Sunday, September 16, 2007

Zeppelin To Rock With Custom Guitars

From: THISISEXETER.CO.UK 2007.09.14

Exeter music-making master Hugh Manson and his world-famous guitars are set to be stars in the biggest and most eagerly awaited rock reunion for years.

Led Zeppelin, the heavy metal super group which formally disbanded amid tragedy 27 years ago, are coming back together for a one-off concert at London's cavernous O2 Arena, and many of the instruments they will be using for the massive gig will come from Mansons Guitars, of Fore Street.

Hugh, who has worked with and for the band for over 25 years, will be at the concert looking after the instruments along with one of his top Exeter technicians, Seth Baccus, the Fore Street shop manager.

Hugh, who makes his one-off guitars at his workshop just outside Sandford, near Crediton, has been a regular at Led Zeppelin's secret rehearsal venue in London during the build-up to the sell-out concert. The band will perform together for the first time in 19 years in tribute to the late founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, who signed the band in 1968.

The group's three original members - singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones - will headline the November 26 concert, with late drummer John Bonham's son, Jason, on drums.

Hugh, who at 53 can remember Led Zeppelin from the first time around, said: "It is going to be absolutely fantastic. Rehearsals have been hard work but great fun.

"I have just finished making one new guitar for the concert and am now working on another, which will be a spare. It is a four-string bass which is extra long - at least that is the best way to describe it.

"Some of the songs will be in a lower key than usual and, while you can tune a guitar to accommodate almost any note, the best way is to make an instrument to do the job - and that's what this is.

"In fact, all the basses used by the band in the concert will be ours."

Hugh, who has toured the world with Led Zeppelin, its bassist John Paul Jones and another supergroup, Yes, said: "It is a wonderful story that a little shop like ours should be providing so much for the biggest-ever and best- ever band. And a lot of that is down to the wonderful staff we have: Seth, Tim Stark and Jason Morris, who has been voted guitarist of the year for the whole UK."

In-between it all, Hugh is also working a new guitar for Matt Bellamy, front man for Devon's own top group Muse.

Mansons, launched by three friends in 1992, has become one of the most highly-regarded guitar shops in the business.

Fifteen years ago he launched the shop in New Bridge Street with friends Jay Henson and Adrian Ashton, of Shaldon, who graduated from the Musician's Institute in Los Angeles with a diploma in electric bass guitar and founded the UK's only bass periodical, Bass Guitar Magazine.

The shop's reputation grew rapidly over the years.

It has supplied guitars and amps to some of the UK's best-known musicians, including Oasis, Stereophonics, Muse, Billy Bragg and The Lightning Seeds.

Martin Barre, from Jethro Tull, and Steve Howe, from Yes, are also regular customers. Many of the musicians are regular callers to the Exeter shop. The store started with around 30 guitars and now stocks hundreds.

In 2003, the shop moved to McCoys Arcade in Fore Street.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

LED ZEPPELIN

As you have probably heard by now, there will be a concert at London's O2 Arena on November 26, 2007 in honor of the late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun (specifically the Education fund that Ertegun established).

This concert will be headlined by the three surviving members of Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, along with the original drummer John Bonham's son Jason Bonham behind the kit. For the night, the four will perform under the name Led Zeppelin.

According to promoter Harvey Goldsmith, the band was asked to play a 30-minute set, but rehearsals have gone so well that they will now play a full two-hour show. Listen to Robert Plant's take on the whole event here. The full BBC story is here.

As you might imagine, I'm doing my best to be there for the event. I've applied for a new passport (I lost mine in the shuffle of packing things up at the Clinton Senate campaign job last November) and had it expedited so that it should arrive in five or six weeks. Tickets however will be pretty difficult to come by, since as Plant says in the radio interview (link above), this is a 'one-night-only' situation. The arena holds between 18 to 20,000 people, and the website responsible for taking reservations for the ticket lottery (winners are given the opportunity to actually buy the $254 tickets) crashed immediately upon announcement.

I finally got through and received a confirmation email after many attempts. Apparently I will be notified by October 1st if I'm successful.

This is pretty much it for me as far as music goes. If I'm able to attend, nothing else before or after will come close to what it will mean to me.

________________________________

Here's all the information about the event from the official press release:

Tribute To Ahmet Ertegun

November 26, 2007

O2 Arena, London

Harvey Goldsmith announces a tribute concert to the late Ahmet Ertegun
in aid of the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund


One of the most eagerly awaited concerts of the decade will celebrate
the life and work of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records and much
missed mentor to some of the greatest names in music.

Profits from this amazing show will go to Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund
which provides students with annual scholarships to universities in the
UK, USA and Turkey.

In addition, a music scholarship open to all will be established at
Ravensbourne College in the UK.



The incomparable Led Zeppelin will headline the tribute to the man who
founded Atlantic Records in 1947.

Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones will be joined by Jason
Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham.

In addition, Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings, Foreigner
and Paolo Nutini, all touched by Ertegun's guiding hand over the years,
will play on the night. Paolo was the final British artist that Ahmet
mentored.

It will be a tribute from UK artists that Ertegun worked with in a 60
year career.

Tickets - £125

Due to the anticipated overwhelming demand for this concert, tickets
will be available by ballot only.

Fans should register their names at www.ahmettribute.com

Names will then be chosen at random. There will be seating and standing
tickets and fans will be able to express a preference at the website.

Due the expected unprecedented demand, tickets will be limited to 2 per
successful applicants per household.

Note to Editors:

Tickets will not be available from any other source. Please do not take
adverts or publicise any company who claims to have tickets. They will
not be given any. Please advise the public not the purchase tickets
from any unscrupulous source.


