Led Zeppelin - 2014 - Studio Magik: Sessions 1968-1980

Led Zeppelin

2016

Studio Magik

Sessions 1968-1980

If you enjoyed the companion discs of the recently released Led Zeppelin Remasters you will probably love this behemoth of a box. For me it is an essential one. If you are into Led Zeppelin, then you NEED to give this set a listen, I guarantee you that you will revisit it often.

This is one of those bootlegs that you need in your collection.

While I have numerous titles containing Led Zeppelin Studio Outtakes I do not collect them as much as I do their live music. Years back I bought the Scorpio Studio Sons Ultimate title as kind of a final word and up until now was a (for me) defining release of this material.

Upon the official announcement that The Don would be attempting to produce a definitive collection of this material did I think, time to upgrade? One only has to look at the scope of this collection, every known bit of out take and rehearsal material known to circulate among collectors. The new set is prepared in chronological order, each CD has its own subtitle and the set comes with an excellent 60 page booklet with detailed notes on each session from the incomparable Paul De Luxe and The Hermit. There are six gatefold sleeves that houses the CDs, all have the track listing on the back and are beautifully adorned with studio shots of the band during the era found within the compact discs. The box itself is striking in its simplicity, a Black box with gold lettering with the Swan Song logo and individual band member signs on the cover; of course it is slightly thicker to accommodate six sets as well as the booklet. The care shown in the sets creation and its accuracy in detail are second to none, and for now this must be considered as definite as it stands at this time, for we do not know what will be unearthed in the future. The massive 18 disc set just so happens to be Box number 18 of an incredible line of box sets that has garnered praise from collectors.

Doing a review such as this is a daunting task and one that can include some pains to produce and I was incredibly lucky to have some superb references along the way that must be acknowledged. Firstly to Gerard’s excellent review of the Scorpio Studio Sessions, since that set came with a flimsy sheet with only basic information I long ago printed a copy of his review to use as a reference guide. Secondly to the Led Zeppelin Data Base and Argenteum Astrum, a site with a massive amount of information and a vast help for this review and alsofor my general collecting needs. Of course Led Zeppelin Live by Luis Rey and Dave Lewis’ Concert File are always excellent resources and inspiration in not only how I write a review but thanks to Luis also how I listen to these tapes, both the studio and live material.

CD 01: Led Zeppelin I & II Sessions

01 Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (Take 8)
02 Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (Take 9, Stopped)
03 Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (Take 9, Complete)
04 You Shook Me
Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, England on September 27, 1968

05 Baby Come On Home (Take 1, Stopped)
06 Baby Come On Home (Take 2, Stopped)
07 Baby Come On Home (Take 3, Complete
Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, England on October 10, 1968

08 Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 1)
09 Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 2)
10 Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 3)
11 Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 4)
12 Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 5)
13 Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 6)
14 Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 7)
Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, England on October 1968

15 Moby Dick (Intro & Outro)
16 Drum Solo
Recorded at Mirror Sound, Los Angeles, CA between May 4th and 6th, 1969

17 Sugar Mama

Recorded at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London, England in June 1969

18 We're Gonna Groove
Recorded at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London, England on June 25th, 1969

CD 02: Led Zeppelin II Multitracks - Whole Lotta Love

01 Whole Lotta Love (Main Guitar)
02 Whole Lotta Love (Guitar Overdubs)
03 Whole Lotta Love (Bass)
04 Whole Lotta Love (Drums Right)
05 Whole Lotta Love (Drums Left)
06 Whole Lotta Love (Tympani / Tambourine)
07 Whole Lotta Love (Vocals)
08 Whole Lotta Love (Vocal Overdubs)
09 Whole Lotta Love (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 1)
10 Whole Lotta Love (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 2)
11 Whole Lotta Love (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 3)
12 Whole Lotta Love (Multitrack Mixdown Showcase)
Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, England in May 1969

CD 03: Led Zeppelin II Multitracks - What Is And What Should Never Be

01 What Is And What Should Never Be (Main Guitar)
02 What Is And What Should Never Be (Bass)
03 What Is And What Should Never Be (Drum Right)
04 What Is And What Should Never Be (Drum Left)
05 What Is And What Should Never Be (Main Vocal)
06 What Is And What Should Never Be (Vocal Overdubs Take 1)
07 What Is And What Should Never Be (Vocal Overdubs Take 2)
08 What Is And What Should Never Be (Guitar and Vocals Overdubs)
09 What Is And What Should Never Be (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 1)
10 What Is And What Should Never Be (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 2)
11 What Is And What Should Never Be (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 3)
Recorded at Groove Studios, New York City and Olympic Studios, London in June 1969

CD 04: Led Zeppelin II Multitracks - Heartbreaker

01 Heartbreaker (Main Guitar Take 1)
02 Heartbreaker (Main Guitar Take 2)
03 Heartbreaker (Bass)
04 Heartbreaker (Drum Right)
05 Heartbreaker (Drum Left)
06 Heartbreaker (Guitar, Bass And Drums)
07 Heartbreaker (Vocals)
08 Heartbreaker (Vocals And Guitar)
09 Heartbreaker (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 1)
10 Heartbreaker (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 2)
Recorded And Mixed at A&R Studios, New York City, NY on May 30th and 31st, 1969

CD 05: Led Zeppelin II Multitracks - Ramble On

01 Ramble On (Acoustic Guitar)
02 Ramble On (Electric Guitar)
03 Ramble On (Guitar Overdubs)
04 Ramble On (Bass)
05 Ramble On (Drum Right)
06 Ramble On (Drum Left)
07 Ramble On (Vocals)
08 Ramble On (Vocals And GUitar)
09 Ramble On (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 1)
10 Ramble On (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 2)
11 Ramble On (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 3)
12 Ramble On (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 4)
13 Ramble On (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 5)
14 Ramble On (Multitrack Mixdown, Version 6)
Recorded at Juggy Sound Studio, New York City in June 1969

CD 06: Led Zeppelin III Sessions

01 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 1, Stopped)
02 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 2, Stopped)
03 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 3, Stopped)
04 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 4, Stopped)
05 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 5, Stopped)
06 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 6, Complete Basic Version)
07 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 7, Stopped)
08 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 8, Stopped)
09 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 9, Stopped)
10 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 10, Stopped)
11 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 11, Stopped)
12 Jennings Farm Blues (Take 12, Complete Full Mix)
Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, England in November 1969)

13 Untitled Guitar Instrumentals
Recorded at Bron-Yr-Aur Cottage, Wales in May 1970

CD 07: Led Zeppelin III Sessions (Part 2)

01 Guitar Instrumental (Take 1)
02 Guitar Instrumental (Take 2)
03 Poor Tom (Take 1)
04 Guitar Instrumental (Take 3)
05 Guitar Instrumental (Take 4)
06 The Boy Next Door (Take 1)
07 The Boy Next Door (Take 2)
08 The Boy Next Door (Take 3)
09 The Boy Next Door (Take 4)
10 The Boy Next Door (Take 5)
11 My Oh My (Takes 1 & 2)
12 Bron-Yr-Aur (Takes 1 & 2)
13 Guitar Instrumental (Take 5)
14 Guitar Instrumental (Take 6)
15 Guitar Instrumental (Take 7)
16 Bron-Yr-Aur (Take 3)
17 My Oh My (Takes 3 and 4)
18 Bron-Yr-Aur (Take 4)
19 Poor Tom (Takes 2 - 6)
20 Hey Hey What Can I Do (Takes 1 & 2)
21 Immigrant Song
22 Bathroom Song
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampshire, England, between May and June 1970

23 Poor Tom (Take 1, Instrumental)
24 Poor Tom (Take 2, With Vocals)
Recorded at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London, England on May 6th, 1970

25 Celebration Day (Instrumental)
26 Hey Hey What Can I Do (Instrumental)
27 Out On The Tiles (Instrumental)
Recorded between May and June 1970, Location Unknown

CD 08: Led Zeppelin III & IV Sessions

01 That's The Way (Full Mix)
02 Feel So Bad (Takes 1 & 2)
03 Since I've Been Loving You (Vocal Track)
04 Since I've Been Loving You (Full Mix)
Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, between May and June 1970

05 Stairway To Heaven (Take 1, Instrumental)
06 Blues Guitar / Piano Improvisation
07 Black Dog (Take 1, Acoustic Instrumental)
08 Black Dog (Take 2, Acoustic Instrumental)
09 Black Dog (Rehearsal)
10 No Quarter
11 Stairway To Heaven (Take 2, Instrumental)
12 Stairway To Heaven (Take 3, Instrumental)
13 Stairway To Heaven (Take 4, Instrumental)
14 Electric Guitar Improvisation
15 Stairway To Heaven (Take 5, With Vocals)
16 Stairway To Heaven (Take 6, With Vocals)
17 Stairway To Heaven
18 Night Flight
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampshire, England, between January and february 1971)


CD 09: Led Zeppelin IV Sessions
01 The Battle Of Evermore (Take 1)
02 The Battle Of Evermore (Take 2)
03 The Battle Of Evermore (Take 3)
04 The Battle Of Evermore (Take 4)
05 The Battle Of Evermore (Take 5)
06 The Battle Of Evermore (Take 6)
07 Four Sticks (Take 1, Instrumental)
08 Four Sticks (Take 2, with Vocals)
09 Black Dog
10 When The Levee Breaks (Take 1)
11 When The Levee Breaks (Take 2)
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampshire, England, between January and February1971)

CD 10: Bombay Rehearsals & Houses Of The Holy Sessions

01 Friends (Rehearsing The Tune)
02 Four Sticks (Take 1)
03 Friends (Take 1)
04 Friends (Take 2)
05 Friends (Take 3)
06 Four Sticks (Take 2)
07 Four Sticks (Take 3)
08 Four Sticks (Take 4)
Recorded at EMI Studios Bombay in March 1972

09 Walter's Walk (Take 1, Instrumental)
10 Walter's Walk (Take 2, With Vocals)
11 Walter's Walk (Take 3, With Vocals)
Recorded with the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio at Stargroves, Newbury, Berkshire on May 15th, 1972


