Listen to This Eddie

"Listen To This Eddie" is a bootleg recording of a rock concert by English band Led Zeppelin, performed on June 21, 1977 at the Los Angeles Forum in Los Angeles, California.

Overview

The concert was recorded by a member of the audience, Mike Millard, and was later released illegally on vinyl without the permission of the band. In the 1990s the recording became available on CD through various releases, sometimes under different titles such as "Out on the Tiles" by the Tarantura label. Millard's recording remains one of the best-known Led Zeppelin bootlegs.

"Listen To This Eddie" is highly regarded amongst collectors not only because of the highly energetic performance by the band but also because it was captured in exceptionally good audio quality. [Rey, Luis (1997) "Led Zeppelin Live: An Illustrated Exploration of Underground Tapes", Ontario: The Hot Wacks Press. ISBN 4ISBN 0-9698080-7-0, p. 394.] This can largely be attributed to the dedication and experience of Millard, who by 1977 had already made several bootleg recordings of other concerts performed at the Los Angeles Forum. It is believed that he recorded this particular show from row six.

The recording lasts 190 minutes and includes the entire concert (including encores). It was the first show of six at the Los Angeles Forum by Led Zeppelin, which came towards the end of its 1977 North American concert tour. Millard's recording of the opening number from this concert, "The Song Remains The Same", was included in the promos menu of the "Led Zeppelin DVD".

This is regarded as one of the best concerts that the band ever played, with Page performing lengthy solos and John Bonham playing heavily throughout, hitting triple fillings on many of the songs. Plant is very talkative during the show and he is in a good voice throughout the performance. The band is also open for lengthy improvisations, as evidenced on "No Quarter", on which John Paul Jones guides the band to multiple instrumental jams.

The title "Listen To This Eddie" is allegedly a reference to Eddie Van Halen of the band Van Halen, who in interviews criticised the playing ability of Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page. [Dave Lewis and Simon Pallett (1997) "Led Zeppelin: The Concert File", London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-5307-4, p. 111.] However, according to a "Shockwaves Magazine" [Shockwaves (also spelled "Shock Waves" on the site) homepage: http://www.hardradio.com/frameshockwaves.html] article by Pat O'Connor entitled "The Ten Greatest Bootlegs", [O'Connor, Pat, "The Ten Greatest Bootlegs": http://www.hardradio.com/shockwaves/tenbootlegs1.html] "Eddie" in the bootleg title refers to audio engineer Eddie Kramer, and not to Eddie Van Halen, implying that even Kramer would be impressed by such a quality bootleg recording. Others say that Led Zeppelin wanted to record a live album during the 1977 tour but Kramer refused to record any because of Page's sloppy playing, and that's why the bootleg got that title.Fact|date=September 2007

et List

*"The Song Remains The Same"
*"Sick Again"
*"Nobody's Fault But Mine"
*"Over the Hills and Far Away"
*"Since I've Been Loving You"
*"No Quarter"
*"Ten Years Gone"
*"The Battle of Evermore"
*"Going to California"
*"Black Country Woman"
*"Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"
*"White Summer" / "Black Mountain Side"
*"Kashmir"
*"Out on the Tiles" / "Moby Dick" ("Over the Top")
*"Heartbreaker"
*Jimmy Page Theremin/Guitar/Bow & Effects Solo (includes "Star Spangled Banner" & "Dixie")
*"Achilles Last Stand"
*"Stairway to Heaven"
*"Whole Lotta Love" / "Rock and Roll" (encore)

Neil Young recording

"Listen to This, Eddie" is also the title of a bootleg recording of a June 24, 1995 performance by Neil Young in San Francisco at the Polo Field. The "Eddie" in this case refers to Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, who asked Young to take over the concert for him when he became too ill to sing. Many audience members expressed disappointment and impatience with the older musician, but most heard out his lengthy set, which included pieces from the "Mirror Ball" album Young had recorded with Pearl Jam. It is considered by collectors to be one of the highlight performances of Young's decades-long career. [http://www.thrasherswheat.org/ritfw/polo062495.htm]

ee also

Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings

References