Bath Blues Festival 1970

Hi Worlds...

It is another beautiful day here in the wilds of England - the sun is out, the sky is a sort of a blue shade of white & I'm here listening to a 'new' cd of  Led Zeppelin's 'Bath Blues Festival' show from 1970.  It reached me yesterday & today is my first real chance of giving it a play.

To start with, I was a little disappointed.... I was expecting a NEW tape of the show - but it seems to be just a better version of the tape that has been around for years.  Having said that, it is much better, quality wise - it's amazing what can be done with computers these days !!  So - all things considered - it's not too bad !!

For those interested the tracks are:

  1) Immigrant Song

  2) Heartbreaker

  3) Dazed & Confused

  4) Bring It On Home

  5) Since I've Been Loving You

  6) Organ Solo

  7) Thank You

  8) That's The Way

  9) What Is & What Should Never Be

10) Moby Dick

11) How Many More Times

12) Whole Lotta Love

13) Communication Breakdown

14) Long Tall Sally

Take into account that there are 2 medleys of rock & roll numbers, it pans out at a good 2 hours worth of music.... as I say, I'm a bit disappointed it's not a new tape - but all in all, worth a listen !!  Probably one of Zeppelins best shows...... tho' I really like the '77 tour shows, this one is really good.

Ok, so what is the plan for today ?  Well, everybody is out - leaving me & the cats here on our lonesome.. which ain't so bad, as it means I get to play the music a bit louder !!

The rest of the family are on their ways to Weston-Super-Mare.  J is meeting up with some friends & to save him a load of hassle with buses &/or trains, B is driving him up there & ME has gone along for the ride & to do some shopping on the ways back - a sort of mini girls day out !!

ME & her boyfriend go off on their holiday on Friday, so she is well excited about that !!  It's only for a week - but they have been looking forward to it for so long..... I hope the weather stays good for them !!  It'll be strange not having her around the house - even when she is at Uni, she is here most nights.

IF anybody is reading this - have you tried watching 'Stargate Universe' ?  B bought me the box set of season one & I'm struggling with it.  I'm not sure if it's the plot lines or just the characters - whichever, I'm finding it hard work !!  I've been a 'Stargate' fan since the movie came out in 1994 (?) and have collected all the dvds as they have been released, so maybe I'm stuck with the old stuff & not giving the 'SGU' enough attention, I'll keep watching & see how it goes !!  Never mind - it's only a TV show after all !! 

Talking of TV shows - B & I watched the first 5 seasons of 'House' back to back !!  That was fun - I had forgotten most of the shows, so it was like watching them all for the first time !!  The dvd extras were good as well.... check them out !

Back here in the real world - I have to visit the Dr's this afternoon - bummer !!  It's not a hospital visit or anything, just a visit to my GP to sort out some of my meds'.  We were reading some of the labels & one set of pills - well, it says something like I should only be on them for up to 2 weeks...... I've been on them for over a month -  never mind  !!

Also here in the real world - we were expecting a visit from B's dad & all that goes with it.  But, it never came about, I'm glad to say !!  That sounds very un-Christian, I know - but, B does not need the hassle at the moment... long story, so check out an earlier post - about 10 days ago.

Also, here in the real world (pt 3)... we - our Church - move to out new building on Sunday !!  B & I went and had a look, a couple of weeks back, and it looks really good !!  Just having 'our' own sign on the wall outside is pretty cool - so..... well, to us it is anyways !!  I think the car park is going to be too small - but, it's OUR building, so that's the main thing !!

Our new Bishop is coming to visit us at some point next month.  I'm not sure of the actual day, but it will be great to welcome him to our home, for his first visit......as B has said, as long as he takes us as we are, he is always welcome.  Who knows, he might like Led Zeppelin !!

And with that in mind, I will away - the Bath Blues Festival is still playing & it has grown on me.... either that, or my ears have packed up !!

Bye Bye

In The Land Of Grey & Pink ?

Hi everybody....

Today's music of choice is the 1971 album by Caravan - 'In The Land Of Grey & Pink'...  I must admit, I don't think I have ever heard it before today !!  I remember Caravan being on the BBC's 'In Concert' radio programme - I guess about the same time this came out (?)... but, I can not remember ever hearing the album before.

