The one thing about Led Zeppelin

[The Dark Lord]

I'd love to have heard what was coming after ITTOD...

You and me both. I still swear that ITTOD would have been one of the most important albums in their catalogue, if they had continued; much like LZ III was. ITTOD really alluded to things that might have been. Love this album, despite the fact that many don't.

[Graphite Blimp]

Hi everybody, Whats the one thing you appreciate most about Led Zeppelin

For me the one thing is that they never played a show the same way twice. Keeping it fresh and giving people a unique show every night is how music should be. There are others like King Crimson and The Grateful Dead who strove to mix it up every night in order to give people a different experience rather than doing the same show note for note night after night right down to the comments like so many of today's bands.

For example, RUSH pretty much play the same thing night after night. They started off with a lot of room for expression, but during the mid 80's they seemed to leave that behind and strove for the perfect show every night which in my opinion caused them to becom cookie cutter performances. I use RUSH as an example for two reasons, 1, I experienced it and 2, my cousin was a huge fan and had many silver boots from the late 80's and 90's and one date sounded just like the another on so many of them that you couldn't tell the dates apart anymore. I love RUSH but their live shows dont offer the same expectation as say a Zeppelin show would. With RUSH you know you are going to see a killer show but you also know its the same exact show as the night before and so on and so on and...

I saw RUSH from the front row and from the 5th row on the next night, I have both boots and the shows are pretty much a carbon copy of one another.

On a side note, On the night I saw RUSH from the front row my seat was towards the right end of the stage ( which would be on Neil's left )and I had a direct line of site with him through his kit. ( big hole in it where the hi hat was ) Having some small talent as a drummer myself I kept time with Neil on every song for the entire show and I swear I saw him looking at me a couple times as I was going nuts air drumming. At the end of the show a guy came out from behind the stage and started walking right towards me! he had a pair of drum sticks in his hand!!. I was so excited as I thought he was going to give them to me. imagine how disappointed I was when he gave them to the guy next to me who stood there all night without really moving a muscle. I was in shock! I couldn't believe it!! I know those sticks were for me!!. My cousin said "I think we can take him" but I couldn't steal the sticks as that's not me.

So what's your one thing about Led Zeppelin.

Oh my gosh that would be dreadful having some other kid get the sticks. I would be so mad. And yeah I agree, I can hear something new in each Zeppelin performance, as I say "10 versions of Whole Lotta Love aren't enough!" Or of Stairway... or the Wanton Song... or That's the Way... or any of them hahaha

[DropDown]

You and me both. I still swear that ITTOD would have been one of the most important albums in their catalogue, if they had continued; much like LZ III was. ITTOD really alluded to things that might have been. Love this album, despite the fact that many don't.

One of the great mysteries left unsolved by ITTOD is whether Jonesy would have had more hand in producing subsequent albums. Count me in as another ITTOD lover.

[The Dark Lord]

One of the great mysteries left unsolved by ITTOD is whether Jonesy would have had more hand in producing subsequent albums. Count me in as another ITTOD lover.

I think that it was inevitable that he would have to have played a bigger role. Dynamics had changed, and he and Robert (in particular) were no longer satisfied with the same old leadership structure. Jimmy was struggling with his addiction issues, as was Bonzo, and Robert and Jonesy had emerged to the forefront. I believe that this was the breath of life that would have carried them into the future, with more shared responsibility and a different creative structure. And that is why I believe that ITTOD was a truly critical album and turning point for the band. We will never know, and this album is viewed by many in a vacuum, but had they carried on, I am confident that we would have looked at ITTOD in retrospect and realized how pivotal it was as a piece of work. I think that most people would agree that Led Zeppelin was running on fumes in the late 1970's, and an opportunity to reinvent the band's identity, and direction, is what was likely needed to keep everyone interested and engaged. I have said this often, but ITTOD was to Zep what 90125 was to Yes. It signified a new beginning. I think it is a masterpiece, but it is an album that really needs to be considered, as opposed to just heard. Glad you like the album DD; you have good taste.

[juxtiphi]

It would have been ok with me if Jones had taken a bigger role in the creation of Zeps new music. Its John Paul Jones!!!! of course there is no problem with him taking the reigns as he is also a musical genius. a lot of Zep songs would be less than awesome with his input no matter how small.

[THUNDERZEP]

I think the follow up to ITTOD would have been a fantastic bit of rock-n-roll. Pagey and Bonzo had said that they wanted to go back to something more rocking and Robert and Jonesy were stepping up a bit with there creative influences, so the outcome would have been spectacular. We can look at Ozone Baby, Wearing and Tearing and even Darlene for a small sample, Obviously, but who knows if those tracks would have even made it onto the new album.

[Tangerina]

For me the one thing is that unique to them, Led Zeppelin's music has a mystery and mastery to it which never has, nor ever will be surpassed, by anyone.