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Led Zeppelin is the #1 Rock and Roll Band of All Time

I've been in rock and roll all my life and11 minutes in length without resorting to an
I'm well aware that The Rolling Stones haveoverly repetitive chorus. I know from
been called the best rock and roll band.Robert's solo work after Led Zep that he also
Don't get me wrong because I love Mick anduses unusual tonalities in his writing, but
the Stones, and the Beatles were my majoreven without actually knowing this I would
musical influence, but here's why I thinkhave to assume that due to Jimmy Page being
that Led Zeppelin is the best rock and rollan erupting fountain of brilliant guitar
band  of  all  time:work,  the
BEST PLAYERSFirst of all, John Bonham wasmajority of the non-vocal music creation
the best rock and roll drummer ever to walkcame from Jimmy. The Beatles certainly
the face of this planet, and that's andeserve abject worship for John and Paul's
informed opinion coming from a formercreative songwriting ability, no question
professional drummer. John played drumsabout that. Certainly Mick and Keith wrote a
unlike anyone else ever did, still does, orslew of classic, historic and truly memorable
ever will, and that fact is continuallyrock songs, but the very nature of their
demonstrated in the astounding breadth andcomparatively simple rock and roll structure
depth of his recorded work. He had completeand basic similarity to each other in terms
independence in all four limbs, he slammedof using major and minor chord progressions,
his drums harder than anyone else, and he didsimple and basic rock and roll rhythms, and
it with speed and total precision, never onceverse/chorus/bridge approach defines them as
dropping the beat. His beats were werebeing less innovative when compared to Robert
innovative and creative, and John was neverand Jimmy.SUM TOTAL OF BRILLIANT WORKHere
stuck in simple grooves. His fills werethey outdistance The Stones because most of
innovative, creative, complex, andthe Stones' albums have "fillers", which are
technically brilliant, he knew when to keepsongs that do not hit the same intense high
it relatively simple (i.e. Kashmir), but hethat got slammed in all their best ones.
was always in the stratosphere of drumming.However, I'd like to say that I don't think
And to top that all off, John created a gianteither Mick or Robert is capable of recording
drum sound which is unique. It inspired aanything short of a brilliant vocal. The
host  of  imitators  who  were  able  toBeatles actually exceed Led Zep in terms of
numbers of great albums that constitute a
imitate the sound of his snare drum, butgreater body of brilliant and uniquely
only with a simple backbeat. At the time thatinnovative work that literally broke new
Led Zep was formed, Jimmy Page could havemusical ground with every single song they
gotten any drummer in the world to play withrecorded. The Beatles were simply The
him, and he chose John. There's not oneBeatles, and they were the most creative rock
single drummer alive or dead who can begin toand roll band ever, from being the best
touch John's power, creativity, speed,singers and songwriters ever right down to
precision, and technical brilliance. I'vetheir individual charm and charisma. But
heard that Jimmy still feels the same waywithout denigrating their gorgeous, sensitive
about John as I do.Secondly, Jimmy Page hasand original style of playing, what they
always been one of the best rock guitaristsrecorded is not the heavy type of rock and
ever, right from his earliest days as aroll that either the Stones or Led Zep
session player and the beginning of his realplayed. George, Paul and John were all
public stardom in the Yardbirds. I believebrilliant and creative guitarists, but
that Jimmy is the most brilliantly prolificbecause they did not improvise on stage, they
of all the great rock and roll guitarists. Iwere not really master guitarists. I love and
suspect that Jimmy would agree with me thatrespect Ringo as both a person and as a very
Jimi Hendrix was the one true genius ofcreative drummer who mastered the art of drum
guitar because he came from another galaxy insounds. He has his own unmistakable Ringo
terms of his sound and his use of feedback.style for both, but he's not really a master
But unfortunately, Jimi died and we willdrummer in the sense of being able to play
never know how much further he would havewith great speed and dexterity. I'm talking
progressed. When I listen to Jimmy's solosabout 9 Led Zep albums chock full of
using the violin bow, I get the urge to putbrilliant and intensely high songs - I don't
him on the same pedestal as Hendrix andknow how many hours of great rock and roll
wonder which galaxy they both came from. As alistening that is. There's not a single weak
songwriter, Jimmy used his superior abilitytrack among all that work, and there's simply
to play lead guitar to create actual songno question that they consistently broke new
