Does anyone evr listen to "Moby Dick" live?

[Mr Badguy]

I was listening to "How the west was won" this morning at work.

Damn fine album.

Then "Moby Dick" came on.

I`ve never been to a concert where anyone had the audacity to play a fifteen minute drum solo, so I can only imagine how 70`s concert goers must have felt.

Maybe Bonham had a deal with brewers to sell beer?

Every live Zeppelin album has it on there.

I don`t mind the studio version but the live cut is easily the most excessive and self indulgent solo ever.

It probably started the Punk movement all by itself.

[chefcraig]

19 minutes and 20 seconds of "thud clump clump, thud clump clump", played at various speeds and tempos. At least when viewing The Song Remains The Same, you had the relief of watching Bonham wander around his farm and drive a dragster.

About the only thing worse was sitting through opening act Ginger Baker's Air Force while waiting for the Doobie Brothers to come on. Every song had an interminable drum solo, and poorly executed ones at that.

[Terry]

The most self-indulgent version of Moby Dick I've heard was the spot on the 1977 Seattle Kingdome show.

It just goes on and on, and doesn't even have the benefit of being interesting. Sadly, John Paul Jones did a lengthy solo spot in the same show on No Quarter that had all the energy of a piano recital. Page's violin bow spot was a bit shorter, but seemed even longer because he was playing like he was smacked out of his mind. So you've got a good thirty minutes of a 100 minute or so show devoted to mindless wanking.

To pull off a drum solo of that length, one either needs to be a superb technician (like, say, Bozzio), or incorporate it within some non-drum instrumental augmentation, like Cozy Powell used to do when he was in Rainbow.

Honestly, 5 minutes is (or should be) MORE than enough time to allocate for ANY solo spot in a rock concert.

Contrast John Bonham with Keith Moon, who rarely ever did drum solos live.

[atomicpunk5151]

I have hundreds of Zep boots, but rarely, if ever listen to a whole drum solo.

Terry is also dead on about the 77 tour. Those shows are a tough listen. I much perfer 69-72.

BUT there are people who do. Over at www.royal-orleans.com they will break down every bootleg into the smallest detail.

[indeedido]

I like the version on The Song Remains the Same soundtrack. I love the guitar riff.

[Mr Walker]

Plant would get blow jobs during 'Moby Dick'... I think I read that in a book somewhere.

[binnie]

Do drum solos ever have a cross over appeal?

If they're done well, guitar solos can and do appeal to people who don't actually play guitar - there is a 'wow' factor. Do drums ever have the same effect to the non-player? I doubt it.

I completely agree with Mr. Badguy. 'How The West Was Won' is a cracking record, but I could do without 20 minutes of meandering........

[Golden AWe]

"How the West Was Won" wouldn't need a drum solo. When the drums on "The Immigrant Song" ROLL over the listener, the audience, the whole wide world, Bonham needs no other proof of his skill. That song simply sounds so amazingly fookin' good.

[ODShowtime]

ya beat me to it Terry

The most self-indulgent version of Moby Dick I've heard was the spot on the 1977 Seattle Kingdome show.

If you want to hear some shitty pointless long-ass drum solos the 77 tour is the way to go!

The best Moby Dick in my opinion is the one of the DVD from Royal Albert Hall 1970. I really wish this was released back in the day as the incredible speed of Bonzos hands is mesmerizing and would have clearly added to his reputation at the time.

I am always sad because that moby dick riff is fucking bad-ass. Like one of the best riffs ever bad-ass. My band used to jam on it back in the day.

[chefcraig]

If you want to hear some shitty pointless long-ass drum solos the 77 tour is the way to go!

The best Moby Dick in my opinion is the one of the DVD from Royal Albert Hall 1970. I really wish this was released back in the day as the incredible speed of Bonzos hands is mesmerizing and would have clearly added to his reputation at the time.

I am always sad because that moby dick riff is fucking bad-ass. Like one of the best riffs ever bad-ass. My band used to jam on it back in the day.

Agreed. The Albert Hall solo is a remarkable thing to watch, as it is never boring and is ultimately quite entertaining. According to several published accounts, Bonham had tired of performing the solo and went as far as to refuse to perform it towards the end. If he was uninspired by it, one can only imagine the reaction of the audience. Crap, you could leave the show, gas up your car for the return ride home, get refreshments and re-enter the venue in the time it swallowed, and not have missed a damned thing.

People tend to cite "WLL" and "Heartbreaker" as the coolest riffs on Led Zeppelin II, but I heartily disagree. The two neatest lines to jam on are "Moby Dick" and the blast-off riff to "Bring It On Home", judging by the audience reaction whenever my band would slam into them.

[indeedido]

I could watch Bonham play all day

[kwame k]

The first time I heard Moby Dick I was floored and when I seen The Song Remains The Same I was stunned to see how he actually played some of those riffs.

Having said that......I fucking hated going to shows in the 80's when it was mandatory that every fucking drummer does a drum solo. All that double-bass nonsense and jumping around was just plain lame.

The best drum solos I've seen or heard have only lasted 4 or 5 mins. The length of a song, basically. What most drummers forget is to keep a groove going or forward momentum. I'm more impressed with groove and flow than I am by any rolls or licks.

[ppg960]

I could watch Bonham play all day

I think he had a lot of talent. He was really heavy handed when playing and started that kind of trend for years to come.
John Paul Jones is a great player / musician as well. He is really under rated and made a huge part in Zepplin's sound.