Dread Zeppelin is an American band best known for covering the songs of Led Zeppelin in a reggae style sung by an Elvis Presley impersonator, though their act now encompasses many other songs and other styles of music. Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant has said that Dread Zeppelin is his favorite band.
The first Dread Zeppelin release, the 7" single "Immigrant Song/Hey, Hey, What Can I Do", was recorded at the home studio of Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and released on producer Jah Paul Jo's independent label Birdcage Records in 1989. After its success, a second single, "Whole Lotta Love/Tour-telvis: A Bad Trip" was released. A third, "Your Time Is Gonna Come/Woodstock (live)" was released not as a single but as part of a singles compilation entitled Kom Gib Mir Deine Hand.
The rest of Dread Zeppelin's first album, Un-LED-ed, consisted of more covers taken from Led Zeppelin I and Led Zeppelin II, plus "Black Dog" from Four Symbols. Shortly before Un-LED-ed was released, the original Ed Zeppelin (percussion) was replaced by his twin brother.
Un-LED-ed was surprisingly successful, and in the fall of 1990, Dread Zeppelin took a three-week break from touring and recorded their second album, 5,000,000* *Tortelvis Fans Can't Be Wrong. In addition the usual "Zeppelin in a reggae style," this album also featured a cover of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" as well as three original songs.
For the next album, the band had planned a rock opera entitled Albert about a rock critic who wanted to be a star (based loosely on the real rock critic Albert Goldman), but this idea proved to be too ambitious for some of the band members who did not consider themselves career musicians. The plan changed to an album of disco covers entitled It's Not Unusual. In early 1992, Ed Zeppelin and drummer Fresh Cheese had both left the band, and during rehearsals for It's Not Unusual, lead vocalist Tortelvis ran out of the room in tears, saying that he missed his wife and his milk delivery route too much to tour anymore. Consequently, bassist Butt Boy took over the vocals, assuming the name Gary B.I.B.B., and guest artists Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Randy Bachman were brought in to fill the void left by Tortelvis.
Reaction to the disco stylings of It's Not Unusual was resoundingly negative, so in early 1993, Jah Paul Jo called Tortelvis and Ed Zeppelin back to record Hot & Spicy Beanburger, a return to the old formula. In the spring of 1994, Dread Zeppelin appeared in the film National Lampoon's Last Resort and provided a song for the closing credits. Carl Jah and Ed Zeppelin left the band shortly afterward. In 1995, during the recording of Dread Zeppelin's fifth album, No Quarter Pounder, Jah Paul Jo also left.
The remaining members of Dread Zeppelin signed onto Imago Records and released The Fun Sessions, a collection of classic rock covers. Meanwhile, Birdcage Records released Ruins, a compilation of B-sides and other rarities.
Dread Zeppelin now had a new production company called Cash Cow, which released the live album Front Yard Bar*B*Que in December 1996 and the all-original album Spam Bake in November 1997.
As of April 2003, Dread Zeppelin are still touring and occasionally releasing new material.
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2 Discography 3 External links |
Members
Note: The membership of Dread Zeppelin has changed countless times over the years. The band at any given time consists of some assortment of people from the following list.
Discography
External links
