The rumours that first began in October 2002 look to be solidifying into something like fact, with increasing confidence that three quarters of the legendary rock outfit will play London’s O2 Arena this November.
Certainly there will be a Zeppelin ‘best of’ compilaton, to be called Mothership, released on November 11. Several ticket-sellers have already begun advertising ticket and accommodation packages for between £250 and £350. Veteran concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith has gone on record to deny that the tickets being sold were for a real event, but tellingly his statement was that ‘some’ of the dates announced were fabrications.
The quintessential hedonistic rock band split in 1980, after the alcohol-related death of drummer John ‘Bonzo’ Bonham. Since then they have played two one-off dates, Live Aid in 1985 with Chic drummer Tony Thompson and Phil Collins sitting in for the much missed Bonzo, and then in 1988, at an Atlantic Records event with Bonham’s son Jason sitting in for his father.
Frontman Robert Plant also united for a project with guitarist, producer, and eminence noir Jimmy Page for a project developing from an MTV Unplugged session, where they revisited a number of Zeppelin classics with a Middle-Eastern orchestra. Reputedly, it was the failure to include bassist and multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones in these sessions that caused the rift that is considered to have been the main obstacle to the band’s reformation.
NME.com reports a conversation with Robert Plant this week in which the still golden-haired rock god describes a successful meeting between the three surviving band members, with Jason Bonham looking set to appear again on the drumstool. Full conformation is still forthcoming, but it looks increasingly certain that the most eagerly-awaited revival of any band short of the Beatles is finally going to happen this year.
Led Zeppelin, the greatest band in history?
Moderators: StevieG, dANdeLION, lucimay
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Damelon
- Lord
- Posts: 8598
- Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 10:40 pm
- Location: Illinois
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 5 times
Looks like a reunion is in the works:
Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.
Sam Rayburn
I don't know how I feel about this. Jimmy Page will be 64 this January, Bobby P. is 59, and Jonesey's 61. These guys are old. 10 years ago, the Page/Plant tour was pretty good (OK, it was great), but I think now.....I dunno, I'm really skeptical.
They left on top, I kinda feel like they should leave it lie.
They left on top, I kinda feel like they should leave it lie.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
I came to Led Zep very, very late. Less than 10 years ago, I think. My first introduction to them was via the Song Remains The Same concert documentary that I happened to catch on TV. I liked what I heard; so I looked around and found a used copy of In Through The Out Door. It absolutely hooked me. Led Zep's greatness was apparent to me right then and there. Their sound was just a wonder to behold. I eventually listened to all their studio albums, but I'm not the kind who bothers to hunt down every bootleg live recording, so that aspect of Zep is unknown to me.
The first 3 albums were okay, but for me, the real magic of Led Zep lay in ZOSO and all that came after.
I also read Stairway to Heaven, the "tell-all" book by Richard Cole, the band's tour manager. Maybe this is the best way I can sum up my thoughts: Led Zep is a classic example what I love about rock 'n' roll music, and at the same time what I detest about the rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
A search on Amazon shows that a fair number of other books have since been written about Led Zep. Maybe someday I'll get to some of those. Cole's book is a good, sleazy read if you want to get up close and personal with the wasted side of the band, but a more objective assessment of Led Zep would be nice.
The first 3 albums were okay, but for me, the real magic of Led Zep lay in ZOSO and all that came after.
I also read Stairway to Heaven, the "tell-all" book by Richard Cole, the band's tour manager. Maybe this is the best way I can sum up my thoughts: Led Zep is a classic example what I love about rock 'n' roll music, and at the same time what I detest about the rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
A search on Amazon shows that a fair number of other books have since been written about Led Zep. Maybe someday I'll get to some of those. Cole's book is a good, sleazy read if you want to get up close and personal with the wasted side of the band, but a more objective assessment of Led Zep would be nice.
Agreed!! Some of the tracks on the early albums have the magic (Thank You, What Is and What Should Never Be, That's the Way) but IMHO most of their best stuff is on Zoso, Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti, and Presence. (edit - oops! I called Houses "The Song Remains the Same"Matrixman wrote:The first 3 albums were okay, but for me, the real magic of Led Zep lay in ZOSO and all that came after.
