Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Led Zepplin IV

Of all the people in my age group I have met over the years, I have only ever met one person who had never heard the famous song "Stairway to Heaven." For forty years, that song has been a classic anthem with rockers both young and old. I mean who hasn't been to at least one music shop where there's a sign on the wall banning people from playing it on the guitar in the shop. "Stairway to Heaven" is definitely among the top classics. However, if Led Zepplin had been around in the 80s, it would have been classed as their token ballad or they might have been accused of selling out by some metalheads.
While "Stairway to Heaven" is one of the reasons why Led Zepplin IV is such a great album, it isn't the only good song on it. There is an argument for all eight songs on the album to given the spotlight. I've seen both "Rock And Roll" and "Misty Mountain Hop" on juke boxes and my favourite has always been "Black Dog." Five out of the eight songs appear on the "Mothership" album. Each and every song makes this album such a classic.

Track Listing:

1. Black Dog

2. Rock and Roll

3. The Battle of Evermore

4. Stairway to Heaven

5. Misty Mountain Hop

6. Four Sticks

7. Going to California

8. When the Levee Breaks

Robert Plant- vocals

Jimmy Page- guitar

John Paul Jones- bass

John Bonham- drums

I will not debate anyone who mentions the many other great albums which Led Zepplin put out in the 70s. "Physical Graffiti" and "Led Zepplin II" already come to mind. However, it is "Led Zepplin IV" that shows the true rock talents of Led Zepplin and why it is one of the greatest rock albums ever.

Next Post: Deep Purple, Machine Head

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Great Rock Albums of the 70s: Black Sabbath- Paranoid

Living the sheltered life I did as a teenager back in the 1970s, I didn't hear this album until 1980. When I did, I thought this was the hardest rock album ever (until then). Hearing the Paranoid album changed my view on music forever. After that, I completely abandoned any feeling for the top 40 and have been a dedicated metal head ever since and this is the album I have to thank for it.
Every rock or metal compilation album puts the title track "Paranoid" on it knowing that it will boost the album. I won't take anything away from the song, it's a good one. However, the song that did it for me and is still my favourite Sabbath tune is definitely "War Pigs." Having seen Sabbath twice in concert, I cheer the loudest when they play it. Of course, we can't forget the brilliant riffs that is "Iron Man" as well as the other songs like "Fairies Wear Boots." From beginning to end, it is understandable why this is one of the true metal albums of all time.

Tack listing:

1. War Pigs

2. Paranoid

3. Planet Caravan

4. Iron Man

5. Electric Funeral

6. Hand of Doom

7. Rat Salad

8. Fairies Wear Boots

Ozzy Osbourne- vocals

Tony Iommi- guitar

Geezer Butler- bass

Bill Ward- drums

No one can argue against the Paranoid album by Black Sabbath as being the template for what true metal albums since should be like. This album has been often immitated but never duplicated and will forever stand the test of time.

Next Post: Led Zepplin IV

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Founding Fathers of Metal Part 3- Led Zepplin

"Led Zeppllin just made music, they didn't care if they were liked. They left that to the BeeGees."

Wayne Campbell

Now I know that once again I'm preaching to the heavy metal choir, but one can't talk about the founding fathers of metal without mentioning Led Zepplin. Led Zepplin were considered by many to be pioneers in the rock music industry and many bands today have them, as well as Black Sabbath to thank for their sound today.

John Bonham- drunms

Robert Plant- vocals

Jimmy Page- guitars

John Paul Jones- bass

My first experience of Led Zepplin was Led Zepplin IV or as I called it back then, "The album with the funny shapes for a title." It contains the all time classic "Stairway to Heaven," you know, the song that every apsiring guitarist plays in music shops when they are shopping for a new guitar. But "IV" also has some other great songs like, "Rock And Roll," "Black Dog," "Misty Mountain Hop" and "When the Levee Breaks." All of these make the fourth album a killer album.

Their are many more studio album, greatest hits albums and even some live albums,if you look hard enough,  which have stood the test of time and are now considered classics. This includes their most recent "Mothership" which is a two CD release of some of their greatest hits and includes a DVD. But enough of the adverts, besides, I'm not getting paid to say that.

While some metalheads may not want to admit it, it can be rightfully said that everyone in the metal world can look to Led Zepplin as one of the founding fathers of heavy metal.

Next week will be the last of the Founding Fathers of Metal and will feature Deep Purple. After that I will visit two other influential bands from the 70s.

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