Re: One Year ago...pt 2.

["Tim Fricke" <oldstyle5150@xxxxxxxxx>]

Great write-up, but reading that really depresses me. You lived my
dream while I was stuck many time zones away at work wondering what
was happening at that very moment in London. Many hours, days, years
of my life have been spent listening to Zeppelin and dreaming of my
chance to see them live. But alas, my name was not among the lucky to
be drawn in the ticket lottery. I had to settle for second hand
accounts of the show, eventually snagging a bootleg DVD of the
performance thanks to a wonderful FBO member. I can't even get an
official DVD release of the show. It amazes me how little some people
seem to care about their fans. I'm not off to start another round of
arguments, but the least they could do would be to give the tens of
millions of fans that weren't lucky enough to be there at O2 the
chance to see a professionally done DVD of the show. It's not the same
as actually witnessing the thunder of the gods, but it's better than
nothing. I still have a hard time coming to grips with the fact that I
will never see Led Zeppelin live. It hurts just to type that out. I
hope those people that were there truly appreciate what a special
moment they were a part of. It looks as if the Zeppelin will never fly
again.

On Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 10:57 AM, Nech <tytlane@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Again... this was my no sleep for Lord knows how many hours post I made to
> FBO upon returning to my hotel in the wee hours of the morning. I don;t know
> how I found the energy or how I managed to stay coherent. In retrospect I
> would just like to add what an incredible feeling it was to not only have
> just witness the rehearsal, but to have met up with so many people form
> around the world all there for the same thing. And some just to soak in the
> vibes.
>
> One of the coolest things was meeting Sunilla and Dave Davies at the Pilot
> inn. I have been friends it seems with Sunilla since the first moment this
> whole FBO thingy got started. Exchanging emails, pictures birth
> announcements, sad news all these long years and finally there we were in
> person. It was sureal to be able to give someone a hug you had "known" for
> so long yet never met.
> It really was a special moment. And same goes for all the other FBO-ers that
> I met up with there...and RO-ers, and just people from other avenues of
> life. Wyatt and his soon to be fiance, Dave Lewis, El Franko, Tangerineman
> and his whole cast of friends from the Great White North, The whole Led
> Zeppagain band and their significant others, Eddie Lombardi , SIBLY, DADGAD,
> Jameskg,,,all names...now with faces.
>
> Everyone ( well almost ) got a hug...and me, my catchphrase of the
> weekend..."I am Nech"
>
>
> Dec 9th 2007
>
> OK, Last I left you I was still in a quandry as I was ready to just pack
> up and go hit London like I did 13 years ago to search out Bron-Yr-Aur.
> I new it was in Snowdonia, by the river Dovey, in Wales. That was it.
> Winginbg it on a wing and a prayer.  Somehow that seemed like the same
> situation with me and my tickets....where? When ? How?  Nerves were
> running ragged, although pumped up by the adrenaline of listening to an
> unheard show 10/10/69 as I headed into the night when I finally got the
> message I was waiting for...ahhh the ticket directions!!!
>
> But wait....WTF was this attachment...nothing but a time in the email
> text....I open the attachment and nearly fainted..... I start reading
> the first sentence...Dear Rehearsal attendee......
>
> Ever have that feeling that your legs kinda go out from under you? YEah,
> I almost hit the floor....OK, I have to be in O2 Sunday 4 o'clock sharp.
> No phones, no cameras, subject to body cavity search, any security
> breach I forfit my tickets to the show.
>
> HOLY $%^&*  rehearsal.
