Pre-Fringe Podcast: ”Zeppelin c’t'un cover band”
by Marilis Cardinal“Bring It On Home”, a Willie Dixon song, appears on Led Zeppelin II and was originally recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson in 1963. Zeppelin copied every word and arrangement and made it heavier with an interlude in the middle and took full credit for it before releasing it in 1969.
“Zeppelin c’t'un cover band” is a one-man-show, part lecture, part theatre
performance, about the original blues and folk songs from the 1920’s, 30’s,
40’s, 50’s and 60’s that Led Zeppelin recorded in the 70’s and claimed as
their own.
$9 Regular/Régulier
$7 Students and anybody wearing a Led Zeppelin t-shirt
(all shows at Green Room except for Saturday the 9th)
8 Fri - Ven 18:30
9 Sat - Sam 19:45 @VENUE 8: BAIN ST MICHEL (5300 St Dominique)
9 Sat - Sam 16:00 @CLUB LAMBI
11 Mon - Lun 18:30
13 Wed - Mer 18:30
15 Fri - Ven 18:30
16 Sat - Sam 18:30
(Full Fringe Program here!)
Led Zeppelin loved and was inspired by the great blues artists that preceded them, as were nearly all of the English bands of the late 60’s and 70’s. They made no secret of their love for American blues, often playing medleys of cover songs they loved in concert. Every artist that’s ever lived is influenced by what precedes them. The critical question is, ‘do they take their influences and combined with their own talent and vision create something new and unique?’. In Led Zeppelin’s case the unbiased and honest answer is a resounding YES! They did lift some lyrics that they should have credited. I do not dispute that point. But infinitely more important is the music itself. The songs you are talking about represent a tiny fraction of the magnificent body of original, brilliant and enduring work that Led Zeppelin created. And in fact the small percentage of songs you are referring to were transformed into completely new and much more exciting creatures in the expert and extraordinarily gifted hands of each member of Led Zeppelin. The core of the issue is this, Led Zeppelin incorporated their myriad influences to create a dazzling body of original and enduring music. Go put on any Physical Graffiti and then Willie Dixon and then try to tell me Zeppelin stole his music. This is a bogus charge leveled at Zeppelin, that has been repeatedly explained and discredited by virtually every major music critic in the country. Crap on Zeppelin all you like, it will never change the fact that they are still the most ORIGINAL, popular, and greatest rock band that has ever existed. Deal with it.
Posted on June 9th, 2007 at 1:47 pm [permalink]
Dude. Chill.
Go see the show (remount at MainLine this November)
Nobody’s crappin’ on Zeppelin.
The show comes to the same conclusion, and you get to hear dozens of samples side by side, learn massive Zep trivia, and come to a greater understanding of what they did with their source material in order to make it huger than huge.
Fact remains: they made gazillions off making other folks’ samples awesome. Talk to Buck 65 and Scratch Bastid about what happens you try to do that today…
Posted on November 3rd, 2007 at 5:36 pm [permalink]