1691 replies to this topic

[The Good Dr Bill]

I dunno if I ever would've guessed that it was Rap who did that blurb. But I guess it's too perfect to have been done by anyone else.

[Paul]

We Come From The Land Of The Ice And Snow
From The Midnight Sun Where The Hot Springs Blow

#21.




Led Zeppelin (1807 Points, 38 Votes, 1 #1 Vote)

Years Active: 1968-1980

SOMB Says: Growing up 35 miles north of San Francisco afforded a useful vantage point from which to observe and vicariously experience the abrupt evolution of the late 1960s. Although I was too young to attend, my eldest sister got to see the Beatles and Stones each time they toured the bay area and for a time, her tastes in music informed mine. I adopted her favorites--the Beatles, Stones, Doors, Cream, Sly-- as my own while she attended shows each weekend at the legendary Fillmore, Avalon, and Winterland Ballrooms.

My sixth-grade teacher, a young woman who taught just one year at my insular parochial school, was pretty, hip, and most notably, not a nun. Mrs. Grissom noticed my hippie-wannabe tendencies and gifted me with a sterling peace sign to wear on my uniform sweater. My admiration for her grew when she brought in and introduced her hunky husband to the class one day. He was, she told us, a freelance writer for the new chronicle of music and the counterculture, Rolling Stone Magazine, of which I straightaway became a faithful reader.

Which is how I eventually came to read a review of a new album by the erstwhile dregs of the Yardbirds, a band called Led Zeppelin. The review wasn't great but it made them sound interesting, an advancement of the Yardbirds' sound yet a departure from the status quo. I bought the eponymous LP as soon as Sears had it in stock. Even before hearing it for the first time, my excitement to own it was palpable. It was my first step away from the path laid out by my sister. It was not yet getting airplay on the bay area radio stations, and I had gambled my hard-earned $3.68 that it would be worthwhile. Which, of course, it was.

Led Zeppelin were a groundbreaking (and, as we subsequently learned, highly resourceful) band. The music had roots in blues, rock, and traditional folk and was massive, technical and thought-provoking. Jimmy Page provided the backbone with his dominant guitars and mandolin, soaring through and about melodies whether acoustic, plugged in, slide, 6 or 12 strings. Bonham and Jones were as masterful and versatile with their respective drums and bass. Tying it all together was Robert Plant's spry, distinctive wail wrapped up in tight, tight pants. The songs on that first album were in turns meditative ("Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"), bluesy ("You Shook Me," "I Can't Quit You Baby"), folky/melodic ("Black Mountain Side," "Your Time is Gonna Come"), hard rock ("Communication Breakdown," "How Many More Times"), and spooky ("Dazed and Confused"). By mixing it up from their very first LP, they succeeded in establishing a brand that was unclassifiable.

Like the eclectic jumble of songs included on their debut, the band's direction on future albums continued to be unpredictable and appealing. Sure, we now know that they "borrowed" a great deal from others to arrive at their 'signature' blend of sounds, but (aside from the lack of attribution where it was in fact due) they weren't much different from chefs and designers today, who cull techniques and trends to come up with an amalgam that's unique and completely their own.

Led Zeppelin II, released later that year, was more mainstream, consistent and accessible, yet also included Tolkienian references, massive hooks, and lurid allusions to sex. Words alone can't convey the impact of experiencing Led Zep in those days, but there's this: We had a listening party w/ some pals when II was released. "Whole Lotta Love" was playing and my other sister's boyfriend found the breakdown/solo so exhilarating and provocative that he threatened to stab someone if she didn't immediately change the song. She didn't, and he did (with a butter knife).

There was no junior slump. The next album strengthened their traditional bent ("Hats off to Roy Harper," and the relentless "Gallows Pole") while also including tasty psychedelic rockers "Celebration Day" and "Out on the Tiles" as well as the jarring, amelodic "Immigrant Song." 1971's Led Zeppelin IV seemed a maturation of the sound they had been circling toward since the beginning, substituting the epic ballad "Stairway to Heaven" and folky "Going to California" for previous albums' traditional-sounding blues tunes while "Black Dog," "Rock and Roll," "Misty Mountain Hop" and "When the Levee Breaks" solidified their 'heavy metal' chops (funny how they were labeled the quintessential 'heavy metal' band when their recordings were in fact never all that heavy).

With Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti, Led Zep remained the perfect band. I mean, Jebus, "The Rain Song"! "Over the Hills & Far Away"! "The Crunge"! "Dancing Days"! "The Rover"! "Kashmir" (which loses momentum at 6:37 but its maximum heaviosity, with strings, has stood the test of time)! It may be that Led Zeppelin were my micro-generation's Beatles.

I could go on, but must admit to never having owned Presence, The Song Remains the Same, or In Through the Out Door. I had moved on to new wave, Devo and the Cars but Led Zep carried on with the hypnotic "In the Evening," exuberant "Hots on for Nowhere," and syncopated, jazzy "Fool in the Rain." Despite my gradually waning interest, Led Zep pretty much ruled the world until 1979, when John Bonham died and the survivors subsequently decided that disbanding was in order. A complete, ten-year break from their music and a gift of the boxed set in the late '90s refreshed their appeal and replenished my appreciation for them. The fact that I never got to see them perform remains one of my biggest music-related regrets. Which makes the recently-unearthed How the West Was Won DVDs and CDs an essential buy for those similarly deprived. - velocity

Album Pick: Everything through Physical Graffiti is unfuckwithable and if forced to choose, Houses of the Holy may be my favorite studio album.

Track Picks: "Misty Mountain Hop," with its backdrop of quasi-chanting, is a spastic march through a manic breakdown and into the sunset/Misty Mountains.

For a tour-de-force of choice riffs and some of Led Zep's crunchiest goodness, try "In My Time of Dying."

"The Ocean" has a great bass line, some crunch, lovely harmonies, doo-wop, a few time signature changes and some of "The Crunge"'s humor.

Honorable mention (it's impossible to recommend just 3 songs!!): The meandering, poignant "Ten Years Gone." Oh darling...oh darling...!

Ranked Highest By: Ennui #1)

[M_Rots]

SOMB Says: It took years for me to remember that Kurt Cobain was dead.

Over and over I would think to myself, "I wonder when a new Nirvana album is going to come out...", and be reminded again that there would be no new Nirvana album. Of course, it didn't help that Nirvana had posthumous releases come out, MTV Unplugged in New York coming 7 months after Cobain's death, and the Live compilation From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah 2 years after that.

It's hard to believe that someone could possibly forget such a thing. The death of Kurt Cobain seems to me to be one of the biggest tragedies of the 90's. Hell, one of the biggest tragedies in music ever. It seems like Cobain's death is the 90's Titanic, JFK, and 9/11. It seemed to effect everyone. There are a million Nirvana cover songs. There are conspiracy theories galore. There is Courtney Love. Am I wrong to think that most people between the age of 20 and 50 right now remember where they were when they first heard that Kurt Cobain was dead?

And it goes without saying that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was the atom bomb. Certainly, just as many people probably remember where they were the first time they heard it.

By my recollection, it was mid-October 1991. Dead Billy and I were in the parking lot by Rose Records in Vernon Hills. I'm fairly certain that we were in my parent's car. He busted out a tape, and said, "we have to listen to this, I just got this from _____ (time has erased whose tape it was), it's the new Nirvana album". Now, I'm almost certain neither of us had heard the LAST Nirvana album, but I'm also almost certain that we knew about them, because they were mentioned in the Bible. Not THAT Bible, but the Trouser Press Record Guide, that mangled, tattered, highlighted book that we seemed to always reference.

I remember buying the CD that very weekend. And picking up an Illinois Entertainer, and seeing that they had just played the week before at the Cabaret Metro. After listening to Nevermind 100,000 times over the next couple months, I was obviously hooked.

But of course, I never saw Nirvana in concert. Apparently they hated Chicago. Was it because this is where the Smashing Pumpkins were? Was it because Kurt fucked Courtney Love for the first time here? They only came to Chicago once after they reached superstardom. In a great twist of fate, it was the same week or month that James Brown was playing. "I'm sure Nirvana will be back around soon", I thought, "James Brown could die at any time". Kurt Cobain died 6 months later. James Brown lived more than 12 more years, and played the area countless times. (In another fantastic twist of fate, I was also annoyed that The Meat Puppets were not opening for this leg of the tour, and hoped that they would be back with them. I finally saw The Meat Puppets last week and they were horrible.)

All this, and I haven't said shit about the music. But what the fuck, do I really need to? This is Fucking Nirvana. There isn't anyone here that doesn't know who they are. This is like blurbing the fucking Beatles, fuck that. – theremin

Love this blurb, theremin, apart from the reminder of Trouser Press Music Guide, a book which exists, so far as I can tell, to assure you everything you grew up loving is utter shit and everything you've always ignored the wailing ultimate.

[Johnny's Shack]

Surprised to see indie-centric faves like Eno, Heads, Pixies and Sonic Youth bow out before the top 20. Did The Who really beat out all these guys?

[Asher Ford]

I've got 14 of the top 20 figured out. Should be interesting to see the order though.

[Duff.]

Zep misses the top 20. Wow.

I dunno if I ever would've guessed that it was Rap who did that blurb. But I guess it's too perfect to have been done by anyone else.

I know, right? I alternated from being deeply offended to being deeply in love from sentence to sentence.

[maxexactly]

"Ask" as a Smiths pick, are you joking?

