Dylan and Zeppelin

This date marked the beginning of one legend’s rise and the end of another’s. On July 24, 1965, for the first time one of Bob Dylan’s performances charted in the U.S. It still might be the best song he ever wrote, Like a Rolling Stone. Other artists, notably Peter, Paul and Mary, had previously charted with Dylan’s songs. But his career really took off with Highway 61 Revisited followed by Blonde on Blonde. With Blonde on Blonde, Dylan’s Rainy Day Women #12 & #35 made it to number two on the charts, his highest charting single until he finally had a number one in 2020 (with his longest song, Murder Most Foul).

As for an ending, on July 24, 1977, Zeppelin played their last concert ever in the United States. The whole tour was plagued by problems: Jimmy was fighting addiction, the band was fighting Bill Graham’s staff, riots broke out including at the Cincinnati concert I attended. And, of course, the worst tragedy was Plant’s son dying which forced the end of the band as we knew them. They would go on to play two nights at Knebworth in ‘79 and some sloppy European concerts in ‘80 in preparation for another U.S. tour, but it wasn’t meant to be.

All the pretty people drinking, thinking that they’ve got it made.