The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

We talk about The Firm as Jimmy Page and Paul Roger's project following the dissolution of their respective bands (Led Zep and Bad Co.)and I play three tracks from a professionally recorded show in Cleveland, May 11, 1986. Songs played are Satisfaction Guaranteed, Tear Down the Walls, and Live In Peace.

I talk about the 1972/73 UK Tour of Led Zeppelin, Robert's voice issues, Zep's final UK tour, and I play some of an unreleased multitrack recording of the Jan 22 Southampton show, and I also bitch about my grumpy health woes. I play How Many More Times/Communication Breakdown and Thank You.

I carry on from last week with more songs from Led Zeppelin's March 16th, 1973 Vienna concert. This is their musical peak and the music is aggressive, wild, and almost dangerous. We hear Whole Lotta Love (including I Can't Quit You, Let's Have A Party, You're So Square, etc), and a blazing performance of Since I've Been Loving you.

I talk about Led Zeppelin's 1973 European Tour, which is considered to be the technical peak of the band, and give a little background as to why that is. The we focus on is Vienna March 16, 1973, and we listen to what is arguably the best Dazed and Confused ever performed. It's 29 minutes of mayhem and it's amazing.

I revisit the Valentine's Day 1975 Led Zeppelin concert, in Uniondale, NY. I play a excellent soundboard recording of In My Time of Dying, and then jump to the previous night for the next song. On February 13, 1975 Zeppelin played in Nassau, NY, and for their encore brought out future Rolling Stone, and Current Faces guitarist Ronnie Wood, for a truly awesome dual guitar Communication Breakdown. I...

I talk about the Led Zeppelin concert from February 14, 1975 Uniondale NY, about the release of Physical Graffiti, and play 3 songs from the excellent soundboard recording of this show. Graeme's remaster specifically. I play Trampled Underfoot, Over The Hills And Far Away, and The Rain Song (my favorite version). I talk a lot too, some funny stuff.

I talk about the very first tour of the United States, Dec/Jan 1969. They were an opening act, unknowns (except for Jimmy + the Yardbirds). I play 3 tracks from a wild, almost out of control young band, fresh out of the gate. The songs (from excellent soundboard audio) are As Long As I Have You, Train Kept A Rollin', and For Your Love (insane pysch hard rock version of the Yardbirds hit).

We take a dive into the gig performed by Aerosmith and Jimmy Page, at the legendary Marquee Club in London, a couple days after the enormous Castle Donnington Festival, in 1990. This small club gig was performed on August 20, 1990. We listen to 3 live tracks from this show, in excellent soundboard stereo. I Ain't Got You, Think About it (Yardbirds track), and the Immigrant Song.

We dive into the seeeeeedy decadence of Led Zeppelin's 1977 US tour, focusing on the legendary run of shows from the LA Forum. We listen to Achilles Last Stand, and Communication Breakdown, from excellent stereo audience recordings.

I got a new mic! We listen to an even better stereo source of 9/4/70 (Communication Breakdown) as a new matrix mix was released recently, and we hear Sitting and Thinking from the excellent stereo soundboard recording of the 4/27/69 Fillmore West show.

We listen to Page Plant's last ever performance at the 2001 Montreux Jazz Festival. They play a rockabilly set including the ONLY live performance of Candy Store Rock. We hear that plus two more songs from that set.

I talk about the 1998 Page/Plant tour, and how Jimmy Page was ON FIRE and playing like a man possessed. I focus on the Bizarre Festival in Koln, Germany on August 23, 1998, and play three songs from this gig (professionally recorded and broadcast), Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Heart In Your Hand, and How Many More Times. Good stuff. My new mic cable has yet to arrive, so my vocals are recorded using...

We listen to a bit of the first Page-Plant reunion performance, a benefit show in memory of Alexis Korner, at the Buxton Opera House. It took place in April of 1994, and features a unique setlist, a great atmosphere, and a lot of fun. Songs played are Baby Please Don't Go, I Can't Quit You Baby, and I've Been Down So Long. Great stuff.

We begin our journey into the realm of Page/Plant, with a look at their Osaka 2/15/96 show. The '96 tour was fantastic and this show, in particular, has some unique gems. The only performance of Ten Years Gone for P/P (and the last time Robert would sing that song is played, as well as Tea For One (they only played it on this tour, and never as Zeppelin), and the underappreciated Wonderful will be...

I talk about the iconic Led Zeppelin show in LA from Sept 4 1970, and play three tracks from a couple of excellent stereo audience recordings. Out On The Tiles, Bring It On Home and Bron Yr Aur are played, and I opine mightily. I also babble for 20 minutes about live recording's importance to us culturally.

We enjoy a few of my favorite live covers performed by Led Zeppelin over the years. Zep plays Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Elvis (of course), Eddie Cochran, The Ventures (super awesome!), and MORE (Fats Domino).

We listen to two tracks from the legendary Sept 29th 1971 Led Zeppelin concert in Osaka, Japan. The first is a blazing Heartbreaker from the excellent mono soundboard source, and the second is an INCREDIBLE 33 minute Whole Lotta Love, from the Fatally Wanderer source. Just amazing.

We visit Led Zeppelin on the Japanese Tour in 1971, with this look at their Sept. 29th show in Osaka. We listen to various sources of the show, and hear a Bonham-less Tangerine, and a very Bonhamful Immigrant song... as well as Pennies From Heaven. You heard me. This is a fun one.

I talk about the legendary 4/2769 Led Zeppelin concert, at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. I play two tracks, Train Kept A Rollin' and As Long As I Have You, from this gig, neither of which was ever released by the band. We hear the last of the Telecaster days, as Zep blows away another crowd of happy folk.

I share my favorite performance of How Many More Times, from 3/7/70 Montreux, Switzerland. The sound quality is excellent, there is truly magical interplay with the audience, a million fantastic blues songs in the medley, and a nice little bit of Suzy Q to start it off. It's pretty awesome.

I talk about Led Zeppelin's 1977 tour, and the acoustic set in particular. I play my favorite performances of Going to California, Black Country Woman, and more from excellent live recordings. There are unique performances of I Can't Be Satisfied (Muddy Waters song), and an acoustic Dancing Days. Good Stuff.

A short exploration of 2 tracks left off of Led Zeppelin's live album, How The West Was Won. We listen to an audience recording of Led Zeppelin performing the Kingsmen's Louie Louie, and Sly and the Family Stone's Everyday People, before morphing into an encore performance of Thank You. These songs were not included in the live album, yet are awesome, and incredibly moving performances. Check it o...

A look at what ended up being Led Zeppelin's final tour, 1980's Tour Over Europe. Songs included are: live performances of Nobody's Fault But Mine, Money, and the second to last live performance of Whole Lotta Love, with Bad Company's Simon Kirke joining the band on drums.

I explore Jimmy Page's 1988 solo tour, in support of his Outrider album. There's much talking, and 3 live tracks from his last show of the tour, at the Manchester (UK) Apollo, Nov. 26, 1988.

We take a look at a recent bootleg release of a soundboard recording from the legendary Led Zeppelin show, in Seattle, on 3/21/75, which came out over the summer. This is an excellent recording of a stellar show. I go over a little of the background of the release, and listen to a few tracks. Fun fun fun.