Post by Admin on Nov 25, 2017 18:15:24 GMT
Here is a very rough beta, perhaps, that sits at 987 words.
I hope you enjoy it!
This is the raw form, completely unedited.
Music, Magick, and Mystery
The Legacy of Led Zeppelin
I.
I had thought about focusing on Jimmy, and his life as a musician, composer, visionary, and, teacher.
(Yes, he is a great music teacher, when he gets a good interviewer: Conversations with Jimmy Page, by Brad Tolinkski is highly recommended).
Now, considering the audience, I shall write about the band as a whole, since it seems that there are a lot of (Advanced) Dungeons & Dragons fans out there who simply revere this band (me, being on of them).
I like to compare fantasy gaming, well, RPGing in general to music sometimes.
Sometimes, it can really suck, and, sometimes it is like an epic of the gods.
Herein, part of the determinant is effort, and, a certain kind of (al)chemistry.
Jimmy himself has referred to music as an alchemical process.
From a fantasy point of view, of course, Led Zep's most famous song is "The Battle of Evermore", though other songs touch on myth and fantasy, a bit here and there, with "Achilles' Last Stand" being a good example. From what I have gathered, a lot of this came from the readings of Robert Plant, who, I do do consider to be a bard, in the Welsh sense of the concept. This one would be a good one to debate over a few pints.
II.
There is the temptation to Ramble On a bit, and do some stream-of-consciousness writing, walking along the Brookbanks (the name of Ed Greenwood's library when he worked in Toronto, by the way). Also, for American readers, in England, "Rambling" is like a form of hiking, through the beautiful countryside of England. Of course, this should extend to all of the Isles as well. There is a certain concern about the sanctity of the English countryside among Ramblers, one which Tolkien himself was concerned with. Although Tolkien stated that his work was not meant to be allegorical, there does seem to be an echo of his love and concern for the English countryside in his written works, in places. (And, Yes: did you know that Sir Winston Churchill was a druid? Another story, for another time).
Getting back to the countryside, after a two-year grueling tour, bassically, the band needed a break. Enter Bron-yr-Aur, in the countryside of Wales.
III.
Led Zeppelin III, overall, shows a softer, more folksy side of Led Zep. Although it isn't the traditional music that one might find at The Eistovodd (The Bardic Festival), it is a step in that direction. Jimmy has mentioned that at the beginning of the band, there were basically two paths: one of Heavy Blues/Rock, and, the other being folk, where he cites the Pentangle as an example.
Also, for collectors, do note that early printings(presses) of Led Zeppelin III are scratched. This was something that had something to do with the printing process.
IV.
An Encylopedia of Fairies, by Katherine Briggs, page 25: the thing that also scares me a bit is that I knew the Page, off by heart.
(Also, note that this text would definitely go into my Top 100 Reference Shelf for AD&D 1st Ed. gamers).
Yes, Black Dogs. It is a grim subject, but part of the enchanting folklore of the Isles. I wonder if the folklore was part of the inspiration for the song. Anyway, as an aside, my favorite version is one of the out-takes, compleat with all of the false starts. The dog is man's best friend, and, also: they guard us from evil.
V.
The Song Remains The Same. You've got to sometimes set personal goals for oneself, and, achieve them.
The three "I"s: Integrity, Innovation, and Inspiration. (Hey, add a 4th: Imagination).
Now, actually, the working title for this one was "The Campaign", which, strangely reminds me of the Aerth setting, by Gary Gygax.
That said, onwards, to the Rain Song. The video for this is a great example of the mythopoaic aspect of Led Zep. And, if anyone is wondering, I think that the mushroom there is the fly agaric (mentioned in the 1st Ed. DMG). Not what most people would consider to be magic mushrooms, and, perhaps, used among the Norse, associated with the berserkers.
Now, of course, this one is an epic of Eternal Love. Perhaps, the hero that gets rescued by Her Love.
VI.
Physical Graffiti: here, there is a song called Kashmir (note that this is one of the realms/regions of Gary's Aerth setting, named as such in Epic of Aerth).
Honestly, Led Zep 'failed'. I don't think that anyone has ever achieved Kashmir, yet. It is a great example of the compositional depth of the band, and, I believe that this one remains as a challenge to future generations of musicians. Time will tell.
**
VII.
Presence: from one epic to another, now, there is Achilles' Last Stand, or, as I like to call it: The Last Stand of Achilles.
Inspired by, and, alluding to, Greek myth. Also, we hear John Bonham at the height of his power and glory, where, in theory, it is the drums that the front stage.
Also, if you like to sing, or, have an interest in the verbal component, follow Percy. Yes, sing along. Great music lesson, here.
