Concert Q & A

I was driving to work this morning rocking out to the radio and had several flashback memories of some great concert experiences.  So I decided to share them with you in hopes that you will share some with me!  These are really hard to answer


Most memorable concert moment: It was "The Rising Tour" which occurred shortly after 9/11.  Bruce asked for total silence in the audience, and when he had all 20,000 of us paying full attention he played "Empty Sky".  The whole night was a combination of a good time and sad time mixed together.  Very unique atmosphere.


Least favorable concert:  George Michael.  Not because he wasn't good, but because every female (other than me) in the audience was screaming at the top of their lungs the whole time and I couldn't even hear the music.  I wanted to leave but was there for a friend so I stuck it out.


Who puts on the best show: If you know me at all, you already know my answer :)  Bruce, of course!


Concert I wish I could have seen: The Doors, I was born ten years too late; and Queen.  I don't know how I missed them out of the hundreds of bands I've seen, but I did :(

Best concert I never saw:  Led Zeppelin, I still have my two tickets and have never totally forgiven Jon Van B.

Biggest outdoor concert:  Cal Jam II

Smallest inside venue: The Quiet Woman restaurant in Laguna Beach (about 50 - 75 people), Kenny Loggins dropped by and put on a show for some locals, so fun!

Best seats at a concert:  Front Row at VAN HALEN in '81, omg - talk about amazing, Eddie is one of my top 5 guitarists

Loudest concert:  Ted Nugent, love him or hate him - he's very entertaining


Most mind blowing concert:  Pink Floyd! (i was 17, under the influence of LSD & red wine for the occasion and it truly was an incredible night under the stars, i was fearless back then)


Worst concert experience:  Losing my sister for several hours at an all day concert featuring the Rolling Stones.  I was frantic to find her and finally, right before the Stones came on, there she was.

Most frightening moment at a concert:  Same Stones concert as above.  I was near the front, the crowd rushed and literally lifted me off my feet, I was screaming because I was being crushed and no one cared.  Then this big, strong "angel" came out of nowhere (picture Clarence Clemons), lifted me up and out of the crowd (I was only about 125 lbs back in the day!).  After he put me down and I thanked him I looked back again and he was GONE.

Best concert experience:  Impossible to narrow it down.  I will say I got a thrill when David Bowie smiled at me.

Artist seen the most times: Again, if you know me.....Bruce (23? 24?  lost track)

Most embarrassing concert moment:  Falling asleep at Pat Benatar.  I was bored after sitting through Quarterflash and Night Ranger (no offense to either band).

Funnest concert moment: Had to be during Bruce, but there are so many fun moments in all his concerts, hard to pick just one.

Best "goosebumps" moment:  U2, "Vertigo Tour", when Bono was talking about co-existing and loving our neighbor, and peace, etc. then started playing "One" the young man next to me held my hand for a moment (he was Middle Eastern) and we both had tears in our eyes.

Concert I regret:  Def Lepard, only because it was stupid of me to go with the person I went with - we got there late and had crappy seats.



Best concert of all time:  Michael Jackson.  It was the "Bad" tour and Michael was at  his peak in every way.  I know this sounds corny, but I truly did feel like I was in the presence of someone very special.  The energy of his hardcore fans infused everyone else that was there and the THINGS HE DID on that stage were literally magical (he'd walk up a set of stairs, disappear in a puff of smoke then be back on the opposite side of the stage in a different outfit in a matter of seconds, like 5 seconds or less).  His DANCE MOVES, the way he held the audience captive.  His humility.  It was an experience I'll cherish forever.  RIP MJ.  (again, love him or hate him, he was one of the best, if not the best, entertainers of our time).
http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/2008/05/one-i-missed.html

Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti

For those who dont know Led Zeppelin, (and I cant imagine anyone who doesn't) their 6th album, would be a great place to start. From side 1, song 1, Custard Pie to side 4, song 5, Sick Again you will find a veritable musical history of this great band. Given the luxury of a double album format, Physical Graffiti mirrors every facet of the Zeppelin repertoire.

