I WENT TO SEE JACO PASTORIUS AT THE LONE STAR CAFÉ IN NEW YORK
Jaco was accompanied by a drummer he’d accessed from the The Village Voice Musician’s Column. Needless to say, this drummer from the small ads was having a bit of a problem keeping up with the powerhouse Jaco Pastorius, who was illustrating the complete textbook to the various approaches of electric bass. Jaco invited me up and I had a jam with him but more importantly, Chris Slade, The Firm’s drummer also got up to jam, relegating the current drummer to a table in the club. After about four numbers, I returned to our table to witness a tremendous synergy and understanding of Jaco’s playing from Chris who remained for the rest of the set. That night I got to understand what an experienced and passionate drummer Chris Slade could be. And also what a monster of a player Jaco Pastorius was.
30 April 1985
29 April 1986
28 APR 1990
I ATTENDED JASON BONHAM’S WEDDING
On this day in 1990, Jason Bonham wedded his wife Jan in Kidderminster - with the three members of Led Zeppelin attending to suitably celebrate. To be a part of the festivities we joined up and played with Jason.
28 April 1990
ON THIS DAY… 27 APR 1977
On this day in 1977, I played the Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland with Led Zeppelin. Eight years later on the same day, I played the Coliseum with The Firm.
LED ZEPPELIN PLAYED THE WINTERLAND BALLROOM, SAN FRANCISCO
On this day in 1969, Led Zeppelin played ‘A Whole Lotta Love’ for the encore of this show. Apparently it makes its first appearance on the encore of the second set at Winterland - one of Bill Graham’s San Francisco venues.
26 April 1969
25 APR 1983
I RECORDED WITH PAUL RODGERS
Paul Rodgers had suggested recording a cover of ‘These Arms of Mine’, an Otis Reading song, for the ARMS benefit and on this day in 1983 we recorded it, along with ‘Slippin’ and Sliding’ - the old Little Richard song as a B-side. It surfaced on Bill Wyman’s Willie and the Poor Boys album and Ronnie Wood made a show on the video for this, miming on sax. The video was shot at the Brixton Academy in London. The amazing keyboard player Geraint Watkins was on the original recording but not in the video.
25 April 1983
LED ZEPPELIN PLAYED THE FILLMORE WEST, SAN FRANCISCO
April 24th 1969 marked Led Zeppelin’s return and first date back in San Francisco following the heady days in January of the same year. In four months, the band was now incorporating the new material in the set that would appear on ‘Led Zeppelin II’, being currently recorded in Los Angeles - for example, ‘The Lemon Song/Killing Floor’.
The idea of recording and capturing the fluent energy while being on the road was definitely working - especially after concerts like these.
24 April 1969
ON THIS DAY… 23 APR 1969
The album ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ by Joe Cocker was released
Between The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin, I did a few sessions and ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ by Joe Cocker (from the album of the same name) was one of these. Chris Stainton, the pianist, played fretless bass for this and he had the outline arrangement, but I put my own guitar part together. I was also on a good percentage of the album. Drummer B.J. Wilson played magnificently.
The album ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ by Joe Cocker was released
Between The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin, I did a few sessions and ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ by Joe Cocker (from the album of the same name) was one of these. Chris Stainton, the pianist, played fretless bass for this and he had the outline arrangement, but I put my own guitar part together. I was also on a good percentage of the album. Drummer B.J. Wilson played magnificently.
AUDIO: With A Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker)
