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Topic: Led Zep reunion - The real deal? |
Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 12:44 am |
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| I'm old enough to have hung out at coffee houses and sat at the feet of the old blues masters like Muddy Waters,Rev Gary Davis,John Lee Hooker,Howlin' Wolf,Freddy King,etc. not to mention having seen and hung out with Jimi Hendrix,Jeff Beck,Duane Allman,Lonnie Mack,etc,etc. I heard the original "Squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg" sung by the author in a bar - and to me,Led Zep were - and probably still are a derivitive,2nd rate version of all that went before - replete with a hysterical,gay sounding singer and a montonous garden variety blues/rock guitar player (good rock rhythm section tho).Very little real roots or balls whatsoever IMHO. 2 members of my band (www.sacredcowboys.com) just spent huge money,called in some big time favors to procure tickets and fly to London for tonight's Zep gig. I just don't get it and of course,they don't get me(they're 45 and I'm 60). I wouldn't drive down the street to see Led Zep - in 1969 or now.What gives? Am I just ...old? |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 2:25 am
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Well Michael, if I was sitting in your car with you, I wouldn't want you to drive down the street to see them either ! I was never a big overall fan of theres ever..so I guess that today, several decades later, I'm still not a fan...There were a few Jimmy P moments that I liked but thats it. I spent more time listening to Johnny Winter during that period..is he still alive ?
tp |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 3:11 am
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When I was a kid growing up, we were listening to Yes, Mahavishnu, Hendrix, the Allman Brothers - Zeppelin was a pop band, marginally less pimpy than Aerosmith and two whole notches up from Kiss.  It's only later with much more perspective that I can see how hugely influential they were - if you took away Joe Perry's and Slash's Jimmy Page licks, they'd have nothing.
There was a time from the mid-80's till the late 90's where everything on the rock radio sounded like Zeppelin, and everything on the "country" radio was Allmanesque dual-leads & slide guitar - the Hendrix influence was nowhere to be be found. I can personally die happy if I never hear another minor pentatonic unison bass/guitar "song" again - Whole Lotta of Sunshine of Your Spanish Castle Gadda-da-Vida, baby - but wanking wouldn't be what it is today without 'em. |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 4:22 am
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Mayby you three would be interested in something a little more tame? How about some Barry Manilow tickets?  |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 4:38 am
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Does Manilow have a Steel player ? Or is Jimmy Page now playing with him ?
IF so, send the tix's  |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 5:40 am
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I find some of Zeppelin's later stuff a little flaky ("All of My Love", etc.), but Led Zeppelin II is a masterpiece of both performance and sound engineering. I love Jimmy Page's guitar playing and tone on that album. It was full of spunk and energy. And Bonham is just off the rails. Say what you want about Zeppelin, you can't knock II. Nothing recorded in '69 sounds as fresh and crisp as that album.
Would I go out of my way to see them now? No. But in '69 I would have made the trip if given the opportunity....and if I had been born yet.
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 6:42 am
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I saw Zep at the Filmore East in '69, Just a month before the first album was released in the States.
We went because it was Page's new band, and we were Yardbird fans.
I liked them. They led me to discover the older blues greats. Without Zep, the Yardbirds, and Cream, I might not have discovered those treasures.
FWIW, Zep was second on the bill. The headliner was IRON BUTTERFLY.
That said,
I wouldn't pay big bucks to see ANYONE, especially in a stadium.
Johnny Winter is still alive, and touring. He performed at a club in my town last November. He is recovering from major money problems (crooked former manager), and substance abuse issues. He says he's now clean and well, but the guy always looked frail to me. |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 8:21 am
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| Joey, I saw them at the Fillmore in 69 also but the opening act was Delaney And Bonnie. They were amazing, but I agree I wouldn't pay big bucks to see anyone. |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 8:58 am
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| Another vote for Mike. Never a fan .... |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 9:20 am
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 Steinar--I went to that link but it was just some old dudes doing a Zep cover.
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Dave Van Allen
From:
Souderton, PA , US , Earth
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 9:42 am
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| Quote: |
| I went to that link but it was just some old dudes doing a Zep cover. |
ha...you so funny...  |
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Marc Jenkins
From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 9:48 am
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The first two albums are incredible.
The live version of 'The Ocean' on How The West Was Won has some of the most terrifyingly sick drum grooves EVER. John Bonham was a juggernaut.
I would NOT have paid anything to see them now, however. Most of the live stuff I've heard has been sloppy and overly self-indulgent. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 9:56 am
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I think the first Zeppelin record really had a different sound, at the time. Like it or not, they had something. For me, it was the rhythm section.
Like Chris, I think Zep II stands as one of the great rock records ever made. It's hard rock not blues - blues references notwithstanding. If you look at this as blues, of course it pales in comparison to the real masters. But I don't think that's a fair comparison.
