The Almost Led Zeppelin Reunion of 1986 Plus The Final Days of The Firm! 

Great work JCM... I love how Jimmy is so laid back. He's one of those guys who doesn't have to blow his own trumpet like *ahem* Plant. It's always interesting to listen to what Jimmy has to say. A true legend.

You nailed the Firm’s 2nd LP. Very under rated. They should’ve done more records.

Such wonderful production, thank you! Strange to think of a world without the abstract solidity of Jeff Beck. I just might let myself get all wired up this afternoon. Enjoy the 🎶 everybody!

As a major Led Zeppelin fan, these documentaries you make are an absolute treasure. Thank you so much for the time/effort/care/love you put into each one. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched each one.

I 100% agree that the 2nd Firm album is awesome! Lots of potential with that release. PLAY LOUD

great job, I saw The Firm at the Hollywood Sportatorium in March 1986. My second-ever concert. I was 14 years old.

I hear Jimmy did not like touring with Paul as per Jimmy, "going on tour with Paul is like hanging out with your grandmother." Paul also had serious addiction problems mostly with booze but became sober after Bad Co. split and Paul was committed to a clean, professional life. Jimmy was still a very heavy drinker up until the Page / Plant days as one of the conditions Plant had was Jimmy had to be clean and sober at all times while touring which is why those tours (95'-99') were some of Jimmy's best live work. Jimmy would not become completely sober until 2001 when he finally quit drinking altogether.

Brilliant Episode: As much as I loved The Firm, it always felt like a side project that these guys were doing. There was no way The Firm could be bigger than the identities within the band. 1986 was such a transitional year. Everything was on MTV during this time. You had to have the somewhat talent to play and the LOOK to play. That's why the hairbands, with their glitz and glamour, hit it big (Poison, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Ratt...etc.) and bands like The Firm, Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple...etc. took a back seat. Even Dire Straits took a back seat in their video "Money for Nothing" to the cartoon figures because the band didn't fit the hair band narrative.

Each subsequent episode seems to be getting better and better. I think this one is the best one yet. I love that you included that bit about the Beastie Boys debut album as well as Jimmy's thoughts on it.

Great job on these Zep docs! The Firm was the most underrated band of the '80s and maybe the most underrated band of all-time. Both albums are flawless. The 1st album a true powerhouse, every song kicks ass. The 2nd, also great with a few stand outs. My favorite is the first one. "Midnight Moonlight", "Money Can't Buy", amazing stuff. Every song is perfect! Solid from start to finish! My favorite Firm song might be "Fortune Hunter". Jimmy's playing during this period was incredible. Also liked that they included "Prelude" at the shows. Jimmy was on fire. Such a shame that they did not continue.

Otro excelente episodio !! Felicidades y gracias por el trabajo tan exhaustivo y detallado !! 🔥

The Firm's second album is my favorite of the two, just wish they kept it together for a couple more LPs like you said they were really starting to gel as a band.

I have held my tongue on this channel for a while, as I just wanted to not talk and just take in what you've been sharing. Your videos are absolutely unrivaled as far as telling the post story of Zeppelin. If anyone is the guy to do the Zeppelin documentary some day, it should be you. Undoubtedly. I feel it should be a Ken Burns style series, rather than a two hour synopsis. Much like what you are already doing here, just bigger budgeted and on a full scale. Including the context around the time adds a lot to everything. Love the work man, keep them coming! Your takes are very close to mine on Live Aid, too. I feel really bad for Phil Collins, honestly. He had it all for a short while, but much like with characters like Prince and Michael Jackson, the press and public started to really turn on him. Its most unfortunate that they didn't have the foresight to work with Phil exclusively before the event. They'd have seen that he was more than capable for the job of playing Led Zeppelin tunes if he had had a fair shake. I think he'd have probably played with Zeppelin further afterwards if they had actually rehearsed.

