As telegraphed by its title, the recently-released Led Zeppelin documentary Turning into Led Zeppelin solely charts the band’s early, adolescence, ending with the quartet’s now-legendary efficiency at London’s Royal Albert Corridor on January 9, 1970. Bernard MacMahon’s movie solely enhances Zeppelin’s fame as one of many best dwell rock bands in historical past… and thankfully cuts off lengthy earlier than the group’s lacklustre, at instances shambolic, reunion present at 1985’s Reside Help live performance confused these of us who had been seeing the laborious rock icons carry out for the very first time.
At this level, we must always insert a really apparent and essential caveat: Led Zeppelin ended with the demise of drummer John Bonham, aged simply 32, on September 25, 1980. And whereas Robert Plant, Jimmy Web page and John Paul Jones have shared levels since shedding their buddy and bandmate, they’ve all the time been at pains to emphasize that, with out Bonham, the band’s heartbeat, there might by no means once more be a very genuine Led Zeppelin dwell efficiency.
Given his long-standing friendship {and professional} relationship with Robert Plant, Phil Collins would have recognized this, and due to this fact would have been absolutely conscious that he was on a hiding to nothing when he accepted an invite to be part of Zeppelin’s ‘reunion’ efficiency at Reside Help. Even so, it seems that Collins was unprepared for the sheer scale and fury of the criticism which adopted within the wake of their 22 minutes onstage at Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium on July 13, 1985.
Queen’s standing as one among rock’s best ever dwell bands might have been amplified by their excellent early night efficiency at London’s Wembley Stadium, nevertheless it’s honest to say that, on the opposite aspect of the Atlantic, the mythology round Jimmy Web page’s golden gods could be tarnished somewhat than enhanced by their participation. The members of Led Zeppelin knew it too, and blocked footage of the gig being launched, which is why you will not discover any hint of their efficiency on the official ten hour four-disc DVD set later issued to doc ‘The Day The Music Modified The World’. Sadly for all concerned, deleting each add of the gig on YouTube is not fairly really easy. Should you’ve by no means seen it earlier than, it is fairly the eye-opener: in case you have, it is even worse than you remembered.
When interviewed by MTV’s Alan Hunter instantly after coming off-stage in Philadelphia, Robert Plant admitted that he’d been ‘battling the monitor combine”, however somewhat pointedly added “the three of us know what we’re doing, and all people that helped us did their very, highest”, a barbed remark somewhat accentuated by John Paul Jones pointing to Collins, sitting alongside him. In subsequent feedback concerning the gig, Jimmy Web page was even much less refined: “We had two hours’ rehearsal, not even that, and the drummer simply couldn’t get the start of Rock and Roll,” he informed The Instances in 2021. “We had been in actual hassle in order that was not very intelligent.” In one other interview, Web page referred to Collins as “bashing away cluelessly and grinning” when taking part in Entire Lotta Love.
Collins, nonetheless, has completely refused to be scapegoated.
“I do know the wheels are falling off from early on within the set,” he wrote in his 2016 autobiography Not Useless But. I can’t hear Robert clearly from the place I’m sat, however I can hear sufficient to know that he’s not on high of his sport. Ditto Jimmy.” Admitting that he felt “very uncomfortable” all through the efficiency, Collins added, if I might have left that stage, I’d have left, midway by means of Stairway... if not earlier. However think about the protection of that? Strolling off throughout The Second Coming? Who the fuck does Collins assume he’s? [Bob] Geldof actually would have had one thing to swear about.”
That very same 12 months, he informed The Telegraph, “I felt I had been made the scapegoat for what occurred at Reside Help and so it was an opportunity to set the document straight.”
He then proceeded to take action once more, in a fairly brutal method.
“It wasn’t nice,” he acknowledged. “Should you watch the video, you’ll be able to see Jimmy dribbling onstage, Robert not hitting the notes, and you may see me miming, taking part in the air, simply to get out of the best way…. When Zeppelin get collectively, one thing occurs. Unhealthy karma.”
“Right here’s how it’s,” Collins concluded. “Robert on his personal: a beautiful bloke. Robert and something to do with Zeppelin: a wierd chemistry occurs. It’s like a nasty pressure of alchemy. Every little thing turns into very darkish – sulphurous even.”
Forward of Zeppelin’s Reside Help ‘flip’, it was really Collins who launched Plant, Web page and Jones, describing the three musicians as “some pals of mine.” We will exit on a limb and counsel that he won’t use the phrase “buddy” at the side of no less than one of many trio at the moment.
