There was  a special phenomenon that danced through the 70’s that consisted of British men wailing guitar in women’s blouses and their hair flying free. The audiences were truly mesmerized by what they were witnessing, but many couldn’t even appreciate it in it’s own time. But ‘Led Zeppelin’ didn’t die with the rise of current classic rock. In fact, it has found a way to live on with its traits being mimicked by many modern groups as a telltale sign of this. 

To possess the magical banshee cry of Robert Plant has been a talent very hard to come by for modern rock singers. But Joshua Kiszka, the 25 year old lead singer of famous rock band ‘Greta Van Fleet’, holds a voice with this power and uses it to attract fans of all ages, even veteran Zeppelin concert-goers. With their familiar sound  spreading across the multiple generations they have been able to accomplish fame very quickly. Their 2017 debut album, ‘From the Fires’ Had everything from hard-edged rock to retro polished vocals that is a must-listen for fans of ‘70s classic rock and young fans keen to claim the genre for their generation. Led Zeppelin would be proud…or would they?

In a recent interview with The Project Exclusive, Robert Plant, the lead singer of Led Zeppelin, discusses up and coming rock bands that he really likes, and he responds, “There’s a band in Detroit called Greta Van Fleet. They are Led Zeppelin 1… beautiful little singer, I hate em! And he borrowed that voice from somebody I know very well, but I mean what’re you gonna do?” This may seem spiteful, however Plant’s playful banter and seal of approval with the comparison to his own band, one of the greatest of all time, shows appreciation and slight jealousy for the blooming of this young group. One might say their talents and refreshing sound remind Plant of what he once created way back when. 

If you’ve been around for the classics; ‘Houses of the Holy’, Led Zeppelin I through IV and of course ‘Physical Graffiti’ and its many wonders, you know the specialties of what Zeppelin was and everything it created. The true heaviness brought to classic rock by hits like ‘Ramble On’, ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and of course signatures like ‘Stairway to Heaven’. But what’s funny about Zeppelin is how its creations were never really awarded until they had gone, or simply aged. Stairway to Heaven, considered one of the best songs of all time, never even charted back in ‘71.

Over time we’ve seen Zeppelin’s influence and the specific classification of music they have created for a vast group of people. Whether you’re a pioneer hippie from the Woodstock days, or an edgy teenager lost in your dad’s CD’s, you can appreciate the sound of Jimmy Page solos on another level. Led Zeppelin formed in 1968 when “The Yardbirds” split up, an English rock band, formed in London in 1963, their core lineup featuring vocalist and harmonica player, Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarthy, guitarist Eric Clapton and bassist Jimmy Page. Upon their sell out, Jimmy Page, expected to finish the tour dates of the group without much of a band, began a search for talented musicians, finding what we may call a pot of gold. The name, Led Zeppelin, emerged from a comment made by Keith Moon, of The Who, who once said the band would go down like a lead balloon. Zeppelin didn’t impress in their home country on their first tour, however, once their album hit the shelves in America, they became rock and roll itself, something bloomed immediately and they were royalty. 

As all rock bands have experienced, Led Zeppelin came to an unfortunate conclusion; John Bonham, their drummer, died of asphyxiation due to an alcohol binge, and Zeppelin chose to not go on without him. Many fans found this respective and moral, but melancholy even so. Their music lives through each generation differently, some ignoring it, although the voice of Plant is quite hard to ignore, and others holding onto it for dear life. The fresh faces of Greta Van Fleet, along with their inescapable grasp on the Zeppelin enthusiasts, whether you love them or hate them, is awakening a sound far too special to go out quickly. Some may even say, well those who speak the language, dancing days are here again.