Thanks for these, they've been great. I still remember being glued to the TV for the Live Aid performance thinking, "Oh my God, I'm about to see Led Zeppelin, I never thought this could happen" while my grandmother was getting after me for sitting too close to the TV (I was 11 yrs old). So these videos have been a "reminiscence" as I was young and gravitating toward bigger, heavier, faster music at the time (soonthereafter I grew up and so did my ears, getting into jazz, fusion, opening up to pop music, etc). I distinctly remember being let down, but it took me a few years of growing up to realize these guys were now into their 30s, and that if you've grown up at all, you simply aren't going to look, sound, or write the way you did when you were 22, 23, 24...particularly when you've almost killed yourself ala Jimmy. If you can ever fully explain how Jimmy never really got it all the way back, I'm all ears. He surely got close during the Firm years (and also later), but I've always found his last Zeppelin years particularly puzzling. His tone seemed to get weaker and weaker, with less and less punch and gain in an era when the gain and distortion available to rock guitarists was growing very rapidly. Obviously, he was wasted as hell from 1977 -1980, but still, he couldn't have been bombed 24 hrs a day after that, right? Plus, as you see in the interviews you featured in this video, he's clearly way healthier and in much better shape. Anyway, thanks again, these "look backs" are fascinating.

Jimmy is so high in that purple suit. Gotta love it. "Don't ask me technical questions man!"

These documentaries are amazing, so much I never knew. Great Job JCM 👍

This series is fantastic

This piece is well done.JCM great job amigo! 😊

Christ, Jimmy smoked constantly in those days... Thanks Jose. Another great installment, can't wait for the next one.

Simply fantastic! What a treat! 😀

Love this doc series! Keep em coming!

At 13:29 When you say Free To Live sounds like "Another classic rock artist", I assume you mean that it's the same opening riff as "Bring it on Home"? :)

Another great video. I normally don’t watch videos this long but it is definitely worth it. Might have to revisit Mean Business on vinyl.

Awesome episode as always JCM. I used to be a guitarist in a UK Zep tribute and have seen a lot of this before but it’s great to see it all together. But this episode has reminded me how much I love the Mean Business album and how great his playing was. Going to get my Telecaster with B-bender out and make some noise. Keep up the great work and really Hoping you’ll do the 90’s…..

This series is just incredible…really incredible

Once again thank you 💚

Well done and thanks once again my friend! Another video of hidden treasures, really don't know how you find them all? So sad that Zep actually tried to reform and it didn't work. I never knew that. I'm now wondering if that curse that was put on them wasn't just a myth? Hmm... 🤔

I really enjoyed this episode - it really takes me back to a time when my interest for music was just beginning to blossom and expand - via my own independence, and not just whatever I had heard in ambience growing up. I could go on - and probably will , with another comment on a different episode you’ve posted - but this comment I wanted to address THE FIRM . My god, what great 2 albums those are , IMO. I feel like they are the perfect amalgamation of Led Zeppelin and Bad Company- distinct on the first album , and a bit more “blended” on the second. There’s not a song on either I do not like - least favorite may be ‘Radioactive’ , but even that has such a quirky guitar riff and excellent hook of a chorus. And oddly enough, when I think about it : you are totally correct in mentioning how quickly they packaged their existence within the span of a little over 2 yrs. That project should have been given a little more time to breathe. I could go on and on expressing my thoughts on the songs, Page’s tones and riffs , Paul’s voice , lyrics etc.. But one special memory I have about The Firm is when the first single for the 2nd album came out:All The Kings Horses (early 1986/Winter ) , I was in 8th grade and my dear father came down to visit me and came and got me out of school early , then drove me to Jacksonville Florida (an hr away) and took me to Aqua East (a surf shop - as I was totally into surfing at the time) - he ordered a custom made surfboard for me , of which I would pick up within a couple months. I was lucky enough to show my dad how much I had improved and loved surfing with it ,later that summer , as he watched me from the beach. I say all this with sad reverence, because I eventually lost my dad to suicide about 14yrs later - and I don’t think I’ve EVER been the same since …. I know I haven’t. Anyways- great episode , I look forward to watching everything else you’ve done, so far.

Thank you for all the time you put into this. From 1980 onwards I've been " on top of" all these events. Lol - hardly anyone talks about " The Three Kingdoms" Lp!

Tony Thompson was a brilliant drummer. I really enjoyed his playing on both the Power Station albums and of course Chic.

Neat to get such an in depth look at Mean Business. Probably the first time it’s ever been done. That thing sunk without a trace. I liked it. I loved his guitar sounds. Spirit of Love was a near classic. That solo! Wished it could have gone on and on. Would like to hear more about the exact sequence of their dissolution. I remember Page reportedly saying something like “at age 40 you don’t sign more than a two year deal.” I always thought that was all there was to it. It was developed as a short term project and nothing more. But always wondered if there was sone kind of sequence of events or how it went down. Rodgers to me in retrospect just didn’t do enough to elevate it. Such an incredible singer but to me it was almost like “we can’t possibly fulfill expectations so let’s not really even try that hard.” I could be way off on that assertion. Maybe he did give it his all and his time had passed or the chemistry just wasn’t all there?

