UncleSam01 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 I am writing a speech right now on why Led Zeppelin is the greatest band of all time and I'm having a hard time coming up with specific reasons other than "listen to them and you will understand" any help would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MINI_Zoso Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Well that's cool! Can I start with a question first though? In all seriousness, why did you pick this as your subject for your speech? What prompted you to think of Led Zeppelin? Is there something about them that makes you think they are the greatest? You have come to a great spot for opinions/answers, I'd just like to hear a bit more from you before I tell my side of the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magerogue Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Because the timing. music and look was perfect. Because they explored every single aspect of both studio and live recording. Because they were all extremely good musicians to start with, because it was about the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishhead Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Greatest?....hmmmm, not sure you can actually prove that, unless the room was full of Zep heads, and that may still be tough. I think realistically you can easily say they are one of the greats. Then, let your listeners decide or ponder it further.... -I guess you could talk about record sales to date, tour attendance numbers when they existed, revenue generated overall. Peter Grants influence on making sure the guys were not ripped off. But what really matters is the music.. -They were a people's band that didn't have the luxury of great press in the beginning. But, it didn't matter. The people kept coming and coming ignoring the album/concert reviews that were not flattering. -One record never sounded like the next. They are all different from one another. -They did not pigeon hole themselves musically -People, not in the know, ignorantly make the mistake of calling them a "heavy metal" band which is wrong. Their folky/acoustic side does not get enough recognition. -All four of them could be said to be great with regards to main instruments , drums, bass/keys, guitar and vocal. Take one out and the band would suffer. There are a lot of bands where that is not true and members were expendible. -John Paul Jones musical experience, ability and knowledge was something special that some bands did not have in their mix. Hope this helps...Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad LaBorde Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Chemistry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleSam01 Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Well that's cool! Can I start with a question first though? In all seriousness, why did you pick this as your subject for your speech? What prompted you to think of Led Zeppelin? Is there something about them that makes you think they are the greatest? You have come to a great spot for opinions/answers, I'd just like to hear a bit more from you before I tell my side of the story. Well because I wanted to have a speech that was different, Led Zeppelin is my favorite band and not many people of my generation appreciate this amazing period for music, I mean they have such a unique and varied style, and I really love how they split up after Bonham's death as opposed to selling out and getting a new drummer and going on. Anyway, I'm kind of hoping that after listening to my speech some people will be like hmm he really likes this band, I'm gonna go have a listen to them, hey this is really good! Now I know most people won't but even if a couple do I will have done my job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 What about their enormous influence on other rock and metal acts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEPFAN17 Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 how about how they took the world by storm selling out stadiums and selling albums in record numbers and the mark they made in rock history. As mentioned the influence they had on music in general. Led Zeppelin is truly the greatest band of all time.They had the best guitarist in Jimmy Page,the best drummer of all time John Bonham ,John Paul Jones was the best arranger,composer keyboardist and bassist on the planet and Robert Plant on vocals and the way sang all those great songs. Their music has stood the test of time and will outlive us all.People of all ages young and old are huge Led Zeppelin fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTraveller Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Look one thing people forget about Zeppelin is DEPTH. They weren't just shrieking monkeys, as Countess von Zeppelin would have you believe. They each had such DEPTH of talent, they all knew how to play / sing different styles and they served their lengthy musical apprenticeships performing a wide variety of styles. They were able to combine all their skills, knowledge and musical experience into one almighty conglomerate called Led Zeppelin and at the same time produced something new that was: A ) unlike ANYTHING that had gone before (or has come since); B ) much more than the sum of its hybrid parts - it had a cohesion and an almost magical unity about it; C ) unparalleled in virtuosity but also in popular appeal. That's just a start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 how about how they took the world by storm selling out stadiums and selling albums in record numbers and the mark they made in rock history. As mentioned the influence they had on music in general. Led Zeppelin is truly the greatest band of all time.They had the best guitarist in Jimmy Page,the best drummer of all time John Bonham ,John Paul Jones was the best arranger,composer keyboardist and bassist on the planet and Robert Plant on vocals and the way sang all those great songs. Their music has stood the test of time and will outlive us all.People of all ages young and old are huge Led Zeppelin fans. Stop acting like a 10-year-old fanboy. What you just said is exactly the opposite of what the author of this thread needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mielazul Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I would say that Led Zeppelin became a sort of religion to their fans - their recordings and live shows offered a very intense mystical experience, in which the listeners were transported to another plane...or another mental state, if you like. This experience was personal to the individual fan, and yet it was similar enough among all the fans that they also had a shared experience which bonded them in the religion. That experience is still accessible after a few generations, now...through the original recordings, the bootlegs, and even the recordings and live shows of the surviving members. If anything, the number of adherents is growing, so it is a religion that will still be strong long after the band members pass away. That is remarkable thing. Led Zeppelin is far beyond a rock and roll phenomena...it's a significant religious phenomena in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Although I admire the sheer chutzpah of the thesis, I really don't think you can pitch the idea that Zeppelin was the greatest band of all time with a straight face without sounding like a drooling fanboy as long as people out there are aware of those four lads from Liverpool named John, Paul, George and Ringo...in spite of Zeppelin's track record on stage and in the studio, unfortunately they do ultimately end up playing second banana to The Beatles as far as 'greatest band of all time' goes (some people would be inclined to throw The Who, The Stones and possibly Pink Floyd into the mix as well). Sorry, call me a devil's advocate Having said that, though, Led Zeppelin were The Beatles of the 1970's- they certainly were able to match the Fab Four's sheer popularity during that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleSam01 Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Thank you to everyone I appreciate all you coming on down to help me out, also its nice to talk to a bunch of Zeppelin fans as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseNoah Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 They could play any style of music and make it their own They invited the huge stadium shows with mammoth PAs, Lighting setups, and make record profits while doing so Unlike most bands, they enjoyed playing music with each other, as opposed to bands who fight over who's songs...who gets song writing credit To me, the main reason they aere the greatest band of all time, they played music that moved people in ways that few musicians can, they music had grooved, technical skill, melody, harmony, instrumental portions, lyrics that told stories or created abstract thoughts, anything you could ask of a band, they accomplished it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe (Liverpool) Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Simple : Four Blokes Who Rocked The World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dallas Knebs Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 in addition to the insight the other members have shared, you have a great many books and articles available to you. Being a musical "act", the usefulness of the "act" to the "label" is measured in terms of its projected commerce lifecycle. Revenue from record/cd/download sales, ticket sales, merchandising sales and residual income is all that matters to the "label." Relationships between "act" and "label" are by nature at odds, the "act" being driven by artistic, personal and other motives. The "label" being required to return a dividend to investors and shareholders has only a singular interest and that is to serve the dividend at all costs or the "label" will cease to exist. Greed and manipulation is a way of life for the "label." Enter Led Zeppelin. 100% control of the music. Label personnel not allowed to go near the band, only the band manager. Four divergent individuals with common appreciation for the qualities of exceptional musical styles and performance that connect with people is a heartfelt and personal, emotional way. Share the copy of your final speech if you feel comfortable doing so. Sounds like an interesting project. Good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 100% control of the music. Label personnel not allowed to go near the band, only the band manager. Four divergent individuals with common appreciation for the qualities of exceptional musical styles and performance that connect with people is a heartfelt and personal, emotional way. See also: Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young). Ahmet Ertegun basically gave them the same deal with Atlantic he gave Zeppelin, and as far as management goes Elliot Roberts and David Geffen were just as cutthroat and protective of their artists as Peter Grant was. Though yer correct, Dallas, Zeppelin was the first act to get such an all encompassing, insulated deal like that, it really set a precedent in those days. I bet even now, 45 years later, bands would still kill to get a record deal like Zeppelin got. Obviously they weren't completely protected from having to deal with the Record Company Pricks...look at how much grief Zeppelin got over their record covers as an example of the record company's attempted intervention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledrim Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I think you can look for the below qualities to measure the greatness of a band: Quality/Quantity of studio work. Originality and influence of the "sound" of the band. Live Performance - which breaks down into two categories 1 - Ability to recreate the songs live as well as reimagine the songs. 