The Song Remains the Same
In the 70s, there were few hard rock bands that could match the popularity and legendary status of Led Zeppelin. But their music was only part of the picture, as the incendiary band was truly at their best on stage. And for those who might not have had the ability to see them in concert, they released a film chronicling three days of concerts at Madison Square Garden called The Song Remains the Same. A mixture of live performances, along with a special fantasy sequence for each performer (including manager Peter Grant) the film offered a glimpse of the raw energy and stage presence that made Led Zeppelin one of the largest drawing acts of the decade.
The film begins with each of the members of the band receiving notification of an upcoming concert tour…that supposedly begins “tomorrow.” They board their behemoth jet, a Boeing 720B, and head to New York. Upon landing, they are whisked into limos and make a rush to Madison Square Garden, accompanied by police escort. The famed arena is packed with enthusiastic fans, who roar as the lights go down and Zeppelin takes the stage, kicking things off with the bombastic “Rock and Roll.” The band, comprised of singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones immediately demonstrate their incendiary stage presence that few have ever been able to match.
Things get a bit stranger, however, in the fantasy clips, interspersed throughout the show. The first is from menacing manager Peter Grant, who takes on the persona of a gangster and proceeds to shoot up a meeting of businessmen with a machine gun. (And for those in the music industry that ever dealt with the iron-fisted Grant, this sequence wasn’t all that far from reality.)
Bassist John Paul Jones’ sequence is next, included in the song “No Quarter.” Here we find Jones at home, reading Jack and the Beanstalk to his young children, then donning a menacing mask and riding on horseback through Sussex, England before returning home, ever the devoted family man.
Robert Plant, always the enthusiast of Celtic lore, gets his spotlight during the medley of “The Song Remains the Same” and “The Rain Song.” Plant is portrayed as a sword –wielding knight, who comes to the rescue of a fair maiden held within a Wales castle.
Jimmy Page’s sequence is perhaps the most psychedelic of the bunch, portraying him as a seeker of wisdom who is scaling the forested mountains surrounding Loch Ness in search of a wise hermit who can grant enlightenment. While he pursues his quest, the haunting sounds of his guitar played with a violin bow offer the perfect accompaniment, an extended solo section within the song “Dazed and Confused.”
Finally, drummer John Bonham is portrayed as a regular (albeit wealthy) guy, shown spending time with his family, posing with a herd of cattle, playing snooker, and racing a dragster – part of his extensive collection of cars.
In the film, audiences are also treated to backstage glimpses of the band, as well as a few events that transpired behind the scenes while the band is performing, such as Peter Grant dealing with bootleggers in his own inimitable way. But regardless of the cinematic indulgences and behind-the-scenes footage, the movie is really about the music, with Zeppelin performing some of their most beloved songs, including “Heartbreaker,” “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You” and of course, the epic “Stairway to Heaven.” (Does anybody remember laughter?)
The film, which many felt was just a tad self-indulgent, still managed to do respectable numbers at the box office upon its original release. In the years that followed, however, it became one of the biggest midnight movie draws across the country, offering the only footage in existence at the time of Led Zeppelin on stage. And it didn’t hurt that theaters pumped the sound at ear-shattering volumes through big PA systems, giving audiences at least a taste of what it felt like to actually see the band in concert. And considering that the band broke up in 1980, following the death of John Bonham, these midnight showings offered devoted fans something that they would never again have a chance to see live for themselves – the amazing energy and musical prowess of one of the greatest hard rock bands to ever take the stage.
The film begins with each of the members of the band receiving notification of an upcoming concert tour…that supposedly begins “tomorrow.” They board their behemoth jet, a Boeing 720B, and head to New York. Upon landing, they are whisked into limos and make a rush to Madison Square Garden, accompanied by police escort. The famed arena is packed with enthusiastic fans, who roar as the lights go down and Zeppelin takes the stage, kicking things off with the bombastic “Rock and Roll.” The band, comprised of singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones immediately demonstrate their incendiary stage presence that few have ever been able to match.
Things get a bit stranger, however, in the fantasy clips, interspersed throughout the show. The first is from menacing manager Peter Grant, who takes on the persona of a gangster and proceeds to shoot up a meeting of businessmen with a machine gun. (And for those in the music industry that ever dealt with the iron-fisted Grant, this sequence wasn’t all that far from reality.)
Bassist John Paul Jones’ sequence is next, included in the song “No Quarter.” Here we find Jones at home, reading Jack and the Beanstalk to his young children, then donning a menacing mask and riding on horseback through Sussex, England before returning home, ever the devoted family man.
Robert Plant, always the enthusiast of Celtic lore, gets his spotlight during the medley of “The Song Remains the Same” and “The Rain Song.” Plant is portrayed as a sword –wielding knight, who comes to the rescue of a fair maiden held within a Wales castle.
Jimmy Page’s sequence is perhaps the most psychedelic of the bunch, portraying him as a seeker of wisdom who is scaling the forested mountains surrounding Loch Ness in search of a wise hermit who can grant enlightenment. While he pursues his quest, the haunting sounds of his guitar played with a violin bow offer the perfect accompaniment, an extended solo section within the song “Dazed and Confused.”
Finally, drummer John Bonham is portrayed as a regular (albeit wealthy) guy, shown spending time with his family, posing with a herd of cattle, playing snooker, and racing a dragster – part of his extensive collection of cars.
In the film, audiences are also treated to backstage glimpses of the band, as well as a few events that transpired behind the scenes while the band is performing, such as Peter Grant dealing with bootleggers in his own inimitable way. But regardless of the cinematic indulgences and behind-the-scenes footage, the movie is really about the music, with Zeppelin performing some of their most beloved songs, including “Heartbreaker,” “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You” and of course, the epic “Stairway to Heaven.” (Does anybody remember laughter?)
The film, which many felt was just a tad self-indulgent, still managed to do respectable numbers at the box office upon its original release. In the years that followed, however, it became one of the biggest midnight movie draws across the country, offering the only footage in existence at the time of Led Zeppelin on stage. And it didn’t hurt that theaters pumped the sound at ear-shattering volumes through big PA systems, giving audiences at least a taste of what it felt like to actually see the band in concert. And considering that the band broke up in 1980, following the death of John Bonham, these midnight showings offered devoted fans something that they would never again have a chance to see live for themselves – the amazing energy and musical prowess of one of the greatest hard rock bands to ever take the stage.
