Bron-Yr-Aur

Bron-Yr-Aur means "golden hill" or "breast of the gold" in welsh.  It is also the name of the cottage in South Snowdonia Wales that Led Zeppelin spent their time at recording songs.  It was Robert Plants family's vacation cottage during the 1950s before it became associated with the band.  It had no electricity or running water but Jimmy Page and Robert Plant used it as a retret.  In 1970 they traveled to the cottage with Robert's wife Maureen, and daughter Carmen, Jimmy's girlfriend Charlotte and two of their roadies.  They spent their time at bron-yr-aur writing and recording songs.  What Page has said about Bron-yr-aur,"We took our guitars down there and played a few bits and pieces. This wonderful countryside, panoramic views and having the guitars... it was just an automatic thing to be playing. And we started writing."  He also had this to say. "that was the first time I really came to know Robert. Actually living together at Bron-Yr-Aur, as opposed to occupying nearby hotel rooms. The songs took us into areas that changed the band, and it established a standard of travelling for inspiration... which is the best thing a musician can do."

Songs Written at Bron-Yr-Aur

Friends

That's The Way

Bron-Y-Aur Stomp

Over The Hills And Far Away

The Crunge

The Rover

Down By The Seaside

Bron-Yr-Aur

photos-rockcellermagazine.com, tumblr, stryder.de, photobucket,

Knebworth 79

Knebworth 1979 was the last Knebworth festival of the 70s, the first one was in 1974.  The festivals took place at Knebworth house in Hertfordshire England in August and was the last festival to be promoted by Freddy Bannister.  This festival was also Led Zeppelin's big UK come back.  They had not played in the UK since 1975 and did not even play live for two years, because of the death of Robert Plants son Karac.  New Musical Express, Sounds, Rolling Stone and The Sunday Times described Led Zeppelin's performances as being sluggish and rusty.  Robert Plant had this to say about Knebworth. "Knebworth was useless. It was no good at all. It was no good because we weren't ready to do it, the whole thing was a management decision. It felt like I was cheating myself because I wasn't as relaxed as I could have been. There was so much expectation there and the least we could have done was to have been confident enough to kill. We maimed the beast for life, but we didn't kill it. It was good, but only because everybody made it good. There was that sense of event."  Other acts that performed at the Knebworth were The New Barbarians, Marshall Tucker, Todd Rundgren and Utopia, Fairport Convention, Southside Johnny, Chas & Dave, Commander Cody and others.

photos-ukrockfestivals.com