22:16 /Agreed. Especially the same show.

Great work. I know about the reunion attempt in 86 but i still cant believe they attempted that. And for only two days? Whoa.

4:27 I should revisit this album, I always forget about it.

Nice work as always my friend!

🌠 DUUuuude..Ya Did it AGAIN..u never cease 2 Amaze me..this ERA is a weak point in my zeppelin knowledge ..I learnt alot here...u even threw in some Zappa..I'm friends with Dweezil...when u Played WHERE WERE U ..FOR Jeff BECK..I couldn't place it @ 1st..now I've listened 2 it alot in the car, because of u..Brain May praised that song ..sayin listen 2 that 4 beck..little wing & where were u ..best guitar tracks ever according 2 Queen's Brian May..hava good day my southern friend..💙 oh & outrider is just around the corner..

Excellent episode Jose! So well put together. Love this series. Excellent deep dive.

Amazing material, JCM! Can't wait to see you talking about John Paul Jones' album, "Zooma"...

Great video!!! Very informative!!!

These docs are awesome! Thanks for the upload. Keep ‘em coming!

Your vids are awesome…look forward to them each week or so…fantastic job, keep it up!

Another fantastic video, Jose! I remember reading that interview with Robert in Rolling Stone. Thank you for all of these entertaining videos! I have a fever...for more JCM content!!!

Great job!

It's all good something to look forward to 😎😎

Great series. I saw the Mean Business tour in High School because I was a Jimmy Page fanatic. Sadly the show was boring, the material was weak, Page was sloppy. But I did get to be in the audience to see him play. Even bad Page is excellent in my book. Once again love the channel!

28 hours? You’re killin’ me mannnnn

Another great episode ! I didn't know they got together with Tony Thompson for a reunion. after the car crash, did they fired him or he quit, got hurt, before Robert Plant decided not to go through with it anymore? Thanks for some good history.. Good work .

Fantastic job!!!

Like always, great work :) Thank you

About Free To Live…. I think I may know of the song that’s been escaping you but can’t put a finger on it. I think the song you’re thinking of is: Live for the Music by none other than Bad Company off of Running With The Pack. Especially Mick’s guitar solo during it….is a bit reminiscent of this opening riff of this Firm classic. (Victim Of Love by Eagles comes to mind too.) Let me know Jose, if I’ve hit the nail on the head. Of course I’d like to add that, this seemingly never-ending video series is just wonderful. I’ve lived through all the topics covered here so…I’m really enjoying your detailed analyses. Thank you once again.

Thanks buddy.

Brilliant brilliant

Men would rather do this than get therapy. Great video, a light into a lost history.

Great production👍. Funny how after every episode that I watch, I'm sub consciously always hoping they get beck together at every part of their past.

Love this episode, thanks. I especially appreciate your coverage of The Firm, which to my ears is Jimmy's best work in the post Zeppelin period- apart from the Page Plant project. His tone sounds great, and many of his solos are precise and passionate. The Firm was far better than the Coverdale Page project, and I look forward to your perspective on that.

Stoked for 87

man what a difference how good did jimmy look in that interview his skin looked clean with color he looked clean snd sober and spontaneous 👍🏻

What a fantastic series this is. Respect.

Guys, what's the effect used by Jimmy Page that makes his guitar sound so detuned in the duel with Brian May (and in The Firm discography, I would add) ?

Listened to Free to Live. I can’t put my finger on it either. It’s got some funk to it though. Live in Peace. What can I say but wow. I never gave this track much thought because I only focused on Fortune Hunter and All the King’s Horses. But my God what a powerful song. You (and that song) captured perfectly what it felt like living with the threat if nuclear war hanging over our heads. Another really great video. You outdid yourself on this one. I’ll probably have to watch it at least 10 more times.

Out of curiosity, is there a full version of the intro theme song? I love it!

Used to have that 12" Radioactive single with City Sirens and Live in Peace LIVE versions on the flip side. Wish I still had it...

This series show the importance of the fist two scenes of the intro. They are epic cuts on their own but have more weight once we learn the history behind them.

