Throwback Thursday - get the Led out

Okay, so for some people this is a REAL throwback. Like, a couple decades throwback. For me, this is a three year throwback but whatever, it's my blog.

 Here is the story about how Led Zeppelin became my favorite band, and is to this day.

 So my final year at Florida State University was marked by classic rock. Well really, all I listened to since I was a freshman in high school was classic rock. I had become extremely comfortable in my classic rock grotto. I just played the oldies radio stations on FM or Pandora, I downloaded greatest hits albums because I was too lazy to actually pick out specific records. Honestly, I was content and ignorant about what I claimed to love.

 Then Allie, one of my best friends and roommates, one fateful evening, became obsessed with the Rolling Stones. It hit her like the plague. One day she was watching an old episode of the Ed Sullivan Show, and then her love of the Rolling Stones, and in particular Keith Richards, consumed her. She listened to all their music, she watched all their documentaries and interviews and performances, she papered her walls with pictures, she bought and waited and spazzed and inhaled Keith Richards's autobiography.

 And it spurred me on. I guess I felt a little jealous. Even then, I had the desire to know all about music, but then I didn't have the drive, I guess. I don't know why I focused on Led Zeppelin. I listened to them before, a lot, and really liked them. This was a time when I listened to my iPod on shuffle rather than picking an artist to listen to. But I loved it when "Kashmir" came on. That was my really big Zeppelin jam at the time. I had this awesome Led Zeppelin poster above my bed, the one with the four of them standing in front of their plane. I couldn't tell you, in the poster, who was who.

 So, I educated myself. I downloaded all their albums, I knew their faces. I could tell you who was Robert Plant, who was John Paul Jones, what happened to Bonzo (I became able to call him Bonzo!). I learned about Jimmy Page buying Aleister Crowley's home, I learned about the Shark Incident and promptly ignored it immediately. I listened to them constantly.

 I became a proper fan. I had a favorite album, and more importantly, I had a least favorite album, which is the mark of a true fan: being able to admit when something sucks. It was awesome.

 When I listen to Led Zeppelin now, I think back to this particular day, my final semester of my undergrad.

 I didn't have a real job. What I did for money is, I walked this dog. Ginger. She was a psycho. But cute. I didn't have a car, so when I had to walk her, I had to get a couple buses.

 On this particular day, I got up after my roommates had left for school and work. I got dressed, grabbed my iPod, walked out the door. I walked ten minutes to the bus stop, waited for and got the school bus, got off on campus, walked another ten minutes to the bus station, waited for and got on the city bus, got off at the dog's house, got the dog, walked in the park for 45 minutes, took her home, waited for and got the city bus back to the bus station, walked back to campus, waited for and got the school bus, walked back home.

 This all took about five hours. And this one day, when it had finally warmed up, I put on my only Led Zeppelin shirt, which was ripped and covered in bleach stains and had a picture of Led Zeppelin I album cover on it, put my iPod on the first Zep song alphabetically, and listened to every single song I had. I'm guessing now since my iPod has changed over the years, but I'd say it was probably Led Zeppelin I-IV, Physically Graffiti, and Houses of the Holy.

 Then, that evening, I watched The Song Remains the Same. It rocked. The video at the top is the full 28 minute performance of "Dazed and Confused". I recommend watching all of it. That song is really showcasing Jimmy Page's ability, and if you ever encounter anyone who doubts the importance and skill of Led Zeppelin, or writes them off as just another old heavy metal band, show them this video.

Then punch them in the face. Because you're not hardcore unless you live hardcore.