On This Day 26 September

Rock and roll, baby

2006 26 September On This Day Jerry Lee Lewis' album, Last Man Standing feat. Jimmy Page
♪ Cold, Cold Heart  Soundcloud

• 1998 Page & Plant North American Fall Tour, San Antonio, TX at Alamo Dome 

2006:

Jerry Lee Lewis' 2006 album, Last Man Standing is subtitled The Duets. While each track on the album does, in fact, feature a list of impressive musicians, the album is all Jerry Lee Lewis. The opening song is Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll, but don't expect it to sound anything like what you're used to or to be hearing Jimmy Page's guitar work as more than support to Lewis' piano. Having heard this version of the song once I don't need to hear it again. One of the very best versions that I listen to all the time is Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones with Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins at Wembley in 2008 (see playlist below).

The album's title refers to the 1950s musicians that helped create rock and roll - Jerry Lee Lewis is the only one still alive. In fact, Lewis is still touring.  His next show is Saturday 03 October 2015 in Beaumont, TX.

2007 Led Zeppelin at Ahmet Ertegun Tribute, Rock and Roll (second encore)

2008 Jimmy Page at Foo Fighters' concert at Wembley

♪

♪  Rock and Roll (Jerry Lee Lewis feat. Jimmy Page, 2006) YouTube
♪   Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin IV, alternate mix 2014 remaster) YouTube
♪   Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin, Detroit 1973) YouTube
♪  Full set - Rock & Roll last song (Page & Plant, San Antonio 1998) YouTube
♪  Rock and Roll (Page/Plant/Jones and Jason Bonham, O2 2007) YouTube
♪  Rock and Roll (Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Wembley 2008) YouTube

 

On This Day 25 September

On this day Led Zeppelin began recording Led Zeppelin I, the band's opening shot heard round the world. On this day 12 years later, Led Zeppelin was done. 

What made John Bonham such a great drummer? Not just the speed, strength, and power of his playing --which was considerable-- but his ability to hold the rhythm steady while all four of his limbs moved around the beat. 

Holder of elemental energies: Master of Drums. RIP Bonzo. Never forgotten.

1968 25 September On This Day - Led Zeppelin I recording begun
published 2020

1967 25 September On This Day The Yardbirds, Ten Little Indians recorded at Olympic Number Two Studio
♪  Ten Little Indians (Yardbirds 1967) Soundcloud

• 1966 Yardbirds - Liverpool, England at Liverpool Empire Theatre
• 1967 Yardbirds - Ten Little Indians recorded at Olympic Number Two Studio; Jimmy Page uses reverse echo effect
• 1980 John Henry Bonham death 

1967:

Ten Little Indians was written by Harry Nilsson for his 1967 Pandemonium Shadow Show album. The Yardbirds covered it that same year. Jimmy Page, who thought it was an "extremely silly song" (Uncut Magazine, January 2009), used engineering to salvage it with reverse echo, an effect that he was to use later on You Shook Me, Whole Lotta Love and When The Levee Breaks.

1980:

People have commented on the fact that Jimmy Page has never chosen to acknowledge John Bonham's death on the Jimmy Page On This Day website home page. To me it's no mystery: Jimmy Page has always been very protective of his personal life, and his feelings about Bonzo's passing would be a most unlikely thing he would discuss in such a public way. 

Jimmy Page has also said that everything that needs to be known about him can be found in his music. I believe this is true about any musician who is true to his art. John Bonham was and remains the only drummer I can consistently listen to and hear music, not just rhythm. He has been called the best rock drummer in the world, and I can't disagree. RIP Bonzo.

1971 John Bonham/Led Zeppelin, Belfast

1977 John Bonham/Led Zeppelin, Landover (L Hensley photo)

RIP Bonzo

♪

♪  Ten Little Indians (Yardbirds, 1967) YouTube
♪  You Shook Me (Led Zeppelin, 1969/2014 remaster) YouTube
♪  When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin, Mothership 2007 remaster) YouTube
♪  Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin, Royal Albert Hall 1970) YouTube
♪  Bonzo's Montreux (John Bonham/Led Zeppelin, Coda Mix construction in progress 1976/2015 remaster) YouTube

 
[updated 25 September 2020]

On This Day 24 September

England, Japan, US, Mexico, Thailand: A whole lotta love of music for the whole world

1971 24 September On This Day Led Zeppelin, Tokyo at Budokan Hall (day 2)

• 1966 Yardbirds - Leeds, West Yorkshire, England at Leeds Odeon Theatre
• 1971 Led Zeppelin - Tokyo, Japan at   Budokan Hall (day 2 of 2)
• 1988 Jimmy Page - New Orleans, Louisiana at New Orleans Municipal Auditorium
• 1995 Page & Plant - Mexico City, Mexico at City El Palacio de Los Deportes Arena (day 2 of 2)
• 1998 Page & Plant - Phoenix, Arizona at American West Arena

1971 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin Tokyo Budokan Hall

1971 Led Zeppelin Tokyo

2011:
This was the first year of the Jesters Care for Kids Gala night, and the first that Jimmy Page attended.

