Was Jack Bruce joking about Led Zeppelin?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by redfloatboat, Jul 19, 2018.

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  1. redfloatboat

    redfloatboat Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I'm certain most people here know about this story? However i've only become aware of it over the last half hour or so.
    In an interview he said he hated Zeppelin, and the Cream and Hendrix were the early pioneers of 'Metal'[so what?]
    Then he says Clapton is a good guitarist while Page is not, etc, etc.
    So is this all a well known piece of fun from Bruce?
    In a later interview he tried to clarify what he meant by his comments. According to him it was all pretty much tongue in cheek. But then he says obviously there is a little jealousy when it comes to Zeppelin, then says 'actually quite a bit of jealousy!' So i have no idea if it was ALL a joke?
    If it wasn't, then he sounds bitter to me just like Ginger Baker does.

    Zeppelin are gods in rock music history. I can understand some peers getting a bit jealous because they may of gotten sick and tired of hearing how great Zeppelin were, and in Ginger's case how great Bonham was.[and Moon.]
    I hope he was joking, i'd be disappointed if he wasn't. We all like certain bands and other bands not so much, or not at all, but don't get bitter and jealous.

    So have i actually wasted my time and effort posting this thread because it's common knowledge Bruce was being humorous? Or was it all true?[bet it's the former!]

    Jack Bruce slams Led Zep

    Clapton Better Than Page? Cream Better Than Led Zep? Jack Bruce Hates Led Zeppelin!

    Cream Bassist Clarifies His Led Zeppelin Comments
     
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  2. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Many contemporary musicians (and critics, of course) disliked Led Zep. Keith Richards has similarly critical views:

     
  3. MortSahlFan

    MortSahlFan Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    I think Jimmy Page is MUCH better than Eric Clapton.
     
  4. Lownote30

    Lownote30 Bass Clef Addict

    Location:
    Nashville, TN, USA
    WAS much better. Clapton has continued to grow as a guitarist (not as much as Jeff Beck, but still has), but Page hasn't.
     
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  5. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    He probably wasn't joking, and I'm not surprised that he was critical about Zeppelin. Zeppelin kinda stole the spotlight away from ALL those bluesy hard rockers of the 60's, and made a ton of money doing it. And apart from possible professional jealousy, a case could be made that musicians like Bruce were much more progressive than Zeppelin, and therefore he probably thought that Zeppelin's approach was a bit obvious and commercial.

    From the perspective of most of us in the stands, Zeppelin is this giant band. But from the perspective of their peers like Bruce and Richards, they were a bunch of upstart kids milking the blues machine. Doesn't surprise me a bit.
     
  6. moops

    moops Senior Member

    Location:
    Geebung, Australia
    It's been posted many times in different threads, but here's Pete's thoughts yet again ........

     
  7. Lownote30

    Lownote30 Bass Clef Addict

    Location:
    Nashville, TN, USA
    Townshend hates everything including The Who. I can't take anything he says seriously.
     
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  8. yarbles

    yarbles Too sick to pray

    The most likely explanation can be seen in this pic of Bruce's lawn, summer 2014:






    [​IMG]
     
  9. DTK

    DTK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    Hendrix didn't like 'em either.
     
  10. Dr. Funk

    Dr. Funk Vintage Dust

    Location:
    Fort Worth TX
    Jack Bruce was one of many who shared negative comments about Led Zeppelin. Many of their contemporaries seemed to be jealous of all the attention and accolades LZ was receiving during their heyday.
     
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  11. Jerjo

    Jerjo Forum Resident

    Hendrix wanted to steal Bonham
     
  12. Overthehillsandfaraway

    Overthehillsandfaraway Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    You sure? I'm sure I remember seeing some fairly positive comments from dated around 1969 or so.
     
  13. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Critical Pete is fun Pete! :laugh:
     
  14. 2trackmind

    2trackmind Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    The Who weren't a bluesy band, so I'm not really surprised by Townshend's comments. Apples and oranges.
     
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  15. Overthehillsandfaraway

    Overthehillsandfaraway Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Off topic, but that bottle of Buckie Tonic reminds me of a trip I made to T in the Park festival many years back. Dear Lord that stuff is strong. Never again.
     
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  16. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    It is possible to dislike Led Zeppelin for reasons other than jealousy. Shock horror!
     
  17. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Kinda sad to see that Jack Bruce picked off a lower shelf than I do. :cry:
     
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  18. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Jimi Hendrix:
    "I don't think much of Led Zeppelin; I don't think much of them... Jimmy Page is a good guitar player."
     
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  19. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Of course it is. I totally believe that Richards, Bruce, Townsend, Hendrix and others looked at Zeppelin and honestly said, "What a buncha crap that is." Their professional success probably dug the knife in a bit deeper though.
     
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  20. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Also:
    According to Carmine Appice: "Jimi Hendrix personally told me that he didn't like Zeppelin because they were like excess baggage and that they stole from everybody."
     
  21. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    Page was a sloppy sounding guitarist live. Didnt say I hated it. But technically, yeah, Eric was better. Jimmy's strength was his creativeness. His experimentation. Eric's was applying strict blues rules with a british flair. Both great in their own way.
     
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  22. JackS

    JackS Then Play On

    I suspect for all who speak about the "competition" ,it is posturing bravado.
     
  23. Pier

    Pier Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Fano - Italy
    Poor Bruce.
    3 years as a still Young mean at the very top with Cream, then substantially out of the spotlight for 45 yers, despite every possible attempt to come back.
    Great musician, marvellous bass player, strong but so-so emotional singer.
    And so jealous.
     
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  24. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    LOL, yes, sure, he'd have given up the chance to play with Carla Bley, Tony Williams etc just so he could stand behind Robert Plant screaming about squeezing his lemon.
     
  25. yarbles

    yarbles Too sick to pray

    The Jocks don't call it 'Wreck The Hoose Juice' for nothing. I even think it was responsible for our sole Noise Abatement Order, many years ago :laugh:
     
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