Tony’s “Amazing Led Zeppelin Experiment”

Ok, so I never liked Led Zeppelin. At all. Sure, I heard a few songs on the radio that I liked, but for the most part I was sick to death of hearing the same songs over and over for the last 25 years. I am a big fan of “guitar based rock” music from the late 60s forward, but I just never liked them enough to want to sit down and listen to LZ at home.

BMG's cd club owed me several free cds, so I decided to do the unthinkable… I would buy all of the Led Zeppelin cds and listen to them with an open mind. I ordered the first five, and then ordered the Complete Studio Recordings Box Set when BMG had that crazy 2/3 off plus free shipping sale going on, so I have half of them twice! All in a days work, I guess.

The only LZ albums that I had ever heard before were IV and Coda (got it as a cut out LP years ago). The Coda purchase was foolish. I should have started at the beginning. But hey, I was a teenager with very little money.

So, in my infinite wisdom I have decided to start with the first album and post my thoughts as I wade through the albums in order… Feel free to let me know your favorite songs or other thoughts about the albums in question.

So here goes!

Tony’s “Amazing Led Zeppelin Experiment” begins with:

Led Zeppelin I

I’ll start with a question : Is this album actually titled “Led Zeppelin” or “Led Zeppelin I” ??

“Good Times Bad Times” – Nice opening track. I have always liked this song, but had no idea which album it was from. The guitar solo section gets a little out of control for me, but what the heck. Robert Plant pulls off a decent vocal without going over the top.

“Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” – I had never heard this one before. It is a shame that the same twenty or so LZ songs are the only ones that get played on the radio. Plant is a little much for me on this one, but I like the acoustic playing. I like the heavier repetitive section that starts about half way through. This one reminds me of Love’s “Forever Changes” album for some reason. Except that Robert Plant is screaming like a banshee. For me, it just goes on too long for no apparent reason, still it is a decent enough song. The ending is a bit much for me, too.

“You Shook Me” - Never heard this one either. A nice enough blues mash up. The organ is pretty fun. Blow that harmonica, son! I don't like the screaming Plant/Page ending, although it could have been interesting to see them do it live once.

A very sudden edit leads us to:

“Dazed and Confused” – I have always switched stations as fast as possible when this came on. I really hated the beginning for some reason (probably Plant's vocals) The part right after the line “here I come again” sound like something from the first Black Sabbath album. Come to think of it, so does much of this song (especially the drumming). I guess that I never made it far enough into the song to notice that before. The whole middle section really loses me, especially when the tempo really speeds up. I’m not a fan of the blinding solo, but the ending is pretty good.

“Your Time is Gonna Come” – A little bit of a Uriah Heep meets Bread vibe going on here. Maybe I am just really sleepy. Another one that I have never heard. I have to admit that it is a decent rock song. And before it can end completely, we get hurried right along into:

“Black Mountain Side” – I actually like this quite a bit up until the crazy fingers bit around 1:30 into the song. The rest is good, too.

“Communication Breakdown” – Pretty good riffage, but I’ve never been crazy about the vocals on this track. Another guitar solo that I can live without. Too frantic for me, but the 2:29 length is about right.

“I Can’t Quit You Baby” – I actually like this. The drumming is nicely done. The guitar solo is my favorite so far on this album. Robert doesn’t really bother me either. Nicely leads to:

“How Many More Times” - I like the repetition of the riff for a little while, but I’m not crazy about most of the middle bit.

Overall, I think it is a decent debut, and it probably stood out when it was released. It is a little bit “all over the map”, sort of like Jethro Tull’s “Benefit” album (one of my least favorite Tull albums). I would have to go with “I Can’t Quit You Baby” and “Good Times, Bad Times” as my favorites from this album. I also like “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”.

I will return sometime in the near future with the second installment of Tony’s “Amazing Led Zeppelin Experiment”. I am actually kind of excited to hear the complete albums from start to finish. I even promise to read the entire booklet to the box set!

 

Just don't have a nervous breakdown doing it.

 

I wish I could hear LZ for the first time again! FWIW Dazed and Confused was recorded well before Sabbath's debut.

