On This Day 24 May

No more perfect choice to award the late, great B.B. King with the Polar Music Prize than Jimmy Page.

2004 24 May On This Day Jimmy Page presents B.B. King with Polar Music Prize

2004 Polar Music Prize guest list and seating.

• 1968 Yardbirds - San Francisco, California @ Fillmore Auditorium (day 2)
• 1969 Led Zeppelin - Chicago,IL US at Kinetic Playground (day 2)
• 1975 Led Zeppelin - London UK at Earls Court Arena (day 4)
• 2004 24 May On This Day Jimmy Page presents B.B. King with Polar Music Prize

Polar Music Prize press release for 2004 ceremony

This was day four of five for Led Zeppelin at Earls Court in 1975.  Dave Lewis says in his book, Led Zeppelin: The Concert File, "Jimmy performed one of his best ever solos on Stairway to Heaven, building slowly before taking off on a seemingly never-ending spiral of virtuosity."

♪ Rock Me Baby (B.B. King) YouTube
♪ Rock Me Baby (Jimmy Page with Bad Company, Schaefer Music Festival NYC 1974) YouTube
♪ Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin - Earls Court 24 May 1975) YouTube
♪ Lux Aeterna (György Ligeti) YouTube

1975 Plant & Page of Led Zeppelin at Earls Court Exhibition Centre London - Urban Image photo

1975 Jimmy Page at Earls Court Exhibition Centre London - Urban Image photo

On This Day 23 May

Day three of the Earls Court concerts in 1975 and, in 1969, two concerts half a continent apart in one day. Let no one say it's all fun and games and Riot Houses in the life of rock stars.

1968 23 May On This Day The Yardbirds - San Francisco,CA at Fillmore Auditorium

In 1969 Led Zeppelin performed two shows, one in San Jose CA and one in Chicago, thanks to a Lear jet provided by the promoters of the Santa Clara Pop Festival to fly the band to Chicago after their festival performance.  

Even though Led Zeppelin only had one album out at this time, they appeared with some big names.  The three-day festival lineup included: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, The Chambers Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon, Spirit, Canned Heat, Buffy Sainte-Marie, The Youngbloods, Steve Miller, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Taj Mahal, Noel Redding, Lee Michaels, Blues Image, Santana, Aum, Elvin Bishop, Poco, People!, Lynn County, The Loading Zone, Sweet Linda Divine, Cat Mother, Doc Watson & New Lost City Ramblers.  Eric Burdon wound up not appearing.

• 1967 The Yardbirds - Bristol,England at The Corn Exchange
• 1968 23 May On This Day The Yardbirds - San Francisco,CA at Fillmore Auditorium
• 1969 Led Zeppelin - (show 1 of 2 this day) San Jose, CA at Santa Clara Pop Festival
• 1969 Led Zeppelin - (show 2 of 2 this day) Chicago,IL at Kinetic Playground
• 1973 Led Zeppelin - Albequerque,NM at University Arena
• 1975 Led Zeppelin - London,England at Earls Court Exhibition Hall
• 1976 Page and Plant jam with Bad Company at the LA Forum
• 1986 The Firm - Costa Mesa,CA at Pacific Amphitheatre
• 1995 Page & Plant (Unledded Tour ) Portland,OR at Portland Memorial Coliseum
• 1998 Page & Plant (North America Tour) at Jacksonville,FL at Coliseum
• 2012 Page at Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee party

 ♪ No Quarter (Led Zeppelin, Albuquerque 1973) YouTube

1975 Led Zeppelin - London,England at Earls Court Exhibition Hall - Melody Maker front page 24 May

1975 Led Zeppelin - London,England at Earls Court Exhibition Hall - NME front page 24 May

1976 Page and Plant jam with Bad Company at the LA Forum

1976 Page and Plant jam with Bad Company at the LA Forum

2012 Jimmy Page at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee party at the Royal Academy

Rude World

By the way, have you read my brief Amazon review of Rude World?  It's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant's contribution to the Album The Inner Flame - A Tribute to Rainer Ptacek.  

♪ Rude World YouTube

1926 Silent Movie Based on Aleister Crowley

Reviewed at Dangerous Minds, the 1926 silent movie, The Magician, was adapted by Rex Ingram from the novel of that name written by W. Somerset Maugham. The main character, Haddo, was based on Aleister Crowley (1875-1947).

One sentence Mage Music review: The Magician is not the Star Wars of the silent movie era, but it has some historical value.

1926 silent movie based on Aleister Crowley

Crowley was not happy with the book. He filed an injunction against the French premier of the movie, holding out for publicity and power after being offered a settlement. Crowley lost.

