Retro Reviews: Black Sabbath: Heaven and Hell

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 70s and start of the 80s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell (1980)

****

Producer: Martin Birch

Musicians: Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, Geoff Nicholls

Songs: Neon Knights, Children Of The Sea, Lady Evil, Heaven and Hell, Wishing Well, Die Young, Walk Away, Lonely Is The Word

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    After the departure of Ozzy Osbourne from the band within the prior year, there’s been valid questions with how the band could stay relevant in the new decade, but they have retooled a new sound with ex- Rainbow and ex-Elf singer Ronnie James Dio. While Iommi hasn’t mimicking the Van Halen sound, there is a slight change and modernization of his sound. Butler and Ward remain. While Geezer had been the prior lyric writer for the band, Ronnie has taken over the lyrical duties. For a band that had the assumed reputation of somehow being satanic, an idea that was always erroneous as they only tackled the occult a few times. Let’s begin with the title track, an idea that we create our own torment or nirvana. Dio uses metaphor to tackle contemporary issues, and seems to have veered away the fantasy imagery he used with Rainbow.

    The opening track “Neon Knights” is a very strong album opener, a theme about the decadence of nighttime street life. “Children Of The Sea” opens with a classical, chordal guitar movement with vocal before Dio kicks it into high gear with the full band, a number likely about the connection with nature, with a middle section that manages to be fairly dynamic. “Lady Evil” is the closest to an occult number, then again, it could just be about a manipulative woman, nevertheless, it has some incendiary guitar work from Iommi.  The prior mentioned “Heaven and Hell”, an excellent number where the guitars sit back for Dio’s vocals, or add theatrical coloring as it evolves. The track manages several dramatic shifts, and ends with a medieval acoustic movement.

    Side two opens with a nearly pop hard rock number, “Wishing Well”, with some great bass work from Butler. A unique take on a courtship. A pad of synthesizers support Iommi’s guitar on “Die Young” before the full band drives this fast number. This is the closest to Iommi taking a nod to Hendrix with his lead work. Some guitar cordial work and keyboard’s brings up the melody in the middle section before the band shifts into hyperdrive. There’s a heavy swagger to “Walk Away”, another relationship song about a problematic woman. The closer “Lonely Is The Word” is a mid-tempo heavy number, and probably the number that has the most musical surprises. Iommi manages to channel a little of Page’s feel with the soloing, the while keyboards at the resolve builds up a theatrical mood.

    It would be proverbial apples and oranges to compare Dio to Osbourne as they are very different singers. But admittedly Dio has allowed Sabbath to stretch their musical chops more. But also, this Sabbath feels like a different band in some respects. My hunch is that, for most hard rock and heavy metal fans, this will be soon a very important album. 

Retro Reviews: Genesis: A Trick Of The Tail

    I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. This is part three of three. This is a three-part living tribute to Mr. Collins, in light of his growing health issues, and possible RNRHOF attention. 

Genesis – A Trick Of The Tail (1976)

****1/4

Producers: Genesis, David Hentschel

Musicians: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford

Songs and Music: Dance On A Volcano, Entangled, Squonk, Mad Men Moon, Robbery Assault and Battery, Ripples…, A Trick Of The Tail, Los Endos

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    Genesis has launched a new album with a new mission statement, after the departure of singer Peter Gabriel there was a lot of questions and false assumptions, but the band has just proven they can move forward., in spite of the speculation about who would replace Gabriel, the bend decided to stay within and drummer, Phil Collins stepped up for the role as singer. This was a wise decision. Phil had been singing background on prior albums and he had already taken a lead vocal on a prior track. Genesis was always the sum of it’s part and Gabriel was not just the sole visionary for the band, a point I had made before.

    Phil has managed to pull off not only the softer material vocally, but heavier material as well, and this development is quite welcome. There aren’t many singers who could understand the sensibility of Genesis as well as Mr. Collins. But the real focus is on guitars on the album, Steve, Mike, and Tony play a lot of guitar on here, with Banks keyboards acting as coloring on a few numbers. But the line between the keyboards and guitars blend together on various numbers, it all gets a little blurred with that issue.

    Phil’s drumming remains exceptional, only a month earlier the band Brand X had debuted, for any doubters, Phil’s work remains quite high and he is gifted with the skins. Hackett remains one of the marvels of the band, his range is surprising. Bass player, and 2^nd guitarist Rutherford is a key member as a player and writer, and one has the impression that Banks helps to drive the direction of the band. Hentschel’s production is different from John Burns, there’s a different sheen to it. This album is captivating from beginning to end.

    The opener “Dance On A Volcano” is a mission statement with a clever set of time signatures of 7/8, then jumps to different meters, I just point this out to demonstrate how adept Phil is as a player, the main body of the song is powerful instrumentally, the song has a few surprising shifts. “Entangled” takes things down with a dreamy acoustic number, pensive, there’s added coloring for Tony’s keyboards, while the lyrics are a little dark, this is a lovely and rich number. The up-tempo ‘Squonk” is a fantasy, but with some rich 12-string playing, probably one of the more straight forward numbers on the album, but with a memorable and lifting section, you will see it when you hear it. “Mad Men Moon” has a quieter slow burn in the first half, the classic blend of Tony’s string mellotron and Steve’s ambience helps the progression of the number. The life of the tracks section nearly harkens back to “Firth Of Fifth”. Overall, side one is uniformly string, which leaves one guessing if they can manage with the rest, the happy answer is yet. 

     The lively opener of the second half, “Robbery, Assault & Battery” has a playful, complicated, pop sheen, a narrative number that allows Hackett some room, and a little swing with Phil’s drumming. Some good organ work from Tony as well. Rutherford’s bass work is also liberated. “Ripples…” is the other acoustic ballad and the longest number, the chorus has a ascending quality to it. Phil’s instincts as a vocal storyteller might even be better than Gabriel in certain respects. Tony thankfully shifts gears in the second half to keep this compelling, and Hackett offers up some disjointed moods with his playing. This is some well-crafted work. 

    The title track is the most overt pop number on the album and has the greatest Beatles quality, with another vivid narrative that drives it. The closer is self-explanatory, “Los Endos” summarizes several of the main themes of the album, like a closing statement of a Broadway musical, Mike and Steve’s guitars with Tony’s keyboard makes a compelling statement before quotes from “Volcano’ and ‘Squonk’, there’s some impressive percussion work from Collins on this instrumental. Rumor has it that Gabriel visited the sessions and was supportive of what he heard. 

    This album should settle any doubts if Genesis will continue – they will indeed. 

 

Retro Reviews: Neil Diamond: Tap Root Manuscript

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums.

