19 JULY 1998
PAGE AND PLANT PERFORMED AT THE JONES BEACH THEATER, LONG ISLAND NY
I played on the Page and Plant Project promoting the ‘Walking into Clarksdale’ album at Jones Beach. It was the last date of the first leg of the North American tour. The Jones Beach Theater is an Amphitheatre in Long Island. For me it was one of the best shows; a memorable performance. The band really connected. The high points were serial and intensified throughout the set. The drummer Michael Lee and I had an emotional hug when we came offstage.
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17 JUL 1977
I PLAYED THE SEATTLE KINGDOME WITH LED ZEPPELIN
On this day in 1977, Led Zeppelin played the Kingdome in Seattle, an indoor venue that held 70,000 people. It felt surreal, as we entered the building through an airlock door. Here is a section of my solo spot that features the theremin and the bow and the exploration of both. It’s lengthy but gives an example of my avant garde journey with this sonic architecture.
06 JUL 1969
I played with Led Zeppelin at the Newport Jazz Festival, RI
On this day in 1969, Led Zeppelin played the iconic Newport Jazz Festival slot after Buddy Rich and his big band. The festival site was becoming overcrowded and the radio stations started to announce that we weren’t going to appear to try and cut the numbers of people that were travelling to the site. Such was the popularity of the group that we had hijacked such a prestigious jazz festival.
3 July 1969
02 JUL 1988
OUTRIDER ENTERED THE BILLBOARD CHARTS
On this day in 1988, my first solo album ‘Outrider’ had entered the Billboard charts. The album was on David Geffen’s label. I had worked closely with the label’s publicist Bryn Bridenthal on press in LA to promote the record and even had a single released. The promo department did a good job on this one.
ON THIS DAY… 25 JUN 1995
PAGE AND PLANT PLAYED GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL ‘95
I played Glastonbury Festival with Robert Plant and our coat of many musical colours. Broadcasted on TV & Radio, it was a little windy that day and the elements made sport with the wind bombarding the sound as it released from the PA speakers and drifted all over the place. But it was exhilarating to play Glastonbury and we played really well to a really enthusiastic audience who were willing us on.
18 June 1965
29 MAY 1970
I RECORDED WITH LED ZEPPELIN AT OLYMPIC STUDIO TWO
‘Hey Hey What Can I Do’ — on this recording, I used my own RCA limiter stroke compressor on the guitars.
Photo: © Jim Marshall
12 MAY 1982
I WATCHED FOREIGNER PERFORM AT THE SPORTS ARENA, MUNICH
Foreigner were touring with the release of ‘4’ and it was so good to hear and feel Lou Gramm’s vocals. Foreigner had augmented their band with two versatile LA session musicians and, in fact, the guy who played the sax on ‘Urgent’ provided a spirited rendition of the Junior Walker solo. Mick Jones and I went back a long way: we met in the days of Johnny Halliday and it wasn’t long before he encouraged me to come up and have a jam. A tipsy version of ‘Lucille’ was performed.
