Conversations With Rock Stars

Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today

I had managed to save enough money again to return to England in January of 1971. I had been invited to Headley Grange where Led Zeppelin was recording their fourth album. I got a ride there and Richard Cole met me at the door. It was extremely cold and I pulled my jacket closer around me. I had only packed a small bag of clothes, my camera, and some writing and art materials with me. Richard led me into the house and I looked around at the high ceilinged entrance hall.
"If you're thinking of staying, we have another room at the southern end of the house," he said.
"That would be great," I replied. Footsteps came pattering quickly down the stairs and I turned to see Jimmy, wearing at least three layers.
"Bevie, you're here?" I smiled and Richard placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I was going to show her to a room-" he began.
"No, I'll do that. I forgot something anyways." He beckoned for me to follow him and we left Richard in the entrance hall.

I followed Jimmy to the southern end of the house where I was going to stay. He opened the door and the stench of must hit me. He threw open the curtains and clouds of dust floated in the air.

There was no one to cook at the house, so to eat the band and entourage would go to a local pub. Robert and John Paul took me down there to eat with them.

I woke up in the middle of the night and lay in bed listening to the creaks of the old house. I tried going back to sleep, but after an endless time I decided to get up and walk around the room. I carefully pulled back the curtains to look outside, but it was too dark to see much of anything. I put on my robe and ventured downstairs. I reached the main landing and tiptoed silently down the stairs in socks. A flickering light from the main room drew my attention and I crept over. I peeked into the room and saw Jimmy pacing and muttering to himself. I watched him as he paused in front of the candle, pressing his fingers to his mouth. He still had on his clothes from earlier. I looked past him and tried squinting at the clock on the table behind him to see the time. At that point he glanced up from his meditating and saw me.
"Bev," he said quietly. He walked over to me and I said,
"I couldn't sleep." He nodded and said,
"Did you hear the dogs howling outside?" I shook my head, grateful I didn't hear them. He turned and walked to the edge of the room, out of the radius of light from the candle. He didn't return and I padded over to the candle. There were scattered papers on the table and I leaned down to try and see what they said in the dim light. A scratching sound came from right next to me and I jumped. I heard him chuckling and then he appeared with his acoustic guitar. He sat on the ground and started finger picking. I carefully sat down in front him. He picked out a haunting melody and I hugged myself against the chill. He finished and stared into the dark corner behind me.
"Will you play 'Tangerine'?" I said, barely above a whisper. He picked out the melody and I hummed along.

A few days later I was dragged out of a deep sleep by Robert. I blinked hard and saw his curly hair and eager face looking down at me.
"What time is it?" I croaked.
"Time for mischief," he replied and walked away. I quickly pulled on a sweater over my pajamas and followed him. I met him and the rest of the band, minus John Bonham, in the entrance hall. Robert explained that sometimes they hid John's drums because he woke up late. 
"Jonesy will show you how," he said. John Paul grabbed the snare drum and pointed to the bongos next to it. I picked them up and followed him. I went into a room and searched for a good place to hide them. I decided to tuck them into an ancient closet. Little by little, we hid the drums around the house.

Around 10:45, I heard a roar and John Bonham stormed into the room adjacent to the main recording room. I watched him shove things out of the way in his search. Robert came in and observed John crashing around. John abruptly turned around and demanded,
"Where are they?"  Robert hid his grin and said,
"Where's what?"
"You know perfectly well what." John replied advancing towards Robert. Robert remained where he was.
"I'll give you a hint," he said. "If you count thirty steps from the portrait in the hallway upstairs... you might find something." John grumbled and pushed past him. Once he was gone, Robert let out the great laugh he was holding in and I joined him.

Later that afternoon, I gathered my watercolor supplies and went outside. The countryside around Headley Grange was beautiful. I mixed a shade of green and began painting. I was so absorbed in my work that I didn't hear Jimmy come up behind me.
"You paint." He said it more as a statement than a question. He sat down beside me and I handed the damp painting to him. He studied it. The sun peeked out from the clouds and a light breeze filled the air. He handed it back to me and I took a moment to figure out what I wanted to do next. He laid back on the grass and I added a few more strokes to the trees in the distance.

We went out to the local pub again for dinner. I was sitting on the end next to John Paul and across from Richard Cole. I was listening to John Paul describe the first time he was a session player. Then John Bonham slammed his glass down. He pointed to me and said,
"Why is she still here?" Robert started to say something, but John raised his voice louder. John Paul tapped my arm and quietly said it was time to go. I followed him out, leaving the rest of the band inside. We got a ride back to Headley Grange and in the car he said,
"He just had a bit to drink. Don't take it too seriously." I nodded, but I figured it'd be better to keep my distance from John Bonham.

I finished making tea in the abandoned kitchen and brought it out to the band. They were all sitting next to a chimney and I set the tray down for them. There were intstruments lying around and among them was John Paul Jones' mandolin. Jimmy picked it up and began figuring out the chords by fingerpicking.

The last week of January, Sandy Denny came out to sing a duet with Robert. I helped Jimmy and Andy Johns get the recording equipment ready. Jimmy told me I could be down here while they recorded. Sandy was very nice and super chill. Robert had written the lyrics to 'The Battle Of Evermore", inspired by J. R. R. Tolkiens' Lord Of The Rings.

The entrance hall inside Headley Grange was massive and Jimmy, ever the sound man, decided to record John Bonham play the drums in the hall. I was in the main room taking notes. Jimmy came over and handed me John Bonham's drum sticks.
"Bring them over to him," he said. I was nervous, but did as he asked. John was getting situated and I gave them to him, then retreated back to other room. It was incredible, however, to hear him create a wall of sound.

Late on Thursday morning, I was sent to find Robert so they could record the song 'Guide To California' (which would become 'Going To California'). I searched all over before venturing outside and finding Robert leaning against a tree reading. I walked over and he looked up.
"They sent me to get you. Jimmy wants to do another take on 'Guide To California'," I said. He closed his eyes and smiled.
"Moonlight drowns all but the brightest stars," he said, opening his eyes. I grinned and helped him up.

Inside Jimmy was already situated and Robert sat down in a chair opposite of him. Andy Johns finished hooking everything up and disappeared. Robert gestured for me to sit as well. The began recording and I alternated between watching Robert sing and Jimmy play. Robert nudged Jimmy with his knee, who glanced up and shook his head with a small smile. Robert looked at me, singing other words that fit within the rhythm of the song. I tried desperately to contain my laughter, knowing they were recording. Then Jimmy started singing too. They managed to get through the second verse before Jimmy declared he was not nearly as good a singer as Robert.