Neil Diamond – Tap Root Manuscript (1970)

****

Producers: Tom Catalano, Neil Diamond

Musicians: Neil Diamond, Al Cassey, David Bennett Cohen, Neil LeVang, Don Peake, Louis Sheldon, Red Rhodes, Randy Cierley, Joe Osborn, Ray Pohlman, Artie Butler, Larry Muhoberac, Marty Paich, Don Randi, Hal Blane, Larry Bunker, Sandra Crouch, Earl Palmer, Gary Coleman,  Gene Estes, Emil Richards, Lee Shamburger, etc…

Songs: Cracklin’ Rosie, Free Life, Coldwater Morning, Done Too Soon, He Ain’t Heavy… He’s My Brother, Childsong, I Am A Lion, Madrigal, Soolaimon, Missa, The African Trilogy, Childsong (Reprise)

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    Songwriter Neil Diamond is a figure who seems suspect to some critical peers and I am not certain why, he had released two solid entries the prior year in 69, Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show, and Touching Me, Touching You. Perhaps it was his prior association with Bang Records as a songwriter for hire, or his association with The Monkees submitting two hit singles for them. Some seem to suggest that Neil is edging a little too close to the sensibility of Las Vegas. There’s a rush to judgment for this musician that seems premature, and this album could be the antidote to such skepticism, this is the song writer who created “Solitary Man, Shilo, Cherry Cherry”, and “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon”, so there’s a certain breath of depth to him rather than just simple platitudes.

    The perennial single “Crackljn’ Rosie” may not quite reach the heights of “Sweet Caroline”, but it holds up well. “Free Life” has a light blues feeling with rich percussion work. “Coldwater Morning” has the feel of a Jimmy Webb number, while also retaining Webb’s ambition. “Done Too Soon” is probably the other potential single, it has a vibrancy with it’s groove. The cover “He Ain’t Heavy… He’s My Brother” is a very moving, spiritually infused ballad. The second half of the album, subtitled The African Trilogy ( A Folk Ballet), is an impressive, if a little uneven group of songs that expresses itself as a fable about a perception of Africa. “Childsong” acts as a Lullaby sung by children and not Diamond himself. “I Am A Lion” is a little silly, gimmick like, but it reminds me of when Frank Sinatra recorded “High Hopes” with a group of children.

    But the next four tracks are truly impressive. The instrumental “Madrigal” uses a number of African instruments and does evoke a youthful mind cinema. “Soolaimon” has become one of the other singles, and features more African percussion and builds into a gospel feel with the Chorus. “Missa” goes even deeper with the African feel with a choir. “African Trilogy” is an instrumental that sort of rephrases various themes of the movement. The Reprise of “Childsong” seems to just reinforce that idea of this being a fable. Most western musicians have leaned so heavily into the use of Indian or Asian music, that it is refreshing to see a young composer tap into the flavor of regional Africa, and while some might complain about the appropriation of that culture, it is a bold step for Mr. Diamond to take. He’s willing to gamble, and while a small percentage of this may not fully work, it makes for a compelling listen. All of the material is well crafted - this is worth a listen.

Retro Reviews: The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums.

The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

*****

Producer: George Martin

Musicians: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and many more.

Songs: (American edition) Magical Mystery Tour, The Fool On The Hill, Flying, Blue Jay Way, Your Mother Should Know, I Am The Walrus, Hello Goodbye, Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, Baby, You’re A Rich Man, All You Need Is Love

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Following up earlier in the year with the release of the seminal Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a new Beatles album has come out that is a tie-in to an odd, surreal movie for Television. The UK issue was an E.P. of the first side in a different running order, The US version includes all of the important singles released for the year. I haven’t seen the TV movie so I can’t comment, but I have heard it’s rather odd, the quality of the album with production by Mr. Martin, and engineered by Geoff Emerick is equal to the quality of the Sgt. Pepper material, but it is still something new here, not a repeat. What is striking for me, objectively, is how introspective the whole album feels especially the first half. I don’t not know if that was by design or a mere accident, but it does place you in a certain mood. Setting aside the psychedelic trappings that many in the counterculture will embrace, their growth as composers is still surprising and invigorating. The packaging features a comic book telling of the television film.

    The opening title track is the most vibrant and set’s up the tone for a road-based carnival barker, experience, yet the ride out has some jazz piano that ends with a cryptic feel. Paul’s ballad “The Fool On The Hill” has a reflective, child like coloring due to the flute arrangement. The band instrumental “Flying” has a blues based whimsy to it. George’s “Blue Jay Way” has a somber feel to it with an unsettling quality. Paul’s “Your Mother Should Know” has a self-aware music hall quality to the proceedings, sort of his take off on “Sixty-Four”. John’s “I Am The Walrus” is one of his most musical and lyrically complicated numbers and Mr. Martin just about outdoes himself with the orchestral track.

    When it comes to the second side of proverbial singles, I don’t know what else to be added. That introspection is even reinforced in the second half. Paul’s “Hello, Goodbye” has that playful string quartet, a song about duality. John’s “Strawberry Fields Forever” is already profound in its self-aware meaning. The first verse remains the most direct, while the rest of the lines play on surrealism, the blending of rock, orchestration, exotic timbers will have a significant impact for years. Then there's the mellotron, a tape looped keyboard that is already allowing musicians a new freedom, the development is similar to the way the B-3 Organ liberated certain types of players. Paul’s “Penny Lane” isn’t any less profound in its child remembrance and reflection, while the pianos and orchestration dance around each other. “Baby, You’re A Rich Man” brings things down a little with a relaxed, playful feel and an instrument that I assume is the mellotron again. John’s profound “All You Need Is Love” is a dazzling execution of backing and orchestration, and already embraced by the counterculture, but I think the lyric may be getting misunderstood, it is more than just about loving your neighbor or brother, his point is about self-acceptance, you can’t love others until you love yourself.

    Let me speak about the band’s use of Orchestrations, it isn’t used for mere ornamentation, the use of strings, woodwinds, horns and exotic instruments enhances the framework of the songs. Their tactics are very different from when Buddy Holly used strings and a saxophone on “True Love Ways” or just look at the string orchestrations of Roy Orbison. Often the use of Orchestration is done in an off kilter or unsettling way, there’s always a wrinkle to it. This team knows what they are doing and why it is likely that this material may transcend the era it exists in. The Beatles exist in a rarified space compared to their peers. It will be interesting what direction they go into next year. There’s almost nothing to complain about with this album once you understand it’s stated aim; the band carries the mantle well of a band that represents the best their peers have to offer. 

Retro Reviews: Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame

    I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. Some of the albums reviewed are lesser known titles.

Mahavishnu Orchestra – The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)

****1/2

Producer: John McLaughlin

Musicians: John McLaughin, Rick Laird, Billy Cobham, Jan Hammer, Jerry Goodman

Music: Meeting Of The Spirits, Dawn, The Noonward Race, A Lotus On Irish Streams, Vital Transformation, The Dance Of Maya, You Know You Know, Awakening

Review By Matthew Anthony Allair

    After Mr. McLaughlin has enjoyed a nearly two year association with Miles Davis’s band, he’s decided to branch out. A man who has followed Indian culture, and a practitioner of Sri Chinmoy, his spiritual faith has become a component of his work and approach - the faith aspect will become important in a moment. Unlike John Coltrane’s spiritual faith which lead to the more abstract free jazz approach in the later half if his life. Mr. McLaughlin’s approach is more structured and focused, and his new band is building a new subgenre that will appeal to many rock fans. The path towards the fusion trend has been happening for awhile now. This album may be the apex of that direction.

    To say that John’s lead guitar work is incendiary would be an understatement: but he has put together a team that is equal to his skill and talent. Billy Cobham has been on the scene for awhile now, including stints with Miles, and his ferocity as a drummer is just about unmatched. Keyboardist Jan Hammer is a phenomenal new talent, and he keeps this material interesting and alive. Violinist Jerry Goodman is on par with the rest of the band, there’s some breathtaking moments. Bassist Rick Laird is another solid asset to the ensemble. This band is an important new step as demonstrated by the material.

