Led Zeppelin Far From Deflated

As one of the most influential rock groups of all time, Led Zeppelin will likely be listened to and talked about for decades to come. Sometimes it seems as if they might be as popular today as they were back in the 1970’s – even though they are no longer together!

Beyond the reunion rumors that flare up every so often, the name Led Zeppelin manages to stay in the news on a pretty regular basis these days. Most recently, the discovery of an alleged unknown recording of a Zeppelin show from 1971 is making headlines.

Vic Kemp is the lucky fan in the U.K. who made the discovery while attending what’s described as a “car boot sale,” an event which those of us in the U.S. would likely call a flea market. Kemp was browsing through some CDs at the event when the fellow who was selling them said he might have something that Kemp would be interested in.

The item in question was a CD that was marked with a felt-tipped pen and dated 1972. As it turned out, the date was a bit off, but that probably doesn’t matter much to Kemp. For just two or three pounds (somewhere between $3 and $5) Kemp took home a recording of a 1971 concert by Led Zeppelin at a location known as St. Matthews Baths Hall.

Although some fans are underwhelmed by this news, and say this bootleg CD has been around for years, some media outlets have been touting this as a major discovery. Whether or not it is, it’s got Led Zeppelin in the headlines again.

We’ve also recently heard some surprising news that R&B singer Mary J. Blige is a Led Zeppelin fan. She even recorded her own versions of two Led Zeppelin classic recently, “Stairway to Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love.” Blige said that she has been a fan since she was a kid, and that the group’s music has always moved her. The two tracks are on the international version of her album, Stronger with Each Tear.

Another celebrity talking about Zeppelin these days is former pro wrestling star Jesse Ventura. These days the former Minnesota governor is keeping busy with his TruTV show Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, and promoting his new book, but he took some time recently to sit down for an interview, during which he was asked whether he preferred the Beatles or Led Zeppelin.

Ventura’s answer, apparently delivered without hesitation was Led Zeppelin. “Led Zeppelin of course! Led Zeppelin is my favorite band of all time and the Rolling Stones are a close second,” Ventura reportedly responded.