)DVD and How the West Were Won made most of my bootlegs meaningless
Now comes this from their website (actually was posted about 6 wks ago):
The long awaited remastered edition of the Song Remains the Same follows and features bonus material.
"We have revisited 'The Song Remains The Same'," says Jimmy Page, "and can now offer the complete set as played at Madison Square Garden. This differs substantially from the original soundtrack released in 1976, and highlights the technical prowess of Kevin Shirley, who worked with us on 'How The West Was Won'. When it comes to 'The Song Remains The Same', the expansion of the DVD and soundtrack are as good as it gets on the Led Zeppelin wish list."
"History is a myth men have agreed upon." - Napoleon
Physical Graffiti and Presence are (to me) the true genius of what Zeppelin was.
It'll be interesting to see what they do with TSRtS. DVD is awesome, so it shouldn't disappoint.
It'll be interesting to see what they do with TSRtS. DVD is awesome, so it shouldn't disappoint.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
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Mortice Root
- Bloodguard
- Posts: 980
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:05 am
- Location: Wisconsin
Cail, I absolutely agree with you. Presence and Physical Graffiti are incredible. It's really the sound of a group perfecting what they do. And there are so many different styles of music (esp on Phys. Graf.)! Just perfect.
I would also include In Through The Out Door with my favorites, though. That album always really sounded like they were pushing themselves to find new strengths. Such a different sound. It really seemed like a big transformation was starting, and it would have been incredible to see where it would have taken them.
I would also include In Through The Out Door with my favorites, though. That album always really sounded like they were pushing themselves to find new strengths. Such a different sound. It really seemed like a big transformation was starting, and it would have been incredible to see where it would have taken them.
ITtOD has some brilliant stuff. I particularly like "Carouselambra", as it really hits at what the band may have sounded like had they continued on.
Page wasn't very fond of the album, but he was riding the hose pretty hard during the sessions, so his input was considerably less than it was on the prior albums.
Page wasn't very fond of the album, but he was riding the hose pretty hard during the sessions, so his input was considerably less than it was on the prior albums.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
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A Gunslinger
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 8890
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 6:48 pm
- Location: Southern WI (Madison area)
I never liked ITTOD that much, but I agree about Carouselambra.
When I was in college, I had a field studies course out in the eastern California desert. I used to crank Physical Graffiti on my walkman just about every day...
It looks like "How could you forget..." is winning the poll handily.
When I was in college, I had a field studies course out in the eastern California desert. I used to crank Physical Graffiti on my walkman just about every day...
It looks like "How could you forget..." is winning the poll handily.
"History is a myth men have agreed upon." - Napoleon
Doggone it, WF, we agree on something so completely that I can't stand it!Wayfriend wrote:There's a couple real crappy songs on No Quarter. That's Page and Plant, not Zeppelin, so it may not count.Cail wrote:Like I said, there ain't a bad one.
I've got two 20+ minute versions of Dazed and Confused on my ipod. Makes me a fan I say.
Oh, the greatest Zeppelin song of all time is "Since I've Been Loving You (I'm About to Lose My Worried Mind)". So I can't vote. Loved that song since I heard it in the Song Remains the Same (the movie).
I open my front door, hear my back door slam!
I have always favored the LZ blues tracks, but "Since I've Been Loving You" is definitely the culmination of that You Shook Me / I Can't Quit You Baby / Lemon Song / When The Levee Breaks / In My Time Of Dying / Tea For One progression. They took electric blues to the limit. Thow in "Travelling Riverside Blues" for good measure and you could just about make an album out of it. I totally love the quiet stanzas in "Lemon Song" as well... JPJ was absolutely working that Bass...
I think we should also recall the Zep 'ballads / power ballads':
The Rain Song
Thank You
Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You
Going To California
Tangerine
Stairway To Heaven
Ten Years Gone
All My Love
Ramble On
That's The Way
Down By The Seaside
Good stuff!
The Rain Song
Thank You
Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You
Going To California
Tangerine
Stairway To Heaven
Ten Years Gone
All My Love
Ramble On
That's The Way
Down By The Seaside
Good stuff!