I still remember when I first heard Cadillac on the radio (the Friday Rock Show for any British watchers) and I thought, what the hell is this....haunting guitar work. I did not get into The Firm until years later although I was a big Zep fan. I think The Firm is a band that grows on you and I agree they should have done more albums. Robert's solo stuff I was put off by hearing 'Shaken 'n' Stirred' first but since then I heard the first 2 albums and they are good, but I heard Now and Zen when it came out and wasn't gripped...however, Manic Nirvana was a totally different story.

"Typecasted like Slash"? he's pretty much shed that label(if he ever had it)since working with Velvet Revolver, The Guitar Hero games, and then Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators.

Hi JCM, could it be you're thinking of Victim Of Love in regards to that intro riff of Free To Live?

I saw the Firm at the Fairgrounds arena in Oklahoma City Mason Ruffner opened great show

Free to Live riff sounds like "Rock n Me" by Steve Miller, is that what you're thinking of?

Live In Peace was a re-run. It was originally on Paul's solo album. I thought the last track Spirit of Love showed great progress for the future.

As disappointed as I was with the first Firm album, I've never given a shot at the sophomore one, until now. Man, it IS a great album. I was dumb.

When you talked about the Beastie Boys using classic rock samples and it being a surprise to the industry, I think you have to give major credit to RunDMC, who released "King of Rock" all the way back in January of 1985, and the subsequent "Walk This Way" in 1986.

Would love to see you do a video on Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes and what happened etc. I read the Crowes drummers book and it was really good. Im not a Crowes fan tho haha. But not a lot of talked about with what happened and why it ended it seems or at least a lot of people i talk to have no idea why it stopped. But itd be cool to have video like how you do yours so well, that discusses this :-) THanks for the videos as always, great great job. I stop what im doing when i see a new one posted and watch. :-)

as a drummer,i have to say,Tony Thompson is another of thousands of drummers who believed that in order to play john bonham drumparts,you got to hit hard and fill every small space with crazy fills,which is the most common misconception on most of the guys who want to play zeppelin music.thompson would never work as zeppelin drummer.of course he did great things in his musical life,but he wasn't a good fit at all

The boys had it very rough after Bonhams death sadly. I believe we will see a young gentleman in the next episode or so, that will put the Zep back in Zeppelin. 🥁?!

I look forward to hearing about 1988 when Plant and Page both came to their senses and started including Zep material in their separate endeavors. Page on his outrider tour and Robert on Now and Zen. Both were excellent, I was able to see each tour twice and had the honor of seeing what I believe was the very first US date of Now and Zen in Rochester NY, with SRV opening! Out of all the concerts I've seen, that show will always be the greatest. SRV fuckin killed. Smoked. Unbelievable. Me and my buddy who were both the biggest Zep fans in our town were like no way will Plant top that during our set break commentary to each other, my semiconscious girlfriend, and the random people crawling over, under and around us. But we were very wrong Robert and his band did!!! They were out for blood. Every song was incredible. The general admission on the floor was a continuous sea of people almost moshing..lol. The first zep tune they did was "in the evening" and they sort of tricked people because the beginning wasn't the middle eastern type stuff we're all familiar with, there was just a bunch of Hendrix style guitar feedback for a minute and as soon as Robert went. "In the-aaa..." The place went fuckin insane..lol. One of the best memories of my life. And they did the proper guitar solo from the album (unlike zep... during the second half...quiet part), I remember the lights went dark kinda and these disco balls were throwing all the little circles all over the whole audience. My girlfriend at the time indulged too much on preshow drinks and party favors and was half unconscious for the whole night but I held her up for the whole time with one arm, while fighting my way towards the front with the other. I remember every so often she would complain and ask me to stop jumping up and down so much....lol. ah, to be young, in love, and completely possessed by rock and roll!!. Thanks for another great one, JCM. By the way is your full name JCM 800, or JCM 900? Lol. I loved my JCM 900 100w dual reverb back in the day. Keep on rockin, brother. Edit: well turns out a part of my core memories that makes me the man I am today was incorrect 🙁. It was the second US date I saw, the first was in Ohio!! (I guess that's equally as strange a place as Rochester NY to kick off your big US tour, right?), Then they jetted up to Toronto Canada for one show, then the Rochester show on May 11, 1988. We also saw him at the end of that summer in Saratoga Springs, NY (without Stevie) but that one was not as good, they all sounded tired or something as I remember it. Like I said, I also saw Jimmy twice on his Outrider tour that 88-89 winter. Both shows were awesome. Jason Bonham was on the kit. I forget the singers name but he sang on or two of the non instrumentals from the album. The bassist may have been Tony Franklin but I'm not sure. Outrider was, or is, a great album, btw, from start to finish. I'm sure you're planning on raving about it when you get that timeframe in a later video as you have well proven yourself to be a person with great taste in music..lol.

