Achilles Last Stand on WECB

Achilles Last Stand 4/8

2010-04-08T16:05:00.004-04:00

Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "Rock And Roll", How The West Was Won
- Robert Plant, "Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eye On You)", Manic Nirvana
- Led Zeppelin, "When The Levee Breaks", IV
- Justin Adams, "Wayward", Desert Road
- Robert Plant, "Road To The Sun", Sixty Six To Timbuktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Hot Dog", In Through The Out Door
- Robert Plant And Alison Kruass, "Rich Woman", Raising Sand
- Led Zeppelin, "You Shook Me", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "Moby Dick", Led Zeppelin II
- Spencer Davis Group, "Gimme Some Lovin'"
- Led Zeppelin, "D'Yer Maker", Houses Of The Holy
- Cream, "Crossroads"
- Led Zeppelin, "Misty Mountain Hop", The Song Remains The Same (2007)
- Roy Harper, "One Man Rock And Roll Band", Stormcock
- Robert Plant And The Strange Sensation, "Freedom Fries", Mighty Rearranger
- Robert Plant And Jimmy Page, "When The World Was Young", Walking Into Clarksdale
- Led Zeppelin, "Fool In The Rain", In Through The Out Door
- Led Zeppelin, "Celebration Day", Led Zeppelin III
- Them Crooked Vultures, "Mind Eraser, No Chaser", Them Crooked Vultures
- The Allman Brothers Band, "Ain't Wastin' Time No More", Eat A Peach

Achilles Last Stand 4/1

2010-04-01T20:00:00.002-04:00

Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song", How The West Was Won
- Robert Plant, "Calling To You", Fate Of Nations
- Led Zeppelin, "What Is And What Should Never Be", Led Zeppelin II
- John Paul Jones, "Daphne", The Thundertheif
- Robert Plant And Alison Krauss, "Please Read The Letter", Raising Sand
- Led Zeppelin, "Boogie With Stu", Physical Graffiti
- The Firm, "Spirit Of Love", Mean Business
- Led Zeppelin, "I Can't Quit You Baby", Led Zeppelin I
- Robert Plant, "Darkness Darkness", Dreamland
- The Yardbirds, "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"
- Led Zeppelin, "Travelling Riverside Blues", BBC Sessions
- Yes, "I've Seen All Good People"
- Robert Plant And Jimmy Page, "Most High", Walking Into Clarksdale
- Led Zeppelin, "Heartbreaker" into "Whole Lotta Love", The Song Remains The Same (2007)
- The Who, "Baba O'Reilly"
- Robert Plant, "Black Dog", Sound Electic
- Led Zeppelin "We're Gonna Groove", Coda

Achilles Last Stand 3/25

2010-04-01T14:55:00.000-04:00

Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "Kashmir", Physical Graffiti
- Led Zeppelin, "Royal Orleans", Presence
- Robert Plant And The Strange Sensation, "Takamba", Mighty Rearranger
- Eric Clapton, "Travelling Riverside Blues", Sessions For Robert J
- Led Zeppelin, "What Is And What Should Never Be", BBC Sessions
- Robert Plant And Jimmy Page, "Rude World", Sixty Six To Timbuktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Good Times, Bad Times", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "Since I've Been Loving You", Led Zeppelin III
- Robert Plant, "Far Post", Pictures At Eleven
- Traffic, "Dear Mr. Fantasy", Mr. Fantasy
- Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", The Song Remains The Same (2007)
- Robert Plant And Alison Krauss, "Nothin'", Raising Sand
- Led Zeppelin, "Houses Of The Holy", Physical Graffiti
- John Paul Jones, "Nosumi Blues", Zooma
- Robert Plant, "In The Mood", Principle Of Moments
- Led Zeppelin, "Dancing Days", Houses Of The Holy
- Them Crooked Vultures, "No One Loves Me And Neither Do I", Them Crooked Vultures
- Led Zeppelin, "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "Bring It On Home", How The West Was Won
- Muddy Waters, "Rollin' And Tumblin'"

This Month In Led Zeppelin For April

2010-04-01T10:00:00.002-04:00

Every month I have a monthly update on what happened in Zeppelin history. The first show of the month will include a This Month in Zeppelin feature where all of the important events of the month are announced. If there's an extremely important date (i.e. big album releases, deaths, births, ect.), I will talk about it as close to the date as possible. So, without further ado, this month in Led Zeppelin...

April 26, 1969: "Whole Lotta Love" is played for the first time on-stage.
April 6, 1970: Led Zeppelin are made Honorary Citizens of Memphis, TN followed by police action at their concert that night.
April 19, 1975: The remaining 51,000 tickets for the two added Earls Court concerts sell in hours.
April 30, 1977: Led Zeppelin sets the record for the highest attendance at a concert when 76,229 fans show up at the Silverdome in Detroit
April 13, 1981: Plant performs with the original version of the Honeydrippers that would release an album in 1984.
April 28, 1990: Plant, Page, Jones, and Bonzo Jr. play at Bonzo Jr.'s wedding.
April 20, 1992: Plant sings at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert. He performed "Friends", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", and "Innuendo" with the remaining members of Queen.
April 21, 1998: Plant and Page release their first album of originals together since Led Zeppelin Walking Into Clarksdale.

Achilles Last Stand 3/18

2010-03-18T20:00:00.030-04:00

Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "Rock And Roll", IV
- Queen, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
- Robert Plant, "I Believe", Fate Of Nations
- Tinariwen, "Tamatant Tilay", Aman Iman
- Led Zeppelin, Over The Hills And Far Away", The Song Remains The Same (2007)
- The Yardbirds, "White Summer", Ultimate
- Robert Plant And Alison Krauss, "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)", Raising Sand
- Led Zeppelin, "In My Time Of Dying", Physical Graffiti
- Led Zeppelin, "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp", How The West Was Won
- Son House, "Death Letter Blues"
- Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", Led Zeppelin II
- Led Zeppelin, "Hots On For Nowhere", Presence
- Them Crooked Vultures, "New Fang", Them Crooked Vultures
- Roy Harper And Jimmy Page, "Nineteen Forty-Eightish", What Ever Happened To Jugula?
- Led Zeppelin, "The Song Remains The Same", Houses Of The Holy
- Robert Plant, "Burning Down One Side", Pictures At Eleven
- Led Zeppelin, "Communication Breakdown", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "Gallows Pole", Led Zeppelin III
- Led Zeppelin, "Hey Hey What Can I Do?"
- Crosby, Stills, Nash, And Young, "Ohio", So Far

It's good to be back after a wonderful Spring Break of nothingness. Went a little more Zeppelin heavy than normal, but today felt like a good day to do so. Also threw in a new track from Them Crooked Vultures, who have a hilarious new video with Dave Grohl called "Fresh Pots":

I can certainly understand his addiction since I need my fresh cup of coffee every morning. Any requests for next week. Leave a comment and I'll get it on air for you next Thursday.

Album Of The Month For March: Presence

2010-03-10T14:00:00.002-05:00

After Zeppelin's quick rise to the top in the late 1960s, the band continued to grow their empire through their 1975 release Physical Graffiti. At this point the band had it all. Each of their albums were highly successful and continued to blow away young minds across the globe. Then disaster struck when the band needed to leave England to avoid heavy taxes on their hard earned money. During Robert's vacation, he crashed the car with his wife and children (and Jimmy's daughter). Robert broke his ankle and his wife was seriously injured. Soon, the band decided to record another album fast to follow up their previous album even with Robert confined to a wheelchair. Presence became a turning point for the band. For the first time ever they completed an album with limited outside influence. The songs were pure rock and left behind a few of their blues roots. Even while rushing to complete the album and with Robert in his wheelchair, the band completed one of their most unique albums and sent the band in a new direction.

Release Date: March 31, 1976
Highest Billboard Position: 1
Sales Status: 3x Platinum

Track Listing:
1. Achilles Last Stand
The album starts with a slow guitar strum from Jimmy, then explodes into utter chaos to launch into one of Zeppelin's longest songs in their catalog. The lyrics were inspired by a trip Robert and Jimmy took to Morocco and the folklore they loved to bring up time and time again. The band, known for being stingy to film makers, allowed the makers of Dogtown And Z-Boys to use it in their movie.

2. For Your Life
For a band well known for their incredible amount of drug use you wouldn't expect them to criticize it. With this song they went after the Los Angeles music scene for using far too much cocaine and ruining the music scene there. This would be the first of many songs that detailed the band's personal experiences, something they rarely did in their early years.

3. Royal Orleans
The third track detailed one of the more interesting tales from Zeppelin's wild road adventures. It described how John Paul Jones took what appeared to be a woman up to his hotel room from the bar. They smoked weed and fell asleep on top of each other. The joint, still lit as they entered their slumber, lit the room on fire. In the commotion, everyone discovered that the person Jones brought to his room was in fact a transvestite. The story became legendary and is one of few that includes Jones as a part of the band's escapades.

4. Nobody's Fault But Mine
The band never shied away from deep subject and returned to the devil once again on this song that starts with a sharp line from Jimmy. The only song with source material outside of the band (no one has been credited with writing it, however it dates back to the earliest days of the blues), it sounded much more like the older tracks from Zeppelin. With one of the more driving harmonica tunes by Robert, the song really feels alive as he describes being introduced to gong, having a monkey on his back, and the devil telling him to roll. This is the highlight track of the album and one of the few they used regularly in their later shows.

5. Candy Store Rock
Robert's rockabilly style comes out strong as Jimmy pushes the song along with his strong blues riff. Robert tries out his best Elvis impersonation and really shows how much song writing prowess he owns. This song rarely hit the stage with Zeppelin, however Robert and Jimmy would use it during their tours in the 1990s.

6. Hots On For Nowhere
This is the most underrated Zeppelin song ever. I mean it. No one knows it. Jimmy's groovy guitar with Jones' bass combine well with Robert's strong singing. It rambles along well and is easy to rock out too. I'm still confused why no one picked up.

7. Tea For One
This is a tough song to get in to. I needed a few years to really give it a good listen. It follows the guidelines of their normal ballads and lengthier song. It builds up slowly, has a fairly good riff, and blues structure as a base. Truthfully, Robert's voice doesn't cut through like it once did and it lacks the same punch it did on songs like "Dazed And Confused" and "Since I've Been Loving You". If they recorded this before Robert's voice weakened, maybe it could sound better.

Random Fact:
The band finished recording the album in a mere 18 days. They originally had two weeks, which included poor Robert confined to a wheelchair. As their time started to run out, mainly because the Rolling Stones needed the studio next, Jimmy took on a heavy load of working on his overdubs. He spent two straight days without sleep making sure the album was perfect. When the Stones arrived, they were shocked to find that they actually finished the album.

This Month In Led Zeppelin For March

2010-03-09T00:07:00.000-05:00

March 1969: The band performs for TV audiences. After many issues with the studio setups the band decides to never perform on TV again.
March 5, 1971: The first live performance of "Stairway to Heaven" is in Belfast, Ireland.
March 25, 1973: Houses of the Holy, the band's 5th album, is released.
March 15, 1975: The Earls Court shows sells out in four hours
March 31, 1976: Presence, the band's 7th album, is released.
March 4, 1985: Jimmy Page's album with Roy Harper "Whatever Happened to Jugula" is released.
March 22, 1985: Plant releases his first single from Shaken N' Stirred "Pink and Black" and John Paul Jones releases the soundtrack for the movie Scream for Help.
March 14, 1986: The Firm begins their second tour.
March 17, 2005: Plant is the speaker at the SXSW Festival and performs with the Strange Sensation later that night.

Listen for more info on these events along with the same great Zeppelin goodies only on Achilles Last Stand 4-6pm Thursdays on WECB (wecb.emerson.edu).

Achilles Last Stand 3/4

2010-03-04T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "D'Yer Maker", Houses Of The Holy
- Robert Plant, "Burning Down One Side", Pictures At Eleven
- Robert Plant, "Darkness, Darkness", Dreamland
- Led Zeppelin, "Hats Off To (Roy) Harper", Led Zeppelin III
- Jimmy Page Ft. Robert Plant, "The Only One", Outrider
- Them Crooked Vultures, "Elephants", Them Crooked Vultures
- Led Zeppelin, "Misty Mountain Hop", IV
- Led Zeppelin, "Lemon Song", Led Zeppelin II
- Robert Plant, "If I Were A Carpenter", Fate Of Nations
- Led Zeppelin, "Night Flight", Physical Graffiti
- Robert Plant, "Big Log", Principle Of Moments
- Steve Miller Band, "Jungle Love"
- Led Zeppelin, "Nobody's Fault But Mine", Presence
- The Firm, "Fortune Hunter", Mean Business
- Led Zeppelin, "The Ocean", How The West Was Won
- Led Zeppelin, "Ozone Baby", Coda
- Robert Plant And The Strange Sensation, "Shine It All Around", Mighty Rearranger
- Led Zeppelin, "In The Evening", In Through The Out Door
- Robert Plant And Jimmy Page, "Yallah", No Quarter
- Heart, "Crazy On You"

Achilles Last Stand 2/25

2010-03-04T14:37:00.000-05:00

Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "Communication Breakdown", Led Zeppelin I
- Robert Plant And Jimmy Page, "Rude World", Sixty-Six To Timbuktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp", How The West Was Won
- Led Zeppelin, "Darlene", Coda
- The Firm, "Dreaming", Mean Business
- Pink Floyd, "Have A Cigar", Wish You Were Here
- Led Zeppelin, "Foll In The Rain", In Through The Out Door
- Led Zeppelin, "Friends", Led Zeppelin III
- Them Crooked Vultures, "Scumbag Blues", Them Crooked Vultures
- Robert Plant, "Tall Cool One", Now And Zen
- Buffalo Springfield, "Bluebird"
- Bad Company, "Can't Get Enough", Bad Company
- Led Zeppelin, "Dazed And Confused", The Song Remains The Same
- Elvis Presley, "Burning Love"

Album Of The Month For February: Now And Zen

2010-02-19T09:00:00.004-05:00

In 1985, Robert Plant reached a crossroads in his career. His album Shaken 'N' Stirred tanked and he needed to bolster his sets on its supporting tour with songs from his 1984 project The Honeydrippers. After a one off at Live Aid with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Phil Collins as Led Zeppelin, he briefly considered a comeback, however plans were nixed after a failed post-Live Aid appearance. Robert took a few years off, only contributing to Jimmy Page's solo effort Outrider with vocals on one track "The Only One". Finally in 1988, he returned to the spotlight as he released his first album in three years. Although his songs still kept much of the computerized sound of his early work, this album sounded more natural than his first three releases. He also brought back more of the bluesy sound from his Zeppelin years and introduced a middle eastern influence. With this album, Robert resurrected his career and found a new sound for the next few years.

Release Date: February 28, 1988
Highest Billboard Chart Position: 6

Track Listing
1. Heaven Knows
One of two #1 hits on the record, "Heaven Knows" starts with a computerized sound leading to a hard drum beat. It showcases Robert's rediscovered love of middle eastern music and also returns to a more natural format, although synthesized sounds still dominate the song. Jimmy Page plays guitar on this one and helps Robert get back on track.

2. Dance On My Own
Another synth beat starts out this track, however the songwriting sounds more like Robert. With a touch of rockabilly, Robert crafts a fairly standard rock song with a 1980s sound.

3. Tall Cool One
The other #1 song from this album included pieces that Zeppelin fans waited for years to hear: Robert accepting his previous work. It includes samples of "Whole Lotta Love", "The Ocean", and "Custard Pie" along with Jimmy on guitar. Before this album, he never played Zeppelin songs on tour and all but denied his existence in the band. "Tall Cool One" signaled a return to old Robert, again writing a song with a little bit of rockabilly and blues involved. The song was featured in a Coke ad based off of the music video.

4. The Way I Feel
At this point in the album, Robert pretty much combines his newer (well, kind of original) songwriting techniques with those of his previous solo efforts. This sounds like a song that could easily appear on In Through The Out Door, although it is a bit more synthesized.

5. Helen Of Troy
This song is trapped by the sound of the era. With all the new technologies and the preference for the high screeching guitar, this song sounds a little too much like hair metal. Robert hated that term and certainly wouldn't want to create a hair metal song. The synthesizer kills what could be an excellent piece of the album.

