PARQUET S5.50 CAIMIGII HALL

wl MID111$10 OCTOBER0., +op- re :iii. They have also just received a gold disc fora million dollars' worth of sales for their first album, and as the new LP, Led Zeppelin II, already has Drive and !SO advanced orders for 350,000 copies, they look like having two gold discs inside a very short space of time. intensity "It was tremendous inAmerica," Jimmy told me. "We went down very well, and so did Jethro, particularly on the West Coast. I think the scene MM Oct 25 Led Zep kick off is veryhealthy at the moment. People have all kinds of records in their collection, and that's a verygood thing. Like they may have albums by a found US tour in fine style. Crosby Stills & Nash, who are still basically a Top 40 thing, as well as us. I think that what we play is music from the stomach rather than the head, THEREISAsustained excitement LED ZEPPELIN although it does come from the head, too. about a Led Zeppelin AT CARNEGIE HALL "I don't get much time to listen to records in the States, but over here it's performance I do not recall in any .31 mywayof relaxing. I listen mainly to guitar -dominated music, naturally, other group -apart from The Who. and I dig all kinds of things, including flamenco. Have you heard Manitas With most bands there are ups and downs, moments of boredom and bad CARNEGIE MU De Plata? He's ridiculous. That gypsy thing is fantastic." NEW YORK It's widely realised that America is the group's main scene, and that's playing, and that was true even of Cream where they eam the most acclaim... plus hard cash, of course. Does in their heyday. But Zeppelin play their Jimmy feel that British audiences aren't very rewarding bycomparison? marathon sets, which often run well over LIVE! "Britain is one of those places where you've got to make it, but it's a lot two hours, with a drive and intensity that more difficult. Over here you feel you've got to knock yourself out before demands your attention. OCTOBER 17 the people start listening to you, but in the States they listen from the And they have a sense of the dramatic and a start, and if they don't like you they simply don't come to see you again. professionalism that leaves the impression of "But it's far from being a walkover for British groups in the States," reserves of ideas and power. They play hard, fast Jimmywarned. "It's fatal fora group to go over there when it hasn't got its and furious. But they are in control. internal affairs sorted out. Jeff Beck, for instance, takes a new band every From the moment of their 8.3opm kick-off at Carnegie Hall, time he goes over there, so its no wonder he's sick of the country. I stood in the wings fascinated for the duration of their act by their "America couldn't be better for us at the moment. The scenes there are playing and by the reaction of New York fans. A huge cheer greeted just incredible. The new system is to put groups on a percentage of the gate them as Robert ran on stage dressed in black, followed byJimmy in money, and we drew $37,000 from one amazing gig in LosAngeles. white satin trousers, John Bonham in a leather hat and John Paul "When we formed the group a year ago and took it toAmerica for the Jones in red. first time, I think it was myname that was the attraction, because I'd been A battering snare drum intro to "Communication Breakdown" there several times with The Yardbirds and we always did prettywell. The made me blink and the sexy guitar sound of "'Can't Quit You" made biggest problem with the new group was getting everyone's name across me wince. Robert and Jimmy between them produce vocal and to the fans, and I think we'll probablyspend six months of the year in guitar screams that had the audience wriggling in their seats.The America in the future. That sounds a lot, but people don't realise the size boys as well as the girls were soon leaping to their feet, grabbing at of the country. You can get lost there! Zeppelin to shake hands in congratulation. The whole bright, plush "I can't see this group evergetting stale, because new ideas are coming up hall seemed filled with kids who loved everything they did, from the all the time. The new album is so different from the first, and the next one roof to the front rows. will probablybe just as different again. John plays organ, and we're going to Silence prevailed forJimmy's sit-down guitar solo."He's a use that on stage in future, and I play steel guitar, so that opens a lot of new masterful guitar player," a voice breathed in my ear. It was recording musical doors forus. And then Robert is such a fantastic singer. Everytime engineer Eddie Kramer. he sings a song his phrasing is different, which is very stimulating. The solo starts with a basic theme and works through a whole "I do jam occasionally in clubs, but you've got to know that it's going to gamut of ideas which appeal to Page's concept. His technique is be good before you start, otherwise it's not worth doing. I've seen so many remarkable and his taste is unique among rock guitarists. really boringjams." John Bonham's drum solo was a 30 -minute marathon, which Jimmy and the band are currentlytaking a month's holiday before sounds as if it would be very boring. It wasn't. With a combination of bringing another hectic session of travelling. When! saw him, Jimmywas speed, brute strength and ideas, he flew around the kit in a blur that trying to decide between hitching to Spain "to see some real flamenco remained true to the 30 -year -old tradition of drama laid down by guitarists" and going to the Isle of Elba to stayin a friend's villa. He is also Krupa on the same spot, with jet age expertise. John produced one looking out fora white Rolls-Royce - "I suppose it's a bit flash, but I really blockbuster after another and fora considerable part of the solo, fancy one" - the onlyhang-up being that he can't drive. After the holiday, maintained the high-speed role Buddy Rich recorded with JATP also the Zeppelin will go into the studios to record their first serious single. at Carnegie Hall called "Buddy Rich's "Atlantic put out a single from the first album in the States, but it was Explosion". He played with sticks, never meant as a single. Jethro Tull have proved that a good single can get beaters and even his hands,and the through, so we're going to try it. I don't see any reason whywe can't cut applause came in bursts throughout. LED a good two -and -a -half minute track, and a lot of the things on the new After this the atmosphere was album are quite short- about four minutes. But they're really just electric and as Robert leapt and frameworks for out stage performances, when we really stretch out." gyrated across the stage the crowd Before his rise to fame with The Yardbirds and the Zeppelin, Jimmywas erupted.There were no police on hand, a top session man, playing on two and sometimes three different sessions but the ushers maintained a semblance ZEPPELIN a day. Would he ever consider going back to that life? of orderand goodwill by keeping their "Definitely not. It used to make me into a nervous wreck, and I'd enjoy cool. There was excitement but no perhaps one session every two months. But I do like doing things like Joe unpleasant incidents. Cocker's album, where he knewjust which musicians he wanted. John Paul Jones' bass set up the AT "I wouldn't mind doing that sort of thing, where the music's satisfying, driving riff of "Summertime Blues" for but as for the rest... NO!" Richard Williams the obligatory encore, Jimmy's guitar cut through the thunder of John's - MELODY MAKER SEPTEMBER 27 - drums and Robert stood on tiptoe to sing his head off. As the musicians CARNEGIE ATFIRST SIGHT, 21 -year -old Robert Plant's sudden rise to fame fanned out across town after the show, with Led Zeppelin might seem to have been a classic case of somebody said,"It was too damn bad overnight success. In fact, it wasn't that way at all. Robert has they didn't record the whole thing." It known bad times and failure, when gigs were scarce and money x. was me, actually. Chris Welch HALL