THE 4TH ALBUM - CRAFTED TO PERFECTION. AND WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN 4 EP'S?¬

It seems almost beyond comprehension that Led Zeppelin's 4th elpee was released 49 years ago. The importance of such a landmark collection of songs and recordings is too so far reaching and significant that it's safe to say Rock Music as we know it would be very different without this music and the impact it has had over the years and decades.

It is, of course, Led Zeppelin's most famous work for a variety of reasons, but to the layman, the occasional fan, the curious listener, it has reached this peak of consciousness because of one particular reason - Stairway To Heaven. Worshipped, reviled, dissected, praised and blamed in pretty much equal measure at one time or another, it's been held up as the saviour of the western World on one hand and an accursed over long muse almost directly responsible for the 'saviours' of the Punk Scene to rise up, out of tune guitars in hand, and rescue comatose teenagers and save them from a life of simple, peaceful hippydom on the other. 

But, there is SO much more to this record, this period, than one song could ever say, mean or signify. After III was almost universally lambasted by an uncaring, knife sharpened press waiting for what they saw as a wounded Gazelle ripe for slaughter at their slavering hands, By the time those barbed words were fish n chip paper, Led Zeppelin were already moving on. Rehearsal and recording sessions had already begun whilst Atlantic were promoting the follow up to Led Zeppelin II and fending off questions about the next gigs and plans.

These are just my observations, my thoughts. Frankly, you could easily write a book about the record (one or two already have to be fair), so this isn't my time or place for a historical, factual dissection. let's open this up, fitting alongside the widescreen masterpiece that this record indeed is. 

In contrast to the speed that music is composed and released now (and has been for a couple of decades at least to be honest) Led Zeppelin wrote and performed at a ridiculously prolific rate, and to an ever higher standard. 18 or so tracks were auditioned and tested for III, 10 (plus the only non-elpee track of course) making the final cut. With the 4th elpee we have 11 (known) finished tracks and a plethora of ideas, riffs, curiosities and snippets that would be distilled and eventually bloom over the next 8 sides of studio wax Led Zeppelin would release over the next 5 years. 

Anyway, the best 8 songs were chosen, perfected and presented. And their growing compositional maturity was shining through. Only 1 track leaned back, and let's face it the complete overhaul in just about every term (lyrics aside) from Memphis Minnie in 1927 to Led Zeppelin 44 years later could not be more striking. And the depth of songwriting is only one key ingredient. The performances are astonishing. 

Robert reaches his highest, dizzy wail in Misty Mountain Hop, perfects his Golden God meets Howling Wolf Strut in Black Dog, and soars over the most potent band in the World with his primevil wail in Rock And Roll. And, to the shock of those who didn't really listen to III and ignored the whisper side of their light and shade doctrine, he proved to be a damn fine singer whether he's missing the West Coast, duetting with Sandy Denny or majestically adding a dimension to Jimmy's guitar symphony before he climbs the Stairway.

Jimmy too, sounds so confident, so at one with his playing. Black Dog not only boasts a masterful solo, both edgy and lyrical, crazed and controlled, but some fine harmony dynamics and layers of sonic textures. Wakey wakey, rise and shine, the Guitar Army is on the march! It's gorgeous to hear the sudden speaker slashes in Rock And Roll, the delicate harmonies in Misty Mountain Hop. The slide and phased swathes of insistent, relentless riffs rise and rise like the flood waters themselves in Levee, bringing the chaos, panic and confusion to life as his brilliant production swirls everything around Roberts moaning cadence. Genius.

Acoustically, Jimmy really comes to his own on these tracks. Beautifully lyrical, with a great empathy for the song and the mood. The mandolin work is striking, perfectly fitting and quintessentially English, the perfect backdrop for Robert and Sandy's playlet. And it ALL comes together on Stairway To Heaven. From the bucolic, cautious themes, gradually yet deliberately adding layer on layer of guitars, each adding without swamping or cluttering the sound and themes. And then the fanfare. And THAT solo, complete with the perfect sympathetic harmonies at just the right moment before a climax like no other. 

John Paul also brings so much to the table at these sessions. It was after all his muse, his humour and ability, that brought us Black Dog. He underpins Rock And Roll perfectly, provides a two pronged swing to The Hop. Four Stick features some new age sounding Synth work too, played with a careful session man's precision and ear for melody and arrangement. The recorders on Stairway, and his bass playing throughout, are perfect. One very important point to me is the space, the open sound, the way the songs breathe. Every note has to be right, has to mean something, to be there for a reason. And it all is. 

And Bonzo. Much is made of the sound of the stairwell, the crunch. But the real key is his groove, his swing, his heart. No one could possibly sit still when Rock And Roll kicks in. Who doesn't 'air drum'to THAT snare roll as The Hop winds up to head for the Misty Mountain? And the forward thinking, why can't I damn near genius of doubling up his sticks to bring life to the turnaround riff of Four Sticks and take it somewhere no one would have thought of or deemed possible. And then there's Levee. THE most potent sex groove, swinging like no other, oozing power but with perfect almost clinical restraint. Add Jimmy's groundbreaking production to some unholy drum fills and you've brought side two to a climax that comes close to the 'perfect' peak of side one. 