2- Personality - Ability to entertain 20,000 people with your stage presence. Aura - You can't really quantify this...it's basically a presence if you will. Longevity - How well does the music stand the test of time. There are very few bands who get an A+ in each of these categories. For me Zeppelin and maybe the Who are the only ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dallas Knebs Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 No backup dancers required to prop it up Just the music and one heck of a road crew. The aura and the "it" factor. Elvis and Johnny Cash singularly had it. LZ has it individually and as a band and the music has it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 No backup dancers required to prop it up Or requiring an opening act, for that matter. Or any of the other trappings that tend to make a rock show a spectacle rather than merely a musical performance...in the early days Zep didn't need anything other than their talent and personalities to get their point across on stage. It probably isn't a coincidence that the more gimmicry they introduced into their concerts (lasers, etc) the actual quality of the performances themselves began to decline. I couldn't imagine the '77 tour, for example, being as huge as it was was hype-wise if it were just four blokes on a bare stage with a couple of spotlights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledrim Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Although I admire the sheer chutzpah of the thesis, I really don't think you can pitch the idea that Zeppelin was the greatest band of all time with a straight face without sounding like a drooling fanboy as long as people out there are aware of those four lads from Liverpool named John, Paul, George and Ringo...in spite of Zeppelin's track record on stage and in the studio, unfortunately they do ultimately end up playing second banana to The Beatles as far as 'greatest band of all time' goes (some people would be inclined to throw The Who, The Stones and possibly Pink Floyd into the mix as well). Sorry, call me a devil's advocate Having said that, though, Led Zeppelin were The Beatles of the 1970's- they certainly were able to match the Fab Four's sheer popularity during that time. The only good argument you could make for Zep being #1 over the Beatles is Live Performance. I guess in the early days the Beatles were a great live band. Unfortunately they stopped touring when they became more of a Rock band (rather than a Pop band). I think the aspect of Live Performance is a huge factor in evaluating a band and the Beatles report card for this is Incomplete. Would John, Paul, George and Ringo been able to perform a 2.5 hour concert that could touch the energy and musicianship of a Zeppelin concert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightandshade Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I'm kind of hoping that after listening to my speech some people will be like hmm he really likes this band, I'm gonna go have a listen to them, hey this is really good! Now I know most people won't but even if a couple do I will have done my job! This is a great attitude to take, and should be at the core of your speech. As other people have mentioned here, it's tough to prove that something is "the greatest" when everyone in your audience will have a different idea of what "greatness" means. I think the key here is universality - making every person in your audience feel like they can relate to your love for Zeppelin. As you said, there is a good chance that many people will have little to no experience with Zeppelin music. However, nearly everyone can relate to a passionate and enthusiastic speaker, because most people (hopefully) have felt similar passion and enthusiasm for something in their own lives - be it sports, other bands, hobbies, etc. I would share some of your personal experiences - how you got into Zeppelin music, why you enjoy it, etc... be descriptive with your feelings. Many here have touched on the versatility of the music. LZ songs certainly sample from many different genres, so even if someone doesn't start out as a fan of the band as a whole, they can at least enjoy/appreciate some of their songs - there seems to be a song to suit everyone (at least, from my experience with some of my family and friends). List specific genres and songs that reflect these genres. In my opinion, Led Zeppelin also provides a perfect soundtrack for life... no matter what mood you're in or what situation you're going through, there's a Zeppelin song that'll be there to support you. Again, you can cite some specific examples. Not sure if this fits in with the requirements for the assignment, but I think you should be in good shape if you combine this emotional persuasion with some of the factual statistics/evidence listed by others in this thread. Best of luck on your speech, and have fun! I'll second Dallas Knebs - I would love to see your finished product, if you feel comfortable posting it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 The only good argument you could make for Zep being #1 over the Beatles is Live Performance. I guess in the early days the Beatles were a great live band. Unfortunately they stopped touring when they became more of a Rock band (rather than a Pop band). I think the aspect of Live Performance is a huge factor in evaluating a band and the Beatles report card for this is Incomplete. Would John, Paul, George and Ringo been able to perform a 2.5 hour concert that could touch the energy and musicianship of a Zeppelin concert. No question, Zeppelin definitely had the edge when it came to playing live. And I hate to say it, I'd bet that The Beatles' live reputation of being a kick ass band in their Hamburg days is probably more myth/legend than actual fact, just based on the live tapes that do circulate.The closest thing we have to what later-period Beatles would sound like live is the Rooftop stuff on Let It Be, and that's pretty rough. And I don't think The Beatles would be able to touch the energy/musicianship of Zeppelin, although I reckon McCartney's Wings Over America tour in '76 comes damn close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadecatcher Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I am writing a speech right now on why Led Zeppelin is the greatest band of all time and I'm having a hard time coming up with specific reasons other than "listen to them and you will understand" any help would be greatly appreciated. Since how music is perceived and experienced differently across a listening audience, I'd think superlatives are impossible to support. As it's a subjective position you take and even though LZ had the chemistry, drive, sound and performance style that catapulted them to recognition and fame, as many people would agree as disagree with your opinion. If you have to write a position paper, then you have to set criteria for judgement and impose that upon a broad spectrum of LZ peers. But even then, it's your interpretation vs. that of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy's Dragon Suit Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 The Kings of Improvisation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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