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    • Dec 29, 2018

Book Review: LED ZEPPELIN by Martin Popoff


Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Description

Just in time for their 50th anniversary, one of the world’s most prolific bands is broken down track-by-track, album-by-album in this expanded edition revised to include rarities, outtakes, and B-sides from their storied catalog​. Formed by the unlikely alliance of two ace London studio musicians and two bar-band bumpkins from the north, Led Zeppelin went on to create the template for the marauding modern rock ’n’ roll band. Though Zeppelin is often described as “heavy,” any true fan will tell you that the band’s catalog is actually a complex amalgam of blues, psychedelia, rock, folk, and country that reflect the influences on all of Led Zeppelin’s four members. Veteran music journalist Martin Popoff picks apart each of these 81 studio tracks as well as a slew of non-album tracks in exquisite detail, and for the first time ever, analyzing the circumstances that led to their creation, the recording processes, the historical contexts, and more.

Review

Martin Popoff, one of the most popular music critics of today, presents a wonderful collection of Led Zeppelin information, imagery, and critique. I consider myself a big fan of the music of Led Zeppelin but I am in no way an expert; I turned to this book hoping that I would gain some insight into the band as a unit, the members individually, and deeper insight into the cultural implications of the music. I couldn't have been more pleased with how Popoff organized this material, because I was able to browse without feeling overwhelmed but when I wanted to review something I remembered from my skimming I was able to quickly relocate that section.

Popoff incorporated the images seamlessly which aids in the enjoyment of such a large text. The chronological attention to detail is astounding, too. It was almost like I could hear each song playing in the background as Popoff eloquently described the subtle changes and obvious divergences from song to song, style to style, and recording to recording.

I'd highly recommend this book for Led Zeppelin fans of any level, as well as fans of music history and rock bands. I, for one, will return to this charming Zeppelin biography again and again.

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