And what of the production? Dig out Master Of Reality, In Rock, Very Eavy, Very Umble. Compare them to this, they sound flat, dull and lifeless however good the music is. In fact, there's not much around today that can compete. Really. So far ahead of the game. Don't play the game, BE the game as Robert once mused. 

The sleeve is perfect too, mysterious, mischevious, symbolic,  odd and full of clues and talking points. And they got their way. The 'suicide album' is Led Zeppelin's commercial peak, and not only of theirs but one of music's too. 

So, here's a final muse. Originally there was a thought to release the songs on 4 EP's. Including the 3 known outtakes, how would you assemble the EP's? Taking one for each symbol, each member. My choice would be - 

Jimmy - Black Dog, Stairway

Robert - Battle Of Evermore, Going To California, Boogie With Stu

John Paul - Misty Mountain Hop, Night Flight, Down By The Seaside

Bonzo - Rock And Roll, Four Sticks, Levee

Ask me tomorrow, it'll be different!

LED ZEPPELIN - OCTOBER 1970:TOP OF THE WORLD - PLATINUM DISCS, BIGGER THAN THE BEATLES, BOOTLEG CARNAGE

October 1970. A very important time for Led Zeppelin. Looking at it now, there were some incredible moments that were to not only show the progress and growth they had made in their first two years as a group, but also strongly indicate and foresee the events and amazing times to come over the next decade. And not just for them, but for the industry too.

So, just two years after completing the transition from the Yardbirds, from recording a remarkable debut elpee in the shortest time, from appearing at the bottom of the bill (sometimes without any billing) across the world, Led Zeppelin were 'Top Of The World'. Melody Maker's annual poll proclaimed 'Zeppelin Topple Beatles' on the front cover of the issue published the same day Zeppelin played two sets at New York's Madison Square Garden to complete their 6th and most successful US Tour, September 19th. 

With the release of the new record 'III' imminent, they had a moment or two to take stock. Not for them the merry go round of release a single, do some TV, release the album, tour. Then the same every year. Oh no, for Zeppelin, they never quite managed to get the put the album out, THEN tour on the back of it quite right. 

It was a time of constant movement. Perpetual motion. In such a short space of time they'd gone from being a joke to turning down incredible offers to play to larger and larger audiences. The hottest ticket. And just when the vast majority of bands would have coasted, taken the easy option and gone for the obvious, Led Zeppelin got to the junction and turned left. Into the unknown. 

Brave, confident, possibly stubborn. But incredibly important, possibly the most important left turn they or anyone else has made in the history of rock. Not since the Beatles quit live performances would such a far reaching musical decision be made. Led Zeppelin III was, as Robert observed at the time 'the most important album we've made, and probably will ever make'.

On record fans knew of 18 songs. Of these only Jimmy's showcase and the drama of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You from the debut and the strident whimsy of Ramble On on II would feature acoustic instruments. Of course there was much more light and shade on the majority of the fully electric tracks too, but the perception was electric = heavy and acoustic = soft. Onstage, even with less sophisticated sound systems than they would go on to use, the progression towards acoustic material was smoother and ongoing. 

White Summer/Black Mountain Side had been a staple part of the set but, like live versions of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, was performed electrically. At Bath, and probably in Iceland the week before Led Zeppelin played acoustically for the first time onstage as they premiered That's The Way under the working title The Boy Next Door. 

By the time they returned to the US the confidence was there to add Jimmy's new albeit brief showcase Bron-Y-Aur instead of White Summer. Ironically, the last time that was played was by Jimmy on the Julie Felix show on April 26th for it's only acoustic outing. Save for a couple of partial improvised insertions in Dazed And Confused over the coming shows, White Summer would lay dormant for the next seven years.

The new songs for III had been mooted and toyed with as early as November 1969. The Hendrix style demo Jennings Farm Blues recorded at Olympic Studios that month would transform into the decidedly English and certainly more bucolic Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. 

Further songs were written and rehearsed in the pre-Bath visit to Snowdonia, then honed alongside more electric pieces later that month at Headley Grange. A fair amount of recording was done in late May and early June, the final sessions wrapped up immediately after Bath. But much more important even than the material, the writing process or style of the new songs was the maturing and evolution of Led Zeppelin. Published in December in Disc, John Paul Jones was interviewed during the Headley Grange sessions and noted "There's really no format, no set ideas...we're using acoustic things, rock things, strange timings...it's getting better - we're beginning to understand each other".

That alone says so much. Peter Grant's influence and foresight cannot be underestimated here. his complete control over all non music matters gave Led Zeppelin such confidence, breathing space and ability to focus they were able to evolve and mutate as fast and as far as they wanted. After 5 US Tours in 17 months the Welsh break and collaboration and the subsequent full band sessions was miraculous. And having the complete backing of Gee meant Atlantic would release III without questioning of approving any of the material. Led Zeppelin were in control and beginning to see a long future ahead, not just a quick burst that had been the trend for so many artists at the time. 