I was and am very much less enamored with their appropriation of old music without proper credit to the original sources, especially the blues masters.
After Zep II, the whole thing took on a life of its own. Way too much drama, not enough real musical interest for me. But that is the story of the progression of hard rock during the 70s.
I was supposed to see Zeppelin at its prime at the aborted "Eagle Rock Festival" at BC Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass in 1970. But the local neighborhood association put the kibosh on that.
I wouldn't go two feet out of my way to see them in an arena now. Frankly, I got sick to death hearing the same 100-200 classic rock songs on classic rock radio stations decades ago.
But I'm glad Zep is still around. Frankly, it gives my kid's generation something besides rap, death-metal, and alt-rock to listen to that has enough youthful testosterone to cut it among that crowd. A lot of older classic rock at least has roots in more interesting things, and I think kids often need a bridge to the past. I'm not sure it's realistic to expect middle class kids in 2007 to get their brain wrapped around Wolf, Muddy, the Rev, Hooker, the Kings, Otis Rush, or Magic Sam without some kind of intermediary. It took that in 1969 for a lot of people, and I think that's even more true now. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 10:08 am
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Met them once here in Atlanta. Bonham was stinking drunk.
Good to see them together sans the original Bonham. The clip sounded great. Great reviews too. |
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Jim Hankins
From:
Yuba City, California, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 10:38 am
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| I agree with Tony, never big on Zep, but Winter was a huge influence. He performed at the recent Clapton Guitar fest and was very frail, and had to play sitting down. |
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Stephen Silver
From:
Asheville, NC
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 11:52 am
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Well, I guess I am just one of a few here, LZ was great in the day, and the first albums still live on in my mega CD changer. My wife and I are serious concert goers, and yea, we'll pay the bucks to see those that we enjoy. The U2 Vertigo Tour, Springsteen anytime, saw the Police this past summer and Petty. All really great shows.............
And if LZ tours we'll definately go see them as well if for no other reason that it takes me back to a place in time when life was a bit more relaxed and carefree. Nostaligia is a good thing in my book, taken in context.
Kathleen and I were guessing what ticket prices might be....a zillion dollars (hat tip on Hyperbole to Mr. Hankey the Xmas Poo)
BTB, Bonham and Jones were one of the best rhythm sections in rock. Black Dog ranks as one of the weirdest time signature pieces on record
SS
_________________
Life is mostly Attitude and Timing |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Andy Greatrix
From:
Edmonton Alberta
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 12:57 pm
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| My favourite Led Zeppelin tune was "Livin' Lovin' Maid", which had a fun mix, nice tones and lots of energy. |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 1:41 pm
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| It's not about tame - it's about lame. I really like 60s blues-rock and that's kinda what they do,they just don't do it very well.Like I said,good rhythm section,so-so tunes,annoying over-the-top screaming singer and sloppy guitar picker.Even when I was 21 and really into all that and a pretty fair blues-rock guitarist myself,I still much preferred the Jeff Beck Group,Cream,Hendrix,The Animals & Mountain. I opened for the Yardbirds twice - once with Beck in 1966 and later in 69 with Page which was probably their last tour and they were doing all the tunes off the first Zep album like Dazed and Confused etc. I hung out with Page before the gig and at the after party and he was pretty cool.He played pretty focused that night but of course Beck was in a different class and could always play rings around him.Now if Zep had consisted of Bonham,Jones,Jeff Beck and somebody like Paul Rogers,they would have had something to write home about. |
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Tim Harr
From:
Dunlap, Illinois
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 2:01 pm
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Jason Bonham sounded AMAZING on drums.....
Very cool! |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 2:32 pm
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Yep, they suck.
Sure hope they tour and hit Hawaii, again.
Stairway To So What www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G_JTMuHOQk Bloody awful!
Hope this guy puts up some Kashmir or Since I've Been Loving You soon
The set list looked impressive;
Good Times, Bad Times
Ramble On
Black Dog
In My Time Of Dying
For Your Life (?)
Trampled Underfoot
Nobody's Fault But Mine
No Quarter
Since I've Been Loving You
Dazed And Confused
Stairway To Heaven
The Song Remains The Same
Misty Mountain Hop
Kashmir
Encore;
Whole Lotta Love
Rock & Roll
Last edited by Ron Whitfield on 11 Dec 2007 4:23 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 4:12 pm
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I never hung with any of them big names but I would like to see them anyway,we don't get much live music up here.
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Joe Butcher
From:
Dallas,Texas, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2007 4:29 pm Re: Led Zep reunion - The real deal?
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| Michael Johnstone wrote: |
| gay sounding singer |
Maybe THATS why I like them so much!!!
Gayness is awesome. |
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