Led Zeppelin LA DRONE / IMMIGRANT SONG ("How the West Was Won" Long Beach Arena 6/27/72) (GTRImprov)

Album:How the West Was Won
Released:27May'03/Reissued on 23March'18
Recorded:25&27June'72/22Jan'73
Venue:L.A. Forum(25June)/Long Beach Arena(27June)/Southampton University(22Jan)
Genre:Hard rock heavy metal blues rock folk rock
Label:Atlantic
Producer:Jimmy Page
Compiler:Jimmy Page
Jimmy's project consisted of vocalist Robert Anthony Plant("The Golden God"), guitarist Jimmy("James")Patrick Page, session bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones(John Baldwin)("Jonesy"), and drummer John Henry Bonham("Bonzo" or "The Beast")."The New Yardbirds" 1st rehearsed on Aug 19 '68(day before Plant's 20th B-day).The band completed the Scandinavian tour as "The New Yardbirds", playing together for the first time in front of a live audience @"Gladsaxe Teen Club", Gladsaxe, Denmark, on Sept 7 '68.Jimmy Page taking control of the "Mothership" by changing the band name from "The New Yardbirds" to "Led Zeppelin" after signing with "Atlantic Records" in '68 with band manager Peter Grant."The New Yardbirds" recruited into "Olympic Studios" on Sept 25, '68 at 11pm to record their debut album "Led Zeppelin"(released Jan 12, '69)(done in about 30hrs)."Led Zeppelin II"(released Oct 22, '69)recorded between Jan-Aug '69 in numerous studio's in between exhausting European and American touring."LZ II" turned out to be Grammy winner rock album!"Led Zeppelin III"(released Oct 5, '70)writing started in late '69/spring '70 after an exhausting concert tour of North America that spring, Robert recommended to Jimmy that they should retreat to "Bron-Yr-Aur", an 18th-century cottage in Snowdonia, Wales, on a hilltop overlooking the "Dyfi Valley", three miles north of the market town "Machynlleth" with their families(Robert use to vacation there with his family as a child).According to Plant they managed to finish writing the acoustic track "That's the Way" at the cottage before reuniting with "Jonesy" and Bonham at the mansion "Headley Grange" in Hampshire, England, where the band was relaxed and would record there for the next 3 albums.The atmospheres set the mood of the albums."LZIII" was a breakthrough album demonstrating Zep's knowledge in music styles such as rock, blues, folk, and acoustic rock.This was what they(the media/fans)call the "Led Zeppelin Acoustic Album", or the light and shade of "LZ" they say.THIS ALBUM WAS NOT WHAT PEOPLE WERE EXPECTED TO HEAR AFTER HEARING "ZEP'S" HARD HITTING BASH IN YOUR FACE FROM "LZ I" AND "LZ II.BUT THERE ARE SOME HEAVY TRACKS such as "Out on the Tiles", and "Celebration Day".Mixing for the album took place @Ardent Studios, Memphis, in Aug '70 through the group's sixth American concert tour.The album opens up Robert Plant's HAUNTING CRY on "Immigrant Song", it was not just a piece about immigrants, but the band "Led Zeppelin".A band that immigrated all over the world with its music genre, culture, and popularity at the time.It was inspired by the band touring in "Iceland" in June '70 and maybe a little imagination from Robert Plant LOL about the Viking invasions of England.It was the opening song for the band's appearance @the "Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music" June 28, '70, and was on the bands live setlist from about '71-'72.Here you are listening to the live version from the "How the West Was Won" album.This recording was taken from two '72 performances in California during their tour of North America "L.A. Forum"(25 June '72)(Bootleg:"Burn Like a Candle")and "Long Beach Arena" CA(27 June '72).Many photos can be seen from these shows.I showed a couple in the video which gives you an idea of this era of Zeppelin.Of course I tried to play in the style of Jimmy Page, this is an educational ex. and demonstration of Page's live playing.Most important I played with what I was feeling in the moment which felt surreal, and it was fun.This song kind of has a eerie Middle Eastern sound to it in my opinion.This would sound great with a Sitar drone in the background.I play through the Harmonic minor scale at times to pull out that Middle Eastern India sound out of it.I like to use my imagination, and I feel like I hear an imaginary Sitar in the song.Page liked Indian music, maybe there is a connection here.Jimmy was using either his '59/'60 Gibson Les Paul Standard#1(sold to him by Joe Walsh)or possibly #2 with his Marshall and Orange amplifiers during this era of LZ concerts.
Led Zeppelin
Robert Plant–vocals, harmonica
Jimmy Page–guitars, mandolin
John Paul Jones–bass guitar, double bass, bass pedals, keyboards, mandolin, backing vocals
John Bonham–drums, percussion, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp"
Others
Jim Cummins–photography
James Fortune–photography
Drew Griffiths–sound assistant
Ross Halfin-package creative consultant
Eddie Kramer–engineering
Phil Lemon-design, artwork
Jeffrey Mayer–photography
Michael Putland–photography
Kevin Shirley–engineering, mixing
John Davis–mastering('18 reissue)
Gear
Gibson/EpiphoneLesPaul1960AnniversaryStandard
FenderSuperChampX2
BossDS-1Distortion