Producer Kevin Shirley disclosed details about secretly recording Jimmy Page’s performances with The Black Crowes in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. An internet startup company called Musicmaker later released these recordings, which were made without Page’s knowledge.
“When they came to the States to play live, I approached Pete about recording it. Jimmy’s not interested at all. In actual fact, maybe we can do something, but it has to be under the radar,” Shirley revealed.
“I hired the mobile truck, because it wasn’t as easy to record live then as it is now,” he explained. “We parked underneath trees, far away from everything and we put stuff around it. We got a feed from the desk and Jimmy didn’t know about the recording.”
“I mixed it live in the truck, straight to CD,” Shirley continued. “I went backstage after the first night and said, ‘I recorded the show, by the way. Here are the tapes if you want to do anything with them. If not, we’ll scrap them entirely.'”
Led Zeppelin’s manager Bill Curbishley handled the recordings. They were subsequently released through Musicmaker.
These revelations shed new light on the Page-Crowes collaboration’s complex history. The project faced various challenges and unexpected developments.
The Greek Theatre Recordings
The secret recordings evolved into the acclaimed album ‘Live at the Greek’ in 2000, as documented by Ultimate Classic Rock. The album captured a unique moment between the Led Zeppelin guitarist and the American rock band.
The recordings’ commercial success became particularly noteworthy. Their initial creation had no planned commercial release.
Tour Complications
Ultimate Classic Rock revealed that the tour’s original schedule included 55 shows. It ended abruptly after just 11 performances. Page initially cited back problems for the cancellation. A conflict with guitarist Rich Robinson later emerged as the true reason for his departure.
The tour’s brief duration makes these unauthorized recordings particularly valuable. They preserve rare moments from this limited collaboration.
New Releases
Led Zep News reports The Black Crowes’ work on an expanded box set of ‘Live at the Greek.’ The band has requested pro-shot footage from their 2000 performances. They are particularly interested in material from the Jones Beach Theater show.
The new release offers fans a comprehensive look at this historic collaboration. It may include previously unreleased performances and visual content.
