First Led Zeppelin Stories

[Bonham]

The first time I had heard of them was when my friend's dad was into them big time, but I didn't really understand who they were and I wasn't particularly interested at a young age.

I also remember hearing a few of their songs around, here and there, but I never really knew it was all their songs at the time. Like I first heard 'Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You' on a skateboarding DVD I had when I was about 15. I first heard 'Kashmir' at a friend's house, he said he liked just that song and asked me if I knew it when showing me it, I didn't, but it sounded fresh, and good.

That same friend had made a copied CD with 'Stairway To Heaven' on it and he had a caravan in his large back garden. He played that song to me once in the caravan, I liked the way it sounded almost poetically medievil; it was beautiful. But he turned it off after about 2 minutes - he got bored of the long intro.

So, I had been hearing Led Zeppelin songs everywhere, but never really realised I'd end up here one day, loving them as my favourite band. The real reason I'm actually here is because of Nirvana, or more specifically, Dave Grohl. I was inspired by Dave Grohl's drumming for years, I imitated his moves and power in so many ways, very much like he did with John Bonham when he was a kid.

It was through my research of his Foo Fighters website that I discovered his love for Led Zeppelin and John Bonham, and loving Dave as I do, I thought I'd give them a try. So I spent a couple of hours downloading every Led Zeppelin song after desperately trying to find the song I had heard as a kid on my skateboarding DVD, and in my friend's house when his father played it (he passed away a few months ago to cancer).

I couldn't think of the name of the song, but through my struggle, I found it, and that was the first Zeppelin song I really got listening to - 'Babe, I'm gonna Leave You'. Every other song I listened to after that was orgasmic, I had never experienced something so exhilarating in my life, and it was then, I realised just how much I had been missing. And so my life with Led Zeppelin began, 2004 - Onward.

Edit: Just want to pay tribute to another big Led Zeppelin lover, whom I wished I got to know through our love of their music. My friend's dad, Paul Kinchington R.I.P.

[inthemorning]

My first job was as a barback for a restaurant in NY when I was 14. I used to bring a tape of the Song Remains the Same to play on the radio for the cooks. They must of thought I was the coolest kid around. The looks on their faces when I popped this tape into the cassete deck was priceless. I remember the cooks would get really stoned and would start singing the chorus of No quarter. They would feed me every day before I came to work and ask me what music I had with me for that day. During my Junior Prom in High School I remember asking the driver if he could play the live version of Dazed and Confused on our way back from the clubs in NYC. Everyone in the car was past out and I was grooving as the sun came out over the horizon. During the Outrider tour, I was in the front row right there in front of Jimmy. I remember giving him the No Quarter two hands stretched out sign (Like during "No Quarter") and he returned the gesture. I nearly had an out of body experience after this. Jimmy acknowledged my existence on this earth.

[Icarus]

I think that I've always knew Led Zeppelin. You know, just heard them on the radio and so.

But I really began to kisten to them them many years ago:

I was home alone and my mom came home to do the house cleaning, and then she played VI.

After that I was just lost!

So years later i play the guitar myself and, see Jimmy as my biggest idol, and I see Led Zepelin as the greatest rock band in the history of mankind!

[Cyrusofsussex]

Found Four Sticks in a desk at school with best of the Guess Who. Listen to it with 2 friends and was blown away by Rock-n-Roll. We listen to the album everyday for weeks before we new they had previous albums. It's like finding a clump of gold in a cave, then you slowly raise your flashlight and realize you're in a goldmine. Prior to that I was a Humble Pie, Ten Years After, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Traffic fan.

[MadScreamingGallery]

{{{{ Miss Gallery }}}}

Reading BUK's post brought to mind this memory of sitting in the back seat of the family '68 Chevy Impala (427!), out numbered by boys, in a miasma of dysfunction, listening to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - and against all odds, being quite happy. The sun was shining, my Dad the machinist did love that car, the music was great, my older bro' was into rock 'n roll going back to the '50s and took care to share it with me - life could be good!

& Amen, may it always be so...

You're welcome, {{{{ Sunchild }}}}

What a post! "Miasma of dysfunction" - I've been there. It's hard not to feel good when you're listening to Smokey, no matter what the circumstances. Your story is a great example of how good music can lift us out of a "miasma of dysfunction." Your post also reminds me of the fact that, even when things might seem sad and bleak (as in a tea cart in a strange hallway, empty except for a few sugar cubes), we can still retrieve some good memories.

[PlantOneOnMe]

When I was age 17 , in 1969, I bought my first Led Zeppelin single. It was Whole Lotta Love. I lost my virginity to Whole Lotta Love. It was on the radio at that very moment. I remember thinking "Boy, that's not real romantic." I live in the States. I loved all music that came out of Britain. I grew up with Led Zeppelin as part of my teenage years and when Stairway To Heaven was on the radio I was still dating the guy I gave myself to. We used to hear Stairway constantly on the radio, although we loved it we turned it off alot. I didn't appreciate the beauty of it then.

I didn't buy their albums. My then boyfriend turned husband bought all of them. I learned to hate Zeppelin in the 70's because of the heartache I experienced over my bad marriage throughout the 70's. It was a tumultuous decade for me. I lost my Dad, I married that guy, I gave birth, I also miscarried. I got involved in a strict religion that poo pooed anything that had to do with the devil and magic. So Led Zeppelin was taboo for me.

I met my husband in 1969 and divorced him in 1980, the same year Led Zeppelin disbanded.

In January 2007 I saw The Song Remains The Same on VH1 and my love and obsession for everything Led Zeppelin came into existence. I bought every piece of music and DVD available. I looked on this website and saw it was stale and nothing new. That was because a few months ago there WAS NO LED ZEPPELIN.

But Now, the ressurrection of Led Zeppelin and this website and the Mothership and TSRTS and everything else Zeppelin came at a time I wished I could go back in time, and capture what I missed all those years in the 70's. I was so busy trying to survive, I lost out. But guess what....they're back, and I am thrilled at their re-birth.

I have healed from my wounds, and my husband is deceased now. I can not blame him anymore for how miserable he made me, and I can't blame Led Zeppelin for HIS lifestyle that caused my marriage to be so terrible. It has come almost full circle......the healing of my past.

Led Zeppelin was, and now I can say, IS phenomenal, and I hope I get to see them play in the States.

[ZEPPHAN]

Not me or mine or anyone I know but it's a funny story.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28086

[SunChild]

You're welcome, {{{{ Sunchild }}}}

What a post! "Miasma of dysfunction" - I've been there. It's hard not to feel good when you're listening to Smokey, no matter what the circumstances. Your story is a great example of how good music can lift us out of a "miasma of dysfunction." Your post also reminds me of the fact that, even when things might seem sad and bleak (as in a tea cart in a strange hallway, empty except for a few sugar cubes), we can still retrieve some good memories.

Some times, the little things are sweet. But it's nice to find more substantial sustenance as time goes on.

Do you find, the bitter makes the sweet that much more valuable?

Sorry to get so heavy. I am in fact so happy right now that LED ZEPPELIN & Mr. Jimmy Page will take the stage to tomorrow for an audience from around the globe. Even though I'm not going, I'm excited as can be! Rock on!

[guitarmy]

I was 16 and I fell in love with a girl as sweet as can be. But it only took her a couple of days before she was rid of me. She swore that she would be all mine and love me to the end. But when I whispered in her ear, she gave me a copy of Led Zeppelin I.

And how many words did you get before you realized my ploy?

[RjK]

A cousin of mine had a copy of Zepp 4 lying on her floor just after the record was released and I remember vaguely listening to Four Sticks I think wondering what type of voodoo shit my cousin was getting into ............. lol !!! Christ I was only about 9 or 10 years old and it kinda spooked me a little but that is my first memory of The Mighty Zepplin.

I was dirt poor so it was not untill 1979's In Through The Out Door that I bought my first Zepplin record and then we all know what happened ..............

RjK

[Zep51574]

Hey all. Long time fan, long time lurker/occasional poster on the old board, etc, etc......Hello.

Ok,

When I was real little, about 2-3, my dad would play the 4th album a lot, and one of the first phrases I ever learned to say was, "Play the Heaven song..."

Bonham is the reason I play drums, and the band as a whole introduced me to so much of what was possible in music, live and in the studio. Still to this day, unfuckingbelievable. And, yeah, I'm excited as I've ever been right now about these guys, and I'm lovin' it....

Take care.........

Jim

[Duthie]

I can still remember this moment clear as the day.

I was about ten years old, (im almost seventeen now, so i in no way consider myself a veteran fan) and I was sick of hearing the same crap over and over again on the radio, as I went to switch it off my dad said "What is that crap?" i shrugged and said "I need something new" my dad told me to follow him and I did. He started flicking through his large CD collection and said "Led Zeppelin or The Police?" I decided that Led Zeppelin sounded more appealing so I said them, he thrusted Led Zeppelin I into my hands and said go listen to that, I did what i was told and about 45 minutes to an hour later I went back to my dad and asked for another album, over the rest of that week I listen to all of their albums from start to finish and i'll admit sometimes it doesnt hurt to do what your parents say.

[SunChild]

I can still remember this moment clear as the day.

