Category Archives: Led Zeppelin

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: Led Zeppelin-August 30,1969

30 Thursday Aug 2018

Posted by in #BuddyGuy, #WhiteBoyBlues, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Uncategorized

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(Show #2)August 30,1969@ NYS Pavilion (Former World’s Fair Site

My END OF THE SUMMER celebration show was to finish the season where it started with Led Zeppelin exactly three months to the day of my first experience seeing the band live. Tonight would be LED ZEPPELIN, BUDDY GUY &JR. WELLS and RAVEN (August 30,1969). Originally to be held at The Singer Bowl this show was rescheduled for the opened air, standing room only, former site of New York State Pavilion at The World’s Fair. This night would prove to be a totally different experience for me. Standing Room Only, first come first in, no reserved seating and I was very reluctant. Yet, we got there early enough to be one of the first in line, standing outside prior to opening the doors, hoping to find a viewing spot in front, maybe at mid stage. When the doors opened, we got a spot stage right, in front of where I knew Jimmy Page would stand. RAVEN (not the metal band of years later) was as most opening acts would be, an opening act and forgettable when they finished their set but Buddy Guy/ Jr. Wells was a great addition to the bill. Buddy played angelically, and nasty as sin when need be. At one point a balloon from the audience was bounced to him mid song to which he captured and used as a slide on his guitar. To my amazement the balloon did NOT break. This spot where we were standing became dangerous as LED ZEPPELIN time grew nearer, and more so as the show progressed. About the time they performed MOBY DICK, I had had enough and was up stairs walking around the balcony area having given up our prime location. And yes, this IS the show where Bonzo collapsed on the drums to end the night. The set list was similar to the May show @ Fillmore East. NOTE: My ticket stub is featured on the LED ZEPPELIN website.

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD:CHAPTER 30-ARE GROUPIES THAT FILTHY?

22 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Rock music, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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ROCK’S IN MY HEAD:CHAPTER 30-ARE GROUPIES THAT FILTHY?

My END OF THE SUMMER celebration show was to finish the season where it started with Led Zeppelin. One full year to the day since I saw The Rascals, in a stadium only a football’s throw away from where I was now I was ready for LED ZEPPELIN, BUDDY GUY &JR. WELLS and RAVEN August 30, 1969. Originally to be at The Singer Bowl this show was rescheduled for the opened air, standing room only, the former site of New York State Pavilion at The World’s Fair. This show would prove to be a totally different experience for me. Standing Room Only, first come first in, no reserved seating and I was very reluctant. Yet, we got there early enough to be one of the first in line, standing outside prior to opening the doors, hoping to find a viewing spot in front, maybe at mid stage. Originally, there were about 60 or so of us standing there. A girl about my age showed up and engaged many of the 60 in a conversation. She was obviously very high. What bothered me the most, was not her slurred speech or her falling down. No, it was the bugs that swarmed in her long, dirty, hair. Those bugs freaked me out and my girlfriend was crazed beyond belief anytime this girl got close to her. But the druggie’s plan worked for when the doors opened, “BUGGY” was the first thru the door and made her way to the stage, cutting every one standing in the line. We got a spot stage right, in front of where I knew Jimmy Page would stand. RAVEN was as most opening acts would be, an opening act and forgetable when they finished but Buddy Guy/ Jr. Wells was a great addition to the bill. Buddy played angelically, and nasty as sin when need be. At one point a balloon from the audience was bounced to him mid song to which he captured and used as a slide on his guitar. To my amazement the balloon did NOT break. This spot where we were standing became dangerous as LED ZEPPELIN time grew nearer, and more so as the show progressed. About the time they performed MOBY DICK, I had had enough and was up stairs walking around the balcony area having given up our prime location. And yes, this IS the show where Bonzo collapsed on the drums to end the night. And the “Bug girl” was seen on stage with the band..NOTE: My ticket stub is featured on the LED ZEPPELIN website.

Summer vacation was not truly a vacation but rather an opportunity to convert some time off from learning into some cash. It is when a teenage boy’s part time gig turned full time even if for only ten weeks and some weeks with an additional overtime check during a weekend inventory. More cassettes were at the ready for my taking. Summer of 69 was historic, complete with a lunar landing, three days of mud and music, the NewYork Mets “believing” and everything I knew including me seemed to be changing, rapidly.

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 27: GOD IS BACK IN TOWN

03 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, Cream, Creedence, Fillmore East, Jimmy Page, Kevin Patrick, Led Zeppelin, Madison Square Garden, Rock music, rock music trivia, TERRY REID, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 27: GOD IS BACK IN TOWN

For the Summer of 69 the next concert up was CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL with TERRY REID and AUM, July 19, 1969 at FILLMORE EAST. With my kid brother, a fan of Creedence, at my side, I was there to see the undercard, Terry Reid, having loved both of his albums. San Francisco’s AUM opened the show and closed their set with GOD IS BACK IN TOWN, a song which was getting some air play at the time. Terry Reid hit the stage announcing that his favorite Les Paul guitar was stolen the previous night and he begged for its return. Despite not having his trustworthy axe, Terry had the place on its feet by sets end. Then the hit makers nicknamed CCR rocked the house. Dressed like rich hippies with flannel shirts, jeans and boots, these swamp rockers closed it all out with a 20 minute version of  “KEEP ON CHOOGLIN”. Even with my limited experience I knew this band would not be playing for the East Village hippies much longer. Bigger pay days in shittier sounding, larger halls would be their destiny.

