Joan Osbourne & Phil & Friends – China Doll 2006

joan osbourne china doll phil friends 2006
Joan Osbourne with Phil and Friends.

I forgot that Joan Osbourne toured with Phil Lesh & Friends for a bit. This is of course the post-Jerry, Phil Lesh vehicle (in this case with Trey Anastasio), but they sound wonderful. The sax player is a nice touch. Phil’s bass brings the Grateful Dead bottom to this contemporary performance.

Joan’s voice is strong and full of emotion, as always (I love her), and she does China Doll justice. I am not a Deadhead and I just stumbled upon this while on YouTube, but it was such a delightful surprise, I wanted to share it with you all. It’s from July 6, 2006 and the whole show is available, for free, on Archive.org. Good stuff. Enjoy.

Live Reading Of Banned Family Guy Episode

banned family guy live reading
Partial Terms of Endearment.

A Live Table Read Of Banned Family Guy Episode

Partial Terms Of Endearment

I remember when this banned Family Guy episode was all the buzz. Partial Terms of Endearment was to have been the final episode of season 8, for Family Guy. It’s also the last one shot/aired in standard definition, and the 4:3 (old school tv) aspect ratio.

The subject of this  episode is (if you haven’t guessed by now) abortion. Back in 2010 when Ke$ha and Lady Gaga ruled the tundra, this episode was available …. in the woods… so you could download it…. in the woods… and get a rip from the UK broadcast (they aired it), and it was a fine episode. Some good jokes in there, mainly (imo) during the threesome part.

It’s crazy that Family Guy is almost 20 years old. I still watch it and sometimes it still makes me really laugh. That’s more than the Simpsons can say. Zombie Simpsons just sucks (one man’s opinion).

If you want to watch the episode itself, you can easily find it through google, or maybe even Netflix, or Hulu. This video is of a live table read, from 2010, featuring Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, and a bunch of other people whose voices you’ll recognize. It’s a novel approach toward presenting a previously banned piece of work, and I like it. It also shows the honest skill and talent of the actors.

In any case it made me smile. I hope you enjoy the banned Family Guy episode, Partial Terms of Endearment, read aloud by the actors themselves (except for Seth Green).  I am going to be adding posts about other things that interest me, so don’t be surprised to see more humor or esoteric posts in the future. I’ll still focus primarily on Jimmy Page, and Led Zeppelin, but I’m broadening the scope a little bit. Enjoy.

Jimmy Page Jamming With Eric Clapton & Phil Collins 1983

jimmy page eric clapton 1983
I don’t think this is from this show, because that’s the doubleneck.

Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, & Phil Collins

May, 1983, Guildford

If you are a listener of my podcast you already know that in September of 1983, the ARMS Concerts were held in London. They featured sets from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. This show, from May of that year, is the first live appearance of Jimmy Page since he jammed (along with Robert Plant), with Foreigner on May 12, 1982.

This Eric Clapton concert was the last show of the Money and Cigarettes tour, and it took place in the UK, at the Guildford Town Hall. After performing his set, Eric brought out some friends for a bit of a jam. Albert Lee was playing in Clapton’s band, but Jimmy Page, Phil Collins (who was just about the biggest star in the world in 1983), and Chas & Dave, came out to play. Irish singer Paul Brady comes out to close out the proceedings with Goodnight Irene.

It’s a fun set. Jimmy is, as you probably know having followed my podcasts, not in the best shape here, but he’s not as bad as I had recalled. This YouTube recording is better than the bootleg I’ve had for years. There’s a lot more definition and clarity here, and it does Jimmy credit.

The songs on which Jimmy plays are:

1:20:53 Further On Up The Road (*)
1:29:12 Cocaine (*)
1:36:13 Roll Over Beethoven (*) (**)
1:43:04 You Win Again (*) (**) (***)
1:46:59 Matchbox (*) (**) (***)
1:53:11 Goodnight Irene (*) (**) (***)

* = Jimmy Page
** = Phil Collins
*** = Chas and Dave
**** = Paul Brady
One thing that’s delightful is that this isn’t just one song. It’s a nice set. You’ll be able tell which guitar is Jimmy’s because he’s using his b-bender telecaster, and nothing else sounds like that.

It’s a delightful artifact of Jimmy’s career post-Zeppelin, but before the Firm was even an idea. This show is also just before Eric Clapton’s career had its resurgence with Forever Man. I hope you enjoy this.

Unreleased Coverdale Page Track – Southern Comfort

unreleased coverdale page
Coverdale Page. They never really got off the ground.

