Led Zeppelin: the 50th Anniversary
The Blind Eternities forum
Posted on Feb. 3, 2019, 10:49 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Led Zeppelin’s debut album, the historical significance of which cannot be overstated; from Jimmy Page’s frantic yet melodic guitar playing, to John Paul Jones’s thundering bass, to John Bonham’s furious drums, to Robert Plant’s wailing vocals, Led Zeppelin’s arrival on the music scene was simply monumental. Although Led Zeppelin was not truly a heavy metal band, there is no doubt that they had a significant influence on the development of that genre.
For audiences who had grown up in the 1960’s, listening to musicians such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, or the Beach Boys, the debut of Led Zeppelin at the end of that decade must have truly been a shock, with their wild, raucous music that tapped into the primal nature of humanity. It is true that both Jimi Hendrix and Blue Cheer had taken rock music in a much heavier direction in the late 60’s, but neither of them could compare with the intense and frantic energy that Led Zeppelin possessed.
However, even with their powerful rock anthems, Led Zeppelin also had a fair number of softer, more soulful and emotional songs that revealed a deeper and more vulnerable side of their personalities, a sign of true diversity in an artist.
Led Zeppelin’s career was very brief (akin to that of The Beatles), ending abruptly in 1980, with the death of drummer John Bonham, but their influence in the world of music is enormous and still felt to the present day.
As a side note, Led Zeppelin released their debut album the same year that The Beatles released their final album (or, depending upon which album one considers to be The Beatles’ final album, Black Sabbath released their album the same year that The Beatles released their final album), which was a very appropriate symbolic passing of the torch, from the dominant band of one decade to the dominant band of the next decade.
As another side note, if anyone is wondering why I did not make a thread last year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Deep Purple’s debut album, I simply forgot to do that, but I am not terribly upset about that, since Deep Purple was a fairly underground band until the release of their fourth album, In Rock, whose 50th anniversary I most certainly will be commemorating, next year.
What does everyone else say about this? What are your opinions of this year being the 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin?
Caerwyn says... #2
Fun Led Zeppelin fact: Stairway to Heaven was the single most requested song on the radio for the 1970s--amusingly, however, it was never actually released as a single. Black Dog and Rock and Roll were [insert name or symbols you wish to use for Led Zeppelin IV here]'s singles, with Misty Mountain Hop and Four Sticks being their respective B-sides.
Thanks for sharing. I'll have to break out the vinyl to celebrate (as if I need another excuse to listen to Zep).
February 4, 2019 9:08 a.m.