nigelss Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 (edited) Just watched LiveAid again (currently transferring all 16 hours of LiveAid from original off-air Betamax tape to DVD recorder) and found myself pondering if it was really that bad. Firstly, let's take it as a given that Phil Collins should be shot. Secondly, Mr. Plant's vocal on Rock'n'Roll is a croaky 'orrible mess and Mr. Page's geetar (sic) sounds like it is being fed through three hundred flanger units on R & R and to a lesser extent on Whole Lotta Love. But otherwise... Mr. Jones is clearly enjoying himself and playing well. The clip of Jimmy trying to untangle himself from a microphone stand followed by Jones looking over shaking his head and laughing is priceless. Robert is fine for the other two songs and Jimmy does some pretty fluid guitar work, for example towards the end of Whole Lotta Love. Yes, there are the various mishaps caused by Mr. Collins, but there again the trainwreck at the end of the O2 Dazed & Confused is probably of the same magnitude. SO if the sound had been good and Concorde had been delayed (shame terminal 5 wasn't open at the time, British Airways might have lost Phil Collins) and Robert gargled with some TCP before Rock'n'Roll.... (Quite amazed at how well the betamax tape has survived after all this time but there again it always was the better system!) Cheers, Nigel Edited June 18, 2008 by nigelss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3hrsoflunacy Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 It certainly was better than the Atlantic Records 40th. Actually, I think Jimmy's STH solo was very good, albeit cut a little short with Plant's early intro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No1ZeppelinFan Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 (edited) I always was pleased with it and always wondered why the lads hated it so much? I love Jimmy's Whole lotta Love intro, Edited June 18, 2008 by No1ZeppelinFan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzo1026 Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I was at Live Aid and it sounded much better live than when I got home to watch the tape. Collins just pissed me off. He looked bored and lost. I'd have to argue that Atlantic 40th was way better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hang-man Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Just watched LiveAid again (currently transferring all 16 hours of LiveAid from original off-air Betamax tape to DVD recorder) and found myself pondering if it was really that bad. Firstly, let's take it as a given that Phil Collins should be shot. Secondly, Mr. Plant's vocal on Rock'n'Roll is a croaky 'orrible mess and Mr. Page's geetar (sic) sounds like it is being fed through three hundred flanger units on R & R and to a lesser extent on Whole Lotta Love. But otherwise... Mr. Jones is clearly enjoying himself and playing well. The clip of Jimmy trying to untangle himself from a microphone stand followed by Jones looking over shaking his head and laughing is priceless. Robert is fine for the other two songs and Jimmy does some pretty fluid guitar work, for example towards the end of Whole Lotta Love. Yes, there are the various mishaps caused by Mr. Collins, but there again the trainwreck at the end of the O2 Dazed & Confused is probably of the same magnitude. SO if the sound had been good and Concorde had been delayed (shame terminal 5 wasn't open at the time, British Airways might have lost Phil Collins) and Robert gargled with some TCP before Rock'n'Roll.... (Quite amazed at how well the betamax tape has survived after all this time but there again it always was the better system!) Cheers, Nigel Hey-Up, "Live Aid" wasn't that bad, "COLLINS" was, as he used it as a "Self Publicity Tool" :'( , & should to this day be Ashamed of himself , (Talk about "Small Man Syndrome") he's (collin's) not worthy of Cleaning Bonzo's Drum Stool, let alone Sitting upon it. Hang-man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reids Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Re: Live Aid... Collins went in unrehearsed and missed the breaks. He thought he could just go in and do it. He was wrong. They would have been just fine with Tony Thompson, who was already there on drums. Collins just disrupted the whole thing (IMHO). Additionally, Page's guitar was out of tune. Plant and Jones did well, I thought. R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I was at Live Aid and it sounded much better live than when I got home to watch the tape. Collins just pissed me off. He looked bored and lost. I'd have to argue that Atlantic 40th was way better. I was there with you and I thought it was great maybe because it was such a huge thing seeing them back together along with all the other really good acts. Also a few not so good but I really liked the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docron Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Yea Collins really F'd that whole experience up for