What are you listening to, right now................
-
I can’t explain my thoughts on Zep without contradicting myself.
For me, as a band, they aren’t even close to the greatest. I’ve listened to all their albums and I can’t think of any time I’ve thought let’s put some Led Zepp on. I can’t say the same for the Stones or even the Beatles. I regularly play a few Stones albums snd frequently play Abbey Road and Sgt Peppers. I’ve got LZ, stones, Ozzy, Fleetwood Mac and now, Macca concerts on my sky box. The only one I’ve never watched in full is LZ …
But yet I know they are the band I want to have existed. My main music genre was basically invented by them. Tool, Metallica, PJ etc would all be very very different without Zepp. Plants voice is epic, Page guitar is one of, if not the best of all time, as well as being one of coolest live guitarists ever.
(People generally wax lyrical about Jones / Bonham here but in my view they’re playing has been surpassed by many).
So yeah. Not for me.
But I don’t know why.
-
@MajorRage said in What are you listening to, right now................:
I can’t explain my thoughts on Zep without contradicting myself.
For me, as a band, they aren’t even close to the greatest. I’ve listened to all their albums and I can’t think of any time I’ve thought let’s put some Led Zepp on. I can’t say the same for the Stones or even the Beatles. I regularly play a few Stones albums snd frequently play Abbey Road and Sgt Peppers. I’ve got LZ, stones, Ozzy, Fleetwood Mac and now, Macca concerts on my sky box. The only one I’ve never watched in full is LZ …
But yet I know they are the band I want to have existed. My main music genre was basically invented by them. Tool, Metallica, PJ etc would all be very very different without Zepp. Plants voice is epic, Page guitar is one of, if not the best of all time, as well as being one of coolest live guitarists ever.
(People generally wax lyrical about Jones / Bonham here but in my view they’re playing has been surpassed by many).
So yeah. Not for me.
But I don’t know why.
About the only thing I agree with here is Bonham, he’s excellent but not the god he is made out to be.
Page was also a bit ‘sloppy’ at times.
I would never be able to sit through a Beatles or Stones album.
I do sort of get what you mean though. I regard Hendrix as the best ever but listen to him very rarely
-
@Kid-Chocolate I've often heard people say that if you only listen to one LZ album it should be "Physical Graffiti" because it showcases everything LZ were.
-
If you are a completist (hands up!) the BBC Sessions 3-cd set released a few years ago from early when Zeppelin were unknowns is excellent. Much of it had been available on bootlegs and trader tapes for decades, but the clean versions are awesome, the acoustic set especially. Zeppelin are not my fave band by any means, but I have over the course of many decades listened to every live recording of the three songs I listed above in an effort to whittle down to the Most Definitive versions, and while I still haven’t solved the riddle, after thousands of plays (again - live audience bootleg-quality audio), I’ve never grown tired of them.
-
Speaking of epic bootleg quality, I was just re-listening to this one today, from imho one of the greatest bootleg vinyl ever released, top drawer for too many reasons
Unreleased song, in any capacity;
Audio quality for an early 70’s boot is excellent;
Lowell George’s priceless introduction about a Sunset Blvd hustler cruising for a hippie chick;
Explodes into hard rock a-la The Mothers, a little like Zep meets Allmans, with soaring tone and sustain, harder than anything LF did in the studio;
Segues into a congaline drum ‘n bass salsa;
Then a short, manic Richie Hayward drum solo;
Reprise and out.13-minute hard rock instrumental, the kind you never hear on a radio.
This is why nutjobs come to record shows. Rock and Roll Heaven!
This from the same bootleg, same ‘73 Santa Monica show, is another never-released original, for all intents this song doesn’t officially exist, in any capacity. But here it is, mining the same source material as Zeppelin and the Stones, and imo stronger than either. Crusing time.
-
Re Plant as a singer. I love him in the studio but I find his vocals cringeworthy live, to the point where I just can't listen to them live. Bowie is the same. Maybe they fuck with the melodies too much for me to enjoy?
-
@Crazy-Horse said in What are you listening to, right now................:
Re Plant as a singer. I love him in the studio but I find his vocals cringeworthy live, to the point where I just can't listen to them live. Bowie is the same. Maybe they fuck with the melodies too much for me to enjoy?
With Plant there was definitely a bit of over the top 70s wank whenever he performed live ( from footage I’ve seen ) but that’s how they rolled back then I guess.
-
Just popping in for an unashamed skite - smashing the Hyde Park BST this year, caught Elton a couple of Friday's ago, man what a performer for his age, made Tom Jones last year look like a pretender. Still got it.
Two days later was back for the Eagles, what a bunch of absolute pros. So clean and just perfect, could almost be listening to the recording. Had Deacon Frey standing in for Glenn, you wouldn't guess if you had your eyes closed (like he and his dad do when singing). Even played "Those Shoes" which apparently is quite rare - my strong fave of theirs so was stoked. Robert Plant played before them. John McEnroe and Patty Smyth came on to play the finale too which was fun.
On to Duran Duran this Sunday!
-
@Bones said in What are you listening to, right now................:
Just popping in for an unashamed skite - smashing the Hyde Park BST this year, caught Elton a couple of Friday's ago, man what a performer for his age, made Tom Jones last year look like a pretender. Still got it.
Two days later was back for the Eagles, what a bunch of absolute pros. So clean and just perfect, could almost be listening to the recording. Had Deacon Frey standing in for Glenn, you wouldn't guess if you had your eyes closed (like he and his dad do when singing). Even played "Those Shoes" which apparently is quite rare - my strong fave of theirs so was stoked. Robert Plant played before them. John McEnroe and Patty Smyth came on to play the finale too which was fun.
On to Duran Duran this Sunday!
What time is Joe Cocker playing ?
-
@dogmeat said in What are you listening to, right now................:
@MN5 Plant has said he wished Zep was known for Kashmir and not Stairway to Heaven. Couldn't agree more.
Definition of shit lyrics right there. Great song though.
-
@MN5 said in What are you listening to, right now................:
Dazed and Confused
Jake Holme's original is way better...
-
@Victor-Meldrew said in What are you listening to, right now................:
@MN5 said in What are you listening to, right now................:
Dazed and Confused
Jake Holme's original is way better...
It’s not bad but Page and the boys made it awesome.
-
@dogmeat said in What are you listening to, right now................:
Movie was such a steaming pile of self-indulgent shit it on its own justified the rise of punk.
That and Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
I'm a big Genesis fan but that album really is a wank-fest.
-
@Victor-Meldrew said in What are you listening to, right now................:
@dogmeat said in What are you listening to, right now................:
Movie was such a steaming pile of self-indulgent shit it on its own justified the rise of punk.
That and Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
I'm a big Genesis fan but that album really is a wank-fest.
It’s a fine line.
I think all the members of Zep having their own symbol was the ultimate height of rock star wank.
-
@MN5 said in What are you listening to, right now................:
@Victor-Meldrew said in What are you listening to, right now................:
@dogmeat said in What are you listening to, right now................:
Movie was such a steaming pile of self-indulgent shit it on its own justified the rise of punk.
That and Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
I'm a big Genesis fan but that album really is a wank-fest.
It’s a fine line.
I think all the members of Zep having their own symbol was the ultimate height of rock star wank.
I read in Mike Rutherford's autobiography that when Genesis took over a recording studio LZ had been recording in, they found all sorts of nasty shit in the bedrooms - including shit. Rutherford and co. suspect there was some sort of black-magic stuff going on.