6. Billy's Revenge
The only track on the album void of heavy synths gets much of its influence from rockabilly like much of Roberts work in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The guitar sounds good with Roberts voice without the computer sound and his songwriting really shines through. He slowly moved toward making more songs that sounded like this over the next couple of albums.

7. Ship Of Fools
A standard Plant ballad, "Ship Of Fools" is almost a poor man's "In The Mood" and sounds awfully similar to "Like I've Never Been Gone" off of his first album Pictures At Eleven. With a easy guitar guiding the song, Robert goes into his usual Western cultural reference that he had all but abandoned in his early solo work. It was featured on the final two hour episode of Miami Vice, which gives it some 80's culture props.

8. Why
The most computer driven sound comes from this song and seems almost like a throwaway. The lyrics aren't too complicated and the music seems fairly standard. Not much to say about this one.

9. White Clean And Neat
Another very computerized track, Robert flexed his "I'm still not that connected to Led Zeppelin" muscles and produced another ho hum track. It included an odd sample that just doesn't make sense so Robert didn't really finish off the original album strong.

10. Walking Towards Paradise (Bonus CD track)
This track, found on CD versions and the Nine Lives box set, is under the same vein of "The Way I Feel", except a little bit more upbeat and original. It includes a lot of synthesized sounds, however the songwriting seems to be highlighting Robert's strengths rather than being too outside of the box.

Interesting Fact: Even though the album revived Robert's struggling career, he does not really seem to like it today. He said in an interview with Uncut in 2005 that he could "hear that a lot of the songs got lost in the technology of the time."

Achilles Last Stand 2/18

2010-02-18T20:00:00.006-05:00

Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "Down By The Seaside", Physical Graffiti
- Sonny Boy Williamson, "Bring It On Home"
- Them Crooked Vultures, "New Fang", Them Crooked Vultures
- Afro Celt Sound System ft. Robert Plant, "Let Life Begin Again", Sixty-Six To Timbuktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Rock And Roll", How The West Was Won
- Robert Plant, "All The Money In The World", Mighty Rearranger (Nine Lives Bonus Track)
- The Firm, "Spirit Of Love", Mean Business
- Led Zeppelin, "Four Sticks", IV
- Led Zeppelin, "The Rain Song", The Song Remains The Same (1976)
- Bob Dylan, "Levee's Gonna Break", Modern Times
- Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song", Led Zeppelin III
- The Jeff Beck Group, "Beck's Bolero", Truth
- Robert Plant, "Heaven Knows", Now And Zen
- Led Zeppelin, "Walter's Walk", Coda
- Led Zeppelin, "The Ocean", Houses Of The Holy
- Howlin' Wolf, "Killing Floor"
- Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", How The West Was Won
- Robert Plant, "Worse Than Detroit", Pictures At Eleven
- The Yardbirds, "Train Kept A Rollin'", Ultimate!
- Led Zeppelin, "All Of My Love", In Through The Out Door

It's week two back on-air and the show is in full swing. The album of the month review Robert Plant's Now And Zen will be up in the next couple of day. Again gave you a taste of Them Crooked Vultures. Check out the album review for more info on the release and check out their Youtube channel. They not only posted the entire release, they continue to add new videos. Here's part 1 of a series describing how the band got together:

Here's a video of the band preparing the album in the studio posted a little before the album release:

I'm still keeping my eye on new Plant solo album rumors, mostly coming from Lemon Squeezings, who says it will be called It's Rude To Say No. Also I promise to put my breaks by Monday. Honest. Just got a little busy last week. So until next time, keep reading and don't forget to listen every Thursday 4-6pm on WECB, the Underground Sound of Emerson College.

Them Crooked Vultures Review

2010-02-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

After months of speculation of a Led Zeppelin comeback, all of the rumors were quieted when Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones couldn't find a good enough lead singer. So that meant they could go back to previous projects. Although there were some rumblings of Jones working with other stars of the hard rock world, this project came a little out of left field. Josh Homme fronts the group on vocals and guitar, Dave Grohl moves back behind the drums, and Jones takes his familiar place on bass and keyboards.

When you first catch wind of this project, the first thought is "will this just be Queens Of The Stone Age+Foo Fighters+Led Zeppelin?" Well, yes and no. Josh Homme certainly brings the QOTSA sound to the group with a sprinkling of Foo Fighters from Grohl, however Jones brings a different sound than expected. His contributions seem to follow his solo projects Zooma and The Thundertheif more than his Zeppelin work.

Overall, the album sounds very dark and dirty. It steps outside of the hard rock idea box with a little more blues than you hear these days. Homme sticks with his normal vocals for most of the album and doesn't really change up his style. Grohl drops the hammer on the drums, especially on "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" and "Scumbag Blues". Jones stays in the background like his normal self, however his contibutions are felt throughout. He glues together the band much like he needed to during his day in Led Zeppelin with great bass lines in "No One Loves Me And Neither Do I" and "Elephants". He also sneaks in a nice keyboard groove in "Scumbag Blues".

It's a good but not spectacular output from the trio. The album seems a bit repetitive at times and no one song really shines through. You should still pick it up if you have a chance, especially if you want to rock out.

Catch Up Time

2010-02-12T09:00:00.003-05:00

It's been 9 months since the last time Achilles Last Stand hit the internet airwaves and much has
happened since then. Well, one really really big event occurred and the rest is mostly rumors.

The actual news: Them Crooked Vultures
After the obligatory Led Zeppelin reunion rumors for the decade, a new project quickly emerged. Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame combined with Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones for a new album. They played the social media game like pros and did an excellent job of getting fans excited for the new release and tour. Although the band takes much of its influence from Homme, much of their sound comes from John Paul Jones' previous solo projects Zooma and The Thunderthief. Jones' multi-instrumental abilities shine through. The band's life span is up for question due to Homme and Grohl, however if they wanted to release another album they certainly could based off of the success of their self titled effort.

The rumor: Jimmy Page album and tour

As a fan of Zeppelin starting in 2002, I missed his last tour with Plant in 1998. He has kept a low profile since then with a few appearances here and there, including the one-off Ahmet Ertegun reunion in 2007 and joining Jack White and the Edge for the It Might Get Loud documentary. Not surprisingly he cannot keep up with the demanding schedule of a major recording artist. Even before he ravaged his body with elicit substances he had a history of health problems. At 66 he's the oldest member of Led Zeppelin and he started touring with various groups a half decade before Jones or Plant ever hit the road for the first time. He's been saying for the past few years he has songs ready to go and he received plenty of rest after three and a half decades of heavy touring. I think he'll actually get something out, however I'm not sure how long he can tour. Expect him to hit the major stops but not much more.

And the rest: Plant news
After a highly successful 2008 tour with Alison Krauss after releasing Raising Sand, Plant took it easy in 2009. He did his usual charity gigs and even received Commander of the Order Of The British Empire. Current news on him says he's recording but I've heard two stories. Lemon Squeezings says he's working alone but rumor was that he was working with Krauss again.. Knowing Plant, he would move onto a brand new project quickly since he usually changes his image and sound every 2-3 albums. He could still break and sing for a Zeppelin reunion again, but I still don't see that happening as outlined in the past.

Achilles Last Stand 2/11

2010-02-11T20:00:00.017-05:00

Playlist:
- Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", IV
- Led Zeppelin, "Hot Dog", In Through The Out Door
- Robert Plant, "29 Palms", Fate Of Nations
- Howlin' Wolf, "How Many More Years", Complete Chess Recordings
- Led Zeppelin, "Over The Hills And Far Away", The Song Remains The Same (2007)
- Robert Plant And Jimmy Page, "Please Read The Letter", Walking Into Clarksdale
- Led Zeppelin, "Stairway To Heaven", How The West Was Won
- Led Zeppelin, "No Quarter", Houses Of The Holy
- Led Zeppelin, "Travelling Riverside Blues", BBC Sessions
- Robert Johnson, "Traveling Riverside Blues"
- Led Zeppelin, "Heartbreaker" into "Livin' Lovin Maid (She's Just A Woman), Led Zeppelin II
- Robert Plant, "Little By Little (Remix)", Pink And Black
- Them Crooked Vultures, "No One Loves Me And Neither Do I", Them Crooked Vultures
- Led Zeppelin, "The Rover", Physical Graffiti
- Led Zeppelin, "Baby Come On Home"
- The Rolling Stones, "She's A Rainbow", Forty Licks
- Led Zeppelin, "Good Times, Bad Times", Led Zeppelin
- The Firm, "Closer", The Firm

I'm back and the show's better than ever with a new addition to the music library Them Crooked Vultures! So much news needed to be discussed, including the rumored releases from Jimmy and Robert. I'll post up a wrap up of the news tomorrow in case you missed it and keep you posted of any new developments. Album of the month should be selected by next week since there's so much to choose from. Break will be posted up in the next couple of days if you want to go back for any missed information. I'll be back next week, same time, same place for another Achilles Last Stand, only on WECB The Underground Sound of Emerson College.

Correction

2010-02-11T11:21:00.000-05:00

Achilles Last Stand is on 4-6pm, not 2-4. That was the old time. Old habits die hard I guess. So listen in 4-6pm on WECB the Underground Sound of Emerson College.

First Show Back Tomorrow!!! Listen 2-4pm

2010-02-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

Achilles Last Stand is back tomorrow!!! Wooooo!!! Listen 2-4pm tomorrow for the best from Zeppelin along with forgotten tracks, outtakes, influences, and influencees (is that a word?). Only on WECB The Underground Sound of Emerson College

This Month in Zeppelin for February

2010-02-02T16:38:00.009-05:00

So every month I will have a monthly update on what happened in Zeppelin history. The first show of the month will include a This Month in Zeppelin feature where all of the important events of the month are announced. If there's an extremely important date (i.e. big album releases, deaths, births, ect.), I will talk about it as close to the date as possible as well. The list will end up on the blog. So, without further ado, this month in Led Zeppelin...

1969, the band had their first foray into the Billboard Top 40. They would not leave until well after their breakup.
Feb. 28 1970, their name changes for one night in Copenhagen to "The Nobs" so that Countess Von Zeppelin, upset about the band's first album cover, doesn't sue them for using her name.
Feb. 14, 1971, the band's long hair prevents them from being allowed into Singapore.
Feb. 16, 1972, the release date of Houses of the Holy is pushed back due to album sleeve issues.
Feb. 24, 1975, Physical Graffiti is released and sells incredibly well with over 1 million pre-orders already in place.
Feb. 16, 1978, John Bonham, Richard Cole, and Peter Grant face a judge for their roles in a brawl during a show in Oakland. They all receive commuted prison sentences and a fine.
Feb. 15, 1982, Death Wish II, the soundtrack that Jimmy Page recorded for the Charles Bronson film of the same name, is released.
Feb. 11, 1985, Jimmy Page's new band The Firm release their self-titled album.
Feb. 29, 1988, Robert Plant releases his 4th solo album (and 5th since Led Zeppelin broke up) Now and Zen
Feb. 24, 1999, Jimmy and Robert win their first Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for their song "Most High"
Feb. 13, 2005, Led Zeppelin receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.
Feb. 8, 2009, Robert Plant wins Album of the Year with Alison Krauss at the Grammys for Raising Sand. They also win Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (for "Rich Woman"), Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album, Record of the Year (for "Please Read The Letter"), and Best Country Collaboration With Vocals (for "Killing The Blues"). They also performed songs from the album during the show with T-Bone Burnett.

It's Back....

2010-02-01T12:07:00.006-05:00

It's been a long time since I rock and rolled (apologies for the bad pun) so it's about time Achilles Last Stand returns to WECB! You can hear the best of Led Zeppelin and more every Thursday 4-6pm. Unfortunately I have previous commitments the first week WECB returns to the internet airwaves, but listen on Thursday, February 11th for your favorite Zeppelin tunes, missed cuts, and the influences that made them great. There's much to discuss, like Them Crooked Vultures, a second Plant and Krauss album, and the supposed Jimmy Page album coming out this year. So listen in for the latest Zeppelin news, notes, and of course to let the led out only on WECB, the Underground Sound of Emerson College.

Achilles Last Stand 4/23

2009-04-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

The Playlist:

- The Firm, "Spirit Of Love", Mean Business
- Led Zeppelin, "Poor Tom", Coda
- Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", The Song Remains The Same (2007)
- Heart, "Rock And Roll"
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Freedom Fries", Mighty Rearranger
- Robert Plant, "Red Dress", Dreamland
- Led Zeppelin, "Down By The Seaside", Physical Graffiti
- Led Zeppelin, "In The Evening", In Through The Out Door
- Led Zeppelin, "The Rain Song", Houses Of The Holy
- Elvis, "That's All Right", The Essential Elvis
- Robert Plant, "Little By Little", Shaken N' Stirred
- Jimmy Rodgers, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton, "Gonna Shoot You Right Down (Boom Boom)", Jimmy Rodgers All-Stars
- Led Zeppelin, "Going to California", How the West Was Won
- Led Zeppelin, "Caroselambra", In Through The Out Door
- Led Zeppelin, "D'Yer Maker", Houses of the Holy
- The Doors, "Peace Frog"
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Mighty Rearranger", Mighty Rearranger
- Led Zeppelin, "Friends", Led Zeppelin III
- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Please Read The Letter", Raising Sand
- Jimmy Page, "Big Band, Sax, And Violence", Death Wish II

So we're heading closer to the end of the semester here at WECB and I only have one more show left. I know you're certainly disappointed that you won't get your Led Zeppelin fix but never fear, there's still that final show that will be the grand blowout. It will be a mish-mash of the best from Zeppelin and maybe a few Plant/Page/Jones tracks tossed in. If you really want to understand the world of Zeppelin, next week's the time to listen.

Of course if there's a track you'd like played let me know by leaving a comment or call 617-824-8852 during the show.

Missed Some Great Info On Achilles Last Stand?

2009-04-23T12:42:00.002-04:00

Well, now you can listen to it!!! I can now load my breaks onto the site so you can go back and listen to anything you missed. It's also great if you can't hear the show when it's on.

Have any ideas for other features to add? Let me know and I'll see what I can do to get it on.

The Stange Sensation Making a Comeback?

2009-04-20T16:07:00.008-04:00

Robert has just announced that he will be part of the WOMAD Abu Dhabi Festival this Saturday and he will be performing with a familiar face. Justin Adams will be on guitar as Robert goes on stage with him and West African musician Juldeh Camera. Recently Robert has remained a tad distant from his Afro Blues inspiriations since he joined Alison Krauss for Raising Sand. He most likely misses those good old days with the Strange Sensation which were some of his most creative since Led Zeppelin and most successful albums since the 80's. He still likes doing the covers with Krauss but I'm not sure he will be willing to stick with that much longer. He's a big fan of moving forward and creating new work that doesn't exactly link with his previous work (he's the reason Zeppelin still hasn't reunited and probably never will).

My guess is that the current album Plant is working on with Krauss will be his last with her. They made an extraordinary album but Robert never dwells on the past for long. Expect him either to get his old bandmates back together (the Strange Sensation that is) or look for a new opportunity to record some newer music.

Robert Plant and The Strange Sensation on Jools Holland:

Achilles Last Stand 4/16

2009-04-16T18:10:00.004-04:00

Playlist:

- Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", Led Zeppelin DVD
- Jeff Beck Group, "Beck's Bolero", Truth
- Led Zeppelin, "Nobody's Fault But Mine", Presence
- Robert Plant, "Ship of Fools", Now And Zen
- Led Zeppelin, "Houses of the Holy", Physical Graffiti
- Joni Mitchell, "Free Man in Paris", Hits
- Robert Plant, "Shine It All Around", Mighty Rearranger
- Led Zeppelin, "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "The Ocean", How the West Was Won
- Foo Fighters, "The Pretender", Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace
- Led Zeppelin, "Fool in the Rain", In Through The Out Door
- Them, "Gloria"
- Robert Plant and The Strange Sensation, "The Enchanter", Mighty Rearranger
- Robert Plant, "Other Arms", Principle of Moments
- Led Zeppelin, "Bring It On Home", Led Zeppelin II
- The Allman Brothers Band, "One Way Out", Eat a Peach
- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)", Raising Sand
- Led Zeppelin, "In The Light", Physical Graffiti
- Led Zeppelin, "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp", How The West Was Won
- Crosby, Stills, and Nash, "Southern Cross"

Time on this semester is running short. Only two more shows left before WECB is off the air for the summer. Today's show included some info on Mr. Jeff Beck, close childhood friend of Jimmy Page who was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They've had their problems (mainly when Jimmy started up a band to rival Beck's and played the same cover of "You Shook Me" except better) but their relationship is as strong as ever.

Any suggestions for a big blowout show? Leave a comment and I'll think about that idea. A greatest hits show might be in order. You can also comment if you have any requests.

We're Back...

2009-04-14T22:48:00.003-04:00

Hello folks. Sorry I wasn't around last week but some last minute business came up. The show's been gone for far too long so it's time to bring you a fresh new one on Thursday. I'll have news on John Paul Jones latest distraction from making another album and some big WECB news as well.

Until then, enjoy Jimmy Page playing with Jeff Beck at the Hall of Fame Induction:

Those two songs were "Beck's Bolero" (written by Jimmy) and "Immigrant Song". Jimmy not only played with Beck, he introduced his old friend to be inducted. Talk to you again Thursday!

Album of the Month for April: Mighty Rearranger

2009-04-03T10:00:00.013-04:00

I can still remember the day I went out to buy a copy of Robert Plant's latest album in 2005. I was a Junior in high school at the time and my Led Zeppelin fandom only started two years prior. This was the first release from a Zeppelin member I could get the day it came out. I excitedly drove from school during my lunch break and immediately popped in the album to give it a listen. From the start I fell in love with Robert Plant's work with the Strange Sensation. He brought back the blues but added the fury of the Middle Eastern music that Robert delved into heavily during the 80s and 90s. The new band rocked out with the help of their experienced guitarist Justin Adams, best known for his producing work with Saharan band Tinariwen and French act Lo'jo. Each track fits wonderfully and is quite possibly the best solo work Robert Plant has ever done.

Release Date: May 10, 2005
Highest Billboard Chart Position: 22
Other Distinctions: Nominated for Two Grammys

Track Listing
1. Another Tribe
Robert starts his assault on the Iraq war and the Bush Administration from the first word he speaks. The song lyrics focus on men going off to war as their mothers wait worried at home. It also discusses propaganda and how the governments involved are trying to make an unjust war seem just. This is one of Robert's most blatant protests songs and he delivers the punches for the rest of the album.

2. Shine It All Around
Lyrically it is a typical Robert Plant song and he delves more towards his spiritual side. John Baggott creates spectacular layers of synths and keyboards while Clive Deamer's slightly electronic drum beats give the song some added attitude. Robert did a great job creating an acoustic space and had his first single from the album with this track.

3. Freedom Fries
This song is muddy, dark, and starts with a filthy drum beat and bass line. Robert blasts into his protest of America's involvement around the world and brings the anger he feels about their dominance. It's a scathing critique and proves to be one of the more powerful songs Robert released since his Zeppelin days.

4. Tin Pan Valley
Another dark song, Robert goes back to his Zeppelin days and brings back memories of "Immigrant Song". He starts slow with almost a whisper, then explodes with a fury of action from the Strange Sensation behind him with his yells of "like this!!!". Baggott brings the great electronic backing sound and the sonic space is extraordinary. The mood is consistently dreary and he really moves the listener's emotions.

5. All the Kings Horses
This song signals a change in the album where Robert starts moving towards more positive subjects and a folkier sound. He also references his epic love and sings a romantic song like his Zeppelin days once again. Baggott's contributions cannot be understated as he pulls back on his heavy synth use and lets the guitars breath a little more. It's a solid song that fits right in with the rest of the album.

6. The Enchanter
Robert explores spirituality once again and begins to make this one of the more prominent themes for the second half of the album. The guitar at the beginning sounds like nothing else out there and Deamer keeps a smooth electronic beat that doesn't overshadow the song. It captures the mood that Robert wants to create of a mystic force being present in the music.

7. Takamba
At shows, Robert would dedicate this to "a guy you may know over in England who's made some very bad decisions Tony Blair". Robert throws out one more protest song, this time against his native UK. He talks about how they blindly go along with every policy the US wants the UK to help out with. The polyrhythms of the band and sudden changes of tempo really exemplify Robert's feelings of his current government.

8. Dancing in Heaven
This track returns to Robert's folky side with a little acoustic guitar opening and nice drum beat underneath. This is also a return to the spiritual subjects that continue through the rest of tha album.

9. Somebody Knocking
The Strange Sensation bring out more of their Saharan instrumentals for this one and Robert fuses some standard blues lyrics with a Middle Eastern flair.

10. Let The Four Winds Blow
This song has a similar idea: it's mostly a blues lyric and song structure mixed with the Saharan music that influenced Robert at the time.

11. Mighty Rearranger
One of the more straightforward blues-rock songs on the album, Robert explores some more spirituality and uses some vivid imagery in his lyrics. Justin Adams guides the song along with a standard blues like while the drums give the Middle Eastern flair. This is about as biblical as Robert gets and it's interesting to hear his interpretations on religion.

12. Brother Ray
This song acts as a tribute to Ray Charles, who died shortly before recording began for the album. It brings to mind the end of Led Zeppelin III, when they made a track for Roy Harper. It's very raw and the vocals are just dirty as can be. There's nothing to special to say about this other than it is a very appropriate end to the album.

But wait, there's still more! Robert included a bonus track on the album (a remixed Shine It All Around) and recorded two other originals that ended up on Nine Lives.

Red, White, and Blue
Very similar to "Freedom Fries" in terms of how the song is structured, Robert continues his barrage against the US and their involvement in world affairs. It's relatively standard and probably just missed the cut in favor of "Freedom Fries".

All the Money in the World
Another very rock standard type of track, this song just simply doesn't fit the album. There's nothing wrong with the song, it just falls outside of every single theme that every song covers regularly. He probably would have put it on any of his other solo efforts, but this time the album's overall strength kept it off.

The Remixes
The remixes are fairly good and focus on creating a particular space with each song. "Shine It All Around" was right after "Brother Ray" on the original release as a hidden bonus track and seemed like a suitable ending. It mainly gave Robert lots of reverb and added an electronic drum line. "Tin Pan Valley" is very similar and just gives the song an electronic edge. The best of the remixes by far is The Enchanter". It captures the mood of the song almost as well as the original. It gives the song a little more movement and really seems to add value to it. The remix also avoids messing with Robert's vocals too much when the other two seemed to play around with his singing to the point where the song didn't have the same vibe.

Achilles Last Stand 4/2

2009-04-02T18:00:00.003-04:00

Playlist:

- Led Zeppelin, "Dazed and Confused", Led Zeppelin I
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "All the Money in the World", Nine Lives (Mighty Rearranger)
- Robert Plant, "Network News", Fate of Nations
- The Yardbirds, "Boom Boom", Ultimate!
- Bob Dylan, "The Levee's Gonna Break", Modern Times
- Robert Plant, "Big Log", Principle of Moments
- Led Zeppelin, "I Can't Quit You", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "That's The Way", Led Zeppelin III
- Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Most High", Walking Into Clarksdale
- Led Zeppelin, "Hot Dog", In Through The Out Door
- Led Zeppelin, "Stairway to Heaven", How The West Was Won
- Heart, "Crazy On You"
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Red, White, and Blue", Nine Lives (Mighty Rearranger)
- John Paul Jones, "Daphne", The Thundertheif
- Robert Plant, "29 Palms", Fate of Nations
- The Rolling Stones, "She's A Rainbow"
- Robert Plant, "Tall Cool One", Now And Zen
- Led Zeppelin, "You Shook Me", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "Misty Mountain Hop", IV
- Stevie Wonder, "Higher Ground"

A new month is upon us so you know what that means: a new album of the month. It's Mighty Rearranger, Robert Plant's solo album from 2005. The info for that will be up tomorrow and it's one of my favorites from him. I think he should have continued with that project instead of going off to the States with Krauss for Raising Sand. Don't get me wrong, it's a great album. I just liked his band at the time The Strange Sensation. Oh well.

The days left in the semester are dwindling so very few shows are left. I still have that idea for a completely connected show with not one true Led Zeppelin tune. That will take some work so I'd say I won't have it for at least a couple more weeks. If you want anything for next week leave a comment.

This Month in Zeppelin for April

2009-04-02T16:00:00.000-04:00

April 26, 1969: "Whole Lotta Love" is played for the first time on-stage.
April 6, 1970: Led Zeppelin are made Honorary Citzens of Memphis, TN followed by police action at their concert that night.
April 19, 1975: The remaining 51,000 tickets for the two added Earls Court concerts sell in 2 hours.
April 5, 1976: The band's 7th album Presence is released after only being recorded in a little more than two weeks.
April 30, 1977: Led Zeppelin sets the record for the highest attendance at a concert when 76,229 fans show up at the Silverdome in Detroit
April 13, 1981: Plant performs with the original version of the Honeydrippers that would release an album in 1984.
April 28, 1990: Plant, Page, Jones, and Bonzo Jr. play at Bonzo Jr.'s wedding.
April 20, 1992: Plant sings at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert. He performed "Friends", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", and "Innuendo" with the remaining members of Queen.
April 21, 1998: Plant and Page release their first album of originals together since Led Zeppelin Walking Into Clarksdale.

Achilles Last Stand 3/26

2009-03-26T18:10:00.003-04:00

Playlist:

- Led Zeppelin, "Communication Breakdown", BBC Sessions
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Tin Pan Valley", Mighty Rearranger
- Led Zeppelin, "The Song Remains the Same", Houses of the Holy
- Roy Harper and Jimmy Page, "Nineteen Forty-Eightish", What Ever Happened to Jugula?
- Led Zeppelin, "Nobody's Fault But Mine", Led Zeppelin DVD
- Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Sons of Freedom", Walking Into Clarksdale
- Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", The Song Remains the Same (1976)
- The Firm, "Dreaming", Mean Business
- Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song", How the West Was Won
- Robert Plant, "Last Time I Saw Her (Remix)", Dreamland
- Robert Plant, "Worse Than Detroit", Pictures at Eleven
- Led Zeppelin, "We're Gonna Groove", Coda
- Robert Plant, "Black Dog", Sounds Eclectic
- Led Zeppelin, "Hots on For Nowhere", Presence
- Led Zeppelin, "Kashmir", Physical Graffiti
- Led Zeppelin, "Gallows Pole", Led Zeppelin III
- Robert Plant, "Skip's Song", Dreamland
- Bob Marley and the Wailers, "Lively Up Yourself"

Not much excitement on today's show. I talked about how Jimmy will be inducting Jeff Beck into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Robert's son Logan and his band going to SXSW. I'm thinking of having another special show in a few weeks. This time I want to do an entire show without playing one true Led Zeppelin track. It'll be hard but I think it can be done.

Any requests? Don't forget you can leave a comment or call during the show (617-824-8852).

Robert Plant's Son at SXSW

2009-03-22T16:33:00.010-04:00

This week is the annual South By Southwest Festival and a certain someone's son will be making his US debut. Logan Plant, son of Robert, will be introducing America to his band Sons of Albion. Robert already has a history at the festival when he was the main speaker back in 2005 right before he released his new album Mighty Rearranger.

Sons of Albion does have a Myspace and you can download their new single from their website. I listened to it and to tell you the truth it's not that special. You can hear a bit of Robert in Logan's voice but I think he avoids trying to sound like his father. The name also seems to have connections to Robert's father (I believe the first son's name, Karac, was somehow related to Albion). The band plays cookie cutter alternative grunge rock and isn't anything new and exciting. I'm sure they're all talented artists but it's just not my cup of tea.

Listen on Thursday for a taste of what Sons of Albion has to offer and decide what you think about the band. As always, comment for any requests.

Achilles Last Stand 3/19

2009-03-19T18:10:00.005-04:00

Playlist:

- Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song", Led Zeppelin III
- Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Shining in the Light", Walking Into Clarksdale
- Led Zeppelin, "Over the Hills and Far Away", The Song Remains the Same (2007)
- Robert Plant, "Life Beings Again", Sixty-Six to Timbuktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Tangerine", Led Zeppelin III
- Robert Plant, "Last Time I Saw Her", Dreamland
- Led Zeppelin, "Communication Breakdown", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "In My Time of Dying", Physical Graffiti
- Led Zeppelin, "When the Levee Breaks", IV
- Jimmy Page, "City Sirens", Death Wish II
- Led Zeppelin, "Stairway to Heaven", Led Zeppelin DVD
- The Yardbirds, "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago", Ultimate!
- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Killing the Blues", Raising Sand
- Robert Plant, "Louie Louie", Sixty-Six to Timbuktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Rock and Roll", How the West Was Won
- The Jeff Beck Group, "Beck's Bolero", Truth
- Led Zeppelin, "Heartbreaker", Led Zeppelin II
- Led Zeppelin, "Livin' Lovin' Maid (She's Just a Woman)", Led Zeppelin II
- Led Zeppelin, "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp", Led Zeppelin III
- Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Please Read the Letter", Walking Into Clarksdale
- The Doors, "LA Woman"

I took a chance to go over my great Icelandic adventure and I think "Immigrant Song" was stuck in my head the whole trip. I'm a bit addicted to Robert Plant's band Strange Sensation from 2001 to 2006. Too bad they weren't able to stick together longer and release another album. Then again, Robert wouldn't have released the album he did with Alison Krauss. This is possibly a bit of foreshadowing for April's album of the month (maybe).

The next show is a week away on Thursday, same time, same place. Any requests? Let me know by commenting or calling in during the show (617-824-8852).

Back from the Land of the Ice and Snow (and New Show Thursday)

2009-03-14T11:02:00.003-04:00

That's right, I'm back from my journey of Iceland!! Definitely a place that Robert Plant would love. Lots of Nordic and Viking history and the landscape is outstanding. Waterfalls blanket the mountains, volcanic activity dominates the countryside, and the geography is so unique. I didn't have time to visit a geothermal pool, but all the hot water comes from them so showers start instantly hot. By the way, the pics are courtesy my friend Josh who came along. He's pretty damn good. Here's one of his pictures of the Gullfoss waterfall, which was treturous as hell getting to:

My return also signals the end of spring break and the return of regular DJs to WECB along with Achilles Last Stand. Over a couple of plane rides I reviewed some Zeppelin literature so I should be sharper than ever and I'll keep the facts coming. Any requests? Either leave a comment or call during the show (617-824-8852).

Album for the Month for March: Houses of the Holy

2009-03-10T00:00:00.003-04:00

Led Zeppelin were at the top of their game. IV brought the band to higher places than they could ever imagine so they decided to go in a newer direction. They experimented more with rock sounds and different equipment to create their most unique work to date. The first album either not named after the band or to be left without a name all together, Houses of the Holy holds some of Led Zeppelin's best pure rock songs and is one of the more underrated albums in their catalog.

Release Date: March 28, 1973
Highest Billboard Chart Position: 1
Sales Status: 11x Platinum
Other Distinctions: #149 on Rolling Stones' 500 Greatest Albums

Track Listing
1. The Song Remains the Same
One of the other songs that Jimmy used the double neck guitar in concert, it was originally an instrumental track that eventually got vocals from Robert. He wrote lyrics based on the idea that there is a universal need for music in the world. This song exemplifies Jimmy's use of guitar overdubs and his ability to create multiple layers in a song. The title of the song also ended up being the title for the concert film released in 1976. Both on the album and in concert it acts as an intro to...

2. The Rain Song
This track is one of the most underrated songs in Led Zeppelin history. Jimmy combines his electric guitar with some fantastic acoustic guitar overdubs throughout the song. Robert's vocals start very soft and soothing but he turns up the power near the end when he punches the final verse for a powerful effect. Jones adds in a fine synth background that carries the song through the lengthy instrumental middle portion. The song is best known as Robert's dream sequence from The Song Remains the Same where he gets to act as the epic hero from the middle ages.

3. Over the Hills and Far Away
My personal favorite Led Zeppelin song hands down. Each member plays a vital role and completely dominates in this song. Robert's vocals start soft once again but quickly rise to prominence to get the song moving. Jimmy's guitar parts are outstanding from start to finish and he adds in a great solo that is somewhat outside the box for his work. Jones' bassline and Bonzo's intense drums bring the song together. Somehow each extremely complex part came together to create a powerful song that I can't get enough of. Later, when Robert's voice could no longer hit the high notes, he had to sing an octave lower and switched the beginning to more of a spoken part. The studio version, however, is definitely a highlight of the album.

4. The Crunge
One of the stranger songs Zeppelin ever wrote, it brings in a heavy funk influence from Jones' bassline. Robert gets to have fun as he dances through the lyrics and strains his voice in just the right way for added effect. It was mostly used live in "Whole Lotta Love" and "Dazed and Confused" medleys.

5. Dancing Days
Live, Robert said that this song is about "summer time and good things". It is more of a standard tune with no particular identifying features that would jump out however the band was so happy with the outcome that they were dancing to it after they recorded it successfully.

6. D'Yer Maker
It's pronounced JA-maker. Just getting that out of the way. It's best remembered as being Zeppelin's reggae track. Robert and the band was influenced by reggae sounds (he would later cover Bob Marley's "Lively Up Yourself" during solo concerts). The song actually started as a 50's doo-wop beat from Bonzo that was shifted more into a reggae sound. It wasn't received well by fans and never found its way on stage.

7. No Quarter
This is John Paul Jones' song. He claimed very few songs in his Zeppelin days but this certainly has his name written all over it. Outside the box, deep, dark, and moody all show how Jones put his stamp on the song. It begins with a slow syth that sets the depressing mood and Bonzo's drum pattern along with Jimmy's guitar only add on to the despair. Since the song's title is based on a military ritual of fighting to the death, Robert's lyrics reflect the emotions of the situation and speak of "walking side by side with death/the devil mocks at every step". One of the more unique songs Zeppelin recorded, Robert still uses it frequently today and the band played it regularly during live performances. One version of the song lasted a grand total of 36 minutes, which exceeds the regular length of the live "Dazed and Confused" on both and How the West Was Won and The Song Remains the Same by almost ten minutes.

8. The Ocean
The start to the song is a bit of a joke that carried over to live shows. Bonzo can be faintly heard saying, "We've done 4 already, but now we're steady, and then they went 1,2,3,4". It referred to the fact they kept messing it up so he wanted it to come out right. He took it onstage with him later and can be seen saying it on the Led Zeppelin DVD. It's one of the Jimmy's more straightforward but better known guitar riffs. Robert's lyrics at one point refer to a girl who took his heart at 3 years old. He speaks of his daughter who was three years old at the time of recording. When they played it live he always used her current age. In the studio version you can hear a phone ringing in the background around 2 minutes in that never seemed to be taken out. Also the lyrics printed for the album cover are incorrect because the phrase "the hellhound" was changed to a nonsense lyric.

Interesting fact: The album release was pushed back various times due to issues with the album sleeve. First, the photo shoot went poorly after weather conditions did not permit the correct pictures to be taken. Second, many thought the use of children (a naked brother and sister were used) was in poor taste. Spain and some parts of the Southern US banned the album due to the questionable cover content that clearly showed children's buttocks. This album was also the second time the band kept their name off the cover although the wrapping was permitted to include the name in some places.

Achilles Last Stand 3/5

2009-03-05T19:00:00.006-05:00

Playlist:

- Led Zeppelin, "Kashmir", Led Zeppelin DVD
- The Who, "Pinball Wizard", Tommy
- Robert Plant, "Calling to You", Fate of Nations
- Led Zeppelin, "Royal Orleans", Presence
- The Honeydrippers, "Sea of Love", The Honeydrippers Vol. 1
- Led Zeppelin, "Your Time is Gonna Come/Black Mountain Side", Led Zeppelin
- Led Zeppelin, "Since I've Been Loving You", Led Zeppelin III
- Led Zeppelin, "Bring It On Home", How The West Was Won
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Anther Tribe", Mighty Rearranger
- Delta Spirit, "People C'Mon", Ode to Sunshine
- Led Zeppelin, "Rock and Roll", IV
- John Paul Jones, "Nosumi Blues", Zooma
- Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "The Truth Explodes", No Quarter
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "The Enchanter (Unkle Reconstruction)", Nine Lives
- Led Zeppelin, "The Ocean", Houses of the Holy
- Robert Plant, "Like I've Never Been Gone", Nine Lives
- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Rich Woman", Raising Sand
- Led Zeppelin, "In the Evening", Led Zeppelin DVD
- Led Zeppelin, "Ramble On", Led Zeppelin II

It's a new month so that means a new album of the month Houses of the Holy. I can't promise that the post will be up anytime soon, however, because Spring Break is upon us here at WECB! I'll be heading over to the land of ice and snow Iceland. Well some ice and snow. That means no show next week but it will be back March 19th for more Zeppelin fun.

Expect some more changes this month. Priority #1: loading breaks from the show. If you missed it, you'll be able to hear what I said about the songs and any Zeppelin news. Any requests for the next show can be left as a comment and as always you can call me during the show at 617-824-8852.

This Month in Zeppelin for March

2009-03-05T14:00:00.006-05:00

March 1969: The band performs for TV audiences. After many issues with the studio setups the band decides to never perform on TV again.
March 5, 1971: The first live performance of "Stairway to Heaven" is in Belfast, Ireland.
March 25, 1973: Houses of the Holy, the band's 5th album, is released.
March 15, 1975: The Earls Court shows sells out in four hours
March 31, 1976: Presence, the band's 7th album, is released.
March 4, 1985: Jimmy Page's album with Roy Harper "Whatever Happened to Jugula" is released.
March 22, 1985: Plant releases his first single from Shaken N' Stirred "Pink and Black" and John Paul Jones releases the soundtrack for the movie Scream for Help.
March 14, 1986: The Firm begins their second tour.
March 17, 2005: Plant is the speaker for the SXSW Convention and performs with the Strange Sensation later that night.

Listen for more info on these events along with the same great Zeppelin goodies only on Achilles Last Stand 2-4pm Thursdays on WECB (wecb.emerson.edu).

Achilles Last Stand Tomorrow!!!

2009-03-04T12:20:00.006-05:00

Just a reminder to listen to Achilles Last Stand tomorrow on WECB (wecb.emerson.edu) 2-4 pm. The new album of the month for March will be revealed along with This Month in Led Zeppelin. Don't forget to comment for any requests or you can call in at 617-824-8852 during the show. Here's a preview of one of the songs on the playlist:

Talk to you tomorrow!!

Achilles Last Stand 2/26

2009-02-26T23:00:00.001-05:00

Playlist:

- Robert Plant, "In the Mood", Principle of Moments
- Pink Floyd, "Have a Cigar", Wish You Were Here
- Led Zeppelin, "Going to California", IV
- Robert Plant, "Why", Now and Zen
- Led Zeppelin, "Dancing Days", Houses of the Holy
- Robert Plant, "Dirt in a Hole", Nine Lives (Dreamland)
- Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", Led Zeppelin II
- Led Zeppelin, "Since I've Been Loving You", How the West Was Won
- Led Zeppelin, "What is and What Should Never Be", BBC Sessions
- Elvis Presley, "A Little Less Conversation"
- Delta Spirit, "Trashcan", Ode to Sunshine
- Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", IV
- Queen, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
- Led Zeppelin, "Dazed and Confused", The Song Remains the Same (1976)
- Robert Plant, "It Keeps Rainin'", Goin' Home
- Blind Faith, "Can't Find My Way Home"
- Robert Plant, "Far Post", Pictures at Eleven
- Led Zeppelin, "Ten Years Gone", Physical Graffiti

There you have it. Apologies for jetting out in a hurry, I just had a little business to take care of today. If there's a moral to today's show (seems to me like there's always one defining subject), check out Delta Spirit. They're awesome. In either case I'll be back next week and then off the week after that. I get to see Iceland and see what Robert talked about in "Immigrant Song". As usual leave your requests and such and I'll see what I can do.

Delta Spirit: The Next Big Thing

2009-02-21T10:33:00.008-05:00

I'm calling it now: Delta Spirit will become the next big band when they release their sophomore album in the next year or so. I know I'm going out on a limb with this, but I can't get enough of the San Diego band. They have the musicians, they have the sound, and they have the personality to hit it BIG. They're currently signed to Rounder Records (a certain Mr. Plant is also involved with the same label) so the have the distribution means.

In terms of music, they have a classic sound but they spin a different edge on it. Most indie bands fall in a trap where their sound is too experimental for mass consumption. Delta Spirit, on the other hand, plays songs that are deep yet very listenable. They infuse folk, rock, blues, and various other styles into a unique structure. Matt Vasquez, the lead singer, has THE voice. All big bands need THE voice, whether it's Chris Martin, Roger Daltrey, or Robert Plant. Vasquez has it both for the studio and on stage. Him and Kelly Winrich craft songs that capture the listener's attention and also vary their writing structure. They won't fall in the trap of making cookie cutter music that other indie bands do.

Another key comes from their live performances. Vasquez leads the crowd like a seasoned veteran on stage and their song selection is outstanding. He speaks to the crowd and connects well with his audience. I've been to two shows at the Middle East Downstairs in Boston (once as an opener, once as the headlining band) and both occasions they rocked the house at the top of their game. They played on the mark and just blasted their music each evening. Vasquez sang at full tilt and still sounded spectacular.

Of course a number of issues could arise. For instance, they have been on tour forever. According to Vasquez, they can't say no when asked. They plan to begin recording an album once this tour finishes, so expect something by next winter. From the new songs I heard, they're on the right track to take off. Still, you never know. I believe they will explode. Either way, keep your eye on Delta Spirit. Don't say I didn't warn you when I said they'd be famous.

Achilles Last Stand 2/19/09

2009-02-19T14:07:00.009-05:00

Playlist:

- Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", Led Zeppelin DVD
- Led Zeppelin, "Black Mountain Side", Led Zeppelin
- Led Zeppelin, "Over the Hills and Far Away", How the West Was Won
- Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "When the World Was Young", Walking Into Clarksdale
- Led Zeppelin, "What is and What Should Never Be", Led Zeppelin II
- Yes, "I've Seen All Good People"
- Robert Plant, "Tall Cool One", Now and Zen
- Led Zeppelin, "Friends", Led Zeppelin III
- Led Zeppelin, "Fool in the Rain", In Through The Out Door
- Robert Plant, "Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eyes On You)", Manic Nirvana
- Led Zeppelin, "Down By The Seaside", Physical Graffiti
- Robert Plant, "Upside Down", Sixty-Six to Timbucktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do?"
- The Firm, "Closer", The Firm
- Led Zeppelin, "Misty Mountain Hop", The Song Remains the Same (2007)
- The Yardbirds, "Train' Kept a Rolling", Ultimate
- Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Shine It All Around", Mighty Rearranger
- Eric Clapton, "Let It Rain (Delaney Bramlett Mix)", Eric Clapton (Deluxe Edition)
- Led Zeppelin, "No Quarter", Houses of the Holy
- Led Zeppelin, "Trampled Underfoot", Physical Graffiti
- The Rolling Stones, "Do Do Do Do Do (Heartbreaker)", Goats Head Soup

Nothing too exciting this week. I'm still upset over Paul Rodgers hurting Jimmy's credibility although he could have picked an even worse singer. I mentioned a video with Jimmy, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck playing Layla. The second video is Jimmy and Rodgers at the ARMS concert:

Another show next week. If you've got an idea for an album of the month for March leave a comment and I'll consider it. I just want to start on it so it'll be done by the start of month. You can also leave your requests in a comment and I'll see what I can do.

Why Does This Man Keep Getting Gigs?

2009-02-14T15:09:00.007-05:00

If you don't know this man you probably should. He's been around for a very long time and has been a part of many acts over his career. His name is Paul Rodgers, adequate singer extraordinaire. The list of folks he's worked with include Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and the remaining members of Queen. He continues to find work with these great musicians and somehow seems to replace some of the best singers time and time again.

His first two projects were very good. He started with Free, known for their hit "All Right Now", who were one of the most successful acts along with Led Zeppelin in the early 1970's. Rodgers then went on to his second major project with Bad Company. Signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label and using the same manager, Peter Grant, the band found immediate success with their first self-titled album. Not many bands can get away with not only naming a song after themselves but also putting it on their self-titled album. Their first two albums were strong across the board however they didn't really have a diverse repertoire of songs. Rodgers' vocal abilities also held back the band and their hits all had a very similar sound. By 1982, it wasn't going to work anymore.

Paul Rodgers stayed with his family and helped them grow for a while but an opportunity presented itself in 1983 that he couldn't turn down. Eric Clapton wanted to tour the country with one of the biggest charity collaborations in rock and roll history to create awareness for MS. Clapton hit the road with artists like Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, Joe Cocker, and, most important in this story, Jimmy Page. Paul and Jimmy started working on a new song live on-stage. Jimmy had an old song set aside from his Zeppelin days known as "Swan Song". Paul Rodgers wrote up some lyrics and created a new track called "Midnight Moonlight". Soon the pair decided to create a new band, which is where Paul Rodgers downside started presenting itself.

The Firm began as a new supergroup for Page to mold into one of the biggest bands in the world. He had one of the most successful singers of the 70's in Rodgers and two young up and coming musicians with Tony Franklin and Chris Slade. Jimmy took the latest technology and formed soundscapes unlike anything he did previously. Unfortunately the singing wasn't there along with the lyric writing. Paul Rodgers could write a great hit song but he didn't have a vast array of tricks with his lyrics. His voice seemed overpowered much of the time by the complex arrangements by Jimmy. The first album just had no hook to it and no bite. The second one had a little more strength to it, but by that time the band had lost their opportunity to find success.

So Paul Rodgers went out on his own for a while and continued to release albums every once in a while. Then Queen came calling looking for a singer. He joined the band and released on live album through Best Buy and gained success once again. His voice, however, does not get close to Freddie Mercury. Not even in the same building. Or country. Or planet. He can sing some of the songs well (Tie Your Mother Down isn't bad). For the most part, he just doesn't live up to Mercury at all.

The main issue with Rodgers is that his voice doesn't capture the listener. Singers like Robert Plant, Freddie Mercury, Bono, and Roger Daltry cut through the surrounding instruments no matter the song. Rodgers can be easily masked. His range is limited. He has no tricks up his sleeve. His lyrics are just average rock lyrics. I think he has some talent and he deserved recognition for his work with Free and Bad Company. Unfortunately those bands fit his very specific strengths and he's become one of the more overrated singers in rock history. Hopefully he doesn't bring a great band like Queen down the same path that the Firm went down.

Achilles Last Stand 2/12 (Back on Air!!)

2009-02-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

Playlist:

- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)", Raising Sand
- Led Zeppelin, "Out on the Tiles", Led Zeppelin III
- Led Zeppelin, "The Ocean", The Song Remains the Same (2007)
- Robert Plant, "You Better Run", Sixty-Six to Timbuktu
- Robert Plant, "Morning Dew", Dreamland
- Bad Company, "Can't Enough of Your Love", Bad Company
- The Firm, "Spirit of Love", Mean Business
- Led Zeppelin, "Four Sticks", IV
- Led Zeppelin, "The Rain Song", Houses of the Holy
- Jimi Hendrix, "Hey Joe"
- Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", The Song Remains the Same (2007)
- John Paul Jones, "Down to the River to Pray", Thunderthief
- Robert Plant, "Let The Boogie Woogie Roll", Sixty-Six to Timbuktu
- Led Zeppelin, "Sick Again", Physical Graffiti
- Robert Plant, "Heaven Knows", Now and Zen
- Led Zeppelin, "Ozone Baby", Coda
- Led Zeppelin, "Good Times, Bad Times", Led Zeppelin I
- Led Zeppelin, "Moby Dick", Led Zeppelin II

I'm back on air!!! Hooray!!! A little bit of a post-Grammys celebration involved with a couple of track from Raising Sand. It's amazing how that album still has staying power to now. It came out in the summer of 2007. 2007!!! It's also the first show since the announcement that Zeppelin won't be getting together in any form after all. Robert's voice is just that important. I still hope Jimmy puts some tracks out. He was working on an album before the whole Led Zeppelin business came back up. So was Jonesy, who's really made his own voice known musically since he started releasing solo albums in 1999 and 2001. We'll see where all the boys end up. Maybe, just maybe, they will join together one more time. It's just getting a little too late.

I was also joined by Candace Silva and Sean Heary for a bit. Sean being Sean wanted to play some sound effects so I indulged him a little bit. Candace herself is a little crazy for a certain Bruce Springsteen. She's a little obsessed like I am. Ok, overly obsessed. To the point where she could have a Springsteen show. Listen to her show Oh Yes They Did every Tuesday (although it will be Monday with the 3 day weekend, long explaination) 2-4pm. They've got a pretty awesome blog going too.

Keep your eyes open for an expanded explanation of my disliking of Paul Rodgers. If you have any requests for the next show leave a comment. You can also call in during the show at 617-824-8852 for any requests. Only one rule: it has to be Zeppelin related. Of course you can research to find a band related to Zeppelin or you can suggest one and I could make a connection myself. In either case, come back next Thursday 2-4pm on WECB for the best of Led Zeppelin and beyond.

Who Called It!!!

2009-02-10T02:19:00.000-05:00

Mr. Plant speaks!! And guess what. HE SAID EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS!!! Shocking right? Here's a link to the story on the Achilles Last Stand fansite:

http://www.led-zeppelin.org/news/index.php?m=2009news#020409a

He doesn't want to disappoint his fans. He wants something frash, something new, and something for the fans to look forward to rather than look into the past. Best line: "we've been incomplete now for 28 years." He misses his friend John Bonham and knows that he won't have the same experience without him. Robert likes to look ahead and find something new to work on rather than pull out the same material again and again. Just think about all the odd versions of Black Dog he's done in the past decade.

Robert won't get back together with Zeppelin for a full tour. Maybe another one off show, but not a tour.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at the Grammys

2009-02-08T22:50:00.000-05:00

First of all, congrats to Plant and Krauss for winning FIVE Grammys (Record of the Year for "Please Read the Letter", Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for "Rich Woman", Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "Killing the Blues", Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album for Raising Sand, Album of the Year for Raising Sand).

As you can expect, I freaked out when they played. And when they won Album of the Year. Truthfully I wasn't sure if the collaboration would be accepted when they first released the album but it really got popular after a while. Plant can still sing (not the high notes but he makes his voice work) and really creates a unique sound with Krauss. I expect them to keep working together but knowing Plant he could go another direction without warning.

This Month in Led Zeppelin for February

2009-02-07T16:03:00.000-05:00

So every month I will have a monthly update on what happened in Zeppelin history. I originally tried weekly last semester but it's hard when you get a date that's on the border of two weeks. The first show of the month will include a This Month in Zeppelin feature where all of the important events of the month are announced. If there's an extremely important date (i.e. big album releases, deaths, births, ect.), I will talk about it as close to the date as possible as well. The list will end up on the blog. So, without further ado, this month in Led Zeppelin...

1969, the band had their first foray into the Billboard Top 40. They would not leave until well after their breakup.
Feb. 28 1970, their name changes for one night in Copenhagen to "The Nobs" so that Countess Von Zeppelin, upset about the band's first album cover, doesn't sue them for using her name.
Feb. 14, 1971, the band's long hair prevents them from being allowed into Singapore.
Feb. 16, 1972, the release date of Houses of the Holy is pushed back due to album sleeve issues.
Feb. 24, 1975, Physical Graffiti is released and sells incredibly well with over 1 million pre-orders already in place.
Feb. 16, 1978, John Bonham, Richard Cole, and Peter Grant face a judge for their roles in a brawl during a show in Oakland. They all receive commuted prison sentences and a fine.
Feb. 15, 1982, Death Wish II, the soundtrack that Jimmy Page recorded for the Charles Bronson film of the same name, is released.
Feb. 11, 1985, Jimmy Page's new band The Firm release their self-titled album
Feb. 29, 1988, Robert Plant releases his 4th solo album (and 5th since Led Zeppelin broke up) Now and Zen
Feb. 24, 1999, Jimmy and Robert win their first Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for their song "Most High"
Feb. 13, 2005, Led Zeppelin receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.

The first show is Thursday 2-4pm. Listen for the same great Zeppelin goodies as usual and more only on WECB on wecb.emerson.edu.

Album of the Month for February: Physical Graffiti

2009-02-04T03:00:00.000-05:00

For years Jimmy Page wanted to release a double album. He thought about releasing IV as a double album but the band didn't feel like it was appropriate. In 1975, the band had a few extra tracks on hand from their Bron-Yr-Aur cottage sessions and also recorded some new tracks. This ended up being Led Zeppelin's most diverse album with the blues, middle eastern, rock, and folk styles all blended together.

Release Date: February 24, 1975
Highest Billboard Chart Position: 1
Sales Status: 16x Platinum (17th best selling all time)
Other Distinctions: 70th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums

Track Listing
Disc 1
1. Custard Pie
This track plays off of many blues songs from the 1930's. This song never received much notoriety and tends to be overshadowed by the last three tracks on this disc. Robert Plant sampled it later during his solo career in "Tall Cool One"

2. The Rover
Another track that was overshadowed by the rest of the album, it had troubles right from the start. The guitar track was lost by one mixing engineer but another salvaged the track. The band never really played the song live either.

3. In My Time of Dying
The song dates back to Joshua White in 1933, however is better known for Bob Dylan's version. Jimmy Page's guitar just overpowers in the song and he found one of the best uses for his Danelectro guitar. It is the longest song in Zeppelin's studio collection at 11:05 and is a great example of how lose the album is. At the end you can hear them joking around after the track finished.

4. Houses of the Holy
Yes, Houses of the Holy is one of the outtake tracks. How can you tell? It was supposed to be the title track to the previous album Houses of the Holy however it didn't make the cut. In all the ways it doesn't fit Houses of the Holy it works perfectly for this album, especially for the first half. It's a fairly standard Zeppelin rock track.

5. Trampled Underfoot
Robert Plant had a fair number of issues with this song during live shows. He could never remember the lyrics, however he really never needed to. He's never been the best at annunciation anyway. It has a little bit of a funk feel with Jimmy's guitar as well and during live shows could go as long as ten minutes.

6. Kashmir
One of the best known Zeppelin songs ever, it actually originated as a way to tune Jimmy's Danelectro guitar that he used for his middle eastern tracks. On the drums, Bonham pulled off a trick where he would only hit the bass drum once but it would reverberate such that it sounded like he hit it twice. John Paul Jones' keyboard work created the unique sound scape that gave the song it's edge. Add on Plant's lyrical prowess and the song became an epic monster.

Disc 2
1. In The Light
The main inspiration for this song came from Robert and Jimmy's travels to the far East in Thailand and India. They looked for as many musical acts to record (although none of the recordings were ever used). It also shows Jones' musical ability as he recorded one of his finest songs on the synthesizer. It also signaled another direction that Led Zeppelin would follow later on In Through The Out Door.

2. Bron-Yr-Aur
This is a short instrumental track that showed up on The Song Remains The Same. It originated from their Bron-Yr-Aur Cottage sessions when they were in a cottage in the Welsh countryside in 1970. Jimmy never popped this song out on the road and tended to stick with his more successful and well known instrumental tracks "White Summer" and "Moby Dick".

3. Down By The Seaside
Another one of the band's outtakes, this track just missed being on the band's biggest album IV. Sadly it was left for this album instead. The song's influence comes from Neil Young, a musician that both Jimmy Page and Robert Plant admired. Plant was known for singing parts of Buffalo Springfield songs in concert and always kept track of the latest in American folk.

4. Ten Years Gone
An original to the album, the song is suspected to come from a track Jimmy wrote called "Swan Song" (although "Midnight Moonlight" from the Firm years later is suspected of also being from the same track). Jimmy's 14 guitar overdubs makes the instrumental parts highly complex and gives the song a lot of depth. Although Jimmy planned to make this an instrumental track, Robert whipped up some lyrics about an old girlfriend and they had another track for their album.

5. Night Flight
This one originates from their IV sessions. One of the few tracks that Jones gets the main credits for writing up to this point, it ended up mostly as a song to fill up space on the double album.

6. Wanton Song
This one came from a jam session and was rarely played by the band outside their 1975 tour.

7. Boogie With Stu
Yet another track from their IV days, this song includes someone outside the band. Ian Stewart of the Rolling Stones comes in with the boogie-woogie piano. The song never saw the light of day on-stage but it's a great example of how Led Zeppelin liked to connect with the musical styles that influenced them.

8. Black Country Woman
The track begins with Recording Engineer Eddie Kramer asking if they should keep rolling because of the plane flying overhead at the time. The song was recorded Mick Jagger's back yard using the Rolling Stones' mobile studio and they got some more audio than they wanted. It's very raw and adds an interesting dimension to an album that tends to be very polished.

9. Sick Again
This track written by Plant about groupies on the 1973 tour was one of the few from the second disc to make it to the stage. This song ended up being featured in most of their shows and can be seen on the Led Zeppelin DVD.

Random Fact:
On the inside sleeve the band included pictures from various sources, including one night when the band decided to dress up in drag. They were staying in LA and the groupies decided to help them out. Of course, Zeppelin being Zeppelin with a little help from their groupie friends, they came up with a fun idea. George Harrison waited in the lobby for a dinner arrangement while the band took pictures in drag for the album. They took advantage of their ridiculous outfits and surprised him by heading downstairs. Little did they know Stevie Wonder was joining them as well. The band got quite the shock and Wonder thought they dressed in drag as a trick on him.

New Show Time

2009-02-02T19:26:00.000-05:00

Ok, I have the new time. The show will be on 2-4pm Thursdays starting February 12th. http://wecb.emerson.edu is the website to listen.

A Few Updates...

2009-01-31T22:42:00.001-05:00

Sorry about the lack of info but it's kind of hard to bring non-existent news. A couple of small items in Zeppelin occurred this past month.

The biggest story this week came from the Plant camp. He hasn't performed in a while (he said he would take two years off after the Raising Sand tour when he denied all Led Zeppelin reunion rumors) but he will join Alison Krauss at least one more time at the Grammys February 8th. They're up for a bunch again even though Raising Sand has been out a year and a half.

Other Plant news includes some royal connections. Queen Elizabeth II over in jolly old England named Robert a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Knowing Robert's affinity for ancient history he's quite pleased. The Queen bestowed the honor to Robert for his work in the arts (i.e. his awesome music).

The show will return in two weeks. No time or date yet but I will have one by Monday.

Album of the Month for January: Led Zeppelin I

2009-01-18T00:41:00.000-05:00

On January 12th, 1969 an album was released that changed the face of rock and roll. The blues inspired British musicians throughout the 1960s, a list that includes the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck. America knew the blues for a long time, but never like this. The album introduced a new band that took the blues and completely transformed the style into a unique sound of jarring guitar riffs and light ballads. Led Zeppelin was the hot new band coming out of England and their self-titled album turned out to be one of the most important revelations in music and led to a new sound for the 70s.

Release Date: January 12, 1969
Highest Billboard Chart Position: 10
Sales Status: 10x Platinum (66th all-time)

Track Listing:
1. Good Times, Bad Times
With the beating of Bonham's drums, Led Zeppelin took off with a sonic boom. This has all the elements that would end up defining the band for a decade: powerful drums, face melting guitar, and Robert blaring out the words. This is also one of the bands most covered songs (including a new one from Ben Harper).

2. Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You
If you don't know this is a Joan Baez cover. Yes, it's a Joan Baez cover. It in no way sounds like one but it is. Robert has his first chance to duet with Jimmy's guitar and try out some different vocal effect. It's also one of his first ungodly screams. It also is the band's first foray into folk music, Robert and Jimmy both being big American Folk fanatics. TANGENT: Give a listen to "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago and tell me that isn't the same guitar riff. Just Saying

3. You Shook Me
Here's the first example of the band's reworking of the blues and more specifically the Chess Records blues. In this case it's Muddy Water's "You Shook Me". Robert takes the vocals and gives them an emotion never heard before while the band gives it the Zeppelin "blues treatment". Jimmy's guitar is thick with effects and Bonham's drums drive the point home throughout the whole song.

4. Dazed and Confused
This was the show stopper. It was the song Zeppelin had to play. One of the few songs where Jones' bassline is clearly defined, he creates one of the more unique soundscapes in rock and roll history. Jimmy has his psychedic guitar blaring and Robert gives the vocals so much character. During live sets the song could last as long as a half an hour and Jimmy played with the violin bow (stolen from another British act Jake Holmes when Jimmy was with the Yardbirds) to get the unique blips and other random sounds out of his guitar. If there is a song that must be included in a Zeppelin greatest hits album every time this is one of them.

5. Your Time is Gonna Come
One of the lesser known tracks on the album, "Your Time is Gonna Come" was only played once live. There's not too much to it and acted more as a lead up to the next track of the album. A similar organ would later be used for "Thank You" in Led Zeppelin II.

6. Black Mountain Side
Originating from a tradition British folk tune, Jimmy took this song and put it together with his favorite guitar the Gibson Black Beauty. He took this from his Yardbirds days as well except the name was "White Summer". This is also a track where Jimmy can showcase his folk guitar playing skills which came in handy during later Zeppelin albums.

7. Communication Breakdown
This song originated from the old blues standard (later to be made a hit song for Aerosmith) "Train Kept a Rollin'". Robert's voacls come out strongest on this track and he dominates the song. Jimmy has the fuzzbox on the guitar and does a great job with the overdubs. It is also one of the few songs where Robert required backup vocals (something he still rarely allows today).

8. I Can't Quit You Babe
Here's another blues song, this time from Otis Rush. Bonzo's drums are important yet again and Robert gives the vocals a lot of justice. The band gives it a slight psychedelic twist but for the most part stays true to the blues style with their sound stamped on it.

9. How Many More Times
Zeppelin just couldn't quit the blues songs. This came from Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years" and combined "You Shook Me" with "Dazed and Confused". More uptempo than the other true blues tracks on the albums, Jimmy infuses a fair amount of his psychedic style and adds the forgotten violin bow part (everyone forgets he used the same technique on this track). It starts out blues song, turns psychidelic and by the end they sound more like a jam band with the time stamp (8:28) to go with it.

Random Fact
The Led Zeppelin idea came from a conversation Jimmy had with John Enwhistle, Keith Moon, and Richard Cole. Enwhistle and Moon wanted out of the Who and Jimmy wanted something better than the Yardbirds. So they came up with an idea to combine forces along with a bluey singer like Joe Cocker or a lighter singer like Steve Winwood to form a band that created heavy but light music. Someone then blurted out, "oh yeah, that'd go over like a lead Zeppelin" followed by a good laugh and the idea was forgotten for the moment. The name also symbolized the band, combining the heavy blues played by Jimmy and the drums from Bonham with Robert's lighter vocals and Jones' all around musical ability. The cover for the album came from that same idea. The reason why "lead" was changed to "led" was so that Americans didn't mispronounce the name.

The Jimmy Page Post Zeppelin Album Guide

2009-01-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

My friends, it's time to look at where Jimmy Page has been the past 28 years. Robert was first, now it's time to look back at Mr. Page's successes, failures, and possible promising future.

Death Wish II, 1982
This album is one of the stranger parts of my collection, mainly because the version I received was vinyl. The CD is so rare, the only copies cost hundreds of dollars. So I just bought the vinyl to record onto a CD later for $15 (thank you eBay). Anyway, the album shows Jimmy's new direction with his music. He liked to be on top of the latest technology, so of course he wanted to use the synthesizer as much as possible. The only singing tracks includes a singer Jimmy would use in the future named Chris Farlowe, who doesn't measure up to the kind of singer Robert Plant is. As a whole, the soundtrack is interesting but nothing spectacular. The good points include "City Sirens", "The Release", and "Big Band, Sax, and Violence".

What Ever Happened to Jugula?, 1985 (w/ Roy Harper)
Led Zeppelin had an interesting love affair with Roy Harper and should always be connected to him. Jimmy in particular liked to work with Harper and had occasionally shown up on some Roy Harper albums while he was with Zeppelin. In the early 80's, Jimmy decided to record a whole album with Harper. Considering the song Zeppelin dedicated to Harper on Led Zeppelin III ("Hats Off to (Roy) Harper"), it's easy to determine this was going to be a strange album. Although it has it's quirks, it has some bright moments like "Ninety Forty-Eightish" and "Advertisement (Another Intentional Irrelevant Suicide)".

The Firm 1985
In the early 80's, Jimmy Page participated in a charity tour with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Jeff Beck, and other great English artists. One of the artists he toured with was a close friend from his Zeppelin days Paul Rodgers, the former lead singer of Bad Company. They started working on a song together that Jimmy brought from the Physical Graffiti sessions called "Midnight Moonlight". It was a hit live, so they decided to record other songs together with a new band called the Firm. Unfortunately, the sound was very odd and Jimmy's guitar work just didn't come through like it did with Zeppelin. Rodgers abilities were limited and the lyrics lacked any bite. "Midnight Moonlight" seemed rambling and boring. The only highlights worth mentioning are the opening track "Closer" and "Satisfaction Guarenteed".

Mean Business 1986 (w/ The Firm)
The band relesed it's second album and it did just as bad as the first. Personally the second albumk from the Firm has more personality from all the members and is much more listenable. The first track "Fortune Hunter" is a little disorganized but has great potential, possibly from it's roots back when Jimmy worked with members of Yes. "Dreaming" is another highlight along with the closing track (and probably the best the band ever recorded) "Spirit of Love"

Outrider 1988
Like so many other great artists in great bands in the past, Jimmy decided a solo album was a good idea. Boy was he wrong. His third straight dissapointment, he fell into the 80's trap so many other great have done. He tried to mix in a little of the hair metal style. It wasn't much of an influence in the album but it's enough to make a difference. The highlights include the instrumental tracks "Liquid Mercury" and "Writes of Winter" along with the track he recorded with Robert Plant (what a shocker) "The Only One".

Coverdale/Page 1993 (w/ David Coverdale)
This seems like a strange combination. Coverdale is the vain of Robert Plant's existence and has been made fun of many times by Mr. Plant. The album actually sounds pretty good although a little more on the 80's rock side than most Jimmy Page albums. It's a good one to rock out with and Jimmy's guitar goes surprisingly well with Coverdale's voice. Even with the success of the album their relationship idin't last, however, as they decided to quit their first show in Japan. Highlights are "Pride and Joy", "Take me for a Little While", and "Absolution Blues".

1994-1998 - See Robert Plant Solo Album Guide

Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes Live at the Greek 2000
This was the last album that Jimmy released where he was on every track. The music is solid since the Black Crowes are a good band and it's mostly covers of old Zeppelin songs.

As promised, Jimmy's list is much shorter than Robert's. Not only did Jimmy have to deal with drug problems in the early 80's his first attempts at a Post-Zeppelin life crashed and burned. At least Robert had a few good selling albums early on. Although he hasn't released any studio albums since 1998, he has been working on some new material. For the past few years he's promised a new album but the latest attempt to reform Led Zeppelin probably got him off track. He'll get a band together eventually before it's too late and get something in the can.

Two down, one more to go. Shouldn't be hard since Jones only has four post-Zeppelin albums he's recorded. I just got "Scream for Help" on vinyl (thank you again eBay) and I need to transfer that into digital so I can take it with me and give it a good listen. Once that happens, you will know of the work of John Paul Jones.

The Rumors Were True...It's Just That Robert Plant Is Irreplaceable

2009-01-10T20:42:00.000-05:00

Well, the news was true about Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham. They were trying to get a new band together. Guess what. They didn't find a singer they liked. What a shocker. Their manager came out saying they couldn't find a singer that fits with the band.

When this whole ordeal started out, there was always that question of who could take over for Robert. My guess was that they could try a different style. It turned out that they couldn't think of anybody. They tried but it was not to be. Be happy Zeppelin fans: a Robert-less Led Zeppelin will not exist.

Sadly, this is most likely it for Led Zeppelin. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Robert Plant does not want to be part of Led Zeppelin. He has a successful solo career and the freedom to do whatever he wants. Another issue will be time. They are now all in their 60s. Eventually they will not be able to tour anymore physically. On the bright side, they will not be the Rolling Stones, The Who, or Queen. The only memories of Zeppelin are their albums and touring during their height. They will never be a has-been band. One can still hope for a reunion but until then we have to go back to the albums and performances of the past for our Led Zeppelin fix.

Zeppelin Reunites...Well Kind Of...Not Really (I Told You So)

2009-01-09T06:47:00.000-05:00

Well hello Zepheads. Long time no speak. I've thoroughly enjoyed the holidays and all my time off but it's time to talk Zeppelin again.

First of all, not much has happened on any news front. Robert got nominated for some more Grammys. Jimmy and Jonesy are still planning to put together a band, which leads me to my next point:

THE "ZEPPELIN" REUNION (that really isn't) IS NOT NEWS!!! They have been talking about this since October. There's film of John Paul Jones saying the exact same thing their manager said (see "THE RUMORS ARE TRUE " post with the video from about 3-4 months back). Apparently the manager is a more reliable source. All of my friends have been sending me links and asking me about it now that it's "official". Then again, I am a little bit of a freak and will keep up to date on my Zeppelin news. Oh well. I'm sure I'll get plenty more Facebook wall links and texts and such.

Anyway, I'm still interested to see how this semi-reunion will work. Will it be like Robert and Jimmy in 1998 and not quite sound right? Or will it be like Crosby, Stills, and Nash who can continue to have success without Neil Young. Fortunately they both have the itch to write (Jimmy wanted a new album out two years ago and John Paul Jones has been working on new material for ages) and will be joined by a very experienced drummer who has some well known genes. Jones was always a grounding force in the band so he may be the most important member to their sound and the difference between sounding like the greatest band ever and just a very good.

In the end this project should be a positive. Jimmy has been in seclusion from the music world for far too long and Jonesy finally has a chance to show his abilities now that he won't just be shoved off in the corner. It would be nice to see Robert back but I think the reunion train has left the station. He's on his own and very happy to follow his own vision and inspiration. Let's enjoy one last look at what could have been continued:

The show should be back within the next month so keep our eyes open for a new time. I hope to get the same slot but only time will tell. Talk to you later.

Achilles Last Stand 12/14 (Greatest Hits Show)

2008-12-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

Playlist:

-Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)", Raising Sand
-Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, "The Only One", Outrider
-Robert Plant, "Tall Cool One", Now and Zen
-John Paul Jones, "Nosumi Blues", Zooma
-Robert Plant, "Morning Dew", Dreamland
-Jimmy Page and David Coverdale, "Pride and Joy", Coverdale/Page
-Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Yallah (The Truth Explodes)", No Quarter
-Robert Plant, "I Believe", Fate of Nations
-Robert Plant, "Road to the Sun", Sixty-Six to Timbuktu
-Jimmy Page, "Band, Sax, and Violence", Death Wish II
-Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Mighty Rearranger", Mighty Rearranger
-Robert Plant, "Big Log", Principle of Moments
-Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song", Led Zeppelin III
-Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", IV
-Led Zeppelin, "Communication Breakdown", Led Zeppelin I
-Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", Led Zeppelin II
-Led Zeppelin, "All of My Love", In Through the Out Door
-Led Zeppelin, "Kashmir", Physical Graffiti
-Led Zeppelin, "Rock and Roll", IV
-Led Zeppelin, "Travelling Riverside Blues", BBC Sessions
-Led Zeppelin, "Over the Hills and Far Away", Houses of the Holy
-Led Zeppelin, "Stairway to Heaven", IV

There you have it, the 10 best Zeppelin tracks ever (in no particular order). Those truly represent everything the band stood for and all of their hard work during the late 60's and early 70's. The post Zeppelin songs are a good look at the band members after the fact but there's so much more.

Since it is the end of the semester for WECB, the show will be gone for just a bit. Don't frown, however, it will be back bigger and better than ever in February bringing the best of Zeppelin and all the tracks you've never heard before. I will continue to update the blog (especially if Jimmy and Jonesy make any tour announcements) and add more content to the site as I enjoy my time off. Happy Holidays and I will talk to you again soon!

December Preview (Two Weeks Late)

2008-12-14T20:49:00.000-05:00

I've been working on something for my Audio for New Media class and I wanted to see how it works out. Remember, it's a work in progress and the giveaway mentioned will NOT be happening (sorry, just ran out of shows on that one). Give it a listen and leave some comments...

By the way, here's an example of using Apture for Howlin' Wolf (see older posts for more).

New Site Update: Apture

2008-12-09T18:46:00.000-05:00

Great news!!! I found a great new program where I can link you quickly to other web content without having to leave the website. Apture allows a site to link to Wiki articles, Youtube videos, Imeem audio, and other web content with it's own small screen on the website you're on. Cool stuff huh? If you seen anything with a link and a symbol next to it, that means there's more content.

For example, I can mention an artist off-hand like Muddy Waters. I might not be able to explain who he is, but you can scroll over the name and see information on him from Wiki. you can also hear one of his hit songs and see him in concert all without leaving the page. I'm adding on more and more links over old stuff so you might want to look back at old posts again.

There's more to do with Apture so keep your eye out for more cool features.

Achilles Last Stand 12/7

2008-12-08T02:00:00.000-05:00

Playlist:

-Led Zeppelin, "D'Yer Maker", Houses of the Holy
-Robert Plant, "Colours of a Shade", Fate of Nations
-Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "The Enchanter", Nine Lives
-Led Zeppelin, "Achilles Last Stand", Presence
-Led Zeppelin, "Heartbreaker", BBC Sessions
-Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Nobody's Fault But Mine", No Quarter
-Led Zeppelin, "The Ocean", How the West was Won
-Led Zeppelin, "Boogie with Stu", Physical Graffiti
-Robert Plant, "Song to the Siren", Dreamland
-The Yardbirds, "Happenings Ten Years Ago", Ultimate!
-Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", The Song Remains the Same (1976)
-Led Zeppelin, "Hots on For Nowhere", Presence
-Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Black Dog", Sounds Eclectic
-Led Zeppelin, "In the Evening", In Through the Out Door
-Led Zeppelin, "Trampled Underfoot", Led Zeppelin DVD
-Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Sons of Freedom", Walking into Clarksdale
-Led Zeppelin, "Baby Come on Home", Complete Studio Recordings
-Heart, "Crazy on You", Essential Heart

Quick note on the Walking Into Clarksdale and No Quarter tracks:
Sadly, the drummer for the Page and Plant project in the 90's Michael Lee passed away at 39. Jimmy did attend the funeral this week.

Don't forget to check out the album of the month below and the new Robert Plant album guide. The last show for the semester is next week. It'll include the top post-Zeppelin tracks hour 1 and the best of Led Zeppelin hour 2. Stay posted since I should have some more content coming soon. As always, talk to you Sunday!

Album of the Month for December: IV

2008-12-07T13:00:00.000-05:00

It's about time for a new feature: Led Zeppelin Album of the Month. Of course the first one has to be IV, an album that has not only been the definitive record of the band but also one of the greatest recordings in the history of Rock and Roll.

Release Date: November 8th, 1971
Highest Billboard Chart Position: 2
Sales Status: 23x Platinum (3rd most all-time)
Other Distinctions: #66 on Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums

Track Listing:
1. Black Dog
It's debatable which of the band's songs is the number on hit. "Whole Lotta Love", "Rock and Roll", "Kashmir", and "Stairway to Heaven" are close, but this might be the song people usually think of when they hear the name Led Zeppelin. The song has all the elements of the classic Zeppelin track: Robert's powerful vocals, Jimmy shredding on the guitar, Jones backing up well on bass, and Bonzo pounding away on the drums. The blues is very prevalent as well. Slow it down and you've got a great blues song on your hands. The song's title comes from a black dog the band kept seeing around the studio while they were recording.

2. Rock and Roll
The band was attempting to write more of an old-fashioned rock and roll song. It has since become one of their most covered songs by bands like Heart and Guns n' Roses.

3. Battle of Evermore
This is a track where Robert could really let his epic creativity flow. He was always a big fan of heroic tales like Lord of the Rings (just listen closely to "Ramble On"). He also got to sing a duet with Fairport Convention singer Sandy Denny. Their vocals intertwine throughout the entire song and it gives the song a very ancient feel. Jimmy's use of the mandolin (his first ever) also adds on a nice touch to the song.

4. Stairway to Heaven
What hasn't been said. One of the greatest rock songs ever. One of the most requested ever. It has caused grown men to cry for no apparent reason. I'm not going to lie: I have thought about staying in a car when I reached my destination because "Stairway to Heaven" was on the radio. The song's origins are actually pretty boring. Once it was recorded, however, the band knew it was going to be something big. Jimmy later had to buy a special guitar with both a 6-string and 12-string guitar on it. He would keep both channels open during live performances so that the 6-string channel would pick up him playing on the 12-string and vice versa. Also, notice how Bonzo's drum part doesn't start until halfway into the song.

5. Misty Mountain Hop
With all of the great tracks on this album, this song gets overshadowed a little bit. It's a great song with a good riff from Jimmy and the drum line really pushes the song along.

6. Four Sticks
Not much to say about this one. It led to the creation of "Rock and Roll" when the band needed a break from finishing this. It is also the song Robert uses today as a tribute to John Bonham because of the complex percussion in the song.

7. Going to California
This one seemed more like a leftover from Led Zeppelin III. It highlights the love of folk for both Jimmy and Robert along with their fondness for the state of California. It was also a tribute to Joni Mitchell, one of Robert's favorite performers who he got a chance to meet while he was with Zeppelin. He declined because he was too nervous to meet her and didn't know what he'd say.

8. When the Levee Breaks
A song originally by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, this is yet another example of Zeppelin propensity for "borrowing" songs without crediting anyone (just ask Willie Dixon). They gave it a similar sound to "Bring It On Home" with heavy reverb on Robert's voice and a lot of ambient noise. They again try to reinterpret the blues but keep some of the similar elements from older blues recordings.

Random Fact:
IV is in fact an untitled album. In the end, the band decided to release it with nothing on the album cover period. The only indication it was Led Zeppelin were the four symbols on the inside jacket and Jimmy's producing credit. Otherwise, the band left the cover without any signs that Led Zeppelin was involved. Atlantic fought tirelessly to get the band to put SOMETHING on it, but the band refused. Obviously, Atlantic was dead wrong with the album becoming the 3rd best seller ever. Although it is untitled, most people refer to it as Led Zeppelin IV since the first three albums were numbered as well. Other names include Zoso (for Jimmy's symbol) and Four Symbols.

The Robert Plant Solo Album/Post Led Zeppelin Guide

2008-12-07T03:37:00.000-05:00

If you've ever wondered whether you could get into Robert's solo career, here's a bit of a guide. Maybe you'll find just the right album to get into:

Part I - Plant joins the 80's and separation from Zeppelin

Pictures at Eleven, 1982
If you want 80's music, this is one of three albums to get. It's his first and is probably the easiest of Robert's early albums to listen to. It doesn't have anything too shocking with a taste of Zeppelin, but it has that 80's synth sound. The best tracks are "Worse Than Detroit", "Like I've Never Been Gone", and "Burning Down One Side". If you have the box set Nine Lives, "Far Post" is probably better than those three.

Principle of Moments, 1983
Plant took a large step towards the 80's sound with this album. It's also another step away from his days with Zeppelin. Everything has a bit more of a synth sound but it's just a tad better than his first solo album. His two biggest solo hits to date, "In the Mood" and "Big Log", the second being the best song on the album, were on this one along with a good opener in "Other Arms" and my personal favorite "Horizontal Departure".

The Honeydrippers, Vol. 1, 1984
However the hell Ahmet Ertegun got Robert to cover 50's music (according to Robert, the agreement took place in a Japanese sex shop), it happened. Artists like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and Paul Schaffer (you know, that guy from Letterman) make this a great album. "Rockin' at Midnight" is the best track with a great solo from Beck, but don't forget about "Sea of Love" with Page on guitar.

Shaken n' Stirred, 1985
Hmm. Where to begin. Robert really went hog wild on this one. EVERYTHING went through at least one synth. Stylistically, it is his most unique work to date. This is one of the few albums Robert freely uses backup singers and one of the few that doesn't have a very bluesy track. It's a really hard listen, especially if you haven't heard 80's Plant before. It was hard enough on the band, who left Robert shortly after this album was finished. Highlights include "Little By Little", "Pink and Black", and "Easily Lead". Past that, you've been warned.

Part II - The Comeback

Now and Zen, 1988
With a new band and a new perspective on his music, Robert returned with more of the sound that defined him in Zeppelin. Although it was still very computerized, the sound was much more natural and he brought back the blues he had all but abandoned in his previous album. A strong guitar sound and a little more energy were a much needed change to Robert's music. He now paid homage to his Zeppelin days in "Tall Cool One" and started adding the Middle Eastern sound in songs like "Heaven Knows" that has defined his most recent solo work.

Manic Nirvana, 1990
Of all his albums, this one has the most poppy songs. I'd describe it as Middle Eastern Rockabilly Blues. He had some more upbeat songs and the music was a little more formatted than before. The blues was more apparent (ex. "Tye Dye on the Highway) and the middle eastern sound was still a work and coming in songs like "Nirvana". The best track is easily the opener "Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eye on You)." It's a close call between this and Shaken n' Stirred for his worst album.

Fate of Nations, 1993
This is one of Robert's post-Zeppelin highlights. The blues was once again prevalent in his music while he infused Middle Eastern music more than ever before. The album starts of with a bang on "Calling to You" and other songs like "Network News" and "Promised Land" made it a legitimate rock album. He softened the album with "29 Palms", "If I Were a Carpenter", and "I Believe" and was able to put together a great sounding complete work. By far his best until his most recent work in the 2000's.

No Quarter: Unledded, 1994
When MTV comes calling you know there's trouble. Of course, the network wanted a little reunion for Plant and Page. Never even thinking about a certain Mr. Jones, Robert got together with Jimmy and formulated a plan to re-make a fair number of Zeppelin songs for the MTV performance. All in all, most of the Middle Eastern inspired versions weren't bad. Highlights were "Gallows Pole", "Battle of Evermore", and a new track called "Yallah" (since then it has been renamed "The Truth Explodes"). There is a pretty sweet version of "Kashmir" with an Egyptian drum band and the London Metropolitan Orchestra, although the sound mix could have been much better.

Walking Into Clarksdale, 1998 (w/ Jimmy Page)
Ummm...it wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard. The albums is, however, a huge letdown. It includes very good songs like "Most High" and "Please Read the Letter" but the rest just doesn't quite sound right. The big issue was the musical direction of the project. Jimmy still wanted to do blues rock, Robert wanted to infuse more Middle Eastern influence, while the producer Steve Albini added a very modern sound. The Zeppelin magic just wasn't there. Fortunately, Robert realized the same thing and returned to a solo career.

Part III - The Present Day Robert Plant

Dreamland, 2001
Robert formed a new band at the turn of the millenium and found the man to take his music to the next level. Justin Adams had been involved with world music for a long time and was always going between England and Northern Africa. His guitar work added the Middle Eastern twist that Robert had been looking for. With a new band The Strange Sensation, they set out to cover numerous folk songs from Robert's youth. Every song on the album is good, the best being "Darkness, Darkness", "Morning Dew", and "Skip's Song".

Mighty Rearranger, 2005
This has been Robert's best solo effort to date. He took the blues from his childhood, the Middle Eastern music from his world experiences, and took his lyrics from his old tricks of love and epic tales and added a new political voice. Songs ranged from soft ballads to powerful rocks songs. There are so many highlights, but the top three would be "Shine It All Around", "Mighty Rearranger", and "Freedom Fries".

Raising Sand, 2007 (w/ Alison Krauss)
When Robert announced he would join forces with bluegrass star Alison Krauss, many Zeppelin fanatics were perplexed. Had their Golden God gone soft? Well, no. He started working with Krauss because he wanted to return to the Americana types of music that first influenced him as a youngster in England. He would work with acclaimed producer T Bone Burnett and get to record in one of the centers of music in America - Memphis, Tennessee. The album is great and Robert's voice blends perfectly with Krauss. "Gone Gone Gone" was the big hit, but a remade "Please Read the Letter" and a spooky "Nothin'" were tracks that really made this album unique.

There you have it. Plant in a nutshell over the past 20+ years. If you want find more about his work, get Sixty-Six to Timbucktu. It has a fair number of the songs listed above plus some bonus songs from outside his solo albums. Of the extras, "Road to the Sun", "Rude World", "Let That Boogie Woogie Roll" and "Win My Train Fair Home (Live in Timbucktu)" stand out the most. Coming up will be a Jimmy list (which will be shorter) and a John Paul Jones list (which is even shorter at only 4 albums long).

Achilles Last Stand 11/30

2008-12-03T19:10:00.000-05:00

Playlist:

-Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", The Song Remains the Same (2007)
-Robert Plant, "Last Times I Saw Her", Dreamland
-Led Zeppelin, "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp", Led Zeppelin III
-Led Zeppelin, "In the Light", Physical Graffiti
-Led Zeppelin, "Over the Hills and Far Away", How the West Was Won
-Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Tin Pan Valley", Mighty Rearranger
-Led Zeppelin, "Dazed and Confused", Led Zeppelin
-John Paul Jones, "Daphne", Thundertheif
-Led Zeppelin, "All of My Love", In Through the Out Door
-Them, "Gloria"
-Led Zeppelin, "Livin' Lovin' Maid (She's Just a Woman)", Led Zeppelin II
-The Honeydrippers, "Rockin' at Midnight", The Honeydrippers Vol. 1
-Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Please Read the Letter", Raising Sand
-Led Zeppelin, "Friends", Led Zeppelin III
-Led Zeppelin, "When the Levee Breaks", IV
-Led Zeppelin, "Black Country Woman", Physical Graffiti
-Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, "Most High", Walking Into Clarksdale
-The Firm, "Fortune Hunter", Mean Business
-Robert Plant, "Skip's Song", Dreamland
-Led Zeppelin, "Hot Dog", In Through the Out Door

Apologies about the last posts. It's pretty hard to post when you don't have a working computer. I'm back up and running so the posts will start coming once again.

By the way, I hope you heard about Paul McCartney. He's not too pleased that Led Zeppelin isn't getting back together with Robert. McCartney agrees with most fans who think it's a shame Jimmy, Jonesy and Bonzo Jr. are continuing their plans without Percy. The good news is that there are reports the new band will not call itself Led Zeppelin. The Alter Bridge singer Mike Kennedy is still the number one suspect to replace Plant but nothing has been confirmed.

The next show will run as normal with a mix of rare finds and Zeppelin's best songs. The week after will be a greatest hits show. It'll start out with the best from the pre and post Zeppelin years and finish with the best Zeppelin tracks ever. If you have any requests, write a comment and I'll see what I can do about putting it on. Talk to you Sunday!

Achilles Last Stand 11/23

2008-12-03T18:59:00.000-05:00

Playlist:

-Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love", Led Zeppelin DVD
-Robert Plant, "One More Cup of Coffee", Dreamland
-Led Zeppelin, "Hey Hey What Can I Do"
-Led Zeppelin, "Since I've Been Loving You", How the West Was Won
-Led Zeppelin, "What is and What Should Never Be", Led Zeppelin II
-Robert Plant, "Turnaround", Principle of Moments
-The Firm, "Spirit of Love", Mean Business
-Led Zeppelin, "Darlene", Coda
-Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Freedom Fries", Mighty Rearranger
-Bob Dylan, "The Levee's Gonna Break", Modern Times
-Led Zeppelin, "Stairway to Heaven", How the West Was Won
-Bob Marley and the Wailers, "Lively Up Yourself"
-Led Zeppelin, "Houses of the Holy", Physical Graffiti
-Led Zeppelin, "In My Time of Dying", Led Zeppelin DVD
-Led Zeppelin, "Tangerine", Led Zeppelin III
-Led Zeppelin, "Heartbreaker", Led Zeppelin II
-John Paul Jones, "Tidal", Zooma
-Led Zeppelin, "Travelling Riverside Blues", BBC Sessions
-Crosby, Stills, and Nash, "Southern Cross"

Led Zeppelin: The Reunions

2008-11-22T10:54:00.001-05:00

Although everyone is all up in arms about a possible failed reunion, there have been attepmts to bring the band back. Even Robert and Jimmy tried out the full fledged reunion with tour and album. So far, nothing has stuck and through their past events, it's doubtful any reunion attempts will ever work out.

Live Aid, 1985
This was the first time Led Zeppelin reunited after Bonzo's death and the event was broadcasted around the world as a part of the world famous concert. Jimmy's guitar was out of tune, Robert's voice was weak, Phil Collins could never live up to Bonham, and the audio setup was failing. After all of that, the show wasn't that bad and the band had a good time. After renditions of "Rock and Roll", "Whole Lotta Love", and "Stairway to Heaven", the band looked poised to come back and rise to the top again. Unfortunately, the attempt to play a show the next night proved disasterous and reunion plans were scrapped.

Atlantic 40th Anniversary, 1988
The band once again came together with Jason Bonham, son of John, on drums. The audio engineering again failed (Jimmy's guitar was barely audible). Robert seemed dissatisfied and bored playing the old songs. Robert did it for Ahmet Ertegun and was more interested in his solo performance during the same show.

Jason Bonham Wedding, 1990
They played at a wedding. Nothing big and no future plans possible

Knebworth, 1990
Robert had Jimmy come on-stage with him. Nothing would materialize from this reunion either.

MTV Unplugged and No Quarter: Unledded, 1993
Robert and Jimmy (no John Paul Jones) were approached about being in the MTV Unledded program. They agreed but they wanted to go beyond the simple studio performance that most acts had done. Robert and Jimmy wanted to take their songs from the Zeppelin years and remake them with a Middle Eastern twist. They also wanted to travel to Morocco to get inspired by their music and create new songs with authentic artists of the area. Three different parts of the program were created: Welsh quarry scenes, new songs performed with Morrocan musicians, and a performance in London with the London Metropolitan Orchestra and an Egyptian drum group. All of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page's work paid off. The show was a hit, the record sold well, and they had a great world tour. Then...

Walking Into Clarksdale, 1998
Robert and Jimmy recorded a bit of a flop. The record had some highlights (mainly "Most High" and "Please Read the Letter"). Unfortunately, Jimmy and Robert were going in different directions and the producer (Rick Rubin) was going a third direction. Robert wanted the blues-mideast fusion while Jimmy focused on the blues rock and Rubin tried to bring them into the 90's with a hard rock sound. The band behind Jimmy and Robert just didn't measure up and the album sold poorly. After another successful tour, Robert and Jimmy separated again possibly ending one of the last real chances to bring the band back together.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1994
Led Zeppelin entered the Hall of Fame in 1994 as one of the best selling groups ever. John Paul Jones came along and didn't show much of a problem with the fact no one called him about the Unledded project. The band came together with Jason on drums again and help from Aerosmith and Neil Young. The band played well but it was clearly another one time deal.

Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, 2007
After 9 years, Robert finally agreed to another reunion show to honor the man who signed Led Zeppelin to their deal with Atlantic and also guided him through his solo career. They were close friends and Robert always held Ahmet back from convincing him to rejoin with Jimmy and Jonesy. Of all their reunions, this one was the best. They were sharp, clean, and ready to go for the show from their first song. The band looked poised to take the next step and travel the world. Then, Robert's album with Alison Krauss was a huge hit. He wanted to work on the Memphis music that inspired his earliest work and Zeppelin seemed like a step backwards. He wanted to focus on a new aspect of his musical inspiration.

After many reunions, the band has yet to sick together for more than a show. Robert has been the main reason a full-fledged reunion hasn't materialized. He runs his own ship and he doesn't want to be under anyone's watchful eye again. Jimmy is the leader of Led Zeppelin so I doubt that he'll be able to convince Robert to agree to a long tour. One day it could happen, but Robert has to be in dire straits to do so.

Achilles Last Stand 11/16/08

2008-11-19T23:22:00.000-05:00

The Playlist:

-Led Zeppelin, "The Rain Song", A Memory Frozen Forever (Berlin 1980)
-Robert Plant, "All the Money in the World", Mighty Rearranger
-Led Zeppelin, "The Song Remains the Same", Houses of the Holy
-Led Zeppelin, "Gallows Pole", Led Zeppelin III
-The Firm, "Dreaming", Mean Business
-Led Zeppelin, "Bonzo's Montreux", Coda
-Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Rich Woman", Raising Sand
-Robert Plant, "Easily Lead", Shaken N' Stirred
-Led Zeppelin, "The Ocean", The Song Remains the Same (2007)
-Robert Plant, "Funny in My Mind (Fixin' to Die)", Dreamland
-Bad Company, "Can't Get Enough", Bad Company
-Led Zeppelin, "Moby Dick", Led Zeppelin II
-Jimi Hendrix, "Hey Joe"
-Led Zeppelin, "Kashmir", Led Zeppelin DVD
-The Yardbirds, "Train Kept a Rollin'", Ultimate!
-Robert Plant, "29 Palms", Fate of Nations
-Led Zeppelin, "The Crunge", House of the Holy
-Led Zeppelin, "Good Times, Bad Times", Led Zeppelin I
-Robert Plant, "Like I've Never Been Gone", Pictures at Eleven (Nine Lives Bonus Track)
-Led Zeppelin, "Misty Mountain Hop", IV
-Blind Faith, "Can't Find My Way Home", The 20th Century Collection: Steve Winwood

Sorry the playlist was a tad late this week. I've been pretty busy and haven't been able to finish it. The Robert Plant album guide is on the way. I've gone through his albums up to Fate of Nations so I'm almost done. Jimmy and Jones will follow shortly.

The semester only has about a month left before Winter Break. Only 4 more shows left before WECB goes off the air for the Winter Break so be sure you don't miss a second of Achilles Last Stand on WECB!

Achilles Last Stand 11/9/08 (Robert Plant Special)

2008-11-10T01:13:00.000-05:00

The Playlist

-Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog", IV
-Elvis Presley, "Burning Love", Essential Elvis
-Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)", Raising Sand
-Led Zeppelin, "Kashmir", Physical Graffiti
-Robert Plant, "In the Mood", Principle of Moments
-Tinariwen, "Tamatant Tilay", Aman Iman: Water is Life
-Robert Plant, "I Believe", Fate of Nations
-Led Zeppelin, "Since I've Been Loving You", Led Zeppelin III
-Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Takamba", Mighty Rearranger
-Buffalo Springfield, "For What It's Worth", Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield
-Led Zeppelin, "Over the Hills and Far Away", How the West Was Won
-Robert Plant, "Little By Little", Shaken n' Stirred
-The Honeydrippers, "Sea of Love", The Honeydrippers Vol. 1
-Robert Plant, "Darkness Darkness", Dreamland
-Genesis, "That's All"
-Robert Plant, "You Better Run", Sixty Six to Tumbuktu
-Robert Plant, "Tall Cool One", Now and Zen
-Sonny Boy Williamson, "Bring It On Home", His Best
-Led Zeppelin, "Bring It On Home", Led Zeppelin II
-Robert Plant, "Road to the Sun", Sixty Six to Timbuktu
-Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song", Led Zeppelin III
-Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, "Mighty Rearranger", Mighty Rearranger

I promised some hippie photos so here you go:

The next one is from his Zeppelin years but shows his hippie side quite well:

I'm still on the search for the one of him protesting the legality marijuana. I know it's in the liner notes of Sixty Six to Timbuktu, it's just a matter of sifting through the millions of other Plant photos online to find it.

The next show will run normally with all kinds of little Zeppelin goodies. I still have some good Plant quotes to play eventually. I'll be on the lookout for others and I'm sure some good Peter Grants and Jimmy Pages are hiding out there too. Any song requests? Add a comment and I'll see what I can do about getting it on.

UPDATE:

Thanks to robertplantfan who has a website (http://press.manicnirvana.com/?p=20) with a pic of Plant holding a Legalize Marijuana sign:

Robert Plant Show This Sunday

2008-11-07T15:24:00.000-05:00

Well, the time has come for the first special show. Robert Plant has been plastered across many websites discussing the future of Led Zeppelin so we'll do about with him. I've also been looking back at some old interviews with him. Here's the best from the Dave Letterman Show in 1985:

He's always been an odd man to interview. He either takes the interview seriously and answers questions fully or he will joke around a little bit and just annoy the hell out of the interviewer. He usually goes after interviewers when they obviously don't know what they are talking about. Jay Leno in 1993 was particularly bad. He had no idea what he was talking about and trying to have Robert compare audiences from the past to the present.

Anyway, Robert is pretty easy to cover. His solo music is actually listenable and not bad (compared to Jimmy and Jonesy). His work with Strange Sensation (2001-2005) was outstanding. He was on to something with them and I wouldn't be surprised to see them come back in a couple of years. Of course he has his bad 80's album Shaken 'N' Stirred which is one of his favorites and then there's his early work when he was trying to be a pop singer.

Got any requests? Make a comment on this note and I'll see what I can do. I mean he was with Led Zeppelin so it shouldn't be hard to put something on (unless it's "Moby Dick" or "Bonzo's Montreux"). See ya Sunday!

ELECTION DAY!

2008-11-04T09:20:00.001-05:00

Go out and vote or Jimmy will cast a vile spell on you. He'll make the ghost of John Bonham do things in your shoe.

Achilles Last Stand 11/2/08

2008-11-02T21:20:00.000-05:00

The Playlist:

-Led Zeppelin, "Down By the Seaside", Physical Graffiti
-The Rolling Stones, "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)", Goats Head Soup
-Led Zeppelin, "What is and What Should Never Be", BBC Sessions
-Led Zeppelin, "Celebration Day", Led Zeppelin III
-Led Zeppelin, "Ramble On", Led Zeppelin II
-Robert Plant, "Last Time I Saw Her (Remix)", Dreamland (Nine Lives Box Set)
-Robert Plant, "Big Log", Principle of Moments
-The Firm, "Radioactive", The Firm
-Led Zeppelin, "Nobody's Fault But Mine", Presence
-Phil Collins, "In the Air Tonight", Phil Collins: Hits
-Led Zeppelin, "Ozone Baby", Coda
-Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song", Led Zeppelin III
-John Paul Jones, "Nosumi Blues", Zooma
-Led Zeppelin, "The Rain Song", Houses of the Holy
-Led Zeppelin, "In the Evening", Led Zeppelin DVD
-Led Zeppelin, "Going to California", IV
-Robert Plant, "Another Tribe", Mighty Rearranger
-Led Zeppelin, "Fool in the Rain", In Through the Out Door
-Robert Plant, "Our Song", Sixty-Six to Timbuktu
-Led Zeppelin, "Bring It On Home", How the West was Won
-Foo Fighters, "The Pretender", Echos Silence Patience and Grace

Tonight's show was mostly about the possible reunion. Although most of the members are into it (5/8 to be exact) I don't know about the idea of a Led Zeppelin minus a certain singer. If you heard the rant about why he won't reunite the post before this one explains it more. There's a lot to the story.

If you have any requests for the next show, write them down as a comment and I'll see if I can fit em in. Even if it isn't Zeppelin, I can probably find some way to relate the song or band to them.

Why Robert Plant Won't Reunite With Led Zeppelin

2008-10-29T11:22:00.000-04:00

This has been a question that has bothered people for a very long time: why hasn't Led Zeppelin reunited for more than one small show at a time? After the last few months of rumors and confirmed stories, Zeppelin fans see who has kept the band from forming a reunion tour: Robert Plant.

The arguments for why he'd want to rejoin seem so simple, right? He was at the top of the world, one of the most respected singers in rock and roll history. Thousands of fans came from miles around for Led Zeppelin's shows and he would have women from city to city clamoring to spend the evening with him. He was with a band making millions of dollars and releasing great album after great album. Wouldn't he want to get back together and remember the good ol' days? He could make millions of dollars on a tour and be on top of the rock and roll world once again.

In terms of the music, he should fit in perfectly. Not only did the band take its cues from many of his favorite styles of music (blues, folk, and some world), he was able to infuse his lyrics. Robert and Jimmy have a rapport than no other singer-guitarist combination ever had. Their playfulness on stage and their sheer ability to mirror each other during songs like "Dazed and Confused" is remarkable. When they joined together later in the 80's and 90's they still had a close bond when they performed.

Even after all of these reasons to get back together, Robert still won't tour. He has flatly refused each time the subject has come up. Everyone wonders when he is going to break and finally take the opportunity to get back with the boys. Unfortunately, he might not ever break. He has to many reasons not to tour with them.

To understand his reasoning, look at his career all the way back when Led Zeppelin was at its pinnacle in 1975. The band just played the show they always wanted in England at Earls Court. They performed for almost 4 hours and dominated the stage with their musical prowess. Afterward, the band went on vacation (and tax exile) and Robert's family decided to visit a small island. While driving one day, Robert's wife Maureen lost control of the car and crashed with the whole family in the car. Robert hurt his ankle badly, but worse for him was that his wife Maureen was knocked unconscious and in serious condition. Richard Cole scrambled to get Robert and his family back to England to get treated. Unfortunately, due to British tax laws that forced the band into exile, Robert had to leave before Maureen healed. He had to record the next album from a wheelchair away from his home and family.

Led Zeppelin then went on one of their biggest and most successful tours in 1977. Although the band was doing well, another hit to Robert's personal life was about to come. His son Karac was sent to the hospital and died shortly thereafter from a nasty stomach bug. The rest of the tour was cancelled and Robert had his second personal tragedy in two years.

The band returned in 1979 with In Through The Out Door and very successful shows in Knebworth. They began the 80's with a new perspective and felt fresher than ever. They started romping through Europe to begin the new decade. The band looked like it was ready for a huge comeback after being shut in for 3 years. The day before they were scheduled to go to America to continue the tour, John Bonham went out on the town and had numerous drinks. He returned to Jimmy's house and went to sleep. The next morning, he was found dead due to asphyxiation on his own vomit. Robert was devistated. Bonham had been Robert best friend since before the band formed. He had a bond with Bonzo because they were the rookies when the band started, the ones who didn't know the ropes. By December, the band decided that it could not go on without the drummer that defined much of their sound.

Robert was now on his own. His last 5 years with Zeppelin were tumultuous at best. He now had a new challenge: a solo career. For the first time, he was the man in charge. With Led Zeppelin, he was not the leader; Jimmy had guided the band from the beginning. Even when Jimmy's role was decreasing, John Paul Jones had more control of the band, as evidenced by the amount of synthesizers and keys in the last album; if Robert was in charge, it would have been largely folk and blues.

With a new look on life, he started a solo career that began as a fight against his history with Zeppelin. His new albums were filled with new recording methods, odd drum beats provided by Phil Collins, synthesizers dominating each track, and the loss of the edgy guitar-work of Jimmy Page. By his 1985 album Shaken 'n' Stirred, he was obsessed with losing the Zeppelin sound. Everything went through a computer or machine and the song structure was very strange. It flopped badly and his solo career seemed to hit a dead end.

Also in 1985, the band reunited for the first time since Bonham's death for Live Aid. Robert's voice was not quite at full strength, Jimmy's guitar was out of tune, and the drummer Phil Collins didn't seem to fit in, however the band had an excellent time. The next night proved disastrous as they tried to play again with poor results and any thoughts of full fledged reunion were scrapped.

Robert returned in 1988 with a sort of comeback album Now and Zen and a new perspective on his Led Zeppelin days. Not only did he begin to play Zeppelin tunes for the first time solo, he included some clips from Zeppelin songs in the single "Tall Cool One." His sound, however, was still very synthesized and not very bluesy. The band reunited again for the Atlantic 40th anniversary celebration, however technical issues affected their set and Robert seemed to focus more on his solo set.

By 1993, he had two more albums: Manic Nirvana and Fate of Nations. With both, he inched closer to the sound he started in Zeppelin, however he was also putting a new spin on his music. He started taking more and more influences from Middle Eastern culture and added more social commentary in his lyrics. After Fate of Nations, he was approached by MTV with an opportunity.

He was asked to join Jimmy Page for an episode of the popular series Unplugged. Surprisingly, he agreed. He and Jimmy built a plan (one that MTV did not intend) to re-work old Zeppelin songs with a Middle Eastern spin. The show was a huge hit, the album No Quarter was very successful, and the tour brought them both back to the top. Then they decided to make a new album (if you're wondering where Jones is, he was not approached by anyone for either project). The album, Walking Into Clarksdale in 1998, was supposed to be their comeback together. The album performed well on the charts, but it's reception was not great. The songs didn't have the same flair as their Zeppelin days. The drums weren't as smooth, powerful, or consistent as John Bonham and the bass and musical talent of John Paul Jones was missing. Without Bonham, Robert wasn't having as much fun.

Since then, the Zeppelin story has been low key. Robert continues to play some Zeppelin songs, but he is always looking towards the future. His most recent work has included revisiting folk songs of his generation (Dreamland in 2001), creating a powerful middle eastern driven sound (Mighty Rearranger in 2005), and going to Memphis to duet with Alison Krauss (Raising Sand in 2007).

Although he agreed to reunite one more time in 2007, he did so for the man who believed in Led Zeppelin and made them superstars. Ahmet Ertegun was very close to Robert and they had always been talking to each other about getting the band back together. Robert usually had to keep Ahmet from convincing him to reunite, so he felt it was his duty to play in his memory. He hinted that a full reunion was possible, but was unwilling to commit to anything.

Today, he has everything he could desire. He lived the crazy life of a rock star with Zeppelin. He owns a castle, the epic dream he's had for a very long time. He has all the money he could want and will probably get more as Zeppelin continues to market themselves well. He has complete control over his career. If he wants to make an album a certain way, he'll do it. Nobody tells him what to do. He doesn't need to listen to Jimmy or Peter Grant anymore. His career has been the best since Zeppelin broke up, mainly because he is the only one with any successful solo albums since 1980. He has gone beyond the work that Zeppelin did and has no reason to look back.

The main reason he refuses to return is that he can't imagine touring with the band without his best friend John Bonham drumming behind him. To Robert Plant, reuniting with Led Zeppelin is like taking a step backwards and I doubt that he will ever consider joining the band again.

THE RUMORS ARE TRUE (for once)

2008-10-29T10:50:00.000-04:00

It has been confirmed: Led Zeppelin may reunite for a tour in the next few months. And we have visual proof of a member (John Paul Jones) confirming plans:

So Jimmy, Jonesy, and Bonzo Jr. have been rehearsing for a tour. Of course my initial suspicions of Robert Plant's reluctance to go out on the road as Led Zeppelin (which is too long and complicated to discuss here) were correct. I wasn't sure if Jimmy and Jonesy wanted to hit the road without the man who's presence on stage is unbeatable. I can't really think of any other voices who can go out and pull off a Robert Plant. I've heard some of the names and listened to some of the singers. Probably the only one I'd see is Steven Tyler, who exutes the same flamboyance and raw power that Robert does. Once again, it will not be the same.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see a Queen-like billing. Led Zeppelin + Steven Tyler or something like that. An album could be on the horizon as well. Jimmy was working on some new material a few years back and Jones has been trying to work on a new album for 2+ years now. Their rapport is outstanding and they could put out some good material. But again, no Plant is just not the same.

They could also cancel all of these plans if they don't find that singer who fills Plant's shoes. Led Zeppelin has been notorious for protecting all of their image and material heavily. They used to beat up bootleggers, have sued choirs for using "Stairway to Heaven", and denied Jack Black the opportunity to use their music numerous times (except for in School of Rock and even that wasn't easy). They have been the masters of marketing the band after the breakup in 1980. Their live album in 2003 How the West was Won reached #1 on the Billboard charts and their 4th incarnation of a greatest hits album Mothership reached #7.

THEY HAVE BEEN BROKEN UP FOR 28 YEARS AND HAD THEIR 4TH GREATEST HITS ALBUM REACH THE TOP 10!!! Either that's a sign of the times in the music industry or they are doing something right. To tell you the truth, it's probably both.

They have a vision for how they want the public to perceive the band. If they really want to keep up the momentum and still have fans respect what the band has accomplished, they should wait for Plant if he is willing to join again or just give up entirely if he flatly denies any opportunity to ever reunite with the Zeppelin.

CMJ Music Marathon in New York = A True Led Zeppelin Party Experience

2008-10-28T23:07:00.001-04:00

Ok, maybe it wasn't that crazy. I mean there weren't any groupies, mounds of cocaine, or sharks involved. There were still some great stories going from concert to concert and consumption of a fair amount of tasty beverages along the way. Not to mention some signs of what Zeppelin would do in such a situation:

I know Richard Cole would be all over that and have at least 8 girls for the boys in those 15 minutes.

Overall, I don't think I saw the next reincarnation of Led Zeppelin, but I certainly know of one group that impresses me who I couldn't see. Delta Spirit has been a band of interest from the time I first saw their album. I love the name, suggesting a bit of the Mississippi Delta Blues is incorporated with their songs and attitude. The story of their start is amazing, when lead singer Matt Vasquez was found singing on a park bench in San Diego in the middle of the night. Vasquez has the perfect voice for their music and the band's sound is excellent. Their album was not only consistent, it was varied and creative. I couldn't go to their shows at CMJ because the venue was 21+ and I was hanging with a 20 year old. Fortunately, I already saw them in Boston twice: once at the other Emerson radio station and then I went to their show at the Middle East Downstairs. Both were awesome performances that exceeded my expectations. My favorite part of each of their performances was song "Trashcan" where they had a Brooklyn trashcan lid for percussion. Overall they were just as good live as on the record. If they come by Boston again, you bet that I'm going to see them.

The only group that I'd say reminded me of Led Zeppelin was the Sian Alice Group. They had some similar elements: great vocals from the lead singer, multiple guitars (Jimmy did play two guitars at once if you think about it), a great bass player, a synth, and creative drum beats. The individual musicians all had complex parts but were able to bring it together to one unique and unifying sound. Still, nowhere close to the abilities of the greatest band ever.

Outside of the shows, some panels were seen that were not terribly satisfying. I visited with a rep from an interesting company called Sonicbids that works to create an online network for bands and artists who truely want to be professionals and are looking for ways to expand their promotional outlets. It also helps artist find promoters and book venues. Other than that, I felt like I got a bit of a Zeppelin experience: short days of somewhat important work, long nights at concerts, going to a hotel room (or friend's house) exhausted, and having a good time for a while with friends until finally falling asleep after 4am. Good times were had by all and I'd excitedly jump at another opportunity to go back.

Achilles Last Stand on WECB Online!!

2008-10-28T22:35:00.000-04:00

Hooray! I've been doing the show on and off for over three years now at various locations (props to anyone who remembers the WIQH Concord days), so you would think I'd already be with the online game. Well the time has come. Now I can let you know about the latest Led Zeppelin news, give you my playlists, and (technical setup permitting) a complete show podcast. I can comment on crazy Zeppelin rumors any time I want. What fun!

For anyone who doesn't know the show, it has more than meets the eye. Most of the songs are from Zeppelin, but most of the songs that I play from them is not usually heard anywhere else. Sure WZLX in Boston has "Stairway to 7," but do they have the balls to play from a Zeppelin bootleg or a raw cut from the BBC Sessions. I didn't think so.

Then I also play a fair number of tracks from the band members life before and after Zeppelin. It took a lot of work to get those albums too. I bought some in France because I wasn't sure I'd find them elsewhere.

Another aspect of the show are the bands and artists that influenced Zeppelin. For example, a track from a bluesman like Robert Johnson is not so surprising to hear. I know about the various connections in the music world Zeppelin had as well. Roy Harper was one of their favorite artists who not only has a song dedicated to him on Led Zeppelin III, he recorded a whole album with Jimmy Page.

No matter your past listening experience, the show is going to be awesome this week just like any other week. So remember: Sunday, 10-midnight, it's time to let the Led out on WECB!