I love my job. I get to drive around the country to meet enthusiasts who like music as much as I do, share ideas and music and then go home and write about the experience.
This month, in the course of another fulfilling work day, I met with George. You will find out more about George and his car in next month's newsletter. During our meet-up, George shared a playlist he had constructed for me. Some of the 32 tunes were known to me, but some were completely new. One of them was a song very familiar to me, although the version he played me was from a recording of the band in question rehearsing for a one-off stint at the London O2 arena in 2007.
It was by none other than the mighty Led Zeppelin, and the track was "Stairway to Heaven". It is, in every sense, an epic track. However, this version was of a technical rehearsal at Shepperton Studios. It is not readily available in this country, and in fact, this version was handed to a chap called Peter Thomas by Jimmy Page - Peter Thomas is the owner of PMC speakers (
https://www.pmc-speakers.com/) and a lifelong buddy of Jimmy's. Peter shared a copy with a Hi-Fi dealer in South East London, where George buys most of his home audio equipment, and the recording was shared with him.
A Google search reveals that the CD is available in certain areas of the world but not in the UK. I am not sure if the commercial versions available will have the same rawness of the recording that George played me or the perfect imperfections in the playing; what I do know is that I was absolutely thrilled and honoured to get to listen to this pretty raw but highly impressive version.
I didn't get to the gig. However, I did see them play at the New Theatre in Oxford in 1974. A gig that has always lived with me and always will! - This recent revisit brought the emotions of that night flooding back. Thank you, George!
We will find out more about George and his car next month. Until then, take care and enjoy your car audio.