Oh well... it's raining cats & dogs outside & I'm glad to say I'm here, warm & snug, after a wet trip to town this morning.  B & J have popped out for 30 minutes or so... so the cats are here with me, as I say... in the warm !!

I was talking to someone yesterday about this blog of mine.... she asked if anybody was reading it & - to be honest - I had to answer that I have no idea !!  So, if I do have anybody on the end of this, let me know... it would be nice to think somebody is 'out there' some place !!  Go on, be a follower - or whatever it's called !!

For now, I'm away....

Bye Bye

Monday Monday.....

Greetings Worlds....

It's a Monday - the start of a new week and I'm listening/watching the 'Live At Wembley' dvd that Muse put out a few years back..... I still, even after many listens/watches, can not quite get my head around these guys !!  Good music - good stage show.... but something is missing for me ?

Ok - I know I'm 'old' & grew up with a different generation of bands - but, if you came here & checked out our music collection, you would see we have a very wide ranch of taste...... I'm no 'music snob' in any shape or form, I just can't get myself excited about them !!  Maybe, on a different day, I will/have/would contradict myself & rave about them - but not today !!

Oh well - so whats new ?

.....well, last night I finally sorted out my Led Zeppelin list..... That is to say, brought it up to date.  I 'think' I now have over 550 different titles by them.  Quite a few (more than a few) are duplicates, but..... they all add to the collection.  I will have to dig them all out of their various boxes & - sort off - tick them off a list to double check the exact number, but..... I still think the shows they did in 1977 are some of their best - but, each to their own !!

The most recent title, is another updated copy of the Knebworth show from 1979.... check out my August 5th post..... The copy that came a few days back, is another dvd of the show.  The picture quality is SO much better than the old videos that circulated 10-20 years back !!  The only downside to this latest version is the soundtrack.  it's still very good, but there is some 'talking' over the top of it - kind of distracts from the general sound !!

I've taken the Muse disc out & am now playing Zep's Seattle '77 show at just below deafening !!  For those interested, it's the 'Jupiter & Saturn' version that came out on the Tarantura label a while back.... a good s/b version.  Please - as I'm sure I've written before - do not ask me to send you a copy or buy a copy from anyone !!!  Copies are out there for free, just do not expect me to give you one !!  If I can find them, so can anyone......

B is out at the moment, so the sound is pretty loud, even for me !!  I'm a little down in the dumps (my health is dragging me down a bit) so, as always - music is there to cheer me up !!  I shouldn't really moan - after all, I'm still breathing & that beats the alternative !!

Oh, I forgot - I've found another Ned Kelly book..... this one is from 1968 - a bit dated - but, from what I've read so far, it's quite a good book.  From what I can work out, it's a publication based on a symposium held over the Easter weekend of 1967.  It's been interesting, to read the various books, from different authors & from different years !!  If I was a (much) younger man, I would head over to Australia & look for the various places mentioned... it would be interesting to see them first hand, rather than read about them all.

B father has just 'phoned.... there is going to be 'rumble in the jungle' tonight !!  I think he is hoping to visit with his 'lady friend' tomorrow - that is NOT going to happen...... In most religions, people marry 'until death we do part' - as Mormons, we marry for life & eternity.  There is no way B is going to be happy about her Dad's new partner + she still misses her Mum & (for me at least) it just does not feel right.

Ok - so, how come I've been married twice ?  Simple - my ex walked out on me & thus broke our vows of marriage... It does take 2 to make a marriage to work, but walking out the door & moving 3000 miles away (I kid you not) kind of wipes the floor as far as I'm concerned !!  Especially as she went for the divorce & re-married the day after it became final.... Judas Priest, I sound cranky.... but.............. life goes on !!

Never mind - I must away.... I want to try & watch some of Stargate Universe.  B bought me the box set of the first season a few weeks back - to cheer me up a bit - & I've still not managed to watch them all yet !!  Yep - I'm a Stargate fan, so add that to my list of sins !!

Bye Bye

Hi again...

Hi again Worlds..... is there anybody out there ?

