The Led Zeppelin Channel

ReevesRd · Mar 30, 2023

I've always been drawn to Zeppelin. I listened to Zeppelin religiously in high school.

My story of how I got Plant's autograph.

Robert Plant had come through my hometown, Jackson, TN to visit the grave sight of a harmonica player, John Lee Curtis "Sonny Boy" Williamson.

When you pay tribute at Sonny Boy's grave, you play harmonica and leave a harmonica on his headstone.

(photo of Tom Price at Sonny Boy's grave) https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/hes-the-reason-i-play-guild.216025/

After paying his respect, Plant stopped to eat at a local restaurant, The Old Country Store. It just so happened that my mom was eating lunch there. She realized who he was, approached him, told him I was a big fan, and got his autograph. Way to go, mom!

Midnight Toker · Mar 30, 2023

ReevesRd said:
I've always been drawn to Zeppelin. I listened to Zeppelin religiously in high school.

My story of how I got Plant's autograph.

Robert Plant had come through my hometown, Jackson, TN to visit the grave sight of a harmonica player, John Lee Curtis "Sonny Boy" Williamson.

When you pay tribute at Sonny Boy's grave, you play harmonica and leave a harmonica on his headstone.

(photo of Tom Price at Sonny Boy's grave) https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/hes-the-reason-i-play-guild.216025/

After paying his respect, Plant stopped to eat at a local restaurant, The Old Country Store. It just so happened that my mom was eating lunch there. She realized who he was, approached him, told him I was a big fan, and got his autograph. Way to go, mom!

Sweet!

Plant is still a bigtime blues lover, still collects old records, and takes part in all sorts of off the beaten path events...like in 2009 where he gave a speech to a small gathering to unveil a marker to WC Handy on the Mississippi Blues Trail.

ReevesRd · Mar 30, 2023

W.C. Handy was waiting for a train at the Tutwiler railway station circa 1903 when he heard a man playing slide guitar with a knife and singing “Goin’ where the Southern cross’ the Dog.”

I would tell this story to my students when teaching about W. C. Handy and the beginnings of the blues. The man was singing about what he was doing that day. Locals referred to these train lines as the Southern and the Dog.

W. C. Handy's home on Beale St. Memphis, TN

What you would call a "shotgun shack" (If you fire a shotgun at the front door, it would go out the back).

The Guilds of Grot · Mar 30, 2023

Jeez, for a minute there I thought I wandered into the new Drum Section!

walrus · Mar 30, 2023

Interesting to talk about Zep's live performances. I don't care that much for a band that "covers" themselves live, and plays the song exactly like the record. The Eagles, Genesis, and even Rush, one of my favorite bands, are just examples that come to mind.

But the improvisation of Zeppelin live is tremendous! Very "jazzy" in that sense. They were so in sync with one another.

walrus

Westerly Wood · Mar 30, 2023

Lol

ReevesRd · Mar 30, 2023

Heartbreaker 1973 Madison Square Garden

fronobulax · Mar 30, 2023

If anyone hears that Plant is going to pay homage to John Jackson, let me know. I can stake out the marker

Maybe get a chance to meet @wileypickett

(I don't know who wrote the marker but the locals who have mentioned playing with him always call him a blues musician. Maybe that's because it is easier to get gigs playing blues than it is to get gigs playing "traditional" music).

John Jackson—Traditional Musician Historical Marker

John Jackson, Piedmont guitar master and influential traditional musician, was born near here on 25 Feb. 1924. (A historical marker located in Woodville in Rappahannock County, Virginia.)

www.hmdb.org

Uke · Mar 30, 2023

Westerly Wood said:
the main problem I have with Zep is the singer. I just can't stand his voice.

The main problem I have with Zep is the singer. I just can't stand to watch him (though I'm ok with his voice).

Guildedagain · Mar 30, 2023

Just think of all the people [just here] you could interrogate just by using audio or video or Robert Plant of Geddy Lee, if only the powers that be knew.

I don't have a clue how you can like a band if you can't stand the singer, but for those of us who don't have a problem looking at Plant, wth are these futuristic amps?

Screen Shot 2023-03-25 at 9.00.27 AM.png

Uke · Mar 30, 2023

Guildedagain said:
Just think of all the people [just here] you could interrogate just by using audio or video or Robert Plant of Geddy Lee, if only the powers that be knew.

I don't have a clue how you can like a band if you can't stand the singer, but for those of us who don't have a problem looking at Plant, wth are these futuristic amps?

Speaking of Geddy Lee: I don't like to watch him or hear him sing. But, I think he is a very fine human being, and is a very fine bass player. And, I think Rush is one of the most musically talented bands ever. So, it's easy to like a band when you don't like a singer's voice or visual persona.

