You know, back when I was in high school, Led Zeppelin was pretty big. I graduated from High School in 1971.
Led Zeppelin was still big for the first two years I was in college. I liked their stuff.
However, it is now 2004. They have nothing cool or new to offer these days - are they still playing? I changed careers several times in the intervening years - perhaps they should consider doing so also.
I don't get the people that don't get the glory that was the greatest rock and roll band ever. They combined blues, hard-driving rock, and phenomenal guitar riffs, but the band can be summed up in one word - Bonzo!
I'm with you Dean - in their time, they were anywhere from OK to pretty good. Depended on which song they were playing and what 'mood' I was in (if you know what I mean). I've long since left that, graduated to jazz and many other forms of music. I don't have 'moods' altering what I see and hear anymore (not for a long, long time). I like to go forward in my life, not continue to roll around in the past.
To me, it's that they sound different than everyone else. Rarely has a band been so admired that didn't have direct imitators. You never hear a song and think it's Led Zeppelin for a moment. and it turns out to be someone else. They're kind of off to the side of everyone else in developing their own style.
But that's not really it. There's an element of irreplaceability. If there never was a Led Zeppelin, there never would be a Led Zeppelin.
I didn't like them at all, with the exception of Stairway to Heaven, until I got older. I became less mellow with age, instead of more, though I still love my mellow stuff.
I dunno. A lot of it is probably crap, and I don't listen to most of it, but there's something exuberantly bold and loud about some of it, and there's something cool about the lyrics to some of it, even when they don't seem to make much sense or dwll on fantasy rather than the rational.
Of course, it ought to be exuberant and bold; Plant, at least, was just a kid in their heyday.
I like Led Zeppelin because when I listen to Rock 'N Roll I want to air drum and air guitar at the same time while mimicing Plant's howl. It takes something special to get a rather demure North Dakota boy like myself to do something like that.
I will admit that some of their stuff is an acquired taste, however. It took me a long time before I learned to like Kashmir. But there music is so deep. It has so many levels, and I'm not just talking lyrically. Just close your eyes and listen to one of their songs once and hear all the different sounds that go into it.
As for them not doing much these days, I think its because they stopped trying after John Bonham died. Led Zeppelin was very much a sum of its parts. Each many was very talented in their own way but the spark has only ever been there when they've all been together.
"Black Mountain Side," acoustic raga rock from 1st album, was great (alternate-tuned acoustic gt., DADGAD I believe). Also fine from the debut: "Communication Breakdown," "I Can't Quit You Baby," and "Dazed and Confused." Overall, R. Plant's wail and the band's mojo had a big, big smack.
From 2nd: "Lemon Song," amd esp., "Ramble On."
Most of the 3rd, acoustic album was excellent. "Houses of The Holy," too. After that, fuggedabouditt.
Pre-Zep, the Yardbirds, w/ future LedZep guitarist Jimmy Page, were crucial in shaping sonic contours of rock guitar, esp. as E. Clapton and Jeff Beck were in the group, too.
For a ripping good time, check out Dread Zeppelin, a late 80s/early 90s parody group that rocks, combining Led Zep and Elvis covers together, with a reggae overlay.
Oh, er, and they didn't just stop trying after Bonham died, they broke up completely. Although Page and Plant have gotten together to do some stuff in recent years.
I find I like Led Zepplin better that I did as a kid....but, of course, the greatest pure rock n roll band of all time was The Who...while Rush are the veritible gods of rock.
Oddly enough Dean I was the other way round. In prep school I could not see what everyone was on about...then sometime at uni I heard Kashmir and suddenly everything changed. Not everything they did was brilliant, "Stairway..." was and still is, a massive pile of poo. I still have Zep moods where I slap there stuff and enjoy. Course I have Maiden and Rush moods as well.
although it is against my nature to say this some things just can't be answered. They were jusy brilliant. They survive out of context, i'm 21 and i love them.
Well Dean, you know I'm about as musical as a fencepost (though *cough* Jay *cough* not quite enough of a fencepost that I mind it if music, of all things, dwells "on fantasy rather than the rational" :-) but I generally enjoy listening to Led Zeppelin— takes me back to the days of my youth.
In fact going back not quite that far, I remember one of those brief periods when I was living in Madison, circa 1992, and every evening at 9:00 PM on WIBA-FM 101.5 (surely Arnold knows of the station, even if it's not his cup of tea) they'd have a segment called "Get the Led Out." Yeah, I'd tune in to listen whenever I could. Then again, I'm old enough that I remember Kaleidoscope, Free for All, and Radio Free Madison— which in terms of local Madison culture certainly dates me.
"You know, I never liked Led Zeppelin until I was in my late 20s. Go figure."
Weird. Me too. And only in the last couple months too. I've seen pictures of the lead singer with that sheep dog hairdo and he's pretty yucky. Anyway, I like their music because it has a vitality and dynamism sorely lacking from today's rock. And as a female, it's masculine without being macho. And this is very very attractive. To me at least.
John Bonham was the reason I started playing drums. As the above poster stated, there was no Zeppelin after his death.
Now, as to what made them great:
Diversity: A lot of today's music sounds very monochromatic because the groups or artists that make it only listen one group or subgenre.
Zeppelin had four very different members who listened to and played a variety of styles. Page &Jones were busy session musicians in the mid to late 60's. It was their JOB to come up with parts for a wide variety of artists and styles. How many hard rock bands would even attempt funk of The Crunge, the acoustic balladry of That's the Way? Zep NEVER followed a hit with a carbon copy. After "Whole Lotta Love" came The Third album. After Four and "Stairway" came Houses of Holy, which sounded nothing like the previous album.
