Robert's changing of the Zep songs

[in_the_evening]

It's an interesting topic, especially the comments of "where would Plant have been without LZ"?

It begs the question, if Page had got Terry Reid as a singer, what kind of success would Page have attained?

[The Rover]

It's an interesting topic, especially the comments of "where would Plant have been without LZ"?

It begs the question, if Page had got Terry Reid as a singer, what kind of success would Page have attained?

I thought Plant & Bonham were a package.

The real question would be could Page have achieved the greatness of the legacy of "Led Zeppelin" with another drummer, not John Bonham ??

[anniemouse]

For me Bonham is easily the best drummer of the modern age. I have no musical experience but for me he had power, emotion and finesse. That innate adaptability melded with the others to heady levels. I doubt anyone has even come close in the drumming department.

[Mithril46]

I remember when Plant did the Zep covers in the late 80's and 90', and they really only sounded different because Doug Boyle

was more of a fusion player(for lack of a better term)than anything resembling a standard rock player. IMO it sounded interesting

if a bit awkward at times. Plant has always been adventurous but most of the recent covers IMO don't quite jell and they certainly

aren't comparable in any way to the originals. Still, Robert gets credit for at least trying.

[Flyingzepp]

I still can't believe with all that awesome solo material he has, he plays more than 1 or 2 Zep songs. Guess that falls under the 'he'll do zep on his own but not with Jimmy & Jonesy' Conversations, but point being - Wish he would dig into some of his solo albums, especially Fate of Nations.

[ksgemini]

Hey I'll get even more hell but i prefer the reworked versions by far. After all I listened to the old ones for years and years... A few r untouchable like Kashmir but for the most part I can live without long keyboard or guitar solos and like hearing the ritti or a banjo for a change. Let my axe-cution begin. It's not a knock on the classic versions but I like to see where they can go in other directions. Band of Joy Gallows Pole sounds way better to me with harmony and slowed down.

[ksgemini]

I still can't believe with all that awesome solo material he has, he plays more than 1 or 2 Zep songs. Guess that falls under the 'he'll do zep on his own but not with Jimmy & Jonesy' Conversations, but point being - Wish he would dig into some of his solo albums, especially Fate of Nations.

This I totally agree with I loved fate and much of POM as well as Dreamland to name 3 totally off topic why the heck is In the Mood not on his best of collection?

[Disco Duck]

It's an interesting topic, especially the comments of "where would Plant have been without LZ"?

It begs the question, if Page had got Terry Reid as a singer, what kind of success would Page have attained?

Good question. Terry Reid is a great singer but I've never seen him perform live or on film so I don't know if he's charismatic. I also don't know how his songwriting stacks up.

[ksgemini]

Hey I'll get even more hell but i prefer the reworked versions by far. After all I listened to the old ones for years and years... A few r untouchable like Kashmir but for the most part I can live without long keyboard or guitar solos and like hearing the ritti or a banjo for a change. Let my axe-cution begin. It's not a knock on the classic versions but I like to see where they can go in other directions. Band of Joy Gallows Pole sounds way better to me with harmony and slowed down.

Let me clarify ... That seemed like trolling The LZ versions are definitive and if it was 1977 they should play that way but I have enjoyed Robert's venture into other genres with great musicians. Theremin solo in WLL would just be foolish or another keyboard player doing JPJ solo in N Q. I enjoy hearing the sounds of Juldeh Camera or buddy Miller rather than a note for note copy of what remains perfect after 40 years.

[Mithril46]

Actually in theory I agree that Plant should do the Zep songs in totally different ways in order to remain artistic and creative. But calling

his collaborators "great" since Zep, I think is a bit of the problem. Along with simply replacing a guitar with a mandolin, or a keyboard

with a accordion. These changes of approach have been done haphazardly, IMO, making many of the Zep songs sound odd.

I also believe like some others that actually Robert has enough first rate solo material that he doesn't need to do any Zep.

[ksgemini]

I guess it all depends on what u listen to -that kind of arrangement is not unusual in Americana music, and yeah I do think Justin Adams or Buddy Miller are top notch. They are not all time greatest like Jimmy in his prime - I'd be foolish to think that but still excellent musicians and in buddy's case arrangers/ producers. I already listened to bluegrass but really discovered people like Howling Wolf from Robert's live shows as well as projects like juJu -etc

[Mithril46]

Well Miller and Adams are top notch but many of the others are not and some of the combinations in Plant's last 10-15 years have been

lopsided. I am stuck in the mud because in Zep the talents were so equal and no one really played mediocre or cliched parts. Jimmy

was not necessarily a ace 12-string player or mandolinist; he just made everything count, and threw in enough subtleties to sound expert.

Plant is to be commended for his experimenting, but as a musician I hear too many weak links. But to be fair he is a relentless explorer,

I still like some of his solo stuff. The Zep covers are not all bad, just certain sections need more thought.

[Timetraveller]

This I totally agree with I loved fate and much of POM as well as Dreamland to name 3 totally off topic why the heck is In the Mood not on his best of collection?

Fully agree FON was a stunning album. Never understood why Robert didm't record solo stuff for years after this.

[The Rover]

Hey I'll get even more hell but I prefer the reworked versions by far. After all I listened to the old ones for years and years... A few are untouchable like Kashmir, but for the most part I can live without long keyboard or guitar solos, and like hearing the ritti or a banjo for a change. Let my axe-cution begin. It's not a knock on the classic versions but I like to see where they can go in other directions. Band of Joy Gallows Pole sounds way better to me with harmony and slowed down.

I prefer neither the re-worked "Kashmir" as done for the Page & Plant tour, or, the studio version, as found on PG. I do not believe that the studio version of Kashimr is "untouchable". It may be a staple of Classic Rock Radio Stations across the US, but, that means --nothing-- to my tastes, and never did, for any song, by anyone...

In fact, the only official Kashmir release, that I listen to, is either the O2 show, or the combo of "Dawn at the Great Pyramid" / "Kashmir" from the LPO "Kashmir: Symphonic Led Zeppelin" album.

After experienceing the awesome power of Kashmir as performed on their 1977 Tour, the studio version then felt anemic by comparision. What the world would have heard, if the best performances from the 1977 Tour had been professionally recorded and released! But the Fates would not allow it.

[Mithril46]

Very interesting what Rover said. Having been to at least 100+ shows in my life, many people don't realize that some bands particularly

Zep sound absolutely blistering live, particularly because of Bonzo. The studio versions have to be compressed and contained to some

extent due to radio limitations. Van Halen was another band that played 10 times more cranking and reckless than the studio stuff.

Many extreme metal bands think you can just automatically sound incredibly powerful by playing as fast and loud as possible.

Ted Nugent called this "false vitality". The problem is you can't fake attitude, and that's why great live Zep really does sound like

an tornado or hurricane coming your way. I might add that IMO Metallica also sounded 10 times more powerful live.