Midnight Toker · Mar 30, 2023

Guildedagain said:
Just think of all the people [just here] you could interrogate just by using audio or video or Robert Plant of Geddy Lee, if only the powers that be knew.

I don't have a clue how you can like a band if you can't stand the singer, but for those of us who don't have a problem looking at Plant, wth are these futuristic amps?

On Zep's first US tour starting in late 68, Rickenbacker supplied them w/ a full backline of their new Transonic amps and cabs. It didn't last too long. By the end of the first leg of the tour, Page already had Hiwatt and Marshall heads on the Transonic cabs, and John Paul Jones went w/ Ampeg.

Page still has his...as seen in the film It Might Get Loud

Guildedagain · Mar 30, 2023

I don't pretend to comprehend human complexity, but to me that sounds like liking a cheeseburger but not liking cheese.

What is a "talented band"?

Talent is something innate, a band is a sentient being?

Rush is Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart. If there's one of the three parts you don't like, how can one like the whole?

And then a physical aversion as well, not that I'm not familiar with all this, having grown up in the shallow disco era where girls wrote bands off as being ugly.

Ugly bands; The Who, The Stones, REO Speedwagon just scratching the tip of the iceberg from memory, anyone who didn't look like Leif Garrett.

Cute bands; Journey, etc.

Westerly Wood · Mar 30, 2023

Guildedagain said:
Just think of all the people [just here] you could interrogate just by using audio or video or Robert Plant of Geddy Lee, if only the powers that be knew.

I don't have a clue how you can like a band if you can't stand the singer, but for those of us who don't have a problem looking at Plant, wth are these futuristic amps?

I think one can like the riffs, the music, the song writing, the groove, but not like the vocal.
Bass, drums guitar as one, vocal as the other.

Guildedagain · Mar 30, 2023

Luckily I'm pretty open minded when it comes to vocals not much offends me, it's usually the last thing I'm listening to if the music is good.

I do make a couple exceptions, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion ;[]

Westerly Wood · Mar 30, 2023

Guildedagain said:
Luckily I'm pretty open minded when it comes to vocals not much offends me, it's usually the last thing I'm listening to if the music is good.

I do make a couple exceptions, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion ;[]

Well and I should be one to talk. I can’t sing at all.

Guildedagain · Mar 30, 2023

Our local legend Bob asks me the other day, somewhat aggressively after a few IPA's "When are you gonna start singing?" as if it was a duty somehow, then proceeds to berate himself saying he's no good at singing or playing guitar and he's the best I've ever seen in person.

We got him back on track, but he's starting to forget lyrics and chords, and I had to remind him how to play one of his own songs he wrote that was a hit of sorts 30 years ago, a magical 4 chord progression, and he couldn't remember the 3rd chord, sad because his fingers still work just fine, his fingers work better than mine ever did or ever will at chords.

Midnight Toker · Mar 30, 2023

fronobulax said:
If anyone hears that Plant is going to pay homage to John Jackson, let me know. I can stake out the marker Maybe get a chance to meet @wileypickett

(I don't know who wrote the marker but the locals who have mentioned playing with him always call him a blues musician. Maybe that's because it is easier to get gigs playing blues than it is to get gigs playing "traditional" music).

John Jackson—Traditional Musician Historical Marker

John Jackson, Piedmont guitar master and influential traditional musician, was born near here on 25 Feb. 1924. (A historical marker located in Woodville in Rappahannock County, Virginia.)

www.hmdb.org

Nice to see a mention of the late Mr Jackson. I had the pleasure of running sound for him several times. A super nice guy, which to be honest was a nice change from all the hard assed old blues players I dealt w/ at a big blues fest I worked for many years. (Understandably, most of those guys got regularly screwed over for most of their lives so they tend to be pretty cold to promoters and staff in performance situations) John was just great. (As was his wife/mgr) It was his repertoire that made me see the direct connection/overlap between country and the blues.

Midnight Toker · Mar 30, 2023

As for Plant's voice, I see no connection to Geddy Lee, who basically sang in falsetto during their heyday. If there's another rock voice to link w/ the tonality of Geddy it would be Jon Anderson of Yes (who naturally has a high voice) .or the kid from Greta Van Fleet, who also sticks w/ falsetto. IMO, Plant is a natural crooner w/ a great range and amazing power. His only vocals I really don't like are several of the songs on Houses Of The Holy where Page slowed down the tapes a whole step, had Plant record his vocals to that, and then sped the tape back to normal for mixing....giving it an annoying chipmunk effect. Ugh. The outtakes and alt mix tacks I have from that album are much more enjoyable.

Westerly Wood · Mar 30, 2023

That being said, and my irrelevant take on Plant aside, Led Zep II is my fave of their albums.

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