Oh well - it must be a weekend, it's raining !!  Plus our neighbour has just gone off on holiday - so... it has to rain !!  Never mind, it's dry & warm indoors !!

Okay - Today's music of choice is another Grateful Dead cd, this time the 'Europe '72' set.  I keep thinking about buying the so called 'expanded' version - but...... I can't make up my mind.  The quality of the music & recording is really good, but - do I want to spend £17 on what will be just a few extra tracks .... not to worry.

The ladies of the house have gone shopping - that is to say, ME (my daughter) has gone shopping & has dragged B (my wife & dearest friend) with her !!  ME left her car home yesterday, because it was playing up - it was just damp, from not being driven - so I think she wanted B along for 'support' in case it 'played up' again !

Talking of cars - we have a 'bill' to pay this week.... bummer !!  It's only (I use the word sarcastically) £200+, so it could of been worse.  Every year we have to put it thru' it's MOT test, so with a service & the test, it's not such a bad price.... I guess.  I always have the car serviced, before the MOT - that ways, if it fails, I can ask "why".... after all, it was meant to have been services... never mind !!

J (my son) is upstairs on the computer... kind of looking after me - to pick me up, should I fall etc etc..... He is still out of work, but he is trying his hardest..... oh well......

As I've written before, I'm waiting for a date to go back into hospital.  So far, nothing has come...... I'll just have to wait a whiles longer.  It is quite 'funny' - the 2 weeks the 'bionic' thing was fitted - I didn't realise how much it was helping me, until it was removed !!  Now, I have to wait until the implant can be done... no biggy, I'm still breathing & that beats the alternative !!

Our MP came to visit & assured me that, under this government, the heath service would be in good hands & that my health care would not be altered in any shape or form...... the implant will prove or disprove his statement.  It's about £10,000 worth, so if there is a funding issue, I WILL remind him of his words to me !!  It may not be life or death, but...... the difference it will make to my life will be huge.

Oh well - too much moaning on my part.... I've not been into hospital at all this past week - so that makes a change !!  Life goes on & so will I.....

Bye Bye

Hello again ....

Hello Worlds......

It's a lovely day here in the wilds of England - well, the south west wilds of England.... It is a little over cast outside, but the view over the coast is quite good, I think the tide is on the ways in... hard to tell !!

Anyhoo, I'm here sat... the music of the moment is a live recording of Robert Plant from about 9 years ago - 'Hey Joe' is coming out of the speakers loud & clear - it is a bootleg, but quite a good quality one..... some of them are a bit 'bad' - but this one is pretty good.

I mentioned, a day or 2 back, that I was thinking about buying some more Allman Brothers Cd's.  I was thinking 4 or 5 sets.  Well, going thru' the list yesterday, I came up with 8 possibilities !!  I'm guessing no matter how much my Dearest Friend (& wife) B loves me, I might have to cut a few of them from the list !!  I buy quite a few each year from their (the Allman Brothers) live sets - I think it was 14 last time around - that was about $350 worth - so I might get away with a few extra this time !!

Talking of my Dearest Friend..... B & ME are out meeting up with her Aunt & cousin.... B's Mum & Aunt were twins.... Mum died a few years back, so B likes to 'celebrate' with her Aunt on this day.  ME calls her Grandma G.... - that goes down well, as G has no granddaughters of her own, just grandsons.

I said it was a 'nice day' outside - well..... it's just starting to spot with rain !!  Oh well.... the girls are at a shopping village place, so they should be in the dry......  mind you, the longer they stay indoors, the more cash they will spend !?!  Not to worry - it's a special day after all.

We were at Church on Sunday & one of the speakers raised a point I've often thought of.  The point being, that 2000 years ago messages took forever to travel.  I've made the point myself.... in the 1970's, a letter would take the best part of a week to reach Bermuda & another week for the reply to get back to me.  We take for granted how the times have changed.  Within seconds of me sending an e-mail, a friend can read it & mail me back......

Likewise, IF anybody is reading these words, it would only take a few seconds to get back to me... feel free to so !!  It would be great to know that there is life out there ....... As Spock would say "It's life Jim - but, not as we know it"

Bye Bye

Greetings again !!!