    The mystery of the opening chords on “Meeting Of The Spirits” sets up the template, and a complex chord and rhythm pattern allows Goodman and McLaughlin free reign. John’s dexterity from the outset is unmatched, which switches to a slower melodic moment before the intensity resumes. Things scale back with the moody groove of “Dawn”, there’s a yearning introspection as McLaughlin and Goodman play in unison in the opener. John’s fire comes through as it progresses with the tempo shifts. It quiets down as it ends. There’s a heavy funk aspect to John’s playing on “The Noonward Race”, there’s a processed effect on Goodman’s playing. Hammer’s electric piano solo has another electronic texture at times that gives it an unreal element. Things are brought down with the lovely “A Lotus On Irish Streams” with some nice acoustic piano, acoustic guitar and violin interplay, a needed shift after the intensity of the prior tracks. Goodman’s violin has an Asian or Indian feel with the approach.

    Regarding the second half, Billy Cobham is allowed to be showcased at the opening of “Vital Transformation”, there’s a juxtaposition between the groove and the musical longing. Hammer’s organ ambiance takes on an unearthly, cosmic quality. The ominous chords set the mood for “The Dance Of Maya” with some great interplay with Cobham. It all shifts into a classic, and playful, blues shuffle in the last half. It becomes self-evident with further listening that McLaughlin may rival several rock players as you dig deeper into the album. “You Know You Know” opens with an introspective quality, basically a dark blues number. Hammer is allowed another showcase on the track as well as Cobham, a gradual slow burn. To say the least with the fiery “Awakening”, the band is at full throttle.

    Similar to the spirituality of Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” and “Meditations”, McLaughlin’s approach shares the same unsettled searching for a connection of a deity, but he has put on his own stamp, and there’s simply some exhilarating playing throughout from everyone else on this album. There's more than one way to seek something greater than yourself. Recommended.

Retro Reviews: Neil Young: After The Gold Rush

    I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Neil Young: After The Gold Rush (1970)

**** ½

Producers: Neil Young, David Briggs, Kendall Pacios

Musicians: Neil Young, Danny Whitten, Nils Lofgren, Jack Nitzsche, Billy Talbot, Greg Reeves, Ralph Molina, Bill Petersen, Steven Stills

Songs: Tell Me Why, After The Gold Rush, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Southern Man, ‘Till the Morning Comes, Oh Lonesome Me, Don’t Let It Bring You Down, Birds, When You Dance I Can Really Love, I Believe in You, Cripple Creek Ferry

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    After the demise of the seminal Buffalo Springfield, Neil went off and marched to the beat of his own drum with his 1968 debut with Jack Nitzsche, and last year put out the phenomenal second album with Crazy Horse, an album that blended heavy garage rock with rich harmonies. The new album is a bridge to what he has done before, and a step forward. I am amazed at my peers that are critical of this one. When Neil plays the piano pieces, there’s a delicacy present, and yet he can also be rough the tumble with an electric. This album coincides with the launch of the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Déjà Vu album and seems to reflect another side of him.

    The opening track, “Tell Me Why” has a little of that CSNY sensibility in the vocals, the pensive, yet bouncy country flavor sets the tone. His first piano ballad, “After The Gold Rush” is an astonishing piece the blends a narrative of the past and future with a tasteful flugelhorn not out of place on a Beatles record. “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” is another ballad with a lifting chorus. The dramatic, “Southern Man” is the first true, mid-tempo rocker and a scathing critique of American’s history. The brief and whimsical “Till The Morning Comes” is as about as pop ass you can expect him to get. The only cover not written by Neil is “Oh, Lonesome Me”, a folky blues with harmonica.

    The dark and pensive “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” is another slower tempo number that helps to reveal other layers to the man. “Birds” is another piano ballad played by Neil that makes one suspect he’s been listening to Joni Mitchell, at least in capturing the bravery of her writing. Crazy Horse feels like it was truly brought back for “When You Dance I Can Really Love”, another great number and Nitzsche’s piano can be felt. The same is true with “I Believe In You” a track peppered with vibes and extra piano by Neil. The brief “Cripple Creek Ferry” brings things to a satisfying close. The Whitten, Talbot, and Molina line up is magical, But Nils Lofgren and Reeves are strong players. Nitzsche's brief presence is self-evident. If people expect Neil to stay static, they need to break that expectation and I say this to my peers. As the adage states, ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’, Neil Young is going to keep moving, dear reader. Man, I love him for that. 

Queen II (1974)

Queen: The Road to the Rhapsody

Essay and Review By Matthew Anthony Allair

Personal Connection

Queen, like Led Zeppelin, is another band that has become synonymous with my past, and the impact of Queen crept up on me after not really knowing what to make of them at first listen. I suspect that’s the case for a lot of rock fans. I remember that my first exposure came out of picking up the Elektra Records American edition of “Greatest Hits (1981)” around early 1983, while still living in Rohnert Park. I had heard “We Will Rock You” and “Another One Bites The Dust,” which was ubiquitously on the radio at the time. Following “Dust,” I heard “Bohemian Rhapsody” for the first time, sandwiched between “Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and I didn’t really know what to make of this cod-opera, or other tracks like “Somebody To Love,” nor “Fat-Bottomed Girls.” I just found it fascinating that a band could embody all forms of music, and at such extremes. I kept picking up vinyl editions of the mid–period records, and I remember all too well that Queen became extremely unfashionable in the States by the mid-eighties, to such a degree I assumed most of my high school friends weren’t into them.

Of course, with their catalogue out of print in the states, I couldn’t pick up the CDs until I found the UK CD imports around 1989 or 1990. It was at this point I discovered Queen II. Being familiar with their mid-seventies period, the guitars and vocals were familiar territory, but I was astonished by the rich details to be found on Queen II. It is an album that is hard to digest at first listen because there is so much going on. Most hard core Queen fans will cite Sheer Heart Attack as an all time favorite, and rightly so, but I do feel an argument could be made for a tie between these albums. I have read a great number of accounts of musicians from 70s punk bands that closely listened to Queen, and harbored a lot of respect for them. This factor might surprise some, while it could be easier to digest the idea of Metal and Thrash Metal players that cite Brian May as an influence, than to think that Steve Jones could be influenced by Queen. Yet one simple explanation could be a certain DIY – Do It Yourself spirit that embodied the band, as well as the Outré gay connotation.

So, what do I mean by the term DYI in relation to Queen? Simply that Queen II was a revelation through the means of which certain tonal colors were suggested by May’s guitar, or Freddie’s, Brian’s, and Roger’s vocals. The fact that they could mimic the feeling of a horn section, string quartet, or various choirs while remaining self-contained. Notwithstanding their willingness to not depend on managers or promoters, controlling their publishing, owning the rights to their recordings, and skirting around the music press to find their own following.