Although the album was released in February of 1975, many of the songs were recorded and written much earlier. Many of the songs that just missed the cut on earlier albums were gathered for a tour de force album.

Personally for me, it was released in my senior year of high school and while I listened to their earlier albums, this one hooked me and reeled me in and never let me go. It cut a smoke-filled swath through many a joy ride in the country. I still listen to the entire album on a regular basis.

I have seen too many cover bands to mention, aspiring to the bands greatness, but I am going to include a special video now of a cover band (don't know their name) who do a great version of Custard Pie.


From the hard-driving beat of the last song to this one harkening back to their Led Zeppelin III album.

It was also a unique album package with the cover of a building tenement in New York City. The insert slid in and spelled out the name of the album through the windows. The inner covers depict various objects and people including Robert Plant in drag. This was also their first album released on their own Swan Song Records.

The album soon reached number 1 on the Billboard charts and was the first album ever to go platinum on advance orders. After its release, all of their previous albums re-entered the top 2oo album chart. Arguably the most desired song from this album is the following, with its far eastern roots and its Bonham and Jones driven back-beat.

While I agree the earlier Zeppelin albums call to their roots and influence, this album rushes over you at their most creative and expressive ever! To close this post I can not go without including my favorite song. I believe this one represents all of what they were and how they played off of each other so well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can you imagine this????

Being at the House of Blues in Chicago to see Pearl Jam and having Robert Plant show up to sing this?  Wow.  It seems too good to be true, most things are.



The video quality is shitty but hey - so is life sometimes.

Happy Birthday, Robert Plant!

Robert is one of my all time favorite vocalists...and I will never, ever tire of watching "The Song Remains the Same" or any other video of Zeppelin. Hope he has a great birthday (even though I'm still disappointed in him for not wanting to do a reunion....)

This Day in Music

1969, Cream started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their album 'Goodbye.'

1969, Janis Joplin was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, on sale for 35 Cents.

1975, The Doobie Brothers went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Black Water', the groups first of two US No.1's.

1975, Led Zeppelin went to No.1 on the UK chart with the double album 'Physical Graffiti', the first on their own 'Swan Song' label, the album spent six weeks at No.1 on the US chart.

1977, Pink Floyd played the first of six sold-out nights at Empire Pool, Wembley, London, England.

1989, The Rolling Stones signed a $70 million (£40 million) contract to play 50 North American dates. It was the largest contract in rock history.

1999, Bruce Springsteen was inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame by U2's Bono.

2002, Yoko Ono unveiled a seven foot bronze statue of John Lennon overlooking the check- in hall of Liverpool John Lennon airport. The re-branding of the airport featured a sketch of Lennon's face with the words 'Above Us Only Skies.'

Taken from "This Day in Music"

Led Zeppelin - Officially Non Existent

I'm a bit behind on the news, just heard that Jimmy Page announced that their search for a replacement vocalist to go on tour with them is finis - done - over. There will never be another Led Zeppelin concert. Ever. (of course, never say never....)

Well finally these babies may be worth something:

Led Zeppelin to Tour!

The question is:

Is it REALLY Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant?

I asked in a previous post if you would go see Zeppelin sans Roberto. I am still not sure how I feel about it. I think a lot of it will depend on prices.

I'm Going to the Symphony:

Saturday night I'll be going to the Cerritos Permorming Arts Center for this:

"Bridging the gulf between rock n’ roll and classical music, conductor/arranger Brent Havens takes the podium to present The Music of Led Zeppelin, a program he scored to extend the listening experience of Led Zeppelin’s timeless tunes.

Performed by an orchestra and amplified with a full rock band and screaming vocals, Havens and his ensemble capture Led Zeppelin’s “sheer blast and power” riff for riff while cranking out new musical color."

