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When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin |  | Author: Mick Wall
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Category: Book
List Price: $27.99
Buy New: $14.94
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Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 69001
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 512
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 6.1 x 1.9
ISBN: 0312590008
Dewey Decimal Number: 920
EAN: 9780312590000
ASIN: 0312590008
Publication Date: November 10, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Veteran rock journalist Mick Wall unflinchingly tells the story of the band that pushed the envelope on both creativity and excess, even by rock `n’ roll standards. Led Zeppelin was the last great band of the 1960s and the first great band of the 1970s—and When Giants Walked the Earth is the full, enthralling story of Zep from the inside, written by a former associate of both Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Rich and revealing, it bores into not only the disaster, addiction and death that haunted the band but also into the real relationship between Page and Plant, including how it was influenced by Page’s interest in the occult. Comprehensive and yet intimately detailed, When Giants Walked the Earth literally gets into the principals’ heads to bring to life both an unforgettable band and an unrepeatable slice of rock history.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
 by far the best February 5, 2009
M. Bauer (Colorado)
41 out of 44 found this review helpful
"When Giants Walked The Earth" is without question the best-researched and "insiders" biography of Led Zeppelin.
Author Nick Wall traces the band's history chronologically, with the use of italic second person (author talking to the band member within the text) narrative text to flesh out historical and personal information. This device is interesting at first, but does become tiresome.
Unlike "Hammer of the Gods" and Richard Cole's book, author Nick Wall does not glamorize the (at times) gross excess of the band's offstage behavior. He also doesn't sweep it under the table. Instead, he places it in the proper context: hugely successful bands in the late 60s and early 70s, including the Beatles, Stones, and The Who, indulged in horrendous excess, but it doesn't erase the amazing music they made.
Wall has spent considerable time interviewing Jimmy Page, and he addresses Page's interest in Crowley and "the occult" in an objective way. Page studied and had an interest in these matters, but was not sacrificing children or virgins and was far less "evil" in his exploits than the drunken, depraved antics and brutality that John Bohnam and Richard Cole particpated in when homesick or bored. Wall now depicts Page as a straight, lucid, exceedingly talented, and gentle man who would like to have the grand body of work he masterminded in the 1970s stay alive.
Wall depicts Plant in a simlarly objective manner. Bonham and Plant were not the industry insider London muscians that Page and Jones were. However, their talents were undeniable, and one is impressed with how quickly all four of these musicians were making true magic together. Plant rises in esteem and fame throughout the story, while Bonham sadly has a much harder time dealing with being away from his family and maintaining a sane existence. Wall presents Bonham as an immensely talented individual who could shift from loving family man to sick maniac in a matter of a few (copious) drinks.
The book essentially ends with Bonham's death, although Wall briefly addresses the Plant/Page tours and Jone's solo/production work.
He addresses the December 2007 reunion, one of the few areas where I'd have to disagree with his assessement. Wall attended, noted the yuppie conveniences of the 08 arena in London and star power of the crowd, and dismisses the experience as something he liked but wouldn't probably go to again if he had a chance. He describes Jimmy Page as an older man playing at a younger man's game, and lauds Robert Plant for his new life/career playing bluegrass/folk/country with Alison Krauss. Wall seems to feel this is a much better place for Plant than playing with his former bandmates.
I beg to differ. Page sounds much better than he did during the 1977 Zeppelin tour, and other lower points in their journey. I've seen videos of Plant/Krauss and the entire 2007 02 Reunion. In my opinion, Plant sounds/looks/acts in his element with the 2007Led Zeppelin, and seems pretty weak to me in his Alison Krauss co-star role.
That aside, don't miss this book. Simply the finest Zeppelin biography to date, and impossible to top unless Page, Plant, or Jones choose to pick up the pen.
Best Biography since the 70's January 14, 2010
Jay G (Melville, NY USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
As a avid Zeppelin Fan, I've read just about every book on the band for 30 years. This one is by far the most insightful, detailed and accurate. While its a little unnerving to read some parts written in the second person (as if the author was talking directly to one of the four members of the band), Wall presents a chronologically accurate and interesting account of the creation of the band, the tours, the trials and tribulations of the greatest rock band of all time.
Unlike "Hammer of the Gods" (Stephen Davis), Wall does not obsess about all the road antics, but mentions them simply as they occured without all the emphasis and fanfare of the aforementioned book.
This book is a MUST read for any true LZ fan. I even learned a few things and for me, that's rare.
normalhuman January 18, 2010
NormalHuman in FL
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I must say that this is actually a very good book. While a lot of it is information already out there, it seems to comes from a different POV for me.
While Richard Cole's book, "Stairway to Heaven" is rubbish"...and I wouldn't line his pockets with money spent on that book, this book takes a different angle. While there is definitely the over indulgence on the part of Led Zeppelin and the excess they encountered throughout their travels, it also reminds you of just how genius they truly were and still are as Musicians and the stage presence they commanded during their reign.
This book was able to carry me back to the very first time I heard Led Zeppelin I, and made me remember where I was at that exact moment. It reminded me of my times of seeing just how amazing they were in concert and what an impact they made on my life in music. And most of all, it was able to bring tears to my eyes when I read the final pages. Oh to be a part of that time in Rock History, to have actually witnessed it being born. Hail Hail to the author for his insight.
Hail Hail to Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant. I can only hope that in the end someone within the band itself will tell the true stories we all want to know, but I guess we will just have to savor the bits and pieces we get.
Great book February 12, 2010
K. Thompson
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book takes you on tour with Zeppelin, behind the scenes in the studio. It delves into their personal lives. I recommend this book for all Zeppelin fans.
A top-notch rock book February 3, 2010
Jeff G. Dufour (Washington, DC)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This should take the place of "Hammer of the Gods" as the definitive look at Zeppelin. The book really has it all--new information gleaned from new research and interviews with the surviving members, an insightful look into each member as person (done via risky, but ultimately successful, first-person passages) and even a look inside the band's creative process.
It gets a bit bogged down in the discussion of Page's fascination with the occult, devoting a whole chapter where a few pages would sufficed, but still, you can't fault the research. It's a comprehensive look at all the supposedly sinister forces that influenced Page at the time.
Finally, it's just marvelously written. The prose is stylish and evocative.
This is a model for every band bio out there.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
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