And this one always reminds me of For Your Life, both musically and lyrically

June 21, 1977

July 17, 1970 Essen July 17, 1973 Seattle

I hear you about the early Beatles but they were superb songwriters and craftsmen. They also played everything in addition to writing most of it, so not really a "boy band". Many of their songs up through the album Help are fantastic, and I think they started to stretch the boundries a bit earlier than Rubber Soul. A year before Rubber Soul they released Beatles for Sale with "I'm a Loser" and "No Reply". In April 65 they released Ticket to Ride. In July 65 they released Help and I'm Down, an amazing gritty, powerful rocker. In August the Help album included "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." Rubber Soul is great and on the same day it was released (Dec 3, 1965) they put out a double A side single with Day Tripper (one of the early riff based classics) and We Can Work it Out. One thing about the Beatles is that released so many fantastic singles that never appeared on albums. As another example, in June 1966 two months before Revolver they released one single with BOTH Paperback Writer and Rain !!!

When this first came out I thought now there is a Zeppelin riff.

Pink Floyd Nassau Coliseum, June 16, 1975. I was 15. In February of that year my older brother and his friends saw Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden - my parents would not allow me to go. The stories they told when they got back ! Then a good friend's older brother was driving into the City for Floyd after school was done for the year. Such anticipation. Years later when I got the tape I realized that the first song was an early version of the then unreleased Sheep. And what a version! (Finally got to see Zeppelin two years later June 11, 1977). This Floyd show was definitely a mind bender.

This one is a real gem. Gary Rossington on the guitar and Billy Powell on piano.

Drummers John Bonham Buddy Rich (of course, once we delve into jazz there are many others such as Max Roach, Gene Krupa, Philly Joe Jones, etc.) Bill Bruford Barriemore Barlow (of Jethro Tull) Alan White or Nick Mason A note about Alan White. When he joined Yes in 1972 he had a very short time to learn their set list up through Close to the Edge. That is amazing. Then he went on to create his own work in their subsequent albums like Tales from Topographic Oceans, Relayer, Going for the One. This list does not include but should include other amazing drummers like the Motown session players, the Funk Brothers, and Clyde Stubblefield who revolutionized drumming with James Brown. And what about Alphonse Mouzon who Bonzo listened to? That is what is so difficult about these types of lists. Guitarists Too many to list and too subjective to list a top five. Depends on what I am listening to. More difficult that choosing 5 drummers. The only thing for sure is that Page is my favorite guitarist. Whenever I get into someone else like Blackmore, Steve Howe, David Gilmour, Leo Kottke, Martin Barre, Santana, Django, etc etc etc I always realize Page is my favorite when I get back to Zeppelin

Starship Trooper from Yessongs. It still amazes me that this was not complete in the original movie, and that they originally put the credits over the final blazing solo by Steve Howe.

Here's another good one for listening to Mr. Baldwin.

I have to agree the lyrics (and "singing" ) spoil it for me, except for Whisper a Prayer for the Dying. That is compelling stuff. And so many great riffs in one track. One track Coverdale really ruins is Absolution Blues - one of Page's greatest intros and main riffs. That intro is Achilles meets In the Evening and goes over the top top top top top.

Leo Kottke - "June Bug" from 1971

I find all the medleys essential listening, in As Long as I Have you, How Many More Times, Bring It on Home, and Whole Lotta Love. The jams up to and including the Theremin section in WLL were fantastic and special. Dazed grew more and more interesting every year up through 1973. Its development over time was a special achievement. I do agree that by 1975 Dazed was in overkill mode. No Quarter was always essential listening in my book no matter how long it was. It was so different from year to year, and it showcased their incredible ability to really improvise and communicate on stage. Endlessly fascinating. When I listen to a 1973, 75, or 77 show I make sure to focus on No Quarter. Those jams are, to me, one of the very essences of Led Zeppelin. For me it would not have been the same band without all of those long extended jams. The 1977 guitar solo was an interesting idea that did not seem well executed. White Summer was good up until and including some 1977 shows. By 1980 is was not good.

When Plant says things like this: (Toronto 4 Sept 1971) Listen, it really amazes me because anybody who's been to England knows that when you go to a concert, you, there's such a thing a listening to what's going on. And unfortunately, unfortunately, we're faced with a problem in, in our free society, where a lot of people come to listen, and there's a lot of people who are making a racket, so as nobody hears what's going on. Now we've got some things to say, but every time I go to open my mouth, there's another spokesman. So we'd like to do two acoustic things now, if you could bear with us, alright? You can either stay in a complete rut, or after three years, you can start moving and flowing a bit more. So I think you'll pick that.

great stuff. Thanks for pointing them out.

some of the original album song transitions are so great. For example: Friends into Celebration Day Black Mountainside into Communication Breakdown

Great early versions of Jingo and Soul Sacrifice. The "Jam in E" that follows those is pretty good too.

Great photo with this clip

In the original TSRTS movie, the speeded run up to get out of the Mars, Bringer of War progression. When the soundtrack came out it was missing, but in the original film it is there. Tight but loose, or "dancing on the precipice" as Jimmy also used to say. 23:23 - 23:29 in this clip.

I sometimes wonder if Jones switched to the Alembic in 1977 because he knew he would need to carry even more weight than usual when Jimmy got "erratic". The Alembic cuts through to provide even more guidance to Jimmy when he needed it.

another one to try is June 7, 1977 New York "Magical Sound Boogie". Listen to IMTOD and enjoy Mr. Jones in all his glory.

After all these years I still think their first album is their best. Secret Treaties (third album) is a close second. That first album includes Transmanicon MC, I'm on the Lamb, Last Days of May, Stairway to the Stars, Before the Kiss a Redcap, and Cities on Flame. They certainly came out firing on all cylinders.

Sonny Landreth from the live disc Grant Street