The History

Historically, in the 50s with Buddy Holly opening up his songwriting palate with using strings, or the bulk of the bands by the mid 60s using outside musicians and orchestras to texture their recordings, the medium of guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards didn’t suffice for the songwriter and listener. The Beatles and the Stones had taken the use of outside orchestral musicians to the next level, while retaining the musical edge, so much so that the vast majority of bands would imitate them through the late 60s and the start of the 70s. While the use of a Synthesizer, upon its advent, was one alternative, such technology was crude and limited in emotion. Queen found ways to create new tonal colors that still felt fairly organic. They proved an idea that a self-contained unit could be all that was needed. The critics, when they complained about the band being self-indulgent, completely missed the point; there was a means to an end.

Queen’s origin could be traced to the late 60s, when Brian May and drummer Roger Meadows Taylor fronted a power trio with bassist and vocalist Tim Staffell called Smile. Staffell introduced May to his college flatmate Fred Bulsara in 1969. Staffell has commented: “Freddie was the most reasonable, decent, accepting guy, but when he saw Smile in action, it turned out that he had many flamboyant ideas on how we should look, act, and play – and no qualms about telling us in detail.” Freddie was already in the midst of playing or having played in several bands at this early stage, Wreckage, Ibex, and Sour Milk Sea. Tim Staffell would throw in the towel by 1970 and disband Smile, commenting in 2005, “I was not happy with our more contrived rhythms. We did a version of ‘If I Were A Carpenter’ [in a fractured rhythm] a bit like Vanilla Fudge. It didn’t swing.” In spite of the fact that Smile had managed to record a single for Mercury records, “Earth,” as well an early version of “Doin’ All Right” that would appear on the Queen album. May and Bulsara bonded on their mutual love for Jimi Hendrix, and Freddie and Roger discovering they shared a entrepreneurial streak, rented a Kensington Market stall, which they would continue until the band began to break. When Smile disbanded, as Brian had observed, “Roger and I gave up completely, and that was when Freddie became the driving force. He told us we could do it.”

Freddie suggested the name Queen, changed his name from Bulsara to Mercury, and they began getting gigs, going through three bass players before finding John Deacon in 1971. The band managed in autumn of 1971 an arrangement for free studio time at De Lane Studios. Outside Producer John Anthony and Trident Productions staffer Roy Thomas Baker dropped by the studio, heard some tracks, and set the band up with their bosses Norman and Barry Sheffield, who signed exclusive contracts with Queen in November of 1972 with Trident. But getting the band a major label deal wasn’t as easy as the music press would have you believe. Brian May saw David Bowie at the Rainbow during this period, and he felt his band had missed their moment: “I thought he’s done it. He’s made his mark, and we’re still struggling. It was incredibly frustrating.”

To digress, something should be said about the comparisons between Bowie’s guitarist Mick Ronson and May. While the use of guitar harmonies was nothing new, and while Ronson had a similar warm tone, and employed the use of guitar harmonies, especially on Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” (1970), May took the use of multi-tracked guitar harmonization to a sophisticated level with three and four part harmonies, counterpoint, call and response, and stacked harmony techniques, at best described as falling dominoes--notes that overlap. Of course, we should also note the fact that May custom built his Red Special guitar as a teen. While commonplace today for guitarists, it was unheard of at the time. His choice of amps added to the distinct sound, his use of the Vox AC-30 amp delivered a rounder and warm tone, and furthermore the added use of the Deaky Amp, a transistor amp with a modified treble booster, would give an extra bite to his harmonies, as well as a horn-like quality. As a result, May’s sound was warmer and less grating to the listener.

Jack Nelson, who had been working with the Sheffields and Trident Productions to land Queen a recording contract recalled: “It took me over a year to get Queen a deal, and everybody turned them down, I mean everyone. I won’t name names as some of those people turned out to be my best friends and I don’t want to tarnish their reputations! But they know who they are, every one of them.” During the down period, Producer Robin Cable was experimenting with an old Beach Boy’s song, “I Can Hear Music,” in which Freddie sang lead, and Brian contributed a guitar break. The track eventually was released under the name Larry Lurex. It went nowhere, but became highly sought after once Queen broke. The band developed their vocal harmonies during this period, which Brian described thus: “Freddie has this sharp, crystal, incisive tone. Roger is husky and raw and I have a sort of roundness. Put them together and it sounds…big.” Queen signed with EMI in April 1973, and their first album was released in July.

What Came Before

While fans tend to rave about Queen, I tend to find it a little bit uneven. It sounds like a band full of promise that hasn’t been fully realized yet. While there’s no doubt that the first half of the album features some great tracks – “Keep Yourself Alive,” “Doin’ All Right,” “Great King Rat,” “My Fairy King,” “Liar,” and “The Night Comes Down,” the album sort of falls apart with sub par material with the final grouping. Roger’s “Modern Times Rock N’ Roll,” while a prototype for the fast tempos of Punk and speed metal, is merely a commendable first-time song writing effort. Brian’s “Son and Daughter” feels too self consciously like a Black Sabbath nod. Freddie’s “Jesus” is probably one of the weakest songs in the Queen catalogue; it is too generically imitative of other songs that were following the ‘Jesus rock’ bandwagon of the early seventies. Ironically, the unreleased track, “Mad The Swine”, touches on similar territory and is move inventive and imaginative take on the Christian theme. The closing instrumental, “Seven Seas of Rhye” is really nothing more than a musical vignette. The album at the time hardly got much notice, and the band faced accusations of hype in the pages of Creem and NME.

The Album

Yet surprisingly, EMI and Trident decided to put the band back into the studio by August to record the follow-up. Some examples of the band’s dilemma could been seen, while Queen were asked to open for Mott The Hoople in October 1973 to great reaction. Their first tour of Australia in January 1974 was a disaster, when the band insisted on bringing their own lighting rig. Local Australian bands and promoters resented losing work, and refused to co-operate. A DJ hosting the open-air festival in Sunbury actually talked the audience out of Queen’s encore. In spite of this, Queen was about to release their second album and a real benchmark in establishing many aspects of their sound. Ian Hunter, whose band Mott The Hoople toured with Queen in 1974 observed:

“Freddie attracted characters. He was probably a little needy but he always gave the appearance of sheer confidence, and the band needed that. Fred, though, couldn’t understand why Queen weren’t huge immediately. When Queen toured with us in America, I remember Fred marching up and down, saying ‘Why don’t these silly bastards get it?’ America wasn’t like England, you had to tour there a few times.” 

The band presented themselves almost from the outset as a stadium or Arena band, even when they were playing theatres, and almost through sheer force of will became a Stadium band in a short space of time, and this self-belief was bound to create misunderstanding. While Led Zeppelin used the idiom of American blues as a template to reinvent and move that idiom forward, by contrast, Queen were using the idiom of Classical European to move rock forward while offering many of the same theatrical elements used by many prior bands. The Queen album had hinted at this, but Queen II made it more explicit.

Roy Thomas Baker had recalled about the making of the album:

“We decided Queen II was the kitchen-sink album. They were coming up with millions of ideas, the White and Black side, the magic aspect – Freddie took me to Tate to see the Richard Dadd painting The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke which one of the songs was based on...Freddie told me, ‘Anything you want to try, throw it in.’” 

