Why the hate toward In Through The Out Door?

[in_the_evening]

Nice post from Marko_Zoso and while I don't agree with everything you say, you said it well! 

I remember when I first listened to ITTOD.  I remember thinking ITE was just f**kin WOW!  Then South Bound...eh, OK.  Thought Fool was very good, Hot Dog very bad.  Carouselambra a disaster, way too long, way too synthy, All My Love way too Barry Mannilow.  I'm Gonna Crawl, very interesting, very powerful singing, and great guitar solo.  Over the years my opinions have changed with some of the songs, but it is nice to remember those first impressions.

[The Dark Lord]

In Through the Out Door: 10 out of 10.

[Flares]

At the O2 reunion, Zep played songs from every other album apart from ITTOD. That speaks volumes about how they felt about it. I would have liked them to do All my Love, and I'm sure it would have been a crowd pleaser. I like that song - it's sincere and heartfelt. But given Jimmy's disdain for the song, I guess it didn't have much of a chance of making the setlist. But I wonder if Plant tried to sneak it in!

[Stairway is NOT stolen]

Carouselambra is in my top 10 favorite Zeppelin songs, even above Whole Lotta Love and Kashmir.

I feel that the last 3 tracks (side 2 of the vinyl) is the highlight of the Album for me.

[the chase]

John Paul Jones in an interview mentioned that Jimmy, Jason and him were rehearsing Carouselambra when they were thinking of brining in a different singer after the 02..

[Charles J. White]

In Through the Out Door: 10 out of 10.

The Dark Lord is correct, kneel to him as In Through the Out Door is perfect from start to finish, a fantastic moment in time where Led Zeppelin displays new branches on the tree of music

[Charles J. White]

Carouselambra is in my top 10 favorite Zeppelin songs, even above Whole Lotta Love and Kashmir.

I feel that the last 3 tracks (side 2 of the vinyl) is the highlight of the Album for me.

You are talking my lingo now!

[IpMan]

The Dark Lord is correct, kneel to him as In Through the Out Door is perfect from start to finish, a fantastic moment in time where Led Zeppelin displays new branches on the tree of music

I concur, ITTOD is a brilliant album, every song completely different from the others. Like the album or not only a deaf person cannot hear this is a band where the creative process is foremost, combined with musicians who have more than paid their dues and have the courage to move into whichever musical direction they so choose. 

Just like the famous quote from Beethoven regarding passion in music, this holds true for creativity. Better to try something new and possibly fail at pleasing the masses, then to keep putting out the same damn album and music year, after year ad nauseum.

[LurksReturnington]

Robert Plant's first solo album,  produced by John Paul Jones, featuring John Bonham and Jimmy Page. I listened to this a lot in the early 80s, and it was clear that Zeppelin had a keen sense for what the next thing was going to be.  Fav tracks ITE, Fool in the rain, AoML, I'm Gonna Crawl

[The Dark Lord]

The Dark Lord is correct, kneel to him as In Through the Out Door is perfect from start to finish, a fantastic moment in time where Led Zeppelin displays new branches on the tree of music

Thanks Chuck. You are a good man. 

[in_the_evening]

Robert Plant's first solo album,  produced by John Paul Jones, featuring John Bonham and Jimmy Page. I listened to this a lot in the early 80s, and it was clear that Zeppelin had a keen sense for what the next thing was going to be.

Well stated.

[in_the_evening]

It's interesting to read now how Page keeps trying to explain away ITTOD.  "Oh it was the whole Stevie Wonder big keyboard era".... and "When I first walked into Polar Studios, I clapped my hands, and it was just dead.  the sound was just dead".  And of course, being penniless, it was impossible to go to another studio....sometimes the man is just embarrassing with some of his statements.

[Mithril46]

Yeah Page does sort of disown ITTOD, as if he is some distant observer or something. Just like

the ridiculous answers to drug problems, "I was fully focused when I needed to be", etc.. I actually

think Jimmy's playing on ITTOD is excellent, apart from some Steely Dan slickness. In the studio

he could just do things over and over til perfection, drugs be damned. I think it's the worst Zep

album, but that doesn't describe things too accurately, as even the "filler" tracks like HD or SBS

are above average for any other band.

