In February 1972, the Eagles began recording their debut album at Olympic studios in London, with Glyn Johns as their producer. Below, we will delve into the making of the album, as well as highlight the songs that featured Randy Meisner. I also hope to shed light on his and Bernie Leadon’s importance in the band’s early success, a fact that often gets left out of the Eagles’ history.
The original Eagles: L-R: Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, and Glenn Frey.
BEGINNINGS
The Eagles first came together in the summer of 1971, with a little help from Linda Ronstadt. All four members, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner, had played with Linda as part of her backing band at various times. 1
Glenn Frey: “All of us had played with Linda as part of her band at one time or another. Bernie had played with her three-and-a-half years ago before he joined the Burrito Brothers. Don and I were playing with her when we got together with Randy, and when we heard Bernie was leaving the Burritos we called him up and asked him to play with us.” (Melody Maker, March 10, 1973)
Randy recalled how easily the band fell into place:
Randy Meisner: “It was real nice how the band came together. It was like it just had to happen.” (Melody Maker, March 10, 1973)
REHEARSALS
The band rehearsed at several locations in and around Los Angeles. Bernie Leadon remembered their first rehearsal site:
Bernie Leadon: “The Eagles first rehearsal was at Studio Instrument Rentals (S.I.R.), paid for by John Boylan, Linda Ronstadt’s manager. The Jackson Five were in the next room, and racks of their costumes were in the hallway.” (Canyon Of Dreams, Harvey Kubernik, 2008)
They also rehearsed at the Troubadour in the afternoons. “We would have to tear down after four hours because a band was coming in to set up,” recalled Bernie. Other rehearsal spots were on Ventura Blvd, including one used by Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band. Another place was a wooden shack called Bud’s:
Don Henley: “I do remember rehearsing in a little wooden shack called Bud’s (after its owner), just off Ventura Boulevard, near Barham Boulevard. Bud’s place was tucked into a parking lot behind a liquor store called the Spirit Cellar, which has been renamed, now.” (Rolling Stone, June 10, 2016)
At one of these rehearsal sites, they were first heard by David Geffen & Elliot Roberts, who would become their first managers.2 Glenn Frey met Geffen through Jackson Browne, while Glenn was still a member of Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Souther.
Randy: Glenn knew David Geffen and that’s what started the whole Eagles thing. Then I met Elliot Roberts (Geffen’s partner). These managers were way beyond me. I was aware of the music business but all I wanted to do was play. I just let things happen as they happened.” (Kubernik, 2009)
Geffen felt the band needed to develop their sound, so he shipped them off to Colorado in November and December 1971 to “woodshed.” They played shows at small clubs in Aspen and Boulder. During this time, they auditioned for legendary producer, Glyn Johns. The audition was a flop. Johns felt they were just another rock and roll band, and not a very good one. “The sound was not that great,” he recalled, “and I got no impression of the wonderful vocal harmony that they became famous for.” Geffen eventually persuaded Johns to attend a rehearsal in Los Angeles. He was still unconvinced until he heard an impromptu performance of the Glenn Frey song, “Most Of Us Are Sad.” It was the “harmony blend from heaven,” Johns recalled:
Glyn Johns: “As we were exiting the building someone said, ‘Hold on, before we go, let’s just play Glyn ‘Most of Us Are Sad,’ a ballad that Randy Meisner sang the lead on, with the others singing harmony. Bernie and Glenn grabbed a couple of acoustic guitars and they played the song without bass and drums, with all of us standing in a group near the door, and there it was. The harmony blend from heaven. It knocked me clean off my feet. In effect, the band had four great lead singers all with completely different voices. Whey they sang together it created the most wonderful sound….I was converted and became quite excited at the prospect of making a record with them, and in equal part felt incompetent for not spotting the potential in the band earlier.” (Sound Man, Glyn Johns, 2014)
Below: Eagles and friends, Los Angeles, October 1971.
Top row (L-R): Ned Doheny, Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon. Bottom row: Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, and J.D. Souther.
Photo by writer, Eve Babitz, who was also a friend of Glenn’s.
