Music Blogs

Celebrity Question: What Does Zeppelin Mean To You?

Posted Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:33pm PST by Lyndsey Parker in Led Zeppelin's Return Flight

To say that Led Zeppelin were influential is like saying chocolate tastes good. Um, duh! But those of you reading this may not know exactly how Zep influenced and inspired the rockers 'n' rollers you love to listen in 2007.

So we rounded up some of today's top Zep-obsessed rock stars to ask them just how Led Zeppelin has shaped their music--and their lives. And these guys were more than happy to speak on the subject--no communication breakdown here!

Read on for what they had to say...

Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters/Nirvana
"To me, Zeppelin were spiritually inspirational. I was going to Catholic school and questioning God, but I believed in Led Zeppelin. I wasn't really buying into this Christianity thing, but I had faith in Led Zeppelin as a spiritual entity. They showed me that human beings could channel this music somehow and that it was coming from somewhere. It wasn't coming from a songbook. It wasn't coming from a producer. It wasn't coming from an instructor. It was coming from somewhere else. Heavy metal would not exist without Led Zeppelin, and if it did, it would suck. Led Zeppelin were more than just a band--they were the perfect combination of the most intense elements: passion and mystery and expertise. A while ago I heard that Led Zeppelin were going to reform--not just Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, but with John Paul Jones too. I'd had this crazy dream since I was a kid that I would play drums for Led Zeppelin, I really thought I could do it. I know every song back to front, inside out. Then I put on Houses Of The Holy and just sat there, thinking there was no way on earth that I could possibly do it. It would be ridiculous to even try. No one has come close to Bonham in the last 25 years. Absolutely no one..."

 

Kid Rock
Fave Zep Song: "Stairway To Heaven"
"It's a rare rock song that has it all, it sparks emotion, has melody, well-written and performed. It also is hard and heavy without a trace of being corny. The thing I love most about Led Zeppelin is their love and respect for American rhythm & blues music and how they incorporated it into their own blend of rock 'n' roll music. Plus I always thought they were tied to Satan somehow and as a kid thought that was cool, dark, and mysterious!!!!"

 

Lenny Kravitz
"Led Zeppelin rocks! That's it. Baddest rock group in the world--always was, always will be."

 

KT Tunstall
"Led Zeppelin are obviously the best rock band ever in the world. The Rolling Stones were good, but Led Zeppelin were so seminal in setting up a lot of other musicians. My favorite song has to be 'Kasmir.' When I first started recognizing who they were I was like, 'YES.' John Bonham all the way through does about three fills, so whoever wants to play air drums, that's the song to do it to."

 

Matchbox Twenty
 "They're probably one of six bands on how to rock, how you're supposed to do this whole rock thing. They were a blues band in the heart of it all. There's no one who listens to Bonham and doesn't want to play drums. 'When The Levee Breaks' is the biggest air drum song. We used to sit on the bus and watch old footage of Zeppelin. The stage presence is all hair and supertight jeans."

 

Wyclef Jean
"The reason why I admire that band is because some of the stuff they used to use to do is like in 3-4 timing. If I could describe Led Zeppelin in a few words it would be 'music theory.' That's an ill band."

 

Shaun Morgan, Seether
Fave Zep Song: "Immigrant Song"
"The drumbeat gets me fired up every time! It's the ultimate 'get ready to party!' song! John Bonham was pure genius."

 

Mike Retondo, Plain White T's
"The riff from 'Black Dog' was one of the first actual riffs I taught myself how to play on guitar. I learned it pretty well, but I don't think I was musically advanced enough to understand the actual rhythm of the song. Come to think of it, I'm still not that advanced."

 

Scott Ian, Anthrax
"No pun intended, but Led Zeppelin is an ongoing presence in my life. Like a benign monolith always in my periphery, always waiting to delight. Their music has been there from my earliest memories all the way through to this actual second (I'm listening to 'The Crunge'). I can't imagine life without them."

 

Josh Todd, Buckcherry
"Led Zeppelin changed the way I approached songwriting. They could go from a simple rock song like 'Communication Breakdown' to an epic that takes you on a musical journey like 'Stairway To Heaven.' They never followed a formula, and every band member had something to offer. That's what's missing in most of the rock 'n' roll today."

 

Ryan McCombs & C.J. Pierce, Drowning Pool
 "Trying to get everyone in our band to agree on the best Led Zeppelin song is like trying to figure out what the best painting was from Da Vinci or what opera from Mozart was the most stunning. They're all genius. Every song from Led Zeppelin is amazing. There's not one bad song. Led Zeppelin, unlike any other rock band of their time, started with a foundation of blues/rock mixed with reggae, country, bluegrass, experimental, and beyond. That's our inspiration. To take your solid core sound and explore mixing other elements into it, thus taking rock music to the next level. Led Zeppelin's music has been truly inspirational to us and we know it will continue to inspire rock music for years to come."

 

Joe Satriani
"Led Zeppelin rules over the Kingdom Of Rock! Each member brought so much talent to the group as players, writers, and arrangers, more than any other rock band I can think of. Together, they made their band's total greater than the sum of its parts. As individuals, they created and defined their own unique styles, all four of them veritable monsters of rock 'n' roll. As a group, they were unmatched as having the most powerful, unified sound with the deepest of grooves. Each album they gave us was wickedly different from the previous one, blazing a new path for all to follow. They were heavy, yet quirky. They rocked with a swing and a swagger. And, the songs, oh my God, the songs! All hail Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham!"

 

Carl Bell, Fuel
"The best rock band ever. Period. End of story. Any questions? Four geniuses and all in one band. Rock stations can play the songs still today and they don't sound out of place. The music is still relevant and timeless. The Beatles, however brilliant, can't say that. The Stones, however brilliant, can't say that." 

 

Dave Buckner, Papa Roach
"My favorite Led Zeppelin song is EVERY Led Zeppelin song. They are at the TOP of my list of all time favorite rock bands. John Bonham basically taught me how to play drums, albeit through the headphones of my walkman, and a cassette tape of Physical Graffiti. If I had to pick one song, however, that song would be "In The Light." There is just something otherworldly about that groove."

 

Josey Scott, Saliva
Fave Zep Song: "When The Levee Breaks"
"'When The Levee Breaks' is the song that most influenced me. John Bohnam was a visionary and a pioneer of the original, fat, hip-hop beat. It changed my life. Led Zeppelin's influence on me was their specific interpretation of blues, with monster hooks and phat-ass beats."

 

Richard Patrick, Filter/Army Of Anyone
"To be honest with you, the stoner kids in high school played 'Stairway To Heaven' to death and nearly ruined the Led Zeppelin experience for me until I was about 25, at which point I discovered the incredible and intricate layers that Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham laid down, and how distinctive yet worldly Led Zeppelin's sound truly is. To me they are the quintessential rock band and it's proven that their music lives forever."

 

Wes Scantlin, Puddle Of Mudd
Fave Zep Song: "Communication Breakdown"
"Their music is sonically all there and timeless."

 

Art Alexakis, Everclear
"When it comes to picking a favorite song by Led Zeppelin...it is all but impossible. Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1970s, they were closer to being a religion than a rock band! So much so, that I named Everclear's greatest hits Ten Years Gone: The Best Of Everclear 1994-2004...an homage to their song 'Ten Years Gone' off of Physical Graffitti. If I had to pick one song, it would have to be 'Dazed And Confused,' since it was the first song I taught myself how to play on guitar! To call Led Zeppelin an influence is an understatement...they are more like a way of life to me."

 

Michael Chislett, The Academy Is...
"'Stairway To Heaven' was one of the first things I ever learned to play on guitar, it was personaly my favorite song, I didn't realize everyone else learned to play it till I saw Wayne's World!"

 

Kevin Cronin, REO Speedwagon
"'Whole Lot Of Love' was the first Zep song I ever heard, and my band worked it up immediately. I may have gotten my initial trip to 'second base' as a result of my interpretation of that panting, sex-grunting, screaming outro...Zeppelin rocks."

 

Mike Portnoy, Dream Theater
"Led Zeppelin are hands-down one of my favorite bands and biggest influences of all time--proven by the Zeppelin IV inner sleeve, Swan Song, and Bonzo symbol tattooed on my right leg! I never got to see them live with my hero John Bonham, but I did have the good fortune of seeing the current lineup perform at the Atlantic Records' 40th Anniversary in 1988, as well as watching Page & Plant each night when Dream Theater played with them several times throughout the summer of 1995. I also had the extreme pleasure of assembling a Zeppelin cover band (Hammer Of The Gods) back in 2003 with my fellow-Zeppaholic Paul Gilbert, which was a bit of a dream come true. Picking a favorite song is so hard as they are ALL such a huge part of every fiber in my body...but I'll go with an obscure track for today's favorite: 'In The Light' from Physical Graffiti. But of course, that'll change tomorrow..."

330 Comments

161. octavio -
where the hell is PEARL JAM as one of the greatest you, mean to tell me pupu roach is better than pj, or dream theater come on read and listen to your music people i understand led zeppelin or reo wahtever speedwagon but the rest fudge get about it, read and listen to music people

162. garyw -
i was in a rock band in the late 60's and we loved led zepplin so we gave it shot to play alot of there songs,we werent that good but we were loud and got into it. we couldnt get anyone to sing like plant,but we got the music down pretty good.my favorite communication breakdown, awsome .