CD 11: Houses Of The Holy Sessions & Lucifer Rising

01 No Quarter (Take 1, Instrumental, Complete)
02 No Quarter (Take 2, Stopped)
03 No Quarter (Take 3, Stopped)
04 No Quarter (Take 4, Instrumental)
05 No Quarter (Take 5, Stopped)
06 No Quarter (Take 6, Stopped)
07 No Quarter (Take 7, Complete)
Recorded at Island Studios, London in June 1972

08 Incubus
09 Damask
10 Unharmonics
11 Damask (Ambient Version)
12 Lucifer Rising
13 Lucifer Rising (Percussive Return)
Recorded at Boleskine House, Loch Ness, Scotland between October and November 1973

CD 12: Pre-Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 1)

01 Untitled Instrumental
02 Untitled Instrumental
03 Ten Years Gone (Takes 1 - 12)
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampsire in November 1973

CD 13: Pre-Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 2)

01 Swan Song
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampsire in November 1973

CD 14: Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 1)

01 The Wanton Song (Take 1)
02 The Wanton Song (Take 2)
03 Take Me Home (Take 1)
04 Take Me Home (Take 2)
05 In The Morning (Take 1)
06 Trampled Underfoot (Takes 1 - 9)
07 In The Morning (Take 2)
08 Sick Again
09 The Rover
10 Untitled Instrumental
11 ABC Song

12 In My Time Of Dying (Takes 1 - 7)
13 The Wanton Song
14 Trampled Underfoot
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampsire between January and February 1974

CD 15: Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 2)

01 Ten Years Gone (Takes 1 - 4)
02 Boogie With Stu (Takes 1 - 9)
03 Night Flight (Takes 1 - 11)
04 Trampled Underfoot
05 Kashmir
06 Custard Pie
07 In The Light
08 Swan Song (Take 1)
09 Swan Song (Take 2)
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampsire between January and February 1974

CD 16: Presence & In Through The Out Door Outtakes

01 Wanton Song
02 Wanton Song
Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampsire between January and February 1974

03 Royal Orleans
04 Tea For One
05 Don't Start Me Talking / All My Lovin'
Recorded at SIR, Hollywood, CA in October 1975

06 Bonzo's Montreux (Take 1)
07 Bonzo's Montreux (Take 2)
Recorded at Mountain Studios, Montreux on September 12th, 1976

08 Fire
09 Carouselambra (Takes 1 - 4)
Recorded in Clearwell Castle, Gloucestershire in May 1978

10 Drum Segment
11 Carouselambra
12 Ozone Baby (Take 1)
13 Ozone Baby (Take 2)
14 All My Love
15 Wearing And Tearing
16 I'm Gonna Crawl
17 Fool In The Rain
Recorded at Polar Studios, Stockholm in November 1978

CD 17: In Through The Out Door Sessions

01 Carouselambra (Take 1)
02 Wearing And Tearing
03 Fool In The Rain (Take 1)
04 Hot Dog
05 In The Evening
06 Southbound Saurez
07 Darlene
08 Fool In The Rain (Take 2)
09 Carouselambra (Take 2)
10 All My Love
Recorded at Polar Studios, Stockholm in November 1978

CD 18: In Through The Out Door Sessions & Final Rehearsals

01 Ozone Baby (Take 1)
02 Ozone Baby (Take 2)

Recorded at Polar Studios, Stockholm on November 14th, 1978
03 Darlene (Take 1)
04 Darlene (Take 2)
Recorded at Polar Studios, Stockholm on November 16th, 1978

05 Wearing And Tearing (Take 1)
06 Wearing And Tearing (Take 2)
Recorded at Polar Studios, Stockholm on November 21st, 1978

07 White Summer (take 1)
08 White Summer (Take 2)
09 Kashmir
10 Achilles Last Stand (Take 1)
11 Achilles Last Stand (Take 2)
12 Stairway To Heaven Recorded at The Rainbow Theatre, London, between April and May 1980

Disc 1 (65:59) Led Zeppelin I and II Sessions – Olympic Sound Studios Barnes, London England September 27,1968; Babe I’m Gonna Leave You (take 8), Babe I’m Gonna Leave You (Take 9 stopped), Babe I’m Gonna Leave You (Take 9 complete), You Shook Me. Olympic Sound Studios Barnes, London England October 10, 1968; Baby Come On Home (AKA Tribute To Bert Berns / Take 1 stopped), Baby Come On Home (AKA Tribute To Bert Berns / Take 2 stopped), Baby Come On Home (AKA Tribute To Bert Berns / Take 3 Complete. Olympic Sound Studios Barnes, London England October 1968; Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 1), Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 2), Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 3), Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 4), Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 5), Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 6), Guitar Organ Instrumentals (Take 7). Mirror Sound, Los Angeles, California between May 4-6 1969; Moby Dick (intro & outro), Drum Solo. Morgan Studios, Willesden, London England June 1969; Sugar Mama. Morgan Studios, Willesden, London England June 25, 1969; We’re Gonna Groove

These outtakes can be found in parts on the titles Olympic Gold on Scorpio (LZ 92-SC), Gems + Jams (ZELCD101), Studio Haze (Laughing Skull), Anyway You Want (KFM 008), Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You (Dynamite Studio DS92J031), Hairway To Steven (Invasion Unlimited IU9645-1), Early Days (Refinded Masters), Studio Sessions (Antrabata), and Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio LZ-07001~12). “We’re Gonna Groove” is found on Different Mixed Coda (POT), The Lost Sessions Volume 8 ~ Led Zeppelin In The 80′s Coda Advance Tapes (Empress Valley Supreme Disc).

The sound quality of the material when compared to the Scorpio set is not as amplified as much so there is less hiss and has a warmer sound. Plant’s raw vocal on “Babe I’m Gonna Leave” is superb as well as is his vocal improvisations. I enjoy the “Baby Come On Home”, throw the backing vocals out and blues it up just a little it would have been an incredible song, I love the sound of Page’s guitar as well. The “Guitar Organ Instrumentals” are also good, Page’s playing is simply wonderful, it would have been interesting to here parts of this during his “White Summer / Black Mountain Side” showcase in the live shows. The “Moby Dick” outtakes are a very nice upgrade is sound versus the Scorpio titles as is “Sugar

Mama”, there is still tape hiss present but they sound clearer. The version of “We’re Gonna Groove” was later released on Coda, this was not found on the Scorpio title but thankfully added to this set.

Disc 2 (72:28) Led Zeppelin II Multi Tracks – Rehearsed and assembled during the bands second American Tour in 1969 with basic framework recorded at Olympic Sound Studios London May 1969 with additional overdubs added in Los Angeles. Final mix by Eddie Kramer and Page over two days at A&R Studios, New York City, NY. August 1969; Whole Lotta Love (main guitar bleed), Whole Lotta Love (guitar overdubs bleed), Whole Lotta Love (bass bleed), Whole Lotta Love (drum right bleed), Whole Lotta Love (drum left bleed), Whole Lotta Love (tympani tambourine bleed), Whole Lotta Love (vocals bleed), Whole Lotta Love (vocals overdubs bleed), Whole Lotta Love (multi track mix down version 1), Whole Lotta Love (multi track mix down version 2), Whole Lotta Love (multi track mix down version 3), Whole Lotta Love (multi track mix down showcase)

Disc 3 (58:11) Led Zeppelin II Multi Tracks – Recorded June 1969 at Groove Studios New York and Olympic Sound Studios London. Mixed at A&R Studios New York; What Is And What Should Never Be (main guitar bleed), What Is And What Should Never Be (bass bleed), What Is And What Should Never Be (drum right bleed), What Is And What Should Never Be (drum left bleed), What Is And What Should Never Be (main vocals bleed), What Is And What Should Never Be (vocal overdubs bleed take 1), What Is And What Should Never Be (vocal overdubs bleed take 2), What Is And What Should Never Be (guitar and vocal overdubs), What Is And What Should Never Be (multi mix down version 1), What Is And What Should Never Be (multi mix down version 2), What Is And What Should Never Be (multi mix down version 3)

Disc 4 (72:31) Led Zeppelin II Multi Tracks – Recorded and mixed in A&R Studios New York City, NY. May 30, 31, 1969; Heartbreaker (main guitar bleed take 1), Heartbreaker (main guitar bleed take 2), Heartbreaker (bass bleed), Heartbreaker (drum right bleed), Heartbreaker (drum left bleed), Heartbreaker (guitar bass drum bleed), Heartbreaker (vocals bleed), Heartbreaker (vocals and guitar bleed), Heartbreaker (multi track mix down version 1), Heartbreaker (multi track mix down version 2)

Disc 5 (61:41) Led Zeppelin II Multi Tracks

Recorded in Juggy Sound Studio, New York in June 1969 and mixed in A&R Studios in New York; Ramble On (acoustic guitar bleed), Ramble On (electric guitar bleed), Ramble On (guitar overdub bleed), Ramble On (bass bleed), Ramble On (drum right bleed w/tympani), Ramble On (drum left bleed w/tympani), Ramble On (vocals bleed), Ramble On (vocals and guitar bleed), Ramble On (multi track mix down version 1), Ramble On (multi track mix down version 2), Ramble On (multi track mix down version 3), Ramble On (multi track mix down version 4), Ramble On (multi track mix down version 5), Ramble On (multi track mix down version 6) All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), Alternates And Outtakes I & II Volume 1 (Boogie Mama), The Black Bomber – The Recording Sessions (Beelzebub Records), Countdown (Boogie Mama), Early Ramshackle Days (Beelzebub Records), Led Zeppelin II Multi Track Mixdowns (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), The Lost Sessions Volume 2 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), The Making Of Led Zeppelin II (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Royal Albert Hall 1970 (Wendy Records). The most recent of Zeppelin outtakes to see the light of day,

early in this millennium. They provide a fascinating glimpse into not only the mixing but how the songs were written and constructed. While sometimes some of the bleed tracks can get tedious other times you marvel at some sounds or parts you never heard before. I have always enjoyed the Classic Album series on VH1 (and on DVD) for this reason. The ensuing multi track mix downs are superb and offer a different glimpse at these songs we all know so well. The sound quality on all is impeccable stereo perfection and these outtakes are considered essential. The “Whole Lotta Love” mix down version 3 has an incredible ending. The mix downs for “What Is And What Should Never Be” have many added guitar snippets with version 2 and 3 being very enjoyable. The last “Heartbreaker” mix down version 2 has a

much different guitar solo and some accented slides as well as some vocals snippets and is a superb mix up. The “Ramble On” disc is particularly interesting; the acoustic guitar bleed brings to light a lot of the depth of the song you don’t usually hear and notice due to the eventual prominence of the electric guitar. “Ramble On” has the most multi mixes, all variations of each other with extra vocals and guitar and drum snippets scattered throughout. 

