And finally, my deepest gratitude to Bob Walker (editor and publisher of the Hot Wacks bootleg discographies) for his unbridled enthusiasm, endless parade of contacts, constant encouragement and in-depth knowledge of bootlegs and their related culture. For publishing some of the best Led Zeppelin books ever (Led Zeppelin Live editions one to three). And for all his terrific marketing ideas. We couldn’t have done this without you, Bob.
This book is for anyone who has an interest in Led Zeppelin and popular music culture.
Frank Reddon
Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada - June 2008/updated September 2011
Contributors
Jørgen Angel
Rick Barrett
Grant Burgess
Ed Cassidy
George Chkiantz
Gord Cottrill
Phil Daum
Bruce Deerhake
Tim Druck
Philip Elwood
Greg Evans
Susan Fast
Howard Fields
John Finnagan
Don Fitzpatrick
Robert Godwin
Joe Halpen
Donna Halper
Ray Hewitt
buz Hitchcock
Larry Huber
JJ Jackson
Loui Malone
Danny Marks
Mack McCarthy
Nancy Milloy
Frank Milone
Jeffrey Morgan
Craig Morrison
Howard Mylett
Bill Nagy
JP Piccillo
Redbeard
Luis Rey
Annie Ritz
Jerry Ritz
Steve Sauer
Pat Seward
Andy Simpson
Jim Singleton
Bob Stall
Duane Temme
George Ungar
Bob Walker
Paul Wells
Jeff Woods
I. Prefatory Editorial Remarks:
It has been an adventure, an honour and a genuine pleasure to have worked with Frank’s interviewees. We have met several of them and have become friends with many of them. We are forever grateful to all of them. Each one has enriched our lives and taught us many invaluable lessons. They have been steadfast in their support and so very generous with their time.
One of my greatest editorial challenges has been to maintain the unique personality and considerable charm of each interviewee while ensuring that the text is comprehensible, readable and as grammatically correct as a conversational style will permit. This has been especially challenging in the case of those interviewees for whom English is not their mother tongue. In consultation with those delightful interviewees, we agreed that certain turns of phrase would be left exactly as they had expressed them and not be “corrected” or otherwise meddled with by yours truly.
If anyone should read this who is not a Led Zeppelin fan or scholar, let me confess right now that I wasn’t either when I started this project. You really don’t need to be in order to enjoy this book. Keep an open mind and learn from these interviewees. Their tales are true and fascinating. You’re in for a very compelling read!
Lou Anne Reddon, Editor
June 2008
II. Notes On The Text:
Sonic Boom: The Impact of Led Zeppelin. Volume 1 – Break & Enter is based on our interviewees’ fascinating personal recollections and, in some cases, their professional expertise as musicians, authors and educators.
Some of these accounts go back forty years or even longer!
Author Frank Reddon started his research over a decade ago; all the interviewees whom we were still able to contact were given the opportunity to review their interviews and make appropriate changes. They have consented to our expression of the information they gave us, as presented herein.
While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, some errors will be inevitable, although unintentional on all our parts.
In furtherance of the above, Enzepplopedia Publishing, Inc. retained the services of a leading Canadian legal firm with expertise in intellectual property and entertainment law and together, every reasonable effort was also made to secure all permissions and licences for both the text and graphics used throughout this book.
If anyone’s permission has been inadvertently missed, we urge you to contact us immediately in writing at the address shown below. We shall correct any such omissions at the first available opportunity.
Enzepplopedia Publishing, Inc. owns the copyright to all the interviews in this book, with the exception of two which are appropriately referenced as appearing herein under licence. All trademarks, registered trademarks and brand names used throughout this book are the intellectual property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Enzepplopedia Publishing, Inc.
General Delivery, Station Main
Fort Erie, ON L2A 1B1 CANADA
My first recollection of Led Zeppelin was in the summer of 1970. My family had a favourite restaurant we frequented in the South End of our little town. Walking there on summer evenings, the scene had changed starting in 1968. Brightly dressed, long-haired kids hung out all over the streets, in doorways and on the sidewalks. You had to step over them at times to get where you were going. My parents were less than thrilled and somewhat perplexed, as we picked our way through the youthful throng. But Mom and Dad took it all in stride, thankful that their kids weren’t part of it.
As a nine year old, I was fascinated by these teenaged kids – disdainfully dubbed “hippies” by everyone who wasn’t one of them. Our family haunt’s clientele had definitely changed complexion in recent times. It was obvious, even to me, that whatever this “hippie” thing was, it wasn’t going away anytime soon. And neither was the music they liked to listen to and play.
In the corner stood a jukebox that played constantly. This night would be my introduction to Led Zeppelin. Some kids had selected Dazed and Confused. I couldn’t believe how strange the sounds were. I had never heard anything like this music. It was unsettling, yet exciting!
Up until then, I’d been listening to my father’s music – stacks of English brass band records like Earl’s Court Citadel Band, Black Dyke Mills Band and various Salvation Army bands. Obviously, Led Zeppelin had taken a completely different approach to its music than had its brass-blowing countrymen! I knew nothing about rock’n’roll but, that summer night in 1970, Led Zeppelin registered as unique. Nothing