On this day 11 November

 ...a different smile like that of one who knows.

1966 11 November On This Day The Yardbirds on Milton Berle scheduled, actually aired 02 December

• 1966 The Yardbirds – Indianapolis at Indiana Fairgrounds Coliseum
• 1967 The Yardbirds - Vancouver, Canada at PNE Garden Auditorium
• 1971 Led Zeppelin - Newcastle upon Tyne, England at Newcastle City Hall 
• 1988 Jimmy Page Outrider Tour - Portland, ME at Cumberland Civic Center
• 1994 Page & Plant - Later with Jools Holland scheduled on BBC
• 1997 Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions released
• 1997 The Girl I Love / Whole Lotta Love single released
• 2014 Jimmy Page book event, Los Angeles at Barnes and Noble 
• 2015 Led Zeppelin - Classic Rock Reissue of the Year award

1966:

The filming that took place in October was scheduled to be aired on the Milton Berle Show on this day actually was telecast on 02 December.

1969/1997:

The Girl I Love was recorded in 1969 but was released on the BBC sessions and as a single in 1997.  Compare to Moby Dick.

1971 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - Newcastle upon Tyne, England at Newcastle City Hall

2014:
Terry Reid, the vocalist who turned down the Led Zeppelin offer, came to Jimmy Page's book event in Los Angeles. How different things would have turned out. Not necessarily better, just different.

2014 Jimmy Page & Terry Reid at book event, Los Angeles (Ross Halfin photo)

2015:
Photos & video from the Classic Rock Awards.  Jimmy Page accepted the Reissue of the Year award for Led Zeppelin.

2016
Classic Rock Awards Tokyo

♪

♪  Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (Yardbirds - lipsynched - for Milton Berle Show 1966) 
♪  The Girl I Love (Led Zeppelin, BBC Sessions)  
♪  Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin How the West Was Won 1972) 
♪  Led Zeppelin (Newcastle at Newcastle City Hall, 11 November 1971) 
♪  Jimmy Page Outrider (Portland ME at Cumberland Civic Center, 11 November 1988)

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

 

On this day 27 June

 When Jimmy Page calls...

1999 27 June On This Day Jimmy Page with Black Crowes at Scream charity event

• 1966 The Yardbirds - Provins, France at Tour de Cesar - Provins Rock Festival
• 1969 Led Zeppelin - Westminster, London  at Playhouse Theatre - BBC Radio Session 
• 1972 Led Zeppelin - Long Beach, CA at Long Beach Arena
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Inglewood, CA at The Forum
• 1980 Led Zeppelin - Nuremberg, Germany at Nuremberg Messehalle
• 1998 Page & Plant - Auburn Hills, MI at The Palace at Auburn Hills
• 1999 27 June On This Day Jimmy Page with the Black Crowes at  charity event in London for Task Brazil / ABC Trust

1980:

Only three songs played and then the show was cancelled. Plant warned the audience before they started playing that two of the band members weren't feeling well. Bonzo had gorged on bananas prior to the show for some reason, and suffered the inevitable consequences. The show was abandoned.

 

1999:

Task Brasil Trust was established in the UK in 1992. Its mission is to improve the lives and support the needs of children and pregnant girls living on the streets in Brasil. In 1997 Jimmy Page made a major donation to Task Brasil after having seen the plight of children in Rio de Janeiro when he was there performing. The donation was used to buy the land and house for "Casa Jimmy", which provides a home for abandoned street kids and pregnant teens.

Action for Brazil’s Children Trust (ABC Trust) is is also a UK based charity dedicated to helping children and young people in cities across Brazil. ABC was founded by Jimena Pratcha, with Jimmy Page as the founding patron. Other patrons include Brian May, Jeremy Irons and Pelé.

1977 27 June Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin final night at LA Forum (Photo Paul Dahbour)

1980 27 June Led Zeppelin at Nuremberg Germany

♪ Led Zeppelin (Long Beach CA at Long Beach Arena, 27 June 1972) 

♪ Led Zeppelin (Inglewood CA at The Forum, 27 June 1977) 

♪ Led Zeppelin (Nuremberg Germany atNuremberg Messehalle [Bonham collapses, show stopped], 27 June 1980)

Chris Robinson:  "When Jimmy Page gives a call and wants us to be his band... you don't turn it down."

♫  Scream 99 Cafe De Paris ABC Trust (Tommy Vance for VH-1, 1999) YouTube

On This Day 23 June

 The man's got a lot of moves.

2010 23 June On This Day Jimmy Page at Rio De Janeiro Ivo  Meirelles Samba Drum School

• 1966 The Yardbirds - Ashton-under-Tyne, Manchester, England at Mecca Palais
• 1972 Led Zeppelin - San Diego, CA at San Diego Sports Arena
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Inglewood, CA at The Forum
• 1980 Led Zeppelin - Bremen, Germany at Bremen Stadthalle
• 2010 23 June On This Day Jimmy Page at Rio De Janeiro Ivo  Meirelles Samba Drum School

1972 23 June Led Zeppelin at San Diego (Photo = ?)

1972 23 June Led Zeppelin at San Diego (Photo = ?)

1972 23 June Led Zeppelin at San Diego (Photo Richard Brown)

1977 23 June LA Forum - Raymond fixes the guitar strap

The LA Forum shows are considered some of the best of Led Zeppelin's performances. The 23 June show is referred to the Badge Holders show as Robert Plant made several dedications to the badge holder people. One of the high quality bootlegs of this show is entitled For Badgeholders Only..

The boys were so hot that night that no one faults the show for some fumbles.  The whole band stopped to wait after the first song when Jimmy's strap on double-neck broke and Raymond fixed it. Keith Moon of The Who showed up on stage during Over The Top (Moby Dick) and appeared on and off thereafter.  The band got lost after John Paul Jones missed a change during Kashmir, a song that sounds deceptively simple to play but isn't.  Mr. Jones has been quoted as saying he stuck a piece of a paper on his keyboards to help him remember.

1977 23 June Keith Moon crashes Led Zeppelin show at LA Forum

2010 23 June Jimmy Page at Rio De Janeiro Ivo Meirelles Samba Drum School

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS - Music will be added at another time.  Thank you for your patience.

On This Day 20 June

 Dr. Rock God.

2008 20 June On This Day Honorary Doctorate from University of Surrey

• 1969 Led Zeppelin - Newcastle upon Tyne, England at Newcastle City Hall
• 1980 Led Zeppelin - Brussels, Belgium at Vorst Nationaal
• 2008 20 June On This Day Honorary Doctorate from University of Surrey

2008 Jimmy Page at Guildford Cathedral
after receiving an Honorary Doctorate from the University o f Surrey

1969

1980

1980 Led Zeppelin Tour Over Europe, Brussels (Photo Mark Staples)

Pat's Delight was named for John Bonham's wife Pat. The song evolved into Moby Dick, which was named by Jason Bonham, and later morphed into Over The Top. Jimmy Page's guitar riffs changed for the various versions as well. 

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS - Music will be added at another time.  Thank you for your patience.

On This Day 14 June

 Two NY concerts, including the final explosive night of Madison Square Garden in 1977

1972 14 June On This Day Led Zeppelin - Uniondale, NY at Nassau Memorial Coliseum

• 1972 14 June On This Day Led Zeppelin - Uniondale, NY at Nassau Memorial Coliseum
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - New York, NY at Madison Square Garden

1972 Led Zeppelin - Uniondale, NY at Nassau Memorial Coliseum.
Steve Jones collection,  photo: Ed Stasium

I've said it before and I'll say it again: It's tough being a rock star. Yesterday in 2015 Dave Grohl took a fall off the stage in Sweden during a Foo Fighters concert and fractured his leg, though he came back on stage to continue the show.

Jimmy Page has had a few of his onstage mishaps, too, suffering more than broken bones.  At the close of the final night at MSG some a**hole in the audience threw a firecracker (said to be an M-80) at the stage. The explosion damaged Jimmy Page's right hand, fortunately for the world not causing permanent damage. He left the stage, but came back out to finish up the concert with bloody bandages to perform Whole Lotta Love and Rock and Roll.

1977 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - Madison Square Garden. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp

1977 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - Madison Square Garden. Kashmir. (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)

1977  Jimmy Page at MSG.  Gibson EDS-1275  double neck guitar (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)

1977 MSG - John Bonham at the end of Moby Dick.
This is such a great photo.  If anyone could supply the photographer's name, I'd appreciate it.

♪  Led Zeppelin (Uniondale, NY 14 June 1972) 
♪  Led Zeppelin (Madison Square Garden  14 June 1977) 

On This Day 14 May

Who ever said it was easy being a rock god?

1991 On This Day Jimmy Page & David Coverdale,
jam with Poison, fall through stage floor

• 1967 The Yardbirds - London England
• 1973 Led Zeppelin - New Orleans LA at Municiple Auditorium
• 1986 The Firm - Kansas City MO at Kemper Arena
• 1988 Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham - New York City at Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, Madison Square Garden 
• 1991 Jimmy Page, David Coverdale, with Poison - Reno NV at Lawlor Events Center 
• 2014 Interviews in NYC for Remasters releases

1973:

"Before Moby Dick Plant said: “I once heard a song called The Witch Queen of New Orleans. Well, tonight, I’m pleased to announce that John Bonham is The Drag Queen Of New Orleans!" Page laughs so much that he enters the piece late…"
~ From Dave Lewis’s Led Zeppelin: The Concert File, describing the 1973 show in New Orleans

After this show the band members attended a party at Cosimo Recording Studios (note that this event has been posted elsewhere as occurring in 1972, but in May 1972 the band was recording at Stargroves, Mick Jagger's country home, and subsequently at Olympic Studios in England).

1973 Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Ernie K-Doe, after-show party at Cosimo Recording Studios, New Orleans 

1988 Jimmy Page, Jason Bonham & Robert Plant, Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, NYC at Madison Square Garden [not in photo: John Paul Jones]

1988 Jimmy Page& Robert Plant, Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, NYC at Madison Square Garden

1991:
Jimmy Page and David Coverdale jammed with Poison during the American band's encore at their show in Reno.  Despite Jimmy Page's falling into the stage pit, he rallied to join in with Rock And Roll, The Rover and Stairway To Heaven.

On This Day text:
During the early part of May 1991, I had been writing with David Coverdale at his house in Nevada, in preparation for a joint project album. On May 14th, another act with his management, Poison, were playing at Reno. We took the evening off to go and see them. I wasn’t that keen, but was encouraged to come up and play someone else’s guitar on a version of 'Rock and Roll' with David on vocals. We were introduced stage centre and as the number began I started moving and playing to stage left out of the spotlight. I found myself falling through a pryo pit that was cut into the stage and nobody had warned me about it. I emerged with a few cracked ribs and a broken guitar but I still managed to carry on until the end of the song! Apart from a few twinges, this didn’t affect the ongoing writing process with David.

2014 Jimmy Page interview in New York City. Craig Robertson/Toronto Sun/QMI Agency

2014 14 May “I knew what I was doing, and I didn’t want anybody getting in the way of it.” ~ Jimmy Page
Credit: Damon Winter/The New York Times 

♪

♪ Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin New Orleans 1973)  YouTube
♪  Full set (Page, Plant, Jones & Jason Bonham, Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary 1988) YouTube

♪ Mage Music 1 playlist at YouTube
♪ Mage Music 2 playlist at YouTube
♪ Page & Plant playlist at YouTube

On This Day11 November

...a different smile like that of one who knows.

1966 11 November On This Day The Yardbirds on Milton Berle scheduled, actually aired 02 December

• 1966 The Yardbirds – Indianapolis at Indiana Fairgrounds Coliseum
• 1967 The Yardbirds - Vancouver, Canada at PNE Garden Auditorium
• 1971 Led Zeppelin - Newcastle upon Tyne, England at Newcastle City Hall 
• 1988 Jimmy Page Outrider Tour - Portland, ME at Cumberland Civic Center
• 1994 Page & Plant - Later with Jools Holland scheduled on BBC
• 1997 Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions released
• 1997 The Girl I Love / Whole Lotta Love single released
• 2014 Jimmy Page book event, Los Angeles at Barnes and Noble 
• 2015 Led Zeppelin - Classic Rock Reissue of the Year award

1966:

The filming that took place in October was scheduled to be aired on the Milton Berle Show on this day actually was telecast on 02 December.

1969/1997:

The Girl I Love was recorded in 1969 but was released on the BBC sessions and as a single in 1997. Compare Jimmy Page's guitar riff for this song with Moby Dick.

1971 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - Newcastle upon Tyne, England at Newcastle City Hall

2014 Jimmy Page & Terry Reid at book event, Los Angeles (Ross Halfin photo)

2014:
Terry Reid, the vocalist who turned down the Led Zeppelin offer, came to Jimmy Page's book event in Los Angeles. How different things could have turned out.

2015:
Photos & video from the Classic Rock Awards.  Jimmy Page accepted the Reissue of the Year award for Led Zeppelin.

Ten more years to go.  I mean days.

♪

♪  Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (Yardbirds - lipsynched - for Milton Berle Show 1966)YouTube
♪  The Girl I Love (Led Zeppelin, BBC Sessions) YouTube
♪  Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin II 1969) YouTube
♪  Dazed and Confused (Led Zeppelin, Newcastle 1971) YouTube
♪  Going to California / That's the Way (Led Zeppelin, BBC Sessions released 1997) 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]