The very next night after CREEDENCE my girlfriend had invited two friends over to her house and we four sat in her mother’s bedroom to watch the APOLLO 11 moon landing on television. Amazing, the SPACE RACE is finally settled. But the events leading up to it were amazing. July 16 APOLLO 11 was launched,on the 19th it passed behind the moon to enter the lunar orbit, the 20th the Lunar Module separated from the command module and lands on the moon’s surface in THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY. On the 21st of July,1969  Astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon’s surface. Buzz Aldrin joined him a few minutes later. While that in itself is amazing my thoughts at that moment were “How do they get back to the module AND if and when they do, how do they get back to Earth? Yes is the answer of course as on July 24 they splashed down in the Pacific.

Estimates put the number who watched or listened to the Moon landing between 1/2 and 1 billion people around the world

Having dug Terry Reid so much at The Fillmore the weekend before we traveled to the Action House in Island Park, not far from my home, to see him again. While in a less than capacity house Terry was off to the side of the stage prior to his set when I engaged him in a conversation and found him to be just a delightful person, one appreciative of the crowd coming out to see him and he made me feel comfortable when I introduced myself to him. I must say I was a bit apprehensive but I needed to know and  NO he did not get his Les Paul returned.  His set that night was much longer than Fillmore’s and just as tasty.

It was about this time that the verdict came down convicting MUHAMMAD ALI, aka Cassius Clay, aka World’s Heavyweight Boxing Champ (stripped of his title), a Conscientious Objector, of draft evasion. AND Senator Ted Kennedy pleads guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, CHAPPAQUIDDICK, where his aide MARY JO KOPECHNE drowned. Teddy received a “two month SUSPENDED sentence”. Ali is convicted yet the politician Ted pleas….HMMMMM

Led Zeppelin Times Eight

31 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by in #BuddyGuy, #WhiteBoyBlues, Blind Faith, Cream, Delaney,Bonnie and Friends, Eric Clapton, Fillmore East, Jeff Beck, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Madison Square Garden, Nassau Coliseum, Rita Coolidge, Rock music, rock music trivia, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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Overall,I witnessed the act known as Led Zeppelin a total of eight times over eight years (1969-1977),from the first album through their last official tour of the US. I bought all the albums up to PRESENCE. After that record I stopped buying their albums until the recent (vinyl) re-mastered collections. Every time I attended their show, each one was a unique experience. This band of four changed musically throughout the years, gaining momentum and a rabid fan base with each new release. From a blues based band which rose from the ashes of THE YARDBIRDS, a band playing for recognition as a new unit and up to the mega-band which could sell out many nights in a row at the WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS ARENA in a moments notice,they were truly something to behold, collectively.

January 12,1969: LED ZEPPELIN is released.I almost burnt that record out. It replaced JETHRO TULL’s “This Was” on my turntable.

(1)May 30,1969@Fillmore East: For me the first time and in the best place in NYC, FILLMORE EAST was THEE venue to see LED ZEPPELIN. The talk since late January was how this band from England, the undercard on the bill, destroyed IRON BUTTERFLY which was the headliner for this weekend of shows. The buzz was that Led Zeppelin left IB stunned in the wings awaiting to hit the stage,left only to play their hit IN A GADDA DA VIDA to the chagrin of many. The schism is now widened as a new sound is in town. One must know the background of LED Zeppelin to understand how this one weekend enchanted the NY crowd.

For those who only know of the power and popularity of Led Zeppelin of later days, let me take you back to a time before their very first album hit the stands.

Jimmy Page was one of the “three”, the Triumvirate of Rock Guitarist Gods who moseyed through a British band of some renown named THE YARDBIRDS. This band, legend states took their name from Charlie YARDBIRD Parker, was somewhat known in the USA, but more popular in their homeland of Great Britain. Without giving the long history of the Yardbirds let’s just say they got a CRAWDADDY (a club) gig when the spot was vacated by THE ROLLING STONES, a band on the move. Eric Clapton was the YARDBIRDS guitarist at that time, one who became uncomfortable with the band veering away from it’s blues roots by heading into a pop direction. Clapton leaves and suggest Jimmy Page take his spot. Page was the “go to studio guitarist” at the time and didn’t want to vacate that profitable role, so PAGE suggested JEFF BECK who took the gig.

