June 24, 2010
In this issue:
- Paying Tribute to Led Zeppelin
- Buffalo Then and Now
- Visit us on Facebook
Paying Tribute to Led Zeppelin
“Oh, the more it changes, the more it stays the same. And the hand just re-arranges the players in the game”.Those lyrics are from a song called Nostradamus, by Al Stewart. Looking back at Led Zeppelin after more than 40 years, Stewart is absolutely right. So much – and yet so little – has changed!
Led Zeppelin’s music is alive and well and STILL being performed live by a growing number of tribute bands all over the world.
Ever since the surviving members of Zeppelin reunited for London’s O2 Arena gig in December 2007, there’s been relentless pressure on them to tour. It was the hottest ticket on the planet and we all crave more from our musical heroes.
Vinyl LPs are proving to be the salvation of indie record stores that would have closed long ago, as did giant corporate media stores (Virgin Records) and iconic local chains like Toronto’s Sam the Record Man. Record swaps and shows are scheduled almost every weekend and vinyl is still the star.
And what’s the most in-demand vintage vinyl being bought and sold in these throw-backs to rock’n’roll? The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. It’s no coincidence that, in varying order, those three bands always come out on top of listener polls, too (according to stats given us by Jeff Woods of Q107-FM).
To those of us who love Led, the band’s enduring influence is no big surprise!
Over the years, I’ve seen several Zeppelin tribute bands perform. You probably have, too. Some of them are a bit disappointing or maybe just the victims of a bad night. But others are completely stunning. So close to the real thing, you can hardly believe your ears.
And whether or not they’re spot-on, the greatest thing about all of them is that they’re keeping Led Zeppelin’s music alive for older generations to relive and younger ones to discover.
I’ve recently had the privilege of seeing three very different tribute bands perform. Coda was amazingly true to Zep in an outdoor concert performed in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York.
Classic Albums Live presented the music of Led Zeppelin’s debut album at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario “note for note, cut for cut” as the company’s slogan says.
And only last month, Randy Jackson – lead singer/guitarist for the band Zebra – joined Brent Havens and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for a sold-out concert at Kleinhans Music Hall.
Author Frank Reddon and Editor Lou Anne Reddon attended stellar performances of Led Zeppelin tribute artist Randy Jackson in concert with Brent Havens and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on two separate occasions. The first time, as shown in this poster, was on March 25, 2006. The second time, as shown by this ticket stub, was on May 7, 2010. 
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I once interviewed a janitor from Kleinhans who told me that the rowdies used to hang out in the balcony with their smuggled-in wineskins and joints in those days! Now, of course, there’s no smoking allowed except for the instruments and they were definitely on fire that night.
The lights dimmed as Jackson and Havens took the stage with their respective groups. Then Good Times, Bad Times crushed forth. What an adrenaline rush that was, hearing those jarring, opening chords. As I looked around the audience, young and old were grinning ear to ear. The opening track from Zeppelin’s debut album still gets ‘em going, even after all these years! It was also the song that kicked off the O2 reunion gig for the surviving members of Zeppelin. It’s obviously significant for them.
The program was awesome from start to finish. Havens had done a magnificent job of arranging the Led Zeppelin material, masterfully mixing the blazing electric guitar, bass and percussion with the woodwinds, strings and brass of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Certain numbers that lent themselves especially well to the BPO’s string section included rich arrangements of Since I’ve Been Loving You, Kashmir and The Rain Song. The latter was a personal favourite of mine. Randy Jackson’s acoustic guitar playing was immaculate. Shutting your eyes as he sang, it wasn’t much of a stretch to hear Robert Plant’s voice in your “mind’s ear”.
As might be expected, hard-driving numbers like Whole Lotta Love and Black Dog brought down the house. It was so obvious that ALL the musicians – whether in the classically trained BPO or the classic rock tribute band – were cutting loose and having a blast. Led Zeppelin’s music was a common bond that created a remarkable display.
Buffalo Then and Now
A few years ago, we published a multi-part Enzepplozine issue about Led Zeppelin in Buffalo. It included a detailed description of Kleinhans Music Hall and its history. I also described Led Zeppelin’s performance there on October 30, 1969 based on the research I’ve done and two live recordings of that concert, one from the audience and another from the soundboard. Here are some excerpts in case you missed the piece first time ‘round!
This ad for Led Zeppelin’s concert at Kleinhans appeared in Buffalo’s Courier Express newspaper on October 26, 1969. The very next day, another ad would appear, announcing the added attraction of The James Gang, featuring Joe Walsh. |
On Thursday, October 30, 1969, some enterprising member of the audience made an illicit live recording of Led Zeppelin's performance at Kleinhans Music Hall. Like the attendance numbers and fees Led Zeppelin commanded at this time in 1969, the fact someone bothered to record the band demonstrates the popularity and impact the group was already making on the music scene then. The public's awareness of Jimmy Page having been lead guitarist with The Yardbirds from 1966-68 probably contributed to its perception of Led Zeppelin's being something special to watch and capture for all time. From 1968 on, the band's concerts would be bootlegged.
Although the quality of this particular boot is marginal and the recording examined here is incomplete, the material that is preserved serves as a valuable historical document of that early performance. In many respects, this recording is quite rough which is so often a function of the quality of the recording equipment used. But Kleinhans is a formidable venue with superb acoustics. As a result, there's no echo or reverberation. You can clearly hear what's happening that night.
Keep in mind that Led Zeppelin was on a performing high at this point. After a legendary concert at London's Lyceum Theatre on Sunday, October 12, 1969, Led Zeppelin left home bound for their Fourth U.S. and Canadian Tour. They premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York City and performed to their biggest audience to date at Boston Garden before coming to Buffalo. The mighty Zeppelin was definitely flying high!
This was the set list for that concert at Kleinhans Music Hall: Good Times, Bad Times/Communication Breakdown (from Led Zeppelin) I Can't Quit You Baby (from Led Zeppelin) Heartbreaker (from Led Zeppelin II) Dazed and Confused (from Led Zeppelin) White Summer/Black Mountain Side (Black Mountain Side is from Led Zeppelin) What Is and What Should Never Be (from Led Zeppelin II. Absent from this recording) Moby Dick (from Led Zeppelin II. Absent from this recording) How Many More Times (from Led Zeppelin. This recording is incomplete)
The audience awaits, breathless with anticipation
On previous tours, beginning with Led Zeppelin's First U.S. and Canadian Tour of 1968-69, the group often opened with Train Kept A Rollin', a number from Jimmy Page's days with The Yardbirds or with a cover of As Long as I Have You, by rhythm & blues artist, Garnet Mimms.
But this time, in October 1969, Led Zeppelin would also be performing new numbers from its just-released album, Led Zeppelin II. The atmosphere in Kleinhans is thick and heavy with expectation. As Jimmy Page fiddles around to limber up, Robert Plant asks, "Feel all right?" The audience responds with loud whistles and cheers. Throughout the latter part of 1969 and into 1970, Led Zeppelin's leonine front man would frequently develop audience rapport with this simple question.
If the audience's call is a resounding "yeah!", Led Zeppelin's response is to play the first booming notes of Good Times, Bad Times. The boys in the band are off and running!
Good Times, Bad Times/Communication Breakdown (from Led Zeppelin)
Rapturous applause and cheering greet the opening bombast of Good Times, Bad Times. There's no question that the assembled Western New Yorkers and Canadians have been listening to this track on Led Zeppelin since the groundbreaking album arrived in record stores in January '69.
For this tour, Led Zeppelin strings together this high-voltage, power bar number with another one a split-second later: Communication Breakdown. The way Page crunches the open slabs of chords right from the start demonstrates the brain-bludgeoning volume Led Zeppelin performed at. When recording Led Zeppelin, producer Jimmy Page had successfully recreated the high energy of the band's live performance by leaving milliseconds of silence or none at all between certain tracks.
I Can't Quit You Baby
One of the band's staple blues tunes throughout 1969 and into 1970 was I Can't Quit You Baby, recorded on Led Zeppelin's self-titled debut album. But this night, the selection would be memorable for more than the music.
Crowd problems would always be a challenge for Led Zeppelin, even in a staid and reserved venue like Kleinhans Music Hall. Sometimes the ethos of "sex'n'drugs'n'rock'n'roll" gets out of hand among concert-goers especially when the group is as exciting in concert as Led Zeppelin was. This incident is precisely why many people were reluctant to allow rock bands to perform at Kleinhans in the first place.
In this bootlegged recording, you can plainly hear that in the first verse of I Can't Quit You Baby, Led Zeppelin's lead singer, Robert Plant, stops for a split-second mid-lyric. Jimmy Page's focus also seems to have been momentarily shattered; his Les Paul guitar churns out a note that seems incongruent with what he's already playing. He adroitly makes a correction by sustaining it and sliding into another note to get himself back on track. Clearly, something has broken their collective concentration.
Plant, who's known for improvising lyrics freely during these early Led Zeppelin performances, doesn't disappoint. He's now tailoring the first verse of I Can't Quit You Baby, to describe what has just occurred.
Apparently, someone has thrown a bottle or glass on stage, while the band is performing. Plant immediately admonishes the culprit with a menacing delivery:
"Cause you're messin' up a good concert, ya silly fool!". He then segues effortlessly into the standard line of lyrics for this song, ending the first verse. But Plant is still extremely annoyed. He hasn't finished his tuneful tongue-lashing. He ad libs again in the second verse:
"If you think you're really very smart, then why don't you'd better come on up here and do that thing again..." (Loud whistles and boisterous applause from the audience greet Plant's challenge to the transgressor with the good arm!) Awahhhhh! You think you're very smart. I suggest you come up here and do that simple thing once again!"
To Led Zeppelin's credit, all four members of the band play on. Such "rockupational hazards" – while unfortunate and dangerous - were common, with people hurling firecrackers, bottles, glasses and other projectiles toward the musicians.
Someone once recounted to me having seen Jimmy Page and The Yardbirds in concert. That band played on then, too - oblivious to the fact that the plastic backdrop behind them had caught fire when an audience member threw a sparkler!
The rest of the song transpires without incident, and is warmly received by the jubilant crowd. In his preamble to the next piece of that evening, from Led Zeppelin II, Plant can't resist taking one more shot at the glass-thrower:
"Thank you, thank you very much. Thank you, thank you very much. Thank you! It's a great pleasure to be here tonight and, we'd like to welcome our friend who's selling-who's so used to throwing coconuts in a fair ground, as you really know. Thanks for the glass. Ah, we'd like to carry on and try and feel things are going 'round."
Hope you enjoyed that look at the music of Led Zeppelin at Kleinhans Music Hall, then AND now!
Visit us on Facebook!
Enzepplopedia recently launched its first Fan Page on Facebook. I hope you’ll visit and click on the “Like” button to share with other lovers of Led. The link appears below.Until next month, thanks for reading and I hope your summer rocks!
Frank Reddon.
www.facebook.com/enzepplopedia
Please note: The manufacture, distribution and sale of unauthorized and/or unlicensed recordings is illegal. Enzepplopedia Publishing, Inc. does not produce, distribute or sell such material nor endorse those who do. Any reference, discussion or image presented here is intended solely for the purposes of historical research and context.
THE WAIT IS OVER!
This year’s first edition of Dave Lewis’ Tight But Loose magazine is now available. Dave’s publication has been THE source for all things Zeppelin since 1978.
Click here for subscription details: http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/tblweb09/?page_id=1469
Reminders
Want to learn about Led? Visit Learn-about-Led.com
Order Sonic Boom Volume 1 here.
And don't forget to tell us what's YOUR favourite Led Zeppelin album!
Do you already own True Blues & Beyond, my e-book that explores Led Zeppelin's earliest influences in the blues? It's free for Enzepploziners. Click here to download it.