Sunday, February 11, 2024

On this day 11 February

 UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. I'm working on another (time consuming) project that takes precedence. Note that info on this page has not been fully updated yet and links may not work properly. Thank you for your patience.

A firm step back to music
1985 11 February On This Day The Firm released
AUDIO: Closer rehearsal track (Soundcloud)

  • 1967 The Yardbirds - Paris at La Locomotive
  • 1967 The Yardbirds - Aulney-sous-Bois, Paris at Le Tube
  • 1985 The Firm album released 
1985:
Jimmy Page seemed to have lost his musical way after John Bonham's death, but his work with The Firm was a step back to his creative life. The members of what was referred to as a supergroup were seasoned musicians that Jimmy Page could count on, but unlike with Led Zeppelin the combination wasn't an alchemical mix of talent that created a new and separate entity greater than the sum of its parts. 

I have no doubt that Jimmy Page was aware of what he had. He has said that the short lifespan of the band was planned, and for that I am grateful. The music is good but for Jimmy Page The Firm was a way to jump-start his career rather than a venue for musical magic.


Jimmy Page - The Firm years

1985 Jimmy Page


2020






♪  Make or Break (The Firm, 1985) 

♪ Midnight Moonlight (The Firm, 1985)




Saturday, February 10, 2024

On this day 10 February

 UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. I'm working on another (time consuming) project that takes precedence. Note that info on this page has not been fully updated yet and links may not work properly. Thank you for your patience.

Memphis yes or Memphis no?
1969 10 February On This Day Led Zeppelin Memphis (maybe)

  • 1968 The Yardbirds - London, England at Barlong Hall
  • 1969 Led Zeppelin - Memphis, TN at Memphis State University
  • 1975 Led Zeppelin - Landover, MD at Capital Centre
  • 2002 Jimmy Page receives an award from Traffic Musique (French TV) 

1969
There seems to be some disagreement as to whether Led Zeppelin did actually do a show at Memphis State University on this day. David Stanley, Elvis Presley's step-brother, reported on having attended the concert, as did several others. However, the key to the city was definitely something that happened in 1970 (referenced in various newspapers), when Led Zeppelin performed on 17 April. At the 1970 show Robert Plant stated: "We've waited for a long time to come to Memphis, in fact ever since we were born I think!" which makes it sound a lot like the band hadn't been there the year before.

Dave Lewis reported that Jimmy Page attempted to get some time for the band in the Sun Studio (shown in the On This Day photo) but that the studio was already booked.

1970:
On 31 January 1970 Robert Plant was in a car accident, a head-on collision while he was driving his Jaguar. He suffered from broken teeth and various severe cuts that no doubt needed stitches.The 07 and 17 February shows in Scotland were cancelled.
1975 Jimmy Page / Led Zeppelin Landover MD

1975 Jimmy Page / Led Zeppelin Landover MD

2002 Jimmy Page, Paris (Ross Halfin photo)



♪  Heartbreaker/Audience footage (Led Zeppelin, Landover 1975) 

♪  Led Zeppelin (Landover MD at  Capital Centre, 10 February 1975)

Friday, February 9, 2024

On this day 09 February

UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. I'm working on another (time consuming) project that takes precedence. Note that info on this page has not been fully updated yet and links may not work properly. Thank you for your patience.

Jimmy Page walks onstage and the place erupts.  As it should.

2002 09 February On This Day Jimmy Page
with Paul Weller's band at Teenage Cancer Trust, Royal Albert Hall
AUDIO: Wild Wood - Paul Weller (Soundcloud)

  • 1968 The Yardbirds - Cardiff, Wales at Top Rank Ballroom
  • 1996 Page & Plant Unledded Tour – Tokyo at Nippon Budokan
  • 2002 Jimmy Page with Paul Weller's Band - Teenage Cancer Trust at Royal Albert Hall  

2002:
On this day Jimmy Page and Robert Plant appeared separately at the Teenage Cancer benefit at Royal Albert Hall. The event was billed as "The Paul Weller Band with guests Jimmy Page, Gary Moore, plus Robert Plant & Strange Sensation".

This was Robert Plant’s first London appearance in over three years and Jimmy Page’s first for over two. Furthermore, while it had been seventeen years since Jimmy Page had last performed at RAH for the ARMS shows in September 1983, Robert Plant had not performed there since the Led Zeppelin days: 09 January 1970.

Dave Lewis' take on Jimmy Page at the 2002 show:
"[it was] as if someone had picked up the remote and switched the TV over everything changes.
"You can see the Gibson…Weller goes off, his band mates mill around, lights flash down…and there on stage is Jimmy Page.
"Cherubic smile, well cut shirt, slimmer than in very long time, low slung Gibson Les Paul and sure enough it’s Dazed And Confused the instrumental…
"The place erupts and throughout the eight minute performance there is no doubt that we are in the presence of a living legend..."
~ Dave Lewis, TBL

2002 Jimmy Page, Teenage Cancer Trust benefit at Royal Albert Hall (Freda Hyatt photos)

2002 Jimmy Page, Teenage Cancer Trust benefit at Royal Albert Hall (Freda Hyatt photo)



♪  Dazed And Confused (Jimmy Page with Paul Weller band, RAH 2002) 

I forgot to post this the other day
♫   NBC News report with a brief comment by Peter Grant 07 February 1975


Thursday, February 8, 2024

On this day 08 February

UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. I'm working on another (time consuming) project that takes precedence. Note that info on this page has not been fully updated yet and links may not work properly. Thank you for your patience.