With BECK’s influence the YARDBIRDS moved toward a psychedelic route with fuzz tones, feedback, and his overall guitar virtuosity. By 1966 JEFF BECK was voted Melody Maker’s GUITARIST OF THE YEAR.When the bass player drops out of The Yardbirds JIMMY PAGE steps in for a spell. When a new bassist is recruited PAGE stays on for a BECK/PAGE “new” dual guitar attack approach. Beck gets sick, misses a few gigs and ultimately leaves the band to Page.With the lead singer Keith Relf’s alcoholism and the band not having any more hits, as well as with the rise of CREAM and JIMI HENDRIX, soon most of The Yardbirds disappeared, leaving Jimmy Page with the name. To fulfill  some contractual commitments,with a new manager PETER GRANT on board, the band hits the road as THE NEW YARDBIRDS.

Page had recruited TERRY REID as vocalist but he, with a new MICKIE MOST contract, could not leave. Reid suggested a friend, ROBERT PLANT who brought along his drummer friend JOHN BONHAM. Page called his studio buddy JOHN PAUL JONES for bass and keyboards and after a short tour of Scandinavia, the NEW YARDBIRDS hit the studio to record what would become LED ZEPPELIN’s debut.

The album is released January 12,1969. Some of the tunes hit the New York FM airwaves before but especially immediately after the band’s now legendary performance as the opening act for IRON BUTTERFLY at FILLMORE EAST January 31 and February 1, 1969. This is Led Zeppelin’s first US tour. My buddy Pete attended one of those shows that weekend. He raved about this new band who blew Iron Butterfly off the stage, leaving Iron Butterfly to play just one song, their hit IN A GADDA DA VIDA, and according to Pete, Led Zeppelin came back out due to the booing of Butterfly and the calls for  “MORE” Zeppelin. I have never been able to verify that but Pete said it, so…it must be true.

It is now Memorial Day weekend of 1969, a new beginning for a group of us as we copped tickets (5 bucks each) to see Led Zeppelin at Fillmore East, the early show on a Friday Night of a Holiday Weekend.The crowd outside on line awaiting admittance to the sacred hall was a buzzed. Finally, in and seated, house lights go down and BOOM, Woody Herman’s Big Band was way too cool. Followed by DELANEY,BONNIE and FRIENDS with the beautiful RITA COOLIDGE, oh my. The JOSHUA LIGHT SHOW afforded a great back drop, something that I had never witnessed before. Then, “OHHHHH, I CAN’T QUIT YOU BABE” with a power chord which shook me to the core. This tune followed by Dazed and Confused, White Summer, How Many More Times, a drum solo, and the crowd cheering “MORE,MORE”… The encore was short, yet loud, COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN.(Contrary to any set list including on Zep’s website, the band did not open with THE TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN’)

(Show #2)August 30,1969@ NYS Pavilion (Former World’s Fair Site

My END OF THE SUMMER celebration show was to finish the season where it started with Led Zeppelin exactly three months to the day of my first experience seeing the band live. Tonight would be LED ZEPPELIN, BUDDY GUY &JR. WELLS and RAVEN (August 30,1969). Originally to be held at The Singer Bowl this show was rescheduled for the opened air, standing room only, former site of New York State Pavilion at The World’s Fair. This night would prove to be a totally different experience for me. Standing Room Only, first come first in, no reserved seating and I was very reluctant. Yet, we got there early enough to be one of the first in line, standing outside prior to opening the doors, hoping to find a viewing spot in front, maybe at mid stage. When the doors opened, we got a spot stage right, in front of where I knew Jimmy Page would stand. RAVEN (not the metal band of years later) was as most opening acts would be, an opening act and forgettable when they finished their set but Buddy Guy/ Jr. Wells was a great addition to the bill. Buddy played angelically, and nasty as sin when need be. At one point a balloon from the audience was bounced to him mid song to which he captured and used as a slide on his guitar. To my amazement the balloon did NOT break. This spot where we were standing became dangerous as LED ZEPPELIN time grew nearer, and more so as the show progressed. About the time they performed MOBY DICK, I had had enough and was up stairs walking around the balcony area having given up our prime location. And yes, this IS the show where Bonzo collapsed on the drums to end the night. The set list was similar to the May show @ Fillmore East. NOTE: My ticket stub is featured on the LED ZEPPELIN website.

October 22,1969 LED ZEPPELIN II is released.

(Show #3)September 19,1970: Led Zeppelin @Madison Square Garden.One year later from when I last saw them and the boys have hit the big time doing an unusual afternooon/ evening performance with one show at 2pm and then another at 8pm. We had four tickets for the 8pm show, where they opened with IMMIGRANT SONG. Geez, the band was so good and getting bigger by the moment. With two albums under their belt,  and the third LED ZEPPELIN III to be released a few weeks after this gig.

October 5,1970 LED ZEPPELIN III is released.

(4)September 3,1971: Led Zeppelin @ MSG This was advertised as a “2 and1/2 hour show with no opening act” and became a disaster of an evening almost immediately. SOLD OUT in a matter of hours. The show was marred by a huge protest mob (riot) developing outside due to “overpriced” tickets $5:50 – $7:50. Inside we were treated to a (dangerous) fireworks show as some idiot was tossing M-80’s from the upper balcony toward the ceiling in the Garden, each exploding just before it landed close to those seated below. Then the stage collapsed.Show over, lights on. Didn’t know if I wanted to experience that again.