And in a nutshell, that was the genius of led Zeppelin coming to the fore in October 1970. On the 16th they were presented Gold and Platinum awards for sales of II and US sales of the Whole Lotta Love single released the previous December. In the UK II was still in the top 10 elpee charts, almost a year after its release. The media hype and talk about this huge 'heavy music group' was palpable, and advance sales of III added to the expectancy. As a result reviews were at best mixed and cautious, at worst hostile.

But Led Zeppelin didn't care. They knew. Audience responses to the new material - and lets face it there are only the final three songs on III that could be called truly 'acoustic' - was better than ever, and cloth eared reviews that didn't seem to appreciate Immigrant Song or Since I've Been Loving You truly weren't worth the bother. Even the sleeve got stick, sneery comments about it's 'pop' leanings were noted and dismissed. 

At the end of the day, the future was more important than the present. The giant step of highlighting some gentler, broader and differently intense songs and widening the sound - certainly brighter than the bottom heavy slightly overloaded crunch of II - was to yield dividends along the way. The aural palette cleansing was to subliminally prepare fans (and critics I guess) for the wonders of the fourth elpee. And, in true Led Zeppelin fashion, the next album was already under construction. Perpetual motion. Before the year was out they would have recorded some of their most important best and influential work. And the next time the World saw Led Zeppelin onstage a chunk of the new music was incorporated into the set with an average of only 3 or 4 songs off III in the set. III was a statement, as the sleeve notes at the time indicate, and that was it's most important function.

The left turn was right. At the right time, with no turning back. Led Zeppelin weren't controlled. They didn't implode, they didn't stagnate. When the World heard III back in October 1970 even those that predicted their demise would soon submit and admit they got it wrong. The seeds, and some of the songs recorded at the time, would come into the light over the next 5 years, some hidden for decades before blossoming. One of THE most important months in their history. 

And at the same time they publicly decried and temporarily halted or at least slowed down the new 'scourge' of the industry they ironically helped make popular - Bootlegging. The previous year Rock Bootlegs had come into being with Dylan's outtakes set The Great White Wonder. Very small time and cottage industry at the outset, Ken and Dub of the soon to be named Trade Mark Of Quality monicker had stumbled across a money making venture beyond their wildest imaginations.

A year later and the live Rock Bootleg had come to be. The Stones had LiveR Than You'll Ever Be as a superior alternative to their official Decca Ya Ya's platter, and the logistics of recording an artist in concert was so much easier than searching for unreleased studio tracks from the very small roster of artists considered worthy or worth Bootlegging at the time. So, in this climate Led Zeppelin were perfect. 

In the summer of 1970 Peter Grant had poured water into a VCR machine trying to film the Bath performance and complained about the 'professional looking' bootleggers in the audiences during the short string of German dates in July. When Melody Maker ran the 'Led Zeppelin Live LP' story in September, he naturally went berserk.  The story alleged that two bootlegs - one studio, one live' - were imminent and would be in the shops in days. Immediate denials were issued, stating that one was a German bootleg and 'several people are in custody awaiting trial' and Peter added that he thought there could be '...no tapes available'.

Whatever the real truth of the matter, the live set was more than likely Blueberry Hill. As for the 'studio' set, it's either a hoax or possibly Pb(more famously known as the reissue Mudslide) which is from a Radio Broadcast and could possibly be mistaken for studio material as it begins with the then unreleased We're Gonna Groove.

So, although Led Zeppelin claimed to have halted the spread of illegal recordings, it was only the tip of a very large iceberg, one that was to prove immovable and unstoppable over the years. The main reason is Led Zeppelin's unique performances, each of which is ripe for Bootleg. Different every night, unreleased original songs, cover versions, improvisations. Any one of those is reason enough. All together..... 

So there you have it. In October 1970 Led Zeppelin were Top of the World. Voted the best band, multi-platinum awards, their second elpee still riding high in the charts and sell out stadium tours at their beck and call. Peter would turn down a $1 million offer top play a new years TV show. They had the World in the palm of their hands. And they turned left. The rest is history. And look what happened next...

   

LED ZEPPELIN - JAPAN 1971. THE BEST TOUR EVER?!

"Japan, wonderful place!" 

Robert Plant, onstage, Osaka Festival Hall September 29th 1971

After an aborted plan to play Japan in 1970, tied in with Expo 70, Led Zeppelin finally realised the first part of their true 'World tour' dreams with 5 outstanding, relaxed shows. Following the conclusion of their 7th US Tour on September 17th - the second of a brace of shows in Honolulu - they arrived as superstars on Sunday the 19th. With the 4th elpee still two months away from release Immigrant Song was a huge hit as they landed. Away from the growing pressure, mayhem and circus of the US shows, they had a few days to relax and enjoy a new experience before getting down to business.

My favourite live performances come from this era, so I've always been more than keen to get hold of recordings from this tour. Only 5 shows, but compared to the almost business like power of the final US shows, Led Zeppelin seem so relaxed in Japan, yet obviously startled and amazed by the overwhelming reaction of the Japanese audiences. The set list was basically the same as in the US, with some expansion of the acoustic set plus a pretty open canvas for the closing medley. Encore time was also pretty much whatever they fancied. 