Rumor has it that Robert recorded this one in a wheelchair, and, despite that, I can almost believe the claim that he made once: "I am a golden god!"
Gird thyself with the panoply of war, and, prepare to fight your last battle... and, know, that the end is only a beginning.
VIII.
The time went by so fast, and, about now, I only have about 72 words left.
Sorry, I don't know what to say: I am sitting at a bar, smoking cigarettes and drinking 80 proof.
Carry fire.
Don't waste it.
Bring The Light to the next generation, those who shall rule as we die as old men.
Carry fire.
WRITER'S BLOCK (Part IV)
Someone asked to write a few paragraphs about 'IV', 'V', 'VI'.
I get stunned, though, with nothing to say or write, when I listen to Led Zep, most of the time. What can I write about?
Heck, let the music do the talking...
WRITER'S BLOCK (V)
Around about 7.18 in TOronto, which is supposed to be the Sunrise.
Although, by Nature, I am a creature of darkness, there are a lot of people who Love the Sun. Percy sings about this, in some songs, sort of.
Anyway, Houses of the Holy goes back to around 1973.
Every time I listen to the opening song, "The Song Remains The Same (Working title: The Campaign), it is just an absolute and total WTF? How on Earth they were able to get that kind of a sound quality is something that I wonder about!
With regards to Led Wallet, he sometimes talks about the concept of a "guitar army": basically, working with multiple guitar tracks. Randy Rhodes (RIP) would do this as well, for certain songs, in order to get a heavier sound.
(Note: the image below is from 1969)
Anyway, let the music do the talking.
WRITER'S BLOCK (VI)
Someone asked me to write an article about Led Zep. IV, V, and VI needed some expansion. So, here are a few thoughts from a lifelong Zephead!
In contrast to the clean sound of Houses of the Holy, to my ears, Physical Graffiti sounds dirty, lower class. That said, there is a theme of Good that runs through this collection of tracks. In the Light and In My Time of Dying are poignant examples of this.
As well, there is the epic song, Kashmir. It's incredible to hear how Plant and Page would re-do this one, some 20 or so years later. Strangely, I feel that no-one has ever done this one 'right', after all these years. As a challenge to future musicians, I think Kashmir will stand the test of time.
Last but not least, there is "In My Time of Dying", which has its roots in blues/gospel. It is at least partially inspired by "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed", by Blind Willie Johnson. Turn this one up, it is an awesome example of the power and energy of Led Zeppelin.
I hope you enjoy it!
This is the raw form, completely unedited.
Music, Magick, and Mystery
The Legacy of Led Zeppelin
I.
I had thought about focusing on Jimmy, and his life as a musician, composer, visionary, and, teacher.
(Yes, he is a great music teacher, when he gets a good interviewer: Conversations with Jimmy Page, by Brad Tolinkski is highly recommended).
Now, considering the audience, I shall write about the band as a whole, since it seems that there are a lot of (Advanced) Dungeons & Dragons fans out there who simply revere this band (me, being on of them).
I like to compare fantasy gaming, well, RPGing in general to music sometimes.
Sometimes, it can really suck, and, sometimes it is like an epic of the gods.
Herein, part of the determinant is effort, and, a certain kind of (al)chemistry.
Jimmy himself has referred to music as an alchemical process.
From a fantasy point of view, of course, Led Zep's most famous song is "The Battle of Evermore", though other songs touch on myth and fantasy, a bit here and there, with "Achilles' Last Stand" being a good example. From what I have gathered, a lot of this came from the readings of Robert Plant, who, I do do consider to be a bard, in the Welsh sense of the concept. This one would be a good one to debate over a few pints.
II.
There is the temptation to Ramble On a bit, and do some stream-of-consciousness writing, walking along the Brookbanks (the name of Ed Greenwood's library when he worked in Toronto, by the way). Also, for American readers, in England, "Rambling" is like a form of hiking, through the beautiful countryside of England. Of course, this should extend to all of the Isles as well. There is a certain concern about the sanctity of the English countryside among Ramblers, one which Tolkien himself was concerned with. Although Tolkien stated that his work was not meant to be allegorical, there does seem to be an echo of his love and concern for the English countryside in his written works, in places. (And, Yes: did you know that Sir Winston Churchill was a druid? Another story, for another time).
Getting back to the countryside, after a two-year grueling tour, bassically, the band needed a break. Enter Bron-yr-Aur, in the countryside of Wales.
III.
Led Zeppelin III, overall, shows a softer, more folksy side of Led Zep. Although it isn't the traditional music that one might find at The Eistovodd (The Bardic Festival), it is a step in that direction. Jimmy has mentioned that at the beginning of the band, there were basically two paths: one of Heavy Blues/Rock, and, the other being folk, where he cites the Pentangle as an example.