November 8,1971 LED ZEPPELIN IV is released.

(5)June 15, 1972: Led Zeppelin @ Nassau Coliseum was advertised as a 3 1/2 hour show and as I was still shaking from the MSG fiasco (9/3/71) less than a year ago so I had NO intentions of going to this venue to see Led Zeppelin especially in this new arena which made headlines by have the Nassau PD bust scores of concert goers in the parking lot for drinking (tailgating) and smoking before a GRATEFUL DEAD show only a few weeks before. BUT at the Todd Rundgren show only a few days before, my girlfriend found two tickets for LZ next to the gear box in my VW. Strange as it sounds she did not place the tickets there and to this day I still never found who or why, but we went to the show, with me looking over my shoulder the whole time. (Great review by Robert Christgau in NEWSDAY- see LZ website for setlist and review of this 2 night stand.)

March 28,1973 HOUSES OF THE HOLY is released.

Rolling Stone: Gordon Fletcher (June 7,1973)

For me, Led Zeppelin began as the epitome of everything good about rock: solid guitar work, forceful vocals and rhythmic backing, devotion to primal blues forms, and most of all, thunderous excitement on stage and vinyl. But as superstardom came to them, so too came the gradual evaporation of those qualities from their sound. In the same way that the Rolling Stones evolved into a senior, “safe” bizarro-perversion band, Led Zeppelin has become a senior, “safe” heavy-metal band. But by its very nature safety cannot coexist with heavy-metal fire and macho intensity (or bizarro-perversion, for that matter), which is probably why Houses of the Holy is one of the dullest and most confusing albums I’ve heard this year.

So with that note by Mr. Fletcher for an album released a few weeks before we enter the HOUSES OF THE HOLY aka Madison Square Garden for my sixth time seeing LED ZEPPELIN, who are probably the most popular band in the world at this moment in time.

(6)July 28, 1973 LED ZEPPELIN @ MSG open with ROCK N ROLL and while my handwritten notes in my journal are limited this very performance was filmed for the  THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME. However, this is the stop (NYC) on the tour where $203,000.00 was missing from the band’s hotel safe. Also MSG had decided it safer to sell all tickets for the 3 shows via Money Orders sent to the box office(SASE) rather than deal with the nasty crowds at the box office.

(7)February12,1975: LED ZEPPELIN @ MSG Opened with ROCK AND ROLL, No QUARTER, SONG REMAINS THE SAME,DAZED AND CONFUSED, STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN,MOBY DICK, WHOLE LOTTA LOVE, BLACK DOG, HEARTBREAKER

February 24,1975 PHYSICAL GRAFFITI is released.

March 31,1976 PRESENCE is released.

October 1976 THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME is released.

(8)JUNE 14,1977: LED ZEPPELIN (8th and my last time)@ MSG The NY radio station WPLJ gave away LED ZEPPELIN buttons celebrating the bands six (6) sold out shows.This will be a 3 hour extravaganza when it starts as we were delayed an hour before the band took the stage. In total they played 18 songs opening with  THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME, had an acoustic set thrown in for good measure, the obligatory  Moby Dick, Jimmy Page violin solo, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love and closed out with Rock and Roll. This was the last US tour for the original foursome.

September 25,1980 Drummer John Bonham dies.

No matter how many rumors hit the streets, no matter how many times it might be said that LED ZEPPELIN is reuniting, I can’t or won’t go see that band. John Paul, Robert, and Jimmy playing with PHIL COLLINS hurts my ears, and Bonham,Jr… well no thanks.  RIP Led Zeppelin and thanks for the memories.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: Led Zeppelin @MSG July 28,1973

28 Saturday Jul 2018

Posted by in Led Zeppelin, Madison Square Garden, Rock music, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized

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(6)July 28, 1973 LED ZEPPELIN @ MSG open with ROCK N ROLL and while my handwritten notes in my journal are limited this very performance was filmed for the  THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME. However, this is the stop on the tour where $203,000.00 (in cash) was missing from the band’s hotel safe. Also MSG had decided it safer to sell all tickets for the 3 shows via Money Orders sent to the box office(SASE) rather than deal with the nasty crowds.

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD -CHAPTER 24:  DAZED AND CONFUSED:

26 Thursday Jul 2018

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, Delaney,Bonnie and Friends, Eric Clapton, Fillmore East, FillmoreEast,BillGraham, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Rock music, TERRY REID, The Yardbirds, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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CHAPTER 24:  DAZED AND CONFUSED:

Just before I cleaned out my high school hall locker for one last time, with me anticipating the long needed summer break from a pretty smooth junior year at school I saw a Fillmore East ad in the Village Voice announcing a Led Zeppelin performance for Memorial Day weekend 1969. That ad, combined with having had “Led Zeppelin” on my turntable for what seemed like an eternity (since February), I contacted my concert going friends and we all agreed “this is the one”. Running down to the local drug store I purchased a $20.00 money order, and with a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) enclosed I mailed the package out to 105 Second Ave, NY requesting four (4) seats for Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd, Delaney Bonnie and Friends, and the headliner, LED ZEPPELIN, scheduled for May 30, 1969.To my surprise the tickets arrived a few days later, as did my friend’s who also requested four, we had eight tickets in total.

