Say something complimentary about Led Zeppelin

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Inspired by a genius phrase on the 'Wall' thread (which I didn't contribute to as I was all over the previous 50-odd Floyd threads) - "useless rock classic" - Zep all over. What do you get when you cross the Beatles' studio overkill, the Who's delusions of artistry, Cream's delusions of interestingness and virtuosity fetishism, and the Stones' justifying their disdain for their audience by using callous, rapacious cynicism as a selling point? You get a studio cash cow run by a junkie pedophile with the usual 'profound' mystical bullshit leanings and the clothes to match (along with an EZ-listening hack), backed up by a drunken Cro-magnon and a pretentious, preening adolescent fop who were previously chosen on the basis that their rank inexperience and stupidity made them easier to manipulate. Since they spent more time with needles and fish than actually writing, the easy solution was to rip off dozens of impoverished bluesman, folk guitarists, Moroccans, etc. to fill out the albums - and in perhaps an admission of their lack of inspiration, elected to pump everything full of steroids on the bottom end (well, it DID offset that stumbling electric adenoid that was the guitar playing) and shroud the albums in ominous, unknowable packaging, hinting that it was the 'aura', the 'depth' thaat mattered, not the 'songs', and as this led to mass success with an audience that no longer wanted to change the world (and just wanted to be left alone with their reds and Boone's Farm to 'get laid back, maaaan'), Zep abandoned even the Tolkien-and-Howlin' Wolf borrowings that weakly subbed for 'substance' and began to operate as if their vast, baffling emptiness WAS their core, and that just made them bigger! Yes, emptiness. Zep music is just...THERE. Zep never had anything to say about anything, to anybody, and they didn't even not say it in a very ethical or original manner. Combining the sussed/genius thing, except extending that straight into the sociopathic/autistic.

That said, I STILL think 'IV' is the best r'n'r album of all time - and since r'n'r will never have the same import it did in the early 70s (OK, let's just say it's 'dead'), always will be. I'm goin' down, and down, but this time I'll make an exception and take you!)

― dave q, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'IV' is the 'best r'n'r album ever', but it's not my fave Zep album. 'Presence' is, maybe because "For Your Life" and "Tea For One" are the sound of these pampered idiots finally suffering for their sins. (Compare "TF1" with the ludicrous "Since I've Been Lovin' You", which even though it sounds EXACTLY alike, is complete pants.) 'IV' does have the 100% hit rate though. The irritating thing about rapacious, amoral workaholics is that they get the goddamn job done, and then some.

― dave q, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I didn't realize that people could hate Led Zepplin until I found the Internet. Strange but true!

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What, who hates 'em? Not me! Unless having all their albums and playing them frequently counts as 'hate'!

― dave q, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I loved Led Zeppelin in the sixth grade (or "grade six" for Canadians & Brits.) Most of the other kids were listening to the BeeGees. When they finally grew out of disco, Led Zeppelin was as unavoidable in school - so I completely stopped listening to them. So I was only into Zep for about a year or maybe two before completely shutting them out. (However, "Stairway to Heaven" was omnipresent, thus gaining it "useless classic" status. An otherwise great song ruined by overexposure and it's association with peach-fuzzed stoners in Camaros.)

I picked up the Zeppelin box set a few years ago (cheap) and found that I still dig the arena-blues numbers. (Although the box set was shelved after about 4 months of light rotation.)

Point being (and the source of the "useless classic" bit), everyone* listened to them for a time, and they rubbed off on a lot of people ... setting the standard for which all future G.O.R. (*guitar-oriented-rock) would be measured.

― Dave225, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Led Zep more avoidable in the UK (they didn't release any singles here for starters). i think Dave has made all the bad points about them. i am definitely grateful for Jimmy Page's production opening up my ears and making me hear new things in music

― michael, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

they rubbed off on a lot of people
especially underage groupies. hah!

― helen, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I like them more than Starland Vocal Band

― JM, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

especially underage groupies. hah!
And mud sharks.

― Lord Custos, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Best wall of sound moments outside Spector.

There's something unlovable and disengaged about them that makes them really powerful.

All the stoner-hobbit van-art babble lyrics are just more of the meaningless mushmouthisms that dylan uses half the time and they're village idiots and he's top of the jops in the village voice circa 2002.

They looked great too.

― fritz, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Love 'em. "Houses of the Holy" is my favorite. I don't really play them anymore, though.

― Sean, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

For me the best place to hear useless classics is on classic rock radio. I understand how Americans might hate it, since they've been oppressed by it all their lives, but since I only have to listen to it every few weeks on a road trip, I love it (except the definition of classic seems to have been weirdly expanded to include shit like Journey and Ratt and that song about fiddling with the devil--I just switch over to the hip-hop station when that stuff comes on). I would never bother to play Led Zep on my own initiative anymore, but when Black Dog comes on the radio... man... the spirit of rock lives ;o)

Also, When the Levee Breaks redeems all Zep sins.

― Ben Williams, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I didn't realize that people could hate Led Zepplin until I found the Internet.

Nearly everyone I associated with from about age 16-20 hated them.

― sundar subramanian, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's not bad music, most of it. Good rock and roll.

― Gage-o, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Black Dog", "Whole Lotta Love" and especially "Immigrant Song" were the scariest, weirdest things I'd ever heard in the Top Ten when I was a little kid, before I knew anything about their spooky mythology.

I hated them as a teenager. Basically cause they weren't Bowie or Patti Smith and their fans at my school were morons. But I got over it.

A few months ago I rented The Song Remains the Same, which was on late night TV every other week back then, and, boy, what a snooze! Another reason why they turned me off as a teen. It's one of the most tedious rock films ever, even the ridiculous wizards and country squires bits can't redeem it. Where are all the good songs?

Also, there'd be no Queen without them, so hooray for Led Zep. Search: Queen's ultra-femme blues masterpiece "See What a Fool I've Been." Robert Plant never reached such gloriously swishy heights, Freddie's the best.

― Arthur, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"The Song Remains The Same" is the boringest film ever. Even the name is boring. The ONLY good parts are fat disgusting evil Peter Grant and Bonham's dream sequence (all the rest of the dudes are off fighting dragons, and Bonham's is all about Krazy Kars). oh and that "does anyone remember laughter?" line does sum up the whole 'luded out atmosphere of the thing.

― fritz, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'Presence' is too-often overlooked in discussions of Led Zep. It's the only record of theirs I own. It's good.

― Jeff W, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ooooohh! Just the thread I was looking for...

For me at this precise moment, there are only three Led Zeppelin songs: "Black Mountain Side" (off Led Zeppelin, "Bron-Yr-Aur" off of Physical Grafitti, and "White Summer/Black Mountain Side" live at the BBC.

I've been on a huge folk kick lately and I think Jimmy Page's close study of Bert Jansch is really amazing, especially on the electric guitar BBC version medley of "White Summer/Black Mountain Side" ("Black Mountain Side" actually being based on Jansch's partner Anne Briggs' "Black Water Side"). Here the medley begins quoting phrases of Jansch's "Reynardine" before getting into that open-tuning finger picking clinic. It's a really evocative arabesque meets celtic song and the way that Page plays it live (and electric) is quite a ride.

"Bron-Yr-Aur" has a really nice drone (LOW C) and is played mostly open with just a few chordings. Really nice downward arpeggiations with some picking.

Both of these songs are much more impressive than the obligatory open minutes of "Stairway" that guitar shop customers are wont of spontaneously playing.

As far as musicianship, I think that Page/Jones' skills wrought through extensive session work with Bonham's positively-heavy drum sound will find few equals in the golden age of classic rock.

― http://gygax.pitas.com, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

RE: Song Remains the Same:

Movie = Shit Sandwich

LP = Killer version of "Celebration Day". Bullshit drum solo waste of vinyl on "JohnBohnamMobyDICK Dick dick..."

― Dave225, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

a junkie pedophile with the usual 'profound' mystical bullshit leanings and the clothes to match (along with an EZ-listening hack), backed up by a drunken Cro-magnon and a pretentious, preening adolescent fop

You either just described Eminem jamming with a reunited NWA, the Bush cabinet, or the cast party for Abbott and Costello meet the Strokes.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Something complimentary about Led Zeppelin: "Hey Hey What Can I Do" is one of the ten best songs of all time.

― Tim DiGravina, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

really... the john bonhams drums. they are amazing

― chaki, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

they were at least as good as white snake

― g, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Ocean, The Crunge, Four Sticks, When the Levee Breaks, Misty Mountain Hop -- these are known as Stone Grooves.

― dleone, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'Physical Grafitti' was the toughest sounding album, with plant doing the least amount of womanly singing... 'Custard Pie' rocks balls. I once heard and interview with Plant where he said the that 'Kashmir' was the closest thing to a fulfillment of their Zep ambitions.

― Andy, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Damn I want to hear "Custard Pie" so loud right now!!

― Sean, Thursday, 21 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

They were pretentious. But in a good way.