Brain May had further acknowledged: “We went to town, We said, ‘Right, we’re going to paint our pictures now. We got the overdriven guitars, we built textures.’ Queen II was the emotional music we always wanted to play. It fulfilled all of our dreams.” The album did demonstrate an astonishing and sophisticated range for the theatrical rock record. Side one, the white side, featured songs written by May and Taylor, and side two, the black side, featured songs exclusively penned by Mercury. But bear in mind that the writing collaboration might have over-lapped. While Mercury had argued that ‘whoever wrote the lyrics had effectively written the song,’ May and Taylor probably had a hand in developing and refining some of Mercury’s tracks.

This startling musical development could be heard in the first track, “Procession,” a layered guitar piece that demonstrated May’s sound classical composing skill, with guitars that approximated horns, flugelhorns, and strings, aided by the clever use of a volume pedal, and driven by a propulsive heart beat tempo. A descending keyboard line segues into the heavy anthem “Father to Son,” whose bombast in the opening chords announced a fuller sound, featured some astonishing lead guitar work by May in the middle breakdown, followed by a great loud to quiet contrast with Freddie’s vocal and piano. A clever sliding harmony eases into “White Queen (As It Began).”


This is probably one of the most self-conscious tracks that seems to imitate the feel of Zeppelin’s "Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You," yet redeems through Brian’s strong classically influenced composing choices, again demonstrating some wonderful quiet to loud dynamics. The next two tracks are probably the weakest on the album. Brian’s "Some Day One Day" begins with a lot of promise, but ends up feeling like half a song, saved through clever productions textures. Roger’s “The Loser In The End,” a plea for parental understanding, shows Roger’s promise as a writer, and is redeemed again by its clever production. Following in the tradition of the drum opening of “Liar” from the first album, the track opens with an impressive drum pattern. It’s possible that Roger contributed some guitar on the track, as he is an adept multi-instrumentalist in his own right with guitar, bass, and keyboards on future tracks. The nasal guitar featured on the center stereo field might have been Roger. Of course, Roger would soon go on offer to such great tracks like “Tenement Funster, I’m In Love With My Car,” and “Sheer Heart Attack” and he would eventually pen such eighties hits as “Radio Ga Ga,” and “A Kind of Magic”.


Freddie’s “Ogre Battle” opens the black side. White noise pulls the listener into the inventive use of backwards rhythm tracks that surge into some spry guitar, bass, and drum work by the band. The track is a precursor to riff-based speed metal, and something not out of place in early Metallica. A fast click tempo and harpsichord riff segues into one of the most fascinating tracks, “The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke.” Mercury in a mid seventies interview made an interesting observation:

“The whole band is very particular. We don’t go in for half measures and I’m very hard with myself. There’re no compromises. If I thought a song wasn’t quite right, I’d discard it. I’m very intricate and delicate. You can see that in my paintings. I love painters like Richard Dadd, Mucha and Dali, and I love Arthur Rackman.” 

The inspiration behind the Richard Dadd painting is revealing. For anyone who had bought into the late seventies image that Mercury had cultivated for himself, as a flamboyant and shallow figure, his interests demonstrated a far more intelligent person, and in spite of Mercury’s insistence in future interviews, that his songs were frivolous, fun and had no meaning, this off-handedness seemed like a disarming mechanism. The one thing that remained true was a tongue-in-check humor that seemed intended to keep things in perspective. Mercury always understood the importance of mystique, and how critics could cultivate, in musicians, a kind of self-importance and unhealthy deification. The Dadd painting itself is rather fascinating to explore. Mercury himself was an adept sketch artist in his own right.



The image has been altered to highlight the details of this work.



A Mercury sketch of another icon, under his non-de-plume Ponce.

The track smoothly transitions into the lovely piano ballad, “Nevermore” which is demonstrated in this BBC session:

In a lot of respects, “March of the Black Queen” is the most fascinating and slightly problematic of the tracks. “March” acts as the precursor to “Bohemian Rhapsody” and shares several structural similarities. Both are long, episodic, with great emotional shifts; both feature ensemble characters that comment on the main character. Both tracks seem to be frivolous, but in fact may be more profound than assumed. The opening line seems to be directed at a person, which could be a lover, or perhaps it could be a more veiled comment. The second verse after the first chorus has always been a little problematic:

Put them in the cellar with the naughty boys / A little nigger sugar then a rub-a-dub-a baby oil
Black on, black off every finger nail and toe / We’ve only begun – begun
Make this, make that, keep making all that noise / March of the black queen
Now I’ve got a belly full / You can be my sugar-baby, You can be my honey-chile, yes

The word ‘Nigger’ is problematic, but it could be referring to ‘black sugar.’ The lines are probably in character of the Queen, a tyrant who controls Nubian slaves. Freddie might have seen himself in the role as the Queen. The ‘black on every finger nail and toe’ might have been directed at early fans who were already imitating the visual style of the band. I’m not really convinced there was a racist intent. Randy Newman would often write ‘in character’ and would be largely misunderstood when he was commenting on bigotry.

During the more reflective verse is an interesting set of lines:

Everything you do bears a will and a why and a wherefore / A little bit of love and joy
In each and every soul lies a man and very soon / He’ll deceive and discover
But even til the end of his life / he’ll bring a little love.

The queen continues to be boastful while her subjects plead. Then follows these lines

Walking true to style / She’s vulgar, ‘buse and vile
Fie-fo the Black Queen tattoos all her pies / She boils and she bakes,
and she never dots her “I’s”

This could be a reference to the wicked witch of Hansel and Gretel as a device to reveal the character. The song could be a jumble of references; in part it could be a veiled comment on manager Norman Sheffield who would soon plague the band with royalty problems. Perhaps even at this early stage, Mercury has already growing mistrustful of their management. There was already evidence that band wasn’t happy with the poor promotion of their first album. Another theory is that this song, along with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” was an elaborate ruse in lyric to deal with Freddie’s budding bisexuality / homosexuality, and that Freddie’s relationship with girlfriend Mary Austin was doomed to fail. The Zoroastrian faith seems to frown on homosexual behavior, yet is indifferent about the issue. Freddie’s parents were devout Zoroastrians and he probably was careful around discussing his private life with them. Such conflicting emotions might have played themselves out in his songs.

The interplay between Brain’s lead and Freddie’s piano often felt symbiotic. One classic move could be found with Brian’s dueling wah guitars (2:09-2:44), and then some very sympathetic interplay between the piano and guitar that harkens to the end of “Bohemian Rhapsody” (5:30-6:04). The piano and guitar often complimented themselves very well on numerous Queen tracks throughout their career. This shifts to the euphoric final section that segues into the next track. Is this last verse in character with the Black Queen? Or a catharsis to escape reality?

Forget your singalongs and your lullabies / Surrender to the city of the fireflies
Dance with the devil in beat with the band / To hell with all of you hand-in-hand
But now it’s time to be gone – forever

This surges into the most overt Phil Spector influenced track, “Funny How Love Is,” with its dense sea of delay, and modulating keys, even featuring castanets by Roy Thomas Baker. Then we close with the album’s perennial single “Seven Seas of Rhye,” a track that plays with the mythological / magic aspect. Mercury, already having donned the name of the Greek deity, played the role of a boastful God. One of the criticisms behind “Keep Yourself Alive” was that the guitar intro took long. An octave piano riff is met with a guitar fanfare and we surge into the track which runs a concise 2:50 and fades out with the English music hall song, “I do like to be beside the seaside,” originally written in 1907. The origin of Rhye is interesting as it is referenced in a number of Mercury songs, “My Fairy King” and “Lily Of The Valley.” Mercury claimed Rhye was a fantasy world he created as a child, and would invent tales he’d tell to his sister when they were young.

