Re: The Drums of Achilles'

["J.R. Sroufe" <gonzo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 25 Jan 98, Nathan scribed:

> I hadn't listened to _Presence_ in a long time. 
> IT IS SOOO GOOD!!  I think Zep made a mistake putting
> "Achilles' Last Stand" as the first track on the album.  It's not
> that the rest of the songs are weak, but "Achilles'.." is so strong.

This is a very true point. Song placement is a strong factor in the 
success/failure of an album. When 'Presence' was released, we were 
deep in the middle of the era of concept albums and AOR 
(album-oriented rock for you kiddies) radio. It was at this time that 
albums were meant to be listened to as a whole and not necessarily 
for the 'singles' or 'hook-laden' tracks. With 'Achilles'...' opening 
the album, it's like we get a BIIIIIIIIG wind-up only to get thrown a 
slow-ball, ya know? I remember when I heard the album for the first 
time, I was with some friends and we played the record from side one 
and about halfway through 'Achilles..' we were all staring at each 
other slack-jawed, wondering how that the rest of the record could 
compare to the track. We kept listening and nothing else caught us 
like 'Achilles..'. I remember the guy that had the record (it wasn't 
mine) said, "Well, at least that first song is a monster!" after it 
was over. I of course went out and bought the 8-track after that 
thinking how cool that tune was. I found myself juggling the tracks 
on the machine to play 'Achilles..' again and again. Then I got 
started loving 'Tea For One' and started playing *that* one over and 
over. Then it was 'Nobody's Fault...'. Then it was 'For Your 
Life'....well, you get the picture. Anyway, what I'm saying is that 
'Presence' is a "learned" album. It has to grow on you like a large 
abstract painting. Intricate and jagged in it's detail, yet magnicent 
in it's beauty when viewed a couple of steps back. For the average 
listener in '76, the attention span never went past 'Achilles..'. 
They wanted to hear their concept-albums to be more like Pink Floyd. 
Not to say that 'Presence is a concept-album, mind you. *BUT*, it is 
a collection of songs that represent a moment in the lives of the 
members of the group. Those of us that were fans at the time knew 
Page was using, and that Robert had been in a wreck and his boy 
had died, and all the rest of the stories. We read our rock 
magazines. So essentially, Zeppelin *did* convey a "feeling" to those 
of us really tuned into the band with this record. 

I also remember wondering if 'Presence' was 
going to be the last album...........

>  I tried to "air drum" along with ALS... and got lost immediately. 

You too? Damn, I thought I was the only one....... :-)

>  How did John Henry Bonham DO that???!!  And how does one drummer, one
> vocalist, one  guitarist, and one bassist pull off a song like this??!!

Better throw in about a dozen "guitar overdubbists" in there... :-)

> LTTE and Ft. Worth '77 versions blow my mind. 

You got *THAT* right about the LTTE version! Can't say that I've 
heard the Ft. Worth version that Nathan speaks of, but damn, Bonzo 
was *ON* the night of the 21st in June of '77. Was there a full moon 
that night? Hmmmm.....

>  when I listen to this song, there's a note that Pagey hits that
> leaves a 'ringing' sound that I keep thinking is my neighbors'
> telephone.  For example, Pagey hits one during the line "Oh the
> songs to sing."  It happens throughout the song.  Can anyone
> explain this? 

I'm hearing what you are and I believe it's the vibrato in the 
amplifier, or whatever effect that he's using. Definitely 
vibrato......listening to it now......yep.

> (and if I see one post about The Ocean and it's telephone
> I'll have to hurt somebody!!)

Oh yeah, while we're at it, anybody ever hear the phone in the 
'Ocean' at 1:38 ?...... :-) 
Heh heh...

> I was gonna say some more but I lost my train of thought.  Too much
> coffee.  

Tea here.......

tea for.......

ONE! 

:-)

J.R.
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