What makes this song great
Rick Beato got his hands on a multitrack of Smoke on the Water and dissects it for his Youtube series What Makes This Song Great?
Thanks to Hein B for the heads-up.
![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/glover2.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/morse3.jpg)
Rick Beato got his hands on a multitrack of Smoke on the Water and dissects it for his Youtube series What Makes This Song Great?
Thanks to Hein B for the heads-up.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Rick Beato is the nicest man in the imaginably most American way. I love his stuff. A real Jimmy Stewart of music theory and analysis, open-minded and fair.
https://bookesther.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/jimmy-stewart-magic-town.gif
October 9th, 2023 at 20:57My only gripe, lieber Rick, with your loving and learned analysis of a song (that is often unjustly regarded as banal and simplistic when in fact it is incredibly well-constructed and clever) is that right at the end you enthuse about Little Ian’s flanged hi-hat, but forget to mention that simultaneously Roger switches from pure root note G to root-octave-back-and-forth playing which makes a world of a subtle difference. It is as it ever is: The bass player doesn’t get the girl and is ultimately forgotten, sigh!
My guitar playing, Jimmy Page-adoring son (—> great parental failures) tried to be nice to me once (well, thinking about it, there have been a few more incidents …) and said: “If Blackmore had never played another note other than than those ritardando descending bends at the end of his Smoke of the Water solo, he’d still deserve his place in rock history. That was artful in its immaculate cunningness.”
I kinda liked that.
October 9th, 2023 at 21:43Thanks for posting Rick’s take on the Smoke. I haven’t watched his videos for a while so it was good to see him again. I do like his presentation on the few I watched a few years ago. I should catch up with what he has been up to recently, there may be a few gems in there I have missed. His view on Rush’s Xanadu was excellent as was Bohemian Rhapsody & the Yes classic Roundabout. Cheers.
October 9th, 2023 at 21:49cool. fun. One of my first albums from the early 70’s, and it NEVER gets old. Thank you DP!
October 9th, 2023 at 22:40Yo,
I haven’t watched the review, as there’s no need imo.
Everything about every DP tune is carefully thought-out, arranged, recorded, mixed & mastered. Even the odd, off-the-cuff improvised solos are the best ones selected…
What makes the MH album unique, is the chord sequence used in a few tunes, ( as I’ve discussed a few times already in the past, so I won’t bore you again ) likely taken from the late, great John Coltrane’s revolutionary tune “Giant Steps”, whereby the octave is divided into 3 x equal parts, & the chords played as such, in a downward progression. ( The chords move in Maj-3rd intervals downwards ). SOTW & Never Before have examples of this movement, at least in part.
Peace !
October 9th, 2023 at 23:02@ 2 – “My guitar playing, Jimmy Page-adoring son (—> great parental failures)”
October 10th, 2023 at 07:59Uwe that isn’t a failure. Bravo for enlightenment. An illuminating moment in time. Wonderful to hear. Rubs salt into the wound, ouch! Cheers
Funny enough the only time Robert Plant
October 10th, 2023 at 08:36mentioned Ian Gillan in an interview he only labeled him as a screamer without any regards to his vocal capabilities.
Maybe someone can send him the link to this clip to understand the variation of IG vocal cords.
A big appreciation also to Martin Birch who put everything together to sound great he was always referred to as the sixth member of the band by IG.
Very cool analysis Mr Beato thank you but can you include DP in your top 20 ranking of this and that rating stuff that you do as you don’t seem to rate DP highly enough.
Peace ✌️
@2
October 10th, 2023 at 11:441- 46 ….a slight smile on his face ,says more than a thousand words.
Ah Gregster, good that I can grab a hold of you here (yanks collar …), Rick Beato AGREES WITH ME that the song is in G minor so there!
https://media0.giphy.com/media/FVOU6vzPq3XtNfgA66/giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952ecup1v1qpc0l6rm5pxiusxfccvhqjm9p7liv6w28&ep=v1_internal_gif_by_id&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g
Adel, with all due respect and in full appreciation of
(i) how he had adopted sustainability early on enough to always wear his mum’s hand-me-down blouses on stage in the otherwise wasteful 70ies and
(ii) has moreover selflessly devoted himself to black bluesmen reeiving their royalties for their pivotal input into early Zep’s ouevre (after some legal encouragement of course …),
Robert Anthony Plant, it has to be said, could be a really aloof and arrogant prick as a young man. That comment was inane and in his Led Zep bubble he had probably never given Mk II a conscious listen.
