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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Disclaimer: I have never been a Led Zepplin fan so do not hold the band sacred. Reading this book has not changed anything. I just like reading books about bands/singers.
I enjoyed this book. I knew very little about them besides they were huge musical favorites with a lot of men I have known in my lifetime and the wild groupie stories. I expected the unflinching writing of the band's story and got it pretty close to what happened in reading this book.
Yes, they were debauched. They screwed underage groupies and treated women poorly. The groupies were all up for this treatment. They admit it in the book. Young girls, hopped up on music and band guys, and making poor choices. It happened then...it still happens now though much more hidden. Led Zepplin just flaunted it. You cannot change the past, only look at it in surprise if you were born distant from it in different times.
There is details about Page's bands before Zepplin and of the recording of Zepplin albums. It had snarky moments when the author would slag off someone he had spoken to for the book. He shreds the Yardbirds this way. It can seem a bit unkind but also adds to the unflinchingness of his approach. He does not fawn.
I am curious about his Beatles biography now so will put that on "hold" at the library.
All together, this book was an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed this book. I knew very little about them besides they were huge musical favorites with a lot of men I have known in my lifetime and the wild groupie stories. I expected the unflinching writing of the band's story and got it pretty close to what happened in reading this book.
Yes, they were debauched. They screwed underage groupies and treated women poorly. The groupies were all up for this treatment. They admit it in the book. Young girls, hopped up on music and band guys, and making poor choices. It happened then...it still happens now though much more hidden. Led Zepplin just flaunted it. You cannot change the past, only look at it in surprise if you were born distant from it in different times.
There is details about Page's bands before Zepplin and of the recording of Zepplin albums. It had snarky moments when the author would slag off someone he had spoken to for the book. He shreds the Yardbirds this way. It can seem a bit unkind but also adds to the unflinchingness of his approach. He does not fawn.
I am curious about his Beatles biography now so will put that on "hold" at the library.
All together, this book was an enjoyable read.
When I was 15-16 years old I developed a love, bordering on obsession with Led Zeppelin in general and Jimmy Page in particular. I loved, loved, loved him above all else (except, maybe, getting high. I mean, come on. It was the 70s and I was 16 years old at a catholic high school in Indiana, give me a break). He was the GOAT and could do no wrong in my eyes. Worshipped the devil? I mean you gotta do what you gotta do, right? Dated 14 year olds? Well, good, maybe that means he would date ME! ha. Did drugs and stumbled around in a stupor? I mean who hasn't? Was interested in the occult and the tarot and astrology? I am scorpio, scorpio rising... bring it.
Now? Maybe not so much.
When I was 16 I would have rated this book 5+++++ stars. I would have memorized half of it by reading it over and over again and gotten a bigger purse so I could carry it around with me. Now, I am old and having read a plethora of rock biographies, I grow weary. Sure, I loathe the superficial type of endorsed rock biography that kind of skims the surface and doesn't get its hands dirty in the muck and mire of the wicked garden of personal pedadillos. Or somehow shows us only the cardboard cutout version of what we know is a larger than life personality. This one, for sure shows us the dirt as well as who was the engineer on what particular album in what particular recording studio or who was backstage at the show at MSG. Everything is here. But, oy and vey, maybe too much friggin dirt, hand me that shovel, yo; I need to plant some seeds in this wicked garden.
As many rock biographies and autobiographies have done to me in the past, my eyes begin to glaze over by the repetition of drugs, concerts, albums, sex, drugs, more drugs, more sex, drugs, rinse, repeat. Here it is the same old same old... the constant taking of drugs, the endless mindless debaucheries, THE CRIMINAL sexual activites, the violence, the drugs, drugs, drugs, drugs, kinda mind and soul numbing, no? I mean how many more times can one say Peter Grant's use of cocaine was WORSE THAN EVER? PRODIGIOUSLY OUT OF CONTROL? I mean how much more out of control can out of control get? It becomes meaningless. Redundant. Also, Do what thou wilt does not mean do what thou wants, Mr. Page. Neither Crowley nor Page had wills strong enough to withstand an addiction to heroin. They both were kind of terrible human beings, sadly. Teenage me cries and cries. Messing around with goetia gonna get to you, you weak willed meat puppets.
Anyway, this is the definitive Led Zeppelin biography. It could have used some more editing, certainly. Clocking in at almost 600 pages isn't really necessary. If you are just a casual fan of the band, maybe skip it. You will hate them after reading this. Long time fans like me will read it, find out nothing new, really, and decide to listen to Physical Grafitti in it's entirety because when was the last time I even thought about that album? It still rocks btw.
Beware all ye who tread the path.
Now? Maybe not so much.