― Michael Daddino, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

3 is the first folky stuff i liked having previously rebelled against the everpresent heynonnynonny in ruralNE. led zep - loved them as a teen. jp is great sloppy guitar - lookee the barre chords on TSRTS - playing low slung and well = top jimmy

― a-33, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I love the BBC Sessions - Travellin' Riverside Blues is immense. And jeez, they were funky!

― Dr. C, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"The Immigrant Song" is absolutely excellent, as is the ENTIRETY of _IV_. "The Battle Of Evermore" is WONDERFUL.

― Dan Perry, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

drugs, lots of them.

― Poops McGee, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

john bonham and the fish episode.

― Poops McGee, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

They've got...uh...nice...uh...boots?

― Lord Custos, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My experience mirrored Arthur's (I think): hated them growing up because everyone else I knew who liked them was an utterly detestable waste of skin. It took me far too long to realize that there were actually some really good moments along the way, already noted: "Immigrant Song", "Black Dog", etc. "Stairway to Heaven" is not one of those moments, though.

― Sean Carruthers, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

To add some sanity to the thread, BTW, their first four albums are obviously their best. (II is a bit less good than the other three, though.) Houses of the Holy is pretty good and after that they're less interesting than the bands they influenced. Presence is completely useless except for "Achilles' Last Stand." The campy indulgences of their later days like "The Crunge", "D'Yer Maker," and "Hot Dog" are mostly just embarrassing. For the first four albums though, they were the greatest hard rock band ever. The fourth is the most perfect epic rock album though the third may have some better material ("Since I've Been Loving You" is amazing.) "Stairway to Heaven" is their best song.

― sundar subramanian, Saturday, 23 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

god i love led zeppelin. i want to rank how the west was won ridiculously high in my top 10 this year but it just seems such a cheat.

sundar is totally wrong about their "campy indulgences" too...those are some of their best songs!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 1 June 2003 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

i've always considered the solo for "Good Times Bad Times" to be one of my faves EVAH!!1

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Sunday, 1 June 2003 21:19 (twenty-two years ago)

jess ranking how the west was won in your top ten (and you wouldn't be the only one) would make up for/balance the albert hall thing placing third or whatever a few years back

― James Blount (James Blount), Sunday, 1 June 2003 21:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I too may rank this thing in my list.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 1 June 2003 21:33 (twenty-two years ago)

sundar is nuts btw - zoso to houses to physical graffiti is the peak

― James Blount (James Blount), Sunday, 1 June 2003 21:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Hating Zep? Yeah, it's common in the general public.
But among authentic music fans who are into rock?
Very rare.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Sunday, 1 June 2003 23:04 (twenty-two years ago)

And I always thought their output was remarkably
consistent. Every album had a few stone cold classics,
a few goodies, and one or two duds.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Sunday, 1 June 2003 23:05 (twenty-two years ago)

"Bring It On Home" totally fucking rocks my shit woooo yeah.

― hstencil, Sunday, 1 June 2003 23:34 (twenty-two years ago)

"The Crunge" IS like the best thing they've done! I wish more "funk rock" sounded like that.

― Adam A. (Keiko), Monday, 2 June 2003 00:07 (twenty-two years ago)

MBV should have covered "carrouselambra"

― Tad (llamasfur), Monday, 2 June 2003 01:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps the only "rock band" about which I can quite frankly and literally say they changed my life. As a young kid their music seduced me and frightened me and thrilled me. They basically made me become the record collecting nerd I remain to this day.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Monday, 2 June 2003 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, if that's not a recommendation, I'm not a Gherka sherpa.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Monday, 2 June 2003 01:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't believe I still haven't yet picked up the new live cd and dvd.

Well, I can believe I haven't gotten the dvd, because for whatever reason I still haven't bought a dvd player. Has anyone seen it?! The Song Remains the Same can be a tough slog; I'm excited at the prospect of viewing footage of the earlier, hungrier band.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Monday, 2 June 2003 01:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I don't know if I still agree with everything I said above. James may actually be right about the peak: Houses is great and I do really miss PG. "Dancing Days" and "ALS" may be my favourite LZ songs now, definitely not "STH". "SRTS" and "Rain Song" are really really great so Houses can't be denied. And I find more faults with the first couple albums more recently. I still wouldn't consider the songs I singled out to be amongst their best songs but I don't really hold too much against "D'yer Maker".

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 2 June 2003 05:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw the second half or so of the SRTS movie a little while ago. I was a little surprised I'd forgot how much really good stuff there actually is in it. Page actually turned in some pretty impressive performances and the band was a lot tighter than I remembered. The version of "SRTS" is good, also the first solo in "Dazed and Confused" and some of the bowed guitar stuff. The drum solo is a bit of a drag though.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 2 June 2003 05:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm enjoying West Was Won plenty but I really don't understand the level of fuss over it. It's good, yes--very good, obv--but, uh, aren't these songs all done better elsewhere (like on their GREAT UNIMPEACHABLE ALBUMS)?

