I might as well make my first post here about the band behind my initial inspiration for creating this website, as mentioned in my Welcome post.

When I was around 14 or 15 years old I was going through my dad’s records one day while home alone. While I heard lots of music on the radio (mostly classic rock, with some 80s), I never paid much attention to who the artists were. This day, I decided to just start playing random albums that caught my attention for whatever reason.

Although most of what I heard that day was late 60s-70s music (“classic rock”, as it is generally referred to now), my musical tastes have since sprouted off in many different directions. But I believe that I can safely say that my passion for music began that day.

While I can’t remember all of the bands and albums I listened to that day, I do remember a few: Buffalo Springfield, Chicago and most notably for this article: Led Zeppelin.

Specifically, it was Led Zeppelin IV, also sometimes called Runes or Zoso. I thought the album cover was interesting, and of course the inside of the cover as well. Although I had no idea who the band was yet, I would soon see that it was Led Zeppelin. If the imagery wasn’t enough to get me to give it a listen, the band’s name certainly was. I remember thinking that it was about the coolest band name I could imagine – and for the record, I still think it is one of the coolest band names I’ve ever heard.

After reading the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven on the inner sleeve, I put the record on the turntable. Looking back, I had most certainly heard a Zeppelin song or three on the radio prior to this moment (Stairway to Heaven, without a doubt!), but I most definitely wasn’t aware of who they were when I had heard them. So there I sat, waiting to hear what this band with the awesome name sounded like. My ears were treated to the opening of Black Dog. The first Zeppelin song I ever heard – while being aware of who they were. I was floored. Of the albums I listened to that day, this was the only one I listened to in its entirety. It was amazing.

So this was the beginning of my love for Led Zeppelin. Since then, I have collected almost every CD (and collection) they have put out. I also own several bootlegs, which I’d gladly pay for if they were to be released in any kind of official capacity.

Although I don’t listen to them everyday, and have since found other bands that I love as much, Led Zeppelin will always be my first musical love, and it’s a band that I will never tire of. Many bands had a great lineup of musicians who made them what they were, and without any of whom they wouldn’t have been the same, but I think Zeppelin was, and is, a shining example of the musical magic that can happen when a perfect combination of people get together and make music.

Love them or hate them, they are generally regarded as legends – rock gods – and for good reason.