Bootleg Bin: Priory of Brion – Sheffield ‘99
In the mid- to late-1960s Robert Plant did a stint as lead singer for Band of Joy (no musical relation, sadly and somewhat perversely, to the group of the same name he formed in 2010). That group covered cutting edge US west-coast groups Love, Buffalo Springfield and Moby Grape. Plant then spent the better part of his time since ’69 in Led Zeppelin; then as a solo artist mining territory a bit to the pop side of the Zep style; then in collaboration with his partner Jimmy Page.
In 1999 Plant surprised many by going on tour with Band of Joy guitarist Kevyn Gammond and a band calling itself Priory of Brion, doing the same sort of music. This set finds the group covering much of the best of the 60s, yet eschewing overplayed “oldies radio” type tracks. The set opens with Donovan‘s “Season of the Witch.” Over the course of sixteen well-chosen numbers, the band touches on Tim Hardin (“Morning Dew”), James Brown (a fiery “Think”), Dylan, the Youngbloods and many others. To some extent, the group makes each song its own; the tunes are presented in a manner that is neither slavish nor needlessly “updated.” By far the set’s highlight is a menacing rendition of Love’s “A House is Not a Motel.”
Technically, the sound is excellent but not quite perfect. Some static and distortion is present on the third track, and the audience is nearly inaudible throughout (suggesting that this may in fact be a monitor mix). Other illicit recordings exist from the Priory of Brion’s tour, but this is the only known soundboard. Zep fans looking for extended guitar solos are advised to look elsewhere; the emphasis here is on the songs. As Plant says when opening the show, “Our intention is permanently to enjoy ourselves, and sometimes to do it in a most peculiar fashion.” Then, in an aside, “Should sound good on bootleg.” He’s right, of course.
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Difficulty to Locate: 3 out of 10
General Listenability: 9 out of 10
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.