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 2 June 2003 06:10 (twenty-two years ago)

''Hating Zep? Yeah, it's common in the general public.
But among authentic music fans who are into rock?''

I like rock but its comments like this that make me stop buying any of their stuff but I like dave q's post so much that i prob will.

I've heard bits of it on TV and so on =>I never felt the guitars were distorted enough for me. And then there's some awful folk-type stuff as well.

''Well, I can believe I haven't gotten the dvd, because for whatever reason I still haven't bought a dvd player.''

Don't! keeping up with new 'technologies' => mental disease.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 2 June 2003 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

YYYs "Bang" vs LZ's "Wanton Song"

― dave q, Monday, 2 June 2003 09:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Page and Plant is a funny combination of surnames.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 2 June 2003 10:37 (twenty-two years ago)

matos - the songs aren't as merciless on the studio albums

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 2 June 2003 13:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I've tried over the last 10 years to get into Zep. many times. and i just cant. there are a few songs which are ok - the BBC Immigrant Song, White Summer/blk mountain side, Bron-Yr-Aur stomp. but for the most part i really cant stand them. Which is weird given that i love a lot of led zep influenced music - tool, STP, white stripes. lots of hard rock now is directly influenced by Zep. like, IMO, STP does a better version of Dancing Days, and Tool does a better version of No Quarter.

For the most part, i agree with dave q's original statement about the band.

― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 2 June 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

This thread has helped me to decide to pick up the DVD this very night from Oxford Street. My Lord the Zeppelin in full flight for over five hours. Hello.

― Alex K (Alex K), Monday, 2 June 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

The "rock history" medley version of Whole Lotta' Love on HTWWW is absolutely godawful. Just goes to show they could never have done rock straight up (at least not with Plant on vocals). Otherwise, I love it. Well, Moby Dick sucks too, of course. And I haven't made up my mind about Dazed and Confused. But the first disc rules. It makes me want to say "heavy" a lot.

― Ben Williams, Monday, 2 June 2003 15:05 (twenty-two years ago)

why is "physical graffiti" in the canon? it's rubbish. i tried it again the other day and i didn't get it any better than when i listened to it in my teens, many years ago now. "presence" is a sooo much better record, and it's largely ignored. bah.

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 2 June 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Zebedee, don't be silly. Graffiti is everything.

― Alex K (Alex K), Monday, 2 June 2003 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

zebedee hates funk

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 2 June 2003 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

no, he hates grind

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 2 June 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

"merciless" /= "long"

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 2 June 2003 16:39 (twenty-two years ago)

they sure knew how to have a good time in seattle.

― jack cole (jackcole), Monday, 2 June 2003 16:43 (twenty-two years ago)

merciless = THUNDURR RAWK

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 2 June 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

They certainly do know how to rock. And this is a comfortable bean-bag chair. Billy Dreamer ....Billy Dreamer ....Let's Dream....

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 2 June 2003 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Am I the only person here (so far) whose seen the DVD...? The performances vary pretty widely - some of the TV promo spots are quite bad, others entertaining for novelty value (the lip-synched b&w promo of "Communication Breakdown" in particular), by and large the live concert footage is amazing. Jimmy Page tears through "White Summer" at the Albert Hall, really good versions of "Bring it on Home to Me", "Dazed and Confused" - my favorite is the Earl's Court footage from '75, great trio of thumping acoustic stuff (Goin' to California/That's the Way/Bron-Y-Aur Stomp). John Paul Jones plays the beautiful mandolin leads, and on Bron-Y-Aur he plays the bass pedals with his feet as well. Knebworth - their last show - has some really great moments, it's nice to see them doing stuff from "In Through the Out Door", but it's also evident how much they aged in four short years. The 80s polka dot shirts and big pants don't help either. The DVD is cheap tho - $20 - definitely definitely worth it. Has a much wider, more interesting scope than Song Remains the Same, and the loathsome Peter Grant doesn't pop up on-screen once.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 2 June 2003 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

God HTWWW is great. The tunes are so much more raw and exciting than on the albums and the sound is fantastic. They sound so focused and somehow 'modern' most of the time.

Highlights for me are most of the first cd, the first eight minutes or so of Dazed & Confused (Bonham RIPS IT, Plant does a good job of being weird without sounding like Plant, and Page does a good job of sounding Indian), and the last three tunes on disc 3, esp. Bring It On Home.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:01 (twenty-two years ago)

there's no excuse whatsoever for that solo guitar thing in the middle of "Heartbreaker"

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

hata!

