Hey Is That Led Zeppelin?
Bands That Can Sound A Lot Like Led Zeppelin
Maybe this article should be titled “bands that sound like Robert Plant” as it is Plant’s unique vocals that are being channeled.
Plant himself has never been a big fan of others trying to sound like Led Zeppelin. Plant called Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page’s 1993 pairing with Whitesnake / Deep Purple lead singer David Coverdale – David Cover Version.
If you heard any of the following songs without knowing who it was, you might think it’s Led Zeppelin.
Unsurprisingly the lead singers of these bands can do pretty good cover versions of Zeppelin. We’ll have two samples from each band – one original composition and one Zeppelin cover if they have ever covered the mighty Zep.
Great White
To me, Jack Russell of Great White naturally sounds more like Robert Plant than any other professional singer.
This song Save Your Love is from the 1987 album Once Bitten.
This 2011 live version of Led Zeppelin’s Ramble On is spot on vocally even if the rest of the band doesn’t capture the Zeppelin magic. Russell’s intonations on certain lyrics like “I’m much o-bli-ged, such a plea-sant stay,” sound exactly like Plant. A great cover.
Zebra
The next band is a label-mate of Led Zeppelin. The power trio Zebra were signed to Atlantic Records based upon their hard rocking Zeppelin style. Singer / guitarist Randy Jackson sounds like Plant sporadically, but certain songs are eerily reminiscent of Zeppelin. Unfortunately Zebra is vaguely known for only one hit song Tell Me What You Want. That’s too bad. Zebra’s entire catalog is filled with great original songs. Atlantic dropped the ball here, never marketing the band correctly. From their second LP 1984s No Tellin’ Lies is Wait Until The Summer’s Gone. This is one strange video.
Zebra’s three members Jackson, Felix Hanemann (bass, keyboards) and Guy Gelso (drums) have been together for over 40 years. They started playing the bar circuit in Louisiana and New York in the 1970s. Zebra frequently covered Led Zeppelin in their live shows and have included Zeppelin songs on their album releases. Here is a powerhouse performance of Kashmir from 2012.
Kingdom Come
Here is a rarity- a band that despises being compared to Led Zeppelin. The German born lead singer / guitarist Lenny Wolf has a unique voice, but constant comparisons to Zeppelin kind of hurt Kingdom Come. From the debut album is Get It On, which as an original song, and it sounds more like Zeppelin than some Zeppelin songs.
Before Kingdom Come, Lenny Wolf had a really good band that maybe a dozen people in the United States ever heard of – Stone Fury. They did not sound like Led Zeppelin and here’s proof – 1984’s Break Down The Walls. Why this entire video is not of the band performing is beyond me. The storytelling aspect and opening dockworker visuals with dreary home life does not sync to this great power rock song.
Bonham
If any band has a right to sound like Led Zeppelin it’s Bonham, whose drummer Jason Bonham is the son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. The song Wait For You from 1989’s debut The Disregard of Timekeeping drew immediate comparisons between singer Daniel McMaster and Robert Plant.
Lead singer McMaster died at age 39 of pneumonia in 2008. Here is the Bonham performing Zeppelin’s Black Dog in 1989.
Greta Van Fleet
Finally, Greta Van Fleet is the latest in the line of young bands who will supposedly be the saviors of rock n’ roll. The comparisons to Zeppelin are obvious and apparently acknowledged.
Greta Van Fleet does not think they sound like Led Zeppelin. Really?
Here is 2017’s Safari Song.
Singer Joshua Kiszka does has many of Robert Plant’s mannerisms, if not some of the qualities of his voice. Back in 2015 the band played their version of The Immigrant Song. Remarkably drummer Danny Wagner was only 15!
Which path will Greta Van Fleet take in the future? Hopefully a successful one.
As young as they are, Greta Van Fleet realizes there was only one Led Zeppelin and they can’t be something they are not.
Musically, originality is a more sincere form of flattery, than imitation. These bands who have followed Zeppelin’s influence have made their own indelible mark in rock. Let’s appreciate them for that.