Japan gets the award for the most audience recordings of all, a mind boggling array of source tapes of every night, in particular Tokyo. Consequently there are also a plethora of bootlegs and even some cine film from the tour. Compared with previous tours, it's fantastic to have complete documents of every night, giving a true picture of the tour and various performances.

Thursday, September 23rd - Budokan Hall, Tokyo

From the moment Led Zeppelin kick into Immigrant Song, right up to the last bars of Thank You fade away some 2 3/4 hours later, this show is a joy. Even a broken string preventing the link into and delaying the stomp of Heartbreaker does nothing to calm things. Screaming excitement from the off, as yet unreleased new song Black Dog is greeted like an old friend, even if Robert's 'aah ah' sketch seems to leave many a bit baffled. 

Dazed And Confused is getting longer and more intricate show by show, and is already nearing half an hour of mind blowing improvisation, particularly from Jimmy who is relaxed enough to let ideas flow and take his time. The reverential hush during the very long bow sketch is palpable, Japan can barely believe what they're seeing and hearing.  The extended coda with exaggerated stop start rhythms and high speed wah wah figures is becoming more and more spellbinding night after night. Stairway To Heaven is received like a hymn, after wild applause and cheers greet the sight of Jimmy Page with the double neck.  The version itself is wonderful, you can feel the audience being taken on a positive journey, mesmerised as Robert's crystal clear vocals look for that bustle before Jimmy spits out a flurried solo duelling with Bonzo's perfect hammering. Then the coda, with Robert hitting the high notes and Tokyo succumbing. 

Celebration Day is a great bonus here, very muscular with an extended coda and lots of instrumental twists. Then Led Zeppelin sit down. Robert is relaxed enough to talk, despite the fact not too many seemingly understand his bonhomie. He teases Bron-y-Aur Stomp for a verse before Jimmy gently brings in That's The Way, and the restfulness is broken by whistling and creaming during a very pastoral Going To California. Bonzo's showcase gets a great reception before we're into the highlight of this show, as it is every night of the tour. 

Whole Lotta Love sweeps everything away from the off, the Theremin battle is complete mayhem with shrieks and whoops from an obviously startled and delirious audience. After the usual Boogie - extended by Robert teasing the ravenous crowd - the crunch of Hello Mary Lou and Mess O'Blues leads to a rare take on US Band Crow's Evil Woman, oddly enough covered by Black Sabbath as their first single! 

The next big surprise is a powerful Tobacco Road, the Nashville Teens hit Jimmy played the original session on back in 1964. Scarcely played by Zeppelin, it gives way to Good Times Bad Times, which has been missing in action since the opening blats started the October & November 1969 shows. It really is party time now as no one wants it to end. After a great flurried solo we're into How Many More Times, played inside a medley it used to be the framework of! 

After a muscular The Hunter interlude there's still enough calm to slow things down with You Shook Me which itself slips into a myriad of blues references climaxing with Robert Johnson's Kindhearted Woman Blues. The coda of Whole Lotta Love is a mixture of mayhem and relief, the crowd filling the gaps in a high pitched call and response game before Led Zeppelin take control again and drop the bomb. Communication Breakdown is the first encore, frenzied and abandoned, but a stage invasion almost throws the night into chaos. A much more recently discovered audience recording reveals an attempt to calm things with a pastoral Organ Solo leading into Thank You. 

Wonderful show, much more intense than anyone could have envisaged. Led Zeppelin are having fun, away from the pressures and underlying threats of violence and lunacy in the USA. More than a dozen audience tapes exist of this show,a staggering amount in comparison to the rest of the World at the time. There was an incredibly rare Bootleg vinyl 'In Concert' that mixed snippets from the two Tokyo nights in listenable quality. One that's long gone and a real rarity. On CD there are dozens of different versions as you can imagine. From the first attempt Storm Of Fanatics right through to a composite on line set King Of The Monsters that gives us every second, unlike the best quality tapes that miss a few moments of the medley, the final encore and some chat here and there. 

We do have, brilliantly, a short 7 or so minute colour 8mm cine film compilation gives us a glimpse into the reality of the night. 

Friday, September 24th - Budokan Hall, Tokyo

A second show in Tokyo and the madness continues. Coming after 21 shows in 29 days with only 5 nights off in between certainly meant there was no first night rust, and this second show carried on seamlessly, pushing each other and the once again near hysterical audience into another outstanding performance. The Immigrant Song/Heartbreaker dovetailed double hit is astounding, weaving from Robert's unearthly wail through Jimmy's extended twisting and turning solo figures over a muscular rhythm to his unaccompanied solo, stretching and teasing with a short enthusiastically cheered 'Feelin' Groovy' interlude. 

With Robert still more than able to sing in his highest, near hysterical register, the band hold back behind him on Since I've Been Loving You, adding a sophisticated air and calm behind the vocal storm. Black Dog is dedicated to Cliff Richard, and Led Zeppelin power through a version guaranteed to give Cliff nightmares. As with every show this year, the openers are getting both band and audience ready for the big showcase of the night. Dazed And Confused is longer than ever, and has a strangely laid back feel over the opening verses. Bow time is once again greeted with a hush and is extended with Robert mimicking every tweak, shimmer and drone from Jimmy, even so far as to try and emulate the broken feedback disturbances. They get into a bit of Ricky Nelson's I Got A Feeling and Jimmy tries to slide in a bit of Honky Tonk Women, but Led Zeppelin don't bite.  The coda is once again startling, a dissonant waltz with gasps and moans from Robert against those spine tingling wah wah figures as Jonesy plots studied notes like raindrops throughout. Majestic.