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course there is, it makes everything sound absolutely massive and tight by contrast when the drums and bass come back in!

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:11 (twenty-two years ago)

zeppelin = ugly wallpaper

that reggae song they did is the worst thing i've ever heard on the radio that was not on the dr. demento show.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Jordan, by that logic he could have put anything in the middle. the point isn't that they sound massive when they come back in--they always sounded massive, they were Led Zeppelin--it's that what he does in the middle is so fucking boring.

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Are you talking about the live or studio version? The original solo is a bit mockable, but I think the quiet classical bit slamming back into the song on HTWWW is effective.

That's another thing that struck me actually, how often there are interludes in the songs where it's just two instruments trading phrases rather quietly, and how they manage to keep the energy up anyway.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

live version

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

rocks

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 2 June 2003 18:44 (twenty-two years ago)

except for the five minutes' worth of boring shit in the middle

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 2 June 2003 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

amateurist why in the hell were you listening to dr. demento in the first place?

obv, i take ams opinions on rock/pop about as seriously as julios, and as seriously as he takes mine on olde timey bicycles, etc.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 2 June 2003 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)

(1) that is a good q.

(2) i guess i've made myself out to be ilm's resident antiquarian. i'm actually like that tho.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 2 June 2003 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

haha massive slip. i'm actually not like that tho.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 2 June 2003 19:41 (twenty-two years ago)

''obv, i take ams opinions on rock/pop about as seriously as julios, and as seriously as he takes mine on olde timey bicycles, etc.''

c'mon jess baby you know I'm right. there ain't enuff distortion in this bitch!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 2 June 2003 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)

They rocked.

― blutroniq (blutroniq), Monday, 2 June 2003 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)

jess - demento shows have their moments

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Led Zeppelin totally defined my taste. But later I was turned off by their inconsistency and the tendancy to ruin their great songs with either a bad mix, an unpleasant guitar sound, or over-longness. But later I got West Was Won: it is great how the guitar is so much more powerful and tangible, and also the Stairway solo is so much better and makes the song incredible for me again. It is also great how the only good song on the last two discs is Dancing Days, so it doesn't matter that the shitty 20 minute songs are all shitty.

As far as defending the band in general, their substance was the music itself, idiot.

― Brian Mowrey (Brian Mowrey), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

it's lonely to be a mentalist like me.
oh it's such a drag to be crazy.
but these ears of mine dont lie
and it's the truth do or do die:

Crowly, bombast and ripped off blues
makes a distasteful, repugnant stew.

― Bosse-De-Nage (Bosse-De-Nage), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 01:33 (twenty-two years ago)

crowly

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 03:24 (twenty-two years ago)

also I like how they stole 'ripping off the blues' from willie dixon (how exactly do you rip off a cliche?)(nevermind that their peak is decidedly post-bluezzz), or how bombast is a bad thing: no distasteful, repugnant bombast for me, thank you - gimme some more of them tasteful, modest, highly original bluezzz.

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 03:32 (twenty-two years ago)

tell that to robert johnson.

― Bosse-De-Nage (Bosse-De-Nage), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 03:38 (twenty-two years ago)

tell it to charley patton

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 04:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Picked up the DVD last night and though I only managed to flick through to a few favourites it looks absolutely stunning. Alright, so it’s been ridiculously well cut and edited to make it look uber-slick but the footage itself is genius (the colours and lighting are gorgeous, and the sound is spot on) – with the live set, you can see and hear even more why Bonham is Zeppelin. He’s like a full orchestra at the back, filling up the sound and smashing it out in waves across the audience. It will clearly take some hard rinsing to fully get to grips with all the material here but from what I’ve already seen, I am prepared to sit for extended periods enthusing in front of this stuff.

― Alex K (Alex K), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 08:25 (twenty-two years ago)

awright, you've convinced me. i'm picking this bitch up today. what's it retailing for?

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 08:38 (twenty-two years ago)

25 bar from HMV Oxford Street.

― Alex K (Alex K), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 08:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Is the Danish TV performancefrom 1969 included on the DVD?

