Zeppelin and More

To: jtmusic@hotmail.com
Subject: Led Zeppelin question
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:08:05 -0500

Hi,
I work for Led Zeppelin and was curious about their in-store appearance that is shown on your site. The audio clips don’t seem to work - could you please send a link to the audio? Also, do you have any other photos?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Sam

p.s. Do you happen to know the exact date this occurred?

From: Johnny thompson [mailto:jtmusic@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 9:12 PM
Subject: RE: Led Zeppelin question

Hi Sam,

Thanks for the email of Nov 11, 2008. The audio clips should be up and running now http://www.johnnythompsonmusic.com/aboutus/history.html. We will be expanding the site to include more history. The only surviving photo was taken May 2, 1969. I was 25 years old. Here's my Led Zeppelin story:

Sometime in 1968, I walked into the office of Sunn Musical Equipment, national artist relations manager Buck Monger. At that very moment, he was on the phone with Jimmy Page, calling from Britain informing Buck that he had formed a brand new group and the name of the group is to be called “Led Zeppelin.” He told Buck that Zeppelin was going to be a monster group and he wanted Sunn to provide amps for their first tour. Buck happily obliged.

Early in 1969, probably January, my sound system service was hired by the promoter to do provide the sound for a Zeppelin concert during their first tour at a very cold-temperature place called the Ice Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. I personally mixed the performance.

The next time I saw them was backstage at a concert on Thursday, May 1st, 1969, at Crawford Hall, University of California (UC) at Irvine. Their record was played only on “underground” FM radio stations at a time when FM rock radio was new. Even so, they already had become a major group with an enthusiastic and growing following. The concert was at overflow capacity as they had enough attendance for two separate Zeppelin concerts. The group did not agree to play twice, so the school officials allowed for no seats standing-room only. It was sweaty, hot and so sardine-tight that the audience had to clap their hands over the tops of their heads. The group was magnificent and was a magical event that no one in attendance will ever forget.

After the show, I approached Zeppelin’s roadies and asked them if the group would come in to my music store the following day and do a short radio commercial. I offered them dealer cost on whatever equipment they needed for the road trip. The next day, Friday, May 2nd, 1969, their roadies came with Robert Plant and John Paul Jones. I found them to be down-to-earth, friendly and unaffected by their fame. We taped their commercial/endorsement and took their picture with me in the background.

I never got around to advertising on radio. Recently in ‘08 I resurrected the old photo and tape for our informational website. Teenage rock groups of today play music they call “Black Metal” which bears little resemblance to the music of Led Zeppelin. Yet, most young rock-band musicians today that come into my music center enthusiastically say that Zeppelin is their all-time favorite rock band, and they often refer to the group and members as “gods.” Danny and the Juniors famously wrote… “Rock ‘N Roll will never die,” and as long as that continues to hold true the same can be said for Led Zeppelin.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance, and also what is it you do for Led Zeppelin?

Johnny Thompson

Sent: Thu 11/27/08 5:28 PM
To: 'Johnny thompson' (jtmusic@hotmail.com)

Dear Johnny,

Thanks very much for your reply - great story. This was a pleasant surprise to me, that’s for sure.

As for working for Led Zep, I’m in charge of their official site (and their individual official sites: robertplant.com and johnpauljones.com – Jimmy doesn’t have his own yet).

Best,

Sam

P.S. If you happen to know anyone with original rare photos, film, recordings etc., please let me know.