Jack Bruce slams Led Zep.

[Swish]

CREAM's BRUCE Slams LED ZEPPELIN: 'You've Always Been Crap And You'll Never Be Anything Else' - Nov. 4, 2008

Jack Bruce picked up the Classic Album gong for CREAM's "Disraeli Gears" at last night's Marshall Classic Rock Roll Of Honour held at London's Park Lane Hotel.

After the ceremony, Classic Rock magazine's Dave Ling grabbed Bruce for a quickfire interview - and was stunned when the legendary bassist launched into an extraordinary anti-LED ZEPPELIN tirade.

An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Classic Rock: The million dollar question: Are CREAM going to do anything again?

Jack Bruce: Oh yeah, I'm sure we will. But we'll have Todd Rundgren [who's just walked by] in the band by then.

Classic Rock: It's good news that there might be more from CREAM.

Jack Bruce: Well, the trouble is that I'm doing so many amazing things on my own. CREAM is just a band from many, many years ago, and we did do something [referring to the reunion shows in 2005]. Everybody talks about LED ZEPPELIN, and they played one ****ing gig - one ****ing lame gig - while CREAM did weeks of gigs; proper gigs, not just a lame gig like ZEPPELIN did, with all the [vocal] keys lowered and everything. We played everything in the original keys. [Becoming animated]: **** off, ZEPPELIN, you're crap. You've always been crap and you'll never be anything else. The worst thing is that people believe the crap that they're sold. CREAM is 10 times the band that LED ZEPPELIN is.

Classic Rock: That's a bold opinion.

Jack Bruce: What? You're gonna compare Eric Clapton with that ****ing Jimmy Page? Would you really compare that?

Classic Rock: To be fair, they're different kinds of player, aren't they?

Jack Bruce: No! Eric 's good and Jimmy 's crap. And with that I rest my case.

Swish - whaddaya think?

[Luvin Da Blues]

Sounds like someone put something strange in his brew. Wonder what got his panties in a knot?

FWIW, I still listen to Cream but not so much LZ.

[3-LockBox]

pffffftt.....

whatever Jack, whatever...have another spoonful

Sometimes old people can get away with things younger people can't, but in this case, jealousy is still so very unbecoming.

[MindGoneHaywire]

I think it's amusing, and so did Bruce, apparently. I haven't had the chance to listen to the interview at the link, but he either backed off, or said he was exaggerating or joking somewhat, I think.

It IS funny. "Eric's good & Jimmy's crap." HAHAHAHAHA

Ah, the anger generated by the debates mere mortals like us have had over the years here. And this guy just drops this, like, yeah, this is true, what of it? hee hee hee.

http://my.wcsx.com/jjandlynne/?p=863

I've got to hit the sack, just came across this link, I'll try to give it a listen tomorrow. Along with the care package I got from Swish the other day...and the Can album...and and and...

[kexodusc]

Sour grapes from a forgotten whiny bitch by the sounds of it.
Not gonna argue the musical capabilities of Cream vs the limitations of Led Zeppelin, and not even gonna get into the tune-jacking issue...don't need to.

Musically there's not much comparison, IMO, Cream hands down - but consider the rest of the package - the attitude and aura of Zeppelin, and you can't deny their place, crookery, fakery, suck-assery and all.

Bruce now has fallen to the level of Sebastian Bach - who famously cry-babied himself in a Canadian TV interview when the journalist mentioned similar bands like Poison to Bach's Skid Row

Everyone knows Skid Row kicks way more ass but you don't need to be a little pussy about it. Back to obscurity with you, Bruce...

[Rich-n-Texas]

I heard about this on a Classic Rock station I listen to on the way in to work. The impression I got was that Jack was joking, but at the end of his explanation he still managed to get a couple more digs in. The DJ mentioned that Cream wasn't invited to some reunion concert that's coming up (?) and Led Zep was. Then he mentioned that Robert Plant is still in his Country music mindset and at this time isn't interested in doing a reunion.

[GMichael]

Funny stuff. Someone must be holding a little grudge me thinks.

[BradH]

I think he meant it but doesn't care enough to get in a real pissing match.

[emesbee]

Sounds like a bit of jealously to me, but who cares. I like Cream and Led Zeppelin. There is nothing more boring than hearing one rock star slagging off about another. Who gives a toss?

[Worf101]

I've seen this kinda stuff for YEARS but mostly at the local level. Usually one band floggin' another, but down here you often get a chance to do something about it. Band fights are marvelous... sometimes. As for the the arguement in situe... eh.... who cares. It reminds me of when The Beach Boys were inducted in the RnR HoF and Mike Love (the LEAST talented of the bunch IMHO) went on a rant about how other bands were scared to "tour with them" cause they'd get their collective asses kicked. Right... put the crack pipe down son.

Da Worfster

[noddin0ff]

someone musta squeezed his lemon.

