Thursday, October 11, 2007

led zeppelica: the real thing

Yesterday, as I got ready for the symphony, I cranked When the Levee Breaks.

Like a lot of Zeppelin songs, it has its own symphonic magic to it- a big, bombastic, ballsy sound that still stirs up the primal musical instincts the way only the best music can.

Still, I wondered how it might sound live -whether next month at the much-hyped one-off reunion the survivors members of Led Zeppelin are a part of, or this Thursday, when Led Zepplica, the world's foremost Zeppelin cover band, take the stage at the Sony Centre.

Now, I call myself an admirer of certain bands, and not a fan. Call me a snob, but I find the distinction important.

Admirer means I don't go running for autographs, pictures, or memorabilia. I appreciate their contribution to music history but am just as happy to blast The Blakes, Gogol Bordello, or Sigur Ros out of my stereo. I'll rock out to Black Dog or Celebration Day, or shimmy my way through the North African majesty of Kashmir... but I also appreciate their origins, with artists like Sonny Boy Williamson, Son House, and Oum Khalthoum.

This doesn't make me better than those who do seek the autographs (and aren't sure who Willie Dixon is), but I'd like to think it makes me a better-informed listener.

I'm sure that's what contributes to my admiration for the contemporary work of Robert Plant, the formerly-banshee-throated Zeppelin singer, who's found a respectable, nay, fascinatingly diverse career since Zeppelin's disbanding in 1980; now, vocally more a deep burnished oak, he freely experiments with sounds from Western Africa, India, and, most recently, Appalachian country (with Alison Krauss -more on that in a future column).

Anyone who knows me will tell you I love Robert Plant's work, and his creative rearrangements of the chestnuts that made him famous.

But I understand those who love their Zeppelin uncut want their Zeppelin uncut.

So it's with a mix of curiosity and trepidation that I approach Led Zepplica, the foremost Zeppelin cover band in the world; not only do they play the hits, note for note, cut for cut, they also present a live multimedia stage performance that is supposed to be an exact imitation (replica) of the bombastic 70s shows that Zeppelin were known for.

Lenny Mann, who plays Jimmy Page (literally and figuratively) explains Zeppelin's enduring appeal by stating that "it's music with no time limit on it."

He says it's taken him years of "listening to the recordings, and getting the riffs down. I'm always a student of Page -it's so much information to assimilate."

Small's own influences aren't that different from Page's, he notes.

"B.B. King, Buddy Guy, old blues recordings, Hendrix -I love all that stuff", he says with obvious adoration.

Formed in Ventura, California in 1987, the original members have now all been replaced, but the band's popularity has only continued to grow.

"Our goal is to be the best re-enactment band out there", he states firmly.

Does the band have its own musical pursuits outside of the zeppelin that is Zeppelin?

"Absolutely, we dabble in our own musical pursuits. We want to put out a CD with some Zep-influenced originals soon."

Audiences for Led Zeppelica shows have, Mann notes, "run the full gamut, from ten-year-old kids to 60-year-olds. It's just great to see the generations bringing their kids."

So perhaps seeing Led Zepplica is an opportunity for those who can't make it to London next month, or even for those who'd rather have seen Zeppelin in their heydey, as opposed to the bunch of old geezers Father Time has made them.

It's about appreciating the moment of the music, as it was, back in the day.

Mann relates a story from a recent show, that shows the power Zeppelin's music still has, to reach across divides and generations.

"This father and his son were in the first row, right in front of me. The son is a budding guitarist, so it was fun watching him the whole night. At the end of the show, I gave him my guitar pick, and the next day, I saw a post on our guestbook. His son wrote and thanked me, so did the father -he said, his son was so excited all the way home, and said 'Dad, I'm gonna be a rock star. Then, I'm going to give my pick to some kid in the first row, and he's gonna to be one too.' You can't ask for more than that."

So, with that story in mind, I'll bring my bic lighter, big hair, tight jeans, and biggest wail to the Sony.

Been a long time, you know. A long, lonely time.

For more information on Led Zepplica, go to http://www.led-zepplica.com/.

1 comment:

Justin Beach said...

Sounds fun, and that's what's important. I've been told I'm a music snob and maybe I am but I can name literally hundreds and hundreds of groups and artists I like. Ultimately I think it all comes down to fun. If the band and the audience are having fun then you're doing it right.