To his defense, as an older man he made amends and even apologized to Jon Lord for some of the things he had said about DP in the past. Jon graciously presenting the Polar Music Prize
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX-4sRG9Jz0&t=2s
to the remaining Zeppies + Zoe Bonham made him rethink things he said later in an interview (also admitting that he had hardly known any of Purple’s music in the 70ies).
https://media.gettyimages.com/id/71008897/de/foto/deep-purples-jon-lord-congratulates-zoe-bonham-daughter-of-late-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham.jpg?s=612×612&w=gi&k=20&c=LM18256Sq2brGaUnIW8DdTvKQF6qSB2tUfArekakjwY=
My guess is that this experience also made him accept Paicey’s invitation to the Sunflower Jam just a few months later.
https://jonlord.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/lord-plant.jpg
You’re forgiven, not forgotten Percy Plant! ; – )
And while we’re at it, you could have taken some logopaedic lessons from “the screamer” so I could have understood your slurred sung mystic hogwash lyrics better!
October 10th, 2023 at 16:31Uwe@9
October 10th, 2023 at 19:04Thanks for bringing up some pure gems.
My love and respect to Jon Lord will never stop growing.
✌️
Please refrain from stabbing your ears with a screwdriver. You have been warned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL88NtWONd4
A true crime against humanity.
October 10th, 2023 at 20:50Seriously, Andres, I’ve heard worse versions. It’s an electronic dance pop variation, does what it says on the tin. And I always like to hear the Italian language sung.
It’s a song that works in a lot of different ways, good compositions tend to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEehwbOx_l8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVOg78QOrE
October 10th, 2023 at 22:19Yo,
Herr Uwe said qt.”Ah Gregster, good that I can grab a hold of you here (yanks collar …), Rick Beato AGREES WITH ME that the song is in G minor, so there”! …
This will get complicated, & there are no real rights or wrongs, simply choices to be played…And IMO, the perspective I share is not only the simplest, but also what the band plays, sings & solos through…
Firstly, by saying that the song is in G-min, indicates to a soloist, that the song is in the Major key of Bb…Bb has 3 x flats within it, Bb, Eb & Ab. *(Notice how these notes also become chords played in the tune, except for the Eb)…You can play this key throughout the riff / verse section, & it will be a perfect fit. Other keys will work almost as well…These keys are F, & Eb…Pick-up your guitar, or any other musical instrument, & play along with the song using any of these keys, & take your pick for preference…
Now, in the Chorus section, the song has technically 2 x KEY CHANGES, & what key is picked, is up to you to decide…For my tastes, & since both IG & RB play / sing an E-natural note, that moves the song into the key of F, & you’ll find that through the start of the chorus’s, this is the perfect-match key to play through, as you sound out the E-natural note, over the C-Major chord…
The issue here is when the song moves to the Ab chord in the chorus, (when “water” is sung) indicating another key-change…So we go back to our original choices once again, that sit easy with the song, as our ears are adjusted to the other notes having already being played, or, for this Ab chord, we could play the Ab Major scale through its duration too…
The point is, we have choices…The chorus has IG singing an E-natural, that brings the song into F-Major, or G-Dorian if you wish using modal names, followed by a short change into Ab Maj., with perhaps the versus best thought of as Bb Ionian, or Eb Lydian works well, since the Bb, Eb, & Ab notes are sounded, as these belong with G-Aeolian, which is Bb-Major scale modes…
RB’s solo is generally based within the G-min pentatonic, & it leaves the Eb & Ab notes well-alone, & are not even played. *A player like Satch, Steve, & likely Simon will lap-these-unplayed-notes-up, & sound them, as its a perfect opportunity to NOT sound like the original solo, & yet enhance the tune by sounding these beautiful chordal & modal notes when needed.
Choices…I’ve only ever really suggested for simplicity, & clarity, that F-Major works well, since IG sings an E-natural in the chorus.
In its most simplest description, the tune is in the key of Bb-Major, with a modulation into F-Major (& Ab-Major) in the chorus.
Play them all, feel their flavour, take your pick !!! (And there are more choices too)…
It is not easy to explain this stuff in a written sense, since the idea is to HEAR the differences & opportunities as the song is played.
Peace !