Disc 6 (71:38) Led Zeppelin III Sessions – Recorded at Olympic Sound Studios, Barnes, London England November 1969; Jennings Farm Blues (take 1 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 2 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 3 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 4 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 5 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 6 complete basic version), Jennings Farm Blues (take 7 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 8 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 9 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 10 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 11 stopped), Jennings Farm Blues (take 12 complete full mix)

Recorded at Bron-Yr-Aur Cottage Machynlleth Gwynedd, Wales sometime between April and May 1970; Untitled Guitar Instrumentals The Jennings Farm Blues material is an electric take on the Led Zeppelin III acoustic song “Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp”, recorded as a possible single but the song remained unreleased by the band although one can certainly tell that considerable work went into it. It was first found on Jennings Farm Blues (Scorpio) and featured on 1970 Studio Works (Theramin Music),

Alternates And Outtakes III Volume 2 (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 6 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Scorpio Rising (Akashic), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), and Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). The sound source has been excellent since its first release; again the music does not seem as amplified as the Scorpio Studio Sessions Ultimate and has a warmer natural sound to it.

The “Untitled Guitar Instrumentals” have a long history and are a much valued tape in Led Zeppelin history as they are the only known tape of the band playing at Bron-Yr-Aur cottage in Wales. Long tired of touring in America and the social upheaval that was happening and directly affecting them they  retreated to the quiet countryside to compose and the mostly acoustic material that came from it formed a good deal of the third and fourth records. The recordings have a long history with bootleggers going back to the vinyl days of Bootleg LP’s The Alternative Led Zeppelin III (The Swingin’ Pig Records), Best Of Led Zeppelin Vol. 1 (Rock Solid Records), The Final Option (Rock Solid Records & The Swingin’ Pig Records), Led Zeppelin Film Can (Rock Solid Records), Led Zeppelin III Studio Rehearsals May 1970 (RL Records), More Inedits (MLZ), Studio Rehearsals May 1970 (Rock Live),

Studio Rehearsals 1967-1971 Part 1 (Grasshopper), & III To Get Ready (Early Times) and on compact disc under titles like 1970 Studio Works (Theramin Music), Another Way To Wales (Black Swan), Led Zeppelin III (Tarantura), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio “new”), Tribute To Johnny Kidd And The Pirates (Scorpio “old”), Ultra Rare Tracks Volume 1 (Missing Link), & Ultra Rare Trax Part 2 (Savage Beast Music). The quality found on the Godfather box is very similar to what is on the Scorpio Studio Sessions Ultimate. There are many song references thrown in, my favorite is “Down By The Seaside” and although is just an early run through has many of the laid back components of the yet to be recorded version. Where the Scorpio version has song indexes, unfortunately the Godfather is one long 46 minute track. Another of the really great early

tapes. 

Disc 7 (69:40) Led Zeppelin III Sessions (part 2) – Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampshire England sometime between May and June 1970; Guitar Instrumental (take 1), Guitar Instrumental (take 2), Poor Tom (take 1), Guitar Instrumental (take 3), Guitar Instrumental (take 4), The Boy Next Door aka That’s The Way (take 1), The Boy Next Door aka That’s The Way (take 2), The Boy Next Door aka That’s The Way (take 3), The Boy Next Door aka That’s The Way (take 4), The Boy Next Door aka That’s The Way (take 5), My Oh My aka Friends (takes 1-2), Guitar Instrumental (take 5), Guitar Instrumental (take 6), Guitar Instrumental (take 7), Bron-Yr-Aur (take 3), My Oh My aka Friends (takes 3-4), Bron-Yr-Aur (take 4), Poor Tom (takes 2-6), Hey Hey What Can I Do (takes 1-2), Immigrant Song, Bathroom Song aka Out On The Tiles. Recorded at Morgan Studios Willesden London England on May 6, 1970; Poor Tom (take 1 instrumental), Poor Tom (take 2 w/ vocals) 

The first set of material is a rehearsal amateur tape some have attributed to Bron-Yr-Aur Cottage but it cannot be confirmed so it is label as Headley Grange. It has also been in circulation for a long period, Bootleg LP References are The Alternate Led Zeppelin III (The Swingin’ Pig Records), Hiawatha Express (Stash) & The Making Of Friends (III) while on compact disc as 1970 Studio Works (Theramin Music), Alternates And Outtakes III Volume 2 (Boogie Mama), Another Way To Wales (Black Swan), Hiawatha Express (Toasted/Condor), Led Zeppelin III (Tarantura), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Stairway Sessions (Silver Rarities), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio “new”), Tribute To  Johnny Kidd And The Pirates (Scorpio “old”), & Ultra Rare Trax Part 2 (Savage Beast

Music). Again the tape is similar to the sound of the Scorpio Studio Session Ultimate. Being an amateur style recording there is some notable tape hiss present and at times what sounds like wind moving across the microphones is present but does not detract from the listening experience, just adds to the ambiance.

This is a very intimate tape featuring just Page and Plant giving us a glimpse inside their unique musical bond. “Poor Tom” features some nice percussion from what sounds like Plant clapping along on his legs as they are seated. The many takes of “The Boy Next Door” are wonderful, soft and gentle with some great improvised guitar from Page; clearly his skills on the acoustic guitar are vast. Great to hear the sounds of a dog, possibly Plant’s beloved Stryder adding his own compliment. The early takes of “Friends” include bongos from Plant and we see that musically it is taking shape, Plant sings vocal harmonies of what is to become the lyrics and Page adds harmonized vocals to flesh it out. You can clearly here Robert’s child during Take 3 of “Bron-Yr-Aur”, the addition of “Hey Hey What Can I Do?” with the acoustic guitar from Plant and some mandolin from Page sounds very like something you would hear from The Band. The early band versions of “Immigrant Song” and “Out On The Tiles” are tentative sounding, the latter has the chorus intact but the rest will continue to take shape. The two takes of “Poor Tom” are excellent sounding outtakes, the final one being what is used on Coda. They sound just slightly fuzzy and are one of my favorite songs from that record. Previously found on All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), Alternates And Outtakes III Volume 2 (Boogie Mama), Coda Advanced Tapes (Boogie Mama), Different Mixed Coda (POT), The Lost Sessions Volume 8 ~ Led Zeppelin In The 80′s Coda Advance Tapes  (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Studio Sessions ltimate (Scorpio).

The rest of the record is taken up with excellent quality outtakes of “Celebration Day”, “Hey Hey What Can I Do?”, and “Out On The Tiles” sans vocals. They sound close to the final mixes and have seen compact disc releases as All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), Alternates And Outtakes III Volume 2 (Boogie Mama), The Lost Mixes EP Volume 3 ~ Led Zeppelin 1970-1971 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Outside The Door (Beelzebub Records), The Smithereens (Akashic, 1CD & 3CD), incredible as it sounds the story has the tapes being found in the garbage.

Disc 8 (78:04) Led Zeppelin III and IV Sessions – Recorded at Olympic Sound Studios, Barnes, London England sometime between May and June 1970; That’s The Way (full mix), Feel So Bad (aka Hats Off To Roy Harper takes 1-2) Medley includes Fixin’ To Die, That’s Alright Mama, Since I’ve Been Loving You (vocal track), Since I’ve Been Loving You (full mix). Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampshire England sometime between January and February 1971; Stairway To Heaven (take 1 instrumental), Blues Guitar / Piano improvisation, Black Dog acoustic (take 1 instrumental), Black Dog acoustic (take 2 instrumental), Black Dog electric (rehearsal), No Quarter, Stairway To Heaven (take instrumental), S tairway To Heaven (take 3 instrumental), Stairway To Heaven (take 4  instrumental), Electric Guitar Improvisation, Stairway To Heaven (take 5 w/ vocals), Stairway To Heaven (take 6 w/ vocals), Stairway To Heaven, Night FlightThe remainder of the LZIII out takes start disc eight, in incredible sound. It first appeared on Studio Daze (Scorpio) and was followed on titles like 1970 Studio Works (Theramin Music), Alternates And Outtakes III Volume 2 (Boogie Mama), Led Zeppelin III (Tarantura), Live On Tour With Led Zeppelin Volume 1 (Beelzebub Records), The Lost Sessions Volume 6 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Scorpio Rising (Akashic), Sessions (Antrabata Reference

Master), Studio Daze Revisited (Scorpio), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio), ; Ultra Rare Trax Part 2 (Savage Beast Music). The versions are excellent studio mixed version in outstanding quality and are musically a revelation. The song titles “Feel So Bad” is the music of “Hats Off To Harper” with lyrics from “Fixin’ To Die” and Elvis’ “Thats Alright Mama” sung in the “Hats Off” style. The vocal track of “Since” is good but the final full mix of the song is incredible. It reeks with emotion and passion like no other song in the band’s vast catalog does and the playing was described by Plant as the sound of Led Zeppelin live, if the bootleggers microphones could accurately capture the bands sound, this song would be it.

