Thursday, November 2, 2023

On this day 02 November

 Blues can be happy

1985 02 November On This Day Blues 'N Booze benefit for Neville Hall

  • 1966 The Yardbirds Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour - Magnolia, AR at Southern State College
  • 1967 The Yardbirds - New York City at Village Theatre
  • 1969 Led Zeppelin - Toronto, Canada at O'Keefe Centre
  • 1985 Jimmy Page - Waltham St. Lawrence, England at Neville Hall - Blues 'N' Booze Benefit
  • 1998 Page & Plant - Glasgow, Scotland at SE+CC, Hall 4
  • 2009 Jimmy Page attends Classic Rock Awards, London 

1969:
While in Toronto John Bonham bought a miniature drum kit for his three year old son, Jason.
ca 1969 John Bonham and Jason Bonham 

1969 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin backstage, Toronto

1969 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin, Toronto
1985:
Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera was a British rock band active in the late 1960s. They started out as a soul and blues band called The Five Proud Walkers, but after opening for Pink Floyd on tour, the group went more towards psychedelic rock and changed their name to Velvet Opera. The band was comprised of Richard Hudson (drums), John Ford (bass), Colin Forster (lead guitar), Jimmy Horrocks (organ and flute), and Dave Terry, a.k.a. "Elmer Gantry" (vocals and harmonica). When Dave Terry started wearing a cape and preacher's hat like Burt Lancaster did in the title roll of the 1960 film based on Sinclair Lewis' novel, Elmer Gantry, the band's name changed again.  It wasn't the last time, either.

Neville Hall was originally a cottage held by the Manor of Waltham St Lawrence. In modern times it was used as a school, sold in 1913 to the Parish Council and became known as The Neville Hall in memory of the Reverend Honorable Grey Neville.

The House of Neville has been around since medieval times,and was a leading political force in English history. The House of Neville and the House of Percy were rivals, heavily involved with the machinations of the Wars of the Roses. However in 1569 the Houses Neville and Percy joined forces in the Rising of the North, the attempt to overthrow Elizabeth I and replace her with the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots.

To Brits, this is all recent history. For the rest of us, what's important is that Neville Hall is still used for community events, including concerts; and that Jimmy Page joined up with Elmer Gantry one night years ago to raise funds for the building.

2009:
According to Ross Halfin's diary, the Classic Rock Awards in London on this day was a guitarist extravaganza.  Attending were Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Ronnie Wood, Billy Gibbons, Pete Townshend, Joe Perry, Tony Iommi, Brian May, Slash, Mick Ralphs and Joe Bonamassa.

Among the other awards, John Bonham was posthumously awarded the Tommy Vance Inspiration Award, which was sponsored by Rhino and was accepted by Bonzo's sister, Deborah Bonham, and mother, Joan Bonham.

2009 Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers, Jimmy Page, Classic Rock Awards London
(Ross Halfin Photo)

2009 Slash, Ronnie Wood, Joe Perry, Jimmy Page
Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers, Classic Rock Awards (Ross Halfin Photo)



♪  Flames (Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, 1967) 
♪  Led Zeppelin (Toronto at O'Keefe Center, 02 November 1969) 
♪  Page & Plant (Glasgow at SE+CC Hall 4. 02 November 1998) 


Tuesday, October 31, 2023

On this day 31 October

 Lucifer, bringer of light.

2011 31 October On This Day Lucifer Rising
All Hallows Eve, Samhain or just dressing up and trick-or-treating - celebrate the day as you see fit, but stay safe.

  • 1966 The Yardbirds Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour - Beaumont, TX at Beaumont Municipal Auditorium
  • 1969 Led Zeppelin Springfield, MA at  Springfield Municipal Auditorium, Gansett Tribal Rock Festival 


1969 31 October On This Day Led Zeppelin, Springfield MA
And no, I am not providing a link to Homer Simpson singing anything.



♪  Lucifer Rising and Other Sound Tracks (Jimmy Page, 2011) YouTube

Saturday, October 28, 2023

On this day 28 October

 When one door closes, another is opened.

1966 28 October On This Day Yardbirds, Dick Clark's Caravan of the Stars Tour

  • 1966 The Yardbirds - Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour, Amarillo at Tri-State Fairgrounds Coliseum
  • 1967 The Yardbirds - St. Louis, MO at Washington University, Francis Fieldhouse
  • 1972 Led Zeppelin - Montreux, Switzerland at Pavillion Montreux (day 1)
  • 1988 Jimmy Page Outrider Tour - Uniondale, NY at Nassau Complex, Mitchel Field Complex 
1966:
Joining the Dick Clark tour might have been the straw that broke the camel's back for Jeff Beck and the Yardbirds.

The tour was a grueling endurance test for the participants, who were treated anything but like stars. Every show each act got to do a few songs and then the next band was up. Soon as the show was over everyone got in the bus with the other acts and their gear and were hauled off to the next gig. They did this day after day for a month at a time with no breaks. 

It was trial by fire. 

At this point, both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page were playing lead guitar, though it wasn't for long. Not long into the tour, Beck took off. While it must have been traumatic for the band, it was the opportunity for Jimmy Page and The Yardbirds' manager, Peter Grant, to move the band into a new musical direction, one that would ultimately morph into Led Zeppelin.  

1972:
Claude Knobs introduced Led Zeppelin at Montreux as the greatest rock and roll band in the world.  As Chris Charlesworth said in his Melody Maker review of the two shows, "it was a description taken for granted by many, but which suits only a few". 
1972 Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Backstage at Montreux

1972 Robert Plant, Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin at Montreux (Gilles Chateau photo)

1972 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin at Montreux (Gilles Chateau photo)


1972 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin at Montreux (Gilles Chateau photo)
1988:
"I want to introduce you to the mistress..."






♪  Full set (Jimmy Page, Outrider Tour Uniondale 1988) YouTube

Friday, October 27, 2023

On this day 27 October

 MSG makes your experience tastier

1995 27 October On This Day Page & Plant at Madison Square Garden (day 2)
Video:  ♪ Achilles Last Stand (Page & Plant, Atlanta 1995) YouTube

  • 1995 Page & Plant Unledded Tour - New York, NY at Madison Square Garden (day 2) 

1995 Page & Plant chillin' at MSG (Ross Halfin photo)




2013:
On this day musician, singer and songwriter Lou Reed died from liver disease. Just a few weeks before Jimmy Page had attended the London launch of the photobookTransformers, a joint project by Reed and Mick Rock.
RIP Lou Reed (1942-2013)
Jimmy Page, Lou Reed, Mick Rock in London shortly before Lou's death
2014
Financial Times, London (Anna Huix photo)