October 10th, 2023 at 23:37All those so called comments decades ago by those male testosterone driven ego maniacs must be taken wth the slightest exaggeration, sarcasm, attempt at wit or whatever else one may take them in. That’s like saying Blackmore ‘wiping the floor with most guitarists’ or Paice ‘if I see another drummer who’s better than me, I’m going to get him’ are serious comments. All feeding the media driven sensationalism & so called competitiveness that was supposed to have existed between certain bands. The different bands actually got on with each other rather well, even if some members had never crossed paths with others. It is called respect & playing the game even if there was a competing ego clash at times, so what & who cares. It is a circus of sorts anyway isn’t it, a showtime or pantomime even, exit stage left. Oh the drama of it all. Percy is right in some ways, Gillan was a over the top ‘screamer’ far too often back then. A bit like Percy with his oohs & ah’s, come on come on, come on etc etc. Both vocalist have a past that they would possibly rather forget certain aspects of, wouldn’t we think. Cheers.
October 10th, 2023 at 23:48Ian Gillian – Jesus Christ Superstar!
October 11th, 2023 at 00:08Nuff Said!
Smoke-a story and a great jam !
@ 11- not too bad a version all things considered. I did have the volume turned down as soon as I clicked on the link just in case, but then it wasn’t all bad, even if I only lasted until the first chorus. I have heard worse & no doubt Uwe WILL find something from the depths of despair online somewhere, even from an alternate universe, he will NOT be able to resist inflicting extreme misery & even worse than that. Cheers.
October 11th, 2023 at 02:28Even the late great Jaco Pastorius:
October 11th, 2023 at 06:46https://youtu.be/zysBj2VXBfo?t=307
@13 : “Ah Gregster, good that I can grab a hold of you here (yanks collar …), Rick Beato AGREES WITH ME that the song is in G minor so there!”
I remember an interview with either Blackers or Lord around the time of the reunion where they said that one though it was in GMajor and the other GMinor: I guess since they were both playing power chords and so did not play the 3rd then it can be in either key. The solo starts in Gm though according to Mr Beato
October 11th, 2023 at 08:06Andres@11
October 11th, 2023 at 08:06This song should be on the UN’s weapons of mass destruction list.
Peace ✌️
Nice video, I’ve been a deep Purple fan so long I tend to steer away from the Machine Head studio stuff as I’ve heard it so often, but this has prompted me to give the album another blast. Thanks!
As regards Robert Plant and his supposed offhand attitude to Gillan and the Purps, don’t you believe it; living local and drinking in the same pubs I’ve had enough casual conversations with Percy over the years to know he respected their 1970s efforts, and was a fan of Jon especially. He actually went to a 1976 Rainbow gig, and said Bonzo was a big mate of Blackmore’s.
October 11th, 2023 at 11:25Gregster, I don’t profess to be anywhere near your music theory knowledge, but to me a song consisting mostly of G minor and F Major chords and a riff made up of the G minor scale notes G, Bb and C (+ the blue note C# once) is meat & potatoes in the key of G minor.
Now there is also the chorus and that is where it gets interesting: It’s a key change alright. Instrumentally Ritchie INDICATES a C minor (still in the key of G minor then) at its beginning, but he leaves any thirds out and plays a C7 chord – C, G, Bb – to Gillan’s ‘Smooooke on the …’ which would make the following chorus chords G# Major (‘waaaater …’) and G minor (‘a fire in the sky …’) a chord sequence obviously in the key of C minor.
But Gillan does something defying expectations: He doesn’t sing the minor third Eb Ritchie indicates (but doesn’t really play), rather going for the major third, the note E, which hijacks Ritchie’s C-G-Bb 7th chord into major rather than minor territory!
That baffled Jon initially because Ian said in a later interview that Jon told him at one of the formative rehearsals of the song that a minor third should go there, “but you’re singing it wrong, you’re singing a major” (Ian didn’t care either way, he doesn’t really bother with music theory, but liked his E better than the ‘correct’ Eb).
The above ties in with what Matthew writes @18:
“I remember an interview with either Blackers or Lord around the time of the reunion where they said that one though it was in GMajor and the other GMinor: I guess since they were both playing power chords and so did not play the 3rd then it can be in either key.”
I have that recollection too (with some variances) and it was a Jon Lord interview where he said that Ritchie and him had only noticed during the reunion that one of them had understood the C at the beginning of the SOTW chorus as a Major while the other one thought it was minor. And when they corrected it to both of them playing it in unison in either minor or Major (but not each one of them playing something different), “it just didn’t sound right anyore”, so they kept it as is, each one continuing to play his old part in apparent music theory-conflict with what the other guy was playing.
