blueschica Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 (edited) I had never heard this story before and thought it was worth posting. It's from an Instagram site, theflyervault, that tracks the history of Toronto concerts and concert venues- telling the story of Led Zeppelin's second appearance in Toronto, August 1969. "We conclude with the one and only Geddy Lee. The show almost didn't happen when Zeppelin's hard-nosed manager Peter Grant demanded more money before the band went on stage. But they eventually did, and tore the place up - leaving a lasting impression on the crowd, and inspiring 3 kids from Toronto to form one of the greatest bands of our time #Rush "_"I know it sounds somewhat trite to say that an album changed your life but the first Led Zeppelin album had that kind of impact on me. The record was released early in 1969, and word of it’s greatness was spreading with such intensity that by the time they were enroute to Toronto for a gig at the The Rock Pile, getting tickets had become nothing short of frenzied...I had zero money at the time and my mom was not very accommodating in such matters...my bandmates Alex Lifeson and John Rutsey had managed to scrape together enough coin but I couldn’t…this required drastic measures and so I took the typewriter that my grandmother had bought me for my birthday and ventured down to Church St and pawned it in one of the shops that dotted that street. Success. I guiltily accepted the money and went straight out to buy my ticket for the show that was now being referred to as “Mighty Monday”! We lined up extra early for the 8 p.m. general admission show and we ended up in the 2nd row right in front of Jimmy Page…effin amazing! The band floated onto the stage and started rippin’ into a killer version of the old Yardbirds classic, “Train Kept a Rollin"- they were super loud, and the summer heat kept rising in that old Masonic Temple and the crowd was so seriously jacked and stomping that I remember little bits of plaster falling from the ceiling of the place. They literally brought down the house! The unforgettable birth of heavy rock as far as my bandmates and I were concerned. I left the show breathless and ecstatic and it wasn’t until the next day that I started trying to figure out how the hell I was going to get my typewriter out of hock before my mom found out!" ⚡ #zeppelin#summerof69. Geddy Lee, author, songwriter, bassist/vocalist, Rush Photos below. What young faces, especially on Jimmy Page, who was all of 25 yrs old. :) Edited May 14, 2019 by blueschica 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Whoa Jimmy - those are some pants. I remember that crushed velvet stuff. Had a dress like that. Geddy was recompensed for his sacrifice a hundred fold. :) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
custom55 Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 great story ! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entre_Perpetuo Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 So did he get the type-writer back??? That's hilarious and awesome! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueschica Posted May 14, 2019 Author Share Posted May 14, 2019 So did he get the type-writer back??? That's hilarious and awesome!Yeah, I was wondering that too! "Umm, I lent it to Alex. . ." 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cat 3 Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 So did he get the type-writer back??? That's hilarious and awesome!Yeah, I was wondering that too! "Umm, I lent it to Alex. . ." Good thing too, or we could be reading exciting travelogues from two members of Rush. :) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cat 3 Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 In all seriousness, that is a great story...thanks for posting it here. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueschica Posted May 15, 2019 Author Share Posted May 15, 2019 So did he get the type-writer back??? That's hilarious and awesome!Yeah, I was wondering that too! "Umm, I lent it to Alex. . ." Good thing too, or we could be reading exciting travelogues from two members of Rush. :) :goodone: :lol: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemistry1973 Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 What a great post! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemistry1973 Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Can you imagine seeing Led Zeppelin perform with no light rig or production whatsoever? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RushFanForever Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 I had posted about this related thing here. However I noticed that the Led Zeppelin poster on the original link has now been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasbo Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 My father had a pair of those crushed velvet trousers but I think more red than pink.He was jazz pianist doing clubs and cabarets.Great story.I used to hock things and then figure out the next day how the hell was I going to get it back so I can relate. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 So did he get the type-writer back??? That's hilarious and awesome!Yeah, I was wondering that too! "Umm, I lent it to Alex. . ." Good thing too, or we could be reading exciting travelogues from two members of Rush. :) :goodone: :lol: Good one Stephen. :lol: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cat 3 Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 So did he get the type-writer back??? That's hilarious and awesome!Yeah, I was wondering that too! "Umm, I lent it to Alex. . ." Good thing too, or we could be reading exciting travelogues from two members of Rush. :) :goodone: :lol: Good one Stephen. :lol: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrinx Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Great story!! I saw the Foo Fighters on their first tour at that venue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 My father had a pair of those crushed velvet trousers but I think more red than pink.He was jazz pianist doing clubs and cabarets.Great story.I used to hock things and then figure out the next day how the hell was I going to get it back so I can relate.Does he still fit into them? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 I wasn't aware of that, but what an amazing story! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taurus Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 I have a book about rock and roll history in Toronto and there's a a bit more detail to that Zeppelin show. As mentioned it was the second time Zeppelin played the Rockpile. Their first show was a huge success so much so that they immediately booked the band for a return date. Apparently as the tour went on word of Zeppelin's awesomeness was making the band more in demand so Peter Grant insisted on renegotiating the terms. Held the promoters hostage by refusing the band to take the stage unless they come up with the extra dough. The promoters whipped out the papers saying "we have a contract". Peter Grant said "Oh let me see that" and proceeds to rip it to shreds. With a full house of screaming kids and the intimidating Peter Grant ready to pull the plug - they acquiesced and the extra money needed to pay Zeppelin, bankrupted their little operation. I think Zeppelin only played Toronto one more time after that 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RushFanForever Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 (edited) The late John Rutsey attended the first Led Zeppelin concert in February 1969 (see here) at The Rock Pile according to this 2009 Mojo article with Geddy here. Geddy got the month wrong for the second Led Zeppelin concert, which was actually in August 1969 here. Ben Mink was a member of the house band Mary-Lou Horner, who opened for Led Zeppelin at the first Rock Pile concert according to here. The late Nash The Slash (co-founder of the Canadian progressive-rock band FM) was at both Led Zeppelin concerts at The Rock Pile. He posted photos of the second concert and a 'write up' on both here and an 'introductory write up' about the venue itself. Ben Mink would replace Nash The Slash in FM later on. Small world huh? Edited May 16, 2019 by RushFanForever 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Freeze Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 (edited) Checking the photos of the Zep show.....that one audience shot of the 18th,how great it would've been to have Alex and Geddy caught in that shot acting like a crazed future Rush fan Edited May 16, 2019 by Mr Freeze 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexMike Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Very cool. Geddy seriously needs to write an autobiography. I'll bet he's sitting on a bunch more intriguing stories. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueschica Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Checking the photos of the Zep show.....that one audience shot of the 18th,how great it would've been to have Alex and Geddy caught in that shot acting like a crazed future Rush fanI was looking at that photo for them also, lol! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueschica Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Very cool. Geddy seriously needs to write an autobiography. I'll bet he's sitting on a bunch more intriguing stories.I agree! He's always great in interviews. I'd love an autobiography from him! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Very cool. Geddy seriously needs to write an autobiography. I'll bet he's sitting on a bunch more intriguing stories.I agree! He's always great in interviews. I'd love an autobiography from him!And me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I have a book about rock and roll history in Toronto and there's a a bit more detail to that Zeppelin show. As mentioned it was the second time Zeppelin played the Rockpile. Their first show was a huge success so much so that they immediately booked the band for a return date. Apparently as the tour went on word of Zeppelin's awesomeness was making the band more in demand so Peter Grant insisted on renegotiating the terms. Held the promoters hostage by refusing the band to take the stage unless they come up with the extra dough. The promoters whipped out the papers saying "we have a contract". Peter Grant said "Oh let me see that" and proceeds to rip it to shreds. With a full house of screaming kids and the intimidating Peter Grant ready to pull the plug - they acquiesced and the extra money needed to pay Zeppelin, bankrupted their little operation. I think Zeppelin only played Toronto one more time after that and :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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