I was about ten years old, (im almost seventeen now, so i in no way consider myself a veteran fan) and I was sick of hearing the same crap over and over again on the radio, as I went to switch it off my dad said "What is that crap?" i shrugged and said "I need something new" my dad told me to follow him and I did. He started flicking through his large CD collection and said "Led Zeppelin or The Police?" I decided that Led Zeppelin sounded more appealing so I said them, he thrusted Led Zeppelin I into my hands and said go listen to that, I did what i was told and about 45 minutes to an hour later I went back to my dad and asked for another album, over the rest of that week I listen to all of their albums from start to finish and i'll admit sometimes it doesnt hurt to do what your parents say.

I totally love this story. This is why they are timeless, right there.

Thank goodness he didn't hand you Synchronicity...

[JPFan-Kimberly]

I'm new here, so hello everybody. I am looking forward to chatting with other Zeppelin fans. They are a fantastic band. I love, love, love Led Zeppelin.

But to answer the question, the radio,radio, radio. Thank God for the radio and thank God I live in a town who plays a lot of those classics. I unfortunately was brought up in the ridiculous 80s era where music went downhill IMO. I tuned that out and would listen to the classics. And of course Led Zeppelin being one of the favorites and I fell in love with them and their music. They are such fantastic musicians and the lyrics are so fascinating and intriguing. The lyrics just sound so good.

The 60s and 70s era was the greatest era of all time. I was born at the wrong time, being only 35. I get so jealous of my parents. I should have been friends with them instead of them being my parents. LOL I so belong to that generation. I tell people all the cool people are in the 50s and 60s. There is no other generation that anyone can say that!

[Lead Zeppelin]

Hello JPFan-Kimberly. Where are you from?

[koolrod]

i was lucky to have a father who in the late 60's and early 70s who had the market on the electric factory and the spectrum here in philly to deal to the bands ( you know what i mean ) who met alot of the players of the time , and was a total music freak , in 1970 i was 4 years old and became very aware of led zepplin's music , by the time physical graffiti hit i was hooked for ever, i would not go to bed unless my father would put on kashmir!!! i'm sure this to be ture of many players , that was it i had to have a guitar, and have been playing ever since, many years later my mom ( who is a pretty straight laced person ) over heard myself and my friends talking about zep and said led zepplin what do you know about led zepplin i sat on the side of the stage at the electric factory ( stuck out her arm ) and said i was this close to jimmy page! when they did that show!!! I saw led zeppelin take philly by storm!!!!!

and thats how it happend for me a die hard zep fan!

[DazedNConfused]

I heard Communication breakdown on the radio and loved it. Went out the next day and bought Zep's first album. From then on I anticipated each album as I bought them one at a time from the 1st one up the chain. It was a sad day when I realized I was out of new material, but I've listened to them consistently ever since never tiring of their music. It only gets better and better the more I listen to it.

To this day I can still picture myself sitting outside listening to the Radio having a smoke when that song came on and the announcer says "That was Led Zeppelin". I was just a teenager at the time, but there was something about the music that just lured me in..

[sweetfruityjungle]

My story isn't as interessting and gripping as yours 'cause in my home nobody listens to Led Zeppelin and hard rock music at all. But my story has to have some beginning I had been listening Guns N'Roses for a few years before I wanted to find a band playing a kind of music similar to GnR. Of course I had already known about LZ existence and (like everyone) I have liked 'Stairway to heaven'. After that I bought Zep's CDs (I and II) I couldn't stop to play it again and again. I just fell in love with these CDs. That was the reason to buy next

I was at the age of 12 then. Now I'm 17 and I listen to Led Zeppelin with the same excitement, I feel as the fist time.

[Misty Mountains]

I remember getting the Houses of The Holy album, the one that had the white band around it that had the album name on it, that was it. I think the next one I got was The Song Remains The Same, that was the one that had the most impact on me, from then on it was Zep, Zep and more Zep. I love the group, they have turned me on to so many things than I can even think of, just to name a few,

Different kinds of music

Other cultures

Different religions of the world

The Hobbit books

Playing music

I think those are the main ones.

I hate it when people talk about them selling there souls to be so popular, I guys they never really sat down and thought that they were just 4 guys that loved making music and having a great time doing it. I love the band, they are the greatest band in the world, always have been and always will be. How many people do you think will remember some of the crap that is played on FM radio these days in 20 years? I can bet you one thing though, you ask anyone who Led Zeppelin was even 20 years from now, and I guarantee they will know.

[ledzep94]

Maybe it was a friend who recommended you to listen

or maybe you heard them on the radio.

or maybe you feel guilty that Stairway lured you in

or maybe they were just always there

So when did you first start listening to the band and how were you led down the Led Zeppelin path?

Personally, I'm from the "younger" generation of listeners that didn't get a chance to experience the band as they unfolded.

When I was in high school, I recall hearing a song on some classic rock radio station and I didn't know what it was.

I tried asking my parents because they were certainly conscious in the late 60s-70s.

