Vie’s Verses – Is Guns N’ Roses Our Generation’s Led Zeppelin
In the early 70s, there was really only one band that defined the rock music of the time—Led Zeppelin. Sure, Black Sabbath was around making some incredible heavy metal, and Kiss was winning fans over with their songs about sex, drugs, and rock and roll, but if you wanted to hear true hard rock that was redefining musical innovation, it was Led Zeppelin that had to be played. Not since the Beatles (and perhaps Elvis before them) had anyone changed the stratosphere of the music scene in such a prominent and permanent way.
When Led Zeppelin split up shortly after the death of John Bonham, the rock world was devastated and stunned. It was thought that there would never be another band as innovative, stylistic, and amazing as Zeppelin had been. The rock world would feel the loss for years to come. Then in 1987, a little known band from Hollywood, California, released an album called Appetite For Destruction.
Appetite For Destruction put Guns N Roses on the metal map, but it wasn’t that album that launched them into the Zeppelin conversation. That would come later. If Guns N Roses had recorded Appetite and Lies and then called it a day, they would be well remembered in rock history, but they wouldn’t be considered icons.
20 years ago, Guns N Roses released two albums on the same day— Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. It is these albums that really showed their innovative spirit and what these rock stars from California could do when they set their mind to it. Both Illusion albums would prove to be the band’s swan song (although they did release a covers disc two years later). It was a great mark to leave and 20 years later, the music on those records still holds up.
Zeppelin brought a whole new level of creating music with albums like Physical Graffiti and the untitled Led Zeppelin IV. Songs like “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” and “Stairway To Heaven” had never even been conceived before, let alone heard. Guns N Roses produced a similar effect with the release of the Illusions.”Estranged,” “Coma,” and “Locomotive” are breath taking inspirations that only a genius could create. If “Stairway To Heaven” was the greatest rock song of its day, “November Rain” was the greatest rock song of its day nearly 30 years later.
Zeppelin was unique in all aspects of their music. From Jimmy Page’s incredible guitar and experimental styles, to Plant’s lyrics and song depth, Led Zeppelin had it all in a way that had never been witnessed before. Guns N Roses would follow in that suit. Slash’s solos on the Illusion albums are iconic and the depth of Axl Rose’s lyrics is for deep thinkers only. The way that each song was masterfully constructed truly left its mark on the history of music.
Led Zeppelin rarely recorded a bad song and the same could be said about Guns N Roses (if you don’t count the covers album). Each band has a catalog of incredible material that still holds up to this day and is better than most music being recorded in the modern era. Both bands would make a fortune on a reunion of original members (with son Jason replacing John on drums, obviously). Both bands called it quits at the height of their creative talents. Both bands were amazing in their own right and it would be a great challenge to find any other band that could be compared to either of these grand champions of musical invention.
If Led Zeppelin was the band of the 70s era generation, then Guns N Roses is the epitome of the 80s era generation. There will never be another Led Zeppelin. However, with that being said, there will never be another Guns N Roses either. Both bands are one of a kind and the sound of their generation.
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I give you much credit Ryo for tackling such a delicate topic like this. I dunno, I never was as blown away by anything after “Appetite For Destruction” by GNR, yet I do “like” their albums that followed this important and historic debut album.
Well, you won. You completely drew me off sides. Like the others here have said, this is not even close (btw- I consider myself a GnR fan, I DO like Chinese Democracy and I’m patiently waiting for a Dallas appearance) but the body of work simply doesn’t match up. Add to this Axl’s ego and complete disregard for start times and we have a spoiled, albeit very talented, rockstar who doesn’t come close to Robert Plant’s level.
To nitpick, while I consider AfD to be one of the greatest albums of all time, not all of the Illusion songs are ‘must listens’ as I routinely skip over Garden of Eden, Dust N Bones, Don’t Cry-Alt others. Additionally, they DIDN’T leave at the height of their career, they’re still going (much to their own detriment according to some). The fact that Slash and Axl can’t get along does not mean that GnR doesn’t exist.
Finally, an above average guitarist can do what Slash does, but NO ONE can do what Axl does. Believe me, I’ve heard them try coughMylesKennedycough and it ain’t pretty.
Kudos on driving traffic though ;^)
Hard to compare LZ and GNR. LZ didn’t have nearly the baggage and has a much larger catalog. But you make a good argument. And Mick Mars is underrated but LZ and GNR overrated…fuck no! Crazy talk.
Wow Ryo, I have so many thoughts swimming through my head after reading this. Stairway had never been conceived before? Ever
heard of a band called Spirit, and their song called Taurus? the opening guitar lick to Stairway is lifted directly from that
song. Plants lyrics?…Perhaps you should review the multiple times LZ was sued for ripping off other people’s songs,
particularly in the lyrics department. Zeppelin’s creativity?…I think a guy by the name of Jake Holmes would like to have a
chat with you about that. who is jake Holmes? Well, he only wrote and released Dazed and confused in 1967 which Led zeppelin
put on their first album and gave Holmes no writing credit whatsoever.
Granted, when LZ actually tried to be original, they did release some good songs that I enjoy listening to, but my lord, they
are absolutely one of the most overrated bands in rock history IMHO.
Now, on to GNR, another overrated band when taken as a whole. Appetite was a truly inspired album — a collection of gritty street-level songs from a bunch of hungry dudes who were fed up with the hair metal scene. Sadly, the incredible success of Appetite inflated Axl’s ego to the point where he thought he was a serious musician, which he most certainly is not. this lead to the disjointed over-indulgence of the two Use Your Illusion albums.
So, in conclusion, I agree with you…GNR is indeed our generation’s LZ in the sense that they both get way more praise heeped upon them than they deserve.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone call both LZ and GnR over-rated in the same sentence. I’ve heard about Zeppelin ripping off other licks, but was never quite sure how true it was. Excellent information on your part, Bob. Now I have to go look up Spirit’s Taurus on you tube….
And I still think that both Illusion albums were very deep and layered, creating incredible music. Yes, Axl has an ego the size of Alaska, but together with Slash and Izzy, the band made some great memorable music.
I agree that Mick Mars is extremely under-rated and one of the best guitarists that no one talks about, but I still think Slash is better. And no, you can’t compare Sweet Child to Stairway, but you can compare November Rain to Stairway. You have to look past Appetite and see how deep and complex The Illusions were. If you give them a chance, they really do hold up.
Eh, maybe that’s the issue with me, I never went passed Appetite. I got turned off on them because I always hated when a band came out like a mack truck, then started cranking out EP’s, greatest hits, concept albums, whatever. (BTW, whatever happened to 8-10 songs on an album? Everything is 15 or more now….?) But I digress.
I don’t mean to imply that Mick Mars is some kind of wizard, but he’s a freaking riff machine. I think that if Slash didn’t have the whole top-hat shaggy hair thing going on, his playing wouldn’t stand up.
And I hear November Rain on the radio one more time….:^\
Argh – need an EDIT button on these posts…
I meant to say “And IF I hear November Rain one more time…”
I think you’re looking for headline bait…..
Guns N Roses did one thing – they had a stellar debut album. Right sound, right look, right time. That’s it. Very creative album, but I compare it to KISS – nobody on their own is that great, but as a unit they hit on all cylinders. Or they did once, anyway (GNR).
Slash is EASILY one of the most overrated players there are today. He’s got a horrible tone, it’s tinny and grating, and technically he’s nothing spectacular. GNR was a flash in the pan, and they are more or less meaningless today. The Chinese whatever album sold solely on anticipation, and once it made the rounds, sales basically vanished.
Now, I’m not a slobbering LZ fan. I do think they are a top 10 band with regards to commercial appeal, but they differ from GNR in that they showed consistency and are still relevant 40 years later. I mean really, can you compare Sweet Child O Mine to Stairway to Heaven? Anything Goes to Kashmir? You can’t compare. Please don’t.
I’d almost argue that Motley Crue could be considered our Zeppelin, when you look at it in terms of relevancy and musicianship. Mick Mars is no Page, but he is certainly more capable and had more of an impact than Slash ever has. MC still has fans clamoring all over, they still sell big shows, they still live the rock star life.
Or maybe even KISS – the problem with KISS is, they -have- been around as long as Zeppelin, so it’s not really fair.
But please – GNR?