PAGE & PLANT - UNLEDDED

In 1994 the World of Led Zeppelin was in a state of flux. Robert's solo career was on a high, his latest elpee Fate Of Nations was his finest to date, and featured the kind of widescreen folk arrangements that would both lean back on the legacy and legend of Led Zeppelin and look forward to the remarkable Unledded project. Jimmy had rebuilt his career and legend in the post Zeppelin years, and was rising again. 

After the disappointment of no post Remasters reunion he finally grabbed the ball with both hands and recorded the Coverdale Page elpee with the former Deep Purple and Whitesnake frontman. It was a shock, not least because of press led and fuelled feuds between Robert and Coverdale. Jimmy, for his part, used the project as a vehicle to showcase and celebrate the guitar styles he invented, pioneered and played with such joy and celebratory ease.

As 1993 drew to a close, Robert was approached by MTV to record and perform the final 'Unplugged' show. Despite the pride in his own songs he knew he just performing those wouldn't be enough, nor would playing Led Zeppelin material without (at the very least) his old sparring partner. 

The Coverdale Page US Tour scheduled for the late summer of '93 had stalled amid rumours of poor ticket sales and management and internal squabbles. A lucrative stint in Japan just before christmas was arranged and were to be the only 7 live shows they played. 

Jimmy and Robert met in Boston where Robert was playing. Jimmy later remarked "he had 3 guitarists all trying to be me and I could do what the 3 of them did by myself!". Further meetings aiming at a collaboration were agreed, and Jimmy went off to prepare for the Japanese shows. 

At the time the rumour was Jimmy's working with Coverdale was an insult aimed at Robert, but true or not it was certainly a contributing factor in the 'reunion' process. So in 1994 the collaboration was on. In February Jimmy took loop rhythm tapes from French producer Martin Meissonnier to Robert at rehearsals in Kings Cross, London and the two way olive branch was grasped. It worked. 

Using Robert's Fate Of Nations rhythm section Michael Lee and Charlie Jones they performed an enthusiastic 5 track set at Buxton Opera House at the Alexis Korner tribute on April 17th.The 2 untitled 'new' tracks showed a musical affinity and confidence within the new set up. 

From that point on an array of musicians were auditioned and assembled, and with the MTV special confirmed, the idea of both a western string section and middle eastern, and as it turned out Egyptian orchestra was floated and rehearsed into shape.

Rumours were strong and varied throughout the summer. Our second Led Zeppelin Fan Convention in London 'Dancing Days' was awash with what was going down, and even Jason Bonham couldn't (or wouldn't) shed any clear light on the activities during his more than welcome appearance over the weekend. True to form, the warm response and great attendance over the 3 days convinced me that at least within the fan fraternity all was well and enthusiastically positive. 

In July we kinda knew something big was building, getting closer. For me, the biggest negative, the greatest sadness was the omission from the project of John Paul Jones. I think the politics of Robert and Jimmy reuniting and reworking Led Zeppelin material was enough of a quagmire and headache, and Jimmy in particular was so pleased to be working with Robert again he almost agreed carte blanche to whatever vision and format his singer suggested. Understandably Jonesy was unhappy at the rebuff. I love his wry observation "I was with Diamanda (Galas) waiting to go onstage and their MTV thing came on the TV. It amused me they had 2 people covering my parts on Thank You. Then I went and played the gig". Go Jonesy!

Politics and conspiracy theories aside, Page & Plant spent much of August filming new material in a variety of exotic settings, from jamming in the Djemma El Fna square in Marrakesh to the Corris Slate Quarry within a slate's throw of Bron-Y-Aur. 

From the week commencing Monday August 22nd LWT Studios were readied for set up, rehearsal and finally two evenings of filmed performance for the cameras and an invited audience. 

It was indeed 27 years ago that the first performance took place, but it could have been 27 hours ago!. I remember the tension, the stress and the rumour building up to it. A couple of weeks before the show it became clear that several of us weren't lucky enough to secure invitations. 

There were a lot of irate calls and emotional conversations then for sure, and things did unravel a bit. Finally, thanks to a carefully but critically worded letter from my lady at the time Janet, I got a call from Rex King who offered me 9 tickets for each night, from Jimmy's own personal allocation,  for some of the 'key' Zeppelin fans who I knew that were unlucky to have not been invited. On the spot I did what I could and it was all set for Thursday. It was a nervous pre-gig meet on the banks of the Thames as old friends and co collaborators met excitedly to almost check with each other it was really happening. 

