My “favorite band of all time” is a difficult decision.  I like all different kinds of music for different reasons.  However, if I was being shipped off to a desert island and could take the complete collection from one band with me, the band would have to be Led Zeppelin.  Their music encompasses blues, rock and roll, and heavy metal.  Now I feel it is important to define “classic” rock.  Most people consider “classic” rock to be rock music produced prior to 1980, but to me “classic” rock simply means that the music follows the style of classical music:  every note falls on a specific beat or portion of a beat, the rhythm is regimented, and there is no “sloppiness” with the rhythm like what you find in blues, jazz, or reggae.  Now, given that definition of classic rock very little of what is popularly considered “classic” rock is included since rock and roll came from blues and jazz and the genre’s that came from rock and roll (country for example) cannot be considered classic.  In fact, for this discussion I will reduce classic rock to that form that has nearly completely disappeared from musical knowledge:  bebop.  Now, Led Zeppelin does not fit into bebop style at all, and, therefore, it cannot be classified as classic rock.  To me Led Zeppelin fits into the genre of rock and roll, because Zeppelin’s rhythm strays from defined up and down beats into the realm of blues-like-just- behind-the-beats and, in other examples, into the driving beat-anticipation of what is considered hard. 

So why would I pick Led Zeppelin to last me for the rest of my life in my hypothetical desert island scenario?  Is it just their style?  Of course not, “I love Zeppelin” is not the same as “I love Zeppelin’s musical styling”.  Zeppelin represents the entire rock and roll spectrum to me.  From their bluesy rock ballads like “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”, to their iconic, metal, turn it up until it hurts “When the Levee Breaks”. 

One thing that cannot be overlooked about the saga of the seventies that was Led Zeppelin is their outlandish excess and escapades.  They were routinely witnessed trashing hotel rooms, throwing rowdy parties, and taking advantage of young women.  While this isn’t exactly role model material, it is the very definition of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.  In reality, Led Zeppelin and sex, drugs, and rock and roll fit together so well you could use the terms interchangeably.  The members of Zeppelin ultimately paid the price of their Led Zeppelin lifestyle (you see what I did there) with the death of drummer John Bohnam in September, 1980.   His death abruptly halted the phenomenon of Led Zeppelin days prior to a concert tour of the United States.

Zeppelin influenced countless rock groups that appeared on the scene including artists that have appeared in the 21st century.  It seems almost automatic to see an interview with a hard rock/heavy metal group from 1980 to the present where the interviewer asks “Who influenced your music?”, and the interviewees reply “Led Zeppelin…”  According to Rolling Stone Magazine Led Zeppelin is not only “the biggest band of the 70’s” but also “the heaviest band ever” distinctions that the magazine’s namesake band cannot claim.  Each of their non-compilation albums reached Billboard’s top 10 list.  Not only is Zeppelin arguably the greatest rock group ever, but it seems like no other musical act in any genre has the cult following and legend status that Zeppelin enjoys. 

In 2007 Zeppelin announced a possible reunion tour including stops in the U.S.  Should that happen I will be there.  I have taken pride in attending concerts from musical legends, often forgoing the opportunity to see new acts for the chance to see legends of the past.  As a prime example I went to the Beale Street Music Festival several years ago.  That year Ben Harper was playing at the same time as Willie Nelson (and yes I am a Ben Harper fan), but I chose to watch Willie and jam out with the 40+ crowd (yes, I skipped George Clinton and P-Funk for Bob Dillon).  It was a great experience.  Should Zeppelin come on tour to the states, I would break into my wife and I’s vacation savings to get tickets.  I would go through the formality of asking permission first, but she’s already said we would do whatever was needed to go.  I mean, it’s Led Zeppelin for god’s sake; not a cover band, not a tribute band, Jimmy Paige, John Paul Jones, and Robert Plant–John Bohnam’s son will be on drums–Led Zeppelin.  Basically, I don’t care if I never see another concert again, if the last one I see is Led Zeppelin I can die knowing I have seen possibly the greatest rock band ever to pick up instruments.  Unfortunately, they are one of the most intact rock acts from their time.  Other acts I would have loved to see (from any time) include Janis Joplin, Jimmie Hendrix, The Beetles, The Who, Nirvana, and Blind Melon; all of whom suffered tragic ends before the foreseeable ends of their careers. 

There is something romantic about rock and roll.  Yes, rock starts are “sexy” and that’s not romantic, and yes, rock stars often are considered to be “junkies” by the more proper members of society and that’s not romantic, and yes, they often take advantage of groupies which is not romantic.  However, the power and emotion with which rock and roll (especially Led Zeppelin) is played, and the trageties they often encounter in their lives is reminiscent of a Shakespearean romance-tragedy which most people agree is the epitome of what is romantic.  It’s no wonder that so many of Led Zeppelin’s groupies were “taken advantage of”; they had fallen in love with and were willing to give themselves to Zeppelin’s sound, attitude, and lyrics, the men that played the instruments were simply the physical, human form of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.