The IV album outtakes are essential listening, mostly due to the fact that we are treated to several quality rehearsals of “Stairway To Heaven”, as well as other gems to boot. This recording has been out many times on bootleg LP as And IV To Go (Ugly Duckling), Inedits (LZ 1-2), Led Zeppelin IV Studio Rehearsals January 1971 (RL Records), Studio Rehearsals January 1971 (Rock Live), & P; Studio Rehearsals 1967-1971 Part 1&2(Grasshopper) and on bootleg CD as All That Glitters Is Gold Celebration Definitive  Masters), The Lost Sessions Volume 9 (Eelgrass), The Lost Sessions Volume 9 ~ All Roads Lead To Headley Grange 1 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference

Master & The Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio), Ultra Rare Tracks Volume 1 (Missing Link), & Ultra Rare Trax Part 2 (Savage Beast Music). “Stairway” versions start off rudimentary and have early versions of “Black Dog” in between, it is great to here Jonesy give direction and Plant improving the lyrics, something he would continue to do onstage. There is an early version of “No Quarter” also, a song that would continue to be worked on until its final form the next year. The history of “Stairway” is one of legend, the music comes to Page and upon hearing it Plant started the lyrics in a blast of semiotic energy between the two, this is a glorified idea but is pretty much confirmed when listening to the versions of the song. The sound is very similar to that of the Scorpio Studio Sessions Unlimited.

The last take of “Stairway” is an excellent studio outtake released as The Lost Sessions Volume 9 ~ All Roads Lead To Headley Grange 1 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), some claim its legitimacy but Plant’s vocals are slightly different and Page’s guitar solo is total different, he has stated in many interviews that several solo were recorded. “Night Flight” is the full mix of the song minus overdubs done prior to its being released on Physical Graffiti, it has been previously found on Coda Advanced Tapes (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 8 – Led Zeppelin In The 80′s Coda Advance Tapes (Empress Valley Supreme Disc).

Disc 9 (60:26) Led Zeppelin IV Sessions – Recorded at Headley Grange Studios, Hampshire England sometime between January and February 1971; The Battle Of Evermore (take 1), The Battle Of Evermore (take 2), The Battle Of Evermore (take 3), The Battle Of Evermore (take 4), The Battle Of Evermore (take 5), The Battle Of Evermore (take 6). Recorded somewhere between January and February 1971; Four Sticks (take 1 instrumental), Four sticks (take 2 w/ vocals), Black Dog, When The Levee Breaks (take 1), When The Levee Breaks (take 2)

One of my disappointments with the Scorpio Session box was that the “Battle Of Evermore” material was not present, save one small outtake. I have always loved this song and am glad to finally hear this music. Of course many collectors have this on titles All That Glitters Is Gold (Celebration Definitive Masters), Alternates And Outtakes Led Zeppelin IV &Physical Graffiti Volume 3 (Boogie Mama), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master The Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin), and Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). I give Plant much credit for this song, he brings in Sandy Denny from Fairport Convention to sing on the song and the vocal mix has the wonderful call and response aspect and his lyrics show his deep appreciation and knowledge of Welsh history combined with the works of JR Tolkein that brings the song to life. The quality of this material varies slightly but is all very good to excellent quality.

The remainder of the material has been found on All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), All That Glitters Is Gold (Celebration Definitive Masters), Alternates And Outtakes Led Zeppelin IV &; Physical Graffiti Volume 3 (Boogie Mama), Control Monitor Mixes EP (Watch Tower), The Lost Mixes EP Volume 1 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), The Lost Mixes EP Volume 3– Led Zeppelin 1970-1971 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Outside The Door (Beelzebub Records), The Smithereens (Akashic, 1CD & 3CD), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio).

They are variations of the final mixes, “Four Sticks” has Bonzo’s drumming in the foreground and has a much different feel to it where the final mix is close to the one found on the record. The most interesting of these is the two “When The Levee Breaks”, both sound as if they are still a mix in process, all the above songs are superb studio quality.

Disc 10 (61:45) Bombay Rehearsals & Houses Of The Holy Sessions – Recorded at EMI Studios Bombay, India March 1972; Friends (rehearsing the tune), Four Sticks (take 1), Friends (take 1), Friends (take 2), Friends (take 3), Four Sticks (take 2), Four Sticks (take 3), Four Sticks (take 4). Recorded by the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, Stargroves Newbury, Berkshire, England and Island Studios London England May 15, 1972; Walters Walk (take 1 instrumental), Walters Walk (take 2 w/ vocals), Walters Walk (take 3 with vocals)Page and Plant’s trip to Bombay after the band’s legendary Australian Tour is one of legend, they spoke about it in various interviews and finally the tape came to light, and what a

revelation it is, one that would certainly come to fruition some 20 plus years later when the duo reformed to produce the Un- Ledded project. Previously issued as All That Glitters Is Gold (Celebration Definitive Masters), Alternates And Outtakes III Volume 2 (Boogie Mama), Complete 1972 Bombay Sessions (Tecumseh), The Lost Sessions Volume 2 – Led Zeppelin In India (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master ; The Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin), The Smithereens (Akashic, 1CD &a 3CD), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). I got my first taste of this tape on the Studio Haze (Laughing Skull), a version that was much poorer in sound and completeness. The sound quality found on this Godfather version is similar to the Scorpio Studio Session Ultimate and is excellent and complete. The music found within is very interesting; if you close your eyes you can almost envision Page and Plant working with the musicians who they have a limited dialogue with.

The versions of “Friends” with vocals are incredible; his voice has some echo on it and a very ethereal quality to it that accents the music perfectly. The final mixes of “Four Sticks” are also very nice, although take 4 is not a complete version being cut about a minute in. The remainder of the disc is comprised of three takes of “Walter’s Walk”, a song that dates back to the Houses Of The Holy era but would not see the light of day until the Coda record in 1982. The band would play the main riff of the song during “Dazed and Confused” and there are many good references to the song from the summer 1972 tour, such as Baltimore and San Bernardino. We are treated to the complete 13 minute tape, parts have been released on 1970 Studio Works (Theramin Music), All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), Coda

Advanced Tapes (Boogie Mama), Different Mixed Coda (POT), The Lost Sessions Volume 8 – Led Zeppelin In The 80′s Coda Advance Tapes (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Studio Daze (Scorpio), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). The quality ; Lucifer Rising – Recorded at Island Studios London, England and mixed at Olympic Studios by Andy Johns in June 1972; No Quarter (take 1 instrumental complete), No Quarter (take 2 stopped), No Quarter (take 3 stopped), No Quarter (take 4 instrumental complete), No Quarter (take 5 stopped), No Quarter (take 6

stopped), No Quarter (take 7 w/ vocals complete). Recorded at Boleskine House. Loch Ness Scotland sometime between October and November 1973; Incubus, Damask, Unharmonics, Damask (ambient version), Lucifer Rising, Lucifer Rising (percussive return) There is precious little of the material that encompasses the Houses Of The Holy record, alwe have is 25 minutes of “No Quarter” outtakes, the quality is incredible and the final version with vocals is pristine in quality and showcases a mix I think that is superior than the one eventually released. The material was first found on Studio Daze (Scorpio) and then on 1970 Studio Works (Theramin Music), Alternates And Outtakes Led Zeppelin IV & Physical Graffiti Volume 3 (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 6 (Empress Valley Supreme

Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Scorpio Rising (Akashic), Studio Daze Revisited (Scorpio), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). The remainder of the material comes from 1973 and is a four track recording of instrumental music Page produced for Kenneth Angers film Lucifer Rising. Page was late with turning the music over to Anger who was much displeased and made light of the situation in the press. This was Page’s first foray into film, he would again dabble in soundtracks from 1982s Death Wish II. Previous releases include Brutal Artistry II (Midas Touch), Inducted And Possessed

(Beelzebub Records), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). Interestingly, Anger did not use any of the material, a true shame as the “Lucifer Rising” track is a 20 minute soundscape of very dramatic themes that have, as the liner notes state “give one the creeps”. If you love Page’s bow solos from “Dazed and Confused” and some of his electronic improvisation, this dark piece is very appealing and the same piece makes its CD debut on this set. The sound quality is certainly better than is what is found on Scorpio’s Studio Session Ultimate title, and is much more complete.

Disc 12 (54:21) Pre Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 1) – Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England November 1973; Untitled Instrumental. Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England November 1973; Untitled Instrumental, Ten Years Gone(takes 1-12) Sessions (Antrabata Reference Masters) and Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio) were the only two previous releases, I will defer to the liner notes; This is a real mystery. It consists of Page working out melodies on the acoustic guitar. Some of the melodies introduced on the guitar are then (very occasionally) played on piano. The piano playing is very good an causes questions as to whether or not it is Page playing or someone else. There is no furtherevidence on tape that he even plays the instrument. Nevertheless some of the melodies are recognizable including the fast break found in 1976′s “Hots On For Nowhere” and an embryonic version of “The Rain Song”. Sadly Godfather chose to leave it as one long 43 minute track. The quality is excellent and a slight improvement over the Scorpio version. The rest of the disc is comprised of Jimmy working through “Ten Years Gone”, the material has seen previous released as All That Glitters Is Gold (Celebration Definitive Masters),Brutal Artistry (Midas Touch), The Complete Bombay 1972 Sessions (Tecumseh), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio “new”). Again the quality is excellent, the origin of these could have been to use as overdubs on the final version, one comprised of Page’s guitar army.Sadly, they are just fragments. One of the more boring discs in the set that does get a lot of “air time” on my stereo but is good to own for completeists sake.

Disc 13 (61:36) Pre Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 2) – Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England November 1973; Swan Song aka Midnight Moonlight. The song has seen prior releases on Brutal Artistry (Midas Touch), The Lost SessionsVolume 10 ~ All Roads Leads To Headley Grange 2 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). Its origins go back many years, as early as February 1970 as found in Page’s showcase of “White Summer/Black Mountain Side” from the band’s date in Copenhagen on the 28 you can certainly clearly hear the introductory notes and would be played sporadically throughout the years, sadly as these instrumental workouts show, was

never completed by the band. As we all know Page would dust of the song and work it into shape for his solo spot on the ARMS tour, one that would find him beginning a collaboration with Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers. The duo would go on to form The Firm and release the opus on their first self titled record in 1984. Again unfortunate that Godfather elected to leave it as one long track as there are numerous places that would have made sense. Quality wise it is similar to the Scorpio Studio Sessions Ultimate in terms of quality.