To me, only Gillan’s sung distinct E to a C backing by Ritchie and Jon unsure whether it is minor or Major (Roger is not to blame, he just plays a one note root C at the start of the chorus) gives the vocal melody the haunting quality it has. Ian’s E just doesn’t sound as good over a pure C Major (which Rick Beato chords in the vid as most people do) – and I’ve tried all alternatives (pure C Major, pure C minor, C7 chord without any defining third) myself.
Now that was either really nifty songwriting or just a lucky mistake/coincidence by the three of them, probably the latter!!! ; – )
October 11th, 2023 at 13:58I can’t follow along with half of that music theory. All I know is that Jon told me once, “that note, ‘waaaater’, that was my idea”. 🙂
October 11th, 2023 at 15:47That could all fit. My theory is that Jon heard the C as a Major, Ritchie – by what he played – as a minor note. So maybe Jon played the E in his C chord on the organ when they worked on it and Gillan picked up on that? And unlike “Whole Lotta Love” it even has chord changes, wow!
Anyway, by the sheer intensity of discussion we have here about one (!) chord and one (I) note it is once again amply documented: SOTW is NOT a dumb song without depth.
There’s a parallel to Get It On (Bang A Gong) of T. Rex btw: On that song’s chorus, second chord, when the (bang a) “gong” is sung, 99.9 % of the world population plays a major chord because it seems intuitively and harmonically the right thing to do. Not Marc Bolan though, he played a resounding minor chord and according to Tony Visconti “everyone always gets that wrong, but it makes all the difference in the world if you play it like Marc did”.
October 11th, 2023 at 17:23@12 Uwe: Italian language? That’s spanish…
PS: at least he was arrested by the police, although not because of his “musical” crimes.
https://www.infobae.com/sociedad/policiales/2022/09/23/teto-medina-declaro-en-indagatoria-estoy-preso-y-no-tengo-idea-por-que/
October 11th, 2023 at 22:00LOL, just ran out of an Irish pub in midtown Manhattan for the train as Get It On (Bang a Gong) came on. Interesting reference…
October 11th, 2023 at 22:04I know that some folks think that SOTW is a simple song which has gotten old over time. But there is so much hidden in its “simplicity “, which only true maestros like DP (MKII) could conceive…
For some simple shits and giggles, check out the “Better Call Saul for some Deep Purple” episode. It’s a funny intro to people unfamiliar with the band/song.
Yo,
It’s much easier & better to separate the riff & versus, from the chorus…The guitar solo section differs too, in that the chord F-Maj is sounded…( This is why I generally allured to this key)…
So we have…
Riff = G-min ( or if you rather the Bb major key ).
Verse = G-min ( as above, but moves to an F7 chord briefly ).
Chorus = Key Changes, though it’s the Ab Major chord that really signifies this, as its a Major-3rd movement downwards from the C7 chord.
Solo section = Contains 8-bars that differ from the rest of the tune, where C7 gets 4-bars, & F-Maj gets 4-bars. This is just before RB’s out-of-tempo staccatto picking from the note D down to C, where the main riff has started-up again, & he’s switched back to the rear pick-up…
The point here, is that the song only essentially uses triads in the chord structure (1,3,5), which leaves the tune open to speculation about keys, (particularly if you add the 7th note in there, which are areas we’ve been discussing).
Furthermore, & likely to keep the recording process clearer, RB only ever played the root-note & the 5th note as chords. It’s the 3rd that determines whether a Maj or min chord is played, & since it’s missing, we can only look back at what is played overall throughout the song. And the easiest-to-get-along-with result leaves us in the key of F-Maj, with the riff being in G-Dorian, simply because of IG’s E-natural note that’s sung in the chorus, or if you rather…
“Smoke”= E natural sung, via the chord C7, of which it is the Maj-3rd.
“Water” = Eb sung, via the chord Ab Maj, of which it is the Perfect 5th.
“Fire in the sky” = D natural sung, GT-min chord, of which it is the Perfect 5th.
The 3 x notes sung above through the chords indicate a chromatic movement downwards. This is what makes it special.
Peace !
October 11th, 2023 at 23:20I prefer the 96 remix version by Roger over the original version. The guitar solo on that is in my opinion better then the original version, and their is something that is going on in the background that to this day i have not figured out. I think it could be Jon’s hammond, but not really sure, if anybody knows, please inform me thanks.