BAND NAME
It was around this time that the band settled on a name. Bernie Leadon originally came up with the name “Eagles,” which had a Native American vibe, but also sounded like the name of a street gang:
Bernie: “In the Hopi mythology, the eagle is considered a most sacred animal. It symbolizes the highest spirituality and morals. I would hope that the music would soar that high. We all wanted a name that was short and concise, with an image, and we were aware that a name is what you make of it. I wanted a name with some imagery…Frey wanted a name that could have been a Detroit street gang and Henley was sort of going along with the Indian vibe and all that, and everybody wanted a name that was just tough… Hey, we’re the fuckin’ Eagles man! There was definitely a West Side Story aspect to it… We’re fuckin’ Jets, you know. We’re the fuckin’ Eagles. Kiss my ass! So that went down well and we were the Eagles within a month of starting.” (The Story Of The Eagles: The Long Run, Marc Shapiro, 1995)
The name was also just Eagles, not The Eagles.
Comedian Steve Martin: “Glenn once asked me, ‘What do you think of the name Eagles?’ I said, ‘The Eagles. Great. He said, ‘No, Eagles. The group is Eagles.” (Life magazine, Eagles Commemorative issue, 2021)
At the Colorado shows in 1971 and two shows in April 1972, the band billed themselves under the name “Eagle.” 3 Some sources claim that the Eagles were originally known as Teen King & the Emergencies. If anything this name was an inside joke. They were never formally billed this way.
RECORDING
In February 1972, the Eagles flew to London to record their first album at Olympic Studios. Randy and Bernie had been to Europe previously. Randy with Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band, and Bernie with the Flying Burrito Brothers.
The Eagles’ trip was paid for by Geffen and Atlantic Records, who found the band a small flat and put them on a strict work schedule.
Don: “They stuck us in this little apartment. They picked us up, took us to the studio, and then we’d go back to this little apartment and drink ourselves to sleep. Then we’d get up the next day and do it all over again.”
Producer Glyn Johns also had a strict policy of no drugs or alcohol in the studio. Naturally, this didn’t sit well with some band members.
Johns: When I got the opportunity to produce and therefore be in the chair, I decided that I would no longer put up with that.” (History Of The Eagles, 2013)
Glenn: “He had a bunch of rules that didn’t really suit me, and some of the other guys too. No getting high in the studio, no drinking in the studio.” (History Of The Eagles, 2013)
Photo from Sound Man by Glyn Johns. Randy’s basses are set up at far right.
Among the band members, only Henley supported these rules:
Don: “I agreed wholeheartedly with Glyn Johns regarding drugs and alcohol in the studio–that we’d get more work done and that it would be better work.” (History Of The Eagles, 2013)
Randy: “Every once in a while, Glenn and I would sneak out of the studio and smoke a little hash. We knew Don didn’t appreciate that and Glyn really didn’t appreciate that. We respected that so we’d go outside, do it and then come back in. Bernie would sometimes smoke a little and he and I would get into tequila and beer and just do that macho thing.” (Shapiro, 1995)
Johns also had a “schoolmarm” approach to producing:
Don: “Glyn made us all very aware of all the personal trips within the band. He’d just stare at you with his big, strong, burning blue eyes and confront you with the man-to-man talk. You couldn’t help but get emotional. We even cried a couple of times.”
Glenn: “He’d say, ‘You’re a fine singer, a fine guitar player, and a great asset to the band.’
Don: “‘But you’re being an asshole.'” (Rolling Stone, September 25, 1975)
For the next three weeks, the band set out to make what they hoped would not be “another limp-wristed L.A. country-rock album,” recalled Glenn. “We wanted a tougher sound.” (Rolling Stone, September 25, 1975)
Randy, who had always been interested in the recording process, closely observed Johns’ technique in the studio.
Randy: “We did the first one at Olympic Studios in London. It was real huge; the board was so cool. There were airplane parts for meters. It was so neat to watch Glyn work…He recorded us with three microphones, two overhead and one in the drum pit. He put some baffles up to set us like a live band, and we did those tracks live. He worked on it until he got the sound he wanted.” (To The Limit: The Untold Story Of The Eagles,, Marc Eliot, 1997)
Glyn Johns and Bernie Leadon at Olympic Studios
SONGS
Below I highlight the Eagles’ first major hit from their debut album, “Take It Easy,” plus the three songs from the album that featured Randy.
