Led Zeppelin - The Ultimate Classic Rock Band?Led Zeppelin was one of the most successful rock bands of the seventies. They were more than just famous, with a strong fan base that still spans out across the globe - more than enough proof of how they rocked millions! Their performances were immense - a sound that seemed to come from the God of thunder himself and stage antics that thrilled and shocked all those within the crowd. There is no doubt about it - they were and still remain the pioneers of heavy metal. Their style of guitar playing was taken from the blues and some of their earliest works were remakes of songs by the likes of Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf. Jimmy Page, former member of the Yardbirds and the founder of Led Zeppelin had shed-loads of ideas that he would inject into a new wave of rock music - a heavy dose of improvisation, some acoustic touches, hard rock, a pinch of the blues and heavy choruses. This became the dominating elements of Led Zeppelin and the main reason why they were so exceptional. They created a style never seen or heard of before in the history of music.
My two favorite songs from Zep are Rock and Roll and Stairway to Heaven. When I think of Rock and Roll it takes me back in time when living with my sister; it was a party every nite. I would entertain all our guests with myair guitar playing going across the room from speaker to speaker; I was quite entertaining. Page and lead singer Robert Plant, were influenced by their fascination with folk, fantasy and mythology - a theme that became more and more evident as time went on. Their most legendary song would be Stairway To Heaven, which was never released as a single but was on the track-list of their fourth album - untitled, with just symbols on the cover. Stairway to Heaven starts off with a finger-plucked guitar, gradually becoming a powerful force of guitar riffs and solo leads. When I hear Stairway to Heaven I'm reminded of the woman that I thought would make a great companion for me; we had a bond but she always seemed to be married to someone else. I did kiss her once; it was in a tent during a great party with bands and the whole nine yards. The line up consisted of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham. Their first album was put together in as little as ninety hours after they returned from a Scandinavian tour. Shortly thereafter they did an American tour (1969), opening for Vanilla Fudge and their debut album was released two months later - becoming an instant top ten hit on the billboards. Their second album came in at number one and all of their creations have sold millions of copies worldwide - all reaching platinum. Throughout the seventies, the members of Led Zeppelin would go through heartbreaking ordeals - first was a serious accident involving Plant and his family, the death of Plant's six year old son from a viral infection would also put pressures on the band. As the years went by, their live performances became more and more infrequent. In 1978, the band recorded their last album as a group, In Through The Out Door. Towards the end of September in 1980, Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham would die from asphyxiation - choking on his own vomit whilst sleeping after an alcohol fueled party. This final blow would be the last of Led Zeppelin as they were and the three remaining band members went their separate ways - occasionally regrouping for special events such as Live Aid in 1985. There will always be a place in my heart for Led Zeppelin they were one of the best.
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