BBC SESSIONS

When I saw this release in the bins, I just bought it without looking at the tracklist, really. Led Zep fan hasn't been overwhelmed with live material, so no hesitation with this one. This is actually a live Led Zep compilation, Jimmy was responsible for the track selection (but choice was very mimited in this case). There are really two separate parts of their live career represented here, both being recorded by the BBC for their radio programmes. It is the second official live release of the band since, "The Song Remains The Same" in 1976 ! For a band that was so impressive during their live sets, it is rather bizarre.

CD one is made of four different recordings.

1. TOP GEAR : recorded on March 3rd, 1969 and aired on March 23rd.

It features three songs : "You Shook Me", I Can't Quit You Baby" and "Dazed & Confused". The latter being represented in a "short" live version (which means without the middle-part extravaganza), pretty close to the studio version. It is how most casual fans will prefer "Dazed". The other two songs are blues numbers featured on their debut album. Plant had a fame in the blues circuit before he joined Led Zep. They were classics of the early live performances of the band. Not my cup of tea as I mentioned in my review of their first album. One track of this session is not featured here : "Dazed & Confused".

2. CHRIS GRANT TASTY POP SUNDAE" : recorded on June 16th, 1969 and aired on June 22nd.

Three songs as well : "Communication Breakdown" : features a small middle-part with a bit of the known section "Squeeze My Lemon". Rather unusual and therefore interesting of course. Then "The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair" which is an unreleased song so far. It will be the only live performance of this track (originally a blues song written by "Sleepy John Estes". This song sounds quite rocky. Actually they re-write the musical part (which almost sounds as the "Moby Dick" intro) but kept the original lyrics. Not bad a number I have to say. "Something Else" is a rock'n'roll cover from a number written by Sharon Sheeley and Eddie Cochran (Sharon was his girlfriend and was flying in the same plane as Eddie while it crashed. She survived but he died on the next day. Honestly, this number is not a great one and is only a curiosity. I guess that it was put here on purpose since extremely few recordings of it existed. There was one additional song played during this recording and not featured here : "What Is And What Should Never Be".

3. TOP GEAR : recorded on June 24th, 1969 and aired on June 29th.

This is the most interesting part of CD1. It features four tracks of which "What Is..." but above all "Whole Lotta Love". This is the first broadcast of this fabulous song. Format is like the studio version but rawer, straighter. It is my favourite version of this all-time high. The other two songs are "Travelling Riverside Blues" which features a section that will be used in "The Lemon Song" and another version of "Communication Beakdown". these four tracks were the complete recording.

4. ONE NIGHT STAND - PLAYHOUSE THEATRE : recorded on June 27th, 1969 and aired on August 10th.

It was just two days ahead of their first appearence at the Royal Albert Hall. Four track as well from these recording. A third version of "Communication", "I Can't Quit You Baby", an extended version for "You Shook Me" and another highlight of CD one : "How Many More Times". The full concert lasted for about an hour. It will include "Dazed" (in an extended format already) and "White Summer/Black Mountain Side".

To be honest with you, I almost never listen to CD one in its entirety. There are really too many pure blues moments featured here for my ears. Also several redundancies (three times "Communication and twice "Can't Quit You" and "You Shook Me". But these are almost everything Jimmy could gather from these recordings. So, it is rather a document (with good audio quality) than a real great live moment. This will considerably change with CD two.

CD TWO : PARIS THEATER, LONDON. Recorded on April 1st, 1971. Broadcasted on April 4th. Originally planned on March 25th, the show was rescheduled as Plant had a voice problem.

This CD is more consistent of course. Recorded in one session. The band has already gained an incredible fame. They had released their third album some six months ago and they were already busy with the sessions of their fourth one which started in December 1970 (in the same studio than Jethro Tull for "Aqualung"). Three songs from their future album will be performed and were completely unknown to the audience.

