presence

1 the state of being present; current existence; "he tested for the presence of radon" [ant: absence]

2 the immediate proximity of someone or something; "she blushed in his presence"; "he sensed the presence of danger"; "he was well behaved in front of company" [syn: front]

3 an invisible spiritual being felt to be nearby

4 the impression that something is present; "he felt the presence of an evil force"

5 dignified manner or conduct [syn: bearing, comportment, mien]

6 the act of being present [ant: absence]

English

Pronunciation

• /ˈprɛzəns/
• Hyphenation: pres·ence

Noun

1. The fact or condition of being present.
2. The part of space within one's immediate vicinity.
3. A quality of poise and effectiveness that enables a performer to achieve a close relationship with his audience.
4. Something (as a spirit) felt or believed to be present.
5. A company's business activity in a particular market.
6. The state of being closely focused on the here and now, not distracted by irrelevant thoughts

Translations

Derived terms

• compresence
• copresence

Presence is the seventh studio album by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Swan Song Records on March 31, 1976.

Overview

This album was conceived after Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant sustained serious injuries from a car accident on the Greek island of Rhodes on August 5, 1975, which postponed a planned 1975/1976 world tour by the band. At this point, Led Zeppelin were arguably at the height of their popularity. Plant recalls:

During a convalescent period on both the Channel Island of Jersey and in Malibu, California, Plant, with Jimmy Page, had written enough material for rehearsals to begin at Hollywood's SIR Studio. The album was subsequently recorded within three weeks at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, with Plant in a wheelchair. This was the fastest recording turnaround time achieved by the band since their début album. The rushed recording sessions were in part a result of Led Zeppelin having booked the studio immediately prior to The Rolling Stones, who were to record songs for their album Black and Blue. Upon their arrival, the Rolling Stones were amazed that Led Zeppelin's album had indeed been completed (both recorded and mixed) in a mere seventeen days. Jimmy Page had simply stayed awake for two days straight to perform all of the guitar overdubs. In an interview he gave to Guitar World magazine in 1998, Page stated that he worked an average of 18 to 20 hours a day during the mixing period at Musicland Studios:

Both Page and Plant had planned this album's recording session as a return to hard rock, much like their debut album, except at a new level of complexity. It marked a change in the Led Zeppelin sound towards more straightforward, guitar-based jams. Whereas their previous albums contain electric hard rock anthems balanced with acoustic ballads and intricate arrangements, Presence was seen to include more simplified riffs, and is Led Zeppelin's only studio album that features neither acoustic tracks nor keyboards (almost buried in the mix, a lone acoustic guitar can be heard on "Candy Store Rock"). Page said at the time:

Plant expressed similar views, stating:

The album peaked at #1 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. Its catalogue numbers were Swan Song SS 8416 in the U.S. and Swan Song SSK59402 in the UK, before being changed to 92439-2 for when the remastered version was released. However, this album has not been one of the band's biggest sellers. In late 1976 it was somewhat overshadowed by the release of the band's movie and soundtrack The Song Remains the Same.

The cover and inside sleeve of this album, created by Hipgnosis, features various images of people interacting with a black obelisk-shaped object. Inside the album sleeve, the item is referred to simply as "The Object". It was intended to represent the "force and presence" of Led Zeppelin. In the liner notes of the Led Zeppelin Remasters, Jimmy Page explained:

The background used in the cover photograph is of an artificial marina that was installed inside London's Earl's Court Arena for the annual Earl's Court Boat Show that was held in the winter of 1974–1975. This was the same venue where the band played a series of concerts a few months after the boat show, in May 1975.

In contrast to earlier albums which contained several tracks played live at Led Zeppelin concerts, only two tracks from Presence were played in full on stage while the band was active. "Achilles Last Stand" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" were added to the setlist for the 1977 tour of the United States and stayed through the band's final concerts in 1980. Some of the guitar solo from "Tea for One" was also incorporated into "Since I've Been Loving You" in these shows, but the actual song was never performed live until the Page and Plant tour of Japan in 1996, where it received three airings backed by an orchestra. "For Your Life" was played in full by Led Zeppelin for the first time at the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert on December 10, 2007. The lack of live interpretations of the Presence material is perhaps understandable given that it would be a full year before they would return to the road.

Track listing

All songs written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, except "Royal Orleans".

Side one

1. "Achilles Last Stand" – 10:25
2. "For Your Life" – 6:20
3. "Royal Orleans" (John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Page, Plant) – 2:58

Side two

1. "Nobody's Fault But Mine" – 6:27
2. "Candy Store Rock" – 4:07
3. "Hots on for Nowhere" – 4:43
4. "Tea for One" – 9:27

Charts

Album

Singles

Certifications

Personnel

• Jimmy Page – electric guitars, producer
• Robert Plant – vocals, harmonica
• John Paul Jones – 4- and 8-string bass guitars
• John Bonham – drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• Peter Grant – executive producer
• Keith Harwood – engineer, mixing
• Jeremy Gee – tape engineer
• George Hardie– sleeve design
• Hipgnosis – sleeve design

CD Mastering engineers

• Barry Diament - original CD - Atlantic Studios (mid-1980s)
• George Marino - remastered CD (1990)

References

External links

• Review Of Presence On Music-Nerds

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