AboutMike Caldwell Expertise Fortunately, or unfortunately, there are no Led Zeppelin questions I can't answer. My immediate specialty (or proclivity as it may be) has to do with concert performances and lyrical interpretations.
Experience Countless hours of biographical research and personal interaction with relevant individuals. Avid contributor to Led Zeppelin newsgroups since 1997 (check Google groups!)
Publications Bullseye News Magazine. The Vapid Voice.
Question QUESTION: I just picked up ($2.50) a Ruthless Records recording. The Zeppelin songs are written in pencil (or fine pen)
Side 1 1.Going to California 2.Black Mountain Side 3.Kashmir 4.Trampled under foot
Side 2 1. Stairway to Heaven 2. Whole lotta love 3. Rock and Roll
It is a live cut
"1971 Duetschland Made in Germany (ST/MX)33 1/3 r.p.m."
"Grausam Reime Schallplatten"
"An Original First Pressing"
aroungd the center is "Urheber -Und Leistungsschutzeechte Besonders Vervielfaltigung (Ausser Zum Peronlichen Gebrauch), Vermietung Auffuhrung, Sendung, Vorbehalten
ANSWER: I'm assuming, for starters, that it's a soundboard (i.e. "good") recording. What you likely have here is simply a copy of a bootleg, made by someone (or some people) that got a hold of record pressing capabilities and a good Zeppelin tape. The content is most likely from Earls Court, May 24, 1975, with the songs edited to fit the record. I doubt it would fetch anything in terms of value, unfortunately, just because it's not a known pressing with formal printing, etc. The Ruthless Records thing doesn't really help much here. Also, that 1971 business couldn't have been true, because songs like "Kashmir" and "Trampled Underfoot" didn't come out until 1975. Never trust the booters! Hope this helps. Take care!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hey Mike... thanks for such a quick response. I realize Ruthless is a subsidary of Atlantic, and the 1971 date is most likely their inception date or ?
I ahve listened to each of the Earl's court May 1975 Hammer of the Gods stuff and this is not them. the guitar and some of the vocals (definitely Zep) is not the same as this concert. I have put it on my pc , now if i could figure out the easiest wat to forward it to you????
Answer Hi
Yeah, the current "real" Ruthless Records is more of a rap type label (the one under Atlantic) and was established around 1985 though, so inception wouldn't have been 1971. Not sure what the point of putting 1971 on the record would have been, except possibly there was a small German Ruthless Records back then, and that's just a guess. Either way, sounds like a small label job. Based on your post follow-up follow-up, sounds like you have the tail end of the June 23, 1977 show in L.A. with Keith Moon. Also known as the "For Badgeholders Only" bootleg.