No offense to Allison Kraus but....

Image via Wikipedia....if it weren't for her and Robert doing this seemilgly never ending tour, MAYBE he would have been open to the tour millions of fans world wide have been wanting to see for years.   If you haven't heard yet its OFFICIAL that Mr. Plant will not be recording or touring with Led Zeppelin any time soon.  I for one am disappointed, but its his life, his choice, thank God Bruce Springsteen loves his fans.

So the big question is:

If Led Zeppelin do go on a tour with the unknow American singer they have been rehearsing with, would you go?

or

Would it just  not be the same without Robert singling lead?

I'll tell you my answer soon....

A Tribute to John Bonham

28 years ago today we lost, in my opinion, the best drummer of all time. Some may say others have more defined drumming skills, but no one can deny the power, the passion and the unique style that was his alone. He's inspired so many others over the years, including his own son, Jason who proudly continues his father's legacy.

For me personally, it was a tragic loss because at the time Led Zeppelin was my favorite band, and because John's death day was my birth day. It put a dark cloud over my plans to celebrate my 21st. I shared it here if you're interested - side note, yes, I'm 49, you can do the math but I'll never admit it - I've saying 38 for years and it still works ;)

Here are a few quotes from John and two videos that showcase a bit of his thunderous style. I miss you, Bonzo....

With Zeppelin, I tried to play something different every night in my solos. I'd play for 20 minutes but the longest ever was 30 minutes. It's a long time, but whenI was playing it seemed to fly by.

My nerves before a gig got worse; I had terrible bad nerves all the time. Once we started... I was fine.

I remember in the early days when we played six nights a week for a month and I was doing my long drum solo every night. My hands were covered in blisters.

I dare not drink before a gig because I'll get tired and blow it. So I have to sit drinking tea in a caravan.

Drumming was the only thing I was ever good at.

Must Have Book for Zeppelin Fans

Yesterday I received so many wonderful things in the mail! One of them was this book:

Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin: The Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time

IT IS INCREDIBLE! You have to hold it in your hands and look at it yourself to truly appreciate it. This is their entire history illustrated with photos that are some of the best I've seen.

The book gives you a look into every aspect of the band focusing on their tours. I was able to look at the venue I (almost) saw them at and see the t-shirts and ticket stubs and posters form that tour, it took me right back. I love how this book is set up and highly recommend it. Here is part of the description from the publisher:

Now, to celebrate their fortieth anniversary and December 2007 reunion, here’s the first-ever complete illustrated history of Led Zeppelin.

This all-star tribute to one of the biggest rock ’n’ roll bands of all time features many of today’s top American and English rock journalists from Rolling Stone, Creem, Billboard and more, as well as reflections on the band’s inspiration from some of rock’s top performers, including Aerosmith, Heart, ZZ Top, the Minutemen, the Hold Steady, and others. An appendix features the complete discography.

Glorious concert and behind-the-scenes photography from some of the top names in rock photography covers the band from their first 1968 show as Led Zeppelin through the 2007 reunion. Also included are more than 200 rare concert posters, backstage passes, tickets, LPs and singles, T-shirts, buttons, and more from the United States, UK, Canada, Germany, France, and Japan, all comprising a book as epic as the band it honors.

Led Zeppelin is Going to Tour...bla blah blah

Now you KNOW I hope that this time the rumor is FINALLY true, but I am not wasting one ounce of energy on getting excited until I hear it announced officially straight from Jimmy and/or Robert.

I'm sure by now you've heard the latest rumor, started by David Coverdale, that Zeppelin is planning a full-blown tour. I also read somewhere that they each will make millions upon millions of dollars/pounds of the gig. What do you do when you have that kind of money? More than you could spend in a lifetime?

So...let me know when you hear the REAL OFFICIAL news. And then I will start fretting over how the hell I'm gonna get my hands on a ticket.

NOTE: To all you ticket scalpers that email me to tell me how great this blog is and ask if I will put a banner ad for you on this site - you can jump in a lake.

Do you think they look alike????

How Rumors Get Started....

I read this over on a blog that I just love, "Real Rock News":

"Duff McKagan, bass player for Velvet Revolver is saying that they are in line to be the supporting act in the event of a Led Zeppelin tour. There was no word on why McKagan would say something like that and he did not offer any kind of explanation."

Dude, this is rad. (I don't know where that came from....I don't typically talk like that but ... sometimes it slips out....)

Anyhow, this could be a RUMOR but I like to think of it as HOPE that maybe

JUST MAYBE

I will get to see Led Zeppelin (with Jason Bohnam.....) someday

British Rock

One of my “music buddies”, Darrin, often shares new music with me because we have similar tastes. But not all our tastes are the same! He recently wrote about British Rock and I thought I’d share his thoughts and then add my opinion. I’d love to hear your views of these bands too!

The Beatles

Darrin: They're the standard bearers. They took what they heard coming from across the pond, put their own stamp on it, perfected it, made it their own and became not only musical but also cultural icons. Their influence is undeniable.

Me: Ditto

Rolling Stones

Darrin: While appreciate the influence they've had on other bands, I've never really understood their appeal. I only own one of their albums (Beggars Banquet) and I do appreciate many of their singles, but all in all I think this is a band that for a long time has simply been famous for being famous, not because they're still actually any good-- seeing the Stones live today is kind of like seeing Sinatra long after he'd lost his singing voice-- bragging rights and nothing more.

Me: The Rolling Stones were one of my favorites when I was a teen. If you listen to the deeper cuts on some of the old stuff you will hear great blues music. I still love all their music from “Beggar’s Banquet” to “Tattoo You”. After that they lost my interest. I think Mick Jagger is a great entertainer and love watching him no matter how old he is.

The Who

Darrin: I consider The Who's Next to be one of the greatest classic rock albums ever. I find it superior to Tommy, Quadrophenia, and just about everything else they ever recorded. It IS a masterpiece! I find these guys to be more talented than Led Zeppelin ever was.

Me: I agree about “Who’s Next”, excellent album and I saw them perform it live when it came out – one of the best shows ever. I don’t think they are more talented than Zeppelin. Since we are comparing the two I’d like to say that it was sad to see how easily The Who replaced Keith Moon after his death compared to Zeppelin who disbanded recognizing that one fourth of their band was gone. I think that showed a lot of respect for John Bonham and a lot of class for them as a band.

Led Zeppelin

Darrin: It often gets glossed over that Page & Plant were largely musical plagiarists. They were talented musicians, but much of their songwriting comprised of filching styles and even material from others-- sometimes giving credit where it was due-- sometimes not. The intro to Stairway to Heaven, for example, was taken from an instrumental piece by Spirit titled Taurus. I appreciate the impact these guys had on music and their musicianship but they lose boku points with me for their plagiarist tendencies.

Me: (It’s a good think I like Darrin so much – or his comments would tick me off!) I DISAGREE totally about Led Zeppelin. I don’t think they were plagiarists because all musicians are influenced by others. They took what they liked about other music and made it their own. I think they are the greatest rock band of all time because of their talent, their incredible ability to write moving music/lyrics, their presence on stage, and their great hair. (just kidding about the hair).

Me: DITTO!!

Pink Floyd

Darrin – The best British psychedelic band, arguably the best psychedelic band bar none when they started out. After the departure of the enigmatic and troubled Syd Barrett, their material grew much stronger and quite a bit more ambient. The partnership of David Gilmour and Roger Waters produced far stronger material than that of the troubled Barrett. However, given that much of their later material was done as a tribute to or in honor of Barrett, it could be argued that he remained a member of the band long after he left it.

Me: DITTO!

