Today in Rock History – 24th FEBRUARY:


BIRTHDAYS
1944: Nicky Hopkins (The Rolling Stones / Jeff Beck Group / Joe Cocker Band)
1962: Michelle Johnston a.k.a. Michelle Shocked

EVENTS
1969: The Jimi Hendrix Experience returned by popular demand for a second performance at the Royal Albert Hall, London. They had played there six days earlier.
1975: Led Zeppelin released their double album, ‘Physical Graffiti‘.
1990: Death of singer, Johnnie Ray [aged 63].
1992: Kurt Cobain married Courtney Love in Waikiki, Hawaii.
1994: Death of violinist, “Papa” John Creech of Jefferson Airplane & Hot Tuna [aged 76].
1995: I interviewed Steve Vai.
2000: Carlos Santana won eight Grammy awards.
2004: Death of Estelle Axton, co-creator of the legendary Stax Records label [aged 85].
2013: Journey & Deep Purple played a concert at Vector Arena, Auckland ~ I was there!

It was 49 years ago that my favourite Led Zeppelin album was released ~ ‘Physical Graffiti’!! Packaged in a very intricate die-cut cover with windows and interchangeable inner sleeves, the 2LP set was the first Zep release on the band’s own Swan Song label.

The glorious double album features the towering epic “Kashmir”, the brilliantly layered “Ten Years Gone”, the irresistible groove of “Trampled Underfoot”, the monstrous “Rover”, delicious “Custard Pie” and several other essential Zeppelin numbers ~ including this thunderous blues rock masterpiece: