More of Howard Stern busting Led Zeppelin.

[BradH]

I think there is enought diff in most of the examples to make a case for them being Led Zep songs...there are melody differences, and an argument could be made for them simply being poetry that was set to a somewhat different score, certainly way different arrangements...

I totally disagree with that. For those who haven't heard the clip, we're talking mostly about the first album here. Sure there are different arrangements but slight melody differences, the kind injected to many cover tunes by artists adding their own twist, and Page's guitar work is always more complex but Led Zeppelin I is largely a cover album, maybe the best ever made. However, I don't think that made Zeppelin's entire 12-year run an artistic "farce".

...it might not have been Page's or Plant's fault or intent...rather that it might have been that of their management and is now Atlantic's responsibility...

It might not have been their intent but it's still their fault and Atlantic bears responsibility too. I'm sure it was Grant's intention. If the decision had been left solely up to the band then proper credit might have been given. They did lots of covers on the road in the 68/69 period that never made it on the first lp and on those bootlegs from that time they often tell the audience whose song it is, sometimes even the ones that ended up on Zep I. (And I could've sworn Page said "Black Mountain Side" was not entirely his own when the Yardbirds were on the BBC but I'll have to give that a listen.) But, again, I don't think that absolves Page & Plant. And let's not forget Brian Wilson having to credit Chuck Berry as co-writer for "Surfin' U.S.A.".

>Where I differ with Jay is in rejecting something because it's technically complex.

You miss the point. I could lay out a laundry list of stuff you know I like that's plenty complex and you know it.

True enough but that doesn't extend to soloing or individual dexterity with the possible exception of, say, Django Reinhart or Stephan Grappelli. That's seems extreme to me. Which leads to...

Part of what some of us don't like about prog, though, is closely related to developments in music that came around at the same time as prog--fusion. And, for me, what works in jazz just doesn't work in rock.

Well, of course it doesn't work in rock. That's why they called it something else.

Man, I love me some fusion.

I wanna hear the Yes on Stern thing, Brad.

I thought I sent that. It's a riot. Anderson is like a salty old show-biz dog. I swear, Stern never gets one over on him, not once. Freakin' hilarious.