Unreleased Coverdale Page Song

Southern Comfort (Acoustic)


I want to share this nice unreleased Coverdale Page track. It’s a nice acoustic number entitled Southern Comfort. There’s no solo or anything, but the chord voicings could only belong to one Mr. James Patrick Page. I could never connect with the Coverdale Page album.

A few years ago three unreleased songs were “leaked” by David Coverdale on his website. As such only lossy (.mp3) versions of these songs exist out here in the wild. This one, Southern Comfort, is the only acoustic track.

The is some mud in the water regarding this track, with some saying this is a unreleased track from David Coverdale’s 2000 solo album. However, the man himself said on Twitter that this song is from the Coverdale Page sessions. So, case closed. Plus it’s obviously Jimmy Page playing with that tuning.

One of these day’s I’ll cover Coverdale Page on the podcast. Until then let this hold you over.

In any case enjoy this little rarity (although rarities are a rarity in this digital age. Nothing’s rare if it’s on YouTube). 🙂

Awesome Live Led Zeppelin Covers Part One

led zeppelin for your love
Young and hungry. Velvet pants and the telecaster.
led zeppelin whiskey a go go 1969
Imagine being the happy few who saw this gig.

There are some really great songs performed on Zep’s first couple of tours which are never repeated. For Your Love is one of them. This is from January 5, 1969.  Led Zeppelin I wasn’t out yet. They had been in the USA for one week. They’re still driving a van to gigs. They’re not insanely tight yet. They’re rough and raw. Pure power. Jimmy playing the telecaster he played in the Yardbirds. He didn’t have the Les Paul yet. Joe Walsh sold him his Les Paul. Did you know that? You do now. That pic in the video is from the Boston Tea Party in May 1969. Jimmy has the Les Paul there, because he bought it in April.

This show, the Whiskey A Go Go, January 5, 1969, is the first soundboard recording we mortals can hear. The band had only been in the states for their first tour, for a week. They were playing gymnasiums and clubs. Absolutely no one knew who they were, or what they brought.

Led Zeppelin was young and hungry. They set out to blow the acts for which they were opening (Vanilla Fudge, Iron Butterfly, The Doors, for example) off the stage.  They succeeded. They had a lot of cover songs in their set, because they only had album in the can, and no one had any idea who they were, aside from ‘the guy from the yardbirds’. And it wasn’t like ‘that guy from the Yardbirds’ had much effect, because at that point, Jimmy Page was the least famous guy from the Yardbirds. Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck were already stars. The Jeff Beck Group was already touring, and had two albums out (or at least one), fronted by Rod Stewart. Zeppelin started from obscurity and fucking conquered.

You can hear that in this performance of the Yardbirds hit, For Your Love. It’s kind of loose, super aggressive, but the thing that stands out for me is that they aren’t gelled completely as a band, yet. They’re awesome for sure but almost unstable in their ferocity. I love it.

Jimmy Page & Roy Harper Live 2011

Same Old Rock Live

At Roy’s 70th Birthday Celebration


It’s an open secret that Jimmy Page has been retired, officially or not, since at least 2000 (when he toured with the Black Crowes), or even 1998 (his last creative period with new material). He has made a few appearances over the years, with Donovan, with Jeff Beck at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and with his old friend, and collaborator, Roy Harper.

This clip is from Roy’s 70th birthday concert, and it’s absolutely brilliant. The song, Same Old Rock, is from his Stormcock album, on which Jimmy played, and it’s anthemic and amazing, and awesome.

Roy’s voice is still strong and pure, and Jimmy comes out and nails his parts like he did back in the early 70’s. It’s great. Dave Lewis has an excellent write up of this gig on his site, if you want to know more.

This song is so good I want you to read the lyrics (if you so desire), because they’re excellent.

jimmy page roy harper 2011 birthday
Old friends. (pic source: Tight But Loose)

 

All along the ancient wastes the thin reflections spin
That gather all the times and tides at once we love within
That build the edges round the shrouds that cloud the setting sun
And carry us to other days and other days to one
And full the single stillness of the mirror that is made
By each and every one of all the colours in a shade
Inside each eye is sitting like the sword inside the blade
And longs for once upon a chance to open love’s cascade
For here we stand – hand to hand
Fighting for the Promised Land

And you try to tell me with consternation
That you have found me a brand new lock
Then you try to warn me that there’s only one combination
One new sling – the same old rock

There is a famous straggler stood on the edge of time
Who held the staff but did not feel the pain
He multiplied the mystery with utterance sublime
And crossed his heart for those who died insane

His friend a restless mouthpiece 7000 years of age
Trends to flash a face to shape his ways
Everlasting light is burning bright inside his cage
He’s only got to breathe to fan the blaze

 Such a groove to have him here on-board Her Ladyship

The man who makes his living out of bed
Such a gas to see him flying through his ceaseless lip
One day, someday soon, he’ll lose his head
And withering in the galleries with eyes fixed on the door
Are who and you and me and thanks a lot
And those who see but cannot stand to walk on any floor
For fear that good is something bad is not

But loud and clear is the call
In black and white across your wall
Damn it all, man, can’t you see

And you try to tell me with consternation
That you have found me a brand new lock
Then you try to warn me that there’s only one combination
One new sling – the same old rock

(Lyrics from Genius)

Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers & Almost All Of Layla

allman brothers beacon eric clapton
Playing Key to the Highway. So good.

The Allman Brothers & Eric Clapton

Beacon Theater 2009

Man, the Allman Brothers were great. I’m sorry that I didn’t realize how great they were, before they disbanded. I never saw them live to my shame. Well, if you know the Allmans at all you probably remember that they would have week long residencies at New York’s Beacon theater. During 2009 they were joined by Eric Clapton.

Clapton has been a fan of the Allmans since day one. Duane was in Derek and Dominoes, and the deluxe version that album has a long jam with the Allmans back in 1970. Amazing. The Allmans (to me) are everything the Grateful Dead are said to be.  That’s not a war cry, just an opinion.  I’ve written of my love of them before.

This show is incredible. I am in awe at the level of interplay, and musical genius, are at work here. Clapton fits in perfectly but in no way overshadows. It’s both a testament to the quality of the Allmans, as much as Eric’s. It makes me sad that he (Clapton) never again went for a real tight but loose jam band, after the Dominoes. I get it. Cream was a nightmare of drama and fighting, Blind Faith was also rife with drama (cough… Ginger Baker… cough), and then the Dominoes faded away into heroin addiction, and alcoholism.

On With The Show

SET LIST: 01. Introduction 02. Key To The Highway 03. Dreams 04. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad 05. Little Wing 06. Anyday 07. Layla 08. Ending

As you see there is a decent chunk of the Layla album represented, both (I think), as a celebration and a homage, to Duane Allman, and all that could have been. The beauty of the set is 100% in the Layla vibe, while completely being Derek Trucks’ and Warren Haynes’ 21st Century creation. The old were great in the way that they were back in 1970. There’s no redefining or modernizing.

The rhythm section with two drummers, and a percussionist, is truly key to this performance, and the Allman Brothers Band, as a whole. Jaimoe and Butch Trucks (RIP) deepen the groove, while making the drums sound like one drummer with four arms. I love them. Oteil Burbridge plays bass so deep in the pocket that you don’t notice that he’s the mortar holding all this together.

I LOVE THIS SHOW. Watch it. Listen to it. Keep listening. It’s astonishing good. My word good not good as newspaper word good, so if you’d like a professional review of this set, here’s the original New York Times write up. Enjoy. I hope you like it.

Episode 7 – Jimmy Page’s Outrider Tour 1988

Holy shit, this took forever. Enjoy.

If you would like to watch a great video of Jimmy Page live from his Outrider tour, then head on over here, where I have a video of his October 28, 1988 (the night before I saw him in Worcester, MA) gig. It’s wonderful. It’s a bootleg fan shot video, but it’s absolutely watchable.

 

If you would like a copy of the concert from which I take the tracks used in the podcast, you can download .mp3 copies of the show from my google Drive. I converted to 320kbs using the LAME Encoder, so yes it’s lossy (that means don’t trade it), but it sounds virtually identical to the raw FLAC files.

If you have no idea what any of that means, no worries. Just download the songs and play them forever. Enjoy.

jimmy page outrider tour 1988
The Golden Ticket

Jimmy Page – The Last Outrider Show. 11/26/88. Manchester UK

https://drive.google.com/open?id=15dwb65ZdbT1Mt04IUm9_1RJmVJ-_OQLw

New Podcast This Week: Jimmy Page’s Outrider Tour

jimmy page john miles 1988 outrider acoustic
Playing the acoustic section of If I Cannot Have Your Love. 1988

Yep. It’s true. I am working on a new episode of the Heart Of Markness, after a long long absence. I’ll get into the reasons why I’ve been gone (tl;dr – two consecutive computers died, taking all my drafts and audio), and what the future will hold.

This episode will be an exploration of Jimmy Page’s 1988 Outrider tour, which is a woefully unappreciated tour. Jimmy was playing like it was 1975 (sometimes even 1973) again, and he was consistently on fire, every night. No more phoning it in, and no more hiding sloppy playing behind chorus and flange pedals.

Ok. Keep your eyes peeled. The new episode will up by the end of this week.