If Led Zeppelin gave birth to metal music, then consider this recording of “Dazed and Confused,” the premature metal fetus that wasn’t in need of post-natal care. It took some time to wake up, but now this baby is out the door and it delivers!

On December 30, 1968, three weeks before Led Zeppelin was released stateside, the powerhouse quartet opened for Vanilla Fudge in Gonzaga University’s Kennedy Pavilion, Spokane, Washington. Email was still a few years away, so blame it on muffled phone lines for how the newspaper ad turned out:

According to The Metal Den and rock historians alike, this is the earliest known live recording of Led Zeppelin. It wouldn’t be until a couple months later that the album, released on Atlantic, would reach the charts to eventually peak at the #10 position in the U.S. Now, thanks to one lone Gonzaga student, his tape recorder and the power of the internet, this little baby is available to the masses. Even by today’s bootleg standards, the audio is surprisingly clear. Enjoy.