They never have a bad intro song! || Reacting to Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand || Presence

[@zosometalgod]

This is the beginning of power metal! Bonham and Jones galloping rhythm is awesome! Steve Harris from Irion maiden was totally influenced by this song! The galloping rhythm became a Irion maiden signature rhythm !

[@grahamfay2473]

The intricacies of Zep. The beauty and emotion in the music. You can't get anyone better. Led Zeppelin the greatest of them all.

[@tektoniks_architects]

This song is greater every time I've listened to it....and I have been listening to it for more than 40 years. Live Knebworth 1979 is great.

[@sicotshit7068]

Definitely

[@dbclassic8733]

Unbelievable really that there's one voice, one guitar one bass and set of drums and the wall of sound they make on the Knebworth version is extraordinary

[@sicotshit7068]

@@dbclassic8733 yes it is, I don’t think any other band could do it.

[@tektoniks_architects]

@@dbclassic8733 What's amazing is how Jimmy used many, many guitar overdubs for the studio track, but is able to pull it off convincingly live all by himself.

[@John_Locke_108]

The moment I've been patiently waiting for. Their best record. An absolute masterpiece. Jimmy calls it his favorite Zep record. He refers to it as Zeppelin warts and all. God damn I can't wait for you to hear all of it.

[@AngeloMarcheschi-vj9em]

My favorite Zeppelin song. Relentless in your face jamming.

[@heliotropezzz333]

To me it sounds like an army on horseback riding into battle, but it was called Achilles last stand because Plant was in a wheelchair when he recorded this, recovering from a car accident which badly damaged his ankle.

[@sicotshit7068]

Yes the whole album, & away from his family, after him & his wife were injured so badly.

[@tektoniks_architects]

The resentment from Robert towards Jimmy for forcing him to record while in a wheelchair is evident in the lyrics to several songs from this album, including Hots on for Nowhere and Nobody's Fault but Mine.

[@joescott8877]

The song references Greek Battles of Old, and thus the title is one of the brilliant puns of rock and roll. I mean that, lol. It's a good 'un!

[@sicotshit7068]

@@tektoniks_architects they more then likely had to get an album out, just like with CODA. For tax reasons , they couldn’t record in England, I don’t know what the tax issue was though.

[@sicotshit7068]

@@joescott8877 far better then the wheelchair song too.

[@henriettaskolnick4445]

Here's some background on the album art. The photos are stock images. The black image on the cover and throughout the interior album art was meant to be the manifestation of the "presence" Led Zeppelin and their music was said to have. Album designer Hipgnosis came up with the idea of a monolith a la the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey, with Jimmy's addition to add the twist to the Object so it became a spiral. I think something like 1,000 of these were made as promotional items for the album so to find one today is rare and would cost a pretty penny as a collectible. This song has a combination of influences and had a working title of "the wheelchair song" since, as you may have been told, Robert was recuperating from a car accident during a vacation in Rhodes, Greece that also involved his wife, Maureen, their children, and Jimmy's daughter, Scarlet. It basically tells the story of trips Jimmy and Robert took to Morocco. The tongue-in-cheek title is a reference to the broken leg (and other injuries) Robert sustained in the crash; being compared to Achilles' weak heel, where if Achilles got hit there, he would die. There's a bit of William Blake's poetry when he mentions Albion. "Albion" used to be a poetic way to describe Britain. The "mighty arms of Atlas" refer both to the mythology of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders, as well as the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. This song is intense. I consider it the last of their "Epics" along with Stairway and Kashmir. Jimmy had 6 guitar tracks and managed to assemble and complete the entire song in one night. The staccato drumming sounds like a machine gun and John Paul Jones' galloping bass line played on an 8-string Alembic bass with a pick, imply swift, anxious movement. Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart readily admit they stole the bass line for their song Barracuda. Robert tells a story about a time he had a friend over to visit and while they chatted, he had music playing. At one point, he stepped out of the room and shortly thereafter, his guest came looking for him and told him they didn't want to be in the room alone anymore because the music playing was too intense. Intrigued, Robert came back to the room and the song playing was Achilles. The album as a whole was completed in 18 days; the fastest they'd worked since their debut album. They were in a rush because The Stones were scheduled for the studio immediately after them. Jimmy said he called up Mick and asked for an extra 2 or 3 days, to which Mick agreed. When Mick showed up, Jimmy asked him if he wanted to hear the completed product. Mick was astounded because he thought Jimmy meant a completed track only, not a *whole* album. He told Jimmy it could easily take them several months just to finish one song. There were a lot of changes going on; new musical genres like punk were threatening to overthrow bands like Zeppelin's relevance, after the accident, Robert was rethinking the band dynamics and his place in it as well as his life's path in general. He didn't want to be away from his family during the accident's aftermath and was angry at both Peter and Jimmy and felt they were unsympathetic. The entire album is massively underrated. It's very stripped down and is full of intensity, anxiety, anger, pain, - a lot of difficult emotions. Both Jimmy and Robert say this album was a "two-fingers up" to the powers that be that seemed out to destroy them (if you make a "peace sign", palm out, with 2 fingers up like a "V", but turn your hand so the back of your hand is facing forward - that is the UK version of the middle finger).

