Monday, December 11, 2023

On this day 11 December

 Oh yes, the spirit of the band was shining bright

2007 11 December On This Day O2 afterglow
2023



  • 1972 Led Zeppelin - Cardiff, Wales at Capitol Theatre (day 1)

2007
A great description of the rehearsal and the concert itself by Frank Smith in the comments section of the 09 December post, Soundcheck

2007 Mojo Magazine cover

2007 Q Magazine cover
2007 Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, O2 concert (Ross Halfin photo)
What I love about the above photo, besides that it's a great photo by Ross Halfin, is the look on Jimmy Page's face. He so clearly loved playing together as Led Zeppelin again. 








♫  BBC Breakfast Show Interview (11 December 2007) YouTube
♫  Jimmy Page Interview about after the O2 concert: A nightmare (Blabbermouth news)


Sunday, December 10, 2023

On this day 10 December

 Beyond amazing and into the realm of Magick.


2007, the Concert of the Century
It's rock and roll, baby.  It's Jimmy Page.  It's Magick.

10 December Jimmy Page's On This Day (published 2020)


1998 and 2007 - 10 December On This Day, Page & Plant at Amnesty International Show
and Led Zeppelin/Jason Bonham at Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, O2
Videos: Black Dog  Gallows Pole

On this day 2023


  • 1966 The Yardbirds - Bristol, England at Student Union, Bristol University
  • 1968 Led Zeppelin - London, England at  Marquee Club
  • 1975 Led Zeppelin - St. Helier, UK at Behan's Park West (guest appearance with pianist Norman Hale)
  • 1998 Page & Plant, Amnesty International Concert - Paris, France at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
  • 2007 Led Zeppelin Ahmet Ertegun Tribute - London,England at O2 Arena  
1975
Robert Plant was still recovering from his August car accident, and the four members of Led Zeppelin were in Jersey for a few weeks. John Paul Jones and John Bonham were at a club where the resident pianist, Norman Hale, invited the two onstage to jam. Instead the full band showed up a week later for a 45 minute set with Hale at the piano and Plant seated on a stool, performing to an audience of a few hundred lucky souls.

1975 Led Zeppelin - St. Helier, UK at Behan's Park West
(guest appearance with pianist Norman Hale)
1998
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant performed When the World Was YoungBabe I'm Gonna Leave YouGallows Pole, and Rock and Roll at the last Human Rights Concert to benefit Amnesty International. The full 1998 performance with Page & Plant, among others, is available on Amazon.

1998 Page & Plant, Amnesty International Show, Paris

2007
Ahmet Ertegun (1923-2006) was a powerful figure in Led Zeppelin's career. He was founder and president of Atlantic Records and was a chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After hearing Led Zeppelin's demo recording, Ertegun immediately signed the then unknown band to his label.

At age 83 Ertegun was backstage at a Rolling Stones' concert at the Beacon Theater in New York when he tripped and fell, hitting his head on the cement. During the Led Zeppelin induction to the UK Music Hall of Fame on 14 November, 2006, Jimmy Page announced that Ertegun had gone into a coma. Ahmet Ertegun died on December 14, 2006 and was buried in his native Turkey.

The remaining members of Led Zeppelin organized an Ahmet Tribute Concert to raise money for the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund for university scholarships in the UK, US and Turkey. Although other performers were to share the stage, it was the reunion of Led Zeppelin, with Jason Bonham taking his father's place, that stole the headlines.

Over 20 million people tried for tickets.

2007 February, Led Zeppelin statement on passing of Ahmet Ertegun

2007 10 December, Led Zeppelin reunion, with Jason Bonham,
at Ahmut Ertegun Tribute concert, O2 Arena, London

2007 O2 ticket

2007 Dave Grohl with Scarlet Page and the "secret" setlist, before the show
(Ross Halfin photo)
Setlist:
Good Times, Bad Times
Ramble On
Black Dog
In My Time of Dying
For Your Life
Trampled Under Foot
Nobody's Fault But Mine
No Quarter
Since I've Been Lovin' You
Dazed and Confused
Stairway To Heaven
The Song Remains the Same
Misty Mountain Hop
Kashmir

Encore:
Whole Lotta Love
Rock and Roll
2007, the Concert of the Century

2007 Jimmy Page at the mic, O2

2007 Jimmy Page, O2 (Ross Halfin photo)

2007 Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, O2

2007 John Paul Jones, Jason Bonham, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant at O2 (Scarlet Page photo)




♪  Full set (Page & Plant, Amnesty International Paris 1998) YouTube
♪  Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (Page & Plant, Amnesty International Paris 1998) YouTube
♪ Gallows Pole (Page & Plant, Amnesty International Paris 1998) YouTube
♪  Good Times Bad Times with concert intro (Led Zeppelin with Jason Bonham, Ahmet Tribute Concert at O2, 2007) YouTube


Saturday, December 9, 2023

On this day 09 December

 Here comes the brilliance!

1964 09 December On This Day Jimmy Page at Brill Building
AUDIO: Here Comes the Night (Lulu)  Soundcloud


  • 1971 Led Zeppelin - Coventry, England at Coventry Locarno Ballroom
  • 1983 Jimmy Page ARMS Charity Concert Tour - New York at Madison Square Garden (day 2)
  • 1984 Jimmy Page The Firm - London, England at Hammersmith Odeon  (day 2) 
1964
The Brill Building is famous for its music industry tenants.

Text from Jimmy Page's website:
I visited the Brill Building in New York.
I arrived in New York today in 1964, in transit to Los Angeles as a guest of Bert Berns and his wife Ilene. It was my first time in the US. Bert was a legendary R&B producer and songwriter for Atlantic Records who was responsible for countless hits including The Isley Brothers' Twist & Shout, Irma Franklin's Piece of My Heart and Solomon Burke’s Everybody Needs Somebody. During my stay Bert took me to the legendary Brill Building and Atlantic Records where I met Jerry Wexler, Nesuhi Ertegun and Tom Dowd. When people visit America, the very first port of entry always has a lasting effect on them. It certainly did for me, feeling the energy of New York and being introduced to these musical icons.
I had first met Bert when he came over to England. Atlantic Records were being distributed by Decca in the UK at the time. It was a pretty unique situation to have a producer come over from the States to work with in-house artists. One of the sessions that Bert did in London was Here Comes the Night with Lulu, which he was also to produce with them. Lulu’s version was recorded in Decca Studios in Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead. She sings a really credible version, which is worth hearing. I played guitar on this and also did some guitar overdubs on it.
1971
The show is interrupted after the first three songs by an IRA bomb scare.  Although authorities attempted to clear the building, many in the audience just took it as an opportunity to score closer positions to the stage.

Later, during Dazed and Confused, Jimmy Page lost his grip on his bow and it flew out into the crowd.

1983
"On the ARMS tour I realized the fans wanted me back."
~ Jimmy Page, as quoted by Dave Lewis

How could he have ever thought otherwise?  

1983 Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, ARMS MSG

1983 Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, ARMS MSG
1984
Full Circle, written by Gene Clark in 1972, refers to a wheel of fortune and the unpredictable nature of fame and fortune. It was released initially by Clark exclusively in The Netherlands, but is probably more known for its inclusion on the Byrds' 1973 reunion album, and has been covered by a number of musicians.


1984 Jimmy Page / The Firm Hammersmith Odeon London
2007
What exquisite torture it was waiting for this concert. What frustration it was if you were one of the many millions who couldn't be there (that would include me).

2007 09 December - getting ready for the concert of the century



 Jimmy Page/ARMS (New York City at Madison Square Garden day 2 - JP starts at 1:08:40, 09 December 1983)
♪  Jimmy Page/The Firm (London at Hammersmith Odeon, 09 December 1984) 
♫  Pre-show, interviews, concert footage (Jimmy Page/The Firm, Hammersmith Odeon London 1984)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

On this day 06 December

 The boys were hot, weren't they!


1991 06 December On This Day Jimmy Page at Little Mountain Studios

  • 1969 Led Zeppelin - Chatenay-Malabry, Paris at L'Ecole Centrale Chatenay-Malabry
  • 1983 Jimmy Page ARMS Charity Concert - Inglewood, CA at The Forum (day 2)

1991
In March of 1991 Jimmy Page jammed with Les Paul at Paul's Fat Tuesday's gig and while in NYC Coverdale and Page began talking about a collaboration. They first got together to see if they could write new music at Coverdale's Lake Tahoe residence, resulting in "Absolution Blues". They moved to Barbados to continue the work until May, when they returned to Nevada. The two jammed in Reno with the band, Poison. JP fell into the stage pit - but climbed out and continued to play. There may have been chemical substances involved. At the end of May JP joined a local band, Solid Ground to play the whole set list. 

By November, Coverdale and Page had begun recording their first and only album, using analog equipment to get the sound they were looking for. Rhythm tracks were recorded at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, vocals and overdubs were recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida. Additional recording took place at Abbey Road Studios in London, and Highbrow Productions, Coverdale's home studio in Nevada. 

Coverdale/Page was released 15 March 1993 to mixed reviews. Mage Music thinks it's a damned good album, for what that's worth.



♪  Led Zeppelin (Chatenay-Malabry Paris at L'Ecole Centrale Chatenay-Malabry, 06 December 1969)
♪  Jimmy Page ARMS Charity Concert (Inglewood, CA at The Forum - day 2, 06 December 1983)
♪  Feeling Hot demo (Coverdale-Page, 06 December 1991) 

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

On this day 05 December

 

1984 05 December On This Day Jimmy Page with The Firm at Hamburg
  • 1983 Jimmy Page ARMS Charity Concert - Inglewood, CA at The Forum 
  • 1984 Jimmy Page The Firm - Hamburg, Germany at Audiomax
  • 2007 Led Zeppelin + Jason Bonham, Shepperton rehearsal

2007
Ross Halfin photos of Shepperton rehearsal 












♪  Jimmy Page ARMS Charity Concert (Inglewood, CA at The Forum, 05 December 1983) 
♪  Jimmy Page The Firm (Hamburg, Germany at Audiomax, 05 December 1984)
♪  Led Zeppelin + Jason Bonham, Shepperton rehearsal, 05 December 2007)

Monday, December 4, 2023

On this day 04 December

 Led Zeppelin.  The end of an era of greatness but never the end of the Magick.

1980 04 December On This Day Led Zeppelin disbanded 
  • 1966 The Yardbirds - Lima, OH at Springbrook Gardens Teen Club
  • 1972 Led Zeppelin - Glasgow Scotland at Green's Playhouse (day 2)
  • 1980 Led Zeppelin disbanded
  • 1984 Jimmy Page The Firm - Ludwigshafen, Germany at Pfalzbau

1980
To "disband" is to break up an organized group; to cause the break up and end the functioning of an organized group. The word is even more apt when applied to a musical group - a band.


Disbanding is not the same as saying the members of the group can't keep going on individually.  They can "reband", they can soar on their own, they just can never go back to what they were.

The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not "get over" the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.
~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross & David Kessler, On Grief and Grieving
1984
“The main aim is to play some rock ‘n’ roll and have some fun.
Jimmy Page

1984 Jimmy Page The Firm - Ludwigshafen, Germany at Pfalzbau

1984 Jimmy Page The Firm - Ludwigshafen, Germany at Pfalzbau



♪   Led Zeppelin, Glasgow Scotland at Green's Playhouse - day 2, 04 December1972) 
♪  Jimmy Page The Firm (Ludwigshafen Germany at Pfalzbau, 04 December 1984)

♪  All the King's Horses (The Firm, 1986) YouTube
Note that Paul Rodgers was married to Machiko Shimizu when this song was written

Sunday, December 3, 2023

On this day 03 December

 Remembering Michael Lee.

1972 03 December On This Day Led Zeppelin at Green's Playhouse, Glasgow

  • 1972 Led Zeppelin - Glasgow, Scotland at Green's Playhouse
  • 1973 Jimmy Page with Roy Harper - London, England at Royal Albert Hall  
  • 1983 Jimmy Page ARMS Charity Concert Tour - Daly City, CA at  Cow Palace
  • 1984 Jimmy Page The Firm - Frankfurt, Germany at Kongresshalle
  • 1998 Page & Plant - Frankfurt, Germany at Festhalle Frankfurt 

1972 Led Zeppelin at Greens Playhouse, souvenir book

1972 Led Zeppelin at Greens Playhouse, souvenir book

1972 Led Zeppelin at Greens Playhouse, souvenir book

1972 Led Zeppelin at Greens Playhouse, souvenir book

1972 Led Zeppelin at Greens Playhouse, souvenir book
1973
Jimmy Page joined Roy Harper on stage at Royal Albert Hall for a guest appearance, playing Male Chauvinist Pig Blues.  According to Dave Lewis, the concert was professionally taped but never released. If anyone has this performance of the song with Jimmy Page playing, please share!

1983
Last date of ARMS gig at Cow Palace
1983 Jimmy Page ARMS at Cow Palace (Larry Hulst/Getty Images)

1983 Jimmy Page ARMS at Cow Palace (Philip Anderson photo)

1984 Jimmy Page with The Firm, Frankfurt
2008
Jimmy Page attended the Darlington, England funeral of drummer Michael Lee, who had died from an epileptic seizure at 39 years old.
2008 Jimmy Page at drummer Michael Lee's funeral
2012
Read Dave Lewis' text of a Steve Sauer report on the Late Show with Dave Letterman appearance of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones and Robert Plant.
2012  Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Dave Letterman 

2015
JP signed a guitar for a charity auction but I've lost the details of the event. Anyone know?







♪ Led Zeppelin (Glasgow Scotland at Green's Playhouse, 03 December 1972)
 Jimmy Page ARMS Charity Concert Tour (Daly City CA at Cow Palace - day 3, 03 December 1983)