song is amazing. I always think of JPJ. and Robert's voice in this was stunning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el mago Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 timeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerzubs Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 The O2 version still leaves you in awe as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 The O2 version still leaves you in awe as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EzyEric Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 This is currently my favorite topic to discuss (of anything?). There are a few threads on this, this should probably be in Led Zeppelin Live but it seems the discussion in this thread is a bit different then the usuall live ones. See this thread if you want more opinion: http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?sh...=3297&st=60 This song coming on random at my friends house one night it what kick started my LZ obsession. It was 2-12-75 Flying Circus. Since then I have discovered most all varaations. Studio: Always enjoyed it for the mood it sets me in from the first (underwater) keyboard notes. Just a mellow, relaxed, maybe even dark mood. Late 73: TSRTS is probably best example, shredding solo. Keyboard solo never got enough time or power. Feb 75: 2-12, 2-14, 2-16 are all great examples of the now extended piano solo and guitar solo with many themes. March 75: Hello Piano, hello JPJ. 03-05 is just amazing. 3-27 I think is the best piano solo ever JPJ puts in nearly every melody he played/teased during past piano solo's. I think a certain point in this piano solo when Bonzo kicks in with JPJ is my fav part of any NQ. Brings me to tears sometimes. 77: The most extended and the (40/50's jam, nutrocker, whatever you wanna call it) is amazing. 6-21 or 6-23 are best. If you prefer drums its no contest -> 6-21. I think most overall consider 6-23 the best. Knebworth: 8-4 of course. Something special about this version. Pages (overly distorted?) tone fits well with the version and the ending is more rocking than usual. So yeah this didnt take long to become my favorite song of all time, even when I only had 2-12. I cannot recommend to anyone to start with the best or you will be dissapointed with the rest. Go in chronological order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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