An interesting thing about Zep that’s sometimes forgotten: they were an extremely polarizing band at first. Most people loved them or hated them. Critics and many established musicians hated them. I think they found Zep’s maximalist blues riffs too heavy, cheap, and obvious. For similar reasons, the same people tended to hate Black Sabbath, who emerged not long after. But what’s wrong with a cheap thrill?
I was ambivalent the first time I heard them (“Whole Lotta Love”). I liked the main riff, but Robert Plant sounded to me like Curly from The Three Stooges. Then someone gave me LZII for X-mas ‘69. After I played it a few times I got used to his singing and became a fan. I saw them live a few months later and was impressed. They played like gods, although I’ll admit to getting bored with some of the extended songs. That was a trend that continued for me. I’ve never been able to like “Stairway” or their other attempts being “serious.” Just give me the three-minute smash-ups.
Some trace the birth of punk to Page’s down-strumming on “Communication Breakdown.” That has some truth, but there are many other sources. I think it points to what was great about early Zep: there was an aggressiveness and attitude similar to 50’s rockabilly (which they were students of) and early British invasion. Hippiedom had mellowed things out, and Zep along with the Stooges, Sabbath, Alice Cooper, began nailing that trend’s coffin. Zep sort of kept one foot in hippiedom, but they were also instrumental in killing it.
Another source of Zep hating was their liberal “borrowing.” It’s true, but I don’t know why anyone cares. Everyone does it, and LZ often improved what they stole. Back in the 70’s, Eric Clapton would often call them out for stealing from bluesmen, but he was one to talk. A few weeks ago I was playing some of the old Stax singles box set, and this came on. The solo sounded to me exactly like Clapton’s solo on “Strange Brew,” and it is.
Oh hell yes. Title implies the doc will focus on their first few years when they were at their best, especially as a live band.
*takes an edible, watches above documentary with Dark Side of the Moon playing on headphones*
“Len Zeflin is great!”
I’m in!
An interesting thing about Zep that’s sometimes forgotten: they were an extremely polarizing band at first. Most people loved them or hated them. Critics and many established musicians hated them. I think they found Zep’s maximalist blues riffs too heavy, cheap, and obvious. For similar reasons, the same people tended to hate Black Sabbath, who emerged not long after. But what’s wrong with a cheap thrill?
I was ambivalent the first time I heard them (“Whole Lotta Love”). I liked the main riff, but Robert Plant sounded to me like Curly from The Three Stooges. Then someone gave me LZII for X-mas ‘69. After I played it a few times I got used to his singing and became a fan. I saw them live a few months later and was impressed. They played like gods, although I’ll admit to getting bored with some of the extended songs. That was a trend that continued for me. I’ve never been able to like “Stairway” or their other attempts being “serious.” Just give me the three-minute smash-ups.
Some trace the birth of punk to Page’s down-strumming on “Communication Breakdown.” That has some truth, but there are many other sources. I think it points to what was great about early Zep: there was an aggressiveness and attitude similar to 50’s rockabilly (which they were students of) and early British invasion. Hippiedom had mellowed things out, and Zep along with the Stooges, Sabbath, Alice Cooper, began nailing that trend’s coffin. Zep sort of kept one foot in hippiedom, but they were also instrumental in killing it.
Another source of Zep hating was their liberal “borrowing.” It’s true, but I don’t know why anyone cares. Everyone does it, and LZ often improved what they stole. Back in the 70’s, Eric Clapton would often call them out for stealing from bluesmen, but he was one to talk. A few weeks ago I was playing some of the old Stax singles box set, and this came on. The solo sounded to me exactly like Clapton’s solo on “Strange Brew,” and it is.