Ep. 248 – The Heat of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast
We hear a nice Liriodendron remaster of Led Zeppelin in Frankfurt June 30, 1980, on their Tour Over Europe. This remaster brings a much smoother, more professional balance to the soundboard, which makes it all the more fun to hear. I play Trampled Underfoot, (one of the best) Achilles’ Last Stand, and a fun and rollicking Whole Lotta Love. They could still deliver in 1980 and they did.
Ep. 168 – The Heart of Markness Led Zeppelin Podcast – June 30, 1980
We hear a wonderful remaster of June 30, 1980, Led Zeppelin in Frankfurt. Liriodendron did the remaster and brought the dry (and slow) sbd to life. We hear In The Evening, maybe the best live Achilles, and a great cover of Money with Phil Carson on bass. This show sparkles.
Courtesy of the almighty Steve A Jones, the Venerable Bede of Zep Lore.
This is a smoking hot jam from July 1, 1980, in which Jimmy Page jams with Santana in Frankfurt. Led Zeppelin had just played one of their best shows of their 1980 Tour Over Europe, the night before. Santana (the band) breaks out the old chestnut Shake Your Moneymaker, and Jimmy Page joins in. It’s pretty great.
You don’t get much jamming from Jimmy during the last years of Zep. He had his demons but not this night. The soundboard recording is very hot (oooh hot mic), and a bit shrill to these old ears, but it’s still awesome. Jimmy is at home sparring with the amazing Carlos Santana. It’s got the bounce and enthusiasm of the version, 20 years later done by Jimmy and the Black Crowes.
I’ve been revisiting the 1980 tour and I believe I’m changing my mind about it. For the last 30 years (Jesus, that’s sobering) I’ve thought of the ’80 tour as essential a shell of Zeppelin. This is based on the dry soulless soundboard recordings which abound.
The soundboard boots were everywhere when I was a youth, and even not there are only a relative handful of good audience recordings from this tour. Munich is an exception. It’s audience tape is excellent and it makes the show SO MUCH BETTER. You get the sound with reverb and space, as opposed to the flat line input sound. The soundboards highlight Jimmy’s shaky playing and is the aural equivalent to the fluorescent lighting in a gas station bathroom. It does the subject no favors.
Anyhoo give this a listen and you’ll hear Jimmy giving it his all and playing the fuck out of his Les Paul. Enjoy.
I think the 1980 tour will be the topic of my next podcast. #foreshadowing