Also, for collectors, do note that early printings(presses) of Led Zeppelin III are scratched. This was something that had something to do with the printing process.
IV.
An Encylopedia of Fairies, by Katherine Briggs, page 25: the thing that also scares me a bit is that I knew the Page, off by heart.
(Also, note that this text would definitely go into my Top 100 Reference Shelf for AD&D 1st Ed. gamers).
Yes, Black Dogs. It is a grim subject, but part of the enchanting folklore of the Isles. I wonder if the folklore was part of the inspiration for the song. Anyway, as an aside, my favorite version is one of the out-takes, compleat with all of the false starts. The dog is man's best friend, and, also: they guard us from evil.
V.
The Song Remains The Same. You've got to sometimes set personal goals for oneself, and, achieve them.
The three "I"s: Integrity, Innovation, and Inspiration. (Hey, add a 4th: Imagination).
Now, actually, the working title for this one was "The Campaign", which, strangely reminds me of the Aerth setting, by Gary Gygax.
That said, onwards, to the Rain Song. The video for this is a great example of the mythopoaic aspect of Led Zep. And, if anyone is wondering, I think that the mushroom there is the fly agaric (mentioned in the 1st Ed. DMG). Not what most people would consider to be magic mushrooms, and, perhaps, used among the Norse, associated with the berserkers.
Now, of course, this one is an epic of Eternal Love. Perhaps, the hero that gets rescued by Her Love.
VI.
Physical Graffiti: here, there is a song called Kashmir (note that this is one of the realms/regions of Gary's Aerth setting, named as such in Epic of Aerth).
Honestly, Led Zep 'failed'. I don't think that anyone has ever achieved Kashmir, yet. It is a great example of the compositional depth of the band, and, I believe that this one remains as a challenge to future generations of musicians. Time will tell.
**
VII.
Presence: from one epic to another, now, there is Achilles' Last Stand, or, as I like to call it: The Last Stand of Achilles.
Inspired by, and, alluding to, Greek myth. Also, we hear John Bonham at the height of his power and glory, where, in theory, it is the drums that the front stage.
Also, if you like to sing, or, have an interest in the verbal component, follow Percy. Yes, sing along. Great music lesson, here.
Rumor has it that Robert recorded this one in a wheelchair, and, despite that, I can almost believe the claim that he made once: "I am a golden god!"
Gird thyself with the panoply of war, and, prepare to fight your last battle... and, know, that the end is only a beginning.
VIII.
The time went by so fast, and, about now, I only have about 72 words left.
Sorry, I don't know what to say: I am sitting at a bar, smoking cigarettes and drinking 80 proof.
Carry fire.
Don't waste it.
Bring The Light to the next generation, those who shall rule as we die as old men.
Carry fire.
WRITER'S BLOCK (Part IV)
Someone asked to write a few paragraphs about 'IV', 'V', 'VI'.
I get stunned, though, with nothing to say or write, when I listen to Led Zep, most of the time. What can I write about?
Heck, let the music do the talking...
WRITER'S BLOCK (V)
Around about 7.18 in TOronto, which is supposed to be the Sunrise.
Although, by Nature, I am a creature of darkness, there are a lot of people who Love the Sun. Percy sings about this, in some songs, sort of.
Anyway, Houses of the Holy goes back to around 1973.
Every time I listen to the opening song, "The Song Remains The Same (Working title: The Campaign), it is just an absolute and total WTF? How on Earth they were able to get that kind of a sound quality is something that I wonder about!
With regards to Led Wallet, he sometimes talks about the concept of a "guitar army": basically, working with multiple guitar tracks. Randy Rhodes (RIP) would do this as well, for certain songs, in order to get a heavier sound.
(Note: the image below is from 1969)
Anyway, let the music do the talking.
WRITER'S BLOCK (VI)
Someone asked me to write an article about Led Zep. IV, V, and VI needed some expansion. So, here are a few thoughts from a lifelong Zephead!
In contrast to the clean sound of Houses of the Holy, to my ears, Physical Graffiti sounds dirty, lower class. That said, there is a theme of Good that runs through this collection of tracks. In the Light and In My Time of Dying are poignant examples of this.
As well, there is the epic song, Kashmir. It's incredible to hear how Plant and Page would re-do this one, some 20 or so years later. Strangely, I feel that no-one has ever done this one 'right', after all these years. As a challenge to future musicians, I think Kashmir will stand the test of time.
Last but not least, there is "In My Time of Dying", which has its roots in blues/gospel. It is at least partially inspired by "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed", by Blind Willie Johnson. Turn this one up, it is an awesome example of the power and energy of Led Zeppelin.