the led zeppelin guide to creative world domination | lateral action

8/13/2019 The Led Zeppelin Guide to Creative World Domination | Lateral Action

1/10

Tweet 42

The Led Zeppelin Guide to Creative World Domination

By Mark McGuinness | 35 Comments

Like 133

0

Image by Dina Regine

There has never been a bigger, badder or better rock band than Led Zeppelin. And there

never will be.

Now weve got that straight, lets take a look at how they did it and what you can learn

from their example.

1. Think Big, Act Big

Its easy to think of Led Zeppelin as Titans bestriding the globe, but have a close look at

some of the film footage from the 70s and youll see they werent the biggest guys in the

world. Their heyday was long before gyms became popular in the UK, and if you stood

Robert Plant side by side with some of todays musclebound stars, you might say he

could do with beefing up a little. But that didnt stop him from being a God on stage.

In a radio interview, Plant made a revealing comment about his transformation fromtalented singer to rock legend. In 1969 Zeppelin supported the band Vanilla Fudge.

Watching the Fudge perform, Plant says he realised that compared to them he had a

great big excuse me written across my face. To become a top performer, he had to get

rid of that excuse me and strut his stuff with confidence.

Early in his career, Jimmy Page had to take a break from touring because he found it

physically too draining. It took a lot of persistence to build himself up to handle the

rigours of life on the road:

As dedicated as I was to playing the guitar, I knew doing it that way was doing me

in forever. Every two months I had glandular fever. So for the next 18 months I was

living on ten dollars a week and getting my strength up. But I was still playing.

(Cameron Crowe, The Durable Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stone 13 March 1975)

Home About Mark Coaching Free Course Store Members Contact

42

13

Lik

0

Shar

7 Reasons Creative People Dont

Talk About Money

The 10 Biggest Mistakes Artists

and Creatives Make at Internet

Marketing

Tyler Durdens 8 Rules of

Innovation
http://lateralaction.com/mark-mcguinness/http://lateralaction.com/coaching/http://lateralaction.com/pathfinderhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/tyler-durden-innovationhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/artists-internet-marketing/http://lateralaction.com/articles/creative-people-money/http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/&description=Nice%20blogpost%20about%20The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Domination%20by%20Mark%20McGuinnesshttp://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/&description=Nice%20blogpost%20about%20The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Domination%20by%20Mark%20McGuinnesshttp://devgrow.com/sharebarhttp://twitter.com/search?q=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2Fhttps://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2F&text=The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Domination%20%7C%20Lateral%20Action&tw_p=tweetbutton&url=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2F&via=markmcguinnesshttp://lateralaction.com/contact/http://lateralaction.com/account/member.phphttp://lateralaction.com/storehttp://lateralaction.com/pathfinderhttp://lateralaction.com/coaching/http://lateralaction.com/mark-mcguinness/http://lateralaction.com/about/http://lateralaction.com/http://lateralaction.com/pathfinderhttp://lateralaction.com/resiliencehttp://lateralaction.com/coachinghttp://www.facebook.com/LateralActionhttp://www.twitter.com/markmcguinnesshttps://plus.google.com/114158097116102678289http://feeds.feedburner.com/LateralActionhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/LateralActionhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/divadivadina/465006384/in/photostreamhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/#commentshttp://twitter.com/search?q=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2Fhttps://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2F&text=The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Domination%20%7C%20Lateral%20Action&tw_p=tweetbutton&url=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2F&via=markmcguinnesshttp://lateralaction.com/


2/10

Led Zeppelin didnt arrive on the scene as fully-formed rock giants. It took guts as well

as talent to achieve what they did. And their attitude was key. Listen to any of their

albums and youll hear a larger-than-life sound that came from attempting something on

a vast scale.

Takeaway:Wipe that great big excuse me off your face. Now get out there and show

them what youve got.

2. Be the Best in Every Department

Many top bands have one or two superstars who are the main source of creative energy.

Morrissey famously described Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, bassist and drummer with

The Smiths, as mere session musicians, replaceable as parts of a lawnmower. Not all

stars are so ungracious about their colleagues, but rumour has it that even among The

Beatles, talent was not distributed entirely evenly.