Disc 14 (72:34) Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 1) – Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England sometime between January and February 1974; The Wanton Song (take 1), The Wanton Song (take 2), Take Me Home (take 1), Take Me Home (take 2), In The Morning aka In The Light (take 1), Trampled Underfoot (takes 1-9), In The Morning aka In The Light (take 2), Sick Again, The Rover, Untitled Instrumental, ABC Song, In My Time OfDying (takes 1-7). Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England sometime between January and February 1974; The Wanton Song,  into the real meat and potatoes of this set. Thankfully there is a lot of studio material from the Physical Graffiti sessions for us to enjoy in excellent sound quality. This is a real glimpse inside the creative process of the band as they record their masterpiece. The tape has seen numerous releases on Bootleg LP as

Alternate Physical Graffiti (The Swingin’ Pig Records), Hiawatha Express (Stash), In Through The Outtakes (White Box & Widget Recordworks), Tangible Vandalism (TV & White Box), & White Summer (Marc & Rock Solid Records) and on CD as Alternative Graffiti (Celebration Definitive Masters), Brutal Artistry (Midas Touch), Headley Grange (Immigrant), The Lost Sessions EP Volume 10 – All Roads Leads To Headley Grange 2 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Physically Present (House Of Elrond), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio), & Totally Tangible (Blimp). The sound on this material, as stated before is excellent and very close in sound to the Scorpio Studio Session Ultimate. “The Wanton Song” is much more advanced as found on the 1973 rehearsal tape / sound check. “Take Me Home” sounding like something that came from “The Crunge” with Plant ad libbing lyrics that sound like The Beatles’ “I Wanna Be Your Man”. “In The Morning” is an early work through of “In The Light”, it is interesting to hear Page working on the different riffs and time changes on the guitar, he has the ascending riff down. Even though Plant has some rough lyrical ideas down he seem to put in a great vocal performance and Bonham starts really pounding his set at the songs conclusion, great outtake. The “Trampled” takes are a lot of start and stops and finds Bonzo searching for the right beat, there are some nice spots of chatter between takes that is quit nice. Another “In The Morning” follows, like the other has Plant (?) whistling the melody before the band start the song but the version is tame compared to the first.

The “Untitled Instrumental” is what is described as a groovy jam, one can certainly agree as it is loaded with funk. The “In My Time Of Dying” takes are interesting to say the least, the band try and get Bonzo to get the right beat and it sounds heated. The final two songs are finished mixes, the sound is perfect, they have circulated under titles as Alternates And Outtakes Led Zeppelin IV & Physical Graffiti Volume 3 (Boogie Mama), Alternative Graffiti (Celebration Definitive Masters), Control Monitor Mixes EP (Watch Tower), The Lost Mixes EP Volume 1 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), & Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio “new”).

Disc 15 (69:29) Physical Graffiti Outtakes (Part 2) – Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England sometime between January and February 1974; Ten Years Gone (takes 1-4), Boogie With Stu (takes 1-9), Night Flight (takes 1-11). Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England sometime between January and February 1974; TrampledUnderfoot, Kashmir, Custard Pie, In The Light, Swan Song aka Midnight Moonlight (take 1), Swan Song aka Midnight Moonlight (take 2) the 37 minute tape featuring the “Ten Years Gone”, “Boogie With Stu”, and “Night Flight” outtakes have been circulating on such titles as Alternative Graffiti (Celebration Definitive Masters), Brutal Artistry II (Midas Touch), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio), Ultra Rare Trax Part 2 (Savage Beast Music). There are small scuffs during 2:18 and 2:29 of “Ten Years Gone”; they are also present on the Scorpio title, Disc 10 track 8. I do not own other versions of this tape and have to guess it is on the master. The song is in its final mixes and the extensive overdubs are all on there. “Boogie With Stu” was, of course, recorded back in 1971 and dusted off for inclusion on Physical Graffiti, the mixes provide no hidden gem within. Again it would be nice to have que breaks for the songs as some are quick snippets while others are a complete song. The reminder of the disc has seen the light of day on All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), Alternates And Outtakes Led Zeppelin IV & Physical Graffiti Volume 3 (Boogie Mama), Alternative Graffiti (Celebration Definitive Masters), Brutal Artistry (Midas Touch), Brutal Artistry II (Midas Touch), The Lost Sessions Volume 12 – All Roads Lead To Headley Grange

3 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Physical Graffiti Alternate Trax (Tarantura), Physically Present (House Of Elrond), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio; Swansongs (Tarantura). “Trampled” is a virtually complete finished mix. “Kashmir” is a stripped down version with drums, bass, and guitar before the Mellotron was added and is fantastic to hear. The version of “In The Light” is incredible, worth the price of admission alone, this is the “In The Morning” version with different lyrics. The quality is so pristine; one has to wonder why they chose to abandon this version. The last two tracks are full band instrumental version of “Swan Song aka Midnight Moonlight”. The second take is longer and where the first take is like the opening, this take sounds like the possible middle section. It cannot be stated enough, and certainly the hardcore collectors know that the Physical Graffiti outtakes are the most

satisfying of this set and is essential listening.

Disc 16 (69:56) Radio Takes, Presence Outtakes, Bonzo’s Montreux Sessions and In Through The Out Door Outtakes – Recorded at Headley Grange Studios Hampshire, England 1974; The Wanton Song (WLIR 92.7 radio broadcast), The Wanton Song (WPLJ 95.5 radio broadcast). Recorded at Studio Instrument Rentals (SIR) Hollywood, Los Angeles October 1975; Royal Orleans, Tea For One (Hootchie Kootchie version), Don’t Start Me Talking – All My Loving. Recorded at Mountain Studios Montreux, Switzerland on September 12, 1976; Bonzo’s Montreux (take 1), Bonzo’s Montreux (take 2). Clearwell Castle, Forest Of Dean, Gloucestershire, England May 1978; Fire (Say You Gonna Love Me), Carouselambra (takes 1-4). Recorded at Polar Studios Stockholm, Sweden November 1978; Drum Segment, Carouselambra, Ozone Baby (take 1), Ozone Baby (take 2), All My Love, Wearing And

Tearing, I’m Gonna Crawl, Fool In The Rain

The first two tracks are from radio broadcasts and feature outtakes of “The Wanton Song”. The quality is excellent but sounds like it were recorded off of radio, it has seen prior releases as Alternates And Outtakes Led Zeppelin IV & Physical Graffiti Volume 3 (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 12 – All Roads Lead To Headley Grange 3 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Relax (Beelzebub Records). Luis Rey stated that if not for some slide guitar overdubs this could pass for a live recording. I agree as it has alot of energy and a live feel too it, this version has DJ comments after its conclusion. The second version is better sounding and similar to the other. Alternative Graffiti (Celebration Definitive Masters), Brutal Artistry (Midas Touch), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). The sound is similar to the Scorpio title and is excellent quality. Sadly the sessions for Presence yields virtually nothing, all we have is this 8 minute fragment of rehearsal done while the band is in exile in California. The version of “Tea For One” is vernice, certainly not as up and down sounding as the final version is more of a Chicago blues, the “Don’t Start Me Talking” is a really nice jam. Prior releases are Bizarre (Tarantura), Brutal Artistry II (Midas Touch), Countdown (Boogie Mama), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master),; Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). Quality is excellent and the tape sounds similar to the Scorpio title.

“Bonzo’s Montreux” was done in the fall of 1976, previously released as All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), Coda Advanced Tapes (Boogie Mama), Different Mixed Coda (POT), The Lost Sessions Volume 8 – Led Zeppelin In The 80′s Coda Advance Tapes (Empress Valley Supreme Disc). The song is very close to what would be released on Coda. Very inventive, one has to wonder why he did not incorporate it into his 1977 solos.

The second portion of the disc is the first glimpses of the band after the turbulent and very sad death of Robert’s son and the cancellation of the 1977 tour and band activities. Early rehearsals are done in England at Clearwell Castle and produce an interesting tape that has seen the light of day as Bizarre (Tarantura), Brutal Artistry II (Midas Touch), In Through The Outdoor Sessions (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 4 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Missing Links (The Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), & Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). The quality is a very good amateur style recording, Page is playing very well and the music sounds nothing like what would be eventually released on In Through The Out Door, obviously Jimmy sounds very dominant.

The run throughs of “Carouselambra” are simply wonderful, albeit raw. Jimmy’s guitar tone is excellent and Jones’ keys naturally have a dominant place in the mix but as Luis Rey states that Bonzo is the true star of this recording and leaves you wondering if the band would have ever played the piece live. The band has put considerable work into the song and Plant has vocals in place for much of the piece, great stuff.

The rest of the disc has us transported to Sweden and Polar Studios, home to ABBA and the sessions that would produce the band’s final studio album. All Our Love (BeelzebubRecords), Coda Advanced Tapes (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 4 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc) are the previous titles featuring this 29 minute tape. I will refer to liner notes as they hit the nail on the head; These tracks are drum mixes of versions later used on the In Through The Out Door album. Stellar quality, you hear a drums view of the songs. We can clearly hear Bonham working on the drums with the tape of the vocals and guitar faintly in the background. It’s a brilliant insight into a brilliant drummer and makes me wish they had released the official album with this good quality. They sound fresh and excited. Bonzo lets

out a “fookin’ ‘ell” right before “Fool In The Rain” and it’s a joy to hear.

Disc 17 (65:29) In Through The Out Door Sessions – Recorded at Polar Studios Stockholm, Sweden November 1978; Carouselambra (take 1), Wearing And Tearing, Fool In The Rain (take 1), Hot Dog, In The Evening, Southbound Saurez, Darlene, Fool In The Rain (take 2), Carouselambra (take 2). Recorded at Polar Studios Stockholm, Sweden November 1978; All Of My Love

The majority of this disc is the 58 minute tape and finds the music nearing completion with the final mixes being worked on. It has been much bootlegged starting with the bootleg LP The Complete Outtakes And Rehearsals (Swan Song), In Through Out Door Sessions (Toasted Records), In Through The Outtakes (White Box & Widget Recordworks), Out Through The Back Door (Amazing Stork & White Box) and on CD as All My Love (Tarantura), In Through The Outdoor Sessions (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 4 ( Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master),Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). The quality is excellent, professional quality if just a little

dull but is equal in quality to the Scorpio set. Again Bonham’s drumming is at the forefront of Carouselambra”, simply incredible in his fills of what was the last of the Zeppelin epics and one for the new decade. One has to wonder how they chose the material that would make the record, they produced a fast and aggressive rocker like “Wearing And Tearing” and elect to leave it off and make for a possible Knebworth special EP that is of course scrapped. Perhaps too aggressive for the rest of the material but a song that certainly lets you know that the dinosaur still had some fighting spirit left in its old bones. “Fool In The Rain” hassome cool count in and some ad libs from Plant. “Southbound Saurez” has a different feel with Jones on the piano and Page’s guitar has a nice fuzz tone to it.  The final track is “All Of My Love”, this outtake is stunning in terms of sound quality and performance. Previously released on All Our Love (Beelzebub Records), In Through The Outdoor Sessions (Boogie Mama), The Lost Sessions Volume 4 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Studio Daze (Scorpio), Studio Daze Revisited (Scorpio), & Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). I remember being blown away by the original Studio Daze Scorpio title and this version of “All Of My Love” as it was much closer to how it was performed live and has a loser feel and features some great playing from Page. 

Disc 18 (66:15) In Through The Out Door Sessions & Final Rehearsal – Recorded at Polar Studios Stockholm, Sweden November 14 1978; Ozone Baby (take 1), Ozone Baby (take 2). Recorded at Polar Studios Stockholm, Sweden November 16 1978; Darlene (take 1), Darlene (take 2). Recorded at Polar Studios Stockholm, Sweden November 21 1978; Wearing And Tearing (take 1), Wearing And Tearing (take 2). Recorded at the Rainbow Theatre, London, England and / or New Victoria Theatre London, 

England sometimebetween April and May 1980; White Summer (take 1) White Summer medley incl. Black Mountain Side (take 2), Kashmir, Achilles Last Stand (take 1), Achilles Last Stand (take 2)

Stairway To Heaven

The final disc finds different mixes of the three songs recorded during the In Through The Out Door sessions that would eventually be released on Coda. Interesting as we have actual dates for each of the three songs and all are in the finished stages with just minor differences in the mixes. Previously released under the titles Coda Advanced Tapes (Boogie Mama), Different Mixed Coda (POT), & The Lost Sessions Volume 8 – Led Zeppelin In The 80′s Coda Advance Tapes (Empress Valley Supreme Disc). The songs show a possible different direction that the band could have explored on the record and possibly in the new decade. The rest of the disc has the “final” rehearsal as it originally circulated as being from the time period directly before Bonham’s death. Ultimately it has the more plausible origin of being from rehearsals prior to the bands German tour 1980. It has had a myriad of releases beginning with the vinyl LP The Final Option (Rock Solid Records & The Swingin’ Pig Records), The Last Rehearsal – Bonzo’s Last Stand (Oznob), Out Through The Back Door (Amazing Stork White Box), Strange Tales From The Road (Rock Solid Records), Tangible Van-Dalism (TV & White Box) and CD as The Last Rehearsal (Missing Link), The Lost Sessions Volume 11 ~ The Final Rehearsal (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Rehearsals (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master), Strange Tales From The Road (no label), & Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio). The recording itself is excellent quality, the performances are not really noteworthy but an interesting listening experience as unbeknownst to the band that they were in their final stages of existence.

The last word? Many times previously when companies try to put together something and label it as definitive it always seems to fall short. As massive of a project as this was Godfather simply nails it and delivered what they intended to do; give fans the most comprehensive and complete collection of Zeppelin studio outtakes in the best ever quality. Certainly the most ambitious and best ever box set produced by the label, bar none.

Ramses - 1981 - Light Fantastic

Ramses
1981
Light Fantastic

01. Sorry Ma (4:07)
02. Transport of joy (3:50)
03. Force of habit (5:53)
04. The light fantastic (3:40)
05. Earth into the dark (5:46)
06. Carry on (3:45)
07. Across the Everglades (6:00)

Bonus track on cd release:
08. Noise

Norbert Langhorst / acoustic & electric guitars
Winfried Langhorst / keyboards, vocals
Matthias Möller / keyboards, vocals
Reinhard Schröter / drums, percussion, vocals
Herbert Wolfslast / bass, 6 & 12 string acoustic guitars

Like many 70s symphonic prog groups, German or otherwise, Ramses faced challenges in the 80s. They felt they had to streamline their sound, or else oblivion would be their fate. Sadly, even this process rarely succeeded, perhaps because the prog ghosts are everywhere on such recordings, and few fans or programmers had the taste for it anymore.

While the lengthy epics with major instrumental workouts are all but gone, and the poppiness is often simultaneously underwhelming and overbearing, ultimately "Light Fantastic" is a worthwhile listen if you enjoy early 80s neo prog and dumbed down 70s stylings. Like Eloy, Ramses took the Alan Parsons project approach as they entered the decade, and songs like "Force of Habit" and "Earth in the Dark" are convincing tunes with strong vocals, melodies and excellent arranging and playing. They also threw in a bit of Fleetwood Mac in "Transport of Joy". Sometimes the choruses show a lack of imagination, as in the otherwise engaging title track , but only the opener "Sorry ma" is completely dispensable.

"Light Fantastic" sports barely the vestige of "La Leyla" or "Eternity Ride", and is not an original work at all, but then even Ramses' early recordings were highly derivative of what was going on at the time, or several years before, so taken in the context of its time, this is a good, not great album that deserved more notice.

Ramses - 1978 - Eternity Rise

Ramses
1978
Eternity Rise

01. City life (4:17)
02. Only yesterday (6:00)
03. Time (5:10)
04. Windy (4:27)
05. Agitation play (4:56)
06. Eternity rise (10:59)

Hans-Dieter Klinkhammer / bass
Norbert Langhorst / acoustic & electric guitars
Winfried Langhorst / keyboards, vocals
Herbert Natho / lead vocals
Reinhard Schröter / drums, percussion, backing vocals

+ Die Nürnberger Symphony Orchestra string section

Two years have passed between the first Ramses release and this album. But in between an earthquake invaded Europe. So, in those days I was not really in the mood for Ramses and it is only recently (four years ago or so) that I discovered their second album. Their first one was a good damned album I have to say, so I was rather curious to discover this one.

The opener can not really satisfied me. Very simple and straight-forward composition, very much in the BJH style; but since this band is huge in Germany maybe Ramses wanted to capitalize on their fame and produce some music a la BJH. This song will be their first single bw "Windy" which is a mellow rock ballad (again very much inspired by BJH). It is the poorest (but the only one) Ramses song so far.

Fortunately, "Only Yesterday" will bring us back to a more symphonic and classic Ramses. Even a bit pompous at times (yes like ELP). The song is fully in line with the best numbers of their debut album and one of the highlights from "Eternity Rise".

"Time" is somewhat darker and harder at start. Like "War" if you have heard "La Leyla" (which I strongly recommend). But the most subtle passage of this album will be featured just after this; so it is quite a strange (but beautiful) song. A fantastic and rageous guitar break will illuminate the second part of it.

"Agitation Play" sounds pretty much like "Devil Inside" from their first album. Fully ELP-ish during the intro; very powerful (even wild) keys as well as guitar. A strong and pleasant number even if it does not sound very original.

The title track features extremely nice parts of music but some weak vocals as well (fortunately there won't be too many). All in all it is a superb symphonic song and a great way to close this good album.

Ramses - 1976 - La Leyla

Ramses
1976
La Leyla

01. Devil Inside (4:45)
02. La Leyla (7:25)
03. Garden (5:03)
04. War (6:25)
05. Someone Like You (8:13)
06. American Dream (5:00)

Hans D. Klinkhammer / bass
Norbert Langhorst / guitars
Winfried Langhorst / keyboards, vocals
Herbert Natho / vocals
Reinhard Schröter / drums, percussion

 

Hanover, Germany based RAMSES were formed in 1972 as RAMSES II. The next year was spent touring and performing original pieces and cover versions. This was also a period of several personnel changes. Their big break occurred in 1975 when they signed with the fledgeling Sky RECORDS and shortened their name to RAMSES.

They recorded their first and most acclaimed album "LA LEYLA" in barely a week in Conny Plank's studio. It measured up to the contemporary works of ELOY, JANE and NOVALIS among others. Apart from the title track and "Someone Like You", the album included the anti Vietnam war piece "War", which was deemed too controversial in the US and replaced with "Noise" there, using the same melody and arrangement.

In 1978 they followed with another fine album "Eternity Rise", which was also well received and promoted through touring, a highlight being the 11 minute title cut with martial drums. Then lead singer Herbert Natho quit for health reasons and the group undertook a lengthy search for a replacement. After a period of transition they settled on Matthew Moeller, who actually had a more mainstream voice as the group positioned itself more commercially for 1981's "Light Fantastic", recorded at ELOY's "Horus Sound" studio.

Like many 1970s prog bands, RAMSES was unable to maintain momentum into the 1980s, and have only released one album since 1981, that being "Control Me" in 2000, which has never been easy to find. According to their website, another studio recording is planned, but it is unclear for how long that has been the case.

It's really strange that this band isn't as famous as other giants of 70' progressive rock. I suppose their biggest problem was lack of "momentum". In 1976 progressive rock music started to significantly lose it's popularity in favor of punk rock, disco and other horrible creatures of late 70' music scene... If "Ramses" started his career few years earlier, now they would be equally famous as other German prog bands like Eloy or Jane and maybe even as popular as Yes or Genesis...who knows?

Anyway let's start the review of their debut - and IMHO - their best record ever. Lots of people unjustified compare them to early British art rock bands which based their music solely on Hammond organ sound. As far as I really love this early 70' British staff, I have to assure you that "Ramses" doesn't sound like them at all. Their music is much different, they offer richer sound with very good analog synths/mellotron arrangements and very important guitar presence (very similar to Frank Bornemann from "Eloy", lots of atmospheric leads and solos without even small sign of show-off).

1."Devil Inside" - very good opener. Very beautiful melodies played by guitarist in a bit sleepy mood are swimming in interesting synthesizer flights and soft mellotron waves. The vocal parts are also very good and atmospheric. No signs of typical "German" accent. I'd never guess that it's German band at all!

2."La Leyla" - this song begin with fantastic, 3 minutes guitar soloing (sounds like 2 electric guitars in the same time) based on rich keyboards (organ & Solina string ensemble) background. In fact keyboards aren't so much "background" in this fragment, it's more like crazy race or even battle between two instrumentalists! Splendid beginning. After 3 minutes music slows down, some flute tunes are presented (mellotron?) and Herbert Natho starts to sing in a very "moody", somehow "romantic" way with slightly falsetto choir in the background. In the second part of this composition Winfried Langhorst shows as also very good, melancholic Hammond organ solo.

3."Garden" - without any long intros (like in previous songs) "Garden" begin straight-to-the- point from Natho's vocal lines. This melancholic mid-tempo ballad which tell as a story about somebody's dream is really good and "catchy" (in a good sense of this word of course!). Your head will surely wave along with Langhorst's melodic synths. In the middle of the song another soft organ solo.

4."War" - the fastest, most dynamic composition with epic feeling (but in fact only 6:30 minutes long). Really memorable organ-guitar riff in the beginning doesn't leave any doubts that it will be very special moment of this album. I like the parts when music almost completely stops and vocalist sing his anti-war (but not in this he hippy-preaching style which I can't stand at all...) lyrics with only bass and drums sleepy background, than suddenly music starts again with all of its power. Refrain "War, everywhere, everywhere look around me" sing on the crunching Hammond's and guitar's riff can really make good impression on every rock lover. I also adore middle part of guitar/organ staccato (bridge? solos?) with very loud noises of exploding bombs and gun shots. Goose bumps!

5."Someone Like You" - the longest song of this record starts from very atmospheric synths and flute sounds which remind me mid 70' Eloy's music. Then electric guitar enters and together with organ waves leads very pretty, melancholic, yet a bit depressing song about somebody who's "too old" for love ("Better Leave me alone You're much too young for someone like me"). Sounds melodramatic and corny? Not when it's played by Ramses! I really dig this mostly slow-tempo track with it's sad lyrics, melancholic voice and almost crying "aaaaa" choir (a bit in the vain of Uriah Heep. And it's the only moment I can think about UH when I listen to this band. Really). As always middle part with beautiful synthesized string, mellotron sampled flute and atmospheric guitar is great.

6."American Dream" - this one seems to be the weakest track. However it also has it's moment. Pretty organ intro and outro, some Solina strings waves sounds good as always. The only problem is that vocal part isn't so interesting as in the previous tracks and it can sometimes drag a little.

To summarize I can say it's a real classic and probably the best German prog-rock album from the second part of seventies. I recommend it especially to symphonic rock lovers who listen to Yes and Genesis but aren't afraid of well arranged but not so long songs. For young progheads which grew on technical prog-metal this album maybe has to slow & melancholic pace to interested, them but I hope they will also find this record intriguing. Full blown, highly melodic symphonic prog rock full of good guitar and vintage keyboards sounds!

Consortium - 1975 - Rebirth

Consortium

1975

Rebirth

01. Rebirth
02. It Was You
03. Hold on Tightly
04. It's Up to You
05. It's Not Easy
06. For Me to Forgive
07. Stop (Look at Me)
08. She Gave Life
09. I Want You
10. Time Waits for No Man
11. I'm Dying

Ken Brown - Bass
Robbert Leggat - Vocals
Brian Parker - Lead Guitar, Vocals
John Parker - Drums
Mick Ware - Lead Guitar, Vocals

After some long years of singles and live performances, the UK band Consortium finally sees the light of day for the first time ever of its sole album, Rebirth, recorded around 1975...

Like many albums of its time, Rebirth stands at the crossroads of psychedelic rock, hard rock and progressive rock. The music can be described as a hybrid between Grand Funk Railroad and Uriah Heep: its dirty, train-like rumble and down-to-earth lyrics (sometimes to the point of banality as in the case of "I Want You") resembling the earlier, while its operatic harmonies and grandiose dimensions reminding of the latter.

The band’s labor pains, which went on for some long years of failing to produce an album (some of their earlier recordings, however, surfaced on the Castle release Looking Back credited to "West Coast Consortium"), add an interesting dimension to the material. The band refuses to let go of its yet-to-be disburdened original ‘60s orientation, and blends it with influences that the band caught during early to mid ‘70s. "Stop (Look at Me)" has an R&B feel in the vein of early The Who (think "I Can’t Explain") and "I’m Dying" has a suspicious resemblance to Led Zeppelin’s "Thank You," while "It’s up to You" takes the timeline further on to early Rush, especially due to its falsetto vocals.

On the heavier side, "She Gave Life" has sparks of Black Sabbath’s doom interlaced with contradicting pastoral harmonies; and the dual lead guitars that run wild throughout some of the songs often make them sound like a prototype of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.

And so Rebirth is about the decades that shaped rock music being reflected through a certain point in time. It is therefore a shame it was not released close to its recording, as it could have established its reputation as a pivotal album. Still, it holds most of its vitality to this day.

by Avi Shaked

Continuum - 1971 - Autumn Grass

Continuum

1971

Autumn Grass

01. Byrd Pavan (9:17)
02. Vivaldi Synthesis Two (2:20)
03. Overdraft (11:10)
04. Autumn Grass (26:15)

Yoel Schwarcz / classcial guitar, flute, harmonica, recorder, saxophone
Tim Rice / organ, piano
Peter Billam / bass guitar, electric guitar
Harvey Troupe / drums

Plus

Ken Freeman / Freeman synthesiser on "Vivaldi Synthesis Two"
Richard Hartley / piano on "Vivaldi Synthesis Two"
John Warren / classical guitar on "Autumn Grass"
Mike Hart / double bass on "Autumn Grass"
Dick Wildman / drums and percussion on "Autumn Grass"
Clive Stanhope / gong on "Autumn Grass"
The Olympus Strings / cellos on "Autumn Grass"

"Autumn grass" is a criminally underrated album from the early 1970's, featuring jazz influenced prog played by four highly proficient musicians. The feature (title) track was at the time of the album's release one of the longest single tracks to appear on one side of an LP (but by no means the longest), running to some 26 minutes.

The band was the brain-child of Yoel Schwarcz. Despite the fact that they only ever made two albums, he is the only person to be a band member for both (although the others who played on the first album appear as guests here) . The line up for "Autumn Grass" includes the highly proficient keyboard player Tim Rice (no relation to Andrew Lloyd-Webber's mate).

Side one consists of three tracks, all developed through live performances before being committed to vinyl. The opening "Byrd Pavan" is an improvisation on Byrd's "Earl of Salisbury pavan" combined with Purcell's "Air on a ground bass". The band add a jazz dimension to the Elizabethan flavoured "pavan", with the organ work of Rice being particularly dominant. "Vivaldi synthesis 2" is an adaptation of Vivaldi's "Guitar concerto", with synthesised strings backing. This pleasantly relaxing piece was later revived by Steve Howe on his "Steve Howe album". The final track on side one is "Overdraft", the only band composition on the album. This piece is the most jazz based of the four tracks, and also the weakest.

s mentioned previously, the inordinately long title track occupies side two. Composed by Patric Standford specifically for the band, the sleeve described the track as "a ritualistic invocation". Various guest musicians contribute to the suite, notably the Olympus Strings cello section. The highlight though is the wonderful flute of Yoel Schwarcz. About midway through the track, he picks out a baroque melody with sparse accompaniment. This theme is used as the basis for a developing improvisation with ever increasing backing driving the flute to a frantic crescendo, before the main theme restores order.

During my student years of the mid 70's, this track, and indeed the album was a regular feature of my turntable. Whilst the length of the piece had a lot to do with it (30 minutes between changing sides was most unusual), I found the music perfect to study to as it has that rare quality of supporting listening on many different levels.

"Autumn grass" stands as a truly remarkable work, criminally overlooked both at the time of its release, and indeed now. Recommended.

Yoel Schwarcz interview, May 2006

Can we start at the beginning? What was your earliest involvement in music? You're musical education and qualifications?

I feel as if I've always been surrounded by music. My mother was a concert pianist (a student of Bartok) and I don't remember a time without music in my life. I leaned to play the flute at an early age and played in the school orchestra but I've no formal musical qualifications. However I did learn classical guitar with Tim Walker in London.

Who were your main influences?

I really don't know. I suppose Hungarian and Eastern European music were strong influences. That is, my early musical experiences, the music that I grew up with.

You are known as a multi-instrumentalist. Can you list the all the instruments you are proficient in? Which is your preferred one?

Flute, recorder, clarinet, tenor, alto and soprano saxophones, harmonica and classical guitar. My preferred is the tenor sax.

Were you in any bands or orchestras prior to Continuum?

o, I was essentially a soloist but did perform in a duo for a season in Amsterdam prior to the formation of Continuum (see below)

Continuum is probably your best known project. You are Hungarian, but the band was formed in Holland, how did it come about?

This is going to be a long one.

1) Although I'm Hungarian I was a child refugee at the end of the 2nd. World War and by the early sixties was resident in England - London to be precise.

2) In fact, Continuum was actually formed in London although I had started to develop the musical ideas in Holland a couple of years before. I'd better start at the beginning. I was a resident performer in a club in Amsterdam in the summer, playing classical guitar. One night I got very stoned, didn't really now where I was and couldn't remember the music; to keep going I kept improvising (I suppose in a very free fashion but I don't have much recollection) until I remembered what I should have been playing and again picked up the thread of the original music - and so on, in waves. The audience loved it and the management asked me to continue to play in that way. It would have been churlish (not to mention economic suicide) to refuse and as I liked improvisation, which seemed to come fairly naturally to me, I started developing my musical performance along these lines. I returned to London at the end of the summer and met an excellent Czech guitarist called Jan. The next season we went back to Amsterdam as a duo but at the end of the summer he decided to remain while I returned to London. I met John Warren there not long after. We decided to form a group in order to create, develop and play our own type of music. We found a management followed by a drummer and a bass player and the management then approached RCA who offered me a contract.