Hi Worlds & to any body reading "G'day to ya all"

It's Monday August 16th & 3 years ago today we made the greatest decision of our lives, when - after over 25 years of thinking about it - we joined the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints.... we became Mormons !!!

Now, each to their own - but...... well, it works for me/us & that's all I can really say about it - I ain't going to preach to anyone, we all have to live our lives the way we see fit. BUT, it's been a great 3 years & I recommend everybody to look into it - if nothing else, you will save money by not drinking booze, tea or coffee !! Mind you, in my case the latter was not a problem - the Dr's had already taken that little bit of pleasure away from me - bless them !!

OK - it's a Monday & I'm here alone - well, sort of...... B is out & the 'kids' are upstairs. J is still looking for work & ME is on her Uni' summer holidays. In a couple of weeks she is off to the 'seaside' with her boyfriend for a week.... so........ I hope they have a good time !!

Music wise, I've been playing a lot of things over the last few days.... at the moment the Grateful Dead's 'Without A Net' is blasting away..... not my favourite Dead album, but worth a listen all the same.

B has decided I can spend out some cash on some more Allman Brothers stuff. If you don't already know, they release a lot of 'live' stuff thru' their own 'shop' - via the net - so I buy direct from them. It does mean the cds come from the US of A - but, cost wise, it's a good deal.

For example - I have a 3 cd set here from 2003 which cost me about $25...... on Play.com today I saw the same set on sale for £50 !! That is a big mark up in any body's money.... so it works out cheaper to buy direct from the band !! Even with a low £ to $ - it's still a GOOD deal !!

I'll probably buy 4 or 5 things - depending what takes my fancy.... the sets they've done at the Wanee Festival over the years have always been good - so I might go for the 2010 versions of those..... time & the bank balance will tell !!

Onwards.....

We live in this 'small' village & I'm glad to say that 1 family seem to have moved away !! I'm not being mean or a snob - but they have been a thorn in the side of many of the villagers over the years. The sons in particular have been no more than a set of glorified bully boys - taking their own form of 'crap' out on any body who got in the way !!

We have 2 kids - both have been to college & one is now at Uni'.... the sons, I mentioned, in the meantime have been in & out of the court system more times than I can count - as I say 'bully boys'...... good riddance to them - tho' I feel sorry for whoever they have moved next to !!

Oh well - I must away.... with B out, I have to sort out my meds for the afternoon. No biggy, but I have to make sure to take the right ones - some of them knock me senseless (not too hard to do).... so I must not take those - or else B will be on my case !!

Bye Bye

Greetings

Hi Worlds......

It's been a week - a whole week since my last post.... sorry about that. I hope someplace somebody might be reading my words, so I apologise for my lack of words !!

Considering how little I've written - I have very little to write today. My absence was - kind of - forced upon me due to poor health. I went 'bionic' a little over 2 weeks ago & it took quite a while to get used to it. My back hurt like crazy & the plasters stuff they used to stick the wires (onto my back) took a layer of skin off..... we told them I was allergic, but - nobody listened !!

Anyhow - on Monday last, it was back into hospital to have my 'bionic' part removed - it was only in for 2 weeks - and now I have to wait to have a permanent piece implanted. I'm not sure when that will be, time will tell !!

On the music front, I've been playing to death Little Steven's DVD from his 2 'Rockpalast' shows in the 80's. The latter of the 2 is - for me - the best of the set...... mainly as it covers his 'Voice Of America' album..... oh well..........

I must away....

Bye Bye

Knebworth - it was 31 years ago !!

Hi Worlds......

31 years ago today, I was just about waking up - in a tent - from one of the greatest concerts I had ever been to !! Led Zeppelin @ Knebworth, August 4th. 1979 !! To celebrate this mad milestone in my life, I'm playing the entire concert recording from start to finish - why ? Well - why not !!

Going back to that day, my ex & yours truly had driven up on the Friday, pitched our tent - my old man's - and settled in........ only to wake up at 1 am the next morning to a heap of noise, as people were getting ready to go to the arena area - hence we got about 3 hours sleep at most !!