For those who only know of the power and popularity of Led Zeppelin of latter days, let me take you back to a time before their very first album hit the stands.

Jimmy Page was one of the “three”, the triumvirate of rock guitarist gods who moseyed through a British band of some renown named THE YARDBIRDS. This band ,who legend states took their name from Charlie YARDBIRD Parker was somewhat known in the USA, but more popular in their homeland of Great Britain. Without giving the long history of the Yardbirds let’s just say they got a CRAWDADDY (a club) gig when the spot was vacated by THE ROLLING STONES, a band on the move. Eric Clapton was the YARDBIRDS guitarist at that time who became uncomfortable with the band veering away from it’s blues roots, heading into a pop direction. Clapton leaves and suggest Jimmy Page take his spot. Page was the “go to studio guitarist” at the time and didn’t want to vacate that profitable role, so PAGE suggested JEFF BECK who took the gig.

With BECK’s influence the YARDBIRDS moved toward a psychedelic route with fuzz tones, feedback, and overall guitar virtuosity. By 1966 JEFF BECK was voted Melody Maker’s GUITARIST OF THE YEAR.When the bass player drops out of The Yardbirds JIMMY PAGE steps in for a spell. When a new bassist is recruited PAGE stays on for a BECK/PAGE new dual guitar attack approach. Beck gets sick, misses a few gigs and ultimately leaves the band to Page.With the lead singer Keith Relf’s alcoholism and the band not having any more hits, as well as with the rise of CREAM and JIMI HENDRIX, soon most of The Yardbirds disappeared, leaving Jimmy Page with the name. To fulfill  some contractual commitments,with a new manager PETER GRANT on board, the band hits the road as THE NEW YARDBIRDS.

Page had recruited TERRY REID as vocalist but he, with a new MICKIE MOST contract, could not leave. Reid suggested a friend, ROBERT PLANT who brought along his drummer friend JOHN BONHAM. Page called his studio buddy JOHN PAUL JONES for bass and keyboards and after a short tour of Scandinavia, the NEW YARDBIRDS hit the studio to record what would become LED ZEPPELIN’s debut.

The album is released January 12,1969. Some of the tunes hit the New York FM airwaves after the band’s now legendary performance as the opening act for IRON BUTTERFLY at FILLMORE EAST January 31 and February 1, 1969, this being Led Zeppelin’s first US tour. Pete my buddy at Dubbings Electronics attended one of those shows that weekend. He raved about this new band who blew Iron Butterfly off the stage, leaving Iron Butterfly to play just one song, their hit IN A GADDA DA VIDA, and according to Pete, Led Zeppelin came back out due to the booing of Butterfly and the calls for Zeppelin. I have never been able to verify that but Pete said it,so…it must be true.

A few days later while at work Pete asked me to join him to see LED ZEPPELIN at THE SCENE a club in Manhattan. With little provocation I agreed to go to the Wednesday night show. But alas, the shows were cancelled due to John Bonham’s son falling at home in England and Bonham was needed there. So, I made due by purchasing LED ZEPPELIN and listening to the debut album, over and over again.

Meanwhile, the news was reporting that thousands of Americans were preparing to join across the nation during Easter weekend for massive demonstrations in protest to the war in Vietnam. On April 4th,1969 our United States combat casualties had now surpassed the totals for the entire KOREAN WAR and an end to The Vietnam Conflict was not in sight. During a four day visit to South Korea, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu told reporters he would “never” agree to a coalition government with the National Liberation Front (NLF). Then, President Nixon announced a plan to replace the hated draft system with a lottery that would induct 19-year-old boys first. The stakes for me and my friends have changed.This is getting real and fast.

Students rebelled at Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and New York’s Queen’s College with dozens being injured during these sit-ins and strikes. The 1969 spring semester had 292 American campuses hosting anti-war rallies; one-quarter of them included violence. The nation stood polarized between pro-war hawks and anti-war doves. I was all of 17 years of age stuck between a pro war dad and  my neighbors dying in the jungles of SouthEast Asia.

In May, 300 hundred policemen in Berkeley, California cleared students out of a small patch of land called People’s Park. The incident sparked a week of violent protest. On May 16th, 2,000 Berkeley demonstrators battled with police. Rioting spread to other campuses while in Vietnam the gory battle for “Hamburger Hill” was reaching a peak.

The only good read for me that month was the May 26, 1969 edition of NEWSWEEK which featured Janis Joplin on the cover with the headline JANIS JOPLIN:REBIRTH OF THE BLUES. The story mentioned HENDRIX, BB KING, ALBERT KING, BIG MAMA THORNTON and a host of others.

