Re: Zeppelin in 1969 vs. 1977

[Steve Thomson <steve.thomson@xxxxxx>]

Generally, I agree with this too. The band as a cohesive unit suffered in those 
final years. Page was increasingly suffering from his "fragile health" and 
Plant's 
voice was shot. As a result, the magic that came from the fusion of four 
musicians 
at the top of their game was somewhat lost. There was still the spectacle of 
Led 
Zeppelin and the buzz of actually witnessing "Led Zeppelin" but the musical 
magic 
was less strong. 

I think as individual musicians, both Jones and Bonham got better with time. 
The 
bootlegs I've heard from '77 and '79 demonstrate this in so many ways. As for 
the 
studio work, listen to the powerhouse rhythm section behind Achilles. No other 
pairing of bassist and drummer I've ever heard comes close! In addition, one 
can't 
help but marvel at the sheer power and brilliance of Bonham's work on the '78 
Polar 
Studio drum tracks circulating as drum outtakes. To be an engineer at Polar and 
witness that must have been life changing! Fool In the Rain teeters on the edge 
of 
human impossibility. Although Carouselambra suffered from a dry, stunted mix, 
there 
is still a rhythmic tour de force buried in there. A bit of tweaking with some 
audio software opens up the layers and reveals a tremendous performance.

It's also a matter of personal preference. I'm less a fan of the earlier pure 
blues 
side of Zeppelin. I can appreciate it and understand its importance in leading 
the 
band down the paths it took, but I prefer the songs where they strayed from the 
basic 12-bar mold and forged new musical forms. 

I still wish they'd restore the rest of the Earl's Court footage and release it 
with a Kevin Shirley "Enormosound" treatment. From what I've seen of the 
bootlegs, 
that would show the world the band at its peak! The rhythm section was on the 
ascent and the frontmen hadn't started to fall.

On Thu Mar 31 13:23 , Carol Page <cpagecomm@xxxxxxxxx> sent:

>And let me add my voice to this as well. 
>--- Tim Druck drucktim5538@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> I want to add my voice to this - from 1969 to 1975,
>> there is absolutely
>> no question that Led Zeppelin was the most powerful,
>> most intense
>> musical experience on the whole damn mudball.  Jimmy
>> was absolutely
>> *furious* every night, ripping into scorching solos
>> with little to no
>> excuse.  John Paul Jones and Bonzo were in a groove
>> - Bonzo playing hard
>> and heavy, with a bass sound that caused Jimi
>> Hendrix to remark that he
>> had a "right foot like a rabbit."  Jonesy, well... 
>> words don't really
>> describe the groundbreaking work he was turning in
>> every night.  Even
>> Robert was bringing it with soul, power and
>> blue-eyed funk.  The band
>> was explosive, fun and not weighed down with complex
>> arrangements or
>> even setlists it seems some nights.  In 1969
>> Zeppelin was blowing
>> LEGENDARY bands off the stage - ask Jefferson
>> Airplane about one night
>> in Boston in January...
>>      I've seen hundreds of bands live.  Unfortunately
>> not Zeppelin,
>> as I was 4 years old when Bonzo died.  I've seen
>> Clapton, BB, Buddy Guy,
>> the Fab T-Birds (I never got to see Stevie before he
>> died on my 14th
>> birthday), and every other notable bluesman or blues
>> band that I've ever
>> crossed paths with.  And from a purely objective
>> standpoint, as a critic
>> and not a fan, I can honestly say that from
>> 1969-1973, Led Zeppelin was
>> the greatest *BLUES* band ever assembled, to this
>> very day.  Not one
>> single band can match the elements they brought to
>> the stage - other
>> bands have power, but not the virtuoso musicians, or
>> vice versa.  Some
>> of the bands lack chemistry - Clapton, notably - his
>> band seemed
>> (justifiably - he was frickin' awesome) in awe of
>> him.  
>>      Anyway, I take issue with the idea that Zeppelin
>> got better with
>> age - Zeppelin was still a great band in 1977, but
>> compared to
>> themselves in 1969, *any* band would have been a
>> shadow of what had
>> been.  There's just no measuring up - just like the
>> solo careers -
>> there's no way they could ever eclipse Zeppelin, no
>> matter what they
>> did.  The 1969 band would have unceremoniously blown
>> the 1977 band off
>> the stage, with no remorse whatsoever.
>> 
>> TimD
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-zeppelin@xxxxxxxx
>> [owner-zeppelin@xxxxxxxx','','','')">owner-zeppelin@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf
>> Of Richard Mackey
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 6:27 PM
>> To: steve.thomson@xxxxxx
>> Cc: zeppelin@xxxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: The Queen meeting Jimmy and not Robert
>> oh my!
>> 
>> I know we all have different opinions on a piece of
>> music, but I'm
>> very surprised that you don't like the early live
>> stuff.  I haven't
>> heard a bad performance from 1969 and the top
>> performances (San
>> Francisco in April, 31/8/1969) are devastatingly
>> good.  As Long as I
>> Have You played for 25 minutes is something every
>> Zep fan needs to
>> hear.  I rather like Robert's subhuman howling
>> too...
>> 
>> Richard
>> 
>> 
>
>
>You will need to be strong, for you will be called cowards and traitors.  But 
>it 
is an act of courage to choose sanity and peace when others are choosing hate 
and 
war.
>San Ildefonso Pueblo, Native American elder
>
>
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