Jimmy Page-The Led Zeppelin Years-Saturday Nite Nostalgia

Only fitting I would cover Led Zeppelin after last week-end’s spotlight on Jimmy Page’s early years.

Following the departure of Keith Relf and Jim Carty from The Yardbirds in 1968, Page wanted to continue with them, ostensibly to continue unfulfilled touring dates. He had recruited (you guessed it!) Robert Plant on vocals and the late John Bonham on drums.  John Paul Jones, with whom Page had worked with in the past asked to join and Page agreed.  With that, this group became known as The New Yardbirds. That is, until The Who drummer, Keith Moon made a comment about this new line up “going over like a lead zeppelin”.  At which time, Page decided to change the band’s name just that, Lead Zeppelin.  The spelling would change to “Led” to avoid a mispronunciation of “Leed”

The first video is a rare version of “Dazed and Confused” – a song that most of us know from Led Zeppelin’s first album, but the video below is an earlier version–circa 1967-1968 by The “old” Yardbirds, obviously before the departures of Relf and Carty, appearing on a French TV show.  Yeah, I know, it’s kinda weird listening to Keith Relf singing it, rather than Robert Plant. In fact, personally, I don’t think Keith Relf’s voice was suited for the song. However, those who follow my Saturday Nite Nostalgia series, I always try as much as possible to find more obscure songs or obscure versions of them. The Yardbirds doing “Dazed and Confused” is no exception, even with Relf on vocals. Anyhooo, watch, listen and you be the judge.

The following is “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”  from their first album, live on TV in Copenhagen circa 1969.

There are varying stories as to who originally wrote and / or inspired this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uLGaioCyig&feature=related

The following is another favourite that didn’t seem to go commercial. “The Battle of Evermore” was from an untitled album simply known as  their fourth album. If anyone heard it on vinyl, if memory serves me correctly, this played before “Stairway to Heaven”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZLMoMe3PjU

In my opinion, Led Zeppelin’s only decent albums were the first, second and fourth.

This is one band that kept the same line up for the entire 12 years they were together.  They broke up shortly after the death of John Bonham, their drummer. Their last album prior to Bonham’s death and Led Zeppelin’s subsequent break up was “In Through the Outdoor”. However, in 1982, Led-Zeppelin’s last album, “Coda” came out.

Like Robert Plant, Page would go on to more successes that would span through decades. I believe he toured not long ago.

Happy Saturday Nite!