When I was 16 I would have rated this book 5+++++ stars. I would have memorized half of it by reading it over and over again and gotten a bigger purse so I could carry it around with me. Now, I am old and having read a plethora of rock biographies, I grow weary. Sure, I loathe the superficial type of endorsed rock biography that kind of skims the surface and doesn't get its hands dirty in the muck and mire of the wicked garden of personal pedadillos. Or somehow shows us only the cardboard cutout version of what we know is a larger than life personality. This one, for sure shows us the dirt as well as who was the engineer on what particular album in what particular recording studio or who was backstage at the show at MSG. Everything is here. But, oy and vey, maybe too much friggin dirt, hand me that shovel, yo; I need to plant some seeds in this wicked garden.
As many rock biographies and autobiographies have done to me in the past, my eyes begin to glaze over by the repetition of drugs, concerts, albums, sex, drugs, more drugs, more sex, drugs, rinse, repeat. Here it is the same old same old... the constant taking of drugs, the endless mindless debaucheries, THE CRIMINAL sexual activites, the violence, the drugs, drugs, drugs, drugs, kinda mind and soul numbing, no? I mean how many more times can one say Peter Grant's use of cocaine was WORSE THAN EVER? PRODIGIOUSLY OUT OF CONTROL? I mean how much more out of control can out of control get? It becomes meaningless. Redundant. Also, Do what thou wilt does not mean do what thou wants, Mr. Page. Neither Crowley nor Page had wills strong enough to withstand an addiction to heroin. They both were kind of terrible human beings, sadly. Teenage me cries and cries. Messing around with goetia gonna get to you, you weak willed meat puppets.
Anyway, this is the definitive Led Zeppelin biography. It could have used some more editing, certainly. Clocking in at almost 600 pages isn't really necessary. If you are just a casual fan of the band, maybe skip it. You will hate them after reading this. Long time fans like me will read it, find out nothing new, really, and decide to listen to Physical Grafitti in it's entirety because when was the last time I even thought about that album? It still rocks btw.
Beware all ye who tread the path.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
It left out much about the endless lawsuits over stolen songs and didn’t linger much on the abuse of underage girls at the hands of adult men. Still, it was interesting enough, but felt like a white washing of history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse
This book was a bit of a mixed bag, but not because of the author - it's because of the subject matter.
Led Zeppelin was the quintessential rock band of the Seventies - critics hated them, but their fans (mostly teenage boys) loved them.
All the legends about the Led Zeppelin tours seem to be true - and maybe worse. The late Sixties-early Seventies were wide open for bands like Led Zep - and maybe *especially* Led Zep.
You have to get past all the smarmy tales of underage groupies and unlimited drugs and drink, and all the TVs and furniture thrown out hotel windows, to enjoy the talk about the music.
And there's good music to be sure - electric blues, prog bombast, the beginnings of world music.
But then there's the stories about the personalities - the self-doubting golden god (Robert Plant) who is crippled by tragedy; the guitar hero (Jimmy Page) waylaid by his sexual proclivities, exploration of the occult and his eventual heroin habit; ultimate rock drummer (John Bonham) destroyed by drink and drugs; and multi-instrumentalist and, in a way, miscast member (John Paul Jones) who was at times an afterthought. Add to that their grossly obese, violent bully of a manager, and it's a tough tale to tell.
After this book, I'm looking at a couple of these guys a little differently.
Led Zeppelin was the quintessential rock band of the Seventies - critics hated them, but their fans (mostly teenage boys) loved them.
All the legends about the Led Zeppelin tours seem to be true - and maybe worse. The late Sixties-early Seventies were wide open for bands like Led Zep - and maybe *especially* Led Zep.
You have to get past all the smarmy tales of underage groupies and unlimited drugs and drink, and all the TVs and furniture thrown out hotel windows, to enjoy the talk about the music.
And there's good music to be sure - electric blues, prog bombast, the beginnings of world music.
But then there's the stories about the personalities - the self-doubting golden god (Robert Plant) who is crippled by tragedy; the guitar hero (Jimmy Page) waylaid by his sexual proclivities, exploration of the occult and his eventual heroin habit; ultimate rock drummer (John Bonham) destroyed by drink and drugs; and multi-instrumentalist and, in a way, miscast member (John Paul Jones) who was at times an afterthought. Add to that their grossly obese, violent bully of a manager, and it's a tough tale to tell.
After this book, I'm looking at a couple of these guys a little differently.
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Car accident
This was one that I was very excited to read. While I’m not a Zeppelin die-hard, I had a phase in my high school years where I “discovered” their fourth album, and then worked my way through others in their catalog (for me, that meant on to their second album, then to “Houses of the Holy” with a friend in college supplying access to the rest of their catalog).
I'm generally a slow reader, especially for biographies, but this one read very fast. My favorite part of any band history is usually the section that deals with the band coming together and making their first album. That's true here, with the primary focus on Jimmy Page and his time in the Yardbirds and as a session musician. The other three band members don't get quite the same spotlight but by the time the New Yardvirds decide that Led Zeppelin is a better name you feel like you know who everyone is.
The detail around the sessions for each album is fantastic and for me. Spitz captures the feel of each. I tend to listen to albums as I'm reading about them, and each is enhanced by what read in this book. The energy of the first album, the step forward for the second, the oddity that is the third, the masterpiece that is the fourth, etc.
The detail of the tours is also fascinating, but also a bit unsettling. I was well aware of the band's reputation but the detail provided did change my perception of some of these stories quite a bit (some, no doubt, because I have a pre-teenage daughter and some of the more unsavory stories involve the treatment of groupies that aren't much older). It's also interesting how much Zeppelin seems to have influenced two of my favorite movies (”This Is Spinal Tap” and “Almost Famous”).
Overall, a highly recommended and well-written account of the band’s history. I suspect true diehards already know much of this, but there's an emphasis on first-hand accounts rather than some of the legends that are often associated with their history.
I'm generally a slow reader, especially for biographies, but this one read very fast. My favorite part of any band history is usually the section that deals with the band coming together and making their first album. That's true here, with the primary focus on Jimmy Page and his time in the Yardbirds and as a session musician. The other three band members don't get quite the same spotlight but by the time the New Yardvirds decide that Led Zeppelin is a better name you feel like you know who everyone is.
The detail around the sessions for each album is fantastic and for me. Spitz captures the feel of each. I tend to listen to albums as I'm reading about them, and each is enhanced by what read in this book. The energy of the first album, the step forward for the second, the oddity that is the third, the masterpiece that is the fourth, etc.
The detail of the tours is also fascinating, but also a bit unsettling. I was well aware of the band's reputation but the detail provided did change my perception of some of these stories quite a bit (some, no doubt, because I have a pre-teenage daughter and some of the more unsavory stories involve the treatment of groupies that aren't much older). It's also interesting how much Zeppelin seems to have influenced two of my favorite movies (”This Is Spinal Tap” and “Almost Famous”).
Overall, a highly recommended and well-written account of the band’s history. I suspect true diehards already know much of this, but there's an emphasis on first-hand accounts rather than some of the legends that are often associated with their history.
A bit overlong examination of the band with a large portion devoted to Page’s early musical development and of course the band formation. Plant gets a bit of attention as well, but besides Bohnam coming across as a rage-induced-drug machine, most all of them remain character husks, or maybe there wasn’t much to work with. The manager Grant is covered here with a lot of anecdotes and sounded like a genuinely terrible human and all around coke fiend. It is interesting that Page and perhaps Plant have escaped the me-too scythe: it seem well documented that they had numerous under 16 dalliances, moreso than Polanski, and yet they remain unscathed in the public eye for the most part (and free to travel as they please). Maybe Page really did make that deal with the all powerful Satan as we learned in Catholic elementary school.
Wow this was....pretty intense. Not going to be a long review, but what a ride. The book does a near flawless job in telling the roots to rockers history of the band, through all their albums. And everything...and I mean everything in between. I’ll say this, if you love Led Zeppelin, but are fragile to sensitive topics, and don’t want their image ‘tarnished’... or any bad or negative thoughts of them...I’d steer clear. While there’s nothing in here that is on the level of murder or anything like that... The band in the 70’s delves into the world of excess and depravity pretty heavily. My opinions on John Bonham have changed... I love the guy but it can not be mistake that he was a brute. The Spitz keeps the tone of the book as straight as possible, but definitely tells it as it is. They had problems... and the band burned themselves out in ten years. It was fascinating listening to how they went from show to show, feeding off of the vibe. Interestingly the critical reception was always luke warm to negative. Of course the audience and fans notwithstanding. How they were received, is very interesting. From their early days, being associated with music for ‘niggers’ to hard rock. I guess the one complaint I have about the book is that it gets a tad repetitive with the constant concert, hotel bash, think about new album...concert...hotel bash ...etc... that loop is very present towards the middle of the book but for good reason....it’s how it happened. Reading about the death of so many close to them was harrowing and the tragic final day of Bonham’s life... Devastating. Seeing how resolute and certain the band was that Led Zeppelin had to be disbanded was amazing... Like a pact with a higher power, it was just over. And seeing them languish afterwards...really hard to read at times.
I loved the book. It’s tough, it slaps you in the face with some really disgusting acts, it mortalizes these ‘gods’ of mine and makes them very much human, fallible and not perfect models. They made so many mistakes and seemed to lose themselves in the often over the top life style. If you’re Zeppelin fan who’s a realist.... and doesn’t shy away from the depravity and just want the truth...look no further.,
I loved the book. It’s tough, it slaps you in the face with some really disgusting acts, it mortalizes these ‘gods’ of mine and makes them very much human, fallible and not perfect models. They made so many mistakes and seemed to lose themselves in the often over the top life style. If you’re Zeppelin fan who’s a realist.... and doesn’t shy away from the depravity and just want the truth...look no further.,
I was pretty disturbed by the misogynistic sexual content in the book. Should I have expected that? Yes. But this brought my appreciation of the band to an all time low. In a word. Disgusting. I also struggled with the main focus on the technical not the personal. Details about record contracts and secondary characters were of little interest to me given the depth this author described. Disappointing.
fast-paced