In through the out door with Led Zeppelin

Experiencing the movie documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin  - entering a world that timed out a long time ago

I was a young teenager when Led Zeppelin were just getting started. For a few years until my life got pretty challenging, I enjoyed listening to their super-group music and wishing I would be allowed to buy one of their LPs. (I wasn't allowed, too decadent and raw. Bee Gees were OK). High school kept me busy with academic and performing arts pursuits. I did not have a boyfriend at that time.

As a much older person now and also a musician (I'm a bassist), I really appreciate the absolute talent of each member of this group and how, like the Beatles, the combination of musicians just clicked together to create something extraordinary during an era that fit them like a glove and, dare I say it, was so musically creative that we'll never see the like again, because the world and the music industry has changed so much and not for the better.

With a happy heart I sat with my daughter in Academy Gold, a very intimate cinema in Christchurch, hoping such a small room would have a good sound system and wondering if I might need to take my hearing aids out OUT. Led Zeppelin were always loud in a wonderful sense and we were about to watch the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin. There had been much Facebook marketing and hype about it promising unseen footage and interviews. The sound system was adequate but not impressive. I wanted to feel the bass thumping through me as it would have done at a LZ concert. Nope.

I already knew a lot about the group having lived the era and I've read Jimmy Page's heavy coffee table book on the guitars and costumes used throughout his extraordinary career but  seeing and hearing it all was a thrill.

The film starts with blues and skiffle musical influences and family backgrounds on each of the four members: Jimmy Page (guitar and production), Robert Plant (vocals and harmonica), John Paul Jones( bass, keyboards and arrangements) and John Bonham (drums). Cute and interesting.

And then the wonder starts as we are introduced to the early careers of these super-talented musicians who found each other, clicked and worked really hard in a professional and focused way to create music that has lasted decades and changed the music scene. Living in New Zealand is a huge disadvantage when it comes to access to international entertainment but back then we could at least be guided by AM and then FM radio which exposed us to the best in each genre.

World events intersected with what the band was working on: First Moon Landing, Nixon, Vietnam for example. Robert Plant remembers being on stage performing in Britain and looking up at the Moon in 1969 knowing that right at that moment there was a man on it. Surreal.  And then there's the nod to Tolkien in Ramble On.

What stood in my mind: the talent and dedication of each band member, the creative and magnificent basslines delivered with such focused nonchalance by bassist John Paul Jones, the blissful absence of cellphones at concerts, how fashion back then was so much more than the cheap and nasty stuff we import from Asia these days. Young people made a sartorial effort and in Jimmy Page's case his costumes became statements and works of art as Elvis's had been.

The film abruptly stops, following the release of Led Zeppelin II in 1970. I cast my mind back to what else was happening in the music scene then - The Beatles had already done their rooftop performance the previous year but were in the legal process of breaking up and releasing Let it Be, their final album. Over the movie's same time frame Deep Purple, another British rock band were forming and developing into an amazing heavy rock group, but they would never achieve quite the heights of Led Zeppelin.

And myself at the time? I was playing violin (doing exams), acting, studying classical ballet (more exams), singing, and a member of the school photography group while trying to pass School Certificate.

I think it would be fair to say that most of the audience would have been disappointed that the movie stopped after only two years of Led Zeppelin and I wonder if there will be a part two. That would be more difficult. This movie didn't need to be sanitised as much as a movie covering the drug-addled performances (especially Jimmy on heroin), under-aged sex with girls (especially Jimmy), the alcoholism (especially John Bonham) and over-all debauchery and classic rock-God existences that each member lead would need. It would have to cover Robert's serious car accident and the later death of his son while Robert was on tour and John Bonham's pointless death. So, I'm not convinced the remaining band members will be interested in exposing all that again. 

The three surviving members still have very successful careers. Robert seems to have given up smoking and looked after his voice and although his range is reduced it's still impressive. John Paul Jones continues to be an allround nice and super-talented guy, Jimmy keeps busy with his girlfriend who is MUCH younger than his daughter, and John Bonham's son is a talented drummer, like his Dad.

I told my daughter I had invited her to the screening to maybe experience a bit of that 68-70 era like a time machine and to hear combined talent we would probably never see again. As the film credits scrolled I knew I had been right.

Photos: My first LZ album obtained mid 70s and myself in 1970 wearing my first pair of Wrangler jeans and first T Shirt I bought by myself from my summer holiday job at Woolworths Department store on High St, Christchurch.

 

Get in LINE for fun and fitness

 

When I was younger I pooh-poohed Line Dancing as something for old folks who couldn't mange other forms of dance. Now that I'm not so young I must admit to being wrong. There's currently a resurgence of this western/rodeo/cowboy style of dance where you don't need a partner. Tik Tok is presenting it to much younger and very enthusiastic generations. I'm really into it after 11 months and can see that there are so many sub-genres of line dancing that there's a style for everyone on the internet.

 What is it?

A line dance is a choreographed dance in which a group of people dance along to a repeating sequence of steps while arranged in one or more lines or rows. The sequence is usually 32, 48 or 64 counts repeated during the song. Counts are beats in the music. There are also partner line dances though this doesn't seem to be very available in NZ. Kiwi guys don't seem keen on dancing, for the most part.

Line dance choreographers put in “tags” and “restarts” to make sure dances match up well with the music. A tag is a different set of moves than what you’re repeating (e.g. you may do the same 32 counts to four walls then do this different bit of choreography once then go back to the normal moves). A restart is where you start over from the beginning before finishing the normal counts (e.g. you may do the set of 32 counts 3 times facing different walls then on the 4th repeat you might do the first 16 counts of the normal moves and go back to count 1). That stuff is confusing, but a lot of the time someone will yell tag or restart so you know something weird is about to happen and you get the hang of it.  

Line dancing really works your brain,  like learning to play a musical instrument. Learning the step choreographies will feel like homework, but it doesn't stay that way if you can work on them in the comfort of your home via YouTube videos (be sure to choose the ones with the correct choreography and music for your group). Dancers with slightly more experience in your class can be friendly and helpful. Each time you turn to face a 'wall' just watch the more advanced dancers in front of you. Beginners should position themselves in the front/middle of the room so no matter what wall you face you will have someone to follow.

Each dance is said to consist of a number of walls. A wall is the direction in which the dancers face at any given time: the front (the direction faced at the beginning of the dance), the back, or one of the sides. Dancers may change direction many times during a sequence, and may even, at any given point, face in a direction halfway between two walls. At the end of the sequence, they will face the original wall or any of the other three. Whichever wall that is, the next iteration of the sequence uses that wall as the new frame of reference.^[2]

• In a one-wall dance, the dancers face the same direction at the end of the sequence as at the beginning (either no turn or a full turn, 360 degrees).
• In a two-wall dance, repetitions of the sequence end alternately at the back and front walls. In other words, the dancers have effectively turned through 180 degrees during one set (half turn).
  
• In a four-wall dance, the direction faced at the end of the sequence is 90 degrees to the right or left from the direction in which they faced at the beginning (quarter turn). As a result, the dancers face each of the four walls in turn at the end of four consecutive repetitions of the sequence, before returning to the original wall.  In some dances, they turn 270 degrees, a "three-quarter turn," to face the new wall

Costuming: 

This is a source of frustration for me.  Most classes I have turned up for in NZ rarely have anyone looking other than having walked in off the street. It spoils the atmosphere for me. You wouldn't do this for other dance genres. Imagine a ballet dancer who can't be bothered changing into her gear, or a latin dancer who couldn't be bothered getting the right shoes. These days it's a small investment in minimal gear that you can later add to. I myself tend to go Cowboy/Rodeo - well remember where it comes from. I do not wear baggy track pants and sneakers. What do I like to wear? For me, this is the really fun part...

Jeans, cowboy hat (for socials), cowboy boots (ankle or better still mid-calf with a cuban heel for stomping), a fringe shirt or embroidered yokes western shirt, western belt with  an ostentatious western buckle, short denim shorts, short fringe shirt, bolo western tie, western-themed T shirt/ earrings/necklace. 

Some dancers buy a club T-shirt to wear. I may do that for classes this year but dressing up in my cowboy gear is what I will continue to do for socials.

Once you are serious you can inexpensively add in a boot bag, more hats, boot bling, hat bands. Yes, Temu has a lot to answer for. Amazon freight charges preclude me using them much.

Benefits: 

Gets you out of the house and connecting with other enthusiasts during classes and socials, maybe make a friend? You can choose to wear cowboy gear, which is a lot of fun. The really cheap hats are nothing more than toys and aren't a long term solution as they don't fit as well and don't look realistic. Quality leather cowboy boots with a cuban heel and a quality full-size wrangler-style hat will set you back a lot so they are things to save for later.

Socials:

These are where dancers from an assortment of clubs all come together for a few hours or much of a weekend to learn new dances at a workshop or just dance together. The challenge here is that each club learns different dances and versions so it pays to check out the dance list ahead of time. Eventually you will automatically know most of the dances on offer. I'm still pretty new to it all. I've learned a lot and the only thing holding me back is not knowing enough of the more challenging choreographies. Last year I was lucky enough to attend workshops run by international choreographers Josh Talbot, Nigel Mooney, Simon Ward.

Health benefits:

Many folks are elderly so LD gets them out of the house and shuffling to music (country/pop). They also get to do something social. Those of us who refuse to be 'elderly' can just push on through, actually dance the dances, progress from Beginner to Improver to Intermediate (Advanced is rare), work up a sweat (necessary to get fitter). And folks, it works. I already feel fitter ad stronger after 10 months of line dancing classes and socials. Don't underestimate the power of those small repetitive movements (so long as you push yourself a bit). I can attest to improved balance and muscle tone, increased strength, a good work-out for my memory, stress reduction.

