Ep. 268 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

https://on.soundcloud.com/DEnDX35s3os2zYwJ9

This is an incredible recording from Saint Mike Millard on his blessed Nakamichi, of Led Zeppelin at the LA Forum on March 27, 1975. This is one of the legendary marathon shows, running more than 3 hours, in gorgeous full stereo. This is a fresh transfer made by JEMS and lightly mastered by DADGAD. It’s a keeper for sure.

I play a funky Over The Hills and Far Away and glorious improvisational No Quarter for us, as a taster for the full show, which is available below. Jonesy and Bonzo are perfectly synced in this amazing recording. You’ll dig it.

You can download this complete show for free right here: https://mega.nz/folder/y4NFWb4D#aeEGFLtAp4nN94xxUewmRg

Ep. 267 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

We hear Led Zeppelin playing the Rockpile in Toronto, on Feb. 2, 1969, on their first tour through North America. They conquer like Mongols as they tear across the continent, and this show is no different.
I play the initial Train Kept A-Rollin’ into I Can’t You run, and finishes up with a cool as ice How Many More Times. This band is way better on their first big tour than many bands at their peak.

You can download this complete 1st gen recording, courtesy of KRW-Co, right here: https://mega.nz/folder/W4VRQahL#0-vQFpT53wotywm2t25tsw

Ep. 266 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

This show is a monster. Not only is it a 1971 show, making it great by default, it is also the first show with songs from Zep 4 (still 8 months from release), and it’s also one of Robert Plant’s strongest shows ever. So, it’s a winner.

I featured this show on Episode 127 where I played all the debut performances of Stairway, Rock and Roll, and Going to Calafornia. This time I’m playing the opening of the show with an incendiary Immigrant Song–>Heartbreaker, and the finale with a viking raid of a performance of Bring It on Home. Robert’s harmonica work is brilliant on top of everything.

You can download this complete concert, courtesy of my Patrons, right here: https://mega.nz/folder/XldSgQ7D#TkzZ_J1kQ_CueSsD8bry7w

Ep. 265 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

On August 23, 1998 Jimmy Page and Robert Plant played on a “wet, miserable field” in the rain at the Bizzare Festival, in Cologne/Koln Germany. They were touring in support of Walking Into Clarksdale, which was produced/engineered by the late Steve Albini (RIP).

This is a fantastic, professionally broadcast, performance and all systems are go with Jimmy on fire,and Robert’s voice strong and in control. It’s brilliant. I play two songs off Clarksdale and then a very cool performance of Spoonful into a frenetic Whole Lotta Love.

I wrap it all up with a clip of Steve Albini talking about working with Jimmy and Robert, in an insightful, if irreverent, interview. Good stuff.

You download this complete concert right here: https://mega.nz/folder/PsFzTAiS#Om1FsK2pGLhK9NQFnOQXNA

Ep. 264 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

Them Crooked Vultures is a band with John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, and Josh Homme and they rock. Hard. This show is from April 17, 2010 in Las Vegas, and it rocks. Hard.
I play Mind Eraser, No Chaser, New Fang, and Warsaw. These men are from Led Zeppelin(!), Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and Queens of the Stone Age. Legends all. It’s a great one.

You can download this complete concert recording right here: https://mega.nz/folder/yxU3DQzb#4XpnE0tlyy0_sR0PrgkDqQ

Ep. 263 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

Led Zeppelin’s 1973 European tour is generally considered to be the instrumental peak of the band, with Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones locked in tighter than ever, and playing with breakneck speed.

This performance is from Hamburg on March 21, 1973 and is a lovely remastered merge of the 2nd gen audience recording, and the clean as a whistle soundboard (Dazed, Stairway, and Whole Lotta Love only) to present a complete concert experience with best possible fidelity. All this is courtesy of the legendary dadgad.

I play a sublime Since I’ve Been Loving You and then a Dazed and Confused which is a contender for best ever. It’s brilliant. As Luis Rey says, you’ve heard it all before, but never this perfectly. Bonzo. Goddamn. So good. So so good.

You can download this complete recording right here: https://mega.nz/folder/CxkgEbQY#qH9bOGwaDGupv8KSEAeAaw

Ep. 262 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

June 1972 is a golden month for Zep fans. Lots of great shows, including the ones which would eventually be released as How The West Was Won. This is June 15, 1972 at Nassau Colosseum and it is awesome.

We hear a first gen from the AC recording and boy do those guys like to talk. I play Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, and a Whole Lotta Love with a zillion amazing medleys.

You can download this complete recording right here: https://mega.nz/folder/uh0kjQRJ#1T83ASkM_Q6q14NiZ0_f5A

Ep. 261 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

This show is all kinds of magickal, to me. First, I was there. Second, Jimmy Page was on fire this whole tour. Third, Robert Plant was in attendance so the band knocked it up a notch. This is October 29, 1988 and Jimmy Page is at the Worcester Centrum supporting his Outrider album.

I play a stellar Midnight Moonlight w/Black Mountainside, an even more amazing solo section of The Chase w/ bow solo, noise solo (short), and Dazed & Confused w/ some Walter’s Walk. It’s awesome. We finish up with a perfect, I mean perfect, instrumental performance of Stairway to Heaven that may make you weep. For real.

You can download this entire concert right here: https://mega.nz/folder/Ch0jAahB#Smh9nKjyRdmvBqxFnmE0Vg

Ep. 260 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

This a brand new transfer from Mike Millard’s master cassettes themselves (not the DAT tansfer) by the laudable JEMS tape group, remastered tastefully by DADGAD. June 27, 1977. Led Zeppelin’s final night of a five night run at the LA Forum.

I play Sick Again (which rocks), Since I’ve Been https://soundcloud.com/mark-donahue-590813338/ep-260-led-zeppelin-last-night-in-la-1977-millard-master?si=8c3c2e36052d47a4a89a7bd39f3c5800&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharingLoving You, which shines in its more mature 1977 arrangement, and an adventurous Ten Years Gone in which not every landing is stuck, but the attempts are noteworthy.

This is a stellar recording of really good show. Lots of magic here. Zeppelin at the Forum is not to be missed.

You can download this recording right here: https://mega.nz/folder/PlNWTBJA#nePlH1FRV-mAupB8hzk72g

Ep. 259 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast

This is an absolute joy of a gig from John Paul Jones, who appeared at the Big Ears Music Festival in Knoxville, TN on March 22, 2024. He played all three days of the event. One night with Sons of Chipotle, one night solo (which is what I’m playing), and one night with Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth. Our boy gets around.

I play a few tracks from his solo set, an isolated bass rendition of Ramble On (just a couple of minutes long), Since I’ve Been Loving You on the grand piano, an already legendary performance of Your Time is Gonna Come on a 1928 Wurlitzer organ, and a haunting, elegiac Down to the River to Pray, off of his solos album Zooma.

This is a master class in virtuosity and humility. He’s a genius and a very lovely man, who completely holds the torch for Led Zeppelin magick in this moment. Enjoy.

You can download this complete set right here: https://mega.nz/folder/yp8lnR4a#kYBClEUCf3OQTr7kwB7bfQ