me. How old was Jason back then like 8? I think he could've done better. The broadcast of the thing also made it seem so damn corny. Plain 1985 television graphics of the bands name (in plain yellow block letters with a black shadow effect underneath) and a clueless annoucer yelling "blah blah blah <insert fake excitement here> lets hope they do Stairway!!!" to his equally retarded co-anchor who is like "I know the fans are expecting it, Bob! Lets go down to the stage!" the whole time... and you can just tell the dude has no idea who piss Led Zeppelin even is. At least, thats how I remember it anyways... its been a while. I think it was a mix of everything that made people hate it. To me it just seemed like a really bad dream that consisted of some of my favorite things. I think it had its moments, but O2 blew Live Aid's doors off. Probably just one of those things you had to be there to see in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickZepp Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Jason was born before Zeppelin formed if I'm not mistaken. He was around 16 or so at the time. Live Aid is one of the worst gigs Zeppelin ever did. But most Zepp heads where crazy over it because it was Led Zeppelin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Jason was born before Zeppelin formed if I'm not mistaken. He was around 16 or so at the time. Live Aid is one of the worst gigs Zeppelin ever did. But most Zepp heads where crazy over it because it was Led Zeppelin. True I am crazy about it .They could perform in a stinky outhouse in bum uck Egypt and I would go and drool over the Awesomness of the whole thing .I would even learn to love the smell.If Jimmy only had two strings on His Guitar He would still be My favorite Guitarist.Yes this is a Zep site so if I did not really think they were awesome I would not waste one minute of My time here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huw Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 This is not a popular opinion, but Phil Collins should not take the whole blame for Live Aid - he gets unfairly labeled as a scapegoat for the whole thing. Consider: he'd played in Robert's touring band & on both of Robert's solo albums up to that point, so Rob was obviously happy with his drumming. Also consider: he had lots of experience playing with another drummer - Genesis have used Chester Thompson (& Bill Bruford before him) live ever since Peter Gabriel left the band - and he does it very well. Tony Thompson, on the other hand, was not used to playing with two drummers. It takes a certain discipline - you can't just play one thing while the other guys plays something else, you need to work together. It's pretty clear that Tony Thompson made no allowances whatsoever for playing with two drummers, & just played right over what Collins was doing. Phil C said in interviews from almost as soon as they finished playing that Thompson had made it pretty clear by what he was playing that he didn't want him there & if PC could have walked off the stage without causing a world wide media incident he would have done. I'm not saying PC is blameless, but I am saying that trying to make the whole thing his fault is ignoring what really happened. True, he hadn't rehersed with them, but they were all under-rehersed, Robert was all croaky voiced, Page's guitar was out of tune etc. Let's not try to pretend that if Phil Collins hadn't been there it would have been fantastic. They were a shambles - all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorer714 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 This is not a popular opinion, but Phil Collins should not take the whole blame for Live Aid - he gets unfairly labeled as a scapegoat for the whole thing. Consider: he'd played in Robert's touring band & on both of Robert's solo albums up to that point, so Rob was obviously happy with his drumming. Also consider: he had lots of experience playing with another drummer - Genesis have used Chester Thompson (& Bill Bruford before him) live ever since Peter Gabriel left the band - and he does it very well. Tony Thompson, on the other hand, was not used to playing with two drummers. It takes a certain discipline - you can't just play one thing while the other guys plays something else, you need to work together. It's pretty clear that Tony Thompson made no allowances whatsoever for playing with two drummers, & just played right over what Collins was doing. Phil C said in interviews from almost as soon as they finished playing that Thompson had made it pretty clear by what he was playing that he didn't want him there & if PC could have walked off the stage without causing a world wide media incident he would have done. I'm not saying PC is blameless, but I am saying that trying to make the whole thing his fault is ignoring what really happened. True, he hadn't rehersed with them, but they were all under-rehersed, Robert was all croaky voiced, Page's guitar was out of tune etc. Let's not try to pretend that if Phil Collins hadn't been there it would have been fantastic. They were a shambles - all of them. I agree,I remember watching it live and thinking this is going to be awesome and it wasn't.I was really embarassed as a Zep fan. It gave all my friends that weren't Zep fans all the ammo to say,'see I told you they weren't that good'. I had to reassure them that if Bonham had been there,that things would have been quite different and that they weren't watching "Led Zeppelin". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reids Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 (edited) From my understanding, Thompson had already rehearsed and sat in previous sessions with the others. (Collins had not and was out on tour with Plant). So, Plant invited Collins (vouched for him) and he was brought in at the last minute. I would have been pretty angry too, if I were Thompson (also a serious world class drummer: previously playing with Chic and The Power Station as well as session work), who had rehearsed previously with Page and JPJ (to have another drummer brought in at the last minute). Collins was watching Thompson the whole time and missing breaks and just accenting cymbals where he thought they were needed. Collins is a world class drummer (probably one of the best in the world, which really makes me shake my head to wonder why he didn't have his stuff together for this BIG event in music history = The First time the surviving members of the greatest hard rock band of all time get together for charity and you are the drummer (to not have your stuff together). It wasn't the pa/monitors, latency... He just wasn't rehearsed/prepared for the gig and it showed... Was he just there for the publicity stunt of trying to be in the record books for playing on a Concorde from the UK to the USA for Live Aid??? Was it just his ego got in the way??? R Edited June 19, 2008 by reids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trashbag Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Page was handed his guitar right out of the case, so he didn't have time to tune it. As for Collins, he's a great drummer, just not at that particular moment. Also, anybody know why they needed Paul Martinez on bass for Stairway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunChild Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 (edited) Just watched LiveAid again (currently transferring all 16 hours of LiveAid from original off-air Betamax tape to DVD recorder) and found myself pondering if it was really that bad. Firstly, let's take it as a given that Phil Collins should be shot. Secondly, Mr. Plant's vocal on Rock'n'Roll is a croaky 'orrible mess and Mr. Page's geetar (sic) sounds like it is being fed through three hundred flanger units on R & R and to a lesser extent on Whole Lotta Love. But otherwise... Mr. Jones is clearly enjoying himself and playing well. The clip of Jimmy trying to untangle himself from a microphone stand followed by Jones looking over shaking his head and laughing is priceless. Robert is fine for the other two songs and Jimmy does some pretty fluid guitar work, for example towards the end of Whole Lotta Love. Yes, there are the various mishaps caused by Mr. Collins, but there again the trainwreck at the end of the O2 Dazed & Confused is probably of the same magnitude. SO if the sound had been good and Concorde had been delayed (shame terminal 5 wasn't open at the time, British Airways might have lost Phil Collins) and Robert gargled with some TCP before Rock'n'Roll.... (Quite amazed at how well the betamax tape has survived after all this time but there again it always was the better system!) Cheers, Nigel (Any chance this is or will be on youtube somewhere?) I watched on teevee, and all I remember was the amazing feeling when the entire crowd kicked in on "And she's buying a stairway to heaven..." with all the love in the world aimed at those guys. I was doing the same at home. Wonderful moment. Yeah, Collins should be shot. And Plant hit over the head with a mud shark if it was his idea to add Collins... and Jimmy gently chided for agreeing... I hold JPJ blameless, as ever. This is not a popular opinion, but Phil Collins should not take the whole blame for Live Aid - he gets unfairly labeled as a scapegoat for the whole thing. Consider: he'd played in Robert's touring band & on both of Robert's solo albums up to that point, so Rob was obviously happy with his drumming. Also consider: he had lots of experience playing with another drummer - Genesis have used Chester Thompson (& Bill Bruford before him) live ever since Peter Gabriel left the band - and he does it very well. Tony Thompson, on the other hand, was not used to playing with two drummers. It takes a certain discipline - you can't just play one thing while the other guys plays something else, you need to work together. It's pretty clear that Tony Thompson made no allowances whatsoever for playing with two drummers, & just played right over what Collins was doing. Phil C said in interviews from almost