“Take It Easy”
Written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey. Sung by Glenn Frey.
In 1971, Glenn Frey & J.D. Souther shared an apartment in the Echo Park section of Los Angeles. Their downstairs neighbor was another friend, Jackson Browne, whom they could often hear sitting at his piano composing music. That’s where Glenn first heard “Take It Easy.”
Glenn: “I told him that I really liked it. ‘What was that, man? What a cool tune that is.’ He started playing it for me and said, ‘Yeah, but I don’t know — I’m stuck.’ So he played the second unfinished verse and I said, ‘It’s a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin’ down to take a look at me.’ That was my contribution to ‘Take It Easy,’ really, just finishing the second verse.” (Cameron Crowe interview, 2003)
Jackson Browne: “Girl, Lord, Ford, I mean, all the redemption. Girls, cars and redemption all in this one line.” (History Of The Eagles, 2013)
In the finished recording of “Take It Easy” Randy and Glenn harmonize on the “flatbed Ford” line that Glenn contributed to the song. The album version also features overdubbed banjo by Bernie Leadon. The banjo part could never be played live because Leadon also played the lead guitar riff in the song.
Randy recalled the first time he heard “Take It Easy” on the radio:
Randy: I remember hearing it for the first time and it was amazing. I lived in an apartment in Studio City. I had given the manager at my apartment and some of my friends the ‘Take It Easy’ single and they all played it and said, ‘That’s never gonna make it.’ Now every time I see those people they say, ‘You were right! You were right!’ It was great, I never could have believed then that the Eagles were gonna make it (laughs). It was great to hear it and to be able to send it to your parents. I love the way Glyn Johns mixes. It’s so clean and nice. It sounded so good.” (Discoveries magazine, September 2006))
The single for “Take It Easy” was released in May 1972. It was backed with “Get You In The Mood,” a song written and sung by Glenn Frey. This track did not appear on the finished album. According to Glenn, it had originally replaced “Nightingale” since Glyn Johns was unhappy with the way the latter had turned out. After the band returned to Los Angeles from London, an attempt was made to give “Nightingale” another try so Don Henley would have a second lead vocal on the album. Glyn Johns flew to Los Angeles and the song was recut at Wally Heider’s studio. “Nightingale” replaced “Get You In The Mood,” which in turn became the B-side to “Take It Easy.” It was the only time a non-LP track was used as a B-side on an Eagles single. 4
“Take It Easy” peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of July 22nd, 1972. It is currently part of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s “500 Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll” exhibit at the museum in Cleveland.
“Most Of Us Are Sad”
Written by Glenn Frey. Sung by Randy Meisner.
This ballad marked Randy’s lead-singing debut on a major album, and for many it would be the first time hearing his voice. As stated above, the Eagles’ harmonies on “Most Of Us Are Sad” convinced Glyn Johns to produce their debut album. Randy’s pure singing voice on “Most Of Us Are Sad” is, in my opinion, far different than any other Eagles song on which he sang lead. It’s also a beautiful song lyrically. It makes me wish Randy and Glenn had collaborated on more songs.
“Take The Devil”
Written and Sung by Randy Meisner.
“Take The Devil,” the second track on Side Two, marked the first song written and sung by Randy on a major album, if one listened to the album in order. “Take The Devil” is a true Randy Meisner deep track. But sadly, nothing is known about the origins of the song or what Randy ever thought of it. He was never asked about the song, nor was it ever performed live. It’s a brooding, heavy rock number, in much the same vain as “Too Many Hands” from 1975’s One Of These Nights, and the unpublished song, “Oh, Darlin’ Wait & See.”
“Take The Devil” was a hit with critics:
“Randy Meisner takes the writer’s credits with ‘Take The Devil,’ a mover which shows how fast and far the Eagles can go once they reach full flight.” (Ormskirk Advertiser, Lancashire, UK, July 13, 1972)
“My favorite is something called ‘Take The Devil.’ The vocals and lyrics are really nice.” (Dink Lorance, The Dispatch, Moline, IL, July 1, 1972)
“Personnel include ex-Burrito Brother Bernie Leadon on guitar and banjo, Randy Meisner on bass (check out the bass line on ‘Take The Devil,’ for instance), Glenn Frey on slide guitar and Don Henley on drums.” (Don Clemens, Pop Scene columnist -syndicated, July 1, 1972)
Below: The Eagles entry on Billboard’s “FM Action” page from June 17, 1972, where top FM radio stations reported their preferred cuts from popular albums.
