The Nobs - Friends - Osaka 1971

The only known performance of Friends, Osaka, Japan September 29th, 1971. After the conclusion of the acoustic set, Mr. Bonham is still backstage, so Robert has a little fun with the crowd...

Also, at the beginning, if you listen really carefully, you can hear Jimmy asking Robert if he wants to play the song when Mr. Bonham returns.

Enjoy!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jones
• Plant
• Bonham
• Bootleg
• Live
• Osaka
• Japan
• Friends
• rare
• 1971
• The
• Nobs

[thesnobs]

This is not the only live version of "Friends"; there is another one from 1971, in which Led Zeppelin performs this song with an Indian orchestra. A fragment of this last version was on the site "Electric magic". (In the post-Zeppelin era Page and Plant played this song with an Arab orchestra on the 1994 "No Quarter" MTV Unplugged live album.)

[fhqwgads2005]

yeah, in 1972 they went to India to record some songs with an indian orchestra. Friends and Four Sticks were the only ones i think. these weren't live performances however, they were studio takes. there's an album with outtakes of LZ IV and outtakes of these indian sessions. I think it's called All That Glitters is Gold. apparently it didn't work out (jimmy couldn't get them to play it right) so nothing was released. this is the only performance of the song by the band live.

[thesnobs]

Thanks for the clarification. Would be nice to upload here the studio-sessions with the Indian orchestra of "Friends" and of "Four sticks". Thank you a lot for sharing this excellent live version of "Friends".

[fhqwgads2005]

Just google All that Glitters is Gold. great album with outtakes of the songs from LZ IV and Houses of the Holy (recorded at Headley Grange). it also has the indian sessions on the second CD. it's widely available online. also, i'm not uploading any videos until YT gets their act together and fixes the horrible audio problems. hopefully they will.

[dinkydao]

nice clean version, the cd i bought of this (which was one of the first zep boots) had all sorts of crackels on it, my vinyl version was much better than the cd i have.

[fhqwgads2005]

a bunch of the tracks do have the crackels, but I don't mind. It's a great show and this is the best version I've found. great recording overall.

[Tharg]

Listen to Bobby P's voice. So young, so unpolluted, so raw yet powerfull. There is no substitute.

[Tiggersmac]

@thendara69 i would love to ndara, but all my boots are vinyl, or cassette - haha.

I don't have the experience, or the gear, to digitalize from analogue. (presently)

But ask other people, dewd, because the interaction between the band (plant) and the audience is so prevalent, candid, and agreeable. Fascinating insight into 'where (how) they were' when they were in their early 20's, and were just realizing that they were becoming the most mammoth band in the world. Plants vocals r mesmerizing.

[LedWhisky69]

In the words of Jimmy Page from his website:

"29 Sep 1971 - During the acoustic set of 'That's the Way', 'Going to California' and 'Tangerine', John Bonham nipped off stage and hadn't returned for the electric 'What Is and What Should Never Be'. So we continued the acoustic set with a quick re-tune for 'Friends' - the first and only time we were to play this song live."

[nothingbutrock666]

the intro is like those magic shows :S

[Papatorrejano]

@Tharg Indeed, What i really like is the improptu version at the very end. Don't know the name of that tune.

[thendara69]

@Tiggersmac fancy uploading em so i can listen? cheers

[doable1]

I have this on a bootleg called 'Cellarful of Noise'

[Tiggersmac]

Bonham recovers and leads into one of his BEST ever Moby Dick performances. As a matter of fact, Bonzo was crushing his drum kit ferociously (even more than normally) this whole show. Even though he was a little too loaded, his performance was in my opinion one of his most brilliant (which is difficult to say because Bonham was ALWAYS so consistant), and I have around 58 shows spanning from 68 to 80 in my personal collection.

[Tiggersmac]

The best example is the prelude to Moby Dick where Bonzo twice slurs "i don't fuckin' wanna play". As Plant begins to introduce him, John interupts saying "Maxwall"...so Plant obliges and introduces him as "Maxwall Moby Dick". Bonham yells "Maxwall..Up Your Ass" and fumbles something(stick?), which makes Page(or Jonesy?) laugh

[Tiggersmac]

Hey amigo...just a friendly F.Y.411. There was nothing wrong with "Bonham's bowels" that night.  Bonzo was simply just loaded DRUNK , and happened to be in a cantankerous mood. Anyone with the boot can clearly hear him (including in this clip) cussing and swearing intermittingly in the background (which he did throughout the entire gig).