2011 Jimmy Page with Jesters Gala chairman, Woody Underwood

2011 Jimmy Page with Jesters at Care for Kids Gala Night

♪

♪  Whole Lotta Love medley (Led Zeppelin, Tokyo at Budokan Hall 24 September 1971) YouTube
♪  Jimmy Page’s 8mm footage of Japan 

On This Day 23 September

JIMMY PAGE - the new boy of the group.

1966 23 September On This DayYardbirds at Royal Albert Hall

• 1966 Yardbirds - City of Westminster, London, England at Royal Albert Hall
• 1971 Led Zeppelin - Tokyo, Japan at Budokan Hall (day 1 of 2)
• 1988 Jimmy Page/Outrider - Dallas, Texas at Starplex Amphitheatre
• 1995 Page & Plant - Mexico City, Mexico at City El Palacio de Los Deportes Arena (day 1 of 2)
• 1998 Page & Plant - Las Vegas, Nevada at MGM Grand Garden Arena 

1966 Yardbirds at Royal Albert Hall

1966 Yardbirds promo photo

1971:
The Japanese idolized Led Zeppelin and seemed to be a refreshing change from the loud and disruptive US audiences the band had been experiencing. Robert Plant was probably pretty sick and tired of having to ask the crowds to quiet down, to stop throwing firecrackers and other objects, and to back away from the stage so people wouldn't get crushed. Not that Japanese audiences didn't want a piece of the boys - the band had to stop during Communication Breakdown because fans were crawling onto the stage.

1971 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - Tokyo, Japan at Budokan Hall (day 1 of 2)

1971 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - Tokyo, Japan at Budokan Hall (day 1 of 2)

1998 Page & Plant - Las Vegas, Nevada at MGM Grand Garden Arena

2012 Jimmy Page Artwork for Anthony Nolan 2013 charity auction

2012:
Anthony Nolan is a charity dedicated to saving the lives of people with blood cancer and blood disorders. The organization maintains a registry to match individuals willing to donate their blood stem cells or bone marrow to people with blood cancer and blood disorders who need transplants. In February 2013 Anthony Nolan held the "Bone Idol" auction of celebrities' drawings of bones on eBay to raise funds. Jimmy Page's drawing is in black ink on a blank postcard. It was autographed and dated on the front and came with a note from Jimmy Page's accountant. It sold for £205.00 ($315 today in US dollars).

♪

♪  Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin, Tokyo 23 September 1971) YouTube
♪  Stairway To Heaven (Led Zeppelin, Tokyo 23 September 1971) YouTube
♪  8mm footage of Led Zeppelin, Tokyo 23 September 1971) YouTube
♪  Heartbreaker (Page & Plant, Mexico City, 23 September 1995) YouTube
♪  Heartbreaker (Page & Plant, Las Vegas 1998) YouTube

On This Day 22 September

Blues. Ya gotta love the blues. Unless it's Kashmir.  You can love Kashmir, too.

1965 22 September On This Day John Mayall single produced by Jimmy Page

• 1965 John Mayall single produced by Jimmy Page released
• 2012 Jimmy Page at Jesters’ Care for Kids Gala 

I'm Your Witchdoctor & Telephone Blues singles produced by Jimmy Page

1965:

By this time, Jimmy Page had been around the block for a while. He was no pushover. Can you imagine his voice when he made his "suggestions" to the recording engineer? 

Jimmy Page's website has referred to his stint with Immediate Records a few times in the past couple of months. I posted about that on this blog HERE, HERE and HERE.

2012:

Different year, same event: The Jesters Care for Kids Gala. I posted about the 2013 event yesterday. In 2012 Jimmy Page donated a guitar that he had himself videoed playing to authenticate its provenance. The guitar sold for 423,000 Thai Baht (nearly $12,000 or  £7600 at today's exchange rate) in the auction at the annual Jesters Gala held in the tourist resort of Pattaya, Thailand on this day in 2012. I posted about this donation in another post earlier, and got the year wrong. Sorry.

2012 Jimmy Page plays Jesters Care For Kids Gala donation guitar

2012 Jimmy Page in Thailand signing guitar to be donated to Jesters

♪

♪  I'm Your Witchdoctor (John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers) YouTube
♪  Telephone Blues  (John Mayall and the Blues Breakers) YouTube
♪  On Top of the World (John Mayall and the Blues Breakers) YouTube
♪  Double Crossing Time (John Mayall and the Blues Breakers) YouTube
♪  To help get some good, healthy bids (Jimmy Page playing Kashmir on guitar to be donated to Jester's auction, 2012) YouTube

On This Day 21 September

If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.

~ Jimi Hendrix

1983 21 September On This Day Jimmy Page at Prince's Trust Rock Gala, Royal Albert Hall

• 1983 Jimmy Page - London, England, Prince’s Trust at Royal Albert Hall
• 1998 Page & Plant - San Diego, California at Cox Arena
• 2005 Jimmy Page made an honorary citizen of Rio
• 2009 Jimmy Page attends Jeff Beck concert at O2
• 2012 Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones at Celebration Day press conference
• 2013 Jimmy Page at Jester’s Care for Kids third annual Gala Party Night. 

1983: 

The night after the ARMS benefit, the same group of master musicians performed at another benefit concert at the Royal Albert Hall, the Prince's Trust Rock Gala.  The Prince's Trust was founded in 1976 by HRH The Prince Of Wales to support 13 to 30 year olds who are unemployed, struggling at school and who are at risk of exclusion. The first Prince's Trust Rock Gala was held at the Dominion Tottenham Court Road in 1982. 

2005:

Jimmy Page was awarded honorary citizenship in the state of Rio de Janeiro for his work with Brazil's poor and abandoned children via "Casa Jimmy,'' a residential shelter. The honorary citizenship was approved by the state legislature on Sept. 9, 2004 but Jimmy Page was unable to receive the award until a year later. His work in Brazil helped earn him the title Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, one of Britain's highest honors, awarded by Queen Elizabeth in June, 2005. 

2005 Jimmy Page made an honorary citizen of Rio

 2009:

2009 Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Ronnie Wood at Beck's O2 concert (Ross Halfin photo)

 2012:
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones held a press conference in London after launching the screening of Celebration Day, the concert film of the 2007 O2 reunion show.

The press conference covered the show, the band’s early career and the possibility of a reunion, with Page, Plant and Jones avoiding questions about any future reunion. At one point, Jimmy Page said, “Can I ask you a question? You’ve all been to see the film. Did you enjoy it?”

Asked why it took so long to release the DVD, John Paul Jones responded, “Five years is like five minutes in Zeppelin time.”

2012 John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page at Celebration Day movie release press conference, London

2013:
On this day in 2013 Jimmy Page attended the third annual Jester’s Care for Kids Gala Party Night, a fundraiser put on by Thailand's Jester's Motorcycle Club to benefit the Care for Kids charity. Jimmy Page supports this charty by attending the Gala Parties and donating items to be auctioned for the cause. In 2013 he donated boxed sets of CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray and vinyl copies of Led Zeppelin’s reunion concert in 2007, as well as four signed Ross Halfin photos in frames.

2013 Jimmy Page at third annual Jester's Gala Party Night, with auction winners of Ross Halfin photos 

♪

♪  Celebration Day movie trailer (2012) YouTube

♪  Celebration Day movie teaser/Kashmir (2012) YouTube

♫  Celebration Day press conference (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, 2012) YouTube

On This Day 20 September

A call to ARMS

1983 20 September On This Day Jimmy Page at Royal Albert Hall, ARMS benefit

• 1968 Led Zeppelin begins recording first album at Olympic Studios
• 1983 Jimmy Page - Royal Albert Hall, London for ARMS Concert

1983:
The ARMS Charity Concert started out with the idea for a single performance at Royal Albert Hall in London in support of Action into Research for Multiple Sclerosis (ARMS).  The concert was the brainchild of Ronnie Lane, former bassist for The Small Faces and The Faces, who had himself been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

The concert was such a success that it was decided to perform a further nine concerts in the US. These performances included Joe Cocker, with Paul Rodgers replacing Steve Winwood in Jimmy Page's set. 

There are a lot of nay-sayers out there who have decided that Jimmy Page was no good at the ARMS concerts. I simply say perhaps these people are "listening" with their eyes or their prejudices - and not their ears.

1983 20 September On This Day text

1983 Royal Albert Hall ARMS benefit musicians

1983 Jimmy Page, Royal Albert Hall ARMS benefit

1983 Jimmy Page, Royal Albert Hall ARMS benefit

1983 Jimmy Page, ARMS benefit

♪

♪  Prelude/City Sirens/Who's To Blame/Stairway to Heaven (Jimmy Page, ARMS RAH 1983) YouTube
♪   Layla (finale with all musicians, ARMS RAH 1983) YouTube
♪  Full concert with Ronnie Lane footage (ARMS RAH1983) YouTube