This post got me all kinds of flack and all kinds of responses . I wanted to re-post it again , mainly because I have a new websites you can visit to confirm what I wrote , also , it's f'n summer and I'm to busy to post anything new . Sorry !
Look at the bottom of this post for the updates .
In the late 60's and the early 70's their was 3 huge bands "The Beatles" , "The Rolling Stones" , and a new kid on the block "Led Zeppelin" . I was a fan of all three , and so were all my buds . These three bands controlled the teen world . Who knew where the sounds and music they made really came from ? We kind'a knew the "Stones" borrowed heavily from the early blues legends Howlin' Wolf , Muddy Waters...etc... We never knew how much they "borrowed" ?
I was listening to the "Howard Stern Show" in March and some book written by some guy , Timothy English , was mentioned , "Sounds Like Teen Spirit" . Stern and the gang were talk'n about how surprised they were at who stole what from who . Gary ("Ba Ba Boey") said "Led Zeppelin's" whole catalogue was in question , in fact the new liner notes were being changed on the "Best Of Led Zeppelin" . They were change'n the song writing credits from "Page & Plant" to whoever they ripped-off . The Biggest news was the classic Rock song of all time , the one everyone knows as "the song" of this era , was a compete rip-off ! Ya know what song I'm talk'n about don'tcha ? Do I have'ta write it ? OK . "Stairway To Heaven" . I know what your think'n . "NO WAY DUDE" ! "Ya Way Dude" !
Back in the early 1970's my friends listened to all kinds of Rock music . We really enjoyed a little known band in the U.S. . This Rock band had a record that reached platinum in Canada . It was was recorded in 1970 and produced by legendary producer David Briggs (Neil Young's producer). This classic album wasn't really that well received in the U.S. To be fair it kind'a didn't get air play , until a underground station in Toronto started play'n it heavily around 1971 . The bands name is "Spirit" and the albums title was "The Twelve Dreams Of Doctor Sardonicus" . I know what your think'n what does "Spirit" have'ta do with "Zeppelin" ? Well in the late 60's they toured together . It seems "Page & Plant" kind'a took alike'n to a certain song "Spirit" performed nightly . "Taurus" was the song they coveted . "Stairway To Heaven" is a replica of "Taurus" . In the last 4 weeks , or so , I've been try'n to find a way to put these songs side by side for you to hear . I'm so stupid I can't figure a way to do it . Sorry . So you'll have to look up these two songs yourself . I would love to say this is all a coincidence , but these coincidences happen way to often with those two (Page & Plant) . As a matter of fact I think Jimmy Page had stolen Randy California's (he wrote Taurus) way of playing guitar . I'll say something else I think all royalties from "Stairway To Heaven" should be paid to the family of Randy California . He died along with his son in a swimming accident in Hawaii . Here are the songs "Zeppelin"ripped-off completely or "borrowed from" .
"Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" ; Stolen from folk singer Anne Bredon . Through legal action the liner note has been changed to "Bredon/Page/Plant" .
"How Many More Times" ; The 1st. half the song is rip'd from Howlin' Wolf .The 2nd. half rip'd from a Albert King song "The Hunter" .
"The Lemon Song" ; Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" . They should just call the band "Howlin' Wolf" they rip'd' off this dude so much !
"Moby Dick" ; Sleepy John Estes's "The Girl I Love" .
"Whole Lotta Love" Lyrics and music written be Steve Marriott From "The Small Faces" He was paid off back in the 70's to shut-up about it . Trouble was Steve Marriott borrowed and gave credit to Willie Dixon's "You Need Love" . Zeppelin did neither !
This goes On & On & On...
To say "Zeppelin" is a bunch'o'bullshit would be a understatement . I think the band should be pulled from the "Rock'nRoll Hall Of Fame" and replaced with the real people who they ripped-off . One namely "Spirit's" Randy California .
Give it a listen . You'll Love It !
click here--> Denny Somach Classic Rock Central
Denny Somach is an ol'school radio programmer and has been sitting on this story for about 35 years .
click here-->Nash The Slash
Nash The Slash is a recording icon here in the Toronto area .
His website is really a history of Rock in Toronto .
He also tells about The Small Faces , Steve Marriott
who actually wrote "Whole Lotta Love" .
Go to Nash The Slash's site Click on Rock Photos, Then Click To Enter , Click List Of Artists , Then Led Zeppelin . His site is very entertaining and also he did a great write up about the band Spirit .
Click on Spirit to see his write-up on Randy California and the band .
Randy California circa 1969 Borrowed from Nash The Slash's Web Site
Update : The mother of Randy California is reopening the lawsuit
against Led Zeppelin and Atlantic Records . The wise move for those two entities would be to settle and settle fast ! If the mainstream media ever gets off it's ass and runs with this story , it would ruin Zeppelin's reputation as the "Greatest Rock Band Of All Time" . Could you imagine "Rolling Stone Magazine" actually writing a piece on this "Rock'n Roll Rip-Off" ? I don't think that would ever happen unless it makes to to CNN .
Sa Later Da Wallycrawler .
