Vinyl of the Week - 23 May 2021

Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin

Sometimes the critics are wrong. I can name at least ten records off the top of my head that received terrible reviews yet are truly outstanding. Most of the time the public sort it out by loving these albums regardless. Led Zeppelin III is one such example. Following the success of their previous two albums, the band were worn out from touring and needed a break. During that break they wrote and recorded their third studio album. It was always meant to be a different direction for the band. They wanted to prove that they could explore new styles of music and be just as successful. Page and Plant wrote all of the songs at Bron-Yr-Aur, a remote cottage in Wales, then the entire band started rehearsing at Headly Grange, a mansion in East Hampshire. The atmosphere was relaxed and had such a creative vibe that they borrowed the Stones’ mobile studio and recorded a good chunk of the album right then and there. Once completed, the band were so confident in their work that they took out a full page ad in music mag Melody Maker to thank their fans for making them the number one band in the world. At the time they had already pre-sold a million copies in the US alone. And it did go number one, in both the US and the UK, but was met with mixed reviews and sales were lower than their previous albums, the negative press doing nothing to help. Despite this, the change in direction was probably the best thing Led Zeppelin ever did. Incorporating a wider range of instruments (many played by John Paul Jones) and a more acoustic style, this album laid the foundation for the iconic Led Zeppelin IV and the band’s future sound. When this album was rereleased in 2014 the critics were unanimous in their praise and cited Led Zeppelin III as the turning point for the band and their music. Funny that - DS