There's no attempt at Bron-y-Aur Stomp tonight, but instead Robert gives us a hint of what will come in Osaka with a few lines from Friends, something he continues with throughout the show. After the usual, restful duo as per last night we get the live debut of Tangerine, played as a duo. The buoyant audience make up for it with insistent clapping and cheering throughout. And once again the weight of the performance and the core of all surprises is a fantastic Whole Lotta Love. Frenetic and stuttering in the funkiest way possible, Sly & The Family Stone duel with The Famous Flames until Led Zeppelin turn it inside out and Wilson Pickett's take on Everybody Needs Somebody To Love charges through the maelstrom. The Boogie starts low key as usual until Bonzo powers it on and Robert makes everybody true believers with Reverent Gary Davis' Cocaine Blues and a first sighting of Rave On. The wild audience can barely believe their ears as Jimmy slows things down with that lovely descending For What It's Worth backdrop only for Robert to suddenly turn up the heat by ad libbing Your Time Is Gonna Come! I'm A Man and The Hunter set us up for another brilliant Hello Mary Lou. If that's not enough the jam mutates into a funky riff, a distant cousin of The Guess Who's American Woman with a hint of Albert King's I'm Going Down that Robert sings King's (Oh) Pretty Woman - not to be confused with the Roy Orbison classic - before it twists further into a swinging, almost jazzy yet crunching and completely irresistible How Many More Times, thrown in for the second night running. It's all too much really as exhaustion seems to set in for both the audience and band. Robert cuts it short and leads into the Whole Lotta Love finale, conjuring yet another wave of audience hysteria.

A restful Organ Solo from Jonesy starts the encores, bringing its usual calming air, until Thank You regally fills the hall and sets a perfect seal on another classic show. But wait! back for a second time, a frenzied Communication Breakdown appeases the pleas for more, and after the How Many More Times performances of the last two shows ad libs a 'rap' close to the first elpee version with some Hey Hey What Can I Do lyrics thrown in for good measure. Again, over 2 1/2 hours of madness in Tokyo!

The incredibly rare Japanese Bootleg vinyl 'In Concert' has some of the medley included, but there are several edits on the tape used. As per usual there are a myriad of CD's from the muddy drudge of Afternoon Daze on Mud Dogs to the much better Watchtower and TDOLZ releases. Once again there are several audience tapes in circulation, and there doesn't seem to be a year goes by without a new package of these shows, each either different or a slight upgrade in terms of eq and sound if not content.

Saturday, September 25th - Saturday Club, Kyoto

After the brilliant brace of shows in Tokyo, Led Zeppelin moved south to Hiroshima for the next show on monday. They stopped in Kyoto on the way, staying for the next night. As reported in The Concert File, after a day of sightseeing they turned up at one club where Jonesy jammed 'Green Onions' with the house band. 

They then moved onto a club called 'Saturday' and 3/4 of Led Zeppelin (minus Robert) jammed for 40 odd minutes using the equipment from the house band. Wonder if there's a tape....!?!

Monday, September 27th - 

Shiei Taikukan Municipal Gymnasium, Hiroshima

After a brief break in shows, Led Zeppelin arrive in the south west of Japan to Hiroshima. The show was set up so all proceeds went to the victims of the bomb. They had arrived the day before and visited the Memorial Dome and Peace Park. The Mayor of Hiroshima gave them peace medals and a civic charter and they gave him 7 million Yen (I'm guessing it would be a cheque rather than cash..!!) towards the fund for the victims. 

On the night Led Zeppelin once again wowed the Japanese faithful with a brilliant show. Again a myriad of recordings complete a show that once again was filled with one off performances and a positive vibe and artistic freedom pressure sometimes restricted in the USA. The set is pretty much in place, Tangerine now the 3rd track in the fantastic and perfectly placed acoustic set that is a masterful change of pace and mood for audience and band alike. 

Once again the openers crunch through the adoring hordes. Heartbreaker is stunning again, some wonderful moments in Jimmy's solo before the lift off that gets everyone shaking and getting ready to boogie. The acceptance of still unreleased new track Black Dog is heart warming, and by Dazed And Confused the band are in full flight. This is now a full half an hour mindfuck, and Led Zeppelin seem in the mood for yet more twists, turns and bedlam. 

The pre-bow jam is intricate and sophisticated, a collection of riffs and twists searching for a definitive direction and thrust. After that the bow is long and mesmeric, Bouree the stand out moment amid the turmoil. Stairway To Heaven is a fine, deliberately reverential version, the more than fine solo crowning a studied yet just right performance. Celebration Day is muscular as ever, leading into a very fine acoustic interlude. With Tangerine retained, this is pure Led Zep! 

