swandown Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Correct again Knebby. The song was called "Once" from an old BBC session by Skip Bifferty. The only problem with this claim is that the song was never released and it was only aired on the radio one time, in July 1968. Someone within the Zep camp would have had to tape record that radio broadcast -- not that it couldn't have been done, but it seems unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 OR--they'd all heard the song done live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 The only problem with this claim is that the song was never released and it was only aired on the radio one time, in July 1968. Someone within the Zep camp would have had to tape record that radio broadcast -- not that it couldn't have been done, but it seems unlikely. Seems a very peculiar first number for the four of them to attempt to say the least, not to mention they had a Scandanavian tour to prepare for which did include TKOR. Bear in mind also the possibility exists they may have done some jamming at Jimmy's boathouse in Pangbourne over the weekend prior to the start of the "official" rehearsals in London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Since this could be fought and argued over till the cows come home, I can't give you explanations or finer details but I can tell you that it was Robert Plant who volunteered this information so f you are casting doubt on anyone's credibility, it's his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Well, what would he know, kid like him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swandown Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Since this could be fought and argued over till the cows come home, I can't give you explanations or finer details but I can tell you that it was Robert Plant who volunteered this information so f you are casting doubt on anyone's credibility, it's his. Robert Plant has also volunteered that the first song rehearsed was "As Long As I Have You". Not that I'm calling Robert a liar, but I don't think there's anything wrong with being skeptical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Well I don't see why where the "claim" was made is any issue at all - does he need to be at a press conference to make it credible? Oh no sorry - that's usually not credible either. But anyway, hey ho - I passed on the info and it was backed up by someone else, but as is my usual stance on this - (and this is not specifically aimed at you Swandown) - believe me or don't. I told you something you didn't know, and if you ever have the chance to ask any of the people in question, I'm sure you'll be more satisfied with their answer. Strange one to pull out of the blue though wasn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walterswalk Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 The only problem with this claim is that the song was never released and it was only aired on the radio one time, in July 1968. Someone within the Zep camp would have had to tape record that radio broadcast -- not that it couldn't have been done, but it seems unlikely. Correct 2 points Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 And you know what? Maybe it wasn't the first song. Maybe it was the second or third, or last. I've never actually read to my recollection that "Train" was the FIRST song they played at rehearsals - just that they played it. I was always interested in that. I also find it interesting that they played a Skip Bifferty song - as I would imagine, do many other Zepp fans. Robert said it was the first number they played - but maybe he doesn't remember the rehearsal that clearly. He wasn't being asked about Zeppelin when he said it, he was being asked about Skip Bifferty, and came out with that info and a very precise date and place. Generally, he has excellent recall of minutae from what I have heard, but maybe he hadn't logged this particular happening in his archives. What I'm pretty certain of is that it would be completely bizzarre for him to pick this particular number and "claim" that they played it if they didn't. What the hell would be the point in that? So the issue for me is not whether or not they played it, but at what point in their rehearsals they did (Robert says first, people on this forum are sceptical - which as I said I am fine with). It's a bit of a non-issue in my book, but then, my book is different from many peoples. I would call it a pretty interesting fact regardless, but maybe that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swandown Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 No, you didn't. Well like I said I wasn't specially refering to you - but that's cool. Never had any issues with you on here, hope I never do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swandown Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I am curious to know if Robert actually said it was the "first song", or if it was just played sometime during the "first rehearsal". And did he clarify if it was the Gerrard St rehearsal, or the (rumored) earlier rehearsal at Jimmy's house? And I'm also curious to know if Robert mentioned any other songs. Both Jimmy and JPJ have mentioned "Train Kept A Rollin'" as the first song. Robert has mentioned "As Long As I Have You". And JPJ said that "Smokestack Lightning" was also rehearsed (which probably led to the development of "How Many More Times"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 So the issue for me is not whether or not they played it, but at what point in their rehearsals they did I agree with you completely, Knebby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninelives Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I am curious to know if Robert actually said it was the "first song", or if it was just played sometime during the "first rehearsal". And did he clarify if it was the Gerrard St rehearsal, or the (rumored) earlier rehearsal at Jimmy's house? And I'm also curious to know if Robert mentioned any other songs. Both Jimmy and JPJ have mentioned "Train Kept A Rollin'" as the first song. Robert has mentioned "As Long As I Have You". And JPJ said that "Smokestack Lightning" was also rehearsed (which probably led to the development of "How Many More Times"). Maybe "Train Kept A Rollin" is mentioned most often as it could have been the song in the rehearsals that they "cliqued" musically so it stood out in their minds more? Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninelives Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 And you know what? Maybe it wasn't the first song. Maybe it was the second or third, or last. I've never actually read to my recollection that "Train" was the FIRST song they played at rehearsals - just that they played it. I was always interested in that. I also find it interesting that they played a Skip Bifferty song - as I would imagine, do many other Zepp fans. Robert said it was the first number they played - but maybe he doesn't remember the rehearsal that clearly. He wasn't being asked about Zeppelin when he said it, he was being asked about Skip Bifferty, and came out with that info and a very precise date and place. Generally, he has excellent recall of minutae from what I have heard, but maybe he hadn't logged this particular happening in his archives. What I'm pretty certain of is that it would be completely bizzarre for him to pick this particular number and "claim" that they played it if they didn't. What the hell would be the point in that? So the issue for me is not whether or not they played it, but at what point in their rehearsals they did (Robert says first, people on this forum are sceptical - which as I said I am fine with). It's a bit of a non-issue in my book, but then, my book is different from many peoples. I would call it a pretty interesting fact regardless, but maybe that's just me. I think so too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I am curious to know if Robert actually said it was the "first song", He absolutely did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I agree with you completely, Knebby. wey hey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstork Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Since this could be fought and argued over till the cows come home, I can't give you explanations or finer details but I can tell you that it was Robert Plant who volunteered this information so f you are casting doubt on anyone's credibility, it's his. His credibility? Never. His memory? Maybe. Just kidding... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knebby Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Accepted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecil. Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Could John Paul Jones not know the answer to this, he did know the chords to a Yardbirds song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMacQ Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 An interesting tidbit related to Once/Skip Bifferty can be found in this month's MOJO (with Peter Gabriel on the cover). There's a small review of a recent Skip Bifferty reissue that notes their early singles and first album were produced by Lane/Marriott (Ronnie Lane/Steve Marriott of The Small Faces). Given that Marriott and Robert knew each other well back in those days and probably chatted about whatever they were working on at the time, isn't it possible that Robert knew more about Skip Bifferty and their material than what's been surmised here i.e., randomly hearing (and recording!) a BBC broadcast of one of their tunes? Isn't it also possible that Robert may have been privy to some of their early recordings - perhaps even a tape? - through his connection with Marriott? Absolutely speculating here, but if that was the case, it makes a lot more sense to me than randomly hearing Once on the radio, taping it and/or remembering it well enough to guide the others thru it at their first jam. As Scott has pointed out in another forum, it's not as if Once is a "conventional" song by any definition and it's certainly not what anyone could call an immediately catchy tune, easy to remember, easy to recreate. Love, Billy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMacQ Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Skip Bifferty performing Once http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68d8GpIpQ38 Love, Billy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3hrsoflunacy Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Anyone know for definite whether it's 39 Gerrard Street, or no. 22, as this blog suggests? http://londonsmusicl...-rehearsal.html also: http://oldies.about..../a/august12.htm Everyone insists it's no. 39, but the basement for this site (Ronnie Scott's, till 1965) was quite large, and interviews with members of Zeppelin insist the rehearsal room was tiny. We are told the rehearsal was under a record store, so the questions are: -What was Ronnie Scott's site (no. 39) used for after 1965, and what business was at no. 22. Google searches throwing no light. Steve - sorry, the search engine on this website is unable to show which of the 123 pages of your Zeppelin mysteries thread this is discussed in! Rock Music Landmarks of London by Graham Vickers also has it listed at No. 22: The Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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