It is now Memorial Day weekend of 1969, only a few weeks away from the burial of my girlfriend’s brother who was killed in Vietnam. Yet, it was also a new beginning for a group of us as we copped the 8 tickets to see Led Zeppelin at Fillmore East early 8 PM show on a Friday Night of a Holiday Weekend. A freshly cashed paycheck loaded my wallet, a pack of Marlboro Red, bottle of wine (purchased by an age appropriate friend) and a gift from Pete to help “lighten” up my mood and I was set. Four on the train, meeting four more there, we were a Rock and Roll army outfitted with new jeans, new Chuck Taylor high tops, and hair getting longer by the moment. “See you tomorrow, Mom”.

So “The Eight”  had planned a beautiful start to a long holiday (Memorial Day) weekend. Orange Julius on West 8th for a bite to eat, a few head shop visits along our walk to Second Avenue, a record store here, and a shoe shoppe there (more on the shoes in September), and we strolled peacefully toward our East Village destination. Still not knowing exactly where we headed I followed the lead of the others and we landed up far away from our appointed destination but still with plenty of time on hand. Show time 8PM would find 4 of us in one section, with another four in another section a few rows back, but all eight in the house. The crowd outside on line awaiting admittance to the sacred hall was a buzzed. Finally, in and seated, house lights go down and BOOM, I fall in love. Rita Coolidge of Delaney/ Bonnie was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen,well that night anyway. The JOSHUA LIGHT SHOW afforded a great back drop, something that I had never witnessed. Woody Herman’s Big Band was way too cool. Pop would have been proud as I recognized a few of Woody’s tunes from our family’s record collection.

Then, “OHHHHH, I CAN’T QUIT YOU BABE” with a power chord shook me to the core. This tune followed by Dazed and Confused, White Summer, How Many More Times, a drum solo, and the crowd cheering “MORE,MORE”… The encore was short, yet loud, COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN. The performance bar was now set for this 17 year old youngster on his musical journey. Sweating profusely we leave into the warm May air at a bit before midnight. Walking through the East Village, then Greenwich Village, we get a bite to eat,maybe a gift or two,then taking the E train to Penn Station in time for the midnight train. Arriving home I felt like a new person, never to return to the old one.

IN THE HOUSE: TWO SEPARATE NIGHTS, YEARS APART with LED ZEPPELIN

15 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in Led Zeppelin, Madison Square Garden, Nassau Coliseum, Rock music, rock music trivia, Ticket Stubs, Todd Rundgren

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IN THE HOUSE: TWO SEPARATE NIGHTS, YEARS APART with LED ZEPPELIN

June 14,1977-LED ZEPPELIN@ Madison Square Garden… Since May of 1969, I saw Led Zeppelin every time they hit the colonies.This night was my 8th and probably last time to see LED ZEPPELIN barring any miraculous events whereby they reunite with JOHN BONHAM.Hey, I still have a hard time seeing one of my all time favs THE WHO without the shenanigans of KEITH MOON doing “Magic Bus”. But, I digress, again. Back to Led Zep. WPLJ the NEW YORK radio station gave us buttons celebrating the bands 6 nights sold out performances at THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS ARENA . My notes are vague but in my marble composition notebook where I store ticket stubs, etc, I do have a copy of JOHN ROCKWELL’s NYTIMES review of the shows. It was a 3 hour extravaganza complete with an acoustic set in the middle. Jimmy did do his violin bow routine with a lazer show accompaniment, and JOHN BONHAM did his obligatory hand drumming during MOBY DICK. I don’t recall any new material and few from LED ZEPPELIN I and II.(My Notes: a fucking hour’s wait before they play…THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME opened the show, Moby Dick, Jimmy Page solo, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love and closed with Rock and Roll) It is significant to note that waiting an hour for any band is a sin in my book. I waited just shy of two hours before I stormed out of MSG for SLY and THE FAMILY STONE, finding out the next day it was  3 1/2 hour wait in total. Fortunately I had comp tixs so missing him/them didn’t cost me a dime. But waiting for JIMMY, ROBERT, JOHN-PAUL, and BONZO was a chore as I was in the crowd during the September 3, 1971 appearance when M-80’s and such were being throw from the balconies to the crowd below. But this in 1977 was seeing Led Zeppelin after a 2 year hiatus and I was ready, just please hurry up boys, start the show.They did not disappoint.

JUNE 15,1972 LED ZEPPELIN @ Nassau Memorial Coliseum (5th Led Zeppelin show)

Advertised as a “3 1/2 hour show” and as I was still shaking from the MSG fiasco a year ago (M-80’s thrown from the balcony to the crowd below) I had NO intentions of going to this brand new venue to see Led Zeppelin. But while leaving the RUNDGREN show at CARNEGIE HALL (June 8) we found two tickets for LZ in the glove compartment of my VW bug. Still to this day I never found who or why the tixs were there but a free show cannot be passed up. And away we go, about 14th row center, me seated there with me looking over my shoulder the whole time. “Immigrant Song” opened the show, but my fav was (Moby Grape’s) “ Since I’ve Been Loving You” and they finished out with about a 25 minute romp of a ‘Whole Lotta Love” medley. A free for me and I sold the ticket stub years later. (my ticket stub is on their web site)