― David Gunnip (David Gunnip), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 09:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it's on there david, as one of the plentiful extras: here is a full tracklist off the first site I googled:

Led Zeppelin DVD"

Royal Albert Hall, January 1970
"We're Gonna Groove"
"I Can't Quit You Baby"
"Dazed and Confused"
"White Summer"
"What Is and What Should Never Be"
"How Many More Times"
"Moby Dick"
"Whole Lotta Love"
"Communication Breakdown"
"C'mon Everybody"
"Something Else"
"Bring It on Home"

Madison Square Garden, July 1973
"Black Dog"
"Misty Mountain Hop"
"Since I've Been Loving You"
"The Ocean"

Earl's Court, May 1975
"Going to California"
"That's the Way"
"Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp"
"In My Time of Dying"
"Trampled Underfoot"
"Stairway to Heaven"

Knebworth Festival, August 1979
"Rock and Roll"
"Nobody's Fault But Mine"
"Sick Again"
"Achilles Last Stand
"In the Evening"
"Kashmir"
"Whole Lotta Love"

Extras:

Disc One
Live At The Royal Albert Hall 1970,
Danish TV Performance
'Communication Breakdown' French Promo,
'Dazed And Confused

Disc Two
Immigrant Song (Splodge Edit) Live,
Madison Square Garden 1973
Earls Court 1975 (49 Mins), Knebworth
1979 (52 Mins), 1970 NBC Interview,
1972 Australian TV Interviews, BBC Old
Grey Whistle Test Interview (4 Mins)
'Heartbreaker' Bootleg Performance

― Alex K (Alex K), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 10:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Best wall of sound moments outside Spector.

Whoever described Phil Spector's production as a "wall of sound" had obviously never heard Slayer.

― mei (mei), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

...and if anyone ever described Slayer as a "wall of sound" they've obviously never heard...

― mei (mei), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Slayer

― Alex K (Alex K), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually Jess I'm more bothered than I first thought by your comment. It's obnoxious of you to suggest that your province is pop/rock and mine is something as trivial as "old-timey bicycles" (I know it's not literal, but...). You should know from my posts here that my interests and knowledge are broader than simple antiquarianism--I think I've posted intelligently on a lot of contemporary-music threads, even if I'm not as passionate about the subject as you or Tom or whoever else. I wouldn't caricature you, and I'd hope you'd have the respect not to do the same to me. Although my snarky comment above surely isn't my shining moment, I'll admit.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I know you have a talent for invective and clever putdowns, and by writing something so earnest I'm leaving myself open to just that. Oh well.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Slayer were still playing Donovan covers back in '65, mei.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)

oh amateurist, calm down. i was kidding. (originally wrote: "kissing." paging dr. freud.)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)

i actually have a great deal of respect for your breadth of knowledge about music that i a. have no idea about, b. will never have any idea about, and/or c. don't care to have any idea about. my own tastes - as "broad ranging as they are" - are pretty myopic. julio didnt get his panties in a bunch; i don't go to julio for, say, hip-hop advice but i would for free improv, etc.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 15:11 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

"Hey Hey What Can I Do" is gr8

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 3 October 2004 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Robert Plant's hair looked well cared for.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Sunday, 3 October 2004 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Heh heh...Dave Q's initial post is very similar to (altho a bit more thoughtful than) the one I contributed to that "Honestly Criticize Your Favourite Artist" thread of a few weeks ago! Completely accidental plagiarism on my part, I swear, although I touched on many of the same points and even had the same tone of contemptuous disapproval. And just like him, the only complimentary thing I'm going to say about Led Zeppelin is that they made the GREATEST goddamned rock albums ever, right down to that misterioso packaging.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Sunday, 3 October 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

LED ZEP LED ZEP LED ZEP LED ZEP LED ZEP LED ZEP

GOd I LOVE THEM

― Roy Williams Highlight (diamond), Sunday, 3 October 2004 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

everyone loves led zeppelin though, don't they?

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 3 October 2004 20:07 (twenty-one years ago)

dood, RWH, did yoo ever buy a dvd player so yoo could rock out to the zep dvd?

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 3 October 2004 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Besides Yes Led Zep soundtracks D&D sessions and Silmarillion reading marathons better than anybody. Maybe someday the XYZ sessions will appear to floor us all.

― peter banks, Sunday, 3 October 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

they're not all dead.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Sunday, 3 October 2004 21:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Scott, I did get a dvd player finally! Still haven't picked up the Zep set though :(

I need to get that sucker.

― Roy Williams Highlight (diamond), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 05:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Best Led Zepplin songs from someone who doesn't particularly care for Led Zepplin (me)

1. Fool in the Rain
2. D'yer Mak'er
3. Over the hills and far away
4. Immigrant song
5. The Ocean

― David Allen (David Allen), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 07:31 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

I love HOUSES OF TEH HOLY!!!!!

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Thursday, 3 March 2005 22:52 (twenty years ago)

Zeppelin fucking rules.

