Led Zeppelin Stuck On You (Glasgow, December 1972)

From collectorsmusicreviews.com

Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow, Scotland – December 4th, 1972

Disc 1: Rock And Roll, Over The Hills And Far Away, Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Dancing Days, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, The Song Remains The Same, The Rain Song

Disc 2: Dazed And Confused, Stairway To Heaven, Whole Lotta Love (includes Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, Boogie Chillun’, Let’s Have A Party, Stuck On You, I Can’t Quit You), Heartbreaker

In what would be Led Zeppelin’s last proper tour of the UK, two nights were scheduled at Green’s Playhouse in Glasgow in the first week (not the Apollo as listed on the cover). The December 3rd show was not taped, but the second night on December 4th was and is documented on Stuck On You on The Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin. Released in February 1997, this is still the only commercially available edition of this tape. It is a fair audience recording taped a distance from the stage that really appeals to Zeppelin collectors only. Once the ears adjust it does become quite listenable.

The sound quality is similar to the Wings tape recorded at the same venue six months later and is probably the work of the same taper. There is a strange beeping noise in the left channel at 2:50 in “The Song Remains The Same” that lasts for about a second, and there are cuts at 18:09 in “Dazed And Confused” and at 10:30 in “Whole Lotta Love” right between “Let’s Have A Party” and “Stuck On You” in the medley. Finally eyewitness reports say, in addition to playing “Heartbreaker” in the encores, they also played “Immigrant Song” and “Communication Breakdown.” There is no evidence on the tape, but judging by the insane response of the audience it is most likely true.

The sound quality is an obstacle to this being counted among the greatest Led Zeppelin concerts on record. Maybe it is because Glasgow are so vocal in their appreciation, but the band deliver an extremely tight performance. “Rock And Roll” is the open number and is segued with “Over The Hills And Far Away” which was the custom at this time. Page plays some slow and majestic riffs in the latter’s solo. Plant tries to speak during the loud audience response and can be heard saying, “…in Glasgow and…the second time in four an a half years. It seem it’s a bit overdue. We’ve been here for thirty-six hours and already we’re in some trouble.” He gives the introduction for “Black Dog.”

“Misty Mountain Hop” is dedicated to ”the Central Hotel.” The middle section of the set list is devoted to the new numbers from Houses Of The Holy with Plant introducing “Dancing Days” by saying facetiously, “didn’t know anybody was here. Despite the fact that we were a bit late in coming to sunny Glasgow. We’ve been very busy. We made a new album. I’ll be learning to sing in American. Anyway, without further ado, this is a track from the new album. It’s called ‘Dancing Days.’” Even the acoustic number is greeted with the rowdy audience yelling and whistling. “Shut up. Hang on. Listen. This is a very important aesthetic point in tonight’s proceedings. Shut up!…so this is a song that was conceived in the almost pure environs of the Welsh mountains, it’s a good place to be after a war….it features John Paul Jones, who sometimes plays the mandolin…’Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp.’”

“Dazed And Confused” is about a half hour long and doesn’t yet have the “San Francisco” interlude. The do get into “The Crunge” in the middle of the improvisation and an eyewitness describes how Page, Plant and Jones lined up on stage and all gave a coordinated kick as a dance step. You can hear exactly when they do it too because the audience cheer them on! “The Crunge” being included in “Dazed” began during their American tour and is a strange little interlude, a self-conscious dance number in the middle of the long and heavy workout.

On later tours it would be included in “Whole Lotta Love” which fits a bit better. The ”Whole Lotta Love” medley includes a rare cover of “Stuck On You” and one of the most insane Jimmy Page solos during “I Can’t Quit You Babe.” Stuck On You is packaged in a glossy cardboard gatefold sleeve with a concert photo of the band taken in Montreux the previous October and represents all that was good about this label. Great packaging, no overzealous remastering and the presentation of a rare but listenable tape make this worth having.