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An epic image


NickF182

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Cheers to you for getting "the feeling".

But, that image is actually more representative nowadays with what's forever been wrong with the image of Zep. As in, with so many years of marketing behind them (can you believe almost 30 years since the band ceased to be?) the standard packaging for Zeppelin has been that fairytale-knights-of-the-round-table- "hammer of the gods" mess.

Besides, Plant only ever sang about that mythical crap on "Ramble On" and "Battle of Evermore". And check out the live recordings...100% heavy rock and roll. 50's rockabilly numbers, delta blues, musicianship....No swords or "king arthur" imagery needed.

A real shame that they've since let the cartoon version take over their image like they have. Haven't their countless imitators done that for them enough?

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There is nothing wrong about the image of Zep. There are too many Zep fans with hangups about the D&D and occult aspects of Zeppelin. Zep was not a grunge band (although arguably they went through phases of looking disheveled). At their peak they were a band with flashpots, smoke, lasers, flaming gongs, dragon suits. Even at the O2 they were all about excess with the big TV screen. If you can't accept that, then give up Zep and go listen to bebop or classical or something.

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Edited by mos6507
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ledzeppelinstairway.jpg

The caption reads, "Icarus* reacts to news that Robert Plant has no intention of reuniting Led Zeppelin."

* or Apollo, or Naked Flying Dude, however you interpret the Swan Song and related images. Actually, this image is more Luciferian. And the Stairway to Heaven looks more like the bloodied steps of an Aztec or Mayan pyramid, note the Quetzalcoatl-like beastie sculpture on the right-hand side.

Edited by FireOpal
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There is nothing wrong about the image of Zep. There are too many Zep fans with hangups about the D&D and occult aspects of Zeppelin. Zep was not a grunge band (although arguably they went through phases of looking disheveled). At their peak they were a band with flashpots, smoke, lasers, flaming gongs, dragon suits. Even at the O2 they were all about excess with the big TV screen. If you can't accept that, then give up Zep and go listen to bebop or classical or something.

I have no problem with the way that Zeppelin were. Theatrics, stage setups, musicianship, and all.

It's the comic-book silliness that's been way overdone since they've no longer been around.

There were no occult aspects to Zeppelin. And any "D&D" aspects to the band were strictly in step with what many other bands were doing at the time. Because that stuff was a sign of the times. Just as flower power and psychedelia had been before them with so many bands. The covers and lyrics on Zep IV and HOTH had the same fantasy-aesthetic to them that many other bands used. But for every one fantasy image or reference, there were 50 other things about the band that you could point out that had nothing to do with it. And it is those things that actually made them great. The blues references, the rockabilly, the funk, the innuendo. The "black magic/satanic" bs was an image fostered by the local radio stations, teen magazines, and Creem and Melody Makers of the day to make the band seem more cutting edge. But that Page had some ridiculous fascination with Aleister Crowley was limited strictly to Page. Just like Bonham had his cars and Plant lived on his farm. Yet it's that "Fairy tales and elves" image that's completely taken over the t-shirts and posters of the band ever since. Why? Because it's the kind of crap that teenagers like seeing.

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But that Page had some ridiculous fascination with Aleister Crowley was limited strictly to Page. Just like Bonham had his cars and Plant lived on his farm. Yet it's that "Fairy tales and elves" image that's completely taken over the t-shirts and posters of the band ever since. Why? Because it's the kind of crap that teenagers like seeing.

But you were saying the "mythical crap" was all Plant a minute ago. :huh:

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But you were saying the "mythical crap" was all Plant a minute ago. :huh:

Right, I was responding to the earlier poster's comment about the occult and the "D&D" imagery. Plant was the one who brought in the fantasy nonsense on songs like "Ramble On" and "Battle of Evermore", and Page was the one always associated with the black magic label. But they're two separate terms. There's no Plant/occult connection just like there's no Page/fantasy connection.

Yet the result has still been years of the band using this ridiculous Forest-of-elves-meets-Merlin-casting-spells schtick. Castles and sorcery and all of that garbage. All over the posters and the t-shirts.

The band's biggest mistake in this department was using those damn fantasy sequences in the movie.

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And I've never thought the mythical influences like in Ramble On and Battle Of Ever More as "crap".

Well, to each their own. No offense to anyone else.

But I know that I'm not the only one who cringes everytime they hear the "Mordor" and "Gollum" lyrics in "Ramble On" or the "Ringwraithe" lyric in "Evermore". It's just corny.

To address it in a different way, what if Plant had been a comic book fan instead of a Tolkien fan? His lyrics would probably have made references to Batman and the Joker in those songs instead, then. And it still would've been corny.

Edited by cookieshoes
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Right, I was responding to the earlier poster's comment about the occult and the "D&D" imagery. Plant was the one who brought in the fantasy nonsense on songs like "Ramble On" and "Battle of Evermore", and Page was the one always associated with the black magic label. But they're two separate terms. There's no Plant/occult connection just like there's no Page/fantasy connection.

Yet the result has still been years of the band using this ridiculous Forest-of-elves-meets-Merlin-casting-spells schtick. Castles and sorcery and all of that garbage. All over the posters and the t-shirts.

The band's biggest mistake in this department was using those damn fantasy sequences in the movie.

Well, there's something called artistic influence, I think. Occult is Jimmy's personal interest and Robert happens to be fascinated with mythes and sagas. I don't see anything wrong with that. It's not like the band are using the image to get the attention, sell the posters and t-shirts. No, they just brought something which was an important part in their world views into their music, and that's what the musicians do, always.

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There were four of them in the band, too. They wouldn't have signed off on Robert's lyrics if the others thought they were corny or whatever--they're associated with them too.

Plus, I have to say, "forests of elves" etc. isn't the general image of Zeppelin that I see. "Bunch of Satanists," maybe. :D

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Well, to each their own. No offense to anyone else.

But I know that I'm not the only one who cringes everytime they hear the "Mordor" and "Gollum" lyrics in "Ramble On" or the "Ringwraithe" lyric in "Evermore". It's just corny.

To address it in a different way, what if Plant had been a comic book fan instead of a Tolkien fan? His lyrics would probably have made references to Batman and the Joker in those songs instead, then. And it still would've been corny.

Yes, like you said, each to their own.

So feel free to cringe when you hear those words, good for you there are enough Zeppelin songs which don't contain mythical objects . As a big fan of Tolkien myself I'm very glad Robert Plant shares the same interest. :D

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Right, I was responding to the earlier poster's comment about the occult and the "D&D" imagery. Plant was the one who brought in the fantasy nonsense on songs like "Ramble On" and "Battle of Evermore", and Page was the one always associated with the black magic label. But they're two separate terms. There's no Plant/occult connection just like there's no Page/fantasy connection.

Yet the result has still been years of the band using this ridiculous Forest-of-elves-meets-Merlin-casting-spells schtick. Castles and sorcery and all of that garbage. All over the posters and the t-shirts.

The band's biggest mistake in this department was using those damn fantasy sequences in the movie.

Well they may be a bit silly today, but I like the fantasy sequences. As Robert said reflecting back on the film, it was capturing a moment in time. They weren't meant to be serious.

And part of what made Zep so amazing was the fact they had so many different interests, musical influences and experiences as well as being four diverse people, all that brought to the creative process a sound like no other.

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It isn't just Tolkien and fantasy though - Plant knows a hell of a lot about Celtic and British history. That's his heritage, don't just dismiss it as crap! I think it's cool personally but your mileage may vary.

Yes he does and I think his lyrics in Zep reflect many different things, not just Tolkien and history.

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Exactly my point. Which is why having the band constantly packaged with the whole "Dungeons and Dragons" imagery is silly, imo.

But they aren't always packaged that way and further to that, Robert's interest in mysticism or Page's interest in Crowley WAS part of them so you really can't totally dismiss it.

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Exactly my point. Which is why having the band constantly packaged with the whole "Dungeons and Dragons" imagery is silly, imo.

I for one don't see the band as constantly packaged with the "Dungeons and Dragons" imagery.

It's just one of many sides of them.

And it's not the band's fault if that image was stretched into a stereotype.

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