as soon as they finished playing that Thompson had made it pretty clear by what he was playing that he didn't want him there & if PC could have walked off the stage without causing a world wide media incident he would have done. I'm not saying PC is blameless, but I am saying that trying to make the whole thing his fault is ignoring what really happened. True, he hadn't rehersed with them, but they were all under-rehersed, Robert was all croaky voiced, Page's guitar was out of tune etc. Let's not try to pretend that if Phil Collins hadn't been there it would have been fantastic. They were a shambles - all of them. Nice post. Shambolism all around, then... Edited June 19, 2008 by SunChild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Page was handed his guitar right out of the case, so he didn't have time to tune it. As for Collins, he's a great drummer, just not at that particular moment. Also, anybody know why they needed Paul Martinez on bass for Stairway? Because during that time JPJ had lost his enthusiasm for bass in favor of keyboards (it was the synth era, after all). Plant was even playing bass in the subsequent aborted reunion attempt. It wasn't until the Atlantic reunion that JPJ started to seriously get back into bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE FIRST LEDZEP Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 STILL WATCH THAT 20 MINUTES EVERY SO OFTEN DURING COFFEE TIME IN THE MORNING. IT'S GREAT IN MY OPINION AIM FOR PERFECTION AND IT BECOMES A MOVING TARGET Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
led zep maniack Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 THE ROADIES AT LIVE AID MUST HAVE BEEN DRUNK OR HIGH. WHO THE HELL HANDS SOMEONE A GUITAR OUT OF THE CASE WITHOUT TUNING IT??? REALLY STUPID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorer714 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 THE ROADIES AT LIVE AID MUST HAVE BEEN DRUNK OR HIGH. WHO THE HELL HANDS SOMEONE A GUITAR OUT OF THE CASE WITHOUT TUNING IT??? REALLY STUPID. That's funny I went out to cut the grass this morning and that same thought passed through my mind!!! (as I had already read that post earlier)......What an idiot or he was one of those Zep haters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 THE ROADIES AT LIVE AID MUST HAVE BEEN DRUNK OR HIGH. WHO THE HELL HANDS SOMEONE A GUITAR OUT OF THE CASE WITHOUT TUNING IT??? REALLY STUPID. There was not much time at all between acts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninelives Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 I was at both Live Aid and the Atlantic 40th Anniversary. As I've said in other discussions on the subject, it's a very different experience being there. I didn't hear any of the issues until I watched it on tape. For me I was too caught up in the fact this was the very first time I saw any of them on stage and to see them together, there were and are no words. Robert was touring with his own band at the time and had come off a few shows in a row, which is why he was a bit hoarse. Totally different vibe at the 40th Anniversary but I thought overall, their playing was better there. Again, being in the audience and getting caught up in the excitement of it affords a different perspective on things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evster2012 Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 (edited) Yea Collins really F'd that whole experience up for me. How old was Jason back then like 8? Jason was born in 1966. He turned 19 2 days after Live Aid. A little more than 2 years later, he was touring with Page. Edited June 20, 2008 by Evster2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howlin' Wolf Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 In a word: YES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nirvana Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 The Live Aid experience was great as a whole. However, the Zeppelin members did not prepare properly period. Robert was hoarse due to his own tour and the oppresive heat at the time of Live Aid. Jimmy being handed an out of tune guitar was just plain poor planning on his part. He looked wasted afterward during post-interviews. Phil Collins was only there due to Robert ,he can't be blamed for the whole mess. To come on stage totally unrehearsed and unprepared was due to their egos telling them that they could pull off anything, and guess what, - their ego lost big-time and right in front of their peers, industry people, and worst of all - their eager, wide-eyed fans! That being said, they weren't horrible - just unprepared and unprofessional. Remember Robert's comment to the crowd..."Any requests!" Wow, you could feel the energy like a storm coming....too bad it went down like a drizzle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE FIRST LEDZEP Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 20 minutes of heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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