I think my description was a little like this:

"It's got this awesome guitar riff and a singer that sounded like he was shouting his head off. First the singer belts out a few words with echoes and then the guitar erupts and then calms down again, and then they do it again and again until the guitar solo at the end that just kind of plays on until oblivion"

My parents weren't really sure. They gave me a few names to look up like Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Led Zeppelin.

So I found myself in a store with a bunch of tab books and I started searching them for song titles that matched lyrics of the song.

I looked for songs called "Hey Hey Momma", "Big Legged Woman", and even some of the weird inaudibles coming out of the singer's mouth!

I think at this point I was pretty sure it was some band called "Led Zeppelin". It sounded so exotic and I just wanted to know which song it was so I could buy the CD.

I had no luck while looking by title, so I started trying to match the actual lyrics.

I was looking for lines about making women sweat and sting and eyes burning red, and eventually I found it.

It was that day that I bought "IV", and if you haven't guessed the song title then you probably need to listen to more Led Zeppelin before you have a story about them!

After buying that album, it was only a matter of time before I would realize just how special these guys are. And not much later after that I would get a guitar and actually use the tab book.

So what about you guys? What are your Zeppelin firsts and how did you get attracted to the group?

I was 17 years old and was pilfering through my dad's cassette tapes when I noticed the album with no title by Led Zeppelin. I thought it was weird to have no name for an album...only symbols. I asked dad if they were any good and he gave me a listen. This was in the summer of 1993. I recall listening to Rock n Roll, the first song on the tape, and thinking, "Where did that come from!". I was hooked instantly. I then listened to Black Dog and immediately asked my dad if it was a greatest hits album or something. Battle of Evermore was next and I thought, "OK, nice mellow song to complement the other 2". Next, obviously was STH...need I say more? The next day I went to the local discount store and bought Led Zeppelin I & II. It just went on from there. I feel more nostalgic about discovering their music at that age than anything else. I almost have a tear in my eye just writing this. Their music meant so much to me at that early stage in life.

[zephead2]

At the time I was a huge Kiss fan and really had no idea about good musicians. A good friend of mine was a huge Zeppelin fan and I just didn't get them. It was Kiss and that was it. I started listening to other music and then I discovered Zeppelin and they blew me away. I started learning about lyrics, melody's and song structuring.

Zeppelin blew me away with just how diverse they were. They put out songs like The Rain Song, Thank You, All Of My love to Baby Come On Home, Since I've Been Loving You, I Can't quit You Babe to Immagrant Song, Nobody's Fault But Mine and Black Dog. There was no boundries. Just 4 guys who could blew the roof off the mutha.

The deeper I got into their collections the more I loved them. Ten Years Gone, Baby Come On Home, How Many More Times, Tangerine etc. etc. They were what music was suppose to be about, but they were the only 4 that could do it. There will never be a band like Zeppelin and I'm alright with that

[Lynne]

At the time I was very young and I was a classical pianist at the time when they were hot.I remember hearing it when I went to a party with my friends and they were talking about Stairway to heaven and I liked it right away.but I was too young.

So I guess I was pretty famous when I was younger.My sister also loved led Zeppelin.I wasn't a really big partier i had alot of responisiblities.

[Footsteps of Dawn]

I've told this before, and it's not very interesting, but what the hell.

I post on a general music message board that's actually part of a Star Wars forum, and there are a bunch of metalheads on there. Well, the one band that they and everybody else on there could agree that rocked their socks off was Led Zeppelin. Being 14 and a Blink 182 fan who had just stopped listening to the Backstreet Boys a year or two before, I had no idea what Led Zep was like, but I decided I better check them out. These guys on the music forum were like the big brothers I never had as far as turning me on to better, more "mature" music goes, and the fact that everybody down to the last person on there liked them made me think, whoa, there must be something big going on here.

So I downloaded Stairway to Heaven and Misty Mountain Hop off Napster (back when it was free...lol, am I dating myself here?). STH I had heard of before in Guitar World magazine (haha), and Misty Mountain Hop just sounded like a cool name for a song. I think I did Black Dog, too...I have no idea why I picked that one...I like dogs? I'm not embarrassed at all that the song that turned me onto Zep was STH - I've never before or since had my mind blown like that before! I loved the guitars on MMH and Black Dog, too, so I was hooked.

I was just absolutely craving cool-sounding guitars then. I guess it was more Jerry Finn's production than their actual skill, but I thought Blink 182's sound on Enema of the State was so fucking cool (like I said, I was listening to the Backstreet Boys a year before, so this was pretty badass in comparison), but then when I heard Jimmy wailing on Black Dog, I just about died. I thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. And well, really, it was! Nobody's been able to match that thunder before or since.

[Lynne]

So how old are you now?Are you still single?

[Footsteps of Dawn]

So how old are you now?Are you still single?

Who, me? I'm 23 and yep, still single if I'm who you were talking to (I'm a girl, though).