― Tortelvis, Thursday, 3 March 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

"Black Dog" is a completely genius piece of songwriting.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 3 March 2005 22:58 (twenty years ago)

"In the Evening" makes me very, very happy.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 3 March 2005 23:03 (twenty years ago)

I'm not too big on "Black Dog".... I recall I learned about 1/2 the songs on s/t when I learned guitar. So much fun........

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Thursday, 3 March 2005 23:04 (twenty years ago)

"Ten Years Gone" is one of the saddest songs ever. "Do you ever remember me baby--did I do you some good?" And then there's the "on the wings of maybe" part and the "though the course may change sometimes, rivers always reach the sea" part. I'm breaking out in chill flesh just thinking about all the riffs in that song!

― The Prince of Peace, Thursday, 3 March 2005 23:07 (twenty years ago)

I tried to play "The Ocean" on drums a couple weeks ago, the rhythm on that song is very creative (the 4/4-7/4 time switching is one thing but the way of approaching it rythmically is more impressive).

If you ever want calf muscle cramps, try the bassdrumming on the guitar/bassless parts in "Kashmir".

"10 years gone" has some great guitar progressions.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 3 March 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

A couple years ago, I rediscovered sides 3 and 4 of Physical Graffiti (it was the only LZ record I DIDN'T play ad nauseam in high school). Man, that day was like Christmas I tell ya.

― darin (darin), Thursday, 3 March 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

the build-up of 'fool in the rain', where robert plant (waiting in the rain for his girl) gets more and more frantic that he's been ditched, to the point that there's a drum solo indicating the sheer extent of his distress, and the final release when he realizes that shit i've been waiting on the wrong street and she still loves me hurrah! is one of my favorite pop moments ever.

― yaydrian (PUNXSUTAWNEY PENIS), Friday, 4 March 2005 00:17 (twenty years ago)

Well, "D'yer Maker" was great.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 4 March 2005 02:14 (twenty years ago)

Well, they funded £20,000 of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' according the commentary track I'm just listening to, so that's a good thing.

― I.M., Friday, 4 March 2005 02:18 (twenty years ago)

I recently re-discovered "Over The Hills & Far Away"...damn that's a great song.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 March 2005 06:56 (twenty years ago)

*sniff sniff*

no one cares about their folk album, III.

*sniff sniff*

Not that I'm trying to disparage the others...it's not even their best album...but really...no one cares about Led Zeppelin III. And it breaks my heart.

MBV should have covered "carrouselambra"

YES.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Friday, 4 March 2005 07:47 (twenty years ago)

They Sing the Song for My Sweet Satan.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 4 March 2005 07:54 (twenty years ago)

I saw a bumper sticker today. It was a picture of the American flag on a white background, but if you got up close, it said "Bless God, America!" I laughed out loud.

I mean I've seen some good anti-Bush stickers, but that one took the cake from anything I'd seen before.

Sorry, Led Zep was the topic. Excuse me.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Friday, 4 March 2005 08:14 (twenty years ago)

Zeppelin fucking rules.

― Tortelvis, Friday, 4 March 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Zeppelin fucking rules.

― Tortelvis, Wednesday, 9 March 2005 05:04 (twenty years ago)

III is their best album, and 'Since I've Been Loving You' is the best blues rock song of the decade.

― , Wednesday, 9 March 2005 05:56 (twenty years ago)

"Night Flight" and "The Rover". Even "Sick Again". My cassette of Physical Graffiti has followed me through four automobiles and three states.

I dislike "Fool in the Rain" because of the ref's whistle and the kettle drums.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 06:16 (twenty years ago)

"Night Flight", oh god ... "oh mama now I think it's time I'm leaving" *snare* *snare* [band comes in] "nothing here to make me stay"

fuck YES

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 06:49 (twenty years ago)

Hey, Tortelvis is posting here! Ultimate Plan, dude.

― 57 7th (calstars), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

Here's something nice about Zeppelin:

For a period of time, they were the greatest rock band to ever exist.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 19:33 (twenty years ago)

When it comes to Zepplelin, people fall into one of two camps: they either love them or they're liars.

― darin (darin), Wednesday, 9 March 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

The sound Jimmy Page got for John Bonham's drums is a thing of beauty, for the most part. I dunno why In Through The Out Door sounds so murky - it was recorded last, so I always feel that it should sonically be the best, and it's not. But I digress. What a band.

― Deluxe (Damian), Thursday, 10 March 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

Zeppelin fucking rules.

― Tortelvis, Monday, 28 March 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

Ultimate plan, dude.