David Bowie

Darrin left him off his list! I guess that pretty much gives his opinion of the fabulous Mr. Bowie. I LOVE David Bowie and have enjoyed watching his metamorphosis over the years, he was never afraid to be different and experiment. I first saw him live back in the late 70’s and could not believe my eyes when Ziggy Stardust emerged on stage. I’ve seen him several times since then, the last being after Heathen was releases. He’s high on my list of great music.

The next best thing to do on a Friday night....

Since I can't be doing what I really want to be doing, I am watching Led Zeppelin on VH1 Classics while chatting with a good friend who loves music as passionately as I do. Damn. Can I just say anyone who does not find LZ extremely sensual has never really watched them with all their senses.

I am officially depressed and lonely.

an Open Letter to Led Zeppelin:

Dear Jimmy, Robert, John Paul and Jason,

Please guys, PLEASE, just say yes to a tour.
Please.
Its historical. Its a chance for millions of us to fulfill a lifelong dream that died on 9/25/81 but has been resurrected as closely as humanly possible....
How about New York and Los Angeles?
I do see one problem - tickets. It would be even harder for most of us if you went on tour but then we could not get our hands on tickets to see you.
Please think about all of this and get back to me.
My readers and I would be thrilled if any of you left a comment.
I look forward to hearing from you.
A fan forever,
Layla (aka Barbara)

Live from London

CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE THE ENERGY IN THAT ROOM, THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SEEING AND HEARING LED ZEPPELIN (well, as close as it will ever get to the true LZ)

Sensual Plant

Wow. I am watching the new edition of "The Song Remains the Same". Several obvervations:

- I must have been really stoned back when I saw this in the theater, its weird and the fantasy scenes don't appeal to me at all today

- The footage is pretty much perfect

- Disc 2 had some never been seen before footage of songs that didnt' make it onto the film

- Robert MUST have his jeans tailor made to fit because they are literally skin tight

- Jimmy Page is a rock god

- John Paul Jones ............? I know he was an important part of the band but I just can't think of a thing to say about him

- John, dear John, John had the look in his eye he was an extremist to his own detriment, but definitely one of the best drummer of all time

- No one exudes sensuality as effortlessly as Robert Plant. He doesn't have to DO a thing. By today's standards some would even call him "an out of shape bloke with bad teeth and no sense of style". BUT....as Robert stands there with his girly looking shirt open and sings and moves naturally to the music....The look in his eyes, the curl of his lips, the gorgeous golden locks, the sounds of his voice...you can't try to be that kind of sensual, you either are or your not. He IS.

Goober Won the Zeppelin Set

Well I did a drawing and there were four names, Goober won! I initially was only going to give away the DVD because I wanted to keep the 2 CDs for myself, but that seems really selfish - I mean who wants JUST the DVD? So I am going to mail him out the whole thing.

But on MY CHRISTMAS LIST at the very top is this:

The MOTHERSHIP has Landed!

I received my copy of Mothership this week and what can I say - its Zeppelin at their finest - only BETTER. These 2 CDs/DVD have been remastered to bring out the best in the four British blokes that changed musical history back in the 70's.

To quote Andrew Bartlett:

For its part, Mothership's crisper, warmer audio owes its heft to the troika of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, who helped oversee the mastering, bringing out untold shades even in the throes of "Heartbreaker" and the sinews of "No Quarter." It's an impressive sonic leap. Where tinny high-ends and muffled lows used to co-exist, fatter and louder depths prevail.

Undertstandably some of us may see our personal favortie missing - most noteably for me "The Ocean". But the songs were handpicked by Plant and Page so I guess I will have to email my complainsts to one them.

and guess what: I AM GIVING AWAY the DVD disc of this set to YOU(?). If you are interested let me know in a comment and if there is more than one person I will diplomatically pull a name from a hat on Monday or Tuesday next week and send it to you. Sorry, this time I am keeping the 2 CD discs for myself, but I am expecting some other gems to review and will be giving lots of good stuff away in the near future...its so fun to share music!!!

See below for full track list: