January 12, 2014

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
LED ZEPPELIN...Led Zeppelin  (1969)
"Led Zeppelin" was released 45 years ago today in 1969.  It reached number 10 on the U.S. Billboard album charts.  At true classic. This is of course Led Zeppelin’s debut record released in early January 1969. It is widely regarded as marking a significant turning point in the evolution of what we now consider hard rock and heavy metal. To me, it’s actually more like an incredible blending of blues and rock.
“Led Zeppelin 1” (as it is generally called) is an lp consisting of powerful guitar riffs from Jimmy Page with a backdrop of simple, memorable songs belted out by Robert Plant and held together by the pounding drum and bass rhythms of John Bonham and John Paul Jones respectively. There is however an emphasis on subtlety. Not a barrage of guitar fills and a wall of noise, it’s more like a painted masterpiece with subtle shading and textures, filling the music canvas - but leaving spaces that are filled with alternating tempos and multi-layered stereo panning passages.
All of the tracks here could be labeled as ‘stand out’ tracks, and the record plays like a ‘best of’! There is the extended psychedelic blues of "Dazed and Confused," "You Shook Me," and "I Can't Quit You Baby", the acoustic driven "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" which shifts from folk to rock. "Good Times Bad Times" and "How Many More Times" have groovy, bluesy shuffles with the latter turning out into a full blown jam that I dare you to sit still through! Then there’s "Your Time Is Gonna Come", almost what could be considered a anthem rocker with a sing along chorus, and "Communication Breakdown" a balls out wild rocker. And this is their debut record!
The album was very commercially successful. Within two months of its release the album had reached Billboard's Top 10. It stayed on the Billboard chart for 73 weeks and held a 79-week run on the British charts.
In 2003, VH1 named “Led Zeppelin” the 44th greatest album of all time, while Rolling Stone ranked it 29th on the magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
It is HIGHLY recommended.
(CD, vinyl, Allmusic review)

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 12
Charlie Gillingham from the Counting Crows is 54; Rob Zombie of White Zombie is 48; Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine is 44; Dan Haseltine of Jars Of Clay is 41;

ON THIS DATE
1977 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones is fined for possession of cocaine that was found in his vehicle after he had had a car accident in 1976
1993 The Doors, Cream and Creedence Clearwater Revival are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
1995 Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, the Allman Brothers Band and Neil Young are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
1998 Gene Vincent, Carlos Santana, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame
2006 Axl Rose of Guns 'N' Roses sues Beverly Hills Classic Cars alleging that the dealership violated an oral agreement with him by failing to deliver two luxury vehicles
2010 Y Not by Ringo Starr is released
2012 Wes Scantlin of Puddle Of Mudd is arrested in Culver City, California and booked for felony possession and then released after posting the $10,000 bail