EL - Yoel’s wife Brenda has further clarified that although Continuum was started after he'd met John, it was his baby. It wasn't a formal partnership, just something on which they both agreed at the time and on which they decided to work together. Previously with Jan he'd had the same working relationship - but no group name.
The sleeve notes for "Continuum" have some very technical aspects. Is that an aspect of music which is of particular interest to you?

Yes. The kind of music that we chose to play was technically difficult: We rehearsed intensively every day. We needed instrumental technique in order to be capable of playing it, and musical and technical understanding of styles, musical culture of the period, phrasing etc.

The suite on side two of "Continuum" was written by Richard Hartley. How did your collaboration with him come about? Did he ever consider jointing the group (he played piano on one track on "Autumn grass".)

Richard was a friend of our manager. He never considered joining the group but played piano for us on "Autumn Grass" because the possibility was offered to him by our manager and he accepted.

A number of the tracks on the two Continuum albums are based on classical pieces. Were your interpretations based on band improvisations? How did the composition of the tracks work in the studio?

The interpretations weren't based on band improvisations. I'll have to go into a bit of detail here. I wrote all the arrangements for the "Continuum" pieces (with the exception of the piece by Richard Hartley) and was the only member of the line-up to improvise (including on the piece by Richard) because I was the only one of us comfortable with improvisation. The title track on the second album, written by Patric Stanford, was recorded by the first line-up before we split up (which answers your question below about "guests"). The other tracks on this album (with the exception of the 2nd. movement of the Vivaldi lute concerto on which Richard played piano and a session musician played the synthesiser) were all played by the second line-up which consisted of musicians who were all comfortable with improvisation. The arrangements for all the other tracks were a group effort and each musician added his own improvisation. A typical set-up.

All the compositions were well rehearsed and had been played live several times before going into studio (with the exception of the Vivaldi). We had very little studio time.

For "Autumn Grass", the band line up changed completely, with the exception of yourself. Why was this?

Continuum was my concept. It was my group. Before I played music professionally I had been a professional painter, contracted to the New Vision Centre Gallery in London. I exhibited for ten years and had had exhibitions, at least one of which was called Continuum. I saw my music as a continuum.

The changes came about for two reasons: 1). because the musicians in the original line-up weren't comfortable with improvisation; 2). because I wanted to include some electrical instruments; with the musicians and instruments we included in the second line-up we had the possibility of a wider choice of music. My friendship with John continued though.

The other band members (John, Mike and Dick) from the original album are listed as guests on the title track of "Autumn grass", how did this come about? Did the new line up also play on it?

See above.

The title track of "Autumn grass" was composed by Patric Standford. How did this come about? Was it written specifically for the band?

Patric was a friend of my then father-in-law. Yes.

Given the extraordinary length of the title track, were there any issues with the record company in terms of squeezing it onto one side of the album?

I don't know if there were any issues with the record company - the management dealt with anything like that. But In order to get the track on the record they had to use heavy compression which you can hear on the recorder improvisation. This is something that I'm not very happy about.

How much of the wonderful flute section on "Autumn grass" was composed by Standford, and how much was your own improvisation?

There is one flute section which is wholly improvised, the recorder solo theme was written by Patric and the rest is improvisation.

Can you tell us a little about the other band members? Are you still in touch with any of them? What are they doing now?

No, I'm afraid I lost touch with them after I moved to France thirty years ago.

Did the band ever play live? If so, what was the nature of the gigs?

Yes, around 50/60 live gigs, I think. I've looked out my press cuttings to answer this one but will only give you the ones I consider the most interesting: The Round House, Imperial College, The Marquee Club, London Television "This Week", The Wigmore Hall, The Queen Elisabeth Hall several times including South Bank Summer, a few times with BBC television and radio, the Northern Polytechnic, Eairan (Irish television), Wexford Arts Festival, Edinburgh Arts Festival, ICA, Royal College of Art.

We played what you find on the records plus another few bits. With the second line-up we played non-stop, each piece running into the next.

Continuum apparently broke up after "Autumn grass", why was this? Would you have liked the project to continue?

e still played live for a few months but didn't make any other records. It's the usual story of everyone pulling his own way which leads to disagreements. I decided to leave. They tried to continue for a while after I left but ... the whole thing just fell to bits. It sounds pretty horrible talking like this.

Progarchives is a website dedicated to progressive music in all its forms. Did you consider yourselves to be "progressive"? Which bands of the early 70's did you consider to be your peers?

I don't know if it was progressive or not - I'm not sure of your definition of "progressive". It's sure that we didn't play like the pop groups of the time, our music was different from theirs.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Soft Machine, King Crimson (their drummer drummed for us at a gig at Southampton University once), Frank Zappa - thought all their music was different and really worth listening to.

Have you ever considered setting up an official "Continuum" website to spread the word about the music of the band?

No.

Tim Rice is quoted in the Autumn grass sleeve notes as stating that "Such styles as rock and Elizabethan music are not only compatible, but can also be relevant to one another". Was this a vision you shared? Was it specific to Elizabethan music and rock, or did you feel there were other equally valid combinations you could have (and perhaps did) explored?

Yes, Tim and I shared exactly the same point of view on this; there were other combinations that we could have (and did) explore(d). Music is music. We didn't live in a museum. If we liked a piece we liked it. In the first line-up the choices were limited by the instruments played and, as I said above, one of the reasons for changing the line-up was to give us the possibility of a wider choice in the music we played.

Tim also said that "if analysis seems pretentious, that does not necessarily mean that them music itself is pretentious". Were you concerned that your music may be perceived in this way?

Me, personally, no. Some people might have considered that our music was pretentious but I've never been very bothered about what other people thought. We just played what interested us.

What did you do after the band broke up? Have you been involved with any other bands since? What have the 30+ years since found you doing?

1) I went to play as a session musician, playing tenor sax and completed my Masters in electronic engineering at the University of Southampton.

2) Did sound for Henry Cow and toured with them. On one of the tours I came to France and met a violinist whom I married; moved to France and did sound for Jeff Seffer* (I played with him a bit too).

*Jeff Seffer is an avant-garde French/Hungarian saxophonist who was a member of Magma (among others).

3) Stayed in France, designing live sound installations, theatre, concerts, tours, etc.; (beggars can't be choosers so sometimes I loved the music that I designed for, sometimes I hated it) until 1987;

4) Went to England to take responsibility for the Midas Console that had just been bought by Klark-Teknik;

5) Came back to France in December 1990 to continue working in sound until February of this year.

And what is life like now for Yoel? Are you still actively involved in music?

Since February we've moved from Paris (where I was based from 1993) to the Loire valley. We bought a small old farm and will move in, in a few weeks. I have started creating DVDs that, at the moment, use paintings (that now change and move) that I've done over the last thirty years and music that I recorded over thirty years ago! (At least, the one on which I'm working at the moment). Future ones will probably use music composed by some young musicians I know - we'll see, it's the beginning. This work will be included in a group exhibition at the beginning of September. It's probably not very commercial but I've come to the point where I don't give a sh*t - I was never really about commerce.

Do you enjoy listening to your old albums now?

I'm using them for the DVD so I can't say that I don't like listening to them but I can hear all the production mistakes (and some of my own). A disc is never perfect.

Did you ever consider making "commercial" music in order to "pay the bills"?

Yes, when I worked as a session musician (I played with the re-formed Foundations) but didn't want to play commercial music under my own name. I honestly don't know how do create commercial art in any form.

What sort of music do you listen to? Do you keep up to day with the current music scene? What do you think of today's music?

Like this question. Ultra modern jazz (John Zorn, for example), Rage against the Machine, Penderetzki, Bartok, Kodaly, (never got over the Hungarian connection) Ministry of Sound, Radiohead, Massive Attack etc. Am not as au fait as I'd like to be. Maybe I'll have a little more time to listen now. But I'm not into Hip-Hop or Rap. I really wish that in the days of Continuum we had had the electronics that are available to the musicians today. I really admire some of the music produced and those that produce it - they push out the boundaries.

Do you have any control over the re-releasing of your albums? I found a site on the internet which indicated that Continuum's first album had been re-mastered and released in Japan. Were you aware of this?

It seems that I have absolutely none for I had no idea that the album was re-mastered and released - either before or after the fact (until this week). I was the only member of Continuum to have a contract with RCA and this contract was never cancelled. After I found out I found a site where I could order a copy and did so (I prefer to have it than my original vinyyl which has suffered somewhat over the years) however I think it's a bit much when I have to pay for my own music!

Finally, your wife is Scottish. How did the two of you meet? Does she share your passion for your music? What is a normal day in the life for the Schwarcz or should I say Fekete family?

Met at the house of a friend in London when I was working for Midas.

Not really but she's learning to appreciate (non-commercial) music!

My labrador wakes me up as soon as the bloody sun is up; I get up, take him out, give him food and water (normally around 6.30 am while Brenda snores); try to wake up Brenda; make her coffee around 8.00am; try to wake up Brenda; enjoy a huge breakfast of cheese, ham, british marmalade; try to wake up Brenda; start working on my DVD; finally wake up Brenda. (EL - Brenda tells me that Yoel does not in fact wake her, she eventually wakes up in her own time!)

At the moment our house is full of workmen so life is a bit unsettled. I work most of the day on the DVD, walk the dog, argue with Brenda (sometimes we talk though), she argues with Ikea on the phone, we share the cooking, visit friends in the area and sometimes we'll have friends or one of the kids to stay (my youngest has just left today to go to Morocco with his girlfriend in a camper van) and Brenda drags me to brocantes (the French week-end flea markets). Sometimes we eat in a small local restaurant in the evening. We like good food.

In the future I'll keep working on my DVDs and once we're properly installed in the main house want to start painting again. Brenda's going to set up two gites - not my thing.

Many thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Yoel. I wish you well!

Interview by Easy Livin