Cat Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 By Dave Marsh LED ZEPPELIN: "Presence" (Swan Song SS 8416). "Presence," Led Zeppelin's seventh album, represents another step backwards from the promise of the group's fourth and untitled album. That album, which contained the monumental 'Stairway to Heaven,' and has sold somewhere between 4 and 6 million copies (depending upon who you ask), was chock full of arresting melodies, imaginative riffs and, surprisingly, even some emotional content, a real first in heavy English guitar rock. But since then Led Zeppelin has reneged on its promise over and again. The immediate follow-up, "Houses of the Holy," was a straight reprise of the fourth album, without its imagination. Last year's "Physical Graffiti," a two record set, was simply deadening, too many songs that went on too long and too aimlessly. "Presence" now seems like just another factor in the formula. The formula itself is not altogether uninteresting. Jimmy Page remains one of the most interesting riffers in the guitar game and Robert Plant can occasionally reach for some surprising belting vocally. At their best, as on this album's 'Nobody's Fault But Mine,' Zeppelin are reminiscent of the Yardbirds' empty excursions into the outer reaches of electric guitar possibility, with the added advantage of a good vocalist. But Zeppelin has one insurmountable flaw and it mars this album as it has every one they've made. Drummer John Bonham is something like clinically incompetent. When he and Page riff together, in their a-rhythmic fashion, the results can be effective, if never truly riveting. When Page steps away from him, everything fails apart. Part of the problem is the lifeless way that Bonham's drums are recorded, but a bigger difficulty is that he just can't keep time. They call him Moby Dick, and. like the great white whale, he's dragging a potentially fantastic vessel to the bottom with him. Cut the line, I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I do not even know where to begin. I never hold much stock in critics opinions, but if this is for real the guys is a total idiot. I know presence did not do as well as some others I really like it. Bonzo dragging the band down? What the hell was this goof thinking? Oh well to each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterMcLov1n Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 This sounds like a Rolling Stones review, i.e. completely fucking stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJD Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I thought Dave Marsh was an authority on Zeppelin and wrote a few books? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I thought Dave Marsh was an authority on Zeppelin and wrote a few books? Dave has written several books but none concerning Led Zeppelin. He has written other articles concerning Led Zeppelin but his comments here concerning John Bonham render further observations moot. "He made whatever Page & I wrote, basically, work" -- Plant on Bonham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattmc1973 Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 "Drummer John Bonham is something like clinically incompetent." One of the more ridiculous things ever uttered in human history. Right up there with "Mission Accomplished". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 "Drummer John Bonham is something like clinically incompetent." One of the more ridiculous things ever uttered in human history. Right up there with "Mission Accomplished". The mission to overthrow the Iraqi regime was accomplished but the war continues. Back to Zeppelin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 if the review was new and posted on this forum , it would be labeled baiting. to me it sounds like he's trying to jab at zep or their fans to get a rise. bet he was denied a press pass or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Unbelievable. I finally get why they had the gangster scene in TSRTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodylane Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Opinions are like assholes...everybody's got one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I wonder how many music critics are musicians? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattmc1973 Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 The mission to overthrow the Iraqi regime was accomplished but the war continues. Back to Zeppelin... That's like saying that someone who dies on the summit of Everest has successfully climbed the mountain. When you overthrow a regime, and have absolutely no plan for how you're going to secure the country afterward or fail to plan for any post-war inevitabilities, then the mission is not successful. But like you said, back to Zeppelin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninelives Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I wonder how many music critics are musicians? Some are but many are journalism majors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 You know, part of the reason this pisses me off (besides the fact that it's a piece of shit review after listening to this album once, let alone a million times)......It's that I forget how young they were in their heyday and how much this stuff potentially hurt them. Bear with me for a sec: I remember hearing that at one point Karen Carpenter was voted favorite drummer (over Bonham) in some stupid magazine poll. At the time I heard about it, I laughed my ass off, and assumed the band must have, too. But then I read some interview with him (in this forum) where he seemed genuinely hurt by that, and I couldn't believe it. Then I remembered how young he was, and I really felt for him. Call me a sappy mommy, because I am, but that really touched me. Someone that amazing having to deal with that crap at such a young age just sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatbo Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Dave has written several books but none concerning Led Zeppelin. He has written other articles concerning Led Zeppelin but his comments here concerning John Bonham render further observations moot. "He made whatever Page & I wrote, basically, work" -- Plant on Bonham marsh is a reknown townshend asslick (i mean that in the nicest way possible). he held the pen whilst ole pete pushed for the tome "before i get old". he lacks the imagination of a lester bangs (who went back and forth over zep) or a cameron crowe. almost all his reviews in RS have been historically incompetent and so off the mark that occasionally even bob dylan wanted him dead (marsh loved nashville skyline, hated blood on the tracks-initially). when keith moon died, marsh moved on to bruce.....springsteen. he's still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 if the review was new and posted on this forum , it would be labeled baiting. to me it sounds like he's trying to jab at zep or their fans to get a rise. bet he was denied a press pass or something. He was a writer for Rolling Stone magazine and that rag never appreciated Led Zeppelin or covered them favorably in the '70s, with the one exception of Cameron Crowe in 1975 and I think Cameron's piece was freelance work anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgeholder Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 "the lifeless way the drums were recorded". WTF? This may be THE stupidest review ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 You know, part of the reason this pisses me off (besides the fact that it's a piece of shit review after listening to this album once, let alone a million times)......It's that I forget how young they were in their heyday and how much this stuff potentially hurt them. Bear with me for a sec: I remember hearing that at one point Karen Carpenter was voted favorite drummer (over Bonham) in some stupid magazine poll. At the time I heard about it, I laughed my ass off, and assumed the band must have, too. But then I read some interview with him (in this forum) where he seemed genuinely hurt by that, and I couldn't believe it. Then I remembered how young he was, and I really felt for him. Call me a sappy mommy, because I am, but that really touched me. Someone that amazing having to deal with that crap at such a young age just sucks. John Bonham clearly was the greatest drummer in rock but he was also very humble and unassuming in regards to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pb Derigable Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 The mission to overthrow the Iraqi regime was accomplished but the war continues. Back to Zeppelin... Wow you just made me a fan of the SteveAJones. This can't be true, this is a bullshit article, Im calling bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 When you overthrow a regime, and have absolutely no plan for how you're going to secure the country afterward or fail to plan for any post-war inevitabilities, then the mission is not successful. Military and political objectives must be met to achieve those aims. We can continue to provide our military support but political progress and internal security is ultimately the responsibility of the host nation. In lieu of such progress, the war continues. Back to Zeppelin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Wow you just made me a fan of SteveAJones. Bear in mind my fans are few...but appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargroves Tangie Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I thought Dave Marsh was an authority on Zeppelin and wrote a few books? I think you're thinking about Dave Lewis of Tight But Loose fame. He would never write such crap about Zeppelin like this jerk did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pb Derigable Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Dave Marsh is the same asshole who runs the Rock & Roll HOF selection process. He has written four book about how great Bruce Springsteen takes a piss, in which his wife is the manager of Springsteen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Dave Marsh is the same asshole who runs the Rock & Roll HOF selection process. He has written four book about how great Bruce Springsteen takes a piss, in which his wife is the manager of Springsteen. God, that's sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Dave Marsh is the same asshole who runs the Rock & Roll HOF selection process. Oh yes, it should be mentioned R n R HOF is a privately run entertainment enterprise and as such is no more credible on rock music than Disneyland or the local amusement park. It's in Cleveland for God's sake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.