>
> I won't bore you with my trip out, it was a whirlwind. day starting with
> me draining the garden hoses, ending with me in NEwark airport with at
> my last count at least 8 other folks I find are going to the show. From
> SIBLY from RO, to three cool kats from Guitar world mag. More on them
> later. ( we discussed the robot Gibson )
>
>  Getting into London it was a mad dash to get where I'm going and then
> be as told at O2 in time for the queue for the rehearsal. That was some
> line folks and the surprises were intense to say the least. I recognize
> you... Holy Moly !!! How the ?!?!? When the??!!! Never mind...Hugs and
> high fives are exchanged as me and several other FBO-ers are there to
> share in this joy. From the Whole Led-Zepagain band to none other than
> fellow DVD comrade in Arms TangoMan. And After listening in to our tales
> of yore an d gore another guy introduces himself. Make that more
> FBO-ers...El Franco!!!! How the?!?! What the ??!?!? Nevermind what's
> that noise?!?!?!? We listen intently and it's unmistakable...THAT'S
> GTBT!!!!!  WOOPIE!!!!!!!  Why aren't we being let in?!?!? Someone's in
> there?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aparently an even more in touch group is getting
> first dibs on this rehearsal...so be it... I am too dans la lune to
> really care.... It sounds like a barnburner!!! OH damn I can't wait...
> that ends and soon we begin to hear another tune...and no mistaking this
> one either as that bass line snaked its way into our collective
> souls...Ramble on!!!!  And sounds Like Plant is belting it out!!!
>
> DAMN DAMN DAMN LET US IN!!!!!!!  Finally someone took charge of this
> rather huge line and we begin moving...only to find they're handing out
> baggies! ; )   COOL!!! , no wait it's to put any change, keys , any
> metal or small object in in preparation for the frisk down. That goes
> quick and we are litterally running for the door. Meanwhile some
> undecipherable jam had went on.  Sounded like they were redoing a bit of
> Ramble on again..or possibly a quick snatch of Wantong Song??? We walk
> out onto the floor but are then guided by security up to the seats stage
> right...Jimmy's old side!!! But Jimmy Jonesy and Plant are all kinda
> huddled together in the middle of the stage talking so what's gonna
> happen here?!?!?!  Jimmy's sporting that fab Hollow body Gibson you can
> see him with at Ross Halfin's site. Looks like an L5 but with perhaps a
> custom tailpiece. Hmmmmmmm what are they gonna do. Then my heart
> lurches...Jimmy's got a slide on and I recognize THAT tuning!!!!  And lo
> and behold they launch into In My Time Of Dying.....chills
> people...chills.....The sound's a bit boomy but that gets tamed and as
> they progress along one thing in particular sticks out. Robert's voice
> in incredible!!!!!!!!! Jason's driving it along with what I think looks
> like a double kick pedal and Jimmy, well Jimmy looks like the cat that
> ate the tweety bird. HE IS ALL SMILES!!!! HE IS DANCING!!! HE IS KICKING
> HIS HEELS AND TOES IN TIME.. IMO JImmy is in heaven. There's a break in
> the sound as snap crackles and pops replace Jimmy's guitar and soundmen
> scramble...They don't miss a beat and they continue on. I am in heaven
> too. At the end of the song Plant starts ad libbing Honeybee and they
> play along before bring it back for one oh my Jesus... Jesus make up
> dying bed... and I feel like at this point I can die happy. THEY ROCKED
> IT!!!! The gel was there!!!! I lost my voice as I just could not contain
> myself....as the small audience clapped along I just had to let out a
> huge YEEEAAAHHHHH!!!!! And the crowd took it as their cue to, yeah, so
> what if it's a soundcheck...APPLAUSE...LOUD APPLAUSE.... I think the
> guys on stage were taken aback, but so appreciated it. YEs, no fetal
> position, but I wiped a tear.  Plant was already back as the
> Plantationator.... joking and laughing about as he called out " Where
> are the children in need people?!?!?!"""  A small group stood up and
> Plant in the same swagger of 70's barechested Golden God goes " Well,
> I'll see you later during the drum solo!!" Thos ein the know laugherd
> ourselves silly.
>
> Meanwhile, the guys are switching gears...Jones has taken off his bass
> and is meandering about his keys. He's travelling light these days. Just
> two sets it looks like, One definately a large Korg and another smaller
> set mounted on top of that. One note...he hit one note and that was
> enough....NO QUARTER!  A couple more adjustments as Jason starts hitting
> his large gong....gong...gonggg....gong.....Jones continues noodling
> teasing us with NQ snippets as Jimmy now brandished his LP. Plant
> meanders off stage to the floor for a cuppa tea and they start into NQ.