Please listen to the song. And I don't mean the "popular" version.
2009 08 February On This Day a Grammy for Please Read The Letter
AUDIO: Please Read The Letter (Soundcloud)

  • 1969 Led Zeppelin - Chicago at Kinetic Playground
  • 1975 Led Zeppelin - Philadelphia at The Spectrum
  • 1996 Page & Plant Unledded Tour - Tokyo at Nippon Budokan 

1969 Led Zeppelin at Kinetic Playground, Chicago

1975 Jimmy Page / Led Zeppelin at The Spectrum, Philadelphia

1996:
Jimmy Page kind of bumbled his way into the two songs I've linked to below from the Tokyo show on this day. As Robert Plant said, though, about Tea for One it wasn't a song that Led Zeppelin had every played live in its entirety, and it was the first time that Robert Plant had performed it with Jimmy Page on guitar. 

Back in 1976 when Tea for One was recorded for Presence, Robert Plant's leg was still in a cast. Two versions were recorded at that session, one with a guitar solo and one without. I'm soooo glad that the one with the solo is the one that ended up on the album.  

2009:
I've provided links below to two versions of Please Read the Letter.  I fail to see why the Plant/Krauss version was the one that got the acclaim, but then, I am into rock music not syrupy folk love songs. No accounting for taste.

2010 January Ross Halfin and Jimmy Page




♪  Rain Song (Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy 1973/2014) 
♪  Rain Song (Page & Plant, Tokyo 08 February 1996) 
♪  Tea For One (Led Zeppelin, Presence 1976)  
♪  Tea For One  (Page & Plant, Tokyo 08 February 1996) 
♪  Please Read the Letter (Page & Plant, Walking into Clarksdale 1998) 
♪  Please Read the Letter (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss) 

♪ Led Zeppelin (Philadelphia at The Spectrum, 08 February 1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a31SIfygbfM&list=PLf62FjbXtD1JI5oPg0Xe4aZnxtokP5Xl-&index=95&pp=gAQBiAQB8AUB

♪ Page & Plant Unledded Tour (Tokyo at Nippon Budokan, 08 February 1996)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wr5_HJn7bw&list=PLf62FjbXtD1LDupHDsQYI3arCDZ2klemr&index=28&pp=gAQBiAQB8AUB

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

On this day 07 February

 UNDER CONSTRUCTION - working on another (time consuming) project that takes precedence. Note that info on this page has not been fully updated yet and links may not work properly. Thank you for your patience.

Best in show - any show anytime anyplace!
1975 07 February Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden

  • 1969 Led Zeppelin - Chicago at Kinetic Playground (day 1 of 2)
  • 1975 Led Zeppelin - New York City at Madison Square Garden (day 2 of 3) 

1969 Led Zeppelin at Kinetic Playground, Chicago
1975:
The three MSG shows were not on consecutive days but involved some traveling back and forth from other venues. Robert Plant was still fighting the flu.
1975 Jimmy Page / Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden

1975 Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden



♪  Rock and  Roll / Sick Again (Led Zeppelin MSG 07 February 1975) 
♪ Led Zeppelin (NYC at MSG, 07 February 1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXOF0698joU&list=PLf62FjbXtD1JI5oPg0Xe4aZnxtokP5Xl-&index=94&pp=gAQBiAQB8AUB

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Monday, February 5, 2024

ON this day 05 February

 UNDER CONSTRUCTION - working on another (time consuming) project that takes precedence. Note that info on this page has not been fully updated yet and links may not work properly. Thank you for your patience.


1965 05 February On This Day Marianne Faithfull's Come and Stay With Me, feat. Jimmy Page
AUDIO: Come and Stay With Me (Soundcloud)

  • 1965 "Come and Stay With Me (Marianne Faithful feat. Jimmy Page) released
  • 1996 Page & Plant Unledded Tour - Tokyo, Japan at Nippon Budokan 

1965:
According to a Wikipedia article, Marianne Faithfull's former manager Tony Calder told Mojo magazine in September 2008 that the song was written in Los Angeles, where he was with Jimmy Page who was then having an affair with Jackie DeShannon: "One night I couldn't get into our hotel room because Jimmy and Jackie DeShannon were shagging. So I yelled, 'When you've finished could you write a song for Marianne?'" DeShannon came up with this song plus, with Page, an album track, "In My Time of Sorrow." 

2002 Jimmy Page (Ross Halfin photo)

2015





 "Come and Stay With Me (Marianne Faithful feat. Jimmy Page)
♪ Page & Plant Unledded Tour (Tokyo, Japan at Nippon Budokan, 05 February 1996)