“Earlybird”
Written by Bernie Leadon & Randy Meisner. Sung by Bernie Leadon.
The funky “Earlybird” was the first and only collaboration between Bernie and Randy. The song was written at Randy’s home in Woodland Hills.
Randy: “Bernie and I tried to write in the beginning. We had a song called ‘Earlybird.’ I lived in Woodland Hills then and he was in Topanga. We got together and did that song but he was more country and I was more R&B.” (Discoveries, 2006)
The chirping bird sound at the beginning of the song was made with a birdcage music box that Randy and his wife, Jennifer, sold at their Scottsbluff, Nebraska shop, The Clothes Horse. The music box was later destroyed by customs agents at the airport in London.
“Earlybird” was the B-side to “Witchy Woman,” the second single released off the debut album.
Below: Bernie at Randy’s house on Victory Blvd in Woodland Hills, CA, circa 1971. 5
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Meisner.
“Tryin'”
Written and sung by Randy Meisner.
Closing out the album was Randy’s autobiographical anthem about a musician who has left his home “far behind” to try and make it in the music business. The song became a staple at their early live shows. It was also released as a single in the UK.
UK single for “Tryin;”:
Praise for “Tryin'” in the UK press:
In America, “Tryin'” was the B-side to “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” the debut album’s third and final single.
NOT YET THE “DON & GLENN SHOW”
The Eagles’ debut is unique because it was the only album to feature Randy and Bernie in a significant way. This was not by accident. An important detail that often gets left out of the Eagles’ history is that in 1972, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon were the more well-known members of the band. Both had been in popular groups that had made albums on major record labels: Randy with Poco and Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band. Bernie with Dillard & Clark and The Flying Burrito Brothers. Although Glenn had been in Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Souther and Henley in Shiloh, these were lesser known bands, whose only albums appeared on the small Amos record label. Quite frankly, nobody outside of L.A. had heard of them. According to Bernie, this fact was not lost on Glyn Johns, who felt that he and Randy should be highlighted:
Bernie: “Glyn Johns, by the way, was very adamant that Randy Meisner and myself should be pushed forward as well and it not turn into the ‘Don and Glenn Show’ immediately, which is, I think, what they wanted. They were pretty pushy honestly, but Glyn Johns kind of created the balance that existed on the first two albums.” (John Beaudin interview, 2019)
Because Randy and Bernie had more impressive resumés, their names were usually mentioned first in album reviews.
EAGLES
The Eagles debut was released in June 1972. It debuted on the Billboard charts the week of June 24th at #102 and peaked six weeks later at #22.
The photos for the album were taken by Henry Diltz in Joshua Tree National Park in California in March 1972. Gary Burden designed the album and did the artwork.
The Eagles with art director, Gary Burden (in hat), Joshua Tree National Park.
Photo by Henry Diltz.
Initially, the album cover was supposed to open up twice to show a large photo of the band sitting at a campfire, with the eagle above them. Geffen felt this was too confusing. So the bottom section of the fold-out was glued to the top, hence making the inside photo be upside down. All original copies of the album, with the gatefold cover, had this upside down photo.
Henry Diltz demonstrates how the cover was supposed to fold out into a poster. That’s David Geffen shrugging his shoulders at the end. (History Of The Eagles, 2013)
Below: My personal copy of the Eagles debut (stains and all) with the original gatefold cover
Labels
When the debut album was reissued in 1973, there was no gatefold and the back cover was changed to include a photo of the band:
Outtakes from the Eagles photo session in Joshua Tree National Park. Some of these photos were used for publicity purposes. Read more about the photo shoot and see all the photos here:
ALBUM REVIEWS
Below are articles and clippings about the Eagles’ first album that Randy’s wife, Jennifer, pasted to her scrapbook back in 1972.
Scottsbluff Star-Herald, August 5th, 1972. Review by J.L. Schmidt.