October 12th, 2023 at 13:14Mi querido Andres, you estimado cunning linguist, gracias for the public humiliation of outing me as the ignorant idiot I am who can‘t tell Spanish and Italian apart – ouch! 😂🤷🏻😂🤷🏻 Now where can I commit ritual suicide …
To my (limp) defense, I should have listened longer and I like to hear Spanish sung too.
https://youtu.be/SzimletXB7M
Hey, Madrid is my favorite Italian city!
October 12th, 2023 at 13:35@28 Uwe
Cool! Pizza it’s my favourite argentine food 😉
October 13th, 2023 at 02:02Having seen some of his podcasts on youtube and it´s by me official: I donˇt like Beato coz Beato don´t like Purple (how can he if he adores LZ so much). Pfffff!!!
October 13th, 2023 at 02:31But all Yanks like Led Zep, it’s a national disease over there! I think Beato tends to be very fair and measured in his judgments.
Also, Led Zep were a fine band with a meticulous lead guitarist, a light-footed, swinging drummer, a bassist playing great extended keyboard solos and a singer whose lyrics really saw him in a league with Bob Dylan as regards putting cutting edge sociological observations to paper. Now if their guitarist had been sloppy, their drummer heavy-handed, their music devoid of meaningful keyboard improvisation and the singer had stolen lyrical escapism either from Tolkien or old blues artists and squealed “baby, baby, baby” with juice running down his legs all the time, you might have a point, but that is obviously not the case. After all, that band has committed fans even in Australia!
Does anybody remember laughter?
October 13th, 2023 at 05:23@ 30 – I do remember a few years ago Beato having copyright issues with The Eagles & King Crimson to name two, there could be more no doubt. I am not sure if Deep Purple could have been an issue or not, but if so that could be a possible reason he left DP well alone, I am only guessing though. Cheers.
October 13th, 2023 at 05:25Talking Spanish & Flamenco indeed & vocalists supreme & also the guitarists. Bravo.
La Paquera de Jerez what a voice & the other two ladies also. Every now & then I listen & marvel & enjoy. Brilliant performers at the highest level. So much passion, drama, emotion & history. Cheers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKbpjBW3h1c
October 13th, 2023 at 06:00#31
October 13th, 2023 at 13:49PERFECT!
@31…
Yes, LZ fans are all over the wold, even Australia too.
We must remember, that if LZ did not come about, DP may well have been playing around with group & orchestras only…
And dare I say, Black Sabbath would /could have remained “Earth”, a local touring blues band only, (with no Ozzy solo career)…
On the basis that Jimi completely changed the way music ( especially guitar ) can be played, LZ took the horse by the reigns, & set the way for “everyone” also, at the least with the first 4 x albums…
Long live LZ !!!
Peace !
October 14th, 2023 at 00:20it’s very nice talking about the role of Ian Paice and the way he fills the empty spaces.So the comments about Mr.Glover and Mr. Gillan.I have a very simple question.Is the any remarkable song or album from Jimmy Page or Robert Plant worth listening after Led Zeppelin?
October 14th, 2023 at 05:32Ritchie started rainbow with many great songs.Gillan’s first three albums are jazz influenced with great songs and a fantastic drummer…then Mr.universe a little heavy metal and goes forward.Roger Glover produced judas priest and nazareth’s best albums.and Mr.Jon lord. just listen to saraband which I would be never tired of listening.Deep purple is still alive and kickin. but where are page and plant?Believe me I have listened to all their solo works.There’s not even an average song.But there is no doubt that led zeppelin is a great band.
October 14th, 2023 at 10:13Don’t quote me, but I find Robert Plant’s solo stuff mostly valid. Great parts of it are refreshingly un-Zeppelin.
I like the Coverdale Page album and didn’t think The Firm were a catastrophe though they did not fulfill their potential.
Them Crooked Vultures is worth a listen.
Zep’s role as paving the way for DP and BS is inflated in my humble opinion. Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, Mountain, Vanilla Fudge, Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jeff Beck Group (with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood) and Arthur Brown all came before and were just as influential if not more. There is very little similarity between LZ on one and DP or BS on the other hand. Having a singer with a high voice and a guitar hero in your ranks is pretty much it.
I hear a lot more Arthur Brown in early Mk II than LZ:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzHtePuz13U
(Just listen to what happens from 01:48 onwards
and the falsetto third verse, it’s a blueprint for much
of In Rock)
Ian Gillan himself has admitted that Arthur Brown’s expressive and dramatic vocal style was a huge influence on him. I don’t remember him saying that about Percy Plant ever. I also hear a lot more Jack Bruce in young Ian Gillan than Plant.