TICKET STUB MAN

09 Saturday Jun 2018

Posted by in Chuck Berry, CSNY, Delaney,Bonnie and Friends, Eric Clapton, Fillmore East, Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Rock music, rock music trivia, Rod Stewart, The KinKs, The Stones, The Who, Ticket Stubs

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Ticket Stub Man:

According to my friends and family my obsession with music extends to an extreme level. It is not just the music that I love but LIVE music especially that I enjoy the most.Sitting at home listening to a recording or traveling in a car with the radio on will do once in awhile. But it is the excitement of a live show that hits the spot for me.Over the years and in the process of attending literally hundreds of shows I have accumulated many items of  minor importance but tokens of remembrance of a time well spent…ticket stubs, programs, badges, bumper stickers, and the like. A few years back I decided that a few blokes on e-bay may enjoy one or two of my items more than the old mayonnaise jar which I used for storage of stubs found in my closet or records in my basement. So I experimented. And within a few weeks surprisingly I had more than $1000.00 (US) in my e-bay account. Flamin’ Groovies records, a poster, a flexi-disc and magazine went for about $75.00. A Grateful Dead 45 Compilation sold, A Cramps Picture Disc gone, DEVO 45,Johnny Thunders 45, a few CDs,Elvis Costello, Stiff Little Fingers,Raunch Hands, Raybeats, all gone. Easy money for the taking. With things going this smoothly on recorded things I ventured out with a few ticket stubs and concert programs and for sheer joy of my new endeavor I watched the final bidding develop on my screen. Fillmore East ticket stubs sold: THE WHO (6/6/69) $10.60; LED ZEPPELIN( 5/30/69)$ 61.77; DELANEY BONNIE AND FRIENDS w/ ERIC CLAPTON (2/7/70) $10.70 CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL $15.50. To a collector this may be cheap prices but to me, I didn’t pay more than $5.50 for any of those shows and I only sold a TICKET STUB for a nice profit. Hence, my buddy Joe dubbed me THE TICKET STUB MAN.

One morning I arrived at my desk to see my name plate removed and this one taking it’s place.

Then in another short burst of e-Bay activity I sold a few more items mostly ticket stubs and programs, etc…. and…Whew, my rent is paid. A Cat Stevens ticket, Blind Faith, Twisted Sister, The Clash, Led Zep, Springsteen, all sold in the next few weeks and sometimes the bidding was fierce. But then one morning I get an e-mail from a certain gentle men who owned a memorabilia shop in NYC across from Electric Lady Studios. The cat knows I have a certain item he needs for “his ” collection. A full size ticket, not  a stub, for The Randall’s Island Pop Festival, Sunday Night , a festival in which Jimi Hendrix performed. He started the bidding at “a hundred” and when I said,  “let’s see where it goes”,  he determinedly stated “$250.00 Cash delivered to your office in the morning Fed Ex”. BINGO, SOLD.

The next morning my secretary told me a Fed Ex guy was here and he entered my office with a FED EX envelop in which I found five brand new $50.00 bills and a return FED EX envelop insured and addressed to him. The exchange was made and again THE TICKET STUB man made some quick cash. jazzbus@gmail.com

The Doors 1/24/69 MSG                                         $122.50

Led Zep May 1969                                                  $61.77

THE WHO June 1969                                             $10

Blind Faith July 1969                                              $51.75

Creedence Clearwater Revival July 69                   $15.50

Led Zep 8/30/69 originally at Singer(on LZwebsite)  $15.00

Delaney Bonnie Friends w/ Clapton Feb 1970       $10.50

Grateful Dead Program 5/15/70                              $31.00

CSNY 6/6/70                                                           $15.50

Ten Years After 6/25/70                                         $8.90

Byrds Sept 12, 1970                                                $6.00

Derek and Dominoes October 24, 1970                 $15.00(program)/$44.00(stub)

Fillmore Auction                                                    $21.00 Stub

Fillmore Auction                                                    $24.00 Program

TYA MSG 11/13/70 Buddy Miles Express           $5.00

Jefferson Airplane Nov 1970                                 $12.05

Derek and Dominoes Suffolk CC                          $20.00

Grand Funk RR/Humble Pie  MSG 12/18/70        $8.25

Hot Tuna Jan 71                                                     $5.00

Faces/Black Sabbath Feb 1971                              $29.99Program/$19.99Stub

Allman Brothers March 13/71                               $29.99

Elton John 4/8/71                                                   $100.00(package4 Elton tixs)

