Greta Van Fleet (formerly 'some kids that sound like Led Zeppelin') (1 Viewer)

As an average white teenager, I did not come to Zeppelin through the Delta Blues, but rather came to Delta Blues through Zeppelin. What seems like stealing or copying or mimicry in the moment can later take on significance as a path to the source material for new listeners, especially with the streaming economy we have now.

I love this line. Its important, and it really accentuates the awesomeness of music. My, lets call it, "gateway" band was the Dixie Dregs, through them I grew an appreciation of bluegrass and baroque/flamenco music that I never would have gained. They really opened up new musical worlds for me. Steely Dan did as well (jazz)....To me that is the definition of greatness...a band that makes you appreciate not just their music but where it came from....
 
Led Zeppelin? That band that stole the intro of Stairway to Heaven from another band??

And not just that song. There's many examples of them copying music, including other European and South American bands. Theres a lot hate for LZ among their peers of that era.
 
Y'all damn well know there were guys that were your age now in 1967-1970 that expressed similar sentiment about Zep: "They are bowlderizing the sound of the Delta Blues legends...so little craftsmanship and no subtlety...too much vamping and preening by the singer...etc. etc." :hihi:

Imagine if the concept of cultural appropriation was well-recognized back then!

These guys are pretty talented and the singer has pipes for sure. I don't have an issue with imitations or pastiche in music because its what leads to discovery of old classics. What hasn't been done in rock and roll by this point?

As an average white teenager, I did not come to Zeppelin through the Delta Blues, but rather came to Delta Blues through Zeppelin. What seems like stealing or copying or mimicry in the moment can later take on significance as a path to the source material for new listeners, especially with the streaming economy we have now.

Great post.

I think there is also some misconception that finding a band's music enjoyable or saying "hey check these guys out" is the same as saying they're great and should be adjudged to have true artistic merit. Saying a band sounds like Led Zeppelin should not be interpreted as saying the band is the next Led Zeppelin. I used to be much more critical about music than I am now - I'm entirely comfortable with the question of "do I enjoy listening to this?", and that's it. If you want to put on your music critic hat and try to defend the work on its merits, there's a time and place for that - but it isn't all the time.

But you're right that it is very rare for a rock act these days to not be derivative of some other great act - so much has been done and influences are often inescapable. The bands that get credit for innovation, these days, are doing it by taking elements of music that isn't actually true rock. So they become hybrids or even something altogether different. Artistic merit and inspired novelty aside, much of that music ceases to be rock. Some people don't like that - I'm fine with it, I enjoy many of those artists. But it's also cool and even refreshing when a band pulls off a classic rock sound in a youthful and energetic way.

You can play the "sounds like" game all day if you really want, especially when it comes to young artists. Indy darlings Car Seat Headrest sounds an awful lot like Pavement.

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The Allah-Las sound an awful lot like The Velvet Underground. Hell, REM thought they were ripping off the Velvet Underground when they got started.

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A copy of the style, and not bad on their own. However they don't grove. They are too stiff. People focus on Bonham's power, but the groove he had with the power was exceptional. The synchronize with John Paul Jones put a solid floor that both Page and Plant could take their times to shine, yet not overpower. The singer was trying to hard to take the accent points Plant had without the softer subleness that Plant did in a lot of areas, and the reason why at 70 he can still perform and sing well where many other singers voices are completely shot. Sure he's lost the range he had but the style he always had is still there wether it's Zeppelin at the O2 or his work with Alison Krauss. The guitar player while having some raw talent, doesn't have Page's light touch. Yes I know Page was a tremendously sloppy player. But the feelings and emotion he got these guys just don't have. It's like a good cover. It's notes are there. The emotion and style is not.

https://youtu.be/IC6SwzXvyzw early Zeppelin


Agreed, I'll see if I can find the video I saw several years ago. A young guitarist came up to Eric Clapton and said " I can play purple haze standing on my head"
Clapton said "forget it mate, it's already been done". "If you want to make your mark in this industry,invent your own style"
 
Y'all damn well know there were guys that were your age now in 1967-1970 that expressed similar sentiment about Zep: "They are bowlderizing the sound of the Delta Blues legends...so little craftsmanship and no subtlety...too much vamping and preening by the singer...etc. etc." :hihi:
.

There's a difference. These kids sound EXACTLY like LZ. You're talking about Zeppelin adopting (or appropriating, as the modern SJW loves to say) bluesy concepts and integrating it with rock and roll/hard rock.

So, since there may be people talking about how LZ sounds exactly like Delta Blues legends, why don't you and SuperChuck (who thought your post was great) provide some sources. I'd love to hear the "delta blues legends" who LZ sounds exactly like. You're not going to provide it, because it doesn't exist.
 
There's a difference. These kids sound EXACTLY like LZ. You're talking about Zeppelin adopting (or appropriating, as the modern SJW loves to say) bluesy concepts and integrating it with rock and roll/hard rock.

So, since there may be people talking about how LZ sounds exactly like Delta Blues legends, why don't you and SuperChuck (who thought your post was great) provide some sources. I'd love to hear the "delta blues legends" who LZ sounds exactly like. You're not going to provide it, because it doesn't exist.


Don't rope me into your challenges! Just because I liked his post doesn't mean I have to prove it's true - I was more referring to the second part anyway. That said, I do think he's right that some people disliked LZ for what they were doing with delta blues, though not that they sounded exactly like it. Nor do I think that Count ever made that representatiion.

That said, I do think you have a point about taking something in a new and inspired direction versus merely reproducing it.
 
Just for the record, I didn't say they sound just like, merely stated sound like, as in it has a ring to it.

I don't know about them being "talented". They play and sound like a decent HS band, but that's it.

As for your last statements about Page and Bonham, I'll just let it go because you are blinded by your LZ colored glasses :hihi:

That dude's voice is astounding, and I took about 15 years of singing lessons. Say what you will about the other guys, but the singer is legit.
 
Y'all damn well know there were guys that were your age now in 1967-1970 that expressed similar sentiment about Zep: "They are bowlderizing the sound of the Delta Blues legends...so little craftsmanship and no subtlety...too much vamping and preening by the singer...etc. etc." :hihi:

Imagine if the concept of cultural appropriation was well-recognized back then!

These guys are pretty talented and the singer has pipes for sure. I don't have an issue with imitations or pastiche in music because its what leads to discovery of old classics. What hasn't been done in rock and roll by this point?

As an average white teenager, I did not come to Zeppelin through the Delta Blues, but rather came to Delta Blues through Zeppelin. What seems like stealing or copying or mimicry in the moment can later take on significance as a path to the source material for new listeners, especially with the streaming economy we have now.
I don't know why you quoted me. I am just saying, they do have a LZ ring to them, and I don't think they are talented. There's nothing special about the music or the playing. To me, talent is something special, not a HS garage band.
 
Heard them for the first time ever today on da radio... Freakin rocking and I dig it...

Awesome Blues album BTW....

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