Led Zeppelin were different. The four members of the band were like the four corner

pillars of an ancient temple, bearing the creative load equally. With his voice, flowing

locks and Viking overlord stance, Robert Plant was the ultimate front man. The phrase

guitar genius might have been coined to describe Jimmy Page. Drummers are often

heard and not seen, but John Bonham was a larger-than-life character whose drumming

was as distinctive part of the Led Zeppelin sound as Plants voice or Pages guitar. John

Paul Jones was less flamboyant than the other members, but his contribution was just as

vital, on bass, keyboards and mandolin, as well as his imaginative approach to

songwriting and arrangements.

Takeaway:Dont have a weak link in your team. Have the best in the worldfilling

every role. And yes, that includes you.

3. No Quarter

Led Zeppelin took an uncompromising attitude to every aspect of their work including

the business side of things. Their manager Peter Grant was almost as big a legend as the

band members. In 1968 he secured the biggest signing fee that had ever been paid for a

new band $200,000 from Atlantic records. The terms of the contract also gave the

band control over the contents, design and release schedule of all their albums, as well

as their touring schedule. Grant is reputed to have ensured that the band received a

staggering 90% of the takings from their concert tickets.

Grant also enforced the bands strict no singles policy, in the face of enormous pressure

to cash in on the bands popularity by releasing singles. In the event, a handful of singles

were released against the bands wishes, but Zeppelins reputation as an albums band

was firmly established, helping to boost their respect among serious rock fans, who

looked down their noses at the pop charts.

Now, were not suggesting you set out to screw the other guy in your business deals.

Clearly thats not a good idea. But bear in mind that Zeppelin were operating in an

environment where recording artists were routinely exploited by the powers that be in

the music industry, so their ability to stand up and fight their corner was one of the

things that made them remarkable. According to Dave Lewis and Simon Pallet, Peter

Grant single-handedly pioneered the shift of power from the agents and promoters tothe artists and management themselves. (Led Zeppelin: Concert File)

Takeaway:Dont sell yourself short by under-charging, or by accepting a second-rate

deal because you dont want to appear difficult.

4. Be the Definitive Article

I find it laughable that some people dismiss/stereotype Led Zeppelin as heavy metal.

Yes, tracks like Whole Lotta Love and Dazed and Confused help to kickstart the genre,

but the copycat metal bands who followed in their wake completely missed the subtlety

and complexity of Zeppelins work. Even their heaviest albums routinely featured

acoustic tracks, and drew on a wide range of musical genres and influences.

Led Zeppelin were in a category of their own. Thats why they still have no competition.

Takeaway:Dont follow the crowd. Lead them. Trust your instincts you may find

youre more originalthan you realise.

The Shakespearean Guide to

Entrepreneurship

The Ultimate Productivity

Toolbox for Creative People

The Top 10 Social Networks for

Creative People

Foolish Productivity: the

Hobgoblin of Creative Minds

Why Multitasking Doesnt Work

The 3 Critical Characteristics of

the Creative Entrepreneur

Innovate or Die: Why Creativity

Is Economic Priority Number

One

Yes, the Internet Is Changing

Your Brain

10 Essential Blogs for Creative

Entrepreneurs

The Dark Side of Creativity:

Burnout

The Kurt Cobain Guide to Startup

Success

9 Ways People Respond to Your

Content Online

How Getting Nothing Done Can

Make You More Productive

Why You Dont Need to Be a

Genius to Be a Creative Success

Which Way Do You Spin? Left

Brain or Right?

The Secret of Johnny Depps

Success

Are You Trapped in Black-and-

White Thinking?

The 6 Levels of Engagement in

Online Conversations

Is Brainstorming a Waste of

Time?

Why Thinking Outside the Box

Doesnt Work

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Does

Creativity Make You Happy?

Are These Two Creativity Myths

Holding You Back?

