Hammer of the Gods: Led Zeppelin Unauthorized

A well researched, comprehensive study of life on the road with the pioneers of stadium rock concerts.

Thought it to be an OK book - I know there has been much criticism of it from surviving band members and others, maybe because of how it portrays them - which I don't think is that bad, they were just rock and roll stars living the life of excess. Given how close Zeppelin were as a unit, running a very tight ship so to speak, it would be surprising if they didn't object to a lot of stuff in there - I mean, who does that stuff these days...respectability comes knocking when you get older and have kids and grandkids. Who really knows what happened. That said, the infamous mud shark episode, referred to by Zappa in one of his songs, and also referred to by Carmine Appice, (who was present at the time) providing a lot of detail in a video documentary some may have seen, suggests that at least that story is true - someone is supposed to have a video of it. Anyway, stuff of legends - I liked it.

Excellent read from my favs.

Arrived on time and in good condition. Some yellowing of the page ends but was expected for the price

I read this book years ago and lent it to a nob who never returned it. So all these years later I bought it again and it is as I remembered. A good old warts and all story of the biggest rock band of the 70's. Life on the road, Peter Grant, drunken binges in hotels etc etc. It is a good read but being as we now live in a namby-pamby world I dare say the bleeding heart brigade will hate it. The woman crusaders will have you believe that groupies were exploited and did not really love the attention, drugs and sex. However, this is a great read and I recommend it to anyone who has ever wondered about life on the road from a rock band viewpoint.

The history of led zeppelin or the history of rock and roll in the seventies. Good to know some of this tales.

Excess everything and some heroic music...well, someone has to do it! Zep created some magnificent stuff, Kashmir, When the levee breaks etc etc. Worth reading through their amazing ups and sad downs....but mostly, as ever, the music legacy is the fundamental thing....

I am nearly at the end of this book, which was recommended many years ago. I hope that I don't come across as intellectually overbearing about it, but it has been a bit of a disappointment. The quality of writing veers, quite often, into fanzine over-excitment; and the grammar, syntax and general style falls apart after the first two chapters. It is a fun and fast read (I don't always want an academic plod through rock journalism swamplands), and the first two chapters offer some very interesting insights into the band's genenesis, as well as the 60s music scene. After that, however, the howlers come thick and fast. I won't bore you with a list of "how not to write a bad bio." But one example that remains in mind are the tedious accounts of "Dazed And Confused." How many times can a writer bang on about Pages's bowing technique? Like the accounts of the song's increasing length, with each successive tour, the descriptions become irritatingly repetitive. And using the title as a weak pun twice, within the space of two pages, at on point, pushes the envelope off the table. Relief (albeit dubious!) comes when "Whole Lotta Love" becomes the next fixation. Plant faking orgasms as an accompaniment made me feel that it was no regret to miss them as a live act. Then it switches to (sorry; but I often skip this track!): "Stairway..." I saw one of the very good "Unledded" shows, and was relieved that it was omitted. Plant mentioned feeling almost embarrassed about this blast of bombast (Page disagreed, however), and it seems that the author is absurdly enamoured with this chestnut. An account of a riotous Italian show is, er, interesting. The carabinieri metamorphose into the gendarmarie within the space of a few pages! Page's occult interests are lazily brushed aside as rumour at one point. I would like to know more about this, but the author doesn't really tackle it with any rigour. Peter Grant seems (Bonham, as well) to be too misrepresented as a loveable rogue. In all, it isn't THAT bad, but "definitive" is really wide of the mark. I am at the point where John Paul Jones appears to be the only one left intact. I would be interested in a book of it all by him. He is the only one who has gone on to pursue interesting projects (e.g. his collaboration with Diamanda Galas); the others are at a loose end. The funniest part is Bob Dylan's sardonic response to Grant's blustering self-introduction.

I loved this book! I read When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zepplin by Mick Wall before reading this book. This book, although sometimes descending to a kind of tabloid fodder, was much more interesting and straight forward. I enjoyed it exceptionally.

After recently reading the book by Duff on Guns and Roses I was told it didn't hold a candle to this book of Led Zeppelin. Well, I disagree. In fact, told from a first person's perspective, I found it to be much better. That's not to say this isn't an excellent biography of Led Zeppelin. It is quite good and I definitely enjoyed it. This book doesn't just start with Led Zeppelin but gives full background particularly starting with Jimmy Page who had the earlier Yardbirds. What becomes evident from reading this book is how the chemistry of the members made the band what it was. I knew Led Zeppelin but really didn't follow their music in depth. This book really fills in the holes and shows what they created which they probably never have received full credit for. Hey, they're not the Beatles or Stones. But what they did in their genre and how they worked so hard and stayed together without much in-fighting to create this magic is well represented in this book. They book does cover the groupie debauchery with which I had some familiarity from previously reading Pamela des Barres' book "I'm With the Band". But I didn't find it to be covered in total depth, more in rumor. Also, their black magic fetish is really not clear but without a question Jimmy Page particularly is a weird dude. As is typical, drugs and alcohol eventually take their toll but to the credit of the group, when a member is lost, the group doesn't try to weather on and steal money. How these guys survived this to live normal productive lives is probably as interesting as anything. Overall, a very good read on an epic musical influence that I strongly recommend.

I am very happy with my purchase. The book was hard to put down. I will heartily recommend it.

The real deal on Led Zep!

Good book for Zeppelin fans.This book can serve as biography, music as well as history book.