[@JoeandAngie]

Tl;Dr I have an Object

[@sicotshit7068]

Page used 12 guitar overdubs for this song in one session, incredibly it still sounds so amazing live.

[@HeavyBrocks]

The cover art with the Object were actually offered to Genesis first and they turned it down. So it wasn’t a reference specifically to Zeppelin’s musical presence. I would think that simply evolved due to the name Zep chose for the album.

[@KellyDaye]

Wasn't too long of a read for me. Like Zep tunes I didn't want it to end...

[@tektoniks_architects]

A Jose follower....

[@kirstenstewart5758]

The masters of controlled chaos, playing with light and dark, and of creating atmosphere - Robert’s other-worldly wailing over the top of the crashing drums and galloping bass and guitar grounding it all the way through.

[@mitchellbeston1033]

This was the 3rd album i bought after Zeppelin 1 & 4. I love it. Very underrated. I gotta say, they were definitely at their peak. Tea for One is gold but you are not there yet.

[@williamcabell142]

Their Less was better to others best! 😎🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@HollisDuty60]

This song is one you need to see them play. To watch Jimmy and Bonzo - it’s just amazing. You see and feel the emotion.

[@John_Locke_108]

It's a miracle that they were able to successfully pull it off live. Defintely got hairy though during the later part of '77 when Jimmy got really into the henry.

[@HollisDuty60]

@@John_Locke_108 yeah. It was iffy.

[@Kashmir.820]

Absolute must for you to watch this one LIVE….to see the wizards at work will blow your mind!!!

[@brianherrington7226]

I personally think it’s their most underrated album and they went into the studio hot off a North American tour in Spring Summer 1975 with the bulk of it being done after Robert and Maureen were beat up in a serious car accident.

[@youstevetube99]

Jimmy created his own scale in this song

[@williamcabell142]

The only group that hasn’t bored me ever, Like the Beatles, and the Eagles…My blessed trinity of Music, not just “rock”! Oh yeah, Steve Ray Vaughn, and Trouble! 😎🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@JoeandAngie]

Eagles, schedules. The original "Greed Tour" band

[@sicotshit7068]

Hope you had great birthday, & how old are you now? I’ve been waiting a long time for you to hear this amazing song, another I knew you’d love. This song was made for Page & Bonham, they both got to really jam to it. Page used 12 overdubs for this song, in just one session & yet it still sounds so amazing live. I believe at some point during this album, Plant was on crutches & tripped over a cable. Jimmy was in the booth at the time & flew out to help Robert, Robert had to go to the hospital, he badly sprained he’s already badly injured leg. So back in the wheelchair for him. Robert hated being away from his family during this time, Tea For One is the song about away from his family, another amazing song. Again thanks once again.

[@Bluewizard7131]

Just wait until you see Bonham and Page go off on this one live!

[@Shaun-ed4fz]

"the boat dock" on the cover was an indoor pool that was filled with water at Earl's Court...the family photo was superimposed in front of it

[@BBaldwin]

This is NEXT LEVEL.

[@joaolucasgomes3033]

Presence It's in my top 3 best Led Zeppelin albums. Very underrated.

[@joescott8877]

Yeah, this is straight banger gold. I think Jimmy once said it was his favorite Zeppelin song, which of course is saying a lot! It's definitely one of mine.

[@antarcticorb9197]

I love this album!

[@sicotshit7068]

Hey To Mito, yesterday I had about 3 songs pop up from before Plant & Bonham were in Led Zeppelin, their band called Band Of Joy, you should see if you can find them. It was great hearing them, & I think you’d enjoy them.

[@bowtiefidenine]

Nobody’s fault but mine My favorite song on this album ❤

[@dbclassic8733]

Yeah people kinda listen to this and like it but don't love it straight away.... After a while it drops in your mind the genius of what is going on and then it's your go to

[@claytonlecuyer1810]

A great album

[@tanyaweathersby9393]

❤❤❤Robert ❤❤❤

[@effergerg1]

You should react to For Your Life... great song from the same album

[@John_Locke_108]

He's been doing all of their records in order, track by track. It's been a great journey to watch.

[@sicotshit7068]

Yes he does do each album & song in order, when he finishes the album, he does some lives from each one. I’m so glad I was able to follow him from the very beginning, I’ve loved his journey, he’s definitely a dedicated Led Zeppelin fan now.

[@CosmicVagabondPixie]

OMG OMG Weeeeeee YAY freakin YAY **MyBeautifulJimmyPageMagicalWizardBabe** & course **MyBelovedGeniusLedZeppelin** SO **Excited** to hear your **Thoughts** & **Feelings** **PixieTwirlsGalore** F YEA!!!

[@holysmokes5817]

Nice. Reminds me of very particular times and day's....HA! The best album for 'going up' and 'coming down.' Cheers 🍄🌲🍄💥✨🌈