Led Zeppelin/CA,USA 5.31.1973

The reason why ZEP’s live items continue to be so attractive is not only the content of the performance, but also the titles given to the released items. “LISTEN TO THIS, EDDIE” and “LIVE ON BLUEBERRY HILL”, which our Winston version sold out, are still fresh in our memory. In fact, both of these titles were named by the same person. The latter was the title given when the legendary label TMOQ released it, but Eddie was also named by the person who ran TMOQ when he released the same title in the 1980s from the label ROCK SOLID. This week we are releasing the classic masterpiece “BONZO’S BIRTHDAY PARTY” released by the ancient TMOQ. The album cover, drawn by William Stout, in which the pig, the symbol of TMOQ, jumps out of a birthday cake, is also a powerful masterpiece. Of course, this title is great not only for the impact of the package, but also for the fact that it quickly conveyed the greatness of the 1973 US tour using audience recordings with good sound quality. “BONZO’S BIRTHDAY” on May 31, “THREE DAYS AFTER” on June 3, and “V1/2” on July 17 were the three eagles of the 73 US tour produced by TMOQ. Among them, “BONZO’S BIRTHDAY” has a big topic of Bonzo, John Bonham’s birthday gig, and there is no doubt that it is a masterpiece that has a different charm from the other two titles. The high quality of the audience recording used for the now vintage TMOQ release is also a major factor in promoting “BONZO’S BIRTHDAY” to a masterpiece. In addition to the sound image balance with a moderate distance, it is no exaggeration to say that the clarity is the highest grade for an audience recording in 1973. In an era when it is impossible to imagine the excavation of a large number of PA-out soundboard recordings like today, it was the TMOQ sound source that conveyed the realism that excited the US and the dynamism of the ZEP live performance on the 1973 tour. However, it has been found that the TMOQ source, “recorder 1,” has the disadvantage that the beginning and end of the show are not recorded and there are many cuts. It would have been fine to release it as a two-disc LP in 1973, which was not intended to be completely recorded from the beginning, but this remains a major drawback. Then, in the 1990s, when the era of CDs began, “recorder 2” appeared. Although “Communication Breakdown” has not yet been recorded and it does not reach the clarity of “recorder 1,” it is still a good audience recording from 1973. In that respect, “recorder 3” has a picture-perfect B-class sound quality. It is old-fashioned, but it can’t be helped since this is the only way to hear “Communication Breakdown.” Even the PA out soundboard recording unearthed at the end of the 1990s did not include this song, and it has been touted as a valuable supplementary member to this day. The shock of the soundboard recording being unearthed was also great. This is especially true if it is a soundboard recording of a show that has long been popular among enthusiasts. However, as with the dilemma of the 1973 American PA out soundboard unearthed at the same time, it is far from a complete recording of the show. The fatal blow is that the essential happy birthday scene for Bonzo is not included. After all, this kind of sound source was left by the staff for recording purposes without the premise of release, so it is not that they are stingy with the sound source, but that it is not really recorded. And what made this show special was the main character, Bonzo. The hustle that is unique to birthdays is extremely amusing. Originally, this show was rescheduled due to Paige injuring his finger, and it was a rare and relaxed schedule for the 1973 American tour. Because of this, the first half of the show had an atmosphere that was more American-like and relaxed in May. In addition, it was inevitable considering that Page’s fingers were not in good condition. He also put in great effort from around “The Song Remains The Same”, and “Dazed And Confused” was the best performance when Bonzo of Birthday Hustle joined him. In the first place, this song has a bow corner, a part that does not put strain on Page’s fingers (and it is long). It was because he was able to rest his injured fingers there that the second half was so intense. The thrilling interplay exchange, which was different from the time in Europe a few months ago, is a word of fierceness. Jimmy’s phrases and Bonzo’s rhythmic bargaining heard here are outstanding among the takes from May. The biggest attraction of this sound source is that the greatest performance part of the day was recorded on the sound board uncut. Considering that “Dazed And…” was recorded incompletely on one side of the disc on the TMOQ disc due to the limitations of the LP medium, it feels like a different era. Moreover, the soundboard part was recorded in the best condition, a DAT copy from the master. However, the true value of this release lies in the thorough adjustment of the missing and unrecorded parts of the SBD. In particular, regarding the unrecorded “Happy Birthday” from “Moby Dick”, which is the biggest drawback of the SBD, we tried to make precise adjustments because there were missing parts in various audio recordings. As a result, the three sound sources are completely recorded while being switched, but the adjustments such as pitch and volume level are carefully adjusted so that you can listen to it without stress until the end, and we can say that the smoothness alone is the best ever. Furthermore, regarding “recorder 2”, which most complements “recorder 1”, the squealing sound after the end of “Stairway To Heaven” is not deleted, and unnatural editing is omitted. This may be a maniac’s point of view, but this was the result of aiming to finish it as the best version using all sound sources including the sound board. Yes, “BONZO’S BIRTHDAY PARTY” is enough with one title. Encore “The Ocean” and others are edited to make the most of the highest quality “recorder 1” even after the performance. In addition, the performance on this day, Bonzo not only harmonizes with Plant on the middle “La la la la la la”, but also harmonizes with the “Shwap dubidubi” scat at the end, which is a rare sight that is unique to birthdays. And when it comes to the last “Communication Breakdown”, the sound quality drops, but the solo where Paige seems to play with all his might is moving. It’s really a shame that this masterpiece can’t be heard on SBD or “recorder 1”, but it’s still worth listening to. Finally, the photo of May 31st has been confirmed in recent years. For example, that day was used as the cover photo for the nostalgic Condor album “FRACTURED LIBS.” Bonzo is wearing a strange tie-dyed sleeveless shirt on that day. The Forum, Inglewood, CA. USA 31st May 1973 Disc 1 (48:04) 01. Introduction 02. Rock and Roll 03. Celebration Day 04. Black Dog 05. Over the Hills and Far Away 06. Misty Mountain Hop 07. Since I’ve Been Loving You 08. No Quarter Disc 2 (44:12) 01. MC 02. The Song Remains the Same 03. The Rain Song 04. Dazed and Confused Disc 3 (65:58) 01. MC 02. Stairway to Heaven 03. Moby Dick 04. Happy Birthday Bonzo 05. Heartbreaker 06. Whole Lotta Love (incl. Let That Boy Boogie) 07. The Ocean 08. Communication Breakdown