structure. Led Zep's songs use not one or twoground musically. Their debut album is still
of Jimmy's incredibly powerful, complicatedthe best one of all time (including Cream's),
and unbelievably SEXY riffs in each song, butand Coda, their "swan song" is equally
there are four, five or more riffs in someperfect.STAGE PRESENCELed Zep was there when
songs. Jimmy's riffs differ from each otherthe concept of "rock and roll star" was still
within each song, and also from song to song.evolving. I will grant that the Stones at
His lead guitar playing can be HARD and sexy,least deserve honorable mention as the best
he can be sensitive and beautiful, and he canrock and roll band but it's mostly because of
be technically brilliant, all in the verytheir impressive touring record and Mick's
same song.Thirdly, John Paul Jones is a basssuperstar stage presence with his ability to
player who attained a level of brillianceput on a great show every single time he
comparable to Paul McCartney. Just likeappears. And he's still doing it at age 60
McCartney, John could play beautifulfor goodness sake! My point isn't that Led
"melodic" bass (i.e. "Ramble On"), he couldZep necessarily had the best stage presence,
play as fast as it gets, but he also knewjust that they did have a true rock star
when to keep it simple and just hold down thesexual aura.I could go on about Jimmy Page's
bottom although I think he was incapable ofabilities as a producer, and there are other
doing that without utter sophistication. Noaspects to their greatness like the length of
one at all can touch those two on bass, andtime they were together without a change of
John also played consistently brilliantband members. And the life they actually led
keyboards - piano, organ and synthesizer. Theas archtypical wild rock and roll bad boys
intricate way in which he wove his bassequals the life led by the Rolling Stones in
guitar playing into, through, and underneathintensity, if not length. Both bands are
Jimmy's guitar playing is nothing short ofperfect examples on an artistic level of what
perfection itself.And last but not at allI call FORM = CONTENT, which in this case
least, Robert Plant had an incredibly highmeans that these two rock and roll bands
vocal range, emotionally as well as in termspersonified the rock and roll life.In
of octaves. Just like Dylan was for his ownconclusion, the above four categories do
music, Robert's voice was perfect for Ledenough to fully qualify Led Zeppelin for my
Zep's music and there's no other singer whonot-so-humble award. There will never be
could possibly have fit in. As a professionalanother rock and roll band to approach the
singer, I'm knocked out by Robert's vocals onstratospheric musical heights that Led Zep
both a technical and an emotional level.reached. The Recording Industry Association
Robert understood the concept of using hisof America, who has the correct statistics,
voice like a musical instrument, creatinglists Led Zeppelin as the third best selling
fascinating sounds without using lyrics. Andmusical act/artist in history. The Beatles
Robert co-wrote with Jimmy too. A lot of theare first, with 166.5 million albums sold in
time you can't understand his lyrics and I'vethe USA alone, Elvis is second with 117.5
heard that was Robert's intent because justmillion, and Led Zep is third with 106
like Mick Jagger, all he cared about at thatmillion. I think it's very significant that
time was that you connect with the emotionthose statistics are becoming geometrically
and the energy in the totality of the music.times greater than the number of albums that
But when you can get the lyrics (like inthey sold during their performance lifetimes.
Stairway to Heaven, their tribute to JanisWhat  has  happened
Joplin), you find a great piece of poetry.
And on top of all that, Robert had the bestand is happening is that the young people of
"oooh yeahs" in the business!CREATIVEtoday are discovering them in droves because
SONGWRITINGHardly anybody has ever coveredthey are coming of age sexually and they
Led Zep songs for very good reasons. Theirrecognize and connect with the most powerful
song structure is based on their vastlymusical example of that sexual power. They
superior playing abilities and there's no oneare buying their CD's, shirts, posters and
who can actually play what they played. I'mother memorabilia. And frankly, I'm
talking about songs that are not based onthrilled.Peter Cross is a former professional
simple chords like all other rock and rolldrummer and a singer/songwriter/producer/Web
is. Jimmy and Robert based their songs onMaster who was among the first to put music
Jimmy's riffs and on his chordal tonalitieson the Internet in a downloadable format in
that to this day stand alone as being unique.1996. His web site is very entertaining and
I'm also talking about length of songs thatat 206 pages, it may be the largest music
maintain a constant and intense high, up toartist web site on the Internet.



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