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

I've been in rock and roll all my life and I'm wellhigh, up to 11 minutes in length without resorting
aware that The Rolling Stones have been calledto an overly repetitive chorus. I know from
the best rock and roll band. Don't get me wrongRobert's solo work after Led Zep that he also
because I love Mick and the Stones, and theuses unusual tonalities in his writing, but even
Beatles were my major musical influence, butwithout actually knowing this I would have to
here's why I think that Led Zeppelin is the bestassume that due to Jimmy Page being an erupting
rock and roll band of all time:fountain of brilliant guitar work, the
BEST PLAYERSFirst of all, John Bonham was themajority of the non-vocal music creation came
best rock and roll drummer ever to walk the facefrom Jimmy. The Beatles certainly deserve abject
of this planet, and that's an informed opinionworship for John and Paul's creative songwriting
coming from a former professional drummer. Johnability, no question about that. Certainly Mick and
played drums unlike anyone else ever did, stillKeith wrote a slew of classic, historic and truly
does, or ever will, and that fact is continuallymemorable rock songs, but the very nature of
demonstrated in the astounding breadth andtheir comparatively simple rock and roll structure
depth of his recorded work. He had completeand basic similarity to each other in terms of using
independence in all four limbs, he slammed hismajor and minor chord progressions, simple and
drums harder than anyone else, and he did it withbasic rock and roll rhythms, and verse/chorus
speed and total precision, never once dropping thebridge approach defines them as being less
beat. His beats were were innovative andinnovative when compared to Robert and
creative, and John was never stuck in simpleJimmy.SUM TOTAL OF BRILLIANT WORKHere
grooves. His fills were innovative, creative,they outdistance The Stones because most of
complex, and technically brilliant, he knew when tothe Stones' albums have "fillers", which are songs
keep it relatively simple (i.e. Kashmir), but he wasthat do not hit the same intense high that got
always in the stratosphere of drumming. And toslammed in all their best ones. However, I'd like to
top that all off, John created a giant drum soundsay that I don't think either Mick or Robert is
which is unique. It inspired a host of imitators whocapable of recording anything short of a brilliant
were able tovocal. The Beatles actually exceed Led Zep in
imitate the sound of his snare drum, but onlyterms of numbers of great albums that constitute
with a simple backbeat. At the time that Led Zepa greater body of brilliant and uniquely innovative
was formed, Jimmy Page could have gotten anywork that literally broke new musical ground with
drummer in the world to play with him, and heevery single song they recorded. The Beatles
chose John. There's not one single drummer alivewere simply The Beatles, and they were the
or dead who can begin to touch John's power,most creative rock and roll band ever, from being
creativity, speed, precision, and technical brilliance.the best singers and songwriters ever right down
I've heard that Jimmy still feels the same wayto their individual charm and charisma. But without
about John as I do.Secondly, Jimmy Page hasdenigrating their gorgeous, sensitive and original
always been one of the best rock guitarists ever,style of playing, what they recorded is not the
right from his earliest days as a session playerheavy type of rock and roll that either the
and the beginning of his real public stardom in theStones or Led Zep played. George, Paul and John
Yardbirds. I believe that Jimmy is the mostwere all brilliant and creative guitarists, but
brilliantly prolific of all the great rock and rollbecause they did not improvise on stage, they
guitarists. I suspect that Jimmy would agree withwere not really master guitarists. I love and
me that Jimi Hendrix was the one true genius ofrespect Ringo as both a person and as a very
guitar because he came from another galaxy increative drummer who mastered the art of drum
terms of his sound and his use of feedback. Butsounds. He has his own unmistakable Ringo style
unfortunately, Jimi died and we will never knowfor both, but he's not really a master drummer in
how much further he would have progressed.the sense of being able to play with great speed
When I listen to Jimmy's solos using the violinand dexterity. I'm talking about 9 Led Zep albums
bow, I get the urge to put him on the samechock full of brilliant and intensely high songs - I
pedestal as Hendrix and wonder which galaxydon't know how many hours of great rock and
they both came from. As a songwriter, Jimmyroll listening that is. There's not a single weak
used his superior ability to play lead guitar totrack among all that work, and there's simply no
create actual song structure. Led Zep's songs usequestion that they consistently broke new ground