Duende: This is a lightness, a swing and a sense of humor. Even when they were wailing at their biggest, you never got the sense they were trying to hard — you never heard them sweat.
Oh, er, and they didn't just stop trying after Bonham died, they broke up completely.
Right, that's what I meant by "stopped trying." They didn't break up like bands usually do for reasons like infighting, etc. They broke up because Zeppelin wasn't Zeppelin without Bonzo.
I was a Queen girl, myself. In my crowd, Zeppelin was associated with the kids who smoked both before and after school, and were wasted pretty much 100% of the time. And it was easy to disdain "Stairway to Heaven," especially, because it was so over-played on the radio.
In retrospect, they were amazing, and the range of styles they used was extraordinary. I love listening to them now.
But they'll never take the place pre-News of the World Queen has in my heart. First love, you know.
Led zeppelin, when it gets down to it, invented or at least were partially the roots of many different types of rock. Their sexy rocky blues of taveling riverside blues , their epic acoustic babe im gonna leave you, their wild dazed and confused, and their epic stairway to heaven.they are definitley my favorite band to listen to and watch on the led zeppelin dvd, and song remains the same movie. THEY ARE AMAZING. im only 14, but i wish they were back now so i could go to a concert. Im kinda alone in my interest at school with them, but htey are just gods. I discovered led zeppelin when i was 9 and i immediately starting taking guitar lessons. ive now been playing for 5 years and try and learn as much zeppelin as i can and its pretty awesome. but i also write my own stuff.Led Zeppelin were very long lasting and are still being loved aroudn the world.id have to say im one of those crazed fans where i know every single song and every single word and know tons of random trivia about the band. The fact is, it is indeed an aquired taste, but you cant rat on them for that. thats how music should be.
many grown up sthink im a druggy or something cuase i listen to led zeppel,in, pink floyd, etc. but im not, im totally against drugs,but the thiing is people also say "well your to young to appreciate that music"
well screw you man, dont be so prejudice. i dont car ethough, its my love of music.
Tyee-haahm
Led Zeppelin was still big for the first two years I was in college. I liked their stuff.
However, it is now 2004. They have nothing cool or new to offer these days - are they still playing? I changed careers several times in the intervening years - perhaps they should consider doing so also.
But that's not really it. There's an element of irreplaceability. If there never was a Led Zeppelin, there never would be a Led Zeppelin.
Never mind...I don't know what I'm talking about.
I dunno. A lot of it is probably crap, and I don't listen to most of it, but there's something exuberantly bold and loud about some of it, and there's something cool about the lyrics to some of it, even when they don't seem to make much sense or dwll on fantasy rather than the rational.
Of course, it ought to be exuberant and bold; Plant, at least, was just a kid in their heyday.
I will admit that some of their stuff is an acquired taste, however. It took me a long time before I learned to like Kashmir. But there music is so deep. It has so many levels, and I'm not just talking lyrically. Just close your eyes and listen to one of their songs once and hear all the different sounds that go into it.
As for them not doing much these days, I think its because they stopped trying after John Bonham died. Led Zeppelin was very much a sum of its parts. Each many was very talented in their own way but the spark has only ever been there when they've all been together.
From 2nd: "Lemon Song," amd esp., "Ramble On."
Most of the 3rd, acoustic album was excellent. "Houses of The Holy," too. After that, fuggedabouditt.
Pre-Zep, the Yardbirds, w/ future LedZep guitarist Jimmy Page, were crucial in shaping sonic contours of rock guitar, esp. as E. Clapton and Jeff Beck were in the group, too.
For a ripping good time, check out Dread Zeppelin, a late 80s/early 90s parody group that rocks, combining Led Zep and Elvis covers together, with a reggae overlay.
Their lyrics were mostly dumb of course. But that's okay. Their stuff is viscerally satisfying in a hard-to-beat way.
Period.
Zep doesn't go without Bonzo.
Cut Keith Moon out of the Who.
Whaddya got?
A little less than Zep.
In fact going back not quite that far, I remember one of those brief periods when I was living in Madison, circa 1992, and every evening at
Was that when you were told what it means to be a man?
Heh.
Weird. Me too. And only in the last couple months too. I've seen pictures of the lead singer with that sheep dog hairdo and he's pretty yucky. Anyway, I like their music because it has a vitality and dynamism sorely lacking from today's rock. And as a female, it's masculine without being macho. And this is very very attractive. To me at least.
Now, as to what made them great:
Diversity: A lot of today's music sounds very monochromatic because the groups or artists that make it only listen one group or subgenre.
Zeppelin had four very different members who listened to and played a variety of styles. Page &Jones were busy session musicians in the mid to late 60's. It was their JOB to come up with parts for a wide variety of artists and styles. How many hard rock bands would even attempt funk of The Crunge, the acoustic balladry of That's the Way? Zep NEVER followed a hit with a carbon copy. After "Whole Lotta Love" came The Third album. After Four and "Stairway" came Houses of Holy, which sounded nothing like the previous album.
Duende: This is a lightness, a swing and a sense of humor. Even when they were wailing at their biggest, you never got the sense they were trying to hard — you never heard them sweat.
Right, that's what I meant by "stopped trying." They didn't break up like bands usually do for reasons like infighting, etc. They broke up because Zeppelin wasn't Zeppelin without Bonzo.
In retrospect, they were amazing, and the range of styles they used was extraordinary. I love listening to them now.
But they'll never take the place pre-News of the World Queen has in my heart. First love, you know.
many grown up sthink im a druggy or something cuase i listen to led zeppel,in, pink floyd, etc. but im not, im totally against drugs,but the thiing is people also say "well your to young to appreciate that music"
well screw you man, dont be so prejudice. i dont car ethough, its my love of music.
comment.