Something should be said about Mick Rock’s cover, the image ended up being as iconic as Robert Freeman’s Beatles shoot for With The Beatles.

Mick has commented that Bowie’s co-producer Ken Scott, had set up a meeting with the band: “I’d not heard of this band Ken was talking about but he said they had heard of me through my pictures of Bowie and Lou Reed. It would have been rude of me not to check them out. They were garrulous, so very sure of themselves, like a swarm of bees around me. They played me Queen II, and from then on I knew they were something special.” Rock has described designing the cover in January 1974. “I had this picture of Marlene Dietrich on the Shanghai Express movie set. It was fabulous and it was the first time I’d ever been inspired by another photo. Freddie got it immediately and jumped at the chance of playing Marlene.”

The story of the album isn’t complete without citing the ‘B’ side – “See What A Fool I’ve Been.” There was a more straight read of this blues number during a BBC radio session from 1973. The studio track from 1974 seems to be more of a campy piss take on the British blues that was prevalent in the 60s, and Mercury almost seems to be channeling Tim Curry in his read. Rocky Horror had already debuted in the UK at the Royal Court Theatre in 1973. Hypothetically, Mercury and the band might have already been aware of the show when this was cut. The “B” side is indeed unique as the band usually eschewed the blues genre, and even when the band dabbled in this direction, they would cleverly play around with the structure.

Nineteen seventy-four would be a highly productive year for the band. In-between a tour, the band would record and release their third album, Sheer Heart Attack by the end of the year. Amazing when you consider the medical setbacks that faced Brian May in mid ‘74. That album was the harbinger for two precedents; the “Killer Queen” single would begin a streak of hits for the band, and John Deacon would begin to contribute songs, which would lead to each member contributing hit singles for the band, another rare feat on par with The Beatles.

The impact

While Queen, like many progressive bands, would continue to craft cohesive albums, they excelled as a great singles band, with a mastery of the 3-minute single format, a skill that isn’t as easy to acquire, as it requires real restraint. Often musicians will create a favorite section and will want to repeat it. The fact was, Queen was willing to shift extreme gears in the space of a song, always keep it interesting, and show real discipline on their part. The impact of Queen’s music and their influence can still be felt when you consider the following bands: Def Leppard, Anthrax, Ben Folds Five, Kurt Cobain, The Darkness, Extreme, The Killers, My Chemical Romance, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Muse, Radiohead, Mika, Yngwie Malmsteen, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Franz Ferdinand. That’s quite a range of bands to cite Queen as an influence.

Queen simply opened doors; they showed what was possible, that you didn’t have to adhere to one stylistic format and yet retain a continuity with the vocal and guitar sound. Of course, they would go on to write a staggering number of great songs that got released as singles, and the slow burn influence of Queen might have been on par with The Beatles, yet it just wasn’t readily apparent until one stepped back to see that collective impact.

Queen II was the template for what was to follow; their like might not be seen again.

Producers: Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, Robin Geoffrey Cable
Arrangers and Composers: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor
Engineer: Mike Stone
Cover: Mick Rock and Queen

Side One: (White Side)
Procession
Father To Son
White Queen (As It Began)
Some Day One Day
Loser In The End

Side Two: (Black Side)
Ogre Battle
The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke
Nevermore
The March Of The Black Queen
Funny How Love Is
Seven Seas Of Rhye

You can download this album on iTunes, or order it from Barnes and Nobel
 
The Bulk of the information comes from articles by Phil Sutclife, Martin Aston, Mark Blake, Jacky Gunn & Jim Jenkins. Thanks to Christopher Knowles. Special thanks to XScribe for editorial assistance.

Next Up: Ivan Rosenberg Interview
Next Up: David Bowie – Hunky Dory (1971)

Led Zeppelin III (1970)

Zeppelin: A Tale of Two Notions

Essay and Review By Matthew Anthony Allair

Personal Connection

Listening to Led Zeppelin was a perennial right of passage, starting in Junior High School, for most adolescence boys and girls, and I should qualify, for most male teens. I remember back in Junior High while living in Rohnert Park, picking up Zeppelin II and IV (The Zoso album). At the time, I was exploring what I liked, and from my initial exposure to rock and pop music, I was eclectic, absorbing everything like a sponge, and for those reasons, the passion for Zeppelin didn’t fully kick in until my Freshmen year of High School. Nevertheless, eventually, the entire body of Zeppelin’s work had a profound impact on me. Many of the songs, and the range of the songs pointed to what was possible, to new directions. Sadly, too many metal musicians would only focus on narrow aspects of Zeppelin; The hypnotic grooves of the first two records or the invention of the epic power ballad with “Stairway To Heaven” or “Ten Years Gone,” while missing far too many of the ingredients, a profound knowledge of Blues, Folk, Arabian, and classical from Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham. This deep foundation, like many 60s acts, set them apart.

My discovery of Led Zeppelin III came about in cassette form as a Freshman, and it stood out as a clear demarcation and bridge between II and IV. The music evokes certain mental images, and puts one into a particular place. For myself, it just doesn’t evoke my imagination, but recollections of my room in Corte Madera. The combination bunk bed and desk, and wall shelves to compensate for a very small room. The move from Rohnert Park back to Corte Madera had allowed for a clean slate in my life, and a complete reinvention of myself at the start of high school, after being a social outcast in Junior High, I had a wider circle of friends and the climate of High School allowed me the space to find myself, and the strength to carve my own nitch.

Of course, I became aware of the vinyl edition of Led Zeppelin III with the rolling wheel cover art. The cover represented an aspect of the band that people tended to gloss over -- their humor. There’s a sense of whimsy to be found with the designs of II and III, before the mystical aspect of the band took over. The album represented a demarcation, a breaking point from what could have been a predictable formula, and in a baffling sense both critically and commercially, the band wasn’t rewarded. Yet in hindsight, it became clear to see the third album opened the band up to other possibilities. In a 1990 interview by J.D. Considine, he commented on the bands wide range of styles, and John Paul Jones said:

It wasn’t a purist band, as you get nowadays, where the entire band listens to the same type of music. Between the blues influences of Robert and the roll & roll influences of Jimmy, who also had strong influences, the soul influences of Bonzo and my soul and jazz influences, there seemed to be a common area, which was Led Zeppelin. The fusion of all types of music and interests.

The History

The story of the band’s origin has been told to the point of exhaustion, How Jimmy Page, an ace session guitarist, joined the Yardbirds at the tail end of Jeff Beck’s tenure when the band briefly existed as a two-guitar outfit for a millisecond before Beck’s departure, and Page recorded the Little Games album, which would act as a template of ideas that Page would further explore with Zeppelin, only to have the Yardbirds disintegrate before the start of a Scandinavian tour in 1968, yet to have Peter Grant, the fifth member, manage the band and help put the pieces together that became Zeppelin. Hints of the band’s creation could be found with “Beck’s Bolero” a track from the Jeff Beck Group’s Truth album that featured Page, John Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins, and Keith Moon. There has been a dispute between Page and Beck about the arrangement for “Bolero,” but by most accounts Page was responsible for the core arrangement, which makes sense, “Bolero” has certain dynamics that fit Page’s sensibilities. In fact, Page would use a similar Bolero march for one section of Zeppelin’s “How Many More Times.” But whereas The Jeff Beck Group would act as a showcase for Beck, and would quickly splinter due to ego conflicts, Page’s Zeppelin would remain a cohesive outfit with all of the band members equal contributors.

