Re: Cheers For Luis Rey!!

["Williams, Chris (RSCH)" <Chris_Williams@xxxxxx>]

ERIC ROMANO wrote:

	> After reading the post, I got on the phone with Luis Rey to
congradulate
	> him on being picked to write some of the liner notes for the
BBC Sessions
	> album. We all have our opinions on his writings as some like
it and some
	> don't. 

		Of course Rey is to be commended for his archaeology of
long-lost
	Zep tapes, and collating his findings into a master document.  I
have
	always held a major criticism of his work though.  His text
needs badly
	and editor to improve the syntax.  Many passages in his book
make little
	sense, and it's no understatement to say he *abuses*
parantheses,
	detracting from the integrity of his statments.  In his defense,
I have
	heard that English is not his first language, 

I completely disagree with your assessment of Rey's writing. 

I am in complete agreement with Luis' periodization and evaluation of
the band's performance history. However, the thing that's always drawn
me to his work is the way he writes (syntax and all). I believe that
English is his second language. While he's very analytical, what I've
always loved about his writing is the way he expressed his unabashed
passion for the band's best performances. I've always assumed that the
charming expressions he's used were the result of his writing with and
against the English language. To put it differently, he sometimes
conveys his emotions as openly and plainly as a sophisticated child. 

While you may not appreciate these attributes, or may interpret them
differently, I think it's a gratuitous swipe to say there are "many
passages in his book (that) make little sense". 

Respectfully,

Chris Williams
chris_williams@xxxxxx
"Shut-up"
- --Robert Plant, 9-14-71