Spark Your Creativity by

Thinking INSIDE the Box

Episode 1: Lou Needs a Clue

Episode 2: Jacks Smirking

Revenge

Episode 3: Everybody Loves

Marla

Episode 4: Lou Has a Killer Idea

Episode 5: Will Jack Make a
http://lateralaction.com/video/episodes/jacks-dealhttp://lateralaction.com/video/episodes/lous-ideahttp://lateralaction.com/video/episodes/meet-marlahttp://lateralaction.com/video/episodes/meet-jackhttp://lateralaction.com/video/episodes/meet-louhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/thinking-inside-the-boxhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/genius-tortured-artisthttp://lateralaction.com/articles/mihaly-csikszentmihalyihttp://lateralaction.com/articles/thinking-outside-the-boxhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/brainstorminghttp://lateralaction.com/articles/engagement-conversationshttp://lateralaction.com/articles/black-and-white-thinkinghttp://lateralaction.com/articles/johnny-depphttp://lateralaction.com/articles/left-brain-or-righthttp://lateralaction.com/articles/you-dont-need-to-be-a-geniushttp://lateralaction.com/articles/getting-nothing-donehttp://lateralaction.com/articles/9-responseshttp://lateralaction.com/articles/kurt-cobain-startup-successhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/the-dark-side-of-creativity-burnouthttp://lateralaction.com/articles/blogs-creative-entrepreneurshttp://lateralaction.com/articles/internet-brain/http://lateralaction.com/articles/innovate-or-die-why-creativity-is-economic-priority-number-onehttp://lateralaction.com/articles/creative-entrepreneurhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/multitaskinghttp://lateralaction.com/articles/foolish-productivityhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/social-networks-for-creativeshttp://lateralaction.com/articles/personal-productivity-toolboxhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/shakespeare-entrepreneurshiphttp://lateralaction.com/articles/be-original/http://www.amazon.com/Led-Zeppelin-Concert-Dave-Lewis/dp/1844496597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258972572&sr=8-1http://sethgodin.typepad.com/the_dip/2007/04/the_best_in_the_1.html


3/10

5. Build On the Past

Ive got a bit more time for the music enthusiasts who tell me that Led Zeppelin

piggybacked to fame on the shoulders of blues legends such as Howlin Wolf and Willie

Dixon, and that if I want to experience authentic blues, I should listen to the originals.

But to me, this misses a fundamental point about creativity all artists borrow from

previous creators. Weve previously featured T.S. Eliotand David Bowieon Lateral

Action two classic examples of magpie creators, who made their borrowings very

obvious (and attracted similar allegations of plagiarism).

According to blues expert Robert Palmer, It is the custom, in blues music, for a singer toborrow verses from contemporary sources, both oral and recorded, add his own tune

and/or arrangement, and call the song his own. (Led Zeppelin: The Music liner

notes.) Whether or not Zeppelin took too many liberties with their source material was

debated in court on more than one occasion, but it shouldnt obscure the basic point that

very few artists create something new out of thin air.

Takeaway:Dont be afraid to borrow from your heroes. But make sure you put your

own stamp on the material. And be generous in acknowledging your influences.

6. Be Perverse

No, Im not talking about some of the kinkier anecdotes from the book Hammer of the

Gods. Lateral Action isnt that kind of publication. Im talking about Led Zeppelin III.After the success of Led Zeppelin Iand II, the band were expected to deliver a third

album bursting with powerhouse rock. They werent expected to retire to a remote

cottage in Wales and record an acoustic-flavoured album featuring a song about two little

boys who werent allowed to play together any more, on Moms orders. But thats exactly

what they did to decidedly mixed reviews.

As usual, the critics were missing the point. Both of the first albums had featured

haunting acoustic(ish) numbers, and Led Zep III opened with Immigrant Song, a track

heavy enough for even the most bloodthirsty of headbanging Vikings. The third album

was more of a shift of emphasis than a complete change of direction. And it was one of

their best, whatever anyone tells you.

Takeaway:Be yourself, not just the part of yourself certain people want you to be.

7. Fail Spectacularly

Zeppelins over-the-top approach made them an easy target for critics and comics, such

as the makers of Spinal Tap. Its fairly obvious Im a fan, but that doesnt mean I sit

through all the drum solos. Or that I can keep a straight face at the fantasy sequence in

the film The Song Remains the Same, climaxing with a dwarf on a mountain peak

wielding a multicoloured lightsaber. Even Robert Plant has said that, given his time

again, hed probably reconsider writing lyrics about Gollum the evil one.

But consider the alternative: a band who played it safe in order to avoid criticism, who

reined in their enthusiasm and imagination for fear of looking silly. There are plenty of

bands like that, but you and I have never heard of most of them.

Takeaway: Whatever you do, somebody, somewhere will have a go at you. Personally,

Id rather be criticised for being over-ambitious than over-cautious. How about you?