This concert starts with "Immigrant Song". While the band shows an incredible power, the vocals from Plant are somewhat weak (specially the "screams" section which is really poor - sorry Robert). Page displays a great guitar solo, unfeatured in the studio album. It's funny to compare the end of the track when the following number "Heartbreaker". It sounds exactly as on their second album when "Livin' Lovin' (She's Just A Woman)" ends and "Heartbreaker" starts. One track abruptedly stops, while the other one powerfully starts. Die-hard fans will understand what I mean. If not try and listen to both sequence. It will be obvious to your ears. "Heartbreaker" : one of their most violent studio number. You can imagine how it will sound on stage ! Raw power (not mimicking the Stooges...). Still, Led Zep will offer a rather moment here : while this song rocks like hell, there is a short, slow break in the studio version. Led Zep will almost always include this part in "Heartbreaker" : a subtle, short excerpts of a Tull classic : "Bourée". Yes man, "Bourée" in the middle of "Heartbreaker". Would you believe ? This is a great example of how Led Zep could combine the heaviest rock with delicate music. Almost unmatched (actually, Purple will also do these combinations on stage when Lord would play almost classic numbers as introduction to Purple anthems).

"Since I've Been Loving You" is one of the two songs I like the lost in the Led Zep repertoire. This live execution is brilliant. Page offering an incredible and passionate solo. One has to recognize that this concert might well be one of their best ever in terms of track listing, feeling, punch, mastery and technicity. Plant is so emotional, maybe even more than in the studio version. This is a great live version.

Next song must have been quite a shock for the audience. How fortunate they were ! This reminds me the concert that Deep Purple will play on 9th March 1972 in the same studio. They will play almost the entirety of "Machine Head" a few weeks ahead its release. We'll have the same here with the next song. As if the band was willing to mislead the audience, they will play the intro of "Out On The Tiles" and switch to ... "Black Dog" ! I have never heard a rawer version than this one (the sessions are far from being finalized but the song is almost ready for release already). Really powerful, mighty I should say. GORGEOUS.

Some wild extravaganza now with "Dazed". "Only" 18'36". It's maybe not the best official release (the one on "The Song Remains The Same" is even more exhilarating) but it is a damned good one. Page is again very wild during the long instrumental part. You really need to listen to it a FULL volume to get its power. If this is prog, I can enter the seminar and pray the rest of my life to be forgiven of my ignorance. This is hard, heavy rock. In all its grandeur. INCREDIBLE. As I have mentioned in my comments for the first CD of this effort, the extended version of "Dazed" is only appreciated by die- hard fans. It could be extended to over forty minutes. So, this one might be a good compromise : not too short but not too long (still almost twenty minutes). Another highlight (but each number featured on this CD IS a highlight, except the last one, probably).

Second BIG surprise : the first ever broadcast version of "Stairway To Heaven". Format is almost identical as the original will be a few months later. Again (but this is a general remark for both CD's featured here) : raw material. The audience discovered this number with such intensity, almost religiously. When the song is over, one can easily perceive the emotion coming out from the audience. Applause are stronger than for any other numbers. Something special took place that evening. Something strong. The birth of a myth.

Since their last album featured alomost a whole acoustic side, Led Zep will usually play an acoustic set (three to four songs). During this concert, we'll have two of them : a new one "Going To California" (unreleased so far and to be available on their fourth album) and "That's The Way". This was a expected moment during the concerts. A moment to breathe a little bit. After such powerful songs, it was like getting some fresh air to be able to survive to the rest of the concert. In this case "Whole Lotta Love".

The format for WLL will vary according their inspiration. On par with the original track (like the version featured onthe first CD) or extremely extended (almost twenty minutes). During these extended versions, the middle part will feature some old blues covers or at times some good old rock'n'roll ones. In this one we'll have a bit of both with "Boogie Chillung", "Truckin' Little Mama", Fixin' to die", "That's Alright Mama", "For What It's Worth", "Mess O'Blues", "Honey Bee", and "The Lemon Song". A great compilation work I must say. It is said that both "Truckin' Little Mama" and "Fixin' to Die" were edited in from an earlier show.

This fantastic CD ends with "Thank You". This song will not be broadcasted. There is an incredible guitar solo from Page. Really hard. It sounds miles above the nice and gentle studio counterpart : rockier, extended : beautiful. A nice way to say "Hello".

The complete concert featured a few more songs : "What Is And What Should Never Be" and the closing number "Communication Breakdown". But even the CD format couldn't hold them. Since both songs were already present on the first CD, it was a logical choice to drop them here.

IMO, CD two is a great "official" Led Zep live recording and deserves the five stars rating. Wild, raw, brutal yet tranquil at times. This is Led Zeppelin how I love them. As hard as you can get. Around three percents of the music here might be considered as prog-related.

Four stars.

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