Solo's aside, The weight of the show (once again) falls on the crunching and crushing power of 'Whole Lotta Love'. A shorter medley than previous nights, we get some unique moments just the same. The Theremin sketch is madness, the bacchanalia is infectious and Led Zeppelin ease into party time with a short but wonderful medley. The Shadows Nine Times Out Of Ten leads into Gene Vincent's Be Bop A Lu La, an artist Peter once tour managed. The band slow things down and there's no blues as they move straight to the finale. Without the calming influence of Thank You and it's prelude Communication Breakdown is the only encore. powerful but spasmodically interrupted by crowd nonsense, it does cap another triumph in Japan. 

Bootleg acetates cover much of he show but in terrible quality (especially compared to the circulating tapes). Wendy and Tarantura cover the complete tapes better than most.

Tuesday, September 28th - Festival Hall, Osaka

Led Zeppelin headed back to the middle of Japan for two final shows at Osaka's Festival Hall. By now they were so relaxed anything was possible, and the performance and set list reflected this. The opening tracks received a polite yet strangely hysterical response, but Dazed And Confused really got the show up to another level. Half an hour long now, it moved through so many changes and included one of the longest bow sections to date. The coda included some unusual wah wah trickery with Jimmy delving into Hendrix territory, quoting Third Stone From The Sun amid the Bonzo/Jones stop start chaos.

Stairway To Heaven is an epic in itself, a whole show inside one song with Jimmy soloing for all he's worth and Robert hitting those notes for nearly the last time onstage. Still an unreleased new track, Japan yields totally. Before Celebration Day, Robert goads and entices the crowd by leading the band into a spoof of Please Please Me and From Me To You to much hysteria. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp returns to open the acoustic set, an after Going To California Robert wants more from the crowd and leads them into a stirring We Shall Overcome before the more bucolic Tangerine. A longer take of Down By The Riverside closes the acoustic interlude, satiating a now hysterical crowd.

Once again the real treats are saved for the closing medley. Robert's in pop crooner mode with Biology and a hilarious Bachelor Boy before the band get serious and power into a brace of Chuck Berry rockers Down The Road A Piece and Maybelline. Hello Mary Lou is the last classic before the cut recording leads into the end of Whole Lotta Love. Tonight the rockers are kept as separate encores, starting with C'Mon Everybody and then into Hi Heel Sneekers. Once again Phil Carson gets to jam on bass, and Clive Coulson does some vocals too. All good clean fun. The final encore is an extended Communication Breakdown that delves into Cat's Squirrel and Bobby Parker's Watch Your Step. Another wonderful, unique show. 

And we also have the first brief soundboard recording from Japan. For as long as I can remember there has been talk of the soundboard recordings of this tour, always denied. I believe that when the HTWWW tapes were 'auditioned' for release tapes of the 5 shows were rediscovered and found to be in great shape. More recently, with the box set releases and plethora of outtakes, talk of further official releases has been bubbling under and alongside Southampton, Earls' Court and a 1980 collection/compilation, Japan '71 is possible. For now we have Black Dog from this show as a taste of who knows exactly what.....

No vinyl from this show that I can remember, but plenty of CD sets including a few called Please Please Me on Wendy and Tarantura at the very least. 

Wednesday, September 29th - Festival Hall, Osaka

The final show in Japan for this visit, and possibly the finest of the lot. Completely relaxed for the final show this is the best known thanks to the myriad of bootlegs. The 'onstage' recording, compressed by Bonzo's louder than loud drum power, picks up all sorts of onstage chat and banter and is indeed a joy. After the opening pair, which are wonderful by the way, Robert slowly and carefully proclaims 'tomorrow we go back to England' prompting Bonzo to exclaim 'Aah, Brown n Mild!'. Since I've Been Loving You is becoming a real drama onstage, aided by Robert's near hysterical call and response screams. Black Dog maintains alternate lyrics as it powers along to an unknowing crowd.

Dazed And Confused is just about the longest version to date, with a fake false start and much drama over the extended wah wah and harmonic figures. The studied pace and onstage freedom gives a relaxed feeling to the performance, and a new picking guitar figure mutates into Pennies From Heaven, much to the  bemusement of all concerned. The coda is once again magical, dramatic time signatures and whispers against Jimmy's mad wah wah blats and flurries.

Celebration Day is my favourite live version, Bonzo slowing the pace to half speed against some amazing guitar figures as Led Zeppelin flex their muscles and just play. Once more the acoustic set is both relaxed and on edge. The famous Cellarful Of Noise bootleg includes Robert teasing and calling out Bonzo, even though the next song is just him and Jimmy. After Tangerine we get the only live performance of Friends, a little gamey and very loose, but fun all the same. Robert continues his crooning of the evening with a couple of lines of Smoke Gets In Your Eyes as the roadies scramble to assemble the equipment for Moby Dick.

Reluctant to play at first, Bonzo groans and asks to be intro'd as British comic Max Wall before launching into a brilliant solo, full of power and verve, and including a long powerful section bouncing beats and syncopation against a fantastic snare roll that seems to go on for ever. The climax and ovation that follows is immense.

