Led Zeppelin

Let's not psycho analyze the quality and artistry of this Led Zeppelin DVD set. Led Zeppelin was such an innovative group that many of their efforts and attitudes resulted in a large void today.

When Zeppelin ruled the world (yes, they were bigger than the Beatles), their confidence allowed them NOT to bow to pressure to put out singles, name albums (their forth has no title), and most importantly, not allow recording or photographing of concert footage. Peter Grant (manager) was notorious in his violence towards bootleggers.

Here we are over 30 years later begging for something, ANYTHING that will allow us to remember the power and drive of Led Zeppelin in its prime.

This Led Zeppelin DVD does just that.

Yes, the quality is waning in some shots. But who cares? We take what we can get from the vaults of Jimmy Page.

Here are some of my thoughts:

I can not believe all the 'heavy lifting' Bonzo did in the performances. While Plant merely sang and JPJ kept it simple, often times Jimmy Page and Bonzo would face each other and hammer the rhythm and guitar together. Bonzo had to be thoroughly exhausted after each and every show.

The acoustic sets were unbelievable! Led Zeppelin was 'unplugged' 15 years before MTV knew the meaning of the word!

Watch Jimmy Page up close. You'll quickly see that Slash, Joe Perry, and even Eddie Van Halen (and his 'hammer-on') were wannabes at one time. The way they copied Jimmy Page is uncanny!

Songs of note: Trampled Under Foot is especially cool. A good 10 minute jam! All of the Royal Albert Hall performance is worth the price of the DVD alone. The acoustic ballads including Going To California and That's The Way were wonderful. They were of excellent quality as well! To here Achilles' Last Stand live in 1979 was absolutely riff bashing!

Any die hard Zep fan will be very pleased.

What is sad and profound about the DVD is Robert Plant's last words in Knebenworth 1979: 'Thank you for a wonderful 11 years'

It was as if he knew it was their swan song.

Led Zeppelin are amazing. How can music touch your soul so much and lift you so much. Actually it isn't music well its half music half magic. I recommend anyone to watch their DVD 'the song remains the same' it contains many of their famous tracks but performed in a different way. The DVD has me trance every time i watch it, it truly contains ultimate magic and power. No matter how bad a mood I'm in as soon as i hear zep I'm quickly put back on top of the world. They are an inspiration to everyone. They know things about the world we don't. Robert Plants voice is an instrument in itself, any noise he made would sound amazing. Their music is about feeling not the lyrics. My favourite tracks are... Over the hills and far away, dazed and confused, since I've been loving you and whole lotta love. I guess i would say I'm an ultimate life long fan!!

Led Zeppelin has been my favorite band since I was 12 years old. In the Christmas of 1991, I began this long obsession with the purchase Led Zeppelin II. From the opening riff of "Heartbreaker" to the tender chords on "Thank You," I was fueled with a new inner sanctity and knew my life was changed forever. Over the cold winter months of seventh grade, I indulged in the fourth album, hooked on the classic ballad "Stairway To Heaven." By my 13th birthday, I was well on my way to having their full collection. As a result, specific memories would follow:

1) listening to "The Rain Song" on a dreary Friday afternoon

2) convincing my dad to give me the money to buy "Physical Graffiti" at the mall in Kingston, MA

3) air guitaring to "Rock And Roll" with my friend Mitchell Daley

4) throwing in a tape of the live version of "Dazed and Confused" when I first got my license in the winter of 1996

5) In college, smiling through the haze of a Pab's Blue Ribbon as Dave Mayurnik headbanged to "Kashmir"

12 years later, I find myself in the deps of a hellish day job. However, Led Zeppelin's final album "Co/Da" remains in my office CD player. Today I listen to "We're Gonna Groove" and "Ozone Baby," tracks recorded in the bands prime but assembled only after the passing of John Bonham.

Gathering strength and happiness from their timeless music, their uncanny ability to touch my soul, and their commitment to the mastery of rock, I declare myself one of their greatest fans.

Filled with rare spots and archives, the LED ZEPPELIN DVD provides us with glimpses of the band hidden for over 30 years.

In addition, new lessons can be learned. Here is insight I experienced upon first viewing:

1) Jimmy Page was the mastermind. For example, watch him improv on the Knebworth performance of "Whole Lotta Love."

2) "Achilles Last Stand" is an anthem of unheralded wizadry and pure Zeppelin magic.

3) Plant looked much cooler in 1970 than he did in 1979

4) Bonzo was a machine of percussion.

5) Without John Paul Jones, the band might have gone off the deep end.

With that in mind, I await the day when I introduce my children to power of Led Zeppelin and teach them the many ways this band can alter daily life.

All the best. Ted

Some people don't like Led Zeppelin, but luckily the number of people who versus the number of people who don't is WAY unbalanced. I am the proud converter of 2 or 3 Led Zeppelin fans and the only reason I was able to do this is because of this DVD.

For one, how someone can listen to "Stairway to Heaven" or "Immigrant Song" without falling in love with Zeppelin is beyond me, but to play the guitar and not like Page... That is like being Christian and not liking Jesus. My friend was like "Led Zeppelin sucks!" and I was like, "Oh yeah, watch this!" After about 2 mins of watching Page pick through "White Summer/Black Mountain Side" he was glued to the screen and has never said a bad thing about Zeppelin since.

Incase you haven't been following the running metaphor I am calling this DVD the Bible of Led Zeppelin. Held high by the followers and used as a converter for the unwashed heathens.

Course there are some things missing like "Over the Hills and Far Away," a good version of "Immigrant Song" and I really didn't need 2 version of "Whole Lotta Love," but what the hell, I'll take 'em.

Because there is nothing besides "The Song Remains the Same" to compare this too I gave it a 10 and even if there were more to compare it too I still would have given it a 10.

After waiting years for a definitive collection of Led Zeppelin perfomances on video, fans have finally been rewarded with what is undoubtedly the greatest concert video ever! Much better than the dismal "Song Remains the Same", this video includes performances from no less than 5 different venues spanning a decade. It also includes rare interviews and TV appearances. The sound quality is amazing, considering the source material used. And the video quality is even more impressive. This is an ABSOLUTE MUST for any Led Zeppelin fan.