I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify our precious bodily fluids. ~Gen. Jack D. Ripper
I didn't care for the "No Quarter" thing, but I'm not a fan of anyone's unplugged stuff.
I used to really love their bluesier stuff, but I find that I'm more drawn to the really densely produced songs on "Presence". I simply can't overplay them.
The version of "I Can't Quit You Babe" on "Coda" is jaw-dropping, and speaking of "Coda", I just love the groove in "Walter's Walk".
I used to really love their bluesier stuff, but I find that I'm more drawn to the really densely produced songs on "Presence". I simply can't overplay them.
The version of "I Can't Quit You Babe" on "Coda" is jaw-dropping, and speaking of "Coda", I just love the groove in "Walter's Walk".
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
The album really gets slagged, but I think it's got some real gems on it.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
i've probably already said this but i remember the first time i heard Zep.
i had transferred out of my proper high school district. i knew no one at my high school ( i had gone to a different middle school) and about halfway through 10th grade, a friend from my middle school moved into the district and on her first day at my high school she invited me to her house after school. rather, she INSISTED that i HAD to come home with her and hear this new album that she'd bought the night before.
it was, she said, the greatest rock and roll album by the greatest rock and roll band that ever lived!
when we got to her house, she threw her books down on the couch, went directly to the turntable and put on
it has been my favorite ever since. it may, to others, not be their best work (my husband is much more fond of Zep III, for instance), but Bonham just kicks rock and roll BUTT on this album.
i had transferred out of my proper high school district. i knew no one at my high school ( i had gone to a different middle school) and about halfway through 10th grade, a friend from my middle school moved into the district and on her first day at my high school she invited me to her house after school. rather, she INSISTED that i HAD to come home with her and hear this new album that she'd bought the night before.
it was, she said, the greatest rock and roll album by the greatest rock and roll band that ever lived!
when we got to her house, she threw her books down on the couch, went directly to the turntable and put on
it has been my favorite ever since. it may, to others, not be their best work (my husband is much more fond of Zep III, for instance), but Bonham just kicks rock and roll BUTT on this album.
you're more advanced than a cockroach,
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
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Mortice Root
- Bloodguard
- Posts: 980
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:05 am
- Location: Wisconsin
Lucimay, I agree. Bonham was an amazing drummer. When I started listening to Zep, I was primarily drawn to the guitars (having played some myself). Later it was the songwriting as a whole. But recently the thing I focus on most are the drums. Bonham's ability to lay down one heck of a groove was phenomanal.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is such a heavy song.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
Good story, Luci! (That's the first time I've heard it)
I completely agree with you about Bonham on Houses. His drumming really stood out on that album for me, too. To my (admittedly inexpert) ears, Bonham's drums never sounded crisper than on Houses.
Ok, Luci, just to humiliate myself for your benefit, I dug out from my decaying notebooks a blathering "review" of Houses that I wrote in the, uh, white heat of inspiration after hearing the album:
"Listening to this, only my fourth Led Zep CD, I can easily understand now why the band inspired - and continues to inspire - so much intense loyalty. Houses doesn't scale the immense heights of ZOSO, but it still has the similar effect of leaving you shaking your head in astonishment or awe, in your euphoria adamantly convinced that no other rock band could have touched what Zeppelin just did in those 40 or so minutes of music. To my ears, what they play is pure, "primordial" rock and roll: a densely powerful, epic sound simply not possessed by any other band I've heard (so far).
Even in their lighter numbers there's an unmistakable weightiness to the sound, but the remarkable thing is that it all sounds so completely natural and coherent. No matter how ambitious, their music never just plods along, it unfolds with the clarity of a finely spun story. Also, Zep is never merely dense: the band plays with great sensitivity and imagination, skillfully balancing power and subtlety to achieve a sound that is somehow monolithic and fluid, grand yet intimate. I say it's a "primordial" sound because Zep songs tend to rumble along like some prehistoric beast crashing through the forest, obliterating everything in its path. I mean that as a compliment - when Zep gets rolling, it's impressive to behold. But again, the musicianship makes the difference: this thundering beast has time to stop and smell the roses, maybe even philosophize a little...before stomping the roses underfoot.
