Dread Zeppelin performs 'Woodstock' 20 years later
- Jah Paul Jo - Joe Ramsey
- Sep 10, 2016
- 3 min read
It was 20 Years Ago Today…
I’m not exactly sure when the actual anniversary date will be, but 20 years ago, give or take a few days, Dread Zeppelin had their most prolific 24 hours ever; three shows in one day!
10:00 AM saw the DZ up awfully early (for us!) and meeting somewhere in the Chatsworth/Topanga area for the 20th anniversary of the release of the Woodstock movie. We had been contracted by the director to play a set for the cast and crew. This is before the release of Un Led ED so our reputation was known only through word of mouth. David Crosby, who was in a motorcycle gang called The Uglies made up of all millionaires and ex-hippies (led by the late Malcolm Forbes), had seen us at the Palomino Club several times, so maybe that’s where the connection was.
It was a gas playing for a very receptive audience who, obviously, got the joke. We had worked out the song, “Woodstock” only a few days before especially for this event – so this was going to be our big number for the day. As you would figure with an audience like this, several people had state of the art camcorders and/or audio recorders. One guy had one of them new-fangled portable dat recorders and he ended up capturing the “Woodstock” performance that became the official b-side to the “Your Time Is Gonna Come” IRS single.
David Crosby AND Woodstock’s composer, Joni Mitchell (a Dread Zeppelin favorite!) were both in the audience. If you listen closely to the end of the song, you can hear Joni scream… we always assumed that it was with delight! Crosby was quoted as saying “That’s some sick shit up there.” One of our best reviews, ever.
After “Woodstock” its off to The Chino Festival For Clean Air. All familiar with Chino, California know what a misnomer this name was destined to be. Intended to be an open-air mini-Woodstock, only trouble was… you gotta promote these things so people know they’re happening. Well they didn’t and people didn’t and Dread Zeppelin played to mostly a big open field. But we played well!
Off to fabulous Hollywood, CA for gig #3 at the Lingerie Club on Sunset Blvd. Playing for the ultra-hip Hollywood-ites was always fun for the DZ. Sold out, SRO show. Heavily made-up faces cracking into smiles, tears of joy causing mascara to run down rouged cheeks… and you should have seen the girls! Seriously, one of our best gigs ever. Maybe because we’d warmed up with two before.
There was a Rhino Records A&R man in the crowd – and as it turns out, a guy that I had met and liked before at a previous gig. Rhino actually launched their label on the strength of novelty records and The Monkees albums reissued… you’d think Dread Zeppelin would be a perfect fit. Possibly overblown with the good vibe of the gig, I broke one of my cardinal rules when it comes to Dread Zeppelin and asked him how he liked the show.
“I don’t get it.” was his reply.
“Well, its Led Zeppelin music, played reggae style with an Elvis imperson…. Ahhhhh, forget it!”
Rhino, unfortunately, never got it. They tried to sign us years later when “Hot & Spicy Beanburger” was released only to pull out of the deal at the eleventh hour. Their Canadian affiliate, Warner Brothers, actually distributed “Beanburger” thinking Rhino would release in the USA, but no soap. Too bad.
Also visiting that evening from Puerto Rico were the future proud parents-in-law of our Ed Zeppelin. I thought sure they’d be impressed. Quote from after the show: “We don’t like the idea of our future son-in-law traveling around the country acting like a clown.”
Ouch… maybe the show wasn’t as good as I thought.
We played “Woodstock” three times that day; and we never played it again. That’s Show Biz!
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