[Flares]

Given the state of the band and the personal relationships at that time, ITTOD could have been a lot worse. The band were clearly struggling on the '77 tour, with the exception of a few top gigs, and then after Plant's son died it could have easily been the end. In a recent interview on 60 minutes Australia, Plant recalls how Bonzo persuaded him to comeback, but when he finally did, "they had lost the keys to the kingdom, and had said all they had to say." An admission that the band had been usurped by the next generation and were no longer the kings. They tried to plow forward, for better or worse.  

[The Dark Lord]

In Through the Out Door, Crime of the Century, 90125, The Long Distance Voyager: all massively successful albums by "dinosaur bands" in transition and trying to adjust to the times. Led Zeppelin were not alone, but historical revisionism has incorrectly characterized these albums, when in fact, they were all fresh, and massively accepted by the music buying public, at the time. 

[The Old Hermit]

ITTOD  sounds so different to what came before because, as The Dark Lord rightly stated, Zeppelin (like most big 1970's rock acts) had to evolve to survive, and they had already come full circle with Presence, so the next album after that was likely always going to be a more eclectic affair, a spiritual successor to the equally eclectic Houses of the Holy  (still my favourite Zep album!) if you will... although the difference between the two albums is that with Houses, Zeppelin were firing on all cylinders, with ITTOD, they were, uh, less so, not to mention were also one further bad incident away from implosion.

Had Bonzo not died when he did and Jimmy had cleaned up, Zeppelin still had another album equal to Houses of the Holy  in them, but the halcyon days of masterpieces like IV  and Physical Graffiti  were gone.  If those first six albums were simply extraordinary - and they were - and Presence  was very good, then ITTOD  was a solid album with flashes of occasional brilliance... a respectable last effort overall, however different it may have been.

[KellyGirl]

Well I thought I was the only one who cringed over Jimmy's explanation on how ITTOD came to
be. I love hearing Jimmy re-tell and share things about Zeppelin l ll lll lV HOTH, PG, P, and
Coda, however when he gets to ITTOD ugh lol  I just can't. The album is what it is because he
was going down a dark slippery slope called addicted to heroin. Studio time paid for and about to be
wasted unless someone comes up with something ------> Enter John Paul Jones with his new toy
and the fact he was writing entire pieces. Voila L Z releases In Through The Out Door. Well it's not
as cut and dry as that. Jimmy makes it sound like it was something pre-planned. This not to take
away from J P J or put down the album. 
 
At the time each album was written and recorded, the band members individually and Led Zeppelin
as a whole were at different phases. Jimmy always talks about how they were at a low place during
Presence - Well I don't see any shame in Jimmy himself saying he was at a dark place when ITTOD
was coming to fruition. All of it is part of the bands history. Why tip toe around it? It doesn't lesson their
legacy - if anything it makes it stronger. With all the things this band went through during their 12 years
these dark areas just prove they always tried to march on - minus John Bonhams death.

I guess for Jimmy maybe in his mind the album represents a time when Jimmy Page was not at the front
of the line when it came to creating music for L Z. He was more to the back. A position he had never held.
Maybe when he shares his biography there will be a chapter on where his head was at during ITTOD. 
Then again maybe not. 

[Rock Historian]

There are plenty of topics on this subject already, if you search the album.

 

Personally, I think the album had some great moments.

And Hot Dog, well-the solo in it is one of the most interesting of Page's career.

[LurksReturnington]

    I was introduced to the 2 songs available in my radio market of Des Moines IA, Fool in the Rain, and AoML, which they played constantly, and I got into it without bias. However, upon hearing all the Zeppelin they played Summer/Fall 80, I got the rest of the records first.                                       

   This LP was my entry point into Led Zeppelin. I didn't like it at first, but they kept playing AoML back to back with "Roundabout" by Yes, which made some kind of musical sense.. dug the Yes.. eventually the instrumental sections of All of my Love got my attention.. and I started asking people about it. An older kid at a picnic saw me rocking out to the radio. I was like "I love this song!" and he laughed at me!.. He was like 'let me show you real Zeppelin'. We left the adults and went to his room. He dropped LZ II on the record player platter, picked up an electric bass guitar, turned on an amp and started playing along. I had never seen an electric guitar in person and I was so impressed. 