Irish film director, producer, writer and actor Rex Ingram (1892-1950) made only one "talkie" but he was considered one of the top creative people of his day. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

German actor Paul Wegener as Oliver Haddo, portraying Aleister Crowley

Paul Wegener (1874-1948) was a German actor, writer and film director known for his pioneering role in German expressionist cinema. He started out as a law student, which may have prepared him for his acting career.

This was before Jimmy Page's time, of course.  Now back to your regular musical programming.

♪ Everybody Makes It Through (In The Light) (Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti 2014 remaster) YouTube
♪ Shining in the Light (Page & Plant)YouTube

On This Day 22 May

Awards, accolades and just plain fine music on this day.

2006 22 May On This Day Led Zeppelin receive Polar Music Prize

 

2006 22 May On This Day Led Zeppelin receive Polar Music Prize

The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by Stig ”Stikkan” Anderson, publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA.  The prize was named for Anderson´s record label, Polar Music. The Polar Music Prize is one of the most prestigious and unique music prizes in the world, awarded to individuals, groups and institutions in recognition of exceptional achievements.

Led Zeppelin recorded In Through The Out Door at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden November - December 1978.

• 1967 Yardbirds - London, England at BBC Radio
• 1973 Led Zeppelin - San Antonio, Texas at HemisFair Convention Center Arena
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Fort Worth TX US at Tarrant County Convention Center
• 1985 The Firm – London at Wembley Arena
• 1986 The Firm - Inglewood, California at The Forum
• 1995 Page & Plant (Unledded North American Tour), Landover MD at Air Arena 
• 1998 Page & Plant (North American Tour) - Miami, FL at Miami Arena
• 2006 22 May On This Day Led Zeppelin receive Polar Music Prize
• 2014 Jimmy Page attends the Ivor Novello Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London, England.

♪ 1977 White Summer/Black Mountain Side (Led Zeppelin - Fort Worth 1977) YouTube

1973 Led Zeppelin - San Antonio Photo: Carl Dunn

1973 Led Zeppelin - San Antonio Photo: Carl Dunn

1985 Jimmy Page with The Firm at Wembley 

The Times review of The Firm – 22 May 1985 London at Wembley Arena

2014 Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck at Beck's Ivor Novello Award  Photo: Dave J Hogan

On This Day 21 May

Session man 1965

1965 21 May On This Day Jimmy Page session for Vashti Bunyan

1965 - Other tracks Jimmy Page played on during the week of May 21

Vashti Bunyan is a British singer-songwriter who in 1965 was under contract to Andrew Oldham (manager and producer of The Rolling Stones at that time).  Even having Jimmy Page on guitar didn't help her gain popularity back then.  Over thirty years later her debut 1970 album (which didn't include the song with Jimmy Page) garnered a cult following and Bunyan was able to renew her musical career.

Bunyan talks about recording  'Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind’ in a March 2001 interview 

"I was in heaven during the recording. This was especially so during the recording of my own song, hearing it arranged by David Whittaker and played by 'real' musicians. Nicky Hopkins and Big Jim Sullivan. Jimmy Page was a session musician then and was in there too."

• 1965 21 May On This Day Jimmy Page session for Vashti Bunyan
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Houston, Texas at The Summit
• 1984 The Firm- St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire, England at St. Ives Hotel Ballroom
• 2014 Jimmy Fallon show interview airs (filmed 05/19/14)
• 2014 On stage at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo

♪  Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind (Vashti Bunyan, Jimmy Page guitar 1965) YouTube

♪  No Quarter (Led Zeppelin, Houston 21 May 1977)  YouTube

Record Mirror article published 21 May1977.  Award ceremony was 12 May 1977

2014 Jimmy Fallon show interview aired on NBC (filmed 05/19/14)

2014 Jimmy Fallon show interview aired on NBC (filmed 05/19/14) showing off the remasters

2014 On stage at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo.  Photo Guino Patrice

2014 Poster for Jimmy Page's appearance at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo.

2014 On stage at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo.  Photo Guino Patrice

On This Day 20 May

1967 On This Day 20 May - Yardbirds - Jouy,France at HEC Business School.

• 1967 On This Day 20 May  - Yardbirds - Jouy,France at HEC Business School.  Billed with Joe Dassin, Jimmy James, Jean-Luc Ponty and Dexter Gordon.
• 1984 Jimmy Page with Roy Harper- Norwich, England at Kenley Fayre
• 1985 The Firm - Edinburgh, Scotland at Playhouse Theatre
• 1995 Page & Plant (Unledded North American Tour) San Jose, CA at San Jose Arena
• 1998 Page & Plant (North American Tour) Tampa FL at Tampa Ice Palace

 ♪  Satisfaction Guaranteed (The Firm 1985 20 May) YouTube
♪  Thank You/Bring It On Home (Page & Plant 1995 20 May) YouTube

1967 Yardbirds Paris

1995 Page & Plant (Unledded North American Tour) San Jose, CA at San Jose Arena

2014 Metal XS interview