Once they formed, and fatefully played “Train Kept A Rolling” on their first rehearsal, the band barnstormed across Europe and America with their debut album in January 1969, and followed up with Zeppelin II in October of that year. What developed with Zeppelin III was hinted at with the first and second albums – “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”, “Your Time is Gonna Come”, the alternative tuning raga of “Black Mountain Side”, the song craft sensibility of “Thank You”, or “Ramble On”. But the mellow side of the band made them hard to pin down for critics who wanted to focus on the amped-up blues, hypnotic riffing, and for lack of a better term, the cock rock bluster that could be found on certain tracks. But acknowledging the song craft of the band, the band’s nod to The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Moby Grape, or Joni Mitchell, was a more dicey proposition for critics, as acknowledged by Page in Cameron Crowe’s 1975 interview:

“That’s it! When the third LP came out and got its reviews, Crosby, Stills and Nash had just formed. That LP had just come out and because acoustic guitars had come to the forefront, all of a sudden: Led Zeppelin Go Acoustic! I thought Christ, where are their heads and ears? There were three acoustic songs on the first album and two on the second.”

While accusations of hype surrounded the band, the same label of hype could be attached to Crosby, Stills and Nash, an outfit that enjoyed its elite 1960s pedigree largely due to being involved with the Woodstock festival, and this isn’t to take away anything from CSN, just an aside point. Zeppelin III’s demarcation is evidenced with the duel sides, the heavy rock and acoustic side. But that tends to simplify the intent of the material, as “Friends” is an acoustic number and the second half of “Gallows Pole” swings like mad, nothing was ever cut and dried with a Zeppelin LP.

“The element of change has been the thing, really. We put out the first one, then the second…then a third LP totally different from them. It’s the reason we were able to keep it together.” – Page 1990

In a 1971 interview with Rick McGrath, prior to the fourth LP, this is what Robert Plant had to say on the issue of the album:

“The third album, to me, was a disappointment in the way it was accepted because it wasn't given enough of a chance. After ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Bring It On Home’, and thunder which was what is was. So we say try this for size and I thought when we were doing it that I was able to get inside myself a little more and give a little more on the album. I thought the whole thing felt like that. I was pleased with it, and I’d play it now without hesitation and dig it. And you can’t always do that to an album you’ve played a million times. But I really thought it stood up and then everybody was saying, well, no, and they’d leave it and then come back in a couple of weeks time and say, well, we can see…but nevertheless, we think it’s best. But that’s what people want because the simple, heavy thunder is much easier to assimilate, much easier to react to in every way. But you can’t just do that, otherwise you become stagnant and you’re not really doing anything, you’re just pleasing everybody else.”

The Album

The album opens with “Immigrant Song.” a white noise count-off leads to the main riff, with some spry bass work by Jones. In spite of its references to Nordic Viking legends, the track was inspired by the band’s concert in Iceland, June 1970, Plant has acknowledged it was ‘supposed to be powerful and funny’. Which also brings up to another aspect, and misconception of the band, that they lacked humor on account of the mystique and mysticism that had been built up about them. There’s a certain whimsy to be found on the Zeppelin II and III albums, and while that humor might have been more sly and didn’t fit the mold of the Beatles / Monty Python sense of humor, it was still there.

After another chattering false start, “Friends” features an alternative acoustic tuning by Page. The strings aren’t played by Jones, but was arranged and conducted by Jones with Indian musicians at a studio in India. Its lyric’s seem to be a plaintive appeal for connection. A sliding synth drone connects the track to “Celebration Day”, a technique that was cleverly utilized to mask a recording debacle. Page seems to use a baritone Guitar for the spry introduction. It has been recalled that members of Zeppelin’s road crew, in a drunken stupor while listening to the playback of “Celebration Day” late one night with the band not present, accidently erased the opening bass and drum tracks, forcing Page to do some clever editing. Its lyrics, in the tradition of “Living Loving Maid,” seem to be a scathing critique on an aging groupie, but it could also be acknowledging the price paid for the life of a touring band.

For a band that was noted, or accused of being over-produced with the instrumental layering that Page was keen on displaying in the records, it is surprising to find most of the rock numbers are fairly spare with guitar tracks. Page seemed to always understand that a song will eventually tell you what is needed, and to his credit the tracks on side one aren’t dense with sound, unlike many metal bands that double the rhythm guitars to such a degree that there’s no room to breathe. It should be noted, that while the albums, and Page’s production innovations were important, the real measure of any band was in their live performance, and the band was fairly consistent in that area. Yet, it is important to note that Improvisation was a crucial component, and the band, following in the tradition of great Blues and Jazz improvisation, excelled in this area, often with a fearlessness that most contemporary bands never display.

Page has described “Since I’ve Been Loving You” as progressive blues, and the track remained a concert staple, even appearing in their 2007 reunion London gig. Jones Organ work anchors the track while Page delivers a hybrid of blues and Spanish flamenco with fire and flare.

“Out on the Tiles” is something else altogether, a boisterous rocker with an interesting origin. The main riff was actually written by John Bonham, as recounted by Jason Bonham, a vocal melody sung by Bonham in his barroom carousing that the band transformed with a new vocal line from Plant.

Before I continue with the second half of the album, I feel that context is in order, and to offer speculation about situations that might have impacted the meaning of certain songs. Plant had commented in the Cameron Crowe interview from ’75, regarding their first tour in ‘69:

The states were much more fun. L.A. was what L.A isn’t now: L.A. infested with jaded 12-year-olds is not the L.A. that I really dug. It was the first place I ever landed in America; the first time I ever saw a cop with a gun, the first time I ever saw a 20-foot-long car.

But the band also experienced the flipside of that American experience–they had been spit on, had guns drawn on them and were heckled at airports, as well as witnessed the treatment of Viet Nam protesters by Police, as well as fans being mistreated by Police at their shows. Robert Plant had acknowledged thus:

“We’ve been to America so much and seen so many things that we don’t agree with, that our feelings of protest have to reflect this in our music.”

Based on examples of their tour itinerary from ‘69 through early 1970, it stands to reason they toured several southern states in America, and probably witnessed, not only racial tension, but the hostility towards long-haired hippies in certain southern cities, which was effectively illustrated in the 1969 film Easy Rider. These experiences probably formed the intent that one could find in several of the acoustic songs that comprise side two of the album.

I would be remiss to not address the cottage location in Wales that Page and Plant used for inspiration, the name Bron-Y-Aur which means “The Golden Breast”. As Plant clarified to Cameron Crowe in 1975:

“It was time to step back, take stock and not get lost in it all. Zeppelin was starting to get very big, and we wanted the rest of our journey to take a pretty level course. Hence, the trip to the mountains and the beginning of the eternal Page and Plant. I thought we’d be able to get a little peace and quiet and get your actual Californian, Marin County blues, which we managed to do in Wales rather than San Francisco. It was a great place.

