Rock critics and their persistent desire to name things (including genres) notwithstanding, any Led Zep might draw arguments from some re: is it "proto-punk" (or, at least, where does it fit?).
A) The songs you chose certainly fit, plus (and here's how I ultimately judge whether an artist or song peg might fit into a genre hole)---B) can …
Rock critics and their persistent desire to name things (including genres) notwithstanding, any Led Zep might draw arguments from some re: is it "proto-punk" (or, at least, where does it fit?).
A) The songs you chose certainly fit, plus (and here's how I ultimately judge whether an artist or song peg might fit into a genre hole)---B) can the artists in the genre be pictured listening to (in this case) those Led Zep songs? Can I picture one/some/all the Dead Boys listening to "Communication Breakdown" and "Living Loving Maid"? Hell yeah! And, Wanda Jackson? Inspired choice............nice✔
Yeah, Led Zeppelin I has very, very strong proto-punk cred in my mind. It's just that metal sort of already claimed Zep (also silly!) as one of the grandfathers of the genre.
That's the funny thing about bands like Led Zeppelin, though: they tend to create multiple genres, or maybe more accurately, they participate in the creation of multiple genres.
You're right....a little-known feather in Led Zep's cap. They're far more than a hard rock/metal precursor! And, Alice? Again, too often labelled as "just" a metal flagpole, he was certainly a punk informer, as well as (if you really knew he was a beer-drinking "Leave it to Beaver" binger in the day), a "regular Joe" who proved you don't have to BE a Satanist to look and sound evil (hey, it's show biz....and, he knew it, palling around with "establishment" entertainers on a regular basis). Plus, you're show biz if you hang with Dali, and hire The Amazing Randi to help you stage your nightly hanging and guillotine-ing!😱
I love the Amazing Randi. I'm sorry I never got to meet him.
I did get to see Alice Cooper live, though! It was like 30 years after I first heard "Eighteen", but it was still amazing. He's a great showman.
Side note: another great live show, and another musician who continues to inspire generations while defying classification: Weird Al. Incredible performance!
Great to hear Weird Al (who will forever bear the burden, now, of people thinking his name is Weird Artificial Intelligence!) puts on a great show! Always enjoyed his talents and recordings, but never saw live.
ICYMI, Andrew, here's my Alice/early-'70s close-encounter, posted last Halloween:
Rock critics and their persistent desire to name things (including genres) notwithstanding, any Led Zep might draw arguments from some re: is it "proto-punk" (or, at least, where does it fit?).
A) The songs you chose certainly fit, plus (and here's how I ultimately judge whether an artist or song peg might fit into a genre hole)---B) can the artists in the genre be pictured listening to (in this case) those Led Zep songs? Can I picture one/some/all the Dead Boys listening to "Communication Breakdown" and "Living Loving Maid"? Hell yeah! And, Wanda Jackson? Inspired choice............nice✔
Yeah, Led Zeppelin I has very, very strong proto-punk cred in my mind. It's just that metal sort of already claimed Zep (also silly!) as one of the grandfathers of the genre.
That's the funny thing about bands like Led Zeppelin, though: they tend to create multiple genres, or maybe more accurately, they participate in the creation of multiple genres.
You're right....a little-known feather in Led Zep's cap. They're far more than a hard rock/metal precursor! And, Alice? Again, too often labelled as "just" a metal flagpole, he was certainly a punk informer, as well as (if you really knew he was a beer-drinking "Leave it to Beaver" binger in the day), a "regular Joe" who proved you don't have to BE a Satanist to look and sound evil (hey, it's show biz....and, he knew it, palling around with "establishment" entertainers on a regular basis). Plus, you're show biz if you hang with Dali, and hire The Amazing Randi to help you stage your nightly hanging and guillotine-ing!😱
I love the Amazing Randi. I'm sorry I never got to meet him.
I did get to see Alice Cooper live, though! It was like 30 years after I first heard "Eighteen", but it was still amazing. He's a great showman.
Side note: another great live show, and another musician who continues to inspire generations while defying classification: Weird Al. Incredible performance!
Great to hear Weird Al (who will forever bear the burden, now, of people thinking his name is Weird Artificial Intelligence!) puts on a great show! Always enjoyed his talents and recordings, but never saw live.
ICYMI, Andrew, here's my Alice/early-'70s close-encounter, posted last Halloween:
https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/booballad-of-dwight-fryby-alice-cooper
Thanks, Brad! Bookmarked for manana.