LED ZEPPELIN‘s red-hot smoking stunner WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
(from their 1969 Led Zep II album) was voted the greatest guitar
riff ever in rock history in 2014 by listeners of BBC Radio in the UK.
The riff topped a list of 100 classic ones.
The classic LED ZEPPELIN track ‘WHOLE LOTTA LOVE’ was released as
a single almost everywhere in the world, except in the UK where the band
refused to issue singles throughout their career thinking it would help to sell
more albums. ‘Whole Lotta Love’ was their first hit in the US where it entered
the chart 50 years ago today, on 6 December 1969. it peaked at #4 and six
months later the rousing riff loaded knockout had sold over 1 million copies.
50 years ago, on 22 October 1969, rock icons LED ZEPPELIN released their second LP, simply called ‘Led Zeppelin II‘ in the US and nine days later, on 31 October in the UK. Their blues rock sound got heavier and rawer. Six of the nine songs were written by the band, while the other three were reinterpretations of Chicago blues songs by Willie Dixon (‘Whole Lotta Love‘ and ‘Bring It On Home‘) and Howlin’ Wolf (‘The Lemon Song’). As usual, no song
of the LP was released as a single in the UK (never was during their whole career). But outside the UK the band released ‘Whole Lotta Love‘ successfully as a single.
LED ZEPPELIN II was a huge commercial triumph. The group’s first number one LP in both the UK and the US. The album’s cover designer David Juniper was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package in 1970. By 1999 the highly influential longplayer had sold more than 12 million copies worldwide.
Highlights…
– WHOLE LOTTA LOVE –
– MOBY DICK –
(Live version including John Bonham‘s extended drum solo – London 1970)
– HEARTBREAKER –
(Live version Madison Square Garden, New York in 1973)
This day 40 years ago, on 11 August 1979, heavy rock icons LED ZEPPELIN played their final concert (in the original line-up) on the grounds of Knebworth House near the village of Knebworth in the north of Hertfordshire, England . This was the second of two massive shows (the first a week earlier). The band had not played live for two years since the death of frontman Robert Plant‘s son during the band’s 1977 North American tour, and they had not performed in Great-Britain for four years. More than 150.000 people attended
the historic event.
The classic LED ZEPPELIN track ‘WHOLE LOTTA LOVE’, released as a single almost everywhere in the world, except in the UK was certified Gold in the US on 16 April 1970, 49 years ago today after selling over one million copies. The band’s record label Atlantic Records also wanted to launch this gigantic rocker in the UK as a single and had pressed initial copies for release on 5th December 1969. But giant (literally) band manager Peter Grant refused categorically. He wanted no exception regarding Zep’s no-singles policy for the British market (the reason for this strategy was to maximize album sales).
Anyway, here’s that towering ripsnorter with its king-sized riff…
ROBERT ANTHONY PLANT was born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England on
20 August 1948, seventy years ago. Blessed with an overwhelming blues rock vox
and an awe-inspiring talent for epic songwriting he formed – in 1968 – with Jimmy
Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham one of the most famous, hard rockin’ and inspirational rock band ever in musical history. The fact that he looked like a young
blond God added to the iconic band’s worldwide fanatic following. Led Zep called it
a day after the death of drummer Bonham in 1980. Plant started an impressive solo
career and collaborated with countless other artists. His newest album Catch Fire was released last year. To celebrate the 70th birthday of this outstanding artist/performer Turn Up The Volume‘s three selected first-rate knockout moments…
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE played at their legendary 1979 Knebworth concert…
Striking live KASHMIR performance
Plant‘s goosebumps cover of Tim Buckley‘s ‘SONG TO THE SIREN‘ (2002)
With monumental classic WHOLE LOTTA LOVE, searingly rockin legends LED ZEPPELIN, hammers of the Gods, scored the most devilish rock riff ever in Turn Up The Volume‘s noisy book. Guitar hero Jimmy Page‘s massive opening chords blew me away the very first time I heard their crushing steamroller and it still does transport me to a wild state of mind when it strikes my hungry ears. The monstrous track was recorded 49 years ago today, on 24 June 1969. Here’s the nastiest, filthiest, sexiest and most devilish macho rock intro ever. Hell Zep Yeah!…
TURN UP THE VOLUME 