Clocking in at just over 70 minutes, music doc Led Zeppelin: The Origin of the Species recounts the events leading
up to the formation of the famous titular group, from Jimmy Page’s session work
with Dave Berry and the like to the modest success of ’60s outfits The
Yardbirds and Band of Joy, which helped give he and other members their starts.
For hardcore devotees of the group as well as casual music fans who enjoy VH-1’s Behind the Music-type specials, this
title is an utter gem.
with discerning commentary and criticism, The
Origin of the Species charts the details of the group’s legendary first two
albums — the first recorded in under 30 hours, the second released a mere nine
months after the January 1969 bow of their debut — but also shines a light on
the bluesy inspiration for many of the songs. “Whole Lotta Love,” for instance,
finds its roots in the Small Faces’ own spin-off of Willie Dixon’s “You Need
Love,” while “Black Mountain Side” can be traced to Anne Briggs’ interpretation
of the folk tune “Black Water Side.” These revelations don’t tear down the accomplishment
of the music, however, but rather show how Led Zeppelin, like many bands
before them and since, drew heartily upon their inspirations and fused it with an
inimitable style to form a sound inarguably their own.
authors Alan Clayson and Phil Sutcliffe, former Melody Maker journalist Chris Welch, ex-NME editor Keith Altham, Yardbirds guitarist Chris Dreja and era session
players like Clem Cattani. The result of such an intimately knowledgeable but often
less-than-famous roster is a fascinating tapestry, full of behind-the-scenes
minutiae that paints a fuller picture of the times and setting that helped
birth the band. (Sample nugget: it was Scotty Moore’s guitar playing on Elvis Presley’s “My Baby Left Me” that initially inspired Page to pick up the axe.) It doesn’t hurt, either, the superlative featured recordings — both
live and of the studio variety — of “Dazed and Confused,” “Communication
Breakdown,” “Rock and Roll,” “Good Times Bad Times” and “Whole Lotta Love.”
This would be a great document merely for some of these segments, but the stories
only further enrich the performances.
widescreen, enhanced for 16×9 televisions, with a solid, hiccup-free stereo
sound mix. Bonus features include a separate, 20-minute history of the Yardbirds,
obviously dominated by the insights and anecdotes of former member Dreja, whose
recollections of Page and Jeff Beck’s sometimes contentious guitar battles are
involving and amusing. There are also text biographies of the contributors herein, as well
as an interactive slate of questions billed as “the hardest Led Zeppelin quiz
in the world ever.” A (Movie) B- (Disc)