Led Zeppelin Prog Rock Songs

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   Hi, 

There is enough from this band that fits the "prog" description far better than a lot of bands listed as prog, that are only using a sound effect.

First of all, the thing that made LZ so big and good, was that there indeed was a lot of care to detail and the work for each of them in the band came together because of it. It was a time where the ability and desire to define new feelings and musics were a lot more important than simple/boring pop music, or commercial sounding songs, which 90% of all music in the radio is ... and "progressive music" is NOT.

That said, there are a lot of songs that really get the blood boiling and that stand out not only because of its strength and design but also its total lack of care if someone called it rock'n'roll or not ... it was about the feeling they had and how they expressed it, and that is what "Whole Lotta Love" is all about, itself a massive progressive rocker, were it not that we ... specially when compared to a lot of things we call progressive that are mere copies of the original, and just a sound effect ... this was real music done right before your eyes and they could tear your heart out dancing in concert! Led Zeppelin bootlegs remain the testament to some of the best live concerts you will ever hear ... and the most special is the series around Bonzo's Birthday Party and Live on Blueberry Hill boots. The strength, the power, the connection and their ability to stay with each other, is by far one of the most powerful things anyone could ever see in music that is not appreciated a whole lot. 

But it also showed the one side of things that many people don't like in music and specially progressive ... the improvisational side, which in this case, Jimmy states in "It's Gonna Get Loud" was really a result of the  combination of really good folks and artists that worked together very well. And were not afraid to try different things.

I always thought that Physical Graffiti could have been one album only and it would have been even better, but it's still very good and shows an experimental side and Kashmir would be a progressive anthem if it were done by someone else instead of Led Zeppelin.

Presence, is a bit different for me. I liked Achiles' Last Stand at the time, when some folks thought that Jimmy was merely trying to keep up with Jeff Beck who had started doing some really far out things on his own solo albums and simply just exploding on the guitar. I disagreed ... I thought that this was actually a very good composition almost classical in every aspect, except the guitar was going to play the parts ... and it stands up! But rockers and fans that like Stairway to Heaven don't usually care for it ... what's it about? Like they knew what Stairway to Heaven was all about!

In many ways, things like this really helped progressive music get a better ear ... because it was different and special in its own way ... and that was one of the most glorious things in music in those days. There was a desire to do more with the music ... way more ... and way more adventurous and progressive than what is being done in New York or London today ... which is copycat music!

Edited by moshkito - May 28 2010 at 19:42