Administrators sam_webmaster Posted September 30, 2016 Administrators Share Posted September 30, 2016 I've added some photos from Chicago 1971 to the Timeline, as well as a scathing review in the local press. At least the writer seemed to enjoy the drum solo, ;-) (And speaking of Chicago, also recently added some great pics of two of the Chicago Kinetic Playground gigs to the Timeline / Gallery from July 1969 and Oct. 1969). REVIEW: my transcription: Led Zeppelin is the perfect image of the nihilistic, sensual abandon that high-collared clerics used to equate with complete moral anarchy. The group first rumbled on the scene three years ago with its bone-crushing style of Lead Rock and at one point, it was number-one-selling band in England. Recently somewhat in eclipse, it is still big enough to draw huge crowds, and Sunday night in the International Ampitheatre, it did its reptilian thing before a frothing sell-out crowd of 12,000 persons. Lead singer Robert Plant: “Good to see you’re all still here”, which is not entirely accurate, since “all here” is virtually impossible in LZ’s dreary domain. In one mere song for example, they recreate what seems like the entire sound track of World War II, and one can neither think nor communicate under such an assault. Therein however, lies the appeal. The band is an anesthetic. It dulls all sensibility in a way that alcohol never could. If a band’s popularity is a measure of its ability to touch something in an audience, then the whole LZ essence should serve as a warning. Masochism is rampant. Not that Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones aren’t strong musicians. They are (although they’re also bored musicians). It’s just that the kind of music they personify is a dead-end on both musical and spiritual levels. Musically, LZ’s material is so stylized that it is moribund – a terminal, rococo parody of the vitality at the core of rock music. LZ hasn’t explored, it has ossified. In part, this is the old technician vs. artist rap, but the problem goes deeper. Affirmation is the soul of rock ‘n’ roll. But the LZ style promotes the opposite, a jaded, decadent, downer materialism. It offers nothing more than cheap sensuality. And even that is tainted with a “go ahead, kid, the first one’s free”, creepiness. Consequently, LZ is also a spiritual bummer. On Sunday night, I was approached at least five times for “downers” (barbiturates) by hollow-eyed youths. I hate to be the one to say this, but bay, downers stunt your growth. Numbness is nowhere. Complicating the issue is the undeniable fact that LZ has considerable talent. Bonham’s drum solo Sunday evening was truly electrifying. But it’s not enough. LZ’s waning popularity is a good sign. It’s just too bad that its influence will continue to haunt us in every lesser band, from Grand Funk to the freshman mixer. [-J. Hafferkamp / Chicago News / Sept. 1971] --- http://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/september-5-1971 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillumpuffer Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Does that actually count as a "review" of a show? This, ahem, journalist, makes scathing criticisms without any substance at all. He never mentions any songs whatsoever, so it is basically just a sad personal attack on the band themselves. Maybe afterwards he retired to his mundane house with a hot chocolate and a Carpenters album? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matjaz1 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 A very, very unkind review! Led Zeppelin had such great variety already by 1971, but they were also a shock in talent and loudness, especially in the early days! And the clerics would be suprised, how spiritual many musican can be and many times a lot more tolerant then they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ddladner Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 '...waning popularity'...! The person writing this was not only clueless, it seems he was quite dazed and confused. I suspect he was approached five times for being the downer. Geesh! 1 hour ago, chillumpuffer said: Does that actually count as a "review" of a show? This, ahem, journalist, makes scathing criticisms without any substance at all. He never mentions any songs whatsoever, so it is basically just a sad personal attack on the band themselves. Maybe afterwards he retired to his mundane house with a hot chocolate and a Carpenters album? Don't give him that much credit. I love the Carpenters!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemouse Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Did the music press always have it in for LZ. It feels like this is not about constructive criticism of music and performance but something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillumpuffer Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 1 hour ago, Ddladner said: '...waning popularity'...! The person writing this was not only clueless, it seems he was quite dazed and confused. I suspect he was approached five times for being the downer. Geesh! Don't give him that much credit. I love the Carpenters!! I could only think of them as being a polar opposite to the boys. Sorry DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Great photos and everything, but the review absolutely disgusts me! What utter codswallop! I can definitely ask the author of this 'review' to eat humble pie. Waning popularity, my arse! Tell that to all members of future generations born in the 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's (and yes, even kids born in 2010 and later) who marvel at the musicianship of the band, mister! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matjaz1 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 35 minutes ago, Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 said: Great photos and everything, but the review absolutely disgusts me! What utter codswallop! I can definitely ask the author of this 'review' to eat humble pie. Waning popularity, my arse! Tell that to all members of future generations born in the 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's (and yes, even kids born in 2010 and later) who marvel at the musicianship of the band, mister! Hehe yeah, humble pie is mentioned in the box set 2 booklet, I bought 20 years ago! And Led Zeppelin were such gentlemen!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ddladner Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 3 hours ago, chillumpuffer said: I could only think of them as being a polar opposite to the boys. Sorry DD No worries, CP! LZ and The Carpenters may (or may not be) polar opposites, but I consider anyone who likes either to have great taste in music, and I don't believe the author of that article has any taste. Not sure what his issue is but he seems to be struggling with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabe Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 "The band is anesthetic. It dulls all sensibility in a way that alcohol never could." Wow. So all these years I've been listening to Led Zeppelin while sometimes enjoying adult beverages, I've been getting double hammered. Why, I'm surprised I'm still a functioning mammal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 ..."they recreate what sounds like the entire soundtrack for World War II..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 Not much of a review in regard to any semblence of true content. Pretty much just reads as if the author made a bet with a colegue as to who could write a review with the most five dollar words which in the end went nowhere and said nothing. I believe this guy won. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Only Way To Fly Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 I googled Jack Hafferkamp and Daily Herald and found articles authored by him from the mid-1950's. I'm guessing by the time 1971 came around Mr. Haferkamp may have looking at retirement in a couple of years. If I had sent my grandfather to a 1971 Zeppelin show I reckon he'd have the same type of review. I bet this show was killer! There's quite a few 71 performances that are freaking mind blowing; if we had a tape I bet it would kill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porgie66 Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 Wish there was a tape of this concert that would surface as it's my home town and there aren't many Chicago tapes...none pre 1973. The tapes that do exist are mostly rough shows. The 73 and 75 shows were marred by Plants terrible voice ( due to a bad case of sniffles) , and the 77 shows were pretty rough ( Page collapsing early on) and not well recorded either. I'm certain this show was a killer. I actually enjoyed this awful review. Articulate yet laughable . Great shit! Great photos, thanks for posting!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76229 Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 what a snooty review! Many of the reviews of Zeppelin during the late 60s early 70s read like a generation unable to come to terms with what The Kids were now enjoying. They sound like the kind of people who drink tea with their little finger stuck out. The older generation of music critics back then clearly lived in something of a elitist bubble. I suppose it's proof that the concept of "living in a bubble" is not a recent thing: you can almost hear them wailing "Zeppelin sell that many records? But no one I know likes them!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 Come to find out Jack Hafferkamp, author of the Daily Herald review, is alive and well and responding to "fan mail" on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/jhafferkamp?fref=ts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnOsbourne Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 19 hours ago, The Only Way To Fly said: I googled Jack Hafferkamp and Daily Herald and found articles authored by him from the mid-1950's. I'm guessing by the time 1971 came around Mr. Haferkamp may have looking at retirement in a couple of years. If I had sent my grandfather to a 1971 Zeppelin show I reckon he'd have the same type of review. I bet this show was killer! There's quite a few 71 performances that are freaking mind blowing; if we had a tape I bet it would kill! Sep71 is one of my favorite Zep months, right up there with Mar73 and Jul73, I agree, would love to hear more shows from this tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 14 hours ago, porgie66 said: Wish there was a tape of this concert that would surface as it's my home town and there aren't many Chicago tapes...none pre 1973. The tapes that do exist are mostly rough shows. The 73 and 75 shows were marred by Plants terrible voice ( due to a bad case of sniffles) , and the 77 shows were pretty rough ( Page collapsing early on) and not well recorded either. I'm certain this show was a killer. I actually enjoyed this awful review. Articulate yet laughable . Great shit! Great photos, thanks for posting!!! I attended the April 10th 1977 show at the Chicago Stadium and I can attest, the show was excellent and Page played very well. His only screw up the whole night was the solo in Ten Years Gone which I was told he botched (I was in the shitter at the time so I missed this whole song). So, I cannot comment on the three proceeding shows bit the Easter Sunday show was magnificent, all of Zep played well, Robert's voice in great shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porgie66 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 35 minutes ago, IpMan said: I attended the April 10th 1977 show at the Chicago Stadium and I can attest, the show was excellent and Page played very well. His only screw up the whole night was the solo in Ten Years Gone which I was told he botched (I was in the shitter at the time so I missed this whole song). So, I cannot comment on the three proceeding shows bit the Easter Sunday show was magnificent, all of Zep played well, Robert's voice in great shape. Oh, you lucky man! Yeah, that's most likely the best show from the Chicago run, but again its a rough sounding tape. Very distorted but you get the sense Page came back from his ailment wanting to give a good performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledded1 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 21 hours ago, IpMan said: I attended the April 10th 1977 show at the Chicago Stadium and I can attest, the show was excellent and Page played very well. His only screw up the whole night was the solo in Ten Years Gone which I was told he botched (I was in the shitter at the time so I missed this whole song). So, I cannot comment on the three proceeding shows bit the Easter Sunday show was magnificent, all of Zep played well, Robert's voice in great shape. I'm disgusted you took time out from the show to go to the toilet. Had you no shame? Sh*t yourself or p*ss your jeans but never ever leave a Zeppelin show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 50 minutes ago, ledded1 said: I'm disgusted you took time out from the show to go to the toilet. Had you no shame? Sh*t yourself or p*ss your jeans but never ever leave a Zeppelin show. I was 9, it was my first concert and I really had to pee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledded1 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 1 hour ago, IpMan said: I was 9, it was my first concert and I really had to pee. should have peed yourself, no one would have said anything that a 9 yr old peed themselves at a Zep concert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 2 hours ago, ledded1 said: should have peed yourself, no one would have said anything that a 9 yr old peed themselves at a Zep concert. Good point, and, maybe I could have made it up front as the audience would likely part due to the urine odor wafting off of me. Once at the front of the stage, Jimmy could have seen this skinny, piss soaked 9 year old, taken pity, and invited me on stage to hang with the boys. Opportunity missed, I will now cry myself to bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledded1 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 8 hours ago, IpMan said: Good point, and, maybe I could have made it up front as the audience would likely part due to the urine odor wafting off of me. Once at the front of the stage, Jimmy could have seen this skinny, piss soaked 9 year old, taken pity, and invited me on stage to hang with the boys. Opportunity missed, I will now cry myself to bed. Don't wet the bed though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76229 Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 On 03/10/2016 at 2:58 AM, porgie66 said: Oh, you lucky man! Yeah, that's most likely the best show from the Chicago run, but again its a rough sounding tape. Very distorted but you get the sense Page came back from his ailment wanting to give a good performance. He sure must have left an impression on the audience, given iirc that was the show where he wore the infamous "Charlotte Rampling / Night Porter" outfit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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