> At first vocal less, but then I do hear some ..where's that coming from
> ??? And then I realize, It's Jason bending down low and singing through
> a drum mike adding an eerie quality to it. When Jimmy hit that first
> wahhed riff again...chills. It sounds raw, devlish...dirty and IMO right
> on. Jones does just a short solo before Jimmy start in with that
> familiar descending riff into his solo. No pinky problems here folks...
> Jason belts them all into a crescendo and with the Dogs of Doom Jimmy
> breathes life into his theramin and I just had to stand and raise my
> hands straight up high... master master!!! And then the second Jimmy wah
> PHENOMENAL!!!! As the song ends Jimmy raises the Gibson over his head in
> triumph.  Again, I cannot contain myself and scream out to them "We're
> not Worthy" in my best Waynes World way.  Also Plant ended up sitting on
> the drum riser as the song wound down, perfectly content to let them
> have worked this out without him.
>
>  Then something amazing...Jones switches over to his 8 string bass and
> he starts plunking out the NFBM riff... once twice... that bass sounds
> mean. I guess a bass can sound mean no?! Slightly distorted it could
> practically double for Jimmy's riffage. Plant has his harp and launches
> right into his solo just as Jimmy also picks up his LP and they are
> working out what I believe is going to be a brain breaking start stop
> harp affair that is gonna bring the house down. Amazingly it looks liek
> Jason's calling the shots on this... As I sit there thinking out loud,
> that it's odd to be working on a number this late in the game, I see
> what's happening.... the improv, the groove...no no no Jason's saying
> listen .... tappa tappa tappa, humming out his idea...they catch on to
> it and never play the whole tune, but like I said, if it's what I got
> out of it, life is never gonna be the same. At one point Plant kinda
> just goes off on his own doing a quick blues harp thingy whilt JPJ,
> Jimmy and Jason talk semantics...
>
>  Jones changes up his bass again as Jimmy seems satisfied and done with
> it and goes off to don his shades and 3/4 legth black coat for some
> posed shots for Ross.  JPJ & Jason do a quick improv of the IMTOD riff.
> And Robert and Jimmy leave the stage... JPJ's sporting a wireless that
> goes Spinal Tap on him so Andy gets to work on it as Jones takes a quick
> stab at another bass before he goes off for some posed shots in front of
> his stacks. GK's I belive.
>
>  And yes Jimmy's MArshall has his symbol on 'em. Before I forget
> Jason's got the yellow kit with the Zep on the bass. Tympanies as well.
>
>   As the others meander off a tearjerker of a moment. Jason's son with
> daddy standing behind him is on the kit. He plays out a couple simple
> patterns and gets a round of applause. Looks like Dad says, go ahead son
> and that kids laid down some rolls that probably had Bonzo spilling
> tears in Heaven. I know it touched me as I had to wipe another away.
> Like father, like son, like son.
>
>  As contest winners are being whisked away, a crew guy summons the band
> and all the crew onto the Stage for a great big group shot....
>
>  This is gonna be great. So great that I am hoping that all those
> cameras on and off stage are not just gonna be for the gargantuan screen
> backing the entire stage, but something the whole world can someday see.
>
> Do it for my wife guys...as I called and spoke to her in my croaking
> voice, she says they have to, because SHE wants to see it. After all,
> Jimmy was such a gentleman...he kissed her hand back in 2003. She likes
> that in a man...hey wait!!!!
>
> Afterwards we all make a huge beeline for the Pilot Inn. So many people,
> so little time. I can't even begin listing all the names. Literally a
> mini FBO convention coupled with an RO one and litterally a worldwide
> cacaphony of shiny happy people.
>
> I hope they all post up their memoirs of the evening as I'm spent. I had
> gone over 24 hours with no food except for a couple of pints so my head
> is throbbing. I ended up following Tangoman and his Canadian entourage
> back to the O2 for a Spanish Tapas repast. We close the place down.
>
> Just wait till tomorrow folks. I'll blow your mind.
>
> Werewolf in London,
> Nech
>
>
>
>