My Led Zep issue

[Jimi75]

I fear I am missing something. Everybody and his neighbour loves Led Zep, considers them as their big influence. Only yesterday a friend called and told me about his almost religious experience watching Led Zep's "The song Remains The Same" on blueray.

I know one can not jump on every train. It is really weird. For example, I hear someone play a darn cool guitar lick and later it turns out to be a Led Zep lick. I have only the double CD/Best of "Early and Latter days". Well, there's some good tracks on it, but most of the time I have to stop the CD after 2-3 songs, because I feel it's getting boring or nervy form me. Same with the a.m. blueray. I have the DVD of that film and from time to time I give it a run in the DVD player. But I can not watch it completely.

I have a Led Zep issue. I like them in some way but I also don't like them. I think that they have a great songwriting and Page is a very creative player, but there seems to be something that turns me off.

Please let me know, what am I missing?



Jimi75

 

[Tynee]

I'm with you, but it doesn't help anything that around here, if you trun on a radio to anything other than a country or top 40 station, you're gonna get Zepplin at least once an hour. Its like radio programming stopped somewhere around '75... sheesh. I like 'em, but I can't listen to an entire album all the way through. And I certainly can't listen to the same 3 or 4 songs every day.

BTW, I have the same sort of aversion to some other bands that I actually like, just not in steady doses. Guns & Roses comes to mind.

 

[R_of_G]

for starters, might i suggest listening to something besides a greatest hits compilation?

greatest hits compilations are not the way to listen to a band like zeppelin that made at least five stellar albums. do yourself a favor and listen to them in context, the way band intended them to be heard, not the way the record company decided they could make extra money off of the casual fan that only knows a few songs.

as for watching them on dvd, i've owned "song remains the same" for so long now and had it on vhs before that. to be honest with you, after the day the other led zeppelin live dvd came out, i never watched it again. "song remains the same" is kind of a joke contrasted with the newer live double dvd. watch that thing and you may see what people see in zeppelin. you may not too. everyone has different tastes but that one is much more the feel of live zeppelin than "song remains the same" ever will be.

there's my 2 cents plus a couple of dollars more.

 

[Heywood Jablomie]

I suppose music is like a joke - if you don't "get it", all the explaining in the world doesn't much help. Led Zep has always had limited appeal for me, despite those who thought they were the second coming. AC/DC is another ridiculously popular band that I don't "get" - garbage as far as I'm concerned (don't dare say that to a rabid fan). I used to sort of wonder what I was missing, but decided to just go with my tastes despite what others were saying. I'm a Steely Dan fan, and I've noticed that a lot of the hard rock/metal folks hate 'em. And so it goes.........

 

[MichaelE]

As they say "different strokes for different folks"

I was never a rabid fan Led Zeppelin or AC/DC, or most other bands while growing up in my teens. Sure I like 'em, but I don't collapse and die if I don't get a daily fix.

There are very few bands/musicians I truely like, and just like someone not 'getting' Led Zep, AC/DC or a host of other bands, they probably wouldn't see what I like in my choices of music either.

I do like Steely Dan though.

 

[Tig]

for starters, might i suggest listening to something besides a greatest hits compilation?

Led Zep's greatest hits have been over played and over played some more. I usually avoid listening to them much these days. I grew up on them, and Page was an incredible writer and guitarist, but I'm just tired of them now.

That said, I still love to listen to a few of their lesser played songs, like "Ten Years Gone" or "Sick Again". Better yet, listen to the Jimmy Page & Black Crowes "Live At The Greek" album for a fresh, energetic collection of Led Zeppelin.

Embedding disabled, so check it out on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6mFr-dNeHU

 

[pie_man_25]

Yeah, Led Zeppelin's been WAAYYY overplayed, just like metallica, A.C./D.C. and many others.


i have a confession to make also, perhaps more shocking, and this is serious too, everybody thinks I'm joking when I say it:


I Hate The Beatles.

really, I really think that they suck, and I can't stand to look at them, let alone listen to them. I respect the rest of the planet's opinion of them, but I think they're terrible.

 

[bigG]

I thought Zep's first two albums were genius, and still do. After that, they lost me (mostly).

AC/DC's Back in Black is a classic, and the only one of theirs I own.

I'm just enough of a maverick to have the balls to like what I like. Not what the radio or MTV or the "masses" might happen to hold sacred.

Jimi, sounds like you're the same way, as do most of you. I think our tastes are very subjective and discriminating, and we're not afraid of what anyone else thinks. I've never been a follower or a joiner or a fitter-in-er, I just like what I like...screw the rest. They also have their right to like what they like, whatever the reason may be.

