Most important Led Zeppelin Day

[Mr_K]

Most important Led Zeppelin Day - when I first heard the WLL riff.

I know that there's an excellent forum on getting "hooked" on Zeppelin, but this is a little different. It's about a pivotal time for me when the band becomes important. When the way I listen to music is different.

Mine when I was about 13. I was at a buddy's house. He had an older brother who had top rock acts on record. Some were known. I wanted to listen to them all, but for some reason one afternoon I picked Zeppelin 2. It was Karma. Starting off with that riff from an "unknown" song, Whole Lotta Love. I had known Zeppelin was a great band, but had never known their greatness till then. I played that opening riff over and over. I drove my buddy to wild laughter. I almost wore out the needle and vinyl, at least his brother may have thought so. He never complained.

My memory's not perfect, but I think I became a teenage zombie for a day.

We later shared good moments, talking about girls, drinking my first glass of whiskey, playing one tune over and over.

I haven't seen the 2 fellows in years. If I do, I want to thank them for the introduction to new music. And tell them I still drink good whiskey.

I don't think I've ever been "hooked" on the booze, or music. I wasn't hooked on whiskey or Zeppelin, so much as "imprinted".

I've been searching for good liquor and new Zeppelin ever since. I've settled down to a few favorite brands of aged barrel bourbon and single malt scotch. And I've found more good concerts from that band performing live than any other group - in rock, jazz, blues, or country. I've learned to listen to them as fine instrumentalists. And I expect all my music to live up to that high standard. Zeppelin helped make the standard possible.

Many thanks,

Mr. K. in Texas

[Mr_K]

I forgot to add - please add your most important Zeppelin day!

Thanks.

[zeppelincheetah]

For me it was watching the O2 performance in theaters. It was the closest I will ever get to seeing them in concert, as I had not previously seen the concert, the theater was packed and beer was served so I was a little buzzed while watching it (for the complete concert experience imo). I cried I was so moved by it all.

Going along with your origin story, in my case there was no one day where I became a Led Zeppelin fan. It was a gradual process. I was 8 or 9 (I cannot even remember the year, much less the day) when I first heard it played in my dad's car. My parents are divorced and me and my sister visited our dad a few weeks a year. Dad got the box set on cassette and was always playing it. It eventually became sort of a Pavlov effect. I can't remember which song I heard first but Ramble On, Whole Lotta Love, What Is And What Should Never Be, Misty Mountain Hop, Communication Breakdown, Black Dog, Heartbreaker and Dancing Days stand out most in my memory. My dad would not only play these songs, but he always played them loud. I remember my sister complaining it was too loud but I didn't mind. I distinctly remember - once I became really interested in the music - asking my dad if they were American. My Dad laughed and said no they're British. I also remember insisting that Dancing Days must have a female singer, I couldn't believe that was a man singing that song. The Pavlov effect has worn off many, many years ago and now I am just a fan strictly for the music. My relationship with my Dad has cooled ever since I became an adult. The breaking point of my association of my Dad and Led Zeppelin was when I took him for his birthday to see Robert Plant in 2005 at the Ryman Auditorium. I thought he would love it (and I did - he did 2/3 Zeppelin material) but he didn't appreciate it. It was then that I realized Dad was just a casual fan all along who was having some sort of a mid-life crisis when he bought the boxed set.

[Plantpothead]

My most defining day was 29 November 1971, when I saw them on Liverpool Stadium. I had their first three albums and Live on Blueberry Hill.I never, ever dreamed that they could be so good live.They shook my world, I was deaf for about two days!!

[Charles J. White]

Walking in the cinema and seeing the O2 gig. It was amazing seeing and hearing Zeppelin deliver the goods. You could tell they were loaded for bear.

[Bong-Man]

April 30th, 1977.....A 17 year old me woke up and literally jumped out of bed knowing that I was going to see Led Zeppelin that night. To top everything off, it was 80 degrees that day in Michigan with not a cloud in the sky. It was the warmest day in 8 months, and freesbies and footballs were flying everywhere around the huge Silverdome parking lot. Everything was Zep perfection !