This review from Randy’s hometown newspaper was also glued to Jennifer Meisner’s scrapbook.
Steve Cassells, former classmate and keyboardist for Randy’s first band, The Dynamics, recalled his mom sending him a copy of the Scottsbluff Star-Herald review while he was stationed in San Antonio, TX in 1972:
Steve Cassells: “I remember being in the Army, stationed in San Antonio in the fall of 1972, and my mom sent me a Star-Herald clipping of a review of the first Eagles album. It was written by a guy who went to school with us and apparently was employed by the newspaper. It was a very glowing column raving about the wonderful album. My first thought was ‘Sure, sure, what else could I expect from a hometown kid talking about his friend.’ But I went to the PX at Fort Sam Houston and bought the album anyway and brought it home. I still remember dropping the needle on the vinyl and hearing that first chord of ‘Take it Easy’ and my mouth dropped open. What a great song. The hometown columnist wasn’t exaggerating at all. I was hooked for life.” (personal correspondence with Steve Cassells, March 25th, 2022)
Zoo World, 1972. Review by Arthur Levy.
Extremely rare review of the album in the short-lived underground music magazine, Zoo World, from 1972. The piece was written by one of the magazine’s editors, Arthur Levy. He spends a great deal of time outlining the careers of the two main band members: Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. The left-hand side has been trimmed, but is still legible.
From Jennifer Meisner’s scrapbook:
Rolling Stone, June 22, 1972. Review by Bud Scoppa.
Scoppa is critical, yet complimentary of the album. By the end saying it could be the best album of the year. Randy’s name is misspelled as “Mandy.”
Sounds, July 8th, 1972. Review by Billy Walker.
One of the songs singled out in this review from the UK music magazine, Sounds, was Randy’s “Take the Devil”:
“Meisner’s ‘Take The Devil’ really shows what the band can do as far as pace and ability is concerned.”
Fusion, September 1, 1972. Review by John Koegel.
Fusion was a music magazine published in Boston between 1967-1974. The reviewer, John Koegel, considered Randy’s “Tryin” one of the best numbers on the album. But my favorite line from the review was the last one:
“If you buy no other album this year, at least steal a copy of this one. It’s worth the week in jail.”
Harrisburg Independent Press, November 3, 1972. Review by Dick Sassaman.
Harrisburg Independent Press, known as HIP, was an underground paper founded in Harrisburg, PA in 1971. Their review proclaimed Randy and Bernie’s “Earlybird” as the best song on the album.
TOUR
The Eagles returned to the States by March to rehearse for their first major tour as an opening act for Joe Cocker. The tour kicked off on April 19th, 1972 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, BC, where the band was photographed backstage with associates from WEA and Asylum:
L-R: Randy, Bernie Leadon, Glenn Frey, Don Boas (with Kinney Services, the international distributor for Warner Bros, later known as WEA), Asylum Records general manager, John Hartmann, and Don Henley.
Photo: RPM magazine, May 13th, 1972
That summer, the Eagles spent three months on tour as an opening act for Jethro Tull, Procol Harum and Yes. It was the first time anyone in the band had ever toured to that extent. As Randy said later: “We were a bunch of innocents. Traveling and touring was all new to us.” It was only the beginning.
See all of the Eagles’ 1972 concert dates below (including ads, reviews, and more):
NOTES
- Randy first played with Linda Ronstadt at Chuck’s Cellar in San Mateo, CA as a fill in for her bassist, Mike Bowden. This is where he first met Don Henley and Glenn Frey. Read more here. ↩︎
Recollections vary as to where Geffen first heard the band rehearse. Bernie claims it was at the Troubadour. Henley recalled that Bud’s was the location. ↩︎
See Colorado, 1971 & Spokane and Portland, 1972. ↩︎
BBC Radio 1 Interview, April 1977 ↩︎
Randy and Jennifer lived at the house in Woodland Hills for only a year (1971-1972), along with their three children, Dana, the eldest, and twins, Heather and Eric. Jennifer recalled meeting Jackson Browne at the house on the same day as the photo with Bernie and Randy. Below, she shares her memories of this meeting, the house, and what her life was like at the time:
Jennifer: “I can see Jackson walking up our front sidewalk from his car, the burlap bag slung on his body, not really knowing who he was. My days were busy being a mother to the twins, who were two, and Dana, who was in the third grade going to a school a few blocks from us. Hated that house. The guys went on the road and I was in a strange place. My only friend lived in Hollywood, which seemed far away. Our car was a white Comet that didn’t run that well. Nobody had a great vehicle yet. After that we rented the apartment on Arch Drive (in Studio City).” (Correspondence with Jennifer, January 2024)
Note: Jackson’s burlap bag is significant in that Jackson’s self-titled debut included a burlap bag on its cover. In fact, very first issues were textured to feel like burlap. ↩︎
Below: Randy and his kids at the Woodland Hills house, 1972. Photos courtesy of Jennifer Meisner.
