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It was forty years ago today

kenfxj

By kenfxj
in Low Down Lowdown

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kenfxj

kenfxj

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I'm not going to win any popularity contests by saying this but if I listed my favorite Led Zep albums in order I couldn't put it higher than fourth place.

All depends on what I'm in the mood for. There is a distinct backlash with some Zep fans against IV because of Stairway. If that song is so popular with the unwashed masses them I'm not gonna like it! Not saying that's you Butch.

 

Anyways, it was my first. Kinda like this girl named Debbie. The remembrance always brings a smile to my face.

Push the button Frank.
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butcherNburn

butcherNburn

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Nothing against it at all but in a way you're right. Because of Stairway it was always held up as having an almost mythical quality, especially to the more casual fans. I would always bring up the other albums and at best many would only know Dazed and Confused and Whole Lotta Love. If it was their only record Zep would be cemented with rock god status but they had so much great music I could say the same about almost every other album as well.

 

I always found it funny when they were classified as "hard rock" or "metal". Sure they had a bunch of hard rockin' tunes, but there was also blues, folk, and other elements going on as well and I think they exposed that to many people that never would consider listening those classifications.

 

Don't get me wrong, I have loved Led Zep ever since I could change the radio station or pop in an 8 track.

If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing!
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Richard W

Richard W

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I'm not going to win any popularity contests by saying this but if I listed my favorite Led Zep albums in order I couldn't put it higher than fourth place.

 

Well, I'd vote for you.

"Everyone wants to change the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves." Leo Tolstoy
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The Bear Jew

The Bear Jew

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I'm on the fence about Zep. They were, in my opinion, a really excellent band somewhat run into the ground by an egomaniac guitarist. Jimmy Page clearly had something special, but he also knew this, so he took a lot of almost pointless liberties because he was the semi-acknowledged "leader." So there were a lot of over-indulgent solos that could have used an unbiased producer's razor.

 

I always thought John Paul Jones was just great. He somehow managed to ground things to some degree, and he locked in with Bonzo, who was arguably one of the most bad-ass drummers in rock. The rhythm section was just killer.

 

I am hot and cold on Robert Plant... sometimes I love his voice, but sometimes he grates on my nerves with the high-pitched whines and moans.

 

But, overall... I'm a big Zep fan. I remember hearing this album for the first time in eighth grade at a friend's house. I made him play it over and over again. Sure, "Stairway..." is considered the big classic from this album (and band), but some of the other stuff on this very record is more compelling to me... like "Four Sticks," "Battle of Evermore" and "When the Levee Breaks." I think my favorite Zep song ever is In My Time of Dying."

\m/

Erik

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

--Sun Tzu

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kenfxj

kenfxj

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I always thought of Cream and Hendrix as my older brothers' music. Never was a huge fan. Conversely I always liked The Beatles and The Who. :idk

 

I did develop a continuing appreciation for Cream, particularly Jack Bruce, in my 30s.

Push the button Frank.
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Griffinator

Griffinator

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I'll take (early) Heep and (most) Purple over Zep any day of the week. Much more creative, experimented in more different places. Guitarists were better. Vocalists were far, far better. Both had dedicated keyboardists that were among the best rock players ever.

 

Forty years ago today, this bombshell had been out for just short of a month.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2f/LookAtYourself.jpg/220px-LookAtYourself.jpg

 

And, 6 months ago, they just released another new album. :)

A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends.

 

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Michele C.

Michele C.

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Hmm, the Heep was a killer band, but I would underline diversity in the music of the Zep: they went from folk, to slow blues, to hard rock. Their bassist could play most anything and Robert Plant knew his stuff (and is still in business).

I think that diversity has been somewhat forgotten. You had a lot of different styles, even from the same band.

-- Michele Costabile (http://proxybar.net)
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kenfxj

kenfxj

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David (EddiePlaysBass) is gonna be very pleased with the Uriah Heep love Griff.

 

I won't personally get into a which band is better debate, suffice it to say I love Led Zeppelin. I do agree with your Gillan>Plant position, although others may disagree. Although Percy was probably the perfect (or at the very least correct) vocalist for Zep.

Push the button Frank.
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Griffinator

Griffinator

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Hmm, the Heep was a killer band, but I would underline diversity in the music of the Zep: they went from folk, to slow blues, to hard rock. Their bassist could play most anything and Robert Plant knew his stuff (and is still in business).

I think that diversity has been somewhat forgotten. You had a lot of different styles, even from the same band.

 

How many Heep records have you heard? They've run the gamut over their 40-year career. Heck, they ran the gamut in the Salisbury album...

A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends.

 

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Griffinator

Griffinator

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I do agree with your Gillan>Plant position, although others may disagree.

 

Just to clarify, my position is Byron >>>>>> either of them. Dude had range for days, and charisma for months. Shame he became such a raging alcoholic. One of my top 2 rock vocalists ever (other one being Freddie Mercury).

