Unfortunately, this was the last album John Bonham would ever play on. None of the song writing credits list his name because of the way the album was made. Robert Plant and John Paul Jones would work in the daytime and Page and Bonham recorded their parts at night. The album leans heavier toward keys, bass and Plant’s vocals.  

At the time, punk and new wave were rising and Led Zeppelin named this album to show that trying to get back into the public’s mind was like going in through the out door. The first cut has them sticking to their guns and playing the same music you remember, but the track “South Bound Saurez” has keys, off beats and soft guitar. “Fool In The Rain” moves back toward the Led Zeppelin we all know. 

The song “All My Love” was written by Robert Plant to his son who died due to a stomach infection, as if this CD wasn't surrounded by enough tragedy already. The recording sessions didn’t allow the band to record together and, even though they probably didn’t want to go out this way, this CD still remains a classic.

The ones you probably remember the best are “In The Evening,” “Fool In The Rain,” and “All My Love.” 

For more information, check out http://www.ledzeppelin.com/.

“You need coolin’, baby, I’m not foolin.’” You sang it, didn’t you? How could anyone not want to? Released in 1969 (I was in pacifier heaven at the time), this follow-up effort was written in short bursts because the studio time was limited. That doesn’t mean that the blues riffs weren’t just direct, they were to the point as well.

The music herein was considered heavy metal then; now days, we change a band's style of music to fit a new buzz word, but Led Zeppelin was the buzz word band because everybody today uses them and copies the straight forward approach of Jimmy Page’s legendary guitar playing.  

This album wasn’t without controversy. Besides their debut depicting the Hindenburg crashing in flames on the album cover, this album had cries of plagiarism leveled at it. Later releases of "Led Zeppelin II" credit Willie Dixon with “Whole Lotta Love” because he sued Arc Music. That aside, this album is the design all other bands that followed them used to make music. 

From the opener to John Bonham’s drumming on “Moby Dick,” each song can be heard on any classic radio station. I remember one such station devoting a day to “Getting the Led Out” and playing Zeppelin tunes all day.

Even if we don’t have the band, we still got the music and, with Led Zeppelin, that's what it's really all about. 

For more information, check out http://www.ledzeppelin.com.