 

[rylanmartin]

This seems like a sacrilegious thread to be a part of. I'm on the fence with Zep. I'm neither for or against.

Sometimes I wonder if I've been desensitized with music because of all the pop garbage that's constantly coming out and being recycled. I'm spoiled by Melodyne and a perfectly compressed drum track. Production values have gotten so candy coated that cracking open a can of Led Zeppelin tastes flat and bitter. I wonder what they would sound like with modern production behind them.

Musically, I think there's a lot of merit to Zeppelin stuff when its dissected properly. I'd say you can tell when current artists derive inspiration from them; Wolfmother, Jack White, to name a few...and I do enjoy most of their stuff.

I neither like or dislike Zep, but what about other bands that get too much credit and just...aren't good?? Some bands I definitely don't like that get waaaaay too much air time and credit would be:

Nirvana: Just angry garbage to me.
Oasis: Have any of the lyrics put together a cohesive thought?

 

[tunghaichuan]

I'm going to jump on the Zep-bashing band wagon and say: I'm sick to death of them too. Radio overplayed them to the point that I never want to hear another Led Zep song again. Back in the 80s when I used to listen to a lot of radio, they played the sh*t out of Zep. I was so sick of them by the end of the 80s that I haven't listened to them since. I even got rid of my box set.

Not to say that Zep didn't make a huge contribution to the classic rock canon, but they got played at the expense of a lot of other good music. Enough is enough.

tung

 

[Tig]

I Hate The Beatles.

really, I really think that they suck, and I can't stand to look at them, let alone listen to them. I respect the rest of the planet's opinion of them, but I think they're terrible.

Actually that's understandable. I can't stand their early yeah-yeah-yeah days. Most of the hits make me cringe. The singing was carp. The only songs I like are some of the less known, off the beaten track ones.

I do like several of George Harrison's songs, and his slide work was sweet. I think that the Paul songs are what turn me off the most. Some of John's songs hit closer to home.

The big thing about the Beatles is how they dramatically changed the whole direction of modern music. I was too little to understand at the time, but I doubt we'd have as much innovative music if it weren't for them.

 

[marnold]

Most of the complaints here have more to do with overexposure than anything else. It's hard to appreciate "Stairway to Heaven" for what it is when you've heard it a million times and heard it slaughtered in every music store. I've tried to get more into Zep, but I just can't for whatever reason. I think it all comes back to every radio station I listened to in my younger days having a special Led Zeppelin time. One of those "it was cool the first thousand times" things.

 

[Jimi75]

Wow, didn't really expected that much of a response from you guys.
one thing though - I highly respect the band Led Zep, this wasn't meant to be a Led Zep bashing thread at all.

 

[Heywood Jablomie]

Hey, some folks seem to think McDonald's serves gourmet-quality food. Go figure.....

 

[MichaelE]

I'm just enough of a maverick to have the balls to like what I like. Not what the radio or MTV or the "masses" might happen to hold sacred.

Jimi, sounds like you're the same way, as do most of you. I think our tastes are very subjective and discriminating, and we're not afraid of what anyone else thinks. I've never been a follower or a joiner or a fitter-in-er, I just like what I like...screw the rest. They also have their right to like what they like, whatever the reason may be.

I agree. I was never much of a follower and didn't cave to peer pressure back then or now.

You might find me listening to RUSH or Ted Nugent one minute, followed by The Dream Academy next, and Bing Crosby after that.

 

[tunghaichuan]

Most of the complaints here have more to do with overexposure than anything else. It's hard to appreciate "Stairway to Heaven" for what it is when you've heard it a million times and heard it slaughtered in every music store. I've tried to get more into Zep, but I just can't for whatever reason. I think it all comes back to every radio station I listened to in my younger days having a special Led Zeppelin time. One of those "it was cool the first thousand times" things.

Bingo, +1000000%

tung

 

[Tig]

Wow, didn't really expected that much of a response from you guys.
one thing though - I highly respect the band Led Zep, this wasn't meant to be a Led Zep bashing thread at all.

My wish:
To have a complete library of Led Zeppelin tracks without any vocals.
I could really get into listening to just the instrumental passages. To isolate Jimmy's sometimes subtle work and his phrasing might be a real eye opener, even for those who don't like Zep.

 

[street music]

Everyone has their opinion and I will say that I find myself appreciating the great music of Led Zep, The Beatles , CCR, The Eagles and many more. Yes, I have heard them time and time again but good music is so hard to find in what is being played today. I don't like all the songs or all the music by these bands but I enjoy those that I do . As has Been Said Before- "TO EACH HIS OWN".

 

[Perfect Stranger]

I was a big fan until I found out how much of their stuff was plagiarized, lifted, and just plain stolen. Seldom listen anymore....

Evidence:
http://earfarm.com/features/daily-feature/monday/1820

http://www.turnmeondeadman.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19&Itemid=28

 

[FrankenFretter]

Back before "classic rock" was classic, I used to dig Zep somewhat. I always liked Page's style, but never really liked Plant's vocals that much. I still own LZ 1, LZ 2 and Houses of the Holy, but haven't listened to them in years, literally. If only I could hear Page playing with someone who's vocals didn't make me squint and pucker... Oh, yeah, there's this!

 

[R_of_G]

I was a big fan until I found out how much of their stuff was plagiarized, lifted, and just plain stolen. Seldom listen anymore....

"There's Jimmy Page, the greatest thief of American black music who ever walked the earth." - Homer Simpson

 

[sumitomo]

I went to a concert once and the opening band was some group called Led Zepplin,man I won't forget that,they were great,you had to be there man the vibe the timing (late 60's)all the good smoke ect.Sumi

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I can't believe you guys. pfffft.

 

[mrmudcat]

I have not visited in a few days but after reading a few threads this one the gibby ,prs one and a few others im sorry but the forum is starting to sound like a bunch of whiny girls:thwap: Where has the positive vibe and spirit gone to.................oke:

My opinion nothing more nothing less

 

[peachhead]

Not meaning to hijack this thread at all, but-

has anyone ever listened to the album Robert Plant made with Alison Krauss? Granted, it's more of a country feel but I really enjoy it. Quite on the other side of the spectrum from Zep. I think it shows a lot of Plant's versatility.

On the other hand, I like Zep, just not all the time.

 

[just strum]

I can't listen to Zep because of Robert Plants voice, to me it's the same song after song. I do like some of their songs, but for the music part of it only.

As for the Beatles, they are the ones that got me interested in music from the moment I heard them and then watched them on Ed Sullivan. Being a fan of the 2 to 2.5 minute song, they were (and remain) great in my eyes (and ears).

Admittedly I was a Zep fan when I was in my teens, but that was probably more of a case of jumping in with the herd.

Mudcat, it must be the southern air.

 

[R_of_G]

has anyone ever listened to the album Robert Plant made with Alison Krauss? Granted, it's more of a country feel but I really enjoy it. Quite on the other side of the spectrum from Zep. I think it shows a lot of Plant's versatility.

i agree. it was a beautifully done album and the more subdued side of plant's singing went perfectly with krauss'. working with a singer like her forced plant to focus on actual singing rather than howling the blues. granted, i love led zeppelin, though admittedly, sometimes i tire of plant's vocals. the raising sand album was a welcome change of pace for plant. of course, it didn't hurt that marc ribot was all over that album.

 

[marnold]

i agree. it was a beautifully done album and the more subdued side of plant's singing went perfectly with krauss'. working with a singer like her forced plant to focus on actual singing rather than howling the blues. granted, i love led zeppelin, though admittedly, sometimes i tire of plant's vocals. the raising sand album was a welcome change of pace for plant. of course, it didn't hurt that marc ribot was all over that album.

I haven't heard the whole album, but I did see a thing on VH1 Classic with them. I liked the songs well enough and Krauss certainly does provide some significant eye candy.

 

[helliott]

The Plant Krauss album is a beauty.

As for Zepp stealing, they were the most blatant, but hardly alone. Cream, The Yardbirds, John Mayall and many others shamelessly lifted. Some call it theft. Others call it early sampling. I don't agree with it, but it's not fair to dump it all on Zepp. It was common.

As for them, I agree and can't stand the overplayed stuff, even though Stairway is a great song, structurally. But their gems are often not the most played stuff, In My Time of Dying, being a great example. Give a listen to In Through the Out Door and Physical Graffitti. You might be surprised.

As for The Beatles, there are many people who agree. I don't care for their earliest stuff, as it's just watered down. The Stones did the same thing with way more balls.

But then the Beatles made Revolver and Rubber Soul. And then they made The White Album (Pepper and Mystery Tour in between). Don't judge until you've at least listened to Revolver/Rubber and White Album. Much of what we hear on the radio isn't their strongest stuff.

 

[Heywood Jablomie]

I really like and respect Allison Krauss's work, but found the Robert Plant collaboration album lackluster and just plain BORING.