I’m not entirely sure why Led Zeppelin still have the stellar reputation they have. Certainly, by the early 1970’s there wasn’t anyone bigger. But to me, they haven’t aged that well. I didn’t think that way in 1975 when I queued all night in Sheffield on the announcement that they would perform three concerts in London that year. As it happened, while elsewhere in the country fans outnumbered available tickets several times to one, in Sheffield we were able to buy tickets for one day, go back to the end of the queue and get some more. We were joined at the end by someone who travelled 250 miles from Edinburgh, because he had no chance there, and got tickets in Sheffield.
Three concerts were initially planned, and I got tickets for two of them. Eventually another, earlier, couple of dates were added.
The Earls Court gigs have gone down in legend. Looking at them today, though, they haven’t worn as well as contemporary concerts by the Stones or Pink Floyd. Or maybe it’s just that they don’t transfer to video that well. Anyway, I’ve included this because…I was there!
I remember this well. It was the last of the five concerts. I had been to one a couple of days earlier, and as was the norm with these bands. the encores were just as planned as the rest of the set. We got them out again for something unrehearsed, which also explains the rudimentary light show.
Headbutter of the Gods 
June 6th, 2012 at 18:06
Gosh, weren’t we lucky to have such great music in our young days! Unfortunately, I never got to see Led Zeppelin live, but I certainly listened to their records. ” Stairway to heaven” of course, is a classic (take a look at Daniel’s blog… “Rainbow Bridge”), and this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcL—4xQYA
Watching this, I got side tracked… here’s a good show at Montreux – turn up the volume! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&v=xXPI30rPu4k&NR=1
I’ve always been a big fan of Deep Purple and I was lucky to see them play in a small club in Copenhagen in 1970. Hopefully Jon Lord is doing OK!
I still get goose bumbs listening to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ_kez7WVUU&ob=av2e
Enjoy! 🙂
June 6th, 2012 at 20:42
In the early 1970’s I was Deep Purple’s biggest fan. I got my picture taken on an inner album sleeve during one of their concerts – alright, it was an album of the support band, Nazareth. I don’t think that Purple (or Zeppelin) have aged that well, but I don’t regret the part they played in my education.
I’m not sure that we were any luckier than anyone else – we also had to put up with “progressive rock”, Roger Dean sleeves and all, for which pub-rock and punk were blessed reliefs. It’s also not uncommon for someone to associate music of a particular era with all that was going on with their own lives, which produces nostalgia for that music – I’m not saying that this is how you think, of course.
I tend not to look back too much, as we have today’s music – and these days I have descended completely into old fartdom by not knowing anything of the more popular stuff – but will never lose yesterday’s.
June 6th, 2012 at 18:20
Btw, when I was younger I used to think… what kind of music will I like when I get old? It turns out that I still like what I did when I was younger. Of course, back in those days, they made quality music! I never liked jazz much, but now I like some of it – and Bach.
June 6th, 2012 at 18:23
Bach is for the future. As an old fart there’s certain stuff I’m supposed to like.Some of it I do like, some not. But what I discovered is that what I like now has evolved – or devolved. Same with everything else, I suppose.