Get the Led Out - Ep2551 wk of 15dec

'Get The Led Out' Explores The Incredible History Of The Rock Band Led Zeppelin!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, this is Carol Miller. Welcome to our Get the
Leadout calendar. On December fifteenth, nineteen sixty eight, Led Zeppelin
played in London's Haverstock Hill at Hampstead Country Club. John
Bonham had played there six months earlier, drumming for the
American singer Tim Rose. Jimmy Page was at the show
that night to see Bonham, recommended personally by Robert Plant.

(00:21):
Watching Bonham play, Jimmy became determined to recruit him for
his new band.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
I had in my mind exactly what I wanted to
try and get together, and then it was just a
men of searching round for the right personnel who could
pull it off. Although I had in mind a very
powerful drama, I wasn't ready for John Bonham. I must
say he was beyond the realms of anything that I
could possibly have imagine. He was playing with a musician
called Tim Rose, absolutely phenomenal.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
On December sixteenth, nineteen sixty eight, led Zepplin played a
gig at the Bath Pavilion. This was the last minute
booking from band manager Peter Grant. Peter swapped led Zeppelin
in due to an illness within the Jeff Beck group.
Also on his management roster Jeff was okay and his
singer Rod Stewart was too. The band member under the

(01:10):
Weather was pianist Nicky Hopkins. On the group album Truth,
Nicky Hopkins played piano. The organ part on You Shook
Me was courtesy of John Paul Jones, also heard on
led Zeppelin's debut album. On December seventeenth, nineteen seventy two,

(01:41):
Led Zeppelin played the second of two nights at the
Odeon in Birmingham, England. Their Birmingham shows were always favorites
for lead singer Robert Plant and drummer turned backup singer
John Bonham because it was their local area. John got
a turn at singing harmonies when they performed Bronnie or Stomp.
The song was about Robert's dog, a blue eyed Merle Collie,

(02:03):
hence lyrics like you are the finest dog I knew
and Ain't no companion like a blue Eyed Merle. On
both the US and UK tours that year, Robert usually
added his dog's name Strider at the end of the
song he had not finished the song this way in
Australia or Japan. On December eighteenth, nineteen sixty, Christmas was

(02:30):
only a week away, and the parents of twelve year
old Robert Anthony Plant were getting ready to give him
his very own record player as a present. Inside was
a single called Dreaman by a singer otte of Memphis,
Johnny Burnett. Back in nineteen fifty six, Johnny had adapted
Tiny Bradshaw's song Train Kept to Roland. In nineteen sixty five,

(02:51):
the Yardbirds with Jeff Beck made a pilgrimage to Memphis
to record the song. The Yardbirds continued to play it
after Jimmy Page joined them. Jimmy then introduced that song
to led Zeppelin at their first rehearsal, and they used
it as their opening number on early tours and again
on their final tour.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
Trank capt Roland was probably my favorite track, which is
the yob as used to do.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
On December nineteenth, nineteen sixty eight, Led Zeppelin played at
the Civic Hall in Exeter, England. The occasion was Extra
Art College's Christmas Ball. A psychedelic rock band called The
Deviants performed ahead of led Zeppelin. One of their songs
was a cover of Papa uh Mau Mau, originally by
The Rivingtons poa Ma popa po Devian singer Mick Farron

(03:52):
recalled dodging glasses thrown at his band. He said, led
Zeppelin then got the same reception. Quote they went out
and get through one number before the barrage came unquote.
This is Carol Miller. Thanks for Getting the let Out.
Check back next week for another Get the Letout Calendar
podcast