Finally, Paul, Julian, Eddie, Alan, Simon and the rest of us shuffled our way through the obviously tight security, including two metal detectors!, and were shown to our seats. We were told to wear the same clothes for both shows for continuity and we would be sitting in the same seats. Both of these comments were unfounded! Ended up a few rows back dead centre on the 1st night, waiting excitedly for it all to kick off. 

To be honest, the two nights kinda mould into one as I think back. The sheer unbridled excitement of the first night was something else, I remember most of us couldn't actually believe we were there and it was actually happening. It must have been just after 8, we'd been in there for a couple of hours from the queue to our seats, when they were introduced and strolled onto the stage. The set looked fresh and vibrant, the band nervous and ready. 

Thank You started with a quiet, almost apologetic start and was okay. The new arrangement, especially Jimmy's second solo, lifted the whole place and you could hear the roar of relief as Robert's tambourine sketch brought it to a close. 

What Is And What Should Never Be continued the theme of Led Zeppelin II (Robert had been leaning heavily on the Brown Bomber during his Fate Of Nations shows) and again was nervous. Jimmy fluffed the slide solo and started over, and furtive glances betrayed the pressure and edge buzzing around the studio. 

And then it got serious. Indian vocalist (and soon to be another Robert squeeze) Najma Akhtar joined the fray for a wonderfully reworked The Battle Of Evermore. A beautiful quintessentially English playlet on the 4th elpee, what it loses here is largely recovered by Najma's haunting eastern harmonies and the light, deft arrangement. With Nigel Eaton's grinding hurdy gurdy and additional bhodran percussion, it's wonderful. The first standing ovation of the evening. It's left us all in a bit of a state of shock to be honest. Hardly unplugged, certainly undrugged (!), and definitely unleashed. The new direction, same pictures in a different frame, is so evident already. Najma exits stage right and the rest remain for an expected reworking. Gallows Pole starts with measured chords from Jimmy on the acoustic 6 & 12 string Ovation twin neck and respects the studio arrangement adding Porl Thompson on Banjo before the really enthusiastic Michael Lee gets the hoedown started with his best syncopated work. Phew! The sudden stop gives way to a burst of joy from us followed by lots of onstage smiles and nods. Rehearsals were obviously on the ball, and the confidence is now coursing through their collective veins.

Then a brief break. Again, we're in shock. Excited murmers and chat all round, all looking for familiar faces and expressions for confirmation.  Before we get time to settle they return with a gorgeous Rain Song, the string arrangement swirling around Jimmy's spot on acoustic figures. The sound, I have to add, is perfect. Crystal clear, balanced and loud enough without being oppressive. The delicate coda that Jimmy pulls off effortlessly and magnificently is one of those lump in throat moment's I'll always remember. 

The ovation you can see on the DVD and the knowing pride filled nod from Robert says a million things. In fact I'm sure I glimpsed a 1 second clip of myself as the camera swings along the crowd!  A sweet sounding and reverential Since I've Been Loving You is lifted by some inspired Les Paul figures and a winsome, widescreen string arrangement.

And now we truly head east. Dedicated to 'the original drummer who played with four sticks in his hands', the Egyptian Ensemble add authentic rhythms and tones to Four Sticks and Friends, both played in the spirit of those recently (officially) unearthed Bombay experiments. 

All bets are off, and the journey is truly heading for the unknown. The counter rhythms balance perfectly against the Western riffs and tunings, the perfect collaboration of influences and styles. This is no mere greatest hits package, no strumming through it all acoustically and taking the dollar. This is new, exciting, groundbreaking. Emotionally fulfilling and draining all at once. 

And now comes the icing on the cake. Jimmy unveils a new instrument. A Transperformance Les Paul, complete with computer tuning and retuning buttons. He claws upwards across the strings, heavily phased, to produce an otherworldly drone, an eastern call to arms. The moment Robert begins 'oh let the sun beat down upon my face'  the roar and energy lifts dramatically. Glorious stuff. The new arrangement is something else, just as the familiar monolithic riff has everyone swaying and floating they pause for the Egyptian Ensemble to open the rhythm and mood before hauling back into the song. Call and response, watching, listening, answering. True live music on and over the edge between different seemingly unmixable musical cultures. And it works. Gloriously.

The coda is remarkable and we're all in Nirvana. The knowing smiles say it all, and there's magic in the air. I felt so privileged, so lucky. After a long standing ovation we're all left waiting to see if that's it. Finally they return for a beautiful That's The Way, a strange yet completely fitting encore after what we'd just experienced. And that's it. Outside,on the way to a nearby pub before the journey home there's a mixture of disbelief and joy, so many beaming faces and so much laughter. Wow. Back inside they're running through new tune 'Wonderful One' in preparation for tomorrow night. 

Ah, tomorrow night. When all will be revealed...