Jimmy Page: How Stairway to Heaven was written

CouchCoach

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I don't know if I would call it best rock song ever but in my opinion, that is the best rock band ever. The depth of their music and the variety in their approach is unmatched to me. Add to this one of the two best drummers, top five guitarists and front men in rock history and that's a special band.

I think it is interesting that one of the true top rock songs of all time was a factor in Plant not wanting to tour any longer. I burned out on it but he really burned out on it. I remember an interview with him when he said the real problem with that song is that they couldn't change it up in any way to at least please themselves when performing it live, the fans would not allow it.

And I agree with that, some things are so close to perfection, they cannot be tampered with without tearing it all down.

One thing that has always pissed me off, and evidently Page himself, was when they were referred to as not only a Heavy Metal band but the one that defined the genre by people who should know better like a writer for Rolling Stone and Spin back then. To the dizzy headed pop listeners I am sure it was different, especially Whole Lotta Love, but to credit anyone but Black Sabbath and specifically the man that coined the term, Tommy Iommi, is a musical travesty.

LZ IV was great but nothing touches Physical Graffiti and of all the songs I have ever listened to, there are only a handful that have ever captivated me from the first audition to the point I could not stop listening to it over and over and that's not my listening style at all. Kashmir will still get the volume turned up anytime it is playing with me and I now feel a listen coming on later in the evening for Kashmir is better in the dark.
 

Crazed Liotta Eyes

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I remember there was a rumor going around at one point that it was automatic writing channeled through Aliestar Crowley was how Stairway got written. LOL
Page did live in Crowleys house once and owned an occultic bookstore.
This was the first song I ever heard someone say if it was played backwards you could hear Satanic messages in it. Back masking
We tried that when I was a teenager. I couldn't make out any messages.
 

Skullmiester

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Jimmy did live in Boleskine for while as well as Plumpton Place{which is featured in the movie The Song Remains the Same with Page sitting on the grass playing an acoustic guitar} https://forums.ledzeppelin.com/topic/2974-jimmy-pages-plumpton-place-1974/ There were strange occurrences at both places.

I've visited Boleskine a couple of times. The Scottish highlands was a place we had many happy family holidays, from the North East of England you can be at Loch Ness in around 6 hours. Even before I knew about Zeppelin and Boleskine the Loch Ness area was a special and eerie place for me. There's something about that whole area that's quite atmospheric and foreboding. On a family trip to Loch Ness in the mid 80's we found Boleskine, Jimmy wasn't there but we spoke to someone who was looking after the house for him. I think he sold it in the 90's at some point. It has since been destroyed by an unexplained fire that started while the current owners were absent.
 

Hardline

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For an entire band, for me it's Rush. If I never have to hear another Rush song again. I will have had my life time quota of hearing Rush songs 10x over already.
AC/DC is my never want to hear again band. I was burned out on them before i graduated high school in 87.,
 

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There are just some bands you don't like and can't really explain why but I feel that way about Bob Seger and Aerosmith. I don't know why I don't like Aerosmith but Seger's lyrics sound like they were written by a 12 year old, especially "Turn the Page", and I hate "Old Timey Rock & Roll" with a passion and it always makes me think of old women dancing together.……..poorly.
 

Runwildboys

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There are just some bands you don't like and can't really explain why but I feel that way about Bob Seger and Aerosmith. I don't know why I don't like Aerosmith but Seger's lyrics sound like they were written by a 12 year old, especially "Turn the Page", and I hate "Old Timey Rock & Roll" with a passion and it always makes me think of old women dancing together.……..poorly.
Old Time Rock & Roll was ruined for me by Tom Cruise, but it surprises me that you don't like Seger. His songs you don't hear on the radio much are his better stuff, I think. Sunburst, Ship of Fools, Mary Lou...but Main Street is a great tune.....Never mind, I'm not trying to convince you, just expressing my own opinion.

Aerosmith however.......How dare you, sir??? Just kidding, I love all their pre-sobriety stuff, with its gritty guitar, more gravelly vocals, and raw rock n' roll vibe. Once they got back together, after Rock in a Hard Place (some under appreciated music on that one, probably due to the replacement members) it just dropped off a cliff. Permanent Vacation had a few pretty good tunes, as did Pump, but then......nothing worth listening to.
 
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