Bonzo's Montreux Sessions
September 1976

SEPTEMBER 9, 1976 - MOUNTAIN STUDIOS, MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND
Jimmy Page produces Bonzo's Montreux and also plays A.R.P. synthesiser and guitar on the track.

SEPTEMBER 12, 1976 - MOUNTAIN STUDIOS, MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND
Jimmy Page produces Bonzo's Mountreux and also plays A.R.P. synthesiser and guitar on the track. One of below takes was later mixed at The Sol Studio, Cookham, Berkshire, United Kingdom and released on Coda in 1982. Also, part of it was mixed in May 1990 at Atlantic Synclavier Suite in New York and spliced with Moby Dick from Led Zeppelin II and then released in 1993 on Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2.

Recording Includes: Bonzo's Montreux (mix construction in progress), Bonzo's Montreux (take 1, rough mix with count-in), Bonzo's Montreux (take 2, rough mix with count-in).
Source: Complete excellent & superb soundboard recording. 13 minutes.

Official LP Reference(s): Coda original, "deluxe" and "super deluxe" editions (Swan Song)

Official CD Reference(s): Coda original, "deluxe" and "super deluxe" editions (Swan Song)

Bootleg CD Reference(s): Coda Advanced Tapes (Boogie Mama), Different Mixed Coda (POT), Evolution Is Timing 2 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc box), In Through The Out Door Sessions (Wendy Records), The Lost Sessions Volume 8 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), & Studio Magik - Sessions 1968-1980 (Godfatherecords box)

     This is the ultimate display of John Bonham and his skills. Never played live, some of its fragments are sounding somewhat similar to the versions of Moby Dick from latter tours. As in the case of the famous predecessor, the core is the drum solo, but here without any other instruments. The first take in progress is a newly surfaced alternate take from companion disc that reveals similar but not the same track lines to the original version. For example, the synthesizer drums are clearer in the mix, the hi-hat is very clear towards the finale, there are fewer effects on the treated parts and a shout from Bonzo is present at the close. The ending also has no synthesizer overdubs. The second and third takes are circulating for years on bootlegs and both are very similar in content. Both have count-ins at the start and synthesizer overdubs at the end. They were later used to produce the final mix for Coda album.