8. Know When to Draw the Line

In December 1980, following the death of John Bonham, the remaining members of Led

Zeppelin released a press statement:

We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of

undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we

could not continue as we were.

There would be solo careers, collaborations and the occasional reunion. But by drawing a

line under the original Led Zeppelin, they preserved the integrity of the band. We didnt

Deal?

Episode 6: Marla Mentors Jack
http://lateralaction.com/video/episodes/mentorhttp://lateralaction.com/video/episodes/jacks-dealhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/bowie-in-berlin/http://lateralaction.com/articles/eliot-success/


4/10

Related Articles

42

get bored of them. Some of us never will.

Takeaway:Dont stick with something when your heart tells you its over. Ramble on, to

pastures new.

To create your own personal brand of world domination, join us on the Lateral Action

Entrepreneur Course.

About the Author: Mark McGuinness is a poet, creative coach and co-founder of Lateral

Action.

Get past two of the biggest obstacles you will ever face

If you want to achieve something original and

meaningful with your life, you must learn to

deal with rejection and criticism.

Mark McGuinness shows you how to handle them in

his new book Resilience: Facing Down Rejection

and Criticism on the Road to Success.

Based on 16 years' experience of coaching creative

people like you, Resiliencegives you tried-and-

tested ways to get past rejection and criticism and

succeed on your own terms.

"Read this book and you will be bulletproof!"~

Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of The War of

Artand Turning Pro

Click to learn more about Resilience(and read the opening chapters for free).

>>

Sites That Link to this Post

1. Links for November 29 2009 | Eric D. Brown| November 29, 2009

2. Cult of Innovation Blog Archive Stairway To Success: What Led Zeppelin Can Teach

Us About Pursuing Our Goals| December 15, 2009

3. Mr. Tweet: Your Personal Networking Assistant!| December 25, 2009

4. Internet Marketing: Why Artists And Creatives Have an Unfair Advantage| June 8, 2010

5. Led Zepplin Guide to Creative World Domination - Berklandish| September 27, 2010

6. The Led Zeppelin Guide to Creative World Domination | Michael T. Bane| October 10,

2010

Get Free Updates

Bookmark on Delicious

Stumble This Article

Digg This Article

All Share/Save Options

The Kurt Cobain Guide to Startup Success

How Neil Young Became the First Artist to Get

Sued for Not Being Himself

Drill Sergeant or Buddy: Who Brings Out the

Best in a Creator?

Creative Rock Stars Get Paid to Do What They

Love

133

Like
http://lateralaction.com/articles/paid-to-do-what-they-love/http://lateralaction.com/articles/mentor-drill-sergeant/http://lateralaction.com/articles/neil-young/http://lateralaction.com/articles/kurt-cobain-startup-success/http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkname=The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Domination&linkurl=http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/http://digg.com/submit?url=http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/&title=The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Dominationhttp://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/&title=The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Dominationhttp://delicious.com/savehttp://lateralaction.com/subscribe/http://tbaneart.com/2010/10/10/the-led-zeppelin-guide-to-creative-world-domination/http://www.berklandish.com/?p=482http://www.wishfulthinking.co.uk/2010/06/07/artists-creatives-internet-marketing/http://mrtweet.com/community/electronica/20091128?src=pingbackhttp://www.cultofinnovation.com/stairway-to-success-what-led-zeppelin-can-teach-us-about-pursuing-our-goals/http://ericbrown.com/links-for-november-29-2009.htmhttp://lateralaction.com/resiliencehttp://lateralaction.com/resiliencehttp://lateralaction.com/home-based-business/http://twitter.com/search?q=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2Fhttps://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2F&text=The%20Led%20Zeppelin%20Guide%20to%20Creative%20World%20Domination&tw_p=tweetbutton&url=http%3A%2F%2Flateralaction.com%2Farticles%2Fled-zeppelin%2F&via=markmcguinness


5/10

Comments

Darrellsays:

November 23, 2009 at 10:20 am

A very timely post for me. This hit on some key points as I begin to create some new

partnerships.

I think I will use some of this in my daily coaching series as well.

Thanks

Darrell

REPLY

Stacey Corneliussays:


Takeaways from every item: have courage. Have integrity.