Wow Jessica! This article is absolutely phenomenal!!! So much detail about the early days. Thank You for shedding so much light on Randy’s early career with Eagles. He certainly was a very significant part of their whole being. It’s so great that he is now getting every ounce of recognition that he deserves. Thanks to You & Jennifer for sharing their story.
Great info and pictures Jessica! Thanks for all your efforts, and a thank you to Jennifer Meisner for sharing her pictures and memorabilia!
This is just awesome to read all of this! Thank you for all the hard work that goes into it. Thank you Jennifer Meisner for sharing your memories. It is so wonderful that Randy is being recognized for the talented man he was. I had felt sad for the way Randy was treated by others but this all makes me feel better. He was so talented and had such an amazing voice.
A heart-warming revisit and listen to the seminal album! That first chord on Take It Easy still sends a jolt of energy through me, much like Steve Cassells recalling it caused his jaw to drop the first time he heard it.
Wonderful Jessica, and thanks to Jennifer for sharing!
Another fantastic read with in-depth information. Jennifer’s memorabilia, as always, is very much appreciated. I had not heard “Get You In The Mood” – what a cool song, with a great groove. I love Randy’s bass in this one. Thanks Jessica.
Thanks so much to all of you for reading the post and taking the time to comment. It means a lot and is much appreciated. -Jess
That’s such a good article, Jessica! I’m sure it will be ranking high on Google before long with so much detail! I loved reading all the bits and pieces you wove together! You’re a good storyteller!
That’s so nice of you to say, Janis. Thank you!
You’re welcome. I know Google is custom for every searcher and they would know I read your blog, but you’re ranking on Google page 1 already for the term “Earlybird by the Eagles” for my searches. That’s pretty amazing for day 1! Congratulations!
That’s cool! Thank you. I don’t check Google against my blog too often. Sometimes I’ll google his name and see where I show up. I’m usually pleased since I don’t go out of my way to promote my site much.
Wow Jessica, what a wonderful story of the first album, and the significance of Randy and Bernie. I loved reading those reviews. I’ve heard John Beaudin’s interview with Bernie, it’s very interesting. I think Glyn Johns probably deserves a huge amount of credit for the success of that album. I assume Glenn asked Randy to sing Most Of Us Are Sad, I can see why, his voice was perfect for it. The photos and personal stories from Jennifer add so much and truly appreciated.
Thanks so much, Traci. I agree about Glyn Johns. He knew from the beginning that the Eagles’ strength was in their harmonies. Randy credited him with sparking the Eagles sound.
Jessica- it is so cool to read the stories of their early days ! You can feel their joy! It is especially interesting that Some of Us Are Sad, with Randy’s wonderful voice, got them their first contract. It is great that Jennifer continues to provide input. Good job, thank you!
Yes, those early days must have been a very exciting time for them. I am proud to know Jennifer. She has been extremely generous with me.
Thank you Jessica and Jennifer for sharing all this. My husband and I love reading all the articles and hearing all the background behind everything. Jennifer I love hearing your stories and what it was like from your perspective.
Thanks, Julie!
Hi, I saw the band in London for their first UK gig. They were there with JD Souther as the intro act. Cannot remember the location or the date but I remember them playing “What ever happened to Saturday Night” Can you shed any light on when this was and the location? Thanks
Hi Richard,
Yes, their first UK gig was at Oxford Polytechnic on March 12th, 1973. How cool that you got to see them.