 

To bring it back on topic, though...

 

I respect that Zep's brand of heavy blues sounds a note with a lot of folk here and elsewhere. I always felt they had more potential than they tapped, and that was pretty much the epitaph of the band, that they never really hit the heights they could have reached. That I blame on Page, for the same reasons Erik delineated earlier.

A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends.

 

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kenfxj

kenfxj

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...I think my favorite Zep song ever is In My Time of Dying.

When we were young men my closest friend made me vow to play In My Time of Dying at his funeral. He's in a bad way now with multiple myeloma. I hope he doesn't want to hold me to it. Knowing him he probably does.

 

Myself, I want Golden Slumbers through The End off of Abbey Road. My son has told me he'll take care of it.

 

My goodness what a cheery post. :wave:

Push the button Frank.
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Nicklab

Nicklab

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I've always been fascinated by the confluence of influences that Zeppelin brought together. The songs were an interesting mix of English folk, delta blues, Chicago blues and rock music. And along with Black Sabbath *SOME* of Zeppelin's work paved the way for Heavy Metal.

 

I've had points in my life where I've come back to this record. More recently I've found Led Zeppelin III and Houses of the Holy a bit more interesting to my own ear than IV. Still, "Rock & Roll" was one of those early garage band songs that almost everyone jammed on. And "Stairway" was the quintessential epic for FM rock radio.

 

But the deeper cuts on IV? "Battle of Evermore"? I've always loved Plants vocal interplay with his duet partner, Sandy Denny, and the acoustic guitar, mandolin and cello blend together to lay down amazing backing tracks. "When the levee breaks" is the ultimate in heavy, electric blues. And the story behind the recording of the drum tracks on that song alone are fascinating. "Black Dog" is easily one of the greatest riff based rock songs of all time. And I've been digging the groove for "Misty Mountain Hop" for a while now...even while I was driving through the misty mountains of Vermont when I was on a short tour this past spring.

 

In talking about Led Zeppelin, you can't help but think "What might have been?" John Bonham was one of the most immensely talented drummers that we've ever known in rock music. He had such power, but he also swung really hard. I'll lay a little bit of blame at his feet for some drummers who just play a bit too loud, and the goobers who think that they need to play a drummer solo with their hands. But the guy was phenomenal. I wish he'd been able to control his own substance problems for a couple of reasons: so that we might still have him around, and so that we might've had some better bootleg recordings.

 

Oh, and for the record: I have the album cover for IV framed and hanging in my living room. The hermit hangs just over my reading chair.

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"My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..."

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Richard W

Richard W

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I always thought John Paul Jones was just great. He somehow managed to ground things to some degree, and he locked in with Bonzo, who was arguably one of the most bad-ass drummers in rock. The rhythm section was just killer.

 

This for sure. I came to appreciate LZ only in my 40s, though my older sisters were big fans, bought the albums and went to see the band live multiple times back in the day. I've never understood the "heavy metal" tag on LZ, since to me that style (as I understand it at least) represents maybe ten percent of their output. I see them more as a straight up blues band, with touches of folk and prog.

"Everyone wants to change the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves." Leo Tolstoy
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Griffinator

Griffinator

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Disagree with you on Byron, Griff. Heep just ain't my thing. I don't dislike them, they just don't do it for me.

 

I've tried, it just ain't there.

 

No ish with personal preference regarding the band, but regarding the vocalists themselves, Byron was objectively a better singer, both technically and as a showman, than either of the other two.

A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends.

 

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Bottom End

Bottom End

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I prefer Led Zep III and Physical Graffiti to IV, and if I never hear "stairway" again, I wouldn't miss it. That said IV has some great songs.

"Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.'-Hamlet

 

Guitar solos last 30 seconds, the bass line lasts for the whole song.

 

 

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kenfxj

kenfxj

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OK, I'll say it.

 

I never liked Led Zeppelin. To me, they were the most over-rated band ever, followed closely by Queen.

 

 

*backs away slowly*

 

Hey, that's cool. Everyone is right in their personal opinion about music, art, comedy...

 

I've caught flack for not liking Dream Theartzzzzzzzz. Sorry. Dozed off. :D

Push the button Frank.
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butcherNburn

butcherNburn

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I can understand the Bear Jew's comments about Plant's vocals, especially live, some of which I attribute to trying to preserve his voice while on tour. And Page, although a genius, really showed the effects of heavy drug use in the later years of Zep.

 

My favorites are the first two albums with the bluesier stuff, then again, the first few albums of most bands usually sound better to me. They are usually concentrated efforts of years of work done without the trappings of success. Houses of the Holy, even though it has two songs that I find irritating at times, will always be a part of me and my subconscious. As a tot, it was one of about six 8-tracks we had it was also one of the first CD's I bought, which was an investment at the time, so it got a lot of play at critical points in my life.

If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing!
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