Led Zeppelin - Ten Years Gone

I came across a good blog post about Led Zeppelin's "Ten Years Gone" here. The song is off of the band's sixth studio album, Physical Graffiti (1975). "Ten Years Gone" is not just one of my favorite Zeppelin songs, but one of my favorite songs ever.

Led Zeppelin On Jim Morrison

Apparently members of Led Zeppelin were not too impressed with The Doors' Jim Morrison. Below are some comments made about the frontman by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. I have heard Plant speak pretty glowingly of Jim Morrison, but those comments have come over the last couple of years.

Plant in New Musical Express:
“We only played with the Doors once in Seattle and it seemed like he was screwed up. He was giving the impression he was into really deep things like Skip Spence of Moby Grape. You get into a trip of your own that you don’t really realize what’s going on in the outside world. Morrison went on stage and said ‘Fuck you all’ which didn’t do anything except make a few girls scream. Then he hung on the side of the stage and nearly toppled into the audience and did all those things that I suppose were originally sexual things but as he got fatter and dirtier and more screwed up they became more bizarre. So it was really sickening to watch. My wife and I were there watching and we couldn’t believe it."

"...Morrison started saying all those strange things which nobody could get into. There were one or two people there crying ‘You’re God, you’re king’ and I was thinking why?”

Page also in New Musical Express:
"I was surprised after hearing a lot of advance publicity in England about how sexy Jim M. was. How virile and whatever. I was surprised to see how static he was live on stage.”

“Being dressed in black leather can only go so far but standing there like my father would on stage doesn’t really come across for me. As far as I could see the Morrison thing is just an embarrassment towards the audience. He would actually insult them and swear at them and his sexual thing is more an introvert thing, it isn’t so extroverted as Robert’s.”

Led Zeppelin Live in Knebworth 1979 Full Concert

In August 1979, Led Zeppelin played the Knebworth Festival in Hertfordshire, England. Someone has put the audio of the entire concert up on YouTube.The band's performance received mixed reviews, although in my opinion the negativity was a bit overblown.

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (STUDIO)

"Stairway to Heaven" is a great song. For me that is not even a debate. The biggest complaint about it is that the song is overplayed. Here's what I do whenever a song comes on the radio that I'm not in the mood for: I change the station. Wow, big concept. Let's just say I get a little tired of people complaining about what is on the radio and what is not on. There are just too many options today to be "forced" to listen to anything.

Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love Medley

The above "Whole Lotta Love" medley includes "Boogie Chillun," "Let's Have a Party," "Hello Marylou" and"Going Down Slow." The music comes off of the 2003 Led Zeppelin album How the West Was Won

New Robert Plant DVD

A new DVD on Robert Plant (pictured above with Alison Krauss) is scheduled to be released on August 23, according to antiMUSIC. The article says the DVD will include rare footage, interviews and performances.

I'm looking forward to it!

Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand

I'll never understand why radio stations seemingly never play this song. Sure, I've heard it on Carol Miller's Get the Led Out, but other than that I can't remember ever hearing "Achilles Last Stand" on any station. It is over 10 minutes long, but so what? Anyway, "Achilles" comes off of Led Zeppelin's 1976 album, Presence. Many believe that this song gave birth to heavy metal music. Regardless, it's one of my favorite Zeppelin songs.

Jimmy Page Working on Website, Music

Jimmy Page was interviewed last month at the Ivor Novello Awards, a British awards show in London. He reiterated his desire to finish his website and to get back on the road playing music. The website, which is only a front page at this point, is called JimmyPage.com. Naturally, the interviewer asked Jimmy about a Led Zeppelin reunion, which isn't happening in the near future. But I suppose the interviewer had to ask. Page was also asked about Bob Dylan, who recently turned 70.

Led Zeppelin - How Many More Times

"How Many More Times" is the final track and longest song on Led Zeppelin's first album, checking in at about eight and a half minutes. I could say this about many Led Zeppelin songs, but "How Many More Times" contains some of John Bonham's most skillful drumming. By the way, Bonzo would have been 63-years-old yesterday.