not one or two of Jimmy's incredibly powerful,musically. Their debut album is still the best one of
complicated and unbelievably SEXY riffs in eachall time (including Cream's), and Coda, their "swan
song, but there are four, five or more riffs insong" is equally perfect.STAGE PRESENCELed Zep
some songs. Jimmy's riffs differ from each otherwas there when the concept of "rock and roll
within each song, and also from song to song. Hisstar" was still evolving. I will grant that the Stones
lead guitar playing can be HARD and sexy, he canat least deserve honorable mention as the best
be sensitive and beautiful, and he can berock and roll band but it's mostly because of their
technically brilliant, all in the very sameimpressive touring record and Mick's superstar
song.Thirdly, John Paul Jones is a bass player whostage presence with his ability to put on a great
attained a level of brilliance comparable to Paulshow every single time he appears. And he's still
McCartney. Just like McCartney, John could playdoing it at age 60 for goodness sake! My point
beautiful "melodic" bass (i.e. "Ramble On"), he couldisn't that Led Zep necessarily had the best stage
play as fast as it gets, but he also knew when topresence, just that they did have a true rock star
keep it simple and just hold down the bottomsexual aura.I could go on about Jimmy Page's
although I think he was incapable of doing thatabilities as a producer, and there are other
without utter sophistication. No one at all canaspects to their greatness like the length of time
touch those two on bass, and John also playedthey were together without a change of band
consistently brilliant keyboards - piano, organ andmembers. And the life they actually led as
synthesizer. The intricate way in which he wovearchtypical wild rock and roll bad boys equals the
his bass guitar playing into, through, andlife led by the Rolling Stones in intensity, if not
underneath Jimmy's guitar playing is nothing shortlength. Both bands are perfect examples on an
of perfection itself.And last but not at all least,artistic level of what I call FORM = CONTENT,
Robert Plant had an incredibly high vocal range,which in this case means that these two rock and
emotionally as well as in terms of octaves. Justroll bands personified the rock and roll life.In
like Dylan was for his own music, Robert's voiceconclusion, the above four categories do enough
was perfect for Led Zep's music and there's noto fully qualify Led Zeppelin for my not-so-humble
other singer who could possibly have fit in. As aaward. There will never be another rock and roll
professional singer, I'm knocked out by Robert'sband to approach the stratospheric musical
vocals on both a technical and an emotional level.heights that Led Zep reached. The Recording
Robert understood the concept of using his voiceIndustry Association of America, who has the
like a musical instrument, creating fascinatingcorrect statistics, lists Led Zeppelin as the third
sounds without using lyrics. And Robert co-wrotebest selling musical act/artist in history. The
with Jimmy too. A lot of the time you can'tBeatles are first, with 166.5 million albums sold in
understand his lyrics and I've heard that wasthe USA alone, Elvis is second with 117.5 million,
Robert's intent because just like Mick Jagger, all heand Led Zep is third with 106 million. I think it's
cared about at that time was that you connectvery significant that those statistics are becoming
with the emotion and the energy in the totality ofgeometrically times greater than the number of
the music. But when you can get the lyrics (like inalbums that they sold during their performance
Stairway to Heaven, their tribute to Janis Joplin),lifetimes. What has happened
you find a great piece of poetry. And on top of alland is happening is that the young people of
that, Robert had the best "oooh yeahs" in thetoday are discovering them in droves because
business!CREATIVE SONGWRITINGHardlythey are coming of age sexually and they
anybody has ever covered Led Zep songs forrecognize and connect with the most powerful
very good reasons. Their song structure is basedmusical example of that sexual power. They are
on their vastly superior playing abilities and there'sbuying their CD's, shirts, posters and other
no one who can actually play what they played.memorabilia. And frankly, I'm thrilled.Peter Cross is
I'm talking about songs that are not based ona former professional drummer and a singer
simple chords like all other rock and roll is. Jimmysongwriter/producer/Web Master who was
and Robert based their songs on Jimmy's riffs andamong the first to put music on the Internet in a
on his chordal tonalities that to this day standdownloadable format in 1996. His web site is very
alone as being unique. I'm also talking about lengthentertaining and at 206 pages, it may be the
of songs that maintain a constant and intenselargest music artist web site on the Internet.