Get the Led Out - Ep2539 wk of 22sep

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

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, this is Karl Miller. Welcome to our get the
Letout calendar. On Zeptember twenty second, nineteen seventy one, Led
Zeppelin arrived in Tokyo and held a press conference open
to Japanese reporters and photographers. Everybody in led Zeppelin wore
a shirt and pants, well, sort of what Robert Plant
wore was tied around him, so his entire chest and

(00:22):
abdomen were revealed. He'd kind of go with that look
all over Japan that week. The cover of an official
Japanese tour program has a silhouette of the Hindenburg and

(00:43):
orange on a dark blue background. If the background is
sky blue with no silhouette, the tour program, by the way,
if you have it, is a counterfeit. On September twenty third,
nineteen seventy one, Led Zeppelin made their live debut in Japan,
playing the first of two shows at Buddha con Hall
in Tokyo. A lot of video footage circulating from the

(01:03):
show is on YouTube. What's not on YouTube or any
of the scenes. Train passengers witnessed firsthand when a practical
joke of led Zeppelin's backfired. John Paul Jones intended to
dump a spoiled meal onto a sleeping Jimmy Page, but
he delivered the food into the wrong bunk. Manager Peter
Grant emerged wet and angry, and he threw John Paul

(01:26):
Jones into the bunk. Peter then accidentally punched John Bonham.
The Japanese press took the incident at face value and
reported on the apparent breakup of led Zeppelin, but no,
it was just another day in the life of a
touring band forty five years ago. On September twenty fourth,
nineteen eighty, led Zeppelin reassembled for the first time since

(01:48):
their European tour in July. They reunited at Brace Studios
in Berkshire, England, the same filming facility where Rocky Horror
Picture Show had been shot. Led Zeppelin intended to rehearse
for obviously more than one day. They had shows to plan,
sets to choreograph with lighting, and songs to rehearse. If
led Zeppelin didn't rehearse much on day one, presumably they'd

(02:10):
make it up. Everybody went to sleep it off at
Jimmy Page's home in Windsor, although John Bonham evidently was
sleeping on his back, which led to his death by asphyxiation.
Led Zeppelin's dreams ended the following afternoon, when everybody else
learned of John's death forty five years ago. On September
twenty fifth, nineteen eighty mail and ticket order forms went

(02:33):
to publication in the Chicago Tribune for those hoping to
catch led Zeppelin's planned four shows at the newly opened
Rosemont Horizon. Meanwhile, in England, led Zeppelin were eager to
get back into rehearsal. Movie they just needed John Bonham.

(02:56):
John Paul Jones went to check on him in the
room where he had been sleep but he couldn't wake
John up. Paramedics couldn't revive him either, so a coroner
was called to Jimmy Page's home in Windsor. When news
got out of John Bonham's passing, an impromptu candlelight vigil
formed outside. On September twenty sixth, nineteen seventy one, Led

(03:17):
Zeppelin had a day off during their first tour of Japan. There,
itinerary left some days open for sightseeing and travel. Led
Zeppelin did not have a show in Kyoto, but they
visited Noanzeni Temple on their first day off. They'd also
visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Active duty US troops in
Japan made private efforts to help atomic bomb victims in

(03:38):
Hiroshima attend led Zeppelin show there. Led Zeppelin donated ticket
proceeds to bomb victims. This is Carol Miller. Thanks for

(04:03):
Getting the let Out. Check back next week for another
Get the Letout Calendar podcast