Showing posts with label Top Gear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Top Gear. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

On This Day 14 April

Led Zeppelin appeared on BBC Radio's Top Gear 14 April 1969

Led Zeppelin at BBC Radio's Top Gear 14 April 1969

  • 1967 Yardbirds - Vesterhavshallen Fredericia Denmark
  • 1967 Yardbirds - Teatersalen, Ringkjobing Denmark 
  • 1968 Yardbirds - Sun Island Park, NY USA 
  • 1969 Led Zeppelin - BBC Radio
  • 1970 Led Zeppelin - Civic Center, Ottawa ON

1969

This was probably the first Led Zeppelin version of Dazed & Confused recorded for BBC radio, and certainly the first audition panel for Led Zeppelin. 
The setlist is:
  • I Can't Quit You Baby
  • Communication Breakdown
  • Dazed & Confused
The trial broadcast was then sent to the production panel.  Audition report.

These studio sessions and a live concert recorded for the BBC resulted in the multi-disc album, the BBC Sessions released November 1997, which was compiled and mastered by Jimmy Page.  The first disc contains material from four different 1969 BBC sessions; the second contains most of the April 1971 concert from the Paris Theatre in London; the third disc was only included in a limited run of album releases and features interviews from 1969, 1976/1977, and 1990.

Session one
John Peel's Top Gear
Venue: Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London
Recording date: Monday 3 March 1969
Original broadcast: Sunday 23 March 1969 (in a show with sessions from Free, the Moody Blues and Deep Purple)
Tracks: Disc 1; 1, 2 and 4. Also included a version of "Communication Breakdown".
Producer: Bernie Andrews
Engineer: Pete Ritzema
Tape operator: Bob Conduct

Session two
Alexis Korner's Rhythm and Blues, (BBC World Service)
Venue: Maida Vale Studio 4, Delaware Road, London
Recording date: Wednesday 19 March 1969
Original broadcast: Monday 14 April 1969
Tracks: "I Can't Quit You Baby", "You Shook Me" and "Sunshine Woman". The session was wiped or lost by the BBC, although recordings survive on bootlegs. The show was re-run later in 1969, adding the recording of "What Is And What Should Never Be" from the June 16 session.
Producer: Jeff Griffin

Session three
Chris Grant's Tasty Pop Sundae (although originally commissioned for Dave Symond's Symonds On Sunday show)
Venue: Aeolian Hall studio 2, Bond Street, London
Recording Date: Monday 16 June 1969
Original Broadcast: Sunday 22 June 1969
Tracks: Disc 1; 3,5 and 10. The session also included a prototype version of "What Is and What Should Never Be".
Producer: Paul Williams

Session four
John Peel's Top Gear (Double recording session)
Venue: Maida Vale studio 4, Delaware Road, London
Recording date: Tuesday 24 June 1969
Original broadcast: Sunday 29 June 1969
Tracks: Disc 1; 6-9. (track 8; Travelling Riverside Blues, is the same version that appears on the reissued/remaster of Coda as a bonus track)
Producer: John Walters
Engineer: Tony Wilson

Session five
One Night Stand
Venue: Playhouse Theatre
Recording date: Friday 27 June 1969
Original broadcast: Sunday 10 August 1969
Tracks: Disc 1; 11-14. Also included a version of "Dazed and Confused", plus "White Summer"/"Black Mountain Side" (which was released on the 1990 Led Zeppelin boxed set.)

Session six
In Concert (Emcee John Peel)
Venue: Paris Theatre, Lower Regent Street, London
Recording date: Thursday 1 April 1971
Original broadcast: Sunday 4 April 1971
Tracks: Disc 2; all tracks. Also included a version of "Communication Breakdown" and "What Is and What Should Never Be". The "Whole Lotta Love" medley has had "For What It's Worth", "Trucking Little Mama" and "Honey Bee" edited out, shortening the medley by about 7 minutes.
Producer: Jeff Griffin
Engineer: Tony Wilson

 ♪ BBC Sessions - YouTube