Shark episode

The Shark episode or Mudshark incident was an event which took place at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle, WA, on 28 July 1969, involving members of the English rock band Led Zeppelin and members of the American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge. The bands were in Seattle for their appearance at the Seattle Pop Festival at Gold Creek Park on 27 July 1969, and were staying at the Edgewater Inn. This hotel, now known as the Hotel Edgewater, is located directly on Puget Sound, and at the time allowed guests to fish directly from their room windows.1

The Shark episode is alleged to have involved some type of [...] act with a fish. However, though no one disputes that the event took place, there are many variations on the story, all involving one or some of the band members, as well as variations of the type of fish (often claimed to be a shark), and the nature of the acts performed.

Rock journalist Stephen Davis, in his Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, provided the following account of the event:

Davis notes that Led Zeppelin's road manager Richard Cole, disputed this version, and quotes him as saying:

Cole elaborates on this version in his own book, Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored. He explains that:

Whatever the exact series of events which took place at the Edgewater Inn, the Mudshark incident quickly became known and was representative of the general atmosphere of excess which permeated the early years of Led Zeppelin. According to Cole, "it was probably the most notorious off-stage incident ever associated with Led Zeppelin."

The incident was immortalized in the song "The Mud Shark" by Frank Zappa, recorded live during a Fillmore East gig in June 1971. It is featured on his album, Fillmore East - June 1971. A brief interview with the then-manager of the Edgewater was released on the Zappa album Playground Psychotics in 1992 (and re-released on the budget compilation CD Cheap Thrills in 1998). The manager does not confirm or deny the incident but he has clearly heard the rumours and admits it is possible.