One important feature was the role of Jones’ mandolin, which would remain an important standard feature on future Zeppelin tracks. “Gallows Pole”, which was based on the folk song “The Maid Freed from the Gallows,” opens fairly plaintively, changes tempo and builds up to a manic pace, along with Page’s debut on Banjo, and ends with his lead fuzz box guitar. “Gallows Pole” offered a template for what would follow with “Stairway To Heaven”. It is surprising that “Tangerine” was never released as a follow up single to “Immigrant Song.” After a false start, the track laments about the loss of innocent love. The origin of the track dates back to a song written by Page and Keith Relf titled “Knowing That I’m losing You” from the final Yardbirds sessions. The band’s song craft can be found in spades with this material, and it would be difficult to argue that they lacked substance or melody.

My personal favorite, and probably the album’s highlight was “That’s The Way”, another atmospheric tune with another alternative tuning from Page, and some distinct electric dobro slide work, addressing southern segregation and conservation issues. “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” opens with some nimble guitar work from Page before kicking into jaunty gear, in an homage to Plant’s dog. “Hat’s Off To (Roy) Harper” is a slide blues credited to Charles Obscure, a duet with Plant’s vocal treated with a vibrato for an eerie effect, and a somewhat cryptic closure yet one that falls in line with the band’s blues tradition. Roy Harper was already a rising name on the music scene when the band issued their nod to him in 1970. Many might remember that Harper eventually sang the lead vocal on Pink Floyd’s “Have A Cigar” within the space of five years later.

Yet the story about Zeppelin III isn’t exactly complete: at least four other tracks were written and recorded during this period. The “Immigrant Song” B-side, “Hey Hey, What Can I Do” was a sought after track for years, and I have heard it in rotation of classic rock radio stations. It’s also a highly radio-friendly, catchy acoustic rock number that reflects their love of melodic folk rock. There's also the instrumental rock jam, "St. Tristan's Sword", recorded during those sessions, but never completed. 

“Bron-Y-Aur” is a Page acoustic fingerpicked instrumental that eventually appeared on Physical Graffiti, and “Poor Tom” was a guitar and Harmonica folk number driven by a New Orleans shuffle that appeared on Coda. Like The Beatles there has been so much erroneous mythologizing about the band, and a lot of negative assumptions built up, it becomes hard to discern where the truth lies within that myth. I have seen Zeppelin III lumped in with the more mystical aspects of the band, whereas the evidence doesn’t support that assumption. There are no references to the occult in the lyrics, other than the Crowley quote to be found in the inside groove of the Vinyl edition–Do What Thou Wilt. I would argue that the mystical aspects of the band didn’t really come into play until Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti.

Certainly Stephen Davis’ Hammer of the Gods helped to codify some of the more negative perceptions and feed certain myths while not offering much context. Then there was the music press, and notoriously Rolling Stone, that heaped scorn on the band from the outset. I could understand Lester Bangs’ mixed review for Zeppelin III, as Bangs held little affinity for a lot of progressive rock, and preferred the directness of the 3-minute single format.

But John Mendelsohn’s ’69 reviews were inexcusable, dismissing the band with accusations of them lacking wit, melody, vocal harmony, and expression, Mendelsohn seemed to hold a benchmark that every band needed to follow The Beatles’ melodic power pop format, which was a ridiculous standard indeed. Mendelsohn also displays an ignorance about the very idiom of the blues, which often holds a limited musical vocabulary, but often focuses on emotion, mood, and placing the listener into a certain mental state, all aspects that Zeppelin utilized effectively.

Video samples in compliance with "Fair Use" as noted in clip.

The Impact

On a simplistic level, Zeppelin represented a changing of the guard in 1969, and to the elite music press and critics that had propped up many of the stars of the late sixties, this change was a threat. But the press, driven by ideals, wasn’t accessing the merit of the music, which should have been their role to do so, but used Zeppelin to make a sociological argument.

Some of the accusations of ‘hype’ might have had a fraction of merit, but there was a deeper issue at hand there. Zeppelin faced an image problem driven by Peter Grant’s business deals and record contract terms that gave Page and the band creative control. They set the terms of when they would tour, selection of album art, and which tracks would be chosen as potential singles. For the elite underground scene, who mistrusted power and wealth, the critics viewed the band as mercenaries before a note was played. Shunned by the English underground elite, Peter Grant and the band had to rely on America.

There was also a trickier element to the Zeppelin story; the band captivated a younger audience than the generation that embraced the cultural and political sensibilities of 60s artists. As noted by critic Jon Landau, who would go on to manage Bruce Springsteen by the 70s:

“Zeppelin forced a revival of the distinction between popularity and quality. As long as the bands most admired aesthetically were also the bands most successful commercially (Cream, for instance), the distinction was irrelevant. But Zeppelin’s enormous commercial success, in spite of critical opposition, reveals the deep division in what was once thought to be a homogeneous audience.”

Speaking for myself, these issues have prompted a deep distrust for critics, and a complete lack of regard for their role. Music, Film, Novels, Art and Theatre are subjective in nature, and individualistic, and I never vault a critic any higher than someone who is merely paid to offer an opinion. Frankly, In my personal travels, I have known a couple of established critics, and have found most to be thin-skinned, and self-important, easily driven by hubris after the praise of sycophants, and while many might begin their careers with the intent to serve the public, they seem to serve their own self interest and write for their fellow peers more often than not. The deep, dirty secret, that most critics bluster over, is the fact that their role won’t be important in the annals of time. They operate with a self-delusion they cannot admit openly.

Therefore, I cannot blame Zeppelin’s hostility towards the music press. Having said that, the band wasn’t immune to criticism. Peter Grant’s circle of employees did behave thuggishly and it was documented that writers and hangers-on were manhandled. The band did indulge in their excess with parties, drink, and drug use. Page allowed his dalliances with Crowley to feed the occult rumors, which members of the band probably sensed was good for business, and to cultivate the mystique. The problems that developed for the band after 1976, with countless setbacks, might be viewed as karmic payment, but might have been just random happenstance. Nevertheless, there had been so many distortions and embellishments about the mystique of Zeppelin from Groupie Mud-Shark antics, underage dating, Robert Johnson-flavored deals with the devil, backwards masking, and Tolkien references, that it has only been in the last two decades that their music, and its important role, has been accessed.

Their legacy should never be in doubt, and Led Zeppelin III serves as part of that legacy.

Producer: Jimmy Page
Arrangers and Composers: Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, and John Bonham
Engineer: Andy Johns
Cover: Zacrom

Side One:
Immigrant Song
Friends
Celebration Day
Since I’ve Been Loving You
Out On The Tiles  

Side Two:
Gallows Pole
Tangerine
That’s The Way
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Hat’s Off To (Roy) Harper  

Next up: Queen II (1974)

You can download the album from iTunes, or order it from Barnes and Nobel.

The bulk of the information comes from a series of Rolling Stone articles by Mikal Gilmore, Cameron Crowe, J.D. Considine, Andy Green, the on-line reprint of Rick McGrath’s work, and the 1990 Box Set. Special thank you to XScribe for editorial proofing.