To the back of the tent, about 50 yards or so away, was a fire - with this guy sat alone beside it... so I went over & warmed myself & got talking to him. He was a Welsh guy, had a ticket, but was looking for his mates..... he asked if I had seen a red 'post office' van. I mention this as there were 1000's of cars & vans there - I think the official figures (from Zeppelin's manager) were something like 250,000 people - so that will give you some idea. Best we could do, was give him a hot drink & part company......

Then off to the concert - I think we sat in the arena about 4 am & waited - getting a bit of sleep & wandering off to the loos & then trying to find our ways back to our bags.... in the days when you could trust people, you didn't know, to watch things & not walk off with them !!

It was a long day, with various bands playing, until Zeppelin came on stage - I think somewhere around 9.30 pm that night.... it's been a while, so I might have my time a bit wrong. I know they came on stage part ways thru' Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Tuesday's Gone'... the music died, the crowd cheered & then we got our first sight of the big back screen - projecting the bands image across the whole arena.... without which, we would of seen very very little !!

So the set went:

1) The Song Remains The Same

2) Celebration Day

3) Black Dog

4) Nobody's Fault But Mine

5) Over The Hills & Far Away

6) Misty Mountain Hop

7) Since I've Been Loving You

8) No Quarter

9) Ten Years Gone

10) Hot Dog

11) The Rain Song

12) White Summer

13) Kashmir

14) Trampled Underfoot

15) Sick Again

16) Achilles Last Stand

17) Guitar Solo

18) In The Evening

19) Stairway To Heaven

20) Rock & Roll

21) Whole Lotta Love

22) Heartbreaker

By the time the band left stage, my ex & I were heading back to the tent - we stopped, part ways, when the band came back for the final encore..... but, it was brilliant !! It had been a long day, it was something like 2 am when we actually found the tent & sleep followed quite quickly !!

Later that day, the Sunday, we packed up & headed home..... wishing I had taped the show, as so many had - but happy to have seen the band again. The last time had been 4 years earlier at Earls Court, in London.

What nobody knew, at the time, was that in just over a year the group would break-up due to the death of the drummer, John Bonham......... apart from the second show, the following week, at Knebworth, we had seen Zeppelin's last show in England. It got slated in the press, but we were there & it was a brilliant experience - one I will never forget - as you can probably tell !!

As we drove back along the M4, guess what ? There was a red 'post office' van - full of people like us - tired, dirty & (probably) still talking about Zeppelin... we couldn't see if our lonely campfire man was in the van - but, it wold be nice to think, he found his mates !!

Oh well..... as the cd plays 'Ten Years Gone' from all those years ago - I will away........

Bye Bye

It's the little things.....

Hi again World,

About 2 years ago - my brother decided he didn't want to know me. Anyhow, he's just written to B, telling her that his wife had died - he didn't write to me, just my Dearest Friend.

So a few minutes ago, I e-mailed him.... the first time I've tried to contact him since September 2008. It was only a little e-mail, but it's the little things that make the World go round & life worth living. We'll see if I get any form of a reply........

Anyhoo - 'tis Monday & for the first time in a week, I've not been in a lot of pain from last Monday's surgery. I can actually sit here with-out too much discomfort - so that's a bonus !! It's only taken 7 days & in another 7 days I have to go back to the hospital, so maybe I should make the best of it !!

Today is ME's last day at Uni - the end of her first year. So the ladies of the house have gone shopping... leaving me here with J awaiting a washing machine repair man. As aways with these guys - you can never tie them down to a time - just "I'll be there on Monday".... fat lot of good that is !! Oh well........

Today's music of choice is a tape I put together 6 years ago. At the moment it's a track from Led Zeppelin and now it's Springsteen - my taste in music seems to be pretty constant.... at least I have that going for me !!

I'm still waiting for a Little Steven dvd I ordered last week - so much for their 'quick delivery' promise - heck, it's only coming from Cheshire - I've driven there and back in less that a day before... oh well, I'll think twice before using them again !!

If you read these words, try & listen to Little Steven's 'Voice Of America' - it's a great album & worth 45 minutes of anybody's time......... give it a try..... for now the music is by Queensryche - & life is good !!

Bye Bye