Sorry dude, those are my 3 favorite Smiths songs. It was a tough call, but "Ask" was the easy choice for me -- a song that never fails to get my full attention. If you don't like it, name your own picks.

"Ask" is the bomb that will bring us together.

[Duff.]

Man, it'd be great if #1 isn't The Beatles, or Pink Floyd, or Radiohead. But New Order. Probably hoping for too much.

[elcorazon]

I probably have screwed up and included someone who already made the list but anyways, here's my random guess:

Spoiler

20. The Who 19. Weezer 18. New Order 17. Pink Floyd 16. Beach Boys 15. Prince 14. Kinks 13. Pavement 12. The Clash 11. Elvis Costello 10. Wilco 9. Bowie 8. Replacements 7. Dylan 6. Neil Young 5. Rolling Stones 4. Velvet Underground 3. REM 2. Radiohead 1. Beatles

fixed. thanks mitchell.

[Rob Gordon]

Great artists coming one after another now. And the blurbs are so much fun. Kudos to all.

[Mitchell]

I probably have screwed up and included someone who already made the list but anyways, here's my random guess:

Spoiler

19. The Band

Had them, it's

Spoiler

Weezer.

[Soundscape]

wow..I'd have picked a few different tracks for Zep and Bruce..when I have more time I will definitely read these...and for U2..if I chose 1 song off CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND..it'd definitely would have been "New York."

[Diesel]

Why can't we delete posts now? I just answered Elco's prediction but Mitchell beat me to it. Still, I can't wait.

[theremin]

Love this blurb, theremin, apart from the reminder of Trouser Press Music Guide, a book which exists, so far as I can tell, to assure you everything you grew up loving is utter shit and everything you've always ignored the wailing ultimate.

Thanks boo. Do you feel that way about the original Guide (circa 91?) Cause I sort of feel the opposite. They certainly gave a lot of glowing reviews to things I loved, although, there was always some sort of backhanded compliment somewhere I imagine.

I think it pales in the snarkiness levels of a p4k or something.

[Freddie Freelance]

Led Zeppelin
Which is how I eventually came to read a review of a new album by the erstwhile dregs of the Yardbirds, a band called Led Zeppelin. The review wasn't great but it made them sound interesting, an advancement of the Yardbirds' sound yet a departure from the status quo. I bought the eponymous LP as soon as Sears had it in stock. Even before hearing it for the first time, my excitement to own it was palpable. It was my first step away from the path laid out by my sister. It was not yet getting airplay on the bay area radio stations, and I had gambled my hard-earned $3.68 that it would be worthwhile. Which, of course, it was. - velocity

Not only wasn't the review great it all but pissed on the band; calling Page "a very limited producer and a writer of weak, unimaginative songs, and the Zeppelin album suffers from his having both produced it and written most of it," calls Plant "prissy," "strained and unconvincing ," and all but ignores Jones & Bonzo calling the band "a two- (or, more accurately, one-a-half) man show." I congratulate you for finding any of the band's interesting points from that famous turd of a review.

[The Luscious Phil]

I just want to say that the track picks for Sonic Youth are so spot on! And I feel bad that I didnt' vote them top five. Oh, if I could do it again!

[Elemeno P.T.]

Awesome thread (sad, angry folks aside). Thanks again, Paul.

[M_Rots]

Love this blurb, theremin, apart from the reminder of Trouser Press Music Guide, a book which exists, so far as I can tell, to assure you everything you grew up loving is utter shit and everything you've always ignored the wailing ultimate.

Thanks boo. Do you feel that way about the original Guide (circa 91?) Cause I sort of feel the opposite. They certainly gave a lot of glowing reviews to things I loved, although, there was always some sort of backhanded compliment somewhere I imagine.

I think it pales in the snarkiness levels of a p4k or something.

Yeah, I don't even read p4k - I have enough problems with anger management.

Honestly, I cannot tell you which edition I read - all I recall is checking it out from the library a few years back and wanting to murder Ira Robbins about every other page or so. Which makes it all the more weird, as Robbins and TP were responsible for turning me onto whole worlds of new music back in the '80s before he voluntarily folded.

[wh1tep0ny]

"Ask" is not one of my faves however it was the first song by them I ever heard so I have a special place for it regardless. great job on the Ramones and Springsteen blurbs Not that anyone cares but on my comp that died I had several pieces about Deftones, Kiss Neutral Milk Hotel etc that I would of loved to share someday I will rewrite them after reading Duff and Norton I'm guessing it will be sooner then later lastly whenever I feel old I must admit remembering that I saw Nirvana live twice makes my age seem like an advantage

[theremin]

Honestly, I cannot tell you which edition I read - all I recall is checking it out from the library a few years back and wanting to murder Ira Robbins about every other page or so. Which makes it all the more weird, as Robbins and TP were responsible for turning me onto whole worlds of new music back in the '80s before he voluntarily folded.

The Bible: