By the time Led Zeppelin came off stage at the Chatenay Malabry (Piston 70) in Paris on the 6th December 1969, The Rolling Stones’ free concert in Altamont had yet to start and its sad ‘end of the sixties’ label yet to be coined. In the meantime, the Boeing 747 jumbo jet had already made its debut and the first draft lottery in the US since World War II had also taken place. It is in these circumstances that one of the better Killer Opening Songs of all times must be analysed.
Following their well-received debut album, ‘Led Zeppelin’, released in January 1969, the British band embarked on a series of concerts during the same year promoting material for their sophomore record. From the US to Sweden, from Denmark to Canada, Zep’s bluesy, raw sound seduced thousands of youngsters and enticed a whole generation.
The chemistry between Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played a major role in the band’s ascension to the pinnacle of rock’n’roll. Although, to be fair, it was the group’s ‘fifth’ member, manager Peter Grant, who made the impossible possible: Led Zeppelin remains one of the few bands (K.O.S. cannot think of any other) that never released singles in its entire musical career in the UK, only albums.
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I remember Led Zeppelin well - which dates me. I care not.
ReplyDeleteI was not a huge fan of Led Zeppelin. My second son is though.
ReplyDeleteI was a big fan of Led Zeppelin.Used to listen to them when travveling in the car up to mountain city Voss.I even made a painting of them ones..You know the naked kids climbing on the hill, orange background..Zeppelin has many good hits..Baby ,I am gonne leave you know and many many more
ReplyDeleteToday I hardly listen to them.Today it is mostly classical music.I did not know they came from Brittain!
Nice post!
Anita
I did not know that about them not releasing singles. Although I bought my share of singles (45s) in the 60s, by the 70s it was usually full albums. There's something satisfying about listening from start to finish, with a moment to flip the LP midway.
ReplyDeleteHi ACIL - I'm aware of the names and have just looked up Peter Grant to see he lived and died down here. I'd love to be more musical - but it's always interesting to appreciate how people and groups grew and achieved so much through their lives. All the best - Hilary
ReplyDeleteHow fascinating! My singer songwriter daughter, working in radio promotions, says singles and EPs are now more popular than LPs due to streaming.
ReplyDeleteYes "Led Zeppelin" great band in the sixtees
ReplyDeleteVery informative post. Thanks for including the Whole Lotta Love video. Have a wonderful week... and rock on!
ReplyDeleteYou have a perceptual perspective on Led Zeppelin as a band and as individuals which I think is well thought out and interesting, CiL, and, quite probably, very accurate. My own view is less complex. It is that the cast and crew of Led Zeppelin were the right guys at the right place at the right time and the band's influence on society and its position in the history of contemporary music cannot be adequately measured or overly exaggerated. I am not sure I would want to probe deeper than that. Whether the guys will stand the test of time is another question -- let us all hang out for another century or two and find out .... qué será será ....
ReplyDeleteI can remember in the spring of '69, I was in the 6th grade (the end of elementary school, next year in the old system would be Jr. High) and we were singing this song (with just a bit of an idea about what it was all about) while waiting in line for the cafeteria. Over time, I moved on to better songs by the group.
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthepen.com
That's a classic song,'whole lotta love'.
ReplyDeleteThey sure survived the times, hope the next generation will get to know them also!
ReplyDeleteBoa noite meu nobre. Parabéns pela excelente matéria.
ReplyDeleteAlthough i'm not a huge fan of Led Zepelin, i do remember some of the songs.
ReplyDeleteThis rock music group is popular in my country.
Greetings of friendship.
I used to be a big Zep fan. Then I learned their history of thievery from blues icons....... Willie Dixon won a law suit against them but I can't listen to them with the same enjoyment now.
ReplyDeleteHola que tal va todo es pero que bien
ReplyDeleteGracias por tu aportacion y visita al blog
como siempre es un placer pasar por aca
Besos
I have a few Zeppelin albums (one reissue and three originals I believe) but sadly,stopped being a major fan of the band due to them being overkilled/overplayed on both the AOR (album oriented rock) format radio stations of my youth and the classic rock format stations of my adulthood. I do enjoy some of their lesser known songs, but it's very hard to find them on college radio (which is about the only good way to listen to music here in the States).
ReplyDeleteThey're just a good band that got so destroyed by commercial radio after their official "demise" that a small percentage of people, like myself, will simply not listen to them anymore, either at home or on the radio.
Which is really sad if you think about it.
I loved this post. Interesting information, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteme gusta tu escrito aunque no entiendo mucho abrazos desde Miami
ReplyDelete