    I noticed Zeppelin forever after that. One by one, the rest of their older tunes were showing up on the radio. It was the summer of 1980.. I had Fleetwood Mac Rumors.. I had The eagles in the long run.. but no Zeppelin...and every time I heard that voice exploding the radio, I stopped what I was doing. It seemed to blow everything else away.. Dazed and Confused right before bedtime.. got me a little too excited for sleep.                          

     I didn't find out they broke up until reading a People magazine with Lennon on the cover Jan 81. It was the first time I saw a picture of the band. This gave me some idea which faces were the younger faces in the crowd of LZ II.

   

[Mithril46]

What incredible differences in opinion. Not sure any other album had such polarizing reactions.

Maybe lll??? Well, I do think the album had the greatest difference in sound and material from album

to album.

[The Dark Lord]

ITTOD is by far the best album Zep ever put out because at least finally the album represented more of the bands original ideas and not those of someone else. ITTOD is in my opinion the true Zeppelin sound.

Interesting. Never really thought of it that way, although I love the album. It certainly was one of their more adventurous outings. I've never agreed with any criticism of this album, but the fact that it captures the sound and trends of the era seems to bother people. I try to resist comparing the music of one era with another, as that is what causes issues for people. The music is what it is, and despite historical revisionism, the album sounded great in its day. Still does. 

[Mithril46]

I am a bit puzzled. How exactly does ITTOD closely follo w the trends of the time ?? Heavy keys  ??

This was still the era of big, long guitar solos and many bands a power trio plus another guitar.

More popish ?? AOML and FITR are a bit hook orientated, but they are hardly typical pop songs.

Can you name any other songs that sound close to AOML or FITR ??

However, the production is pretty slick, almost Steely Dan-ish. So there is that, but even so, even

considering Jones' keyboard sound, the album still stands by itself, love it or hate it.

[The Dark Lord]

I am a bit puzzled. How exactly does ITTOD closely follo w the trends of the time ?? Heavy keys  ??

This was still the era of big, long guitar solos and many bands a power trio plus another guitar.

More popish ?? AOML and FITR are a bit hook orientated, but they are hardly typical pop songs.

Can you name any other songs that sound close to AOML or FITR ??

However, the production is pretty slick, almost Steely Dan-ish. So there is that, but even so, even

considering Jones' keyboard sound, the album still stands by itself, love it or hate it.

Nah. I think not. Look up 1979 rock music on Google, and you'll see what was going in then, with Genesis, The Moody Blues, Yes, Black Sabbath, Journey, et al. Zep were definitely working with, and incorporating, the trends of the time. 

[IpMan]

Nah. I think not. Look up 1979 rock music on Google, and you'll see what was going in then, with Genesis, The Moody Blues, Yes, Black Sabbath, Journey, et al. Zep were definitely working with, and incorporating, the trends of the time. 

Without a doubt Lord, by 79' all the jam bands and even most prog rock bands had seriously consolidated their sound. Genesis & Rush went from 20 minute conceptual art tunes to five minute singles just to give two examples. Then you have the Doobie's making a 180 with Michael McDonald & Takin' it to the Streets and then Minute by Minute in 78' which really turned rock on it's ear. Even Judas Priest, early prog-metal concept tunes from Rock & Rolla, Sad Wings of Destiny, & Sin After Sin gave way to a much more commercial sound by the time of Killing Machine and British Steel. Don't even get me started on Journey, the Bay Areas intelligent cousin to the Grateful Dead and more than a match for the likes of Genesis & Rush in regard to 20+ minutes jams and musicianship, only to be told by their record label to get a real lead singer and write radio friendly songs otherwise...see ya. If you ever want to hear some amazing fusion of rock-jazz-latin music, pick up the first three Journey albums Journey, Look into the Future, & Next.

Music was changing, and like any real band Zeppelin moved with the times not because it was popular per se, but because it was a challenge and an evolution.

[Mithril46]

Well I do see your points in some of the examples, but Sabbath and Yes went to 5-6 minute songs,

and Yes in particular only really went pop on 90125. And what of the NWOBHM ?? Hardly a key

to be found. Not sure that Jones or Zep were necessarily trying to get more "popish"; I look at it

as them going into new territory. But it is certainly true that MANY artists were basically hounded

into putting out singles. One of the worst examples is Santana after the first 4 or 5 ground breakers;

most of his studio output since 75'-76' has been awful. Obviously Santana is a legendary guitarist

but his Achilles heel was songwriting/composing, most of even the great early stuff was only

partially written by him.