[MindGoneHaywire]

Mike Love was far from the least talented, although by 20 years ago Dennis Wilson was of course gone, so all bets are off on that one. Of course, they had stopped being any sort of creative force by that time.

As the saying goes, "F*ck Mike Love."

Whose bizarre behavior that night is sometimes explained by his physical state after an extended fast. Part of what's bizarre about it was that since he made, if I'm remembering correctly, derogatory remarks about the Beatles, among others...is that the Beach Boys records that led many to draw any serious comparison to the Beatles (because of course they hadn't really listened to the earlier recs with hindsight we've had for awhile now, to be fair) were recs that Mike Love actively opposed at the time. And in the recent past, he has had no problem admitting that when he heard Pet Sounds, that he admonished BW to not 'f*ck with the formula,' because when it comes to the earlier hit singles, he 'hears the jingling of cash registers' when he thinks of them.

That said, the guy had an amazing voice and was a terrific singer; if he hadn't good enough to be the lead singer in a great, great vocal group, he probably would've been pumping gas for a long, long time.

Worf, you ever go to a record store in Albany called Last Vestige?

I like some entertaining put-downs of rock stars by other rock stars...like Lou Reed calling the Jefferson Airplane & Grateful dead 'frauds' ("The kids are being hyped! I mean, how can you take Grace Slick seriously?"). And what Tom Waits said about the Eagles: "Eagles records are good for keeping dust off your turntable." There are others...I disagree with Bruce's take on things, but I think it's partly a joke that might have part of it lost a little in translation, plus I think at this point in time, it's almost a parody to take this sort of thing all that seriously as he characterized it.

[BradH]

Mike Love was far from the least talented.

Mike Love couldn't make an album like Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue if his life depended on it although I do think he was underrated by his detractors. But this thing about rock stars sniping at each other is worth a few more posts I guess. Sometimes it gets really funny. I remember when Daltrey said Van Halen was "absolute sh!t". David Lee Roth said most rock critics liked Elvis Costello because they all looked like him. The Velvets vs. West Coast sniping got really funny during a Mothers/Airplane/Velvets package tour with Zappa introducing the Velvets at one point as a "sh!tty band" or something. I remember Paul Weller liked The Police until "they turned into the f*cking Bee Gees". Ian McCulloch said Big Country sounded like "pigsh!t". Then there was the feud between Big Country and the Stray Cats, that got really nasty. And of course the Blur vs. Oasis thing. Nick Lowe still has a bone up his butt about progressive rock like it's still 1972 or something. Zeppelin has always been trashed particularly in the U.K. That was why the fourth album had no writing on the cover including the spine. They wanted to show they could still sell and were not a product of phony promotion. Although by '73 and the new House of the Holy material, the guitarist for AC/DC was yelling at them in concert to "practice at home!!"

I think Jack Bruce meant exactly what he said although he may have been drunk/senile when he said it. How will we know when any of these aging rockstars have Alzheimer's Disease? They'll be acting the same, won't they?

[Worf101]

Worf, you ever go to a record store in Albany called Last Vestige?

Funny you should ask that. I've known the owner "Gentleman Jim" Furlong for about 23 years now. My band played at his 50th Birthday party and we've shared the stage several times. He's one cat that absolutely LOVES music and vinyl in particular. Despite his rabid Republican rants (he's now off of suicide watch), he's one of the coolest cats I know and his stores, chite, I have to go out of my way to avoid them lest I spend the house note.... He's quite simply "good people".

Da Worfster

[Swish]

Despite his rabid Republican rants.

A road trip to Albany would be difficult since it's like 6 hours or so, but if I'm ever within shouting distance, I'm there.

Swish

[Worf101]

A road trip to Albany would be difficult since it's like 6 hours or so, but if I'm ever within shouting distance, I'm there.

Swish

Jim was lead singer in a band called "The A.D.'s", get it, the 80's. He is one LOUD guy. Chite he even sings louder than me. When he rants, he rants. LOL... He'll kill me if he ever reads this.

Da Worfster

[MindGoneHaywire]

I haven't seen her in a long time, but Kim is a old friend...one of my closest friends & bandmates played with her in 1313 Mockingbird Lane back in the day, if that rings any bells...

[Swish]

He'll kill me if he ever reads this.

Da Worfster

I won't tell him about this. Just sent me an obscene amount of cash and your secret is safe with me.

Seriously though, it's good to have you back on RR. I've missed your posts.

Swish

[Worf101]

I haven't seen her in a long time, but Kim is a old friend...one of my closest friends & bandmates played with her in 1313 Mockingbird Lane back in the day, if that rings any bells...

"1313 Mockingbird Lane", "Fear of Strangers", "The A.D.'s", "Johnny Rabb" all bands from "back in the day". Back when Albany had a "scene". The bands mentioned above and others played at "Club 288", "The Chateau", "The Grinch", "BJ Scotts" and "The Hullaballoo". All these clubs are long gone as are the bands that played them... God I feel quite old all of a sudden.

Da Worfster