13:42 Sounds a bit Peter Green or Danny Kirwan - early Fleetwood-Mac .. have you remembered or heard any other thoughts from commenters ?

John Jones, solid bass player.

Love the channel zeppelin is the best

If only Zeppelin reunited when Jason was old enough so I could've seen them. I also missed out on seeing Hendrix & Cream

The "Free to Live" opening riff always reminded me of the guitar section from Bad Company's "Live for the Music" - look it up and listen from 1:21 to 1:41.

That riff you werent sure of? Possibly Lonely is the Night Billy Squire?

"LIVE IN PEACE" is Jimmy's final GREAT guitar solo on record. It's a 10!!!!!!!!!! The combination of the drama of the song and solo are perfect. Great tune. Great solo

Cadillac, Fortune Hunter, Tear down the Walls, Dreaming and Live in Peace....all killer

Love that yor focusing on The Firm. I don't listen to the records enough. Free to Live definitely has an Eagles feel to it but I actually hear a bit of riff the Monkey's used or maybe it's just me. Never seen The Firm (ashame really) I was into Bad Co. and loved Paul's voice and The Firm were actually dam good.

Free to Live riff comes from Bad Company's " Live for the Music"

Great job. I curious about the next episode. The '90s. How JPJ meets The Butthole Surfers in Worm Saloon!!

I still have that RS issue with Plant on the cover

You are now my gold standard for rock and roll documentaries. This series has been fantastic, and I appreciate all of the work that goes into this. Cheers brother, from north of detroit

the firm played rochester ny march 29 1986. i was there.

As always impressive deep dive into the mysterious afterlife of Led Zeppelin. With Page even knowing The Firm wasn't getting airplay in the US is akin to understanding a failure. As a kid from the 80's Led Zep was seen as that band from the 70's who just stopped playing when the drummer died. And we understood why after Live Aid in 85. I remember Plant's solo works being played on the radio and video clips on music shows but never Jimmy's projects. This continued through the 90's as well. Weird how Plant & Page shunned the incredible Led Zep catalogue for so long. Almost as if they were ashamed of their incredible rock music heritage. Maybe because it made them feel like the 'old guys' in what is a fresh music market. It took Jimmy too long his best option was to do a solo album that connects up with Led Zep DNA and American marketplace in a few years yet. It seemed to end a 10 year romp in the musical wilderness for Page.

Bring it!

Unfortunately I slept on the second firm album. Learning about it now. I was underwhelmed by outrider

1987 next, and then 1988 which including from Robert Plant's Now and Zen to Jimmy Page's Outrider.

First few minutes of video Plant talking about Jimmy's wah-wah peddle issues. Was subtle way of saying Plant had no more patience with drug issues.

They actually considered digging up John Bonham? I never knew.

13:30 Could be Ohio from CSNY, Good Times Bad Times, Drop Dead Legs.

I don`t know man,but I`m gonna say"Free to Live" kinda sounds like a Fleetwood Mac tune to me....

These episodes are clearly such a labor of love, and full of interesting facts and stories. Tho I must admit, I have no affinity for any of "The Firms" stuff. At all. No offense intended. It seems good "in theory" but for me it was all a huge mis-fire. It was good in that it got Page to do "something." And more than likely, without exaggeration Paul Rogers probably saved Jimmy's life by collaborating with him and giving him some motivation to move forward.

Same goes for Paul Rodgers. Best thing he did post-Bad Co. Jimmy Page and the band opened up Paul Rodger musically to areas he NEVER explored prior. For example, Double Kick drum "Fortune Hunter", Epic 9 min songs with unusual chord changes "Midnight Moonlight". Time signature changes "Midnight Moonlight/Dreams". Key modulation "Free To Live"(The 1st chorus is in E, 2nd/3rd moves to A).... THE FIRM opened up Paul Rodgers from the normal "3 chord, straight forward bar band rock" of Free and Bad Company.... None of his music has been as creative since. WHY the hell did they stop this band??? So Jimmy Page could make Outrider??? Really?

I’ll have to revisit this album after this,didn’t like it. Having said that I didn’t like the first one at first either. Another great video