Like most of you my association with zep did not start with this album. I remember listening to ’’immigrant song’’ & ’’Kashmir’’ from a pirated music cassette that a friend of mine brought from phoren. That was the first compilation I heard from this band.
It was love at first sight (I mean sound..). And thereafter I decided to go chronologically on this band. So I purchased this album from a store in benares (With the thick layer of dust on the album cover ..the store owner was ready to give it for free..but I remember buying it for 35 odd bucks...). Anyways, this album was released in 1969 ’’the age of aquarius’’. Lets see which other albums got released in the same year -:
Jimi Hendrix - Jimi hendrix Experience
David Bowie - Space Oddity
Deep Purple - Deep Purple
The Who - TOMMY
And many more. The year 1969 would undoubtedly be the most productive year as far as classic rock is concerned including the ’’WoodStock’’.
Led Zeppelin I was a total ’’Family Entertainer’’ (like most of the karan johar movies). The comparison sounds weird ? let me explain.
The album had something in it for everyone. For blues lovers it was an absolute delight. For rocknRoll/Hard Rock/Punk Lovers it had ’’Communication Breakdown’’ and ’’Good Times Bad Times’’. For Fusion and world music lovers it had ’’Black Mountain Side’’ and so on.
This unique concoction of different musical forms and an universal appeal makes it the the best debut by any rock band ever (boy what a zep fanatic I am...).
Lets take a closer look at each of the featured tracks now.
1. Good times bad times
’’In the days of my youth, I was told what it means to be a man.
Now I’ve reached that age, I’ve tried to do all those things the best I can....’’
Thats how the song starts. bonhams rolls are to die for. Also feat. amazing
bass interludes from jones.
2. Babe I’m gonna leave you
Check out the transition plant makes from crooning to moaning and followed
by groaning. This is the ’’raw sex*ual Energy ’’ we are talking about.
3. You shook me
Its a Blues maestro Willie Dixon’ composition. I love the jugalbandi
between page and plant in the middle of this song when page tries to
reproduce plants shrieks from his guitar. And yes how can I forget to mention
the harmonica played like a lunatic by plant in this song.
4. Dazed and confused
On of my led zep favourite. Starts with a haunting bassline followed by some
really wild drumming by Bonham and a beautiful solo at the end by page.
(There is a 19 min. long version of this song in the ’’bbc sessions’’ which I
recommend!!)
5. Your time is gonna come
Nothing extraordinary but better than many.
6. Black mountain side
Page’s guitar doing a sitar job in this song and Viram Jasani’s tabla
amalgamates with it very well giving this song a spiritual feel.
7. Communication breakdown
powerchords, distortion , punk . Quintessential hard Rock.
8. I can’t quit you baby
An Otis Rush cover.
9. How many more times
A ’’Howlin’ Wolf ’’ original.
Sounds impressive isn’t it? I might sound rude but your led zeppelin collection is
incomplete if you dont have this album. One of their albums I enjoy listening side to side, track to track.
Comments anyone ?