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Right from the beginning Led Zeppelin was breaking the rules. Most radio stations wouldn't play songs that were much longer than three minutes, and perhaps originally due to the time restraints of of the old 78 rpm discs, record companies didn't often release singles that were longer than that.

The groups that made up the Progressive Rock movement of the late 60s and into the 70s often rebelled against this by recording songs that went way over that time limit. Many of those songs would be edited to fit the AM radio singles format, but some FM stations were playing songs directly from the albums.

Still, guitarist and Led Zep founder Jimmy Page knew that most stations wouldn't play a song that was more than twice as long as a standard single. He purposely mis-labeled the run time of the last song on their 1969 self-titled debut as being just three minutes and 30 seconds long.

That song, "How Many More Times", was actually over eight minutes long. Based on Howlin Wolf's 1951 song, "How Many More Years" (Wolf, aka Chester Burnett, didn't actually receive co-credit until 1993) the song would often go longer than eight minutes when played live in concert.

Here's a version from a Danish TV broadcast which ran more than nine and a half minutes, which also includes a great shot of Page playing his guitar with a violin bow.

(Continued at  Long Form Led Zeppelin)

 

Tags: blind willie, eric clapton, George Harrison, jeff beck, Jimi Hendrix, jimmy page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin, progressive, progressive rock, robert johnson, Robert Plant, the yardbirds

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Tags: blind willie, eric clapton, George Harrison, jeff beck, Jimi Hendrix, jimmy page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin, progressive, progressive rock, robert johnson, Robert Plant, the yardbirds

This entry was posted on July 15, 2010 at 1:23 pm and is filed under Classic Rock. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Did any band have more direct impact on the music of the '80s and '90s than Led Zeppelin?

I'll show my bias by saying, "No", but I'm sure there are those who'll disagree. They aren't writing this post so... Too Bad!

One thing that is for sure, the American Blues scene really had a strong influence on the British Rock of the '60s. Many bands in England got their start as Skiffle or Blues bands performing covers of their favorite songs. After landing recording contracts many artists put cover songs on their albums.

The Yardbirds started in 1963 with lead guitarist Anthony Topham, rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, drummer Jim McCarty, lead singer Keith Relf, and Paul Samwell-Smith on bass guitar. Eric Clapton replaced Topham before the end of their first year, and the band made a name for themselves by performing songs originally done by Blues greats like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Sonny Boy Williamson. They even recorded an album with Sonny Boy in '65.

Clapton left the band after a non-blues song, "For Your Love", became the groups first big hit in '65. When he left, he suggested that they replace him with his good friend, Jimmy Page, who was one of the most in demand studio musicians of the day. Page declined, and the band went with his recommendation of Jeff Beck instead.

Bassist Samwell-Smith left the group in '66 and Page finally joined, agreeing to play bass until Dreja could get good enough playing bass to switch from rhythm guitar. Around this time, another popular session musician by the name of John Paul Jones began working with the group. The single, "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" actually features Beck and Page playing duel lead guitars with Jones playing bass.

The band recorded a "Stroll On" which was actually a retitled version of Tiny Bradshaw's best known song, "Train Kept A-Rolling" from 1951.

 See the full post w/ videos: The Led Zeppelin Blues

 

Tags: aerosmith, Anthony Topham, blues, Bo Diddley, Chris Dreja, eric clapton, guns n' roses, Howlin' Wolf, jeff beck, Jim McCarty, jimmy page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Keith Relf, Led Zeppelin, metallica, muddy waters, Paul Samwell-Smith, peter grant, Robert Plant, skiffle, sonny boy williamson ii, the yardbirds, Tiny Bradshaw

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Tags: aerosmith, Anthony Topham, blues, Bo Diddley, Chris Dreja, eric clapton, guns n' roses, Howlin' Wolf, jeff beck, Jim McCarty, jimmy page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Keith Relf, Led Zeppelin, metallica, muddy waters, Paul Samwell-Smith, peter grant, Robert Plant, skiffle, sonny boy williamson ii, the yardbirds, Tiny Bradshaw

This entry was posted on June 17, 2010 at 7:12 am and is filed under Classic Rock. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Author: Bette Miles-Holleman

What would you say to someone who offered you a chance to pick the brain of a corporate VP about the current job market? Would you jump at the chance? Well it’s your lucky day, so go ahead, read on.

Mary Whisenand, Vice President at Marsh & McLennan, is optimistic about the current job market, under certain conditions. “We always have certain positions open. They may be in various business units who have a specific need.”

While there may be instances when additional training or education helps applicants find jobs, Mary doesn’t see this as a necessity. “You don't have to stay in the area you were trained or have a degree. If you can demonstrate a willingness and the ability to quickly learn new skills it may lead you on a path you never considered. And that is not always a negative.”

Mary took an entry level position at first, and worked her way up the corporate ladder. She advises job hunters to not be too choosy when it comes to finding employment. “Work with a temp agency and be willing to take whatever job they have available. That led me to my first job in the insurance industry and I am now a vice president.”

Social media sites such as LinkedIn and job boards such as Dice and Monster can go a long way toward getting the word out to recruiters or HR people who may be looking for your particular talents. A blog or a personal web site showcasing your résumé, complete with references, recommendations and even photos of your work, if applicable, can also go a long way toward getting you where you want to be. Print out calling cards with your personal URLs to hand out to people you come in contact with and carry them with you at all times. You never know who you might meet, even if you’re just grabbing a cup of coffee.

In conclusion, Mary offered this advice to anyone looking for work with the opportunity for long term advancement. “Don't be afraid to take a position to get your foot in the door. If you can do multiple part-time jobs it is fine to do that. One of them could turn into a permanent position.”

Bette Miles-Holleman is a retail merchandiser, customer service analyst, model and stylist with over 25 years experience in the fashion industry.

She is also a wife, home school mom of 5, and a Squidoo evangelist.

In her spare time, Bette writes, knits, teaches, cooks, sings, lives and loves on the West Coast of the USA.

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Carl Palmer (born March 20, 1950) is famous for being the drummer for two of the most successful bands of Classic and Progressive Rock. One of his signatures is performing drum solos that last for longer than many pop songs, often twice as long. He's also been known to play his drum set upon a revolving platform and making use of gongs.

(See more here)

Author: Bette Miles-Holleman 

Single parents, with or without college degrees, have a particularly difficult time juggling work and family responsibilities. Throw unemployment into the mix, and things get crazy.

Anne Heerdt, a 43 year old mother of three, teacher and retail sales associate, has been looking for full time job in her career field for over three years.

She finished her Masters degree in Education in 2006. While this has made her more marketable in her field, she has still not found a permanent teaching position.

“There are postings, however there are tremendous number of applicants...offerings for preschool teachers, part time Teacher Assistants, and other jobs that are not full teaching jobs.”

Anne is still considering more education to help her find the teaching job she wants. “I would add more specific education such as working towards my special ed degree in a program that would allow me to teach at the same time…I am interested in my ELA (English Language Acquisition) certification and several districts offer that as part of employment…”

Many people take on one or more part time employment positions until they can find a job in their field of work. To that end, Anne has taken other work outside education to help make ends meet.

“I have a full time job at a major retailer where I inch up the pay scale. I have been there 3 years now and run the photo lab. I sub on my off days. For awhile, I had three jobs because I was also grading the writing section of standardized tests for a national temp service.”

What’s Anne’s advice to those with specialized training on the job market?

“Don't take it personally and keep talking positively to people you know. You need to express that you do need a job, but not in a way that is negative so they will not call you back or want to talk to you. Don't make every conversation about job seeking, since often people do not have the power to give you a job anyway, but it can build connections.”

Bette Miles-Holleman is a retail merchandiser, customer service analyst, model and stylist with over 25 years experience in the fashion industry.

She is also a wife, home school mom of 5, and a Squidoo evangelist.

In her spare time, Bette writes, knits, teaches, cooks, sings, lives and loves on the West Coast of the USA.

 

Author: Bette Miles-Holleman 

While some people are busy searching want ads, sending out résumés and hoping to set up interviews, Alex Beattie  has taken matters into his own hands. The 36 year old musician/blogger is about to launch his own web design studio, ArtisanBranding.com and make the move from the East to West Coast to start his new life.

Alex had been unemployed for about 3 months before making the decision to strike out on his own. “When looking for a job, it was very difficult. Mainly because I felt as if I wasn't going to be paid enough. I did send out a lot of résumés, but the opportunities were slim to none. The employers seemed to be more into exploiting my skills, as opposed to a mutually beneficial opportunity.”

While making the decision to start his online business, Alex took some time out to educate himself about web design. “I wanted to expand my knowledge…before I was to start marketing myself to clients and/or employers. It is not in my cards to work for someone. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and after the recent recession, I now know why.”

Opportunities abound online, and many people have turned to the internet to market their talent, as well as reach out to others. Some people start by simply blogging about their products and services, which generates a following of like minded, repeat customers. All with very little cost of time or money to the business owner. Most blogging formats, such as WordPress or Blogger, are free, easy to set up and use. Domain names are cheap, so buy one, set up a blog, and just do it.

For those considering a business venture of their own, Alex shared this advice: “Develop skills that you enjoy and others don't have. Use those skills to leverage yourself online. Online is where it is at. Anything and every interaction online can be used to help you make money.”

Wise words, indeed.

Bette Miles-Holleman is a retail merchandiser, customer service analyst, model and stylist with over 25 years experience in the fashion industry.

She is also a wife, home school mom of 5, and a Squidoo evangelist.

In her spare time, Bette writes, knits, teaches, cooks, sings, lives and loves on the West Coast of the USA.

 

Author: CleanerLife 

Are you unemployed?

Perhaps you've made up your mind that it is time for you to leave your existing job.

Whatever your reason, if you are preparing to get started with searching for a new job, don't be in too much of a hurry to start applying. There are certain things you should do before you begin.

Don't panic, even if you've been laid off or fired from a job, you have to take some time to make sure that you are properly prepared to locate your next occupation. Here's the top things you need to do in order to build an effective as well as successful job search.

Have your resume in order. There is a good chance your resume is going to be the first bit of information a potential new employer will see about you. Not only are first impressions very important, but with so many job seekers responding to job openings, it may very well be the only thing they'll learn about you.

Make sure that your resume looks professional. The format should be uniform with perfect grammar and spelling. It needs to be organized in a standard fashion so that it is easy for the reader to quickly go through the sections and find the information they are looking for. Keep in mind the proper use of bold lettering for headers and bulleted lists for impact, and be consistent.

You must write a good cover letter, and you should use it as a template that can be customize for each employer or job you submit it to. It should complement your resume's in tone, as well as using the same font and letter size. It should be looked at as a part of your resume.

Cover letters should provide a possible employer with an overview of your talents and abilities, but should be focused on how they will benefit anyone who might hire you. Keep it to being just a single page at the most.

Often a hiring manager will quickly read a cover letter looking for any excuse to not even bother with the resume and move on to the next candidate. Be extra careful with spelling and proper grammar on a cover letter and make it very interesting so a potential employer will want to read your resume and maybe even call you in for an interview.

Search for your name, with and without quotation marks on the Internet. You want to do this to make sure that there is nothing negative floating around the search engines about you. You may not think that it is possible, but it doesn't hurt to look.

If nothing negative turns up, great! But if you do find something negative, you need to take steps to clear up any bad things and or counter them with more positive things. If you aren't already on LinkedIn, join up. If you are already a member, give your profile a bit of a polish. Employers often times use LinkedIn to locate or learn more potential new employees.

You should consider posting your qualifications online, as a visual resume or CV.These are becoming more popular as you are able to include videos, images and links to spotlight your capabilities and accomplishments.

Before actively starting your job search, set yourself some goals. You could decide on sending out a certain number of resumes or making a set number of contacts each week. You should have all of the things you need do to for your job search written down. Then set goals for yourself based on those things and keep them updated as you progress.

Searching for employment may take awhile, you may even need to settle for something that you consider less than ideal until you find the right offer, but don't get discouraged. Job searching is a job in itself. You decide how to go about it and how much effort you put into it.

In the end, it'll be you who is responsible for getting results, but a little advanced planning could make all the difference in the world.

About the Author: CleanerLife

Freelance Web Designer .

Lensmaster with over 100 pages of content on Squidoo.

In celebration of Nancy Wilson's upcoming birthday (March 16th), we're taking this chance to look at Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Heart has been a major Rock band since the mid-70s and, in fact, is listed as #57 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

(See the full post here)