Fittingly, the last show climaxes with an extraordinary medley. For sure there's no excursion into How Many More Times, but the final burst is full of fun and groove, laughter and incredible intensity at the same time. A twisting, playful Page riff preludes the fun, and on the more balanced audience recordings you can hear the ovation as Led Zeppelin lay it down one more time. The Theremin maelstrom is brilliant, cohesive and chaotic at the same time as Jimmy and Robert lock together and playfully tease otherworldly waves of sonic power as if it's second nature. Behind them Bonzo creats a storm and Jonesy keeps everything stable. 

The Boogie is again long and playful, but the fun really starts with I Gotta Know, a hit for Cliff and an Elvis B-side transformed into an infectious groove. Then Jimmy gets into Twist and Shout, after a couple of missed riffs (a bit like the way he has to remember Shakin' All Over on the 72/73 rehearsal tape by figuring it out as they go), and the result is brilliant. The build up to return to the chorus is endless and joyous when they finally break back and you can almost 'see' everyone on and off stage dancing!

As they wind down, obviously looking at each other as to what happens next, Jimmy shouts 'Fortune Teller' and we're into the Allen Toussaint classic.  Recorded by the Stones, The Who and Robert with Alison Krauss amongst others, this is to me the best, loosest and most playful version. Wonderful. Good Times, Bad Times crunches in and is the best live take I've heard. Jimmy excels with some fantastic solo runs, letting loose as Osaka surrenders. Once again in calms and Robert takes his time with a call and response game before a crunching You Shook Me and the madness of the Whole Lotta Love coda. 

Encores start with a long, frantic Communication Breakdown complete with a long guitar led instrumental climax. A more restful bucolic encore follows with a nice John Paul keyboard interlude and a stately Thank You, once again extended by some deft Jimmy licks. Finally, over three hours in, a celebratory Rock And Roll closes the night. Madness, fun and the best you can get. Led Zeppelin in Japan 1971.

This was the first bootleg I had, the TAKRL A Cellarful Of Noise vinyl. Slow, only half a dozen tracks, unbalanced sound, but wonderful. The Japanese Live In Japan 1971 double set had more of the show - plus the audio of the band on US TV in 1976 at the end of side 3 (I think) and was speed corrected. Other sets helped to fill the puzzle - You Shook Me, Unburied Dead Zeppo's Grave, Strange Tales From The Road all had unique moments combining to give us most of the show that circulated on the 3 cassette versions I'd had since the mid/late 70's. When the CD revolution hit, Bug reissued the Cellarful vinyl before an avalanche of 'complete' versions, all using the so called soundboard tape. 

Now, there are endless versions, including box sets that include both the complete tour and even every Japanese show from both visits. 

Led Zeppelin in Japan 1971 was a triumph, a joyous set of performances that mix the unabandoned freedom of early tours with the growing maturity of their songwriting and the more professional edge to the live set. Pivotal and unique, these are some of the most important recordings in Led Zeppelin's history. The recovery of the soundboard recordings - however incomplete or unbalanced they may prove to be - could even lead to a historic release of this magical time. We can only wait and see. 

We've had a glimpse of these with Black Dog from the 28th Osaka show appearing and rumours of much more..... Decades ago the downplaying of them as '6 track masters' that sounded awful now seems a bit misplaced shall we say, as this sounds good enough to me. And now comes Immigrant Song from the 29th. Then Stairway and Friends. Empress Valley have given us 80 odd minutes and it's a far cry from the 'complete show'. So far...

Growing whisper of a 'How The East Was Won' official release abound....

 

LED ZEPPELIN - IN MY TIME OF DYING

'All I wanted to do was have some fun, FUN!'

If Whole Lotta Love captures the raw power of Led Zeppelin, embellished and decorated with incendiary sonic baubles, if Stairway to Heaven shows a confident, vibrant band celebrating their growing collaboration and confidence with a fanfare of optimism, if Kashmir is the ultimate grandiose epic mixing global influences with a sense of drama and swagger, then In My Time Of Dying is a microcosm of Led Zeppelin as a primeval force.

Recorded live at Headley Grange on February 15th 1974,  later mixed at Olympic by the late Keith Harwood, this is a remarkable recording. Taking a folk standard, a madrigal transformed into a work chant then into a hand wringing, despairing cry predicting and anticipating impending doom and demise. 

A 'standard' like this has deep roots. Like Gallows ('Gallis') Pole, the inference goes back to the Bible. Without recorded evidence, the earliest version we have is 'Jesus Is Going To Make Up Your Dying Bed' by the Rev J C Burnett in 1927. Blind Willie Johnson also recorded it at the end of the year, and he has his hand in versions of Nobody's Fault But Mine too. Charlie Patton and Josh White also recorded versions, taking differing titles as the song evolved. 

Bob Dylan recorded it on his eponymous debut in 1962 under the 'In My Time Of Dyin'' title, following Josh White's 1940's re title. All of these versions are simple, primitive even. Onstage comments from Robert in 1975 about a 'work chant' refer to the origins while at the same time leading us in the direction Zeppelin had taken the song. 

