Re: Re: More Mixer Ramblings

[Andrew Critchell <AndyC0803@xxxxxx>]

No fire here, just mad props.  I agree 100% about ALS.  I remember 
the first time I ever heard the song.  I was in high school, smoking 
the ol' cataract prevention when my friend put the 4 disc boxed set 
on.  Needless to say, when ALS came on we all stopped our haze 
induced ramblings and just listened.  I still can't say whether it 
was Bonzo's drums or the THC that floored me that night, but ever 
since then, it has been one of my all time favorites.

Andy

- -----Original Message-----
From: "Adam Schaeffer"<schaefad@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "ZOSO Mailing List"<zeppelin@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue Jun 05 12:41:53 PDT 2001
Subject: Re: More Mixer Ramblings

>With all this talk of "heavyness" and what have you, I think we are 
>all
>forgetting something.  On March 31, 1976, an album called Presence 
>was
>released by a band named Led Zeppelin.  The opening number is over 
>ten
>minutes in length, and it is called Achilles Last Stand.  The song 
>is so
>complex with so many layers, it delivers a wall of sound that 
>flattens
>anyone in earshot.  By far Zep's heaviest and most musically intense 
>piece,
>I don't think there is any question about that.  I think the best 
>part is
>that despite the fact that Pagey, Jonesy and Bonzo are all playing 
>their
>brains out, Plant keeps his cool and sings the lyrics at half the 
>time of
>the music.  He keeps the song under control by not spitting out the 
>lyrics
>and trying to keep up with the rest of the band.  One of my top five 
>Zep
>songs, a true masterpiece.  Being a drummer myself, its always great 
>to hear
>songs where Bonzo gets to let loose and unleash his greatness.  ALS 
>is one
>of the reasons I love the 77 tour so much.  The boys start you out 
>pretty
>fast, then take it down a bit with SIBLY and NQ.  The acoustic set 
>brings
>the mood back up, but then things get serious with Kashmir.  The home
>stretch of the set is so well designed.  Start off with Bonzo's 
>solo, then
>we get the guitar improv from Jimmy.  Tension is high at that point; 
>the
>audience knows something is about to happen, but they aren't quite 
>sure
>what.  Then things quiet down and the first soft notes of Achilles 
>can be
>heard floating from the PA system.  Then BOOM!!! it just explodes in 
>your
>face and all you can do is let the music take control of you body.  
>After
>that the crowd is buzzin', so the boys take 'em even higher with 
>Stairway to
>deliver the final blow.
>
>Speaking of 77, I have Deep Striker in right now.  What a show, man 
>this is
>good stuff.
>
>Flames are welcome, I would be willing to argue in support of 
>Achilles :).
>
>Regards,
>Adam