Tributes to Ahmet

Mica Ertegun, Ahmet's wife and president of The Ahmet Ertegun Education
Fund, commented:

"Ahmet attributed his success to his excellent education, and his
ability to recognize innovative artists that touched us all. It was his
wish to endow music and liberal Arts scholarships that would enable
gifted children to reach their highest creative potential. The Ahmet
Ertegun Education Fund was founded with that goal. He would be very
proud that Led Zeppelin have chosen to re-unite and headline a benefit
concert in his name featuring so many of his friends. I would like to
thank all of the artists for their generous contribution to help make
Ahmet's vision a reality."



Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin:

"During the Zeppelin years, Ahmet Ertegun was a major foundation of
solidarity and accord. For us he WAS Atlantic Records and remained a
close friend and conspirator - this performance stands alone as our
tribute to the work and the life of our long standing friend."



Mick Jones, Foreigner:

"Ahmet's combination of charm, humour, irreverence and above all his
great passion for music made getting to know him one of the brightest
highlights of my life."


Paolo Nutini:

"Meeting Ahmet Ertegun in New York 2 years ago was a complete honour.
He touched my life with his amazing personality and opened a few doors
when I was starting my career. He even invited me to sing with Ben E
King and Robert Plant at Montreux last year as part of a celebration of
his musical life. He was a special guy, a real gentleman and it's such
a shame he's gone but a massive tribute that all his music lives on -
and will do forever. God bless Ahmet."


Harvey Goldsmith CBE:

"Ahmet introduced me to America when I first started promoting. He
became a friend and was my mentor. Our Industry deeply misses such a
giant of music. It is a fitting tribute that these great artists have
all come together to perform in his memory. The proceeds of the evening
will go to The Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund for student scholarships.
One of these scholarships will be for a music student in the UK each year."

Bill Curbishley, Trinifold management:

"To have had Ahmet regard me as one of his close friends over the past
40 yrs was indeed a rare privilege. To be involved in setting up this
event, plus a music trust in his name and in his spirit is also a great
honour and privilege for me."



______________________________
___________________________________

Ahmet Ertegun:

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1923, Ertegun was the son of America's
Turkish Ambassador. At 9 years old he was attending gigs in Washington
DC featuring jazz greats including Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway.
Inspired by what he saw, Ertegun and his brother Nesuhi began to stage
their own concerts hosting artists such as Lester Young. In 1947, he
formed Atlantic Records with friend Herb Abramson in New York, an
independent record label for gospel, jazz and R&B music.

During the 50's and 60's Atlantic grew, signing the likes of Ray
Charles, Solomon Burke, Aretha Franklin and The Drifters, patenting the
blueprint of soul music. After successfully and uniquely combining blues
and soul music from around the world, Atlantic became the definitive
rhythm and blues label, paying performers fairly and producing high
quality records. Ertegun, as always, was hands on in business and in the
studio.

In 1968, Ahmet Ertegun made the magical move into rock by signing Led
Zeppelin guiding them through a phenomenal career. In addition, he
signed the monsters of 1970s British rock - from the Rolling Stones,
through Cream and Genesis.

Ertegun was also the founder and chairman of The Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame, to which he was elected in 1987 for his pioneering contributions
to popular music.

His most recent signing was UK artist Paolo Nutini whose 2006 debut
album 'These Streets' reached number 3 in the UK Album Charts.

Ahmet Ertegun sadly died last year aged 83.

Led Zeppelin:

Led Zeppelin are simply the ultimate rock band.

They produced some of the greatest albums in recording history and are
constantly considered amongst the greatest popular musicians of all
time, both collectively and individually.

The band formed in 1968, from the ashes of The Yardbirds. When those R&B
crusaders disbanded, guitarist Jimmy Page brought in Robert Plant, John
Bonham and John Paul Jones and toured as The New Yardbirds.

In 1969, their self-titled debut was released and is regarded as one of
the pivotal records in the creation of heavy rock.

Led Zeppelin went on to become the colossal rock icons that we know
today, setting new records along the way for fan attendance at their
massive gigs, with one of the most memorable at Knebworth in 1979.

They have sold over 300 million albums worldwide and, in 1995, the band
were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame joining their mentor
Ahmet Ertegun.



Led Zeppelin Catalogue:

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin (Untitled)

Houses Of the Holy

Physical Graffiti

Presence

The Song Remains The Same

In Through The Out Door

Coda

BoxSet/Remasters

Led Zeppelin - Profiled

Box Set II

Complete Studio Recordings

Led Zeppelin - BBC Sessions

Led Zeppelin: DVD

How The West Was Won

Mothership (2 disc very best of coming November 12, 2007)

The Song Remains The Same (soundtrack, remixed, remastered and complete
coming November 19, 2007)

The Song Remains The Same DVD (coming November 19, 2007)

___________________________________________________________



Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund

The Fund was set up in memory of Ahmet Ertegun by his widow Mica to
provide funding for students of Turkish origin in the USA, UK and Turkey.

Needs-based scholarships will be made in the name of and in honor of
Ahmet Ertegun to qualified, full time students, attending the following
educational institutions: Oxford University (UK), St. John's College
(USA) Bogazici University (Turkey) and Ravensbourne College (UK).

The scholarship for Ravensbourne College is for music students in the UK
and is open to all.

Each year, a student's fees will be paid under these scholarships.

The Board of the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund is:

Mica Ertegun

Phil Carson

Harvey Goldsmith CBE

Bill Curbishley

Taylor Hackford