Last Show (Allmans)                                             $175.00

THE WHO at Forest Hills  Who’s Next                 $15.50

Led Zep MSG    Sept                                              $28.50

Dr John/ Weather Report October 1971 Beacon    $5.00

Led Zep 6/15/72 Nassau Coliseum                          $74.00

Cat Stevens 11/6/72 Philharmonic Hall NYC        $18.50

Dylan and The Band 1/30/74 MSG                         $37.00

Rolling Stones MSG 6/25/75                                  $15.00

Kingfish (Program) Capitol Jersey 12/5/75            $14.00

Linda Ronstadt Capitol Jersey               12/6/75     $6.60

Fleetwood Mac MSG 6/30/77                                 $8.27

Frank Zappa Palladium Tix Stb 10/29/77               $7.00

Patti Smith Richard Hell CBGB Theatre                $6.00

Ramones Runaways 3/24/78 Calderone                 $5.50

THE WHO MSG 9/13/79                                      $15.00

The Clash BONDS INTN’L 5/29/81                     $41.00

John Entwistle 1/30/96 at TRAMPS NYC           $5.00

Randalls Island Festival                                          $250.00

IN THE HOUSE:June 6,1969:THE WHO/ CHUCK BERRY/ALBERT KING@Fillmore East

06 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by in Chuck Berry, Fillmore East, Led Zeppelin, Rock music, The Who, Vinyl Records

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The Who 6:6:69 1

IN THE HOUSE: JUNE 6,1969: THE WHO/ ALBERT KING/CHUCK BERRY @ FILLMORE EAST After finding out how easy it was to obtain tickets for shows at FILLMORE EAST, I ordered two seats for CHUCK BERRY and ALBERT KING for the Saturday night early show, June 6. I was especially looking forward to hearing Albert King live as I wore out his LIVE WIRE BLUES POWER album. The tickets arrived in record time. When I attended the Led Zeppelin show during Memorial Day weekend I looked for where I would be seated for the Albert King show(fourth row aisle seat on the left).Too cool, really nice sight lines. Then it happened. At the Led Zeppelin show, a stage announcement was made by Kip Cohen, stage manager, that an additional act would be added to the Albert King Chuck Berry bill, headlining now would be…. THE WHO. OMG… I was ecstatic…But How?

Actually, The Who had played the Fillmore East only two weeks prior to the Led Zeppelin show. During their performance that weekend a fire occurred in the adjoining building. A Fire Marshall, not in uniform, attempted to evacuate the premises of the Fillmore by taking the stage. Pete Townshend ,The Who’s guitarist, got into an altercation with the  “undercover” official. Townshend thinking that this guy was a nut job hit the guy and an arrest of Pete Townshend abruptly ended the show. So this new show, the one I had two tickets for, was labeled as THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF THE WHO.

Their album ,TOMMY, which has been labeled a “rock opera” was released only a few short days(May23) before this rescheduled performance and the songs from TOMMY were already in heavy rotation on the radio. So there I sat four rows back from Albert King, he dressed to the nines in a dark suit, white shirt and tie, while playing a short but sweet set on his Flying V guitar,  BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN, PERSONAL MANAGER,AS THE YEARS GO PASSING BY and STORMY MONDAY.  I was amazed at his performance, his grace, and his size, the man was HUGE. Chuck Berry, a rock and roll legend was up next doing what I found out years later was his traditional set list. It was nothing outstanding for my eyes and ears except seeing him doing his duck walk. Chuck was a visual performer and closed with MY DING A LING a really stupid sing along song which I found embarrassing. He reappeared for an encore and was gone and forgotten by me almost that quickly.

THE WHO on the other hand was fantastic. I sat in awe the entire time, mouth opened kind of awe, brought on by the sheer power of the band. Daltry,bared chested, drabbed with a fringed vest was swinging his microphone, Townshend windmilling on the guitar, Entwistle’s magical fingers running up and down the frets on his bass, and then Keith Moon on the kit, all amazing, and so very loud. CAN’T EXPLAIN, New TOMMY stuff, SUMMERTIME BLUES, MAGIC BUS, needless to say my very limited concert experiences just had a new threshold to beat and that would be… THE WHO. Live music to me became a real education and soon an obsession.

IN THE HOUSE: MAY 30,1969- LED ZEPPELIN/DELANEY, BONNIE and FRIENDS/ WOODY HERMAN’S BIG BAND @ FILLMORE EAST

30 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Delaney,Bonnie and Friends, Fillmore East, Led Zeppelin, Rita Coolidge, Rock music, rock music trivia, Woody Herman

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It is now Memorial Day weekend of 1969, a new beginning for a group of us as we copped 8 tickets to see Led Zeppelin at Fillmore East early show on a Friday Night of a Holiday Weekend. Show time 8PM would find 4 of us in one section, with the other four in another section a few rows back. The crowd outside on line awaiting admittance to the sacred hall was a buzzed. Finally, in and seated, house lights go down and BOOM, Woody Herman’s Big Band was way too cool. Pop would have been proud as I recognized a few of Woody’s tunes from our family’s record collection then I fall in love. Rita Coolidge of Delaney/ Bonnie was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen,well that night anyway. The JOSHUA LIGHT SHOW afforded a great back drop, something that I had never witnessed. Then, “OHHHHH, I CAN’T QUIT YOU BABE” with a power chord which shook me to the core. This tune followed by Dazed and Confused, White Summer, How Many More Times, a drum solo, and the crowd cheering “MORE,MORE”… The encore was short, yet loud, COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN. The performance bar was now set for this 17 year old youngster on his musical journey.