Mothership - The Very Best of Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin Album Review

Album Review

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed And Confused, Bring It On Home, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, That's The Way, What Is And What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love,Communication Breakdown, medley - Long Tall Sally, Say Mama, Johnny B.Goode, That's Alright Mama.

That's the lucky 13 song setlist that changed Led Zeppelin's fortunes for ever : they were paid £20,000 as headliners.

It was played at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music '70, held on the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet on 27/28 June 1970. Going on stage at 8.30 as the sun was setting, they played their hearts out. Finally, the British press was won over. Things would never be the same for Led Zeppelin. On a personal angle, my first taste came on the cusp of going to art college. A school friend saw them at King's Hall Aberystwyth on January 16, 1973, highly recommending them. It was time to check them out. As a big fan of T.Rex and other pop acts, I was in for a big, life changing experience. Sounds profound, but true. I effectively grew up to, and with them.

At college, a fellow student handed loaned me Led Zeppelin 4, aka Four Symbols. From the opening track, Black Dog and opening blues-holler, " Hey, hey mama, said the way move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove," shivers ran down the spine.That was it - hooked! On Friday May 23 1975 I saw them at Earls Court London. Even now, as this review is being written, listening to the CDs, it still brings a tingle to the system. Now we can all experience the mind-boggling array of styles they thrust upon us. Blues inflected classics such as Since I've Been Loving You, to riff-laden Whole Lotta Love - theme to Top of The Pops. The folkie - blues-power rocker Babe I'm Gonna Leave You still sounds as dazzling over 30 years on. The 6 minutes and 27 seconds of Dazed And Confused, with cello bow bashing, and ominous sound, it remains one of the most unique rock explorations ever. Beginning with Good Times Bad Times from debut album, released January 12 1969, it follows a chronoligical order, ending CD 1 with their signature tune - Stairway To Heaven from 4.

Disc 2 picks up from album Houses Of The Holy with The Song Remains The Same. This showed a stylistic turning point, which introduced a wider scope of music, like reggae thumper D'Yer Maker. 1975's Double album Physical Grafitti gets three tracks here, all from 'side two' - Trampled Underfoot, Kashmir and Houses of The Holy. Missing are the brilliant Black Country Woman and heavy blues monster In My Time Of Dying. Last track, All My Love, from last studio album proper - In Through The Outdoor (August 1979) is a sublime synth-based beauty, dedicated to Plant's son Karac who died from a stomach infection.

Downside ? None of their folkier gems like Going To California, Battle Of Evermore and Tangerine.

Not exactly the very best of....but close enough, from the greatest band of all time. Respect.

Elly Roberts