Making a commitment to a creative practice always requires courage. It will always be

easier to cave in for quick cash, to follow the herd, to hold your nose and do

something youd rather not to avoid taking a risk. But then you stop growing as an

artist.

This is a great post, Mark. I dont think I could manage the big hair, but the rest of

the advice is excellent.

REPLY

Daniel Edlensays:


Excellent excellent excellent Mark! SO good. Man you and Brian are good at

takeaways from seemingly completely off-track sources but ones so popular theyre

overlooked.

Im starting to do a bunch of this finally with my art, with Zeppelin in fact!

http://vinylart.info/paintings/zepp_u.htm

Peace,

@vinylart

REPLY

Robertsays:


Yup the greatest band ever.

REPLY

Marksays:


@ Darrell My pleasure, may your coaching sessions rock!

@ Stacey have courage. Have integrity. Thats it! How come it took me so many

words? As for the big hair once upon a time.

@ Daniel Not surprised it (ahem) touched a chord for you!

@ Robert You have impeccable taste, sir.

REPLY

Amy Harrisonsays:


Love Led Zeppelin and love the post.

Certainly get the feeling that the band had a clear idea of what they enjoyed, what

they wanted to achieve and had picked the right team to get them there.
http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4437http://harrisonamy.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4436#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4436http://lateralaction.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4435#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4435http://barefoot-seo.blogspot.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4434#respondhttp://vinylart.info/paintings/zepp_u.htmhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4434http://vinylart.blogspot.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4433#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4433http://www.thestudiosource.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4431#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4431http://www.transilient.net/


6/10

Its comforting however to take note that they werent cracked out of the mould this

way, but were determined to grow and develop their behaviour to make them more

likely to achieve their goals.

I think sometimes we limit ourselves by basing our goals on who we are today, rather

than considering how much potential we have to grow and develop into our own

version of rock gods.

REPLY

Amy Harrisonsays:


and now Im sitting at my desk just singingramble on repeatedly

so thank you for that

REPLY

Marksays:


Heh, my pleasure!

REPLY

David Emmerson says:

November 23, 2009 at 12:37 pm

Interesting choice with Led Zeppelin a band that I believe was totally driven by the

manager and who as you acknowledge set the way for other bands to actually earn an

income.

Peter Grants philosophy on life was take no prisoners and its worth reading about

his own growing up in the music business and the importance of mentors (his own

being one of the toughest guys around). Just avoid the hanging people by their ankles

outside the window until they sign on the dotted line.

The music industry has presented some good (and bad) business models over the

years and like it or hate it, X Factor is possibly the ultimate right now, able to identify

ways to create money every way it turns.

As to whether there is much musical creativity, I guess its a matter of personal taste!

However, it is very creative in the way it generates multiple income streams,

extracting money from the public, through advertising, record labels eager to see

their acts appear on the show, branding, and so the list goes on.

As for Led Zeppelin, will forever remain Rock Gods and I will forever remember the O2

gig.

REPLY

Marksays:


David I shudder to imagine how tough Peter Grants mentor must have been!

V envious of the O2 gig! I tried to get tickets, but to no avail. I did see Page and Plant

twice, which was awesome (in every sense).

REPLY

Dave Doolinsays:


I cant really think of any rock band that has had as much influence as Zep. I dont

really count The Beatles as rock.

Sadly, Bonham passed away a couple of months before they were going to play close

enough for me to go see them in concert.

Working on that 4 pillars concept right now with a tight circle of friends.

REPLY
http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4447#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4447http://website-in-a-weekend.net/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4443#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4443http://lateralaction.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4441#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4441http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4439#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4439http://lateralaction.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4438#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4438http://harrisonamy.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4437#respond


7/10

Sharonsays:


excellent work, my work [and unpaid activist work] involves a lot of change agent

stuff, and this kind of approach [using an existing cultural reference] is invaluable in

creating a connection with people who might not want to engage with dry, theoretical

material

REPLY

Robertsays:


@ Dave I kind of agree that the Beatles werent rock. Although they surely were

pioneers to popular music of pretty much any kind.

Unfortunately I was never able to see the guys I was born shortly before they called

it a day. So Im pretty much suck watching the DVDs which always come out after a

few drinks.

The last lesson is well worth learning, not only to know when to call it a day, but also

dont become an imitation of yourself. I think it was Plant that said that should

Zeppelin ever reform they would simply be a cover band of themselves.