163. Yahoo! Music User -
interesting that all 13 of the respondents/musicians here are boys

164. SheilaS -
Led Zeppelin the name says it all. I have loved this band since I was in high school in the 70's. I cranked the hell out of them then and being on the eve of my 50th B-day I still crank the hell out of them. Got married to Stairway to Heaven instead of tradtional Wedding March and have told my kids that if they don't play Kashmir at my funeral I will come back and haunt them.
Whether they signed in blood or not they rule.

165. Yahoo! Music User -
led zeppelin is the god of rock
thats it
plain and simple

166. tom r -
led zepplin will be rotting in hell. as they worship satan they forget their eternal souls. and i dont care one bit what y'all say

167. Tim & Vanessa -
IN THE LIGHT was tight but I felt the RAIN SONG was the obscure summary of existential love, a glimpse at some fool boy watching a storm hitting the window pane. But that's just me.

168. tom r -
cant stand them

169. Karen -
My favorite song is "Thank You". It says so much and it has a very deep personal meaning to me and my Best Friend. Led Zeppelin has set the bar very high and I don't know if it will ever be raised.

170. marla -
"Since I've Been Loving You" -- listened to Zep in my 20s but fell in love with this song when I saw them perform in 1976. I was pressed against the stage at the feet of Robert Plant and actually thought I would pass out during this number. Bodies and minds can only take so much. Led Zep can overload every circuit you have -- but man, what a rush!

171. Sinny -
Led zep made music that will withstand the test of time, as new generations discover their music. Truely classic.

172. Yahoo! Music User -
It was the range of styles, the construction and arrangement of the songs, it was that rare magic that only comes from perfect harmonic balance. God certainly put them together as no human could have ever orchestrated that perfect of a union of talents. As for only ONE song, I would have to go with "I'm Gonna Crawl" from "In Through the Out Door". It was the culmination, the summation of their talent and experiences. IT was to the end of their career what "Whole Lotta Love" was to their beginning. No one has since ever done the Blues like Zeppelin.

173. Yahoo! Music User -
someone needs to educate the musicians who said this as to what is and is not good music.
if it has a guitar solo, then it is generally really really really really bad music. All these hair bands got better with age but are always overrated.

174. ACE -
Led Zeppelin Rocks! But there the Second Best group to The Beatles. And Yes I know they have way different styles and sounds. My Top 5
Beatles,Zeppelin,Pink Floyd,The Doors,Rolling Stones. 4/5 from the UK.God Bless the Queen !

175. Mark S -
Kashmir and No Quarter. You simply cannot beat the blues blends in these two songs.

176. kevin -
They rock like no other and are timeless. They have not been matched and will be played for long after I depart this journey called life.

177. Whatever... -
I would have to say Ramble On, but that is a tough question...

178. Yahoo! Music User -
Zep is whats make rock an roll they paved the way for all other bands in that era of music, there can only be 1 Led Zepplin.

179. Yahoo! Music User -
music with a purpose

180. mario -
after the beatles...they are the best!
Page:  5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 
Leave Your Comment
You must sign in to leave a comment
Select a Blog Posts
And The Winner Is...
by Paul Grein
27
As Heard On...
by Rebecca Harper, Hulu
46
Chart Watch
by Paul Grein
141
Framed
by John Kordosh
120
GetBack
by Shawn Amos
334
Hip-Hop Media Training
by Billy Johnson, Jr.
222
List Of The Day
by Rob O'Connor
332
Maximum Performance
by Lyndsey Parker
167
Musictoob
by Justin Mathews
185
New This Week
by Dave DiMartino
124
Reality Rocks
by Lyndsey Parker
583
Rock's Backpages
by Philip Norman (1970)
191
Stop The Presses!
by Us Magazine
85
That's Really Week
by Lyndsey Parker
125
The Blender Burner
by Blender Magazine
27
The MOJO Blog
by Steven Jelbert
89
The NME Blog
by Luke Lewis
49
The Spin Blog
by David Marchese
78
The Y! Music Playlist Blog
by Robert of the Radish
516
Video Ga Ga
by Lyndsey Parker
72
Viva NashVegas
by Wendy Geller
59

Music Blog Archives

Del-Fi Records founder Bob Keane dies in LA

AP
Tue Dec 1, 2009 8:28pm PST

AP - He was raw, only played a few songs and had just a couple interesting guitar riffs, but Bob Keane would say later there was just something special about the teenager he would rename Ritchie Valens and turn into one … More »

More Music News