After a disappointing start to line dancing with a teacher I quickly outgrew, I went in search of classes in Canterbury where I could extend my repertoire into more advanced dances and also improve my dancing style. There are very few teachers capable of offering this for me but I've found one. His classes attract many dancers of all ages and occasionally with men turning up (normally missing in action in NZ). My goals are to get fitter so I can keep up for 3 solid hours, maybe do competitions when they start up and also try my hand at choreographing interesting dances above Beginner level.

For my first choreography I plan to use just two walls.  I'm putting together a dance where the combinations are particular to certain parts of the song. In this way there are more clues as to what you should be doing in certain parts of the music, rather than mentally trying to start a sequence part way through the dance just because you have done all the other walls. It's challenging for me to do this as I don't have access to a mirrored wall but with patience I should be able to put it together.  

Above photo taken with choreographer Simon Ward from Australia who was running our workshop in November 2024.

And for the future? Maybe I can find a class running on my next European holiday and how cool would it be to attend a Line Dance competition and convention in the USA? I can dream.

How to get started:

• Find a convenient beginners class
• Position yourself near the front of the class so you can see.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions; line dancers are friendly and helpful
• Bring water to class and shoes/boots that have smooth soles (sneakers are no good - too grippy)
• Give yourself at least 6 weeks to see if you enjoy it because it takes time to learn
• Step sheets are available online from Copperknob    https://www.copperknob.co.uk/
  
• YouTube have many demos and tutorials of dances you may be learning but make sure you are studying the correct music and choreography (there can be many versions)
• Copy more experienced dancers as you change walls.

Origins of Line dancing:

 It is said to have originated in the US in the 1970s and was initially popular with disco music (remember Footloose?) and country music. Billy Ray Cyrus's Achy Breaky Heart really shot this dance genre into mainstream dance. These days pop, rock and country styles of music are used but look out for samba and cha-cha and even latin style with some contemporary dance tendancies.

Basic steps for beginners:

Grapevine, jazz box, kick ball change, hitch, rocking chair, lock step, pivot turn, heel strut, chasse or shuffle, rumba box, hip bumps, waltz step, K-step, V-step, coaster, charlston, slide, fan, brush, mambo.

Want to find a class near you? Want to see what events are coming up? Check out the links below.

https://www.linedance.nz/ 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/376358892414301/ 

 

54 rue Grehan, Akaroa - well preserved French history

Here is the last of the Libeau cottages to be featured. It is easily the best preserved of the lot (one being long gone).

It has a category 2 heritage listing and was originally the home of Joseph Libeau  jun. and his wife Clémence, built in 1863.

The house was associated with the neighbouring Libeau brickworks until at least the mid 1870s. 

The land is 1,897m2 and shows off its long established orchard. It’s laid out to be easy maintenance as the house has been part of Bachcare properties for short term rental. 

It sold for $820,000 in 2020. Council records say the walls and roof are of average condition but I really think this doesn’t do the cottage justice. This is a high quality restoration and improvement. Modern amenities have been done with care and taste. No clutter, just preserving the character and providing modern comfort.

Despite its modest exterior, the home offers four bedrooms, including two attic rooms accessed via a steep staircase. The living/dining space is open plan with an updated kitchen and bathroom ensuring day to day life is considerably easier than it was for the original occupants! A large double garage and external studio provide further options.

 Joseph Libeau jnr. migrated to Sydney in the 1850s, but returned to Akaroa in 1856 to marry Clemence Gendrot. The couple initially settled in Duvauchelles, but returned to Akaroa to work at the Libeau family brickworks in Chemin Grehan (now Rue Grehan), developed on land Joseph Libeau sen. purchased from Clemence’s father Pierre in 1857.

In 1860 Joseph sen. subdivided the site of 54 from the brickworks plot; the house was presumably developed soon after. Joseph jnr worked at the brickworks for eight years before returning to Duvauchelles with his family. The brickworks continued under the management of other family members until the 1880s, but Joseph junior’s cottage was sold to carpenter George Checkley in 1875.

Checkley had substantial landholdings in and around Akaroa, so may have leased the cottage out until his death in 1897. By 1895 Checkley had also purchased the remainder of Joseph Libeau sen.’s property. The cottage belonged to members of the Sunckell family (another old Akaroa family who built Windermere on Rue Lavaud) from 1902-1958.

If you would like to check out its listing for a stay in Akaroa, here’s the link https://www.booking.com/hotel/nz/libeau-cottage-akaroa-holiday-home.en-gb.html

Beware!! It is pricey. For two nights in the middle of winter it’ll set you back at least $1,080 making it one of the most expensive places to book in Akaroa.

There are an additional 2 bedrooms at the top of the attic accessed by a tiny staircase and these are not in use for renters.

Down the long drive there is a separate modern double garage, sheds and outdoor dining.

 

Here you can see the lovely setting for the property with a view to the harbour. The fruit trees in the foreground are all that remain of the Libeau market gardens (#56) which were still in operation during the early part of the twentieth century.

This concludes the series on French Libeau cottages in Akaroa. I hope two of them will live on beyond myself.