Led Zeppelin III
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By the time this album was recorded in 1970 Led Zeppelin were already seasoned road-warriors in spite of still being pretty damn young. The grizzled veterans of the group, Page and JPJ were 26 and 24 while Bonham and Plant were 22 and 21 which to me is pretty incredible in itself.
This album is often seen as the band embracing a softer, acoustic side. A three song combination on side two of the LP, "Tangerine", "That's The Way" and "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" greatly contribute to this idea.
"Tangerine" is credited to Page alone (I believe all of their crediting issues have been worked out in the courts by now) as it was played by Jimmy with the Yardbirds before forming LZ. The song on the album has a "false start", which I have heard Page say was merely a timing "tool" for him and was left on as a lark. He said in hindsight he wishes he had left it off because he could have avoided being asked about it so often.
Although not exclusively an acoustic song, the pedal-steel here brings a beautiful, soft sound that plays well with Page's acoustic playing, which is beautiful in the song outro in particular.
Which leads right into "That's The Way". Another beautiful and delicate song, Page is credited as playing the pedal steel, dulcimer, acoustic and bass guitars on this song with JPJ on mandolin. No drums from Bonham on this one although he gets a tambourine credit. It is said that some of the lyrics were inspired by the shabby treatment the band and their fans endured from authority figures on their first American tours as well as the harsh treatment they saw Vietnam war protesters receiving in the US.
For me this song really takes off at the 4:30 minute mark, with Page's strumming of an uplifting rift followed by the bass and joined after by the pedal steel and some spacey vocals from Plant. Unfortunately the jam fades when it's starting to get hot on the album, but on the live version from the brilliant album "How the West was Won", they stretch it out a little. https://youtu.be/5cT2UKdcgug
Finally we have Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. It is said that all Led Zeppelin songs are either about love, fucking or hobbits and shit like that and this song is no different as it is certainly a love song lyrically penned by Plant for his beloved dog, Strider. Strider is a blue-eyed Merle and I am not ashamed to say that a young Bucky Badger thought that Robert was singing about his love for a blue-eyed GIRL and not a blue-eyed MERLE but eventually I learned the truth. Another truth I have learned is that dogs won't cruelly and purposely break your heart, so I completely understand why Plant would write such a glowing song for his faithful companion.
When I hear this song I picture the band outside in a campground in a circle, with someone on a washboard and someone blowing into a jug too. It's always a song that lifts me up and wants me to go outside, be in the sun and have fun. Again Page's acoustic stands out and Plant's vocals as well. It nicely rounds out this 13 or so minutes of Led Zeppelin studio work.
Here is a link to the entire album, the rest of which is pretty damn amazing as well. The trio of songs above start at track 7: https://youtu.be/5eHkjPCGXKQ
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"Hats Off to Roy Harper"
"Hats Off to Roy Harper"
This is an image of a band on the move, the wikipedia page says they were recording on the fly all over England. Probably says a lot about the sonic snapshot of a band with acoustic guitars and dulcimers and shit.
Probably my favorite album of theirs to buy and sell. Every track is great.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Zepp III is nice. From the
Zepp III is nice. From the blistering sonic assault of the opening track, "Immigrant Song," to the gentle mandolins and pedal steel on the second side, the album really showcases the bands diversity and ability to go beyond hard rock. It was that mastery of dynamics and light and shade that really separated the Led Zeppelin from a legion of imitators like Black Sabbath and other early heavy metal bands who had a single minded focus of attempting to replicate (and even amplify) the groundbreaking and bone crushing elements of Zepp I and II.
Little trivia: Page said he got the idea of using pedal steel on the second side from CSN&Y's "Teach Your Children," which of course featured one Jerry Garcia on pedal steel.
>>>"How the West was Won"
Heavy.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bucky Badger
Didn't some of the LPs have a
Didn't some of the LPs have a spinning wheel on the album jacket? Are those rare these days?
>>>>ot the idea of using pedal steel on the second side from CSN&Y's "Teach Your Children," which of course featured one Jerry Garcia on pedal steel.
NICE!!!!
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Someone I trade with claimed
Someone I trade with claimed that they ALL have the spinning wheel but I know for a fact that I've found late 70s pressings without it. I think the majority of them have the wheel though, it's probably less common to find a normally printed cover.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bucky Badger
Interesting! What about the
Interesting! What about the "in thru the out door" cover, wasn't that supposed to change colors or something?
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I think there are six
There are like six variations on that cover, and each has an individualized inner sleeve with a black and white etching which are supposed to become colorized if you somehow apply water to it (never done it to any that pass through my hand, but maybe someday my play copy will get the treatment to see if it still works).
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Yes, brush on water to reveal
Yes, brush on water to reveal the watercolors. I've seen it, but I've never personally done it.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sun so hot, clouds so low
I fucked up my copy. I should
I fucked up my copy. I should have left it original. But I was like 10 or 11...Water on a q/tip . My sister had a different copy. Sold in brown bag paper cover. Six different album covers. It's a custie collectors wet dream. Pun intended...
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Speaking of in though the out
Speaking of in though the out door, has Phil ever played -All of My Love-? It would be sweet in the Q. Sless would be all over that on the pedal steel. Or, if he could play with JRAD again it would be an amazing encore!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lord Kalvert
they're best IMO
they're best IMO
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Furthur did Fool in the Rain
Furthur did Fool in the Rain several times.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bucky Badger
Fool in the Rain has a good
Fool in the Rain has a good "Miami Sound Machine" breakdown in it complete with disco whistle
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond
One of the best albums of all
One of the best albums of all time. Friends, Celebration Day.... I guess I know what I'm spinning tonight.
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You guys like the 2014
You guys like the 2014 remaster? I'm too lazy to play my records
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
The original pressing of Zepp
The original pressing of Zepp III also had the expressions "Do what thou wilt" & "So mote be it" engraved in the lacquer.
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LeBron-Y-Aur STOMPed
LeBron-Y-Aur STOMPed
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lord Kalvert
bathroom tiles
bathroom tiles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmX9Zeqc-8w
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rick Numbers
That's no disco whistle in
That's no disco whistle in Fool in the Rain, that's a Carnival whistle, hence the part that follows immediately after..Should have kept Jennings Farm Blues/ Bron-yr-stomp (about Plant's Dog) electric....https://youtu.be/kTLoi2Uxtqg
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My brother painted the
My brother painted the artwork from Zep III on his beater pickup truck when he was young. Surprised he wasn't pulled over.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
Worth a bump before it sinks.
Worth a bump before it sinks.
I mentioned this before. I have an 03 Nissan Frontier with only 88000 miles. Damn fine little dependable truck. Had it eleven years now. Drive it about only sixteen/eighteen miles most days.
Houses of the Holy has been stuck in the player for that long. Fine with me. Still works.
My drives are so short I rarely turn on the sound but when....