Behold, the earliest known Led Zeppelin recording. Part of a December 1968 show that took place three weeks before the band's Led Zeppelin album came out, this version of "Dazed and Confused" is part of a full-show bootleg that's been available to fans for awhile. This is just its first time on YouTube. Apparently, when this was recorded, Led Zeppelin was so obscure that they were listed as "Len Zefflin" on ads for the show. Enjoy!
I admit it. Hell, I'm proud of it. I have a thing for the best singer/songwriters to come out of the 1960s and 1970s -- Dylan, Baez, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, and of course James Taylor and Carole King. In 1970, the year I was born, Taylor and King performed a series of what are now recognized as groundbreaking concerts at The Troubadour club in Los Angeles. King, mostly known for tunes she wrote for other artists, was Taylor's opening act. During a soundcheck at the Troubadour, Taylor heard King play "You've Got A Friend" on the piano, and asked her to perform it with him that night. Those Troubadour shows became legendary gigs in the history of rock. When celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Troubadour in 2007, Taylor said, "I played here a number of times in the 70s, allegedly..." This year, King and Taylor are taking a Troubadour reunion show on the road. Sadly, they won't be playing in small clubs this time around, but for 120 folks with a lot of extra cash (A LOT), it'll feel a bit like they were. Above is the stage design for the concerts. VIP ticket holders will sit at cocktail tables surrounding the center stage. Of course, if you turn around you'll see tens of thousands of other fans behind you. But it shouldn't be that hard to suspend your disbelief for a couple hours. Proceeds from the VIP ticket packages, which include soundcheck, a reception, and various souvenirs, will go to charities like Natural Resources Defense Council, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, and dozens of others you can pick from when you pay. Taylor and King expect to raise more than $1 million from sales of just those cocktail table seats, which are going for between $800 and $1200, depending on the city. I hope to be at one of the shows. If you are too, and happen to be in one of the VIP seats, please be sure to say hi. Just turn around and wave.