When Led Zeppelin got together to record their 6th LP, there was a definite feeling of energy, of power, of getting back to what they did best. Confidence was extremely high, the Houses Of The Holy Tour had broken all records and established them at the top of the tree. They had decided to launch their own label, and as such were Kings of all they surveyed. It was all in their own hands. 8 songs were recorded for the next record, but at 53 minutes it was too long for a single album. The decision to add 7 older songs and collate a gargantuan double set was made, and we got Physical Graffiti, possibly the greatest album of all time.

In My Time Of Dying is possibly my favourite Led Zeppelin performance. Captured live, it is quite astonishing. If proof was needed how the performance is ALWAYS far more important than the recording, this is it. The balance between capturing the moment and maintaining sound levels and quality is perfectly achieved here. If you crank up the vinyl or CD you get the feeling of actually being in the room, inhabiting the space with Led Zeppelin as they moved mountains and did what only they could. I've seen (and been on stage with or next to) some of the supposedly heaviest, loudest, most powerful and 'best' groups. Whatever you call them, heavy metal, heavy rock, hard rock... ya da ya da. The bottom line is NOTHING comes within a mile of Led Zeppelin at Headley Grange playing In My Time Of Dying. The intensity, the connection, the groove and the infectious musical hysteria is unique and palpable.

The first time I heard this - on my 14th birthday no less - I was stunned and a bit confused. It took a few listens to get it, to understand. Not the song or the power but the big picture. Was this really only 3 instruments and 1 voice? Live? In one take? Listening to what passes for 'live' Rock now, it's a different world. The connection, the syncopation, the camaraderie is unique. It is what it is. 4 supremely talented musicians playing and having a ball. 

Early rehearsal tapes uncover an intense session obsessively hammering the riffs and arrangement into shape. Jimmy's slide work leads the way while Bonzo powers the point and intensity home as Jonesy underpins it all by both doubling and powering the riffs and sliding effortlessly around and under the melody with consummate ease.

On the released version there's a tension, an edge. The electricity between the four of them is so apparent. The arrangement is perfect, twisting and turning, dovetailing between riffs and time signatures. Always on the edge of implosion and chaos, but always under control. The way Led Zeppelin wielded their power but most importantly knew how NOT to is so important. Again, the large stages were ignored as they shuffled together to get eye contact and make those ad libs, those musical punctuations, those moments of magic.

After Robert's 'oh my Jesus' repetitive calling Jimmy's slide clarion call recalls the troops for an ever intense climax, layer upon layer of power and repetition, mesmerising and focused. As the last phased guitar chord fades Robert is a mixture of pride and relief as he jokely teases his mates with 'cough' as Bonzo splutters and Jimmy muses with a guitar lick. Bonzo's 'that's gotta be the one, hasn't it' is spot on and perceptive. The perfect end to such an adrenalin filled performance. And side one is done. Wow.

This performance, this recording is SO inspiring to me. The best playing out of their skins, creating a performance and moment of such force and gravitas it's almost beyond belief. Awesome. The best. Nothing hurried or compromised in the arrangement, just perfect.  As with any great performance, all of Led Zeppelin are a the top of their game. Jimmy's slide playing is wonderful and incisive. Robert storms the gates of heaven with aplomb. Jonesy adds some incredible fluid runs and melodic fills. Bonzo is for me the star. Incredible, obsessive snare fills, perfectly punctuated licks and fills, and never missing or forgetting the mainstay, the beat.

At this point, Led Zeppelin were unstoppable. As it was recorded live, In My Time Of Dying is an obvious live track. Rehearsed (as was When The Levee Breaks with Jimmy retuning) in November 74 at Ezyhire, it was probably premiered onstage in Brussels on January 11th 1975 but as we have no bootleg from that show the first we have is the following night in Rotterdam on January 12th. 

Not varying much from the studio (albeit live) arrangement, we have 1 warm up and 29 recordings from the 1975 US Tour of the 35 shows played. Footage exists from Philadelphia on February 8th, Dallas March 4th and the first two LA Forum shows. The summer season at Earls' Court featured it every night, with great audience recordings plus pro shot footage of the last 2 nights, including the stunning performance included on 'DVD'. 

In 1977 it was again scheduled as a mainstay to the early part of the set, a powerful kick after the initial burst of Song Remains The Same/Sick Again and Nobody's Fault But Mine. Alternating with Over The Hills And Far Away, it's been captured on bootleg on 22 of the 44 played shows. Cine film clips from Birmingham, Baton Rouge and the 4th Maryland night show the intrinsic power Led Zeppelin could still summon at will. The final live performance is the 4th LA show when they segued into an inspired jam of Little Richard's Rip It Up before the final storming of the gates of heaven.

A long and intense piece, it would have had a future into the 1980's and beyond. Jimmy has resurrected it solo, with Coverdale and the Black Crowes, highlighting his intense yet wandering slide playing. 

At 11.06 its the longest recorded studio Led Zeppelin song, and as such never a single. A Taiwan EP was 'released' but there have been no official singles or EP releases.

The final homage to Led Zeppelin at the O2 show featured a stunning version, although edited for the official set, that once more demonstrated the sheer power and musicality that Led Zeppelin had to make them unique and the best.