― 57 7th (calstars), Monday, 28 March 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

I love them, I never listen to them, I don't own any of their albums. But I often visit people to hear them and watch some DVDs of them playing, which I always enjoy (I bring the beers).

My favorite song of theirs is now and has always been "Ramble On." I like "Going to California" too, and in general I admire their folky shit like on the third album. I like "Fool in the Rain." Which one is the cover of the Ben E. King song? That's good. The only things I don't like are their more obvious blues rips, like "Whole Lotta Love" never did much for me. I always used to just not listen to them or think about them, now I think they're great. So one day, I'll have to buy some of their records, I used to own that fourth album.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 28 March 2005 20:39 (twenty years ago)

The absolute best drum sound in the history of pop music EVER!!

― Mr. Snrub, Monday, 28 March 2005 22:43 (twenty years ago)

We're Gonna Groove is the Ben E. King cover of which you write.

How great is Carouselambra? Pretty fucking great, I would say.

― Deluxe (Damian), Tuesday, 29 March 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

- When things are shitty - it sure is good 'get the Led out' - makes everything ok ...

- Who here gets a kick out of Percy answering his own lyric (on a song he always sez he hates) on live boots of 'Stairway to Heaven' - 'Does anyone still remember laughter?' - 'You know they will' - or even ' Does anyone remember ... forests?' - You slay me, you little Hobsteweedle Plant!

- Even the crappy videotape footage on the Zep DVD rules more than all the music DVDs I own ... some of that film footage is just 'Gold' for watching band interaction at the peak of their powers - It usually takes me two beers just to decide which disc to throw in ... don't get me started on picking from CDs or boots ... And I'm not a super-huge Zep fan!

- I love finding out that Page walks into Record stores all over the world and walks out with Zep boots without paying for them 'cause he's so against un-official un-produced by him Zep stuff - that just rules...

- Pagey is on stinking everything in the 60s and 70s - he's this awesome session guitarist that is on so many tracks where the guitar slays - but then there's 'Lucifer Rising' and the Black Crowes stuff - which is well very Pagey....

― BlackIronPrison, Thursday, 30 August 2007 03:48 (eighteen years ago)

They had great technical skills...*END*

― Tape Store, Thursday, 30 August 2007 03:55 (eighteen years ago)

I kinda like the word "led". That's about the most complementary thing I can think of.

― daavid, Thursday, 30 August 2007 05:06 (eighteen years ago)

Even the fact that they did all they did between 1969 and 1979 is some kinda accidental mark of distinctionn/perfection.

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Thursday, 30 August 2007 05:40 (eighteen years ago)

I take back my compliment. Page was able to play the guitar/hit notes/use chords, etc. THERE WE GO

― Tape Store, Thursday, 30 August 2007 05:57 (eighteen years ago)

Zeppelin fucking rules.

― rockapads, Thursday, 30 August 2007 05:58 (eighteen years ago)

Without Led Zeppelin there would have been no 'Second Coming'

― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 30 August 2007 15:29 (eighteen years ago)

they were about as great as a band could ever be.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 30 August 2007 15:45 (eighteen years ago)

- I love finding out that Page walks into Record stores all over the world and walks out with Zep boots without paying for them 'cause he's so against un-official un-produced by him Zep stuff - that just rules...

...Then appears as a witness in court to get a guy jailed for 20 months for selling Led Zep bootlegs

― Herman G. Neuname, Thursday, 30 August 2007 15:47 (eighteen years ago)

"trampled underfoot" provided the climax for one of optimo's best dj sets i've ever seen, at the tribeca grand in new york approx. four years ago

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 30 August 2007 15:48 (eighteen years ago)

the set also included superpitcher and dragostea din tei

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 30 August 2007 15:48 (eighteen years ago)

then appears as a witness in court to get a guy jailed for 20 months

Haha - I heard about this from an eyewitness, who reported back about bewigged court staff disgracing themselves by tripping over each other in the race to get an autograph. The guy also reckoned that the rock 'n roll lifestyle has visibly taken its toll, and there's little left of Pagey these days - just skin & bone.

― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 30 August 2007 16:32 (eighteen years ago)

and flesh composed entirely of congealed gin

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 30 August 2007 16:46 (eighteen years ago)

seven years pass...

began to operate as if their vast, baffling emptiness WAS their core, and that just made them bigger! Yes, emptiness. Zep music is just...THERE. Zep never had anything to say about anything, to anybody

― j., Tuesday, 24 February 2015 19:54 (ten years ago)

lemon-flavored leg juice

― describing a scene in which the Hulk gets a boner (contenderizer), Tuesday, 24 February 2015 20:03 (ten years ago)

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