Zeppelin Were ‘Old Fashioned’ In 1969 – Said BBC!
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News /
17/12/2009 12:31pm
The BBC thought Led Zeppelin were ‘unconvincing’ and ‘old fashioned’ when the band started out.
Documents just released by the Beeb from their archives show that, when the band did a radio audition in 1969, they met with a barrage of criticism from the assembled audition panel.
One thought they were ‘derivative’. While others thought they lacked any mainstream appeal. Clearly good judges of talent!
These documents also reveal that only the intervention of Jimmy Page salvaged a 1971 session the band did for Radio One. The day after this was recorded, Zeppelin withdrew their consent for broadcast, clearly unhappy with the results. Eventually, Page remixed it.
Actually i agree with the beeb…. I think Led Zep were (and still are) highly over rated….yeah I will admit they have been influential to the rock scene but never the less I still think they are not as good as many think they are (in my opinion)
There are many bands since that have far exceeded what they could do with better song writing, mucisian ship and overall material.
In fact Im sick of keep hearing about them… they are not together anymore… move on people…lets talk about those bands that are still together, working, making albums and we can support.
The Beeb were right!
I’m guessing the panel went on to work on X Factor!
Phil C. Back up your claims…name some names. I’m sick & tired of the “Zep Overrated” argument…don’t see it, unless you have firm examples that can convince me otherwise. You Brits perplex me.
I agree hercoflex, I too am sick of so called rock fans slagging Led Zep. Phil C: name one band that is still going now that are better than Zep?
Just about everything anyone else has done Zep did it better. Did they ever outstay their welcome, past their prime? How many line up changes did they have? How many bands site them as a key influence? Who has made the most spectacular come back concert in recent years? Has each member had much success past 1980? Have they done any gigantic money making reunion tours? They have nothing to prove to anyone.
about said it all doesnt it, the bbc know fuck all about good music
hi guys…… don’t get upset its only my opinion. Plus I did state that they have been influential. I just feel there are bands that have and do make better music…again in my opinion.
Iron Maiden are a far better band than Led Zep could even imagine to be…. Then there is the likes of Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree…. even Metallica… better song writing, better energy….Even a Punk / Rock band like Green Day…… they far exceed the Zeps in my opinion.
There are so many better guitarists than Jimmy Page… too but so many people keep talking about him as the best ever guitarist…. I don’t see it sorry!!
Ok Im going to duck from flying debris now…..LOL
hercoflex & Andrew,
“sick of so called rock fans slagging Led Zep”
It’s obvious that slagging Zep means you are NOT a FAN of the band.
Here’s a sick and tired list for you. People should be sick and tired of
Dodo birds who insist that their opinion about Zep[Zep did it better...Meh]
is the 11th Commandment.
“Did they ever outstay their welcome, past their
prime? How many line up changes did they have?”
Anyone who feels that ‘Presence’ & ‘Out Door’[2 Records I like] are in the
category as III, IV or ‘Grafiti’ needs a lobotomy ‘Stat!’[Oh Look guys it's
an opinion].It can be argued that the band were going in a downward trajectory
at the time of BONZO’s Death and only that event prevented ‘the outstay their
welcome’ from occuring. If BONZO lives Zep does NOT break up but instead
writes songs like ‘The Only One’, ‘Midnight Moonlight’, ‘Worse Than Detroit’,
‘Tall Cool One’etc.[All songs I like but Zep worthy...to those who have gone
through with that lobotomy maybe.].
There were 4 marks of the Band[Only Mark 1 recorded music]. Marks 2,3 & 4 had
three different drummers[Thompson/Collins & Boham 'the lesser'].
‘How many bands site them as a key influence?’
Countless bands have been influences by Zep…but Michael Jackson & Garth Brooks
can say the same. Laugh if you will but M.J. has sold over 100 Million more
records around the world than Zep and Brooks has sold more in the U.S.A.
[You 'mericans perplex me].
‘Who has made the most spectacular come back concert in recent years?’
You do know that the Band had to tune down their songs to accomidate Plant?
That’s a come back made to seem more spectacular than it was. Had they played
the gig in the real keys you would have had the Diva Plant singing…..
unspectacularly.Ask yourself why he wants to play country music and not Zep?
One reason maybe is he has No desire to strain his ageing voice?
‘Has each member had much success past 1980?’
Only ONE I repeat only ONE of the surviving members of Zep have created a
consistant post-Led body of work. Robert Plant [my least favorite of the 4]
without a doubt has produced [Eighth studio albums/2 albums with Page +
The Honeydrippers: Volume One and 1[Soon to be 2] with Alison Krauss.
J.P.Jones did soundtracks, session etc.[Until the Brilliant Them Crooked
Vultures Hell Yeah!!!].
Page the driveing force behind Zep has NEVER escaped the shadow of his
creation. Let’s face it he took Bonzo’s death hard[Page refused to touch a
guitar for over a year after finding Bonham's body at The Old Mill House
(his Berkshire home)].
A supergroup with Chris Squire and Alan White called XYZ (for Ex-Yes-Zeppelin)
never got off the ground. [Note.The riff for Fortune Hunter came from this.]
In 82′Death Wish II soundtrack[Meh!]. He followed ‘CODA’ with 2 half-hearted
projects[Roy Harper album & Drippers].
He finally started post Zep in ernest The Firm with Paul Rogers,2 Meh Discs
later and they called it a day.
He did first solo record ‘Outrider’[Meh with a capitol 'M'...Geffen would not
greenlight the album as a 2 disc affair...thank G*D!].
In 93′ Page did his best Post-Zep work with Coverdale['Pride and Joy','Shake My
Tree'& 'Absolution Blues' are Zep worthy].
After 2 albums with Plant[Not Zep worthy] he has done…Nothing if it does
not deal with the Zep legacy [Compilations,DVD's Tour with Black Crowes] all
are not post-Zep but living in it’s Shadow(Boring and highly over rated indeed!).
“Have they done any gigantic money making reunion tours?’
Hello? they tried without Plant.
‘“Zep Overrated” argument…don’t see it, unless you have firm examples’…
The musical template for Zep was stolen from the Jeff Beck Group[Managed by
none other than Peter Grant]…Listen to Jeff Beck ‘Truth’.
Listen to the faces…WOW they sound a lot like Zep…only thing they pre date
Zep.
‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’…Great song stolen from Anne Bredon.
‘Dazed and Confused’…Great song stolen from Jake Holmes.
‘The Lemon Song’…Great song Partly stolen from Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor.
‘Bring It On Home’…Great song stolen from Willie Dixon.
‘Whole Lotta Love’…Great song Partly stolen from Willie Dixon.
‘Boogie with Stu’…Great song stolen from Ritchie Valens.
‘Nobody’s Fault but Mine’…Great song stolen from Blind Willie Johnson.
The list goes on….Yes Great but highly over rated indeed…NUFF SAID!