REPLY

Rainer says:


Good times, bad times, you know Ive had my share

When my woman left home for a brown-eyed man

but I still dont seem to care.

Still love it! Thanks for the great post, Mark.

REPLY

David Ksays:


Zep is one of the examples I use (along with Pink Floyd, Queen, Joy Division and

others) with my teenage daughters.

I encourage them to hear the complexity and look for that in the bands they are

listening to today now THATs a tough assignment. (Oh man, did my Dad just say

that?)

Creative brilliance and technical capability (brilliance not required) generate powerful,

valuable works.

We should all work that way.

REPLY

Marysays:


I think all of these points (except maybe #8) fit U2, as well.

REPLY

David Dealsays:


Well done and spot on. I would add one more lesson: be willing to push yourself and

everyone around you to get better. Jimmy Page is justly famous for his guitar playing,

but he also produced every Led Zeppelin album and in doing so took the band to the

next level through gritty, hard work. As a producer, he applied uncompromising

standards to create sounds that no one else could come close to matching. Its alsointeresting to note that few bands have successfully produced themselves like Led

Zeppelin did. Thank you for the post.

REPLY
http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4462#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4462http://www.superhypeblog.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4461#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4461http://woowooteacup.wordpress.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4456#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4456http://www.nicheplayer.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4452#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4452http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4451#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4451http://barefoot-seo.blogspot.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4450#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4450http://www.twitter.com/cruxcatalyst


8/10

Mike Stengersays:


Sorry I missed this! Been gone for Thanksgiving but you really hit this head on!

Although Im younger and not from the rock n roll generation, I get what youre

saying. Led Zeppelin was damn good and theres reasons for that.

Great guide, just tweeted

REPLY

linda m lopekesays:December 2, 2009 at 12:15 am

Thank you for this insightful post, Mark. I love this band and their incredible music.

Led Zeppelin exemplifies it isnt just one thing that creates success (of the musical or

any other variety). Rather its preparation meeting opportunity and a willingness to

define and stay your own course that gets you there.

The courage to take a stand (even if it means to stand alone), to believe (even when

your beliefs fly in the face of the norm or any form of reason), to refuse to

compromise (even when to do so would be expedient, more efficient and less

expensive), to simply keep moving forward in the direction that is right for you (even

when you cant see the road ahead) these are the things the average person wont

do and the committed entrepreneur must do.

I experienced Led Zeppelin as musicians (being of that generation). Youve helped me

see them as some of my early teachers. Thanks for opening my ears to that.

Linda M. Lopeke

REPLY

Joe Chapuissays:

December 5, 2009 at 11:48 am

Good insight. A few thoughts

Zep was larger than life. Stories abound of motorcycle rides through hotel lobbies, TVs

being tossed out of windows, and decadence and mayhem at 35,000 feet aboard The

Starship.

Think about how much they contributed in twelve short years, or what they created in

their first three (Zep 1-4). Oh man, how they harnessed that wave of youthful, raw

energy, riding the momentum until it came crashing down on itself.

I love the fact that they knew when to call it quits and move on. The magic forumla

could never be replicated without Bonzo.

I expose my kids to all kinds of music current pop, opera and classical, heavy metal,

vintage and modern rock. But my six-year old sons favorite song is Rock-n-Roll.

40 years and 200 million albums later, they still leave you wanting more

-joe

REPLY

Lou Anne Reddonsays:

August 18, 2010 at 12:36 pm

This post rocked, Mark! You really know your Zeppelin and made it relevant with

terrific lessons.

Your insights and encouragement are exactly what I needed to shore up confidence in

my freelance copywriting pursuits, which is what brought me to you in the first place.

Incredibly, though, another side creative endeavour of mine is to help my brother

promote the book he wrote about Zeppelin. So your post was an especial delight.

Its also GREAT to know that so many people here are lovers of Led, too!

As their song says, THANK YOU!

REPLY
http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6194#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6194http://www.enzepplopedia.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4490#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4490http://www.requiredreading.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4482#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4482http://www.smartstartcoach.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=4467#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-4467http://www.mikestenger.com/


9/10

Martina Simonic Adamcsays:

September 16, 2010 at 7:57 am

Mark thank you for this post!

Brilliant choice of showing us what means to be passionate, innovative and stick to

youre soul desire.