By the way, ‘Fire’ came out around the time ‘Hush’ was released (Summer of 68) as a single and six months BEFORE the Zep debut hit the shelves. Arthur Brown is often forgotten as a pivotal influence on early Brit heavy rock because he never made it big.
October 14th, 2023 at 15:36There were many great groups and songs before deep purple. Kinks… You really got me.Chicago… 25or6 to4 .Iron butterfly with their 19 years old guitarist… But I want to mention two songs from two unknown bands which I listened when I was just a kid. Hope you like them. https://youtu.be/DQlhACS-L90?si=AQfurzeGAjv4o0gq https://youtu.be/m0RJP3qp65w?si=RRdPrW0ZyG51BbLp
October 14th, 2023 at 18:13I don’t hear any LZ influence in DP & never have. The only ‘influence’ of sorts would be Plant being a front man that Blackmore wanted someone similar too, powerful vocal, up front strong personality etc, otherwise musically nothing to my ears at all. Those 3 British (Sabbath also) bands each stand on their own. Regarding early influences fro DP yes Arthur Brown & Vincent Crane on the Hammond.
October 14th, 2023 at 20:46Also The Nice with Keith Emerson I would put in there, Blackmore usually mentions Emerson & his bands. Jon Lord would have taken note of that style also no doubt. Definitely Vanilla Fudge, Cream, Jeff Beck, Hendrix & even Mountain although I do think more Leslie West as a guitarist. Arthur Brown is still kicking around, he & Hawkwind (Dave Brock) have a connection from the hazey daze. Cheers.
@38…
What DP, LZ & BS had in common, is that they are UK based, & found massive success in the blooming hard rock arena, following no-doubt Cream’s example, who were blown away also by Jimi.
Everyone was blown away by Jimi…
RB is on record / camera stating that through Mk-I DP, when Rod had visions of Hollywood superstardom, he heard Robert Plant singing on the juke-box, & was blown away… That’s when they started looking around for a replacement, & so Mk-II came about, in part, due to Robert Plant, & a direction was discovered to follow-up on.
Thank-you Mr.Plant !
And Tony Iommi & the rest of Black Sabbath are on record stating things like “We’re going to be a heavier band than LZ, heavier, much more heavy” when they heard the first LZ album.
And there’s no doubt a Cream influence in Mountains sublime albums, if only because Felix Pappalardi was a great producer/song-writer/bassist, & just came off producing 3 x Cream albums, along with Jack Bruce’s “Songs for a Tailor” when he went on to sing & play bass with Mountain. And imo, Mountain are / were a “better” band than Cream… More controlled & organized in the live arena, & the song-writing was far more consistent, & of top quality…And “West Bruce & Laing” were even better-again for their short tenure, in the sense that their 2 x studio albums have aged so well, & remain timeless to my ears, even at now 51 odd years old.
Quite a lot of energy & creativity happening back then…Today, sadly, the masses have slowed-down to the dull, low-energy-frequencies of Rap & some Pop.
Peace !
October 14th, 2023 at 23:00@ 31: I can’t stop laughing.
October 16th, 2023 at 16:25Hassan @37: True, the branches sprouting from the DP mothership were always more interesting and varied than what the Led Zep members did after Bonzo’s death. Their solo careers remained in the shadow of the mighty Zeppelin (even Plant – who tried hardest – never escaped Zep as much as DC escaped Purple with WS following their success of 1987). I guess the chemistry between Bonham, Jones, Page & Plant was really a one-off thing that could never be emulated.
Though I still have a soft spot for the Coverdale Page project, it was sad to see that end so abruptly.
October 24th, 2023 at 15:39@ 43 – ” Their solo careers remained in the shadow of the mighty Zeppelin (even Plant – who tried hardest – never escaped Zep as much as DC escaped Purple with WS following their success of 1987). As we know Percy has tried to escape the behemoth that is LZ. He is known globally so much more still to this day. Coverdale nobody knew after Purple except for about half a dozen Brits, one German guy & one Aussie. So I suppose a guy (Coverdale) who was chasing something that the other guy (Plant) already had was inevitable. Cue Coverdale/Page also. Not to worry ole Cov’s hasn’t done too bad I suppose, never to be revered & as popular & clever as Sir Percy, but as you said now he could possibly have his own talk show perhaps? And talk complete & utter bollocks for ever & an eternity. God help us. Cheers.
October 24th, 2023 at 20:55A wankfest of course, but an interesting line-up! ; – )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cic6V2S4Whc
October 26th, 2023 at 14:32