 

Pretty cool to imagine Bill Ward sitting around with a set of headphones on, bashing away while listening to this song! Of course, it may have never happened, but it sure sounds like Sabbath in spots.

 

I became a Zeppelin fan in November. I got HOTH and PG first since that is what the CD store had. I loved those two and before long I had every studio release including CODA, plus How the West Was Won and The Song Remains the Same. Now, Zeppelin is somewhere in my top four or five favorite bands.

 

Tony - Stick with it. It gets better. My opinion, but I was never a big fan of the 1st one. I liked the early stuff on Coda better. (We're Gonna Groove and that version of I Can't Quite You Baby.)

Man, to listen to this stuff for the 1st time ... My 1st two lps were IV and Purple's Machine Head way back in 1974 or so.

 

Me too! I wish brain surgeons could find the Led Zeppelin in my brain, then remove it! I'd enjoy re-learning it!

 

I'd say this is a fabulous understatement. Neat experiment though.

I didn't listen to this album till the late 70's but I like talking to people who were "there" when it came out and they always say that there really was nothing like the sound of this album at the time.

It's just called Led Zeppelin and it definitely influenced Sabbath. Beat their debut by a little over a year. I say "Dazed.." is THE original heavy metal song.

Of course I love this album but I'd say that in concert (from what I've only heard) they even bettered the performances of Dazed..., How many more times and Communication Breakdown.

I think you may like the next one even better.

 

Tony,
seems you're well into your journey, and that you're listening with great interest -
but, I'm blown away that you'd never heard those FM rock warhorses "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You", and "You Shook Me"...
how'd you manage to avoid all o those waves streaming out?

Looking forward to your chapter 2 entry into Zeppisphere...

 

Tony,

You might find Mendelsohn's Rolling Stone review interesting. His review of II started with "Hey, man, I take it all back!"

http://home.comcast.net/~led-zep/zeppelin/Zeppelin.htm

That review has since been replaced. I don't know if it was due to the racial epitaph or the absurdity of it's content.

 

I had gotten so sick of hearing Led Zeppelin on the radio, I swore them off all together - in spite of having it all on CD. It was just one of those, "Well, I guess I've got no choice." purchases. I still haven't heard much of the stuff, but I believe they're best in small doses - when I want to hear them. I ALWAYS change the station when they come on the radio, since it's usually one of 5 songs.

Their albums don't appear particularly well-recorded either, so I don't see why I should waste valuable tube hours on them. I've been listening to the CDs every so often, though.

 

I'm going to follow this with interest Tony, because I'm in nearly the same position as you. I've only ever heard 2 Led Zep records (II and IV), and never investigated the rest, because I've always been put off by Plant's high pitched vocals and get impatient with lengthy rock guitar noodlings. However, I also want to give them a chance and listen to their catalogue, (mostly) for the first time, with an open mind. It'll be interesting to see if your take on the individuals songs corresponds to mine in any way. My father has them all on disc, so I'll be able to listen to them all in sequence.

 

Wow, its hard to believe there are people "still discovering" Led Zeppelin!
In 1970 (when I was 12) my sister's boyfriends left the records they brought
over - Led I and Led II - I played those albums in solid rotation for about a
year. I got every Zeppelin album as they came out over the years, and saw
them live in '73. So naturally, I would recommend listening to them in chronological order! - Enjoy, Zeppelin newbies!

 

I'm pretty much in the same boat as Tony and Scott. Growing up in the Pacific NW for some reason I really never heard them, even as some of their classic gigs took place in Seattle and Portland around the time I was going to Who and Yes shows. It was only when my wife found my ignorance incredible that I finally bought the first three albums in the nineties, the remasters, that I really listened to them. Still haven't heard Physical Graffiti all the way through!

 

Listening to Zep for the first time ? I can't even really imagine what that is like. I started liking Zeppelin in '92.
The first album I ever heard was IV.

Hearing Bonzo's drumming and grooves with Jonesy for the first time?
That would be like erasing the last 15 or so years! Crazy!
The greatest bass drum sound in music history, with Levee.

