IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR

Due to serious addiction to heavy drugs (heroin), Page was not really in top form those days. So, John Paul Jones will co-write more songs than ever on this Led Zep album. Something unbelievable will happen on this effort : two songs will be signed by Jones and Plant ! It is the very first time in the band history that Page will not sign a Led Zep track. The situation should have been pretty worrying to have lead to this situation. It will not only affect in his songwriting, but as well his guitar play : (too) few guitar soli here, more a rhythmic role. But the master is still very skilled.

Jimmy Page has always denied his addiction though. So, one has to make his own judgment, but for me it is rather easy... It has also been said, that during these sessions, Page and Bonham hardly showed up in the daytime, leaving Plant and Jones almost like orphans and orchestrating most of numbers on their own while Jimmy and Bonzo would put their parts together at night. This had never succeeded before, the band being very united since day one.

As usual for a Led Zep album, it will reach Nr. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US it will even became the first album by a rock band to debut at the first spot of the charts. Not too bad. It is a clear move towards world music (which Plant will deeply investigate in his solo career).

One of their poorest numbers along with "Hats off to (Roy) Harper" from III is featured here. "Hot Dog". It Is a mix of country & western and rockabilly. Real bad, believe me. But since they produced so few songs of this type during their career, let's not blame them to much.

A bit of funky and rock'n'roll flavours with "South Bound Saurez". Lots of piano and strong vocals. It is the first song in which Jimmy didn't collaborate. Still, there will be guitar solo in the middle part. It's obviously not their best, but still interesting.

Then we have a number in which Led Zep almost meets Santana : "Fool In The Rain". The song features dominant piano and lots of cymbals in the first third of the number (some Spanish-like guitar sounds as well). The second part is truly latin-rock oriented : frenetic samba rhythms with whistles, marimba and tambourines. Copacabana, my friends8 Page will say that he had been influenced by the atmosphere of the world cup in Argentina (1978) when he wrote the song.

Don't worry. We'll also get a heavy one, like in the good old days. "In The Evening" is a powerful song with a catchy riff. Rather long (almost seven minutes) it is one of the highlight. Logically, it has been chosen as the opening track. So, the tradition of great opening numbers is respected.

The fantastic "Carouselambra" is an incredible mix of genres. Wild throughout its 10'34". Lots of synth and great drumming of course. It's Led Zep second longest song and features several rhythm changes. A true kaleidoscope from different sources of music.

A bluesy one with "I'm Gonna Crawl". Somewhat similar to "Tea For One" for the melancholic mood. It's a love song (a bit naïve) : "Hey, she drives me crazy, She's the apple of my eye 'Cause she is my girl, And she can never do wrong". Plant is of course sublime in this exercise and the whole band is very strong. Page will deliver a great guitar break. A strong closing number.

The very emotional "All My Love" is a song that Robert dedicated to his son Karac (aged only five) who passed away in '77. He died from a stomac virus and Led Zep stopped touring immediately after this second tragedy. It is a sentimental ballad written by Plant and Jones.

With such a theme it could not have been a hard-rock one of course. Page did not like it very much to say the least. He told : "I wasn't really keen on "All My Love". I was a little worried about the chorus. I could just imagine people doing the wave and all of that. And I thought, That's not us. That's not us. In its place it was fine, but I wouldn't have wanted to pursue that direction in the future."

But, unfortunately, another tragedy will soon take place on a sad September day (the twenty fifth). On the morning of September 24, 1980, a Led Zep assistant picked up Bonham to go to some rehearsals. On the way, John was willing to get "breakfast". He got four quadruple vodkas with a ham roll. After taking a bite of the ham roll he said to his assistant : "Breakfast." He continued to drink during all day. Late in the evening the band left the studio and drove to Page's house in Windsor.

After midnight, Bonham fell asleep and was taken to bed on his side. It was rumoured that he had a total of forty shots that night and during the night he turned over in the wrong direction... Benji LeFevre (Led Zeppelin's tour manager) and John Paul Jones found him dead the next morning. He had suffocated in his own vomit. Bonham was only 32 years old.

The decision to end the band came instantly. They were really close friends. When the three members met in a London hotel room, it was only a matter of wording the statement.

Much later, Page will say : "It was impossible to continue". Especially in light of what we'd done live, stretching and moving the songs this way. At that point in time especially, in the early eighties, there was no way one wanted to even consider taking on another drummer. For someone to learn the things Bonham had done...it just wouldn't have been honest. We had a great respect for each other, and that needed to continue ...in life or death."

I am very grateful to Led Zep for their high quality output and their immense influence on rock music. Thank you Jimmy, Robert, John Paul and John. I started to love your music in 1970 and I will do so till "Stairway To Heaven" will be featured at my burial ceremony. I mean it.

Seven out of ten. Four stars.

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