Pete Townshend on Led Zeppelin

It wasn't too long ago that I posted this on TheWho.com's message board and what a response it got. The thing is that with Pete Townshend and his thoughts on Led Zeppelin (or anything for that matter), he changes his mind quite often. That's what you get with Pete. I've read comments from him where he does nothing but praise Zeppelin. By the way, his expression at the end of the video is great because he realizes that what he just said is going to get plenty of attention. Townshend, though, has always saved his greatest criticism for himself and has always been The Who's harshest critic, which is something that I'm sure has and still can drive Roger Daltrey a little nuts at times.

Remembering Led Zeppelin's Only Australian Tour

In 1972, Led Zeppelin would tour Australia for the only time. The video I came across above looks back on that tour, which includes a gallery that contains some of the photos taken of the band.

Scenes From It Might Get Loud

I watched the It Might Get Loud (2009) DVD recently, which showcases the guitar styles of Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White. I thoroughly enjoyed the DVD from start to finish and it contains some really cool scenes about the three men and their backgrounds. Here are a few below:

The first is of the trio covering The Band's "The Weight." Some commentary is interspersed during the video. The Edge sings first followed by Jack White.


Up next Jimmy Page shows The Edge the theremin, which you will recognize from live performances of "Dazed and Confused" and "Whole Lotta Love."


Finally, Jimmy Page plays "The Battle of Evermore" at Headley Grange where Led Zeppelin recorded Led Zeppelin IV.

Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin Magazines

A new website has been launched that contains Led Zeppelin's press coverage over the last five decades, specifically highlighting the band's magazine covers. The website is here and contains over 1,4000 magazine covers chronologically covering Led Zeppelin. This is a really cool website. Just to clarify, each magazine cover contains at least one member of Led Zeppelin. Unbelievable!

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience

The above videos are of Jason Bonham bringing his Led Zeppelin Experience to Florida during this past year's Super Bowl weekend.

Jason Bonham Tour

Jason Bonham has kicked off a new set of dates with his Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience tour. Last night the tour began in Wallingford, Connecticut at The Dome at Oakdale. For all of the tour's dates click this.

Led Zeppelin - Bron-Y-Aur Stomp (Studio Version)

Following along on my two previous posts, the above video is the studio version of "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp," which appears on Led Zeppelin III. By the way, if you want to know the correct pronunciation click this which I came across on a website here.

Physical Graffiti Site to Become Led Zeppelin-Themed Tea Shop

Staying on the topic of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album. I came across this story a few months ago that the building which served as the cover for the album is now being transformed into a tea shop. Click this for the full story.

Led Zeppelin - Bron Yr Aur

Here's a clip from The Song Remains The Same which I mentioned in my previous post with "Bron-Yr-Aur" - the non-stomp version - being played.

Led Zeppelin - Bron-Yr-Aur

I'm going to go back to my post here in March about "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp." The video above is "Bron-Yr-Aur," which was misspelled on the Physical Graffiti album as "Bron-Y-Aur." The studio version appears during the film, The Song Remains the Same. As the video title says it's not the "Stomp" version, which appears on Led Zeppelin III.

Led Zeppelin - Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)

The b-side of the "Whole Lotta Love" single "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)" comes off of the Led Zeppelin II album released in 1969. Originally, in the U.K. it was released as "Living Loving Wreck (She's Just a Woman)."

Speaking of Led Zeppelin, for whatever reason I've never done a review on here of Mick Wall's biography on the band, When Giants Walked the Earth, but it's definitely a must for LZ fans. It's a fairly long book with loads of information. What I like most is that Wall gives the reader a fair assessment of Led Zeppelin and doesn't hold back in criticizing some of Zeppelin's antics off-stage, particularly the management's behavior. There's also some pretty interesting stuff about manager Peter Grant and his interactions with legendary concert promoter Bill Graham.

The insight Mick Wall gives about the making of Zeppelin's albums is really great. However, I could have done without the chapter dedicated to Jimmy Page's infatuation with the occult and Aleister Crowley. Although in fairness, I understand why that subject couldn't be compressed into a paragraph or two.

All in all I think When Giants Walked the Earth is a very good book by a well-respected rock critic and biographer.