lunes, 17 de diciembre de 2018

Led Zeppelin - "Physical Graffiti" - (Reconstructed Unreleased 2nd version).



Following a well-deserved rest after the New York concerts; shows that ended to the grueling promotional tour of "Houses of The Holy.". Jimmy Page called of the rest of the group to his house in Plumpton, in september of 1973, to begin to shape what would be the following study work: ”Physical Graffiti”, project still without concrete title.

Jimmy wanted a double lp and had two options: a studio album with new songs accompanied by another live record with the recordings of Madison Square Garden, in the style of what Pink Floyd had done years ago in 1969 with "Ummagumma". Or another, completely studio, where he would mix the new themes that already hovered in his head with other unpublished, discards product of other sessions from the times of Led Zeppelin III.

Thus, in November, the first sessions began for the new job at Headley Grange, a former hospice, built in 1795 in East Hampshire (United Kingdom), famous during the 70s for being not only recording studio and essay Led Zeppelin, like other bands such as: Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Peter Frampton, The Pretty Things, Ian Dury or Clover.

But these sessions were interrupted when John Paul Jones got tired of the frantic pace and left the band, to lead a quieter life as organist of Winchester Cathedral although it was officially said that he had fallen ill; part of the investment that had been made in the contracting of the studies was recovered, renting them to Bad Company, while Peter Grant was trying to convince Jones not to leave the group.

In January, the fourth members of  Led Zeppelin returned to the studio for record more material, between that month and the next three, the band recorded and finaliced eight new songs: "Custard pie". "Sick again". "In my time of dying". "In the light" ."Ten years gone". "Kashmir". "The wanton song" and "Trampled under foot". 

At the end of the mix sessions, in July, two different cuts were made from the album; one with these new songs together with the outtakes from past works, which had been given a facelift at Olympic Studios by Mike Harwood; and another, with the best songs from the New York concerts, mixed by Eddie Kramer at the Electric Ladyland studios for the second disc. But when Jimmy Page listened these material opted to postpone the publication of a live album, because the quality it was not all the good that he wanted. In addition, the fact that he temporarily canceled the documentary from the past tour, also influenced in the final decision.

This reconstruction brings you, the original order of the songs, according to the acetate, with three unpublished mixes: "Sick Again", which started with "The Rover", because Jimmy Page had not finished the song and mixed as it was played live, along with two simpler and abbreviated versions of: "In my time of dying" and "In the light", shortened so that do not exceed 26 minutes per side. I also recover the original mixes of "Dazed & confused", "Stairway to heaven" & "Whole lotta love", selected for the live album and rejected by Page.

Side A: (Studio).(26:20)

1. Custard Pie.(4:16)
2. The Rover/Sick Again.(5:43)
     (Unreleased version).      
3. In My Time Of Dying.(9:50)
     (Unreleased version).
4.. In The Light.(6:32)
     (Unreleased version). 

Side B: (Studio).(24:59)

1. Ten Years Gone.(6:34)
2. Kashmir.(8:39)
3. The Wanton Song.(4:08)
4. Trampled Underfoot.(5:36)

Side C: (In Concert).(26:43)

1.Dazed and Confused.(26:43)
    (Original mix)

Side D: (In Concert).(25:07)

1. Stairway to heaven.(10:43)
     (Original mix)
2. Whole lotta Love.(14:24)
      (Original mix). 

Although the album was ready in July after the mixes made at Olympic Studios, its publication was not announced to the press until November 1974, because the group decided to postpone its edition until February of the following year, because there were other issues that in one way or another affected its diffusion like the end of the contract with Atlantic, the creation of own record label "Swan Records" or the promised rest that Peter Grant had offered to Jones in exchange for not quit Led Zeppelin.

“Physical Graffiti”, considered the best double album in history of all times , Bit.ly/75LzPG went on sale on February 24, 1975 in the US and a day later in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world, coinciding with the first dates of his new world tour that had already begun on January 11 in Holland and that would end in November, the album became number one, staying in this position for six weeks in a row.

Finally, the artwork: two were selected by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, both made by Mike Doud & Peter Corriston: that of the façade of building No.96 from St.Marks Street in New York and another one of Mount Machu-Pichu. For this reconstruction, has been used the artwork discarded from Peru.Enjoy it.