I've heard Kashmir for 15 years, and to this day everytime I hear the studio version I just STOP for a min. Still gets me.

I think it's VERY cool that you are listening with an open mind too; good job getting past the pre-conceived ideas you have!
Excellent!

 

I've been doing something similar with The Stones lately. I know the radio stuff, but wanted to start at the begining and move forward. Man, they're early albums havent aged well at all. Still, every once in a while you hear something you wouldn't have if not for the experiment, say like Off The Hook, that makes it worth while. Here's hoping you find something new in there with Zep! Although I hope you go back and give each album more than one shot. the songs I love today are not the ones I got into when I firsrt heard them. Your Time Is Gonna Come, Night Flight, In The Light, For Your Life, etc...

 

Yeah, the early Stones stuff is laughable, but hey, everybody has to
"start" somewhere! Best Stones is the "unofficial" stuff anyhow, and
we are not likely to see much of that come out.

 

Cool thread idea, Tony!
It's always interesting to hear someone else's take on your favourite music, especially coming from somebody who isn't a fan...

I can see from your review of the first album that your opinion on them is not going to change much, but you'll discover some good tracks you didn't know along the way...

 

I started somewhere in the middle with Led Zeppelin III..it came to me as a Cassette someone sold to me.....I LOVED the first song on it..and wound up listening to the whole thing! INCREDIBLE ALBUM...Makes me want to buy it now that you mentioned it! I'll do that today...if I can find it at the local Wal-Mart! Michael Boyce

 

Tony, Props to you for trying this experiment and I'll be interested in your follow-up reviews of the other albums.

It seems like you are not a big fan of Jimmy Page. Are you a guitar player? Just curious. I kinda get the feeling you feel the same about Robert Plant.

I must admit though I am a bit skeptical about the eventual outcome after reading your initial review. If your not a big fan of basically Zeppelins most obvious tendencies (crazy guitars and Plant's vocal theatrics) I'm not sure much of your original feelings towards the band will change.

But hey, I could obviously be wrong and you might end up liking them a lot. Just keep an open mind (which seems like your intent). All I can say is:

Have Fun! -I am in the same camp with other regarding how cool it must be to hear any Zeppelin for the first time.

Just curious-what kind of music do you normally listen to?

Good Luck-hope your not put off by any of my comments.

 

"How Many More Times" off that album is my favourite track.

Not a Zeppelin fan myself, I think they're kind of ridiculous.
I like "punk" but not "cock rock" if that makes any sense.

 

Great experiment Tony, I look forward to more installments.

It's too bad Plant's voice seems to annoy you somewhat (and you are NOT alone here), his singing style does not change dramatically on future releases.

 

For Led Zep 1 I say concentrate on the interplay between Jonesy and Bonham. They are already clicking and yet nowhere near what they would blossom into later. Check out Jonesy on the opening track, all those great little bass fills. Fantastic!

And Bonham's march like drumming when they go back into How Many More Times after the middle section.

Damn man, you're making me want to listen to Zep 1....although it's at home and I'm at work.

The thing I like about Zeppelin is that their songs sound even better in the context of a whole album as opposed to individual songs. You may think it sounds all over the map now but let it sink in for a bit. I gave this albumt o my brother-in-law about 5 years ago. He said he liked it, but he HATES the blues. Fast forward to now and he can't get enough of this album or the blues!

 

Laughable? I strongly disagree. The Rolling Stones, 12X5, and The Rolling Stones, Now! are three of the best albums ever released by anybody.

Maybe "Come On" is laughable, but their albums? No way!

 

Honestly, for me, I just think they're pretty weak. They're covering all these great soul & blues songs but not even coming close to the originals. It sounds exactly like what it is - a bunch of white kids trying to be soulful without understanding what soul really is. When the Beatles did the same, they sometimes even surpassed the originals (Long Tall Sally, Twist & Shout). It's hard to hear wth modern ears what made the Stones so special based on just those first three albums, whereas the Beatles first three albums it's much easier to see the excitement. Not to say there aren't some decent moments on those first 3, but I don't hear a lot that make me sit back and say "wow". Now their singles are a different story.