Houses of the Holy has plenty of that power and subtlety I keep babbling about. The Song Remains The Same and The Rain Song are beautifully constructed pieces that ebb and flow like fine symphonic statements. Over The Hills and Far Away is the album's tersest, "catchiest" tune; it seems brief, anyway, compared to the two opening epics, but I don't think it's inferior. The Crunge is an amusing track, with Robert Plant posing the immortal question: "Where's that confounded bridge?" The way he says that line to end the song, sounding baffled and annoyed like a man who's lost his patience, can't help but make me smile. As for Dancing Days, I couldn't help smiling for a different reason: it sounds suspiciously like the blueprint for many a bad KISS song (isn't that redundant?). Well, now I know where KISS (and countless other "glam metal" bands, I presume) stole their sound from. The third epic, No Quarter, is another handsome piece, but I didn't find it as inspiring as the two openers. Maybe it's a tad too mannered. The Ocean ends the album nicely enough, with John Bonham's rapid-fire drums. On the whole, an immensely enjoyable musical ride."
Yep, that's my Pretentious Music Critic shtick. Do I know how to throw in hyperbole or what?
All right, back to our regularly scheduled Led Zep programming...
I completely agree with you about Bonham on Houses. His drumming really stood out on that album for me, too. To my (admittedly inexpert) ears, Bonham's drums never sounded crisper than on Houses.
Ok, Luci, just to humiliate myself for your benefit, I dug out from my decaying notebooks a blathering "review" of Houses that I wrote in the, uh, white heat of inspiration after hearing the album:
"Listening to this, only my fourth Led Zep CD, I can easily understand now why the band inspired - and continues to inspire - so much intense loyalty. Houses doesn't scale the immense heights of ZOSO, but it still has the similar effect of leaving you shaking your head in astonishment or awe, in your euphoria adamantly convinced that no other rock band could have touched what Zeppelin just did in those 40 or so minutes of music. To my ears, what they play is pure, "primordial" rock and roll: a densely powerful, epic sound simply not possessed by any other band I've heard (so far).
Even in their lighter numbers there's an unmistakable weightiness to the sound, but the remarkable thing is that it all sounds so completely natural and coherent. No matter how ambitious, their music never just plods along, it unfolds with the clarity of a finely spun story. Also, Zep is never merely dense: the band plays with great sensitivity and imagination, skillfully balancing power and subtlety to achieve a sound that is somehow monolithic and fluid, grand yet intimate. I say it's a "primordial" sound because Zep songs tend to rumble along like some prehistoric beast crashing through the forest, obliterating everything in its path. I mean that as a compliment - when Zep gets rolling, it's impressive to behold. But again, the musicianship makes the difference: this thundering beast has time to stop and smell the roses, maybe even philosophize a little...before stomping the roses underfoot.
Houses of the Holy has plenty of that power and subtlety I keep babbling about. The Song Remains The Same and The Rain Song are beautifully constructed pieces that ebb and flow like fine symphonic statements. Over The Hills and Far Away is the album's tersest, "catchiest" tune; it seems brief, anyway, compared to the two opening epics, but I don't think it's inferior. The Crunge is an amusing track, with Robert Plant posing the immortal question: "Where's that confounded bridge?" The way he says that line to end the song, sounding baffled and annoyed like a man who's lost his patience, can't help but make me smile. As for Dancing Days, I couldn't help smiling for a different reason: it sounds suspiciously like the blueprint for many a bad KISS song (isn't that redundant?). Well, now I know where KISS (and countless other "glam metal" bands, I presume) stole their sound from. The third epic, No Quarter, is another handsome piece, but I didn't find it as inspiring as the two openers. Maybe it's a tad too mannered. The Ocean ends the album nicely enough, with John Bonham's rapid-fire drums. On the whole, an immensely enjoyable musical ride."
Yep, that's my Pretentious Music Critic shtick. Do I know how to throw in hyperbole or what?
All right, back to our regularly scheduled Led Zep programming...