Most of mine best atwork come out among listening rock music whole lotta love.

Have fun, Martina

REPLY

Lynn says:

September 23, 2010 at 10:23 pm

Yet another example of the really weird coincidences (or NOT!) that happen in my life.

I watched a program on Led Zepplin just last week on the Bio channel. So I know

exactly what you are talking about. (Although I was familiar with their music and who

they were from when I was a kid).

Just the week before, I was reading about how U2!s lyrics were influenced by people

like Jimi Hendrix. That same week Jimis bio was on tv and, having been a huge fan of

U2 since day 1, I can now look back and see his influence on their music.

Like Mary I find U2 and Bono to be very creatively inspirational, more so than LZ.

And yes, the music of today is so NON-creative and lacking in originality. Whathappened? Do we need drugs as a muse? Hopefully not, but there certainly seems to

be a connection.

REPLY

Robertsays:


@Lynn well todays music (Im talking mainstream here) is mostly written by those

that were big in the 70!s (think ABBA and BeeGees). While not entirely my cup of tea,

Ill argue that they lack creativity.

Mostly as a friend of mine used to say, If the artist puts something in, Ill get

something out. Strangely enough I feel that bands that were breaking ground suchas Metalllica have now sold out to The Man so badly so that others such as Britney

get a higher ranking on my scale (a least shes honest about it).

Times change, again another reason to either call it quits or to re-invent yourself.

Guess thats where Michael Jackson was really great.

As for drugs being a muse, they always were, heck why do you think so many artists

are constantly in rehab, or writing about that struggle?

One of my all time faves, Ozzy, need I really say more?

REPLY

Mark McGuinnesssays:


Thanks for the great comments guys, great to see everyones passion for their

favourites coming through.

Ill have to respectfully disagree about U2 though.

REPLY

B-Fisch says:

October 13, 2010 at 3:43 pm

One thing Ive found, and Ive had someone confirm this recently, is this: if you want

to sound like someone/something, dont try to sound like them. Try to sound like

whomever THEY were trying to imitate. (adaptation decay is the reason for this) Itslike paraphrasing a quote when the quote itself was paraphrasing. After a few carbon

copies, it starts to lose the luster. Just watch Multiplicity.

Anyway, I read this shortly after it was first posted up here (thanks to Achilles Last

Stand), and it is very good! Thanks for the tips!
http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6553http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6424#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6424http://lateralaction.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6423#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6423http://www.propdata.net/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6411#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6411http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6375#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6375http://www.my8shadows.com/


10/10

REPLY

Mark McGuinnesssays:

October 14, 2010 at 3:38 am

Adaptation decay I like that! Could be another article

REPLY

B-Fisch says:


I got the term form TV Tropes. (be warned, that site can be a massive time drain.

One thing leads to another, and so on as shown in http://xkcd.com/609/)

REPLY

Amanda Waltonsays:


I really enjoyed this post, we as fans love the music of Led Zeppelin and many of the

greats but many dont realize how profound their lives and experiences can be to our

own to keep us going and draw from. It wasnt until recently I started reading beyond

the music and into the legends behind the beauty of what our ears take in, its like re-

discovering my favorites again, opening my eyes even wider.

Its the after fact of the writers who carry on the meanings behind these legends

including those involved in their entourage that will live on from generation to

generation giving that added taste of perfection with the genius behind the legend

musicians, like an excellent tasting wine and the perfect cheese to compliment. The

takeaway after each tidbit of history is very inspiring since it applies to our everyday

lives in everything we do. Great read! Cheers!

REPLY

Speak Your Mind

Name *

Email *

Website

POST COMMENT

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Jump to Top | Home | About | Contact | 2011 Lateral Action. All Rights Reserved.

Lateral Action runs on the Genesis Framework for WordPress
http://www.studiopress.com/themes/genesishttp://lateralaction.com/contacthttp://lateralaction.com/abouthttp://lateralaction.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/#mainhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6597#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6597http://nabweekly.ca/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6560#respondhttp://xkcd.com/609/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6560http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6554#respondhttp://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/comment-page-1/#comment-6554http://lateralaction.com/http://lateralaction.com/articles/led-zeppelin/?replytocom=6553#respond

the led zeppelin guide to creative world domination | lateral action

Documents