The Ultimate Concert

Willenhall October 20th, 1966

For many decades, Slade fans have hoped for a band reunion. They dream of one final ultimate performance by the original cast of players. In the absence of this epic performance, Earls Court is held in reverence. The boys at the peak of their career playing to their adoring fans at the UK's largest indoor venue.

60s supergroup Cream reunited to perform at London's Royal Albert Hall, the venue which was the scene of the trio's last appearance in 1968. Eric Clapton accepted drummer Ginger Baker's offer to start a new band and Eric suggested bassist Jack Bruce to complete the trio. During its two-year life span, Cream released four albums: Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels of Fire (1968), and Goodbye (1968). The legendary band reunited in May 2005 for a series of concerts that went down in history.

Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun signed legendary rock group Led Zeppelin in 1968. The surviving members of Led Zeppelin, singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones played a one-off concert at the O2 arena in London on 10th December 2007. The groups last full concert had been in Berlin in July 1980 - two months before John Bonham died. His son Jason Bonham played drums for the reunion gig.

Can you imagine Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Noddy Holder, Jimmy Lea, Dave Hill and Don Powell sharing the same stage?


Express & Star: 19th October 1966
"We were just four young kids with a local following in the Black Country. We played dates in the area as the support band to new names like the Cream. I remember one gig at the. City Hall where we played with a local group called Listen who had as their lead vocalist a certain Robert Plant. At that time I used to help out Robert and the band by getting my old man to lend them his window cleaning van when their transport broke down. Anyway we were all on the same bill as the Cream that night, who apart from Clapton were unknown. Robert used to like to move about the stage a lot even in those days before he joined Led Zeppelin. Unfortunately Ginger Baker had a huge drum kit which was spread all over the stage - drums everywhere - I remember Robert very timidly going up to Ginger and asking him if he would mind moving some of his kit off the stage ..."
Noddy Holder: Petticoat 
The gig on 20th October 1966, took place at St. Giles Youth Club in Willenhall, Staffs. I'd love to hear from somebody who attended the gig. "Salus Populi Suprema Lex" indeed.




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1 comment:

  1. It's a dream of mine for the original Slade to reunite and headline Glastonbury one Saturday night!
    ..."SO HERE WE ARE, DOING GLASTONBURY, HAVING LOTS OF FUN,
    LOOK TO THE FUTURE NOW, IT'S ONLY JUST BEGU-U-UN!"

    ReplyDelete