Product Details

• Directors: Stephen Gammond
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Eagle Vision Media
• DVD Release Date: November 18, 2008
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001D68NCM
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #113,251 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

As recent events have proven, Led Zeppelin continues to be one of the biggest bands of all time. Along with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, they are often cited as the Godfathers of Heavy Metal. But there was more to Zeppelin than just heavy riffs. Led Zeppelin's first album serves as a blueprint for what would follow in the rest of their career. "Led Zeppelin 1" showcased an eclectic mix of styles that would set them apart from their contemporaries. There's a huge debt to the Blues music that they loved so much, which was the initial common thread for Page and Plant, with artists such as Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters proving particularly influential.

This fascinating program tells the story of the music and artists that have influenced the legendary British Rock pioneers, Led Zeppelin. Down The Tracks continues to examine how the group created their mighty stadium rock sound that helped define the musical backdrop of the 70's, while influencing virtually every heavy metal rock band that came after them.

Features clips from songs performed by: Son House, Howlin' Wolf, Bukka White, Muddy Waters, Davey Graham And many more...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars BLUES DVD of the Highest Quality, April 27, 2009

By	Gary Monti (Providence, RI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Forget the title and cover - if you are a fan of the Blues you will love this DVD. Bringing together the insights of musicians and historians (with Delta State Professor Dr. Luther Brown, most notably) we have a chance to follow the Blues lineage up to Led Zeppelin. The first 48min. are devoted to founders of American Blues, starting with Charlie Patton. Tremendous insight and commentary from knowledgeable authors and scholars; all interspersed with great music. Then we move to Sun Studios with emphasis on Elvis. After that there are snapshots of Jimmy Page and his occult interests but this comes across as mostly filler as it reflects some of his musical style for a short period. The true inspiration is found in the musician's that caught the attention of Plant and Page in their teens.

In part this is somewhat ironic as we Blues fans still feel the sting of the poor recognition offered to Howlin' Wolf, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Bukka White and others that Zeppelin freely borrowed from. None the less the truth of this DVD provides some atonement.

You won't be disappointed - pick up a copy

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-Crafted And Full Of Information, February 11, 2009

By	Daniel B. Pepper (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This dvd gives us insight into the Bluesmen who helped shape the sounds of Led Zeppelin. Charley Patton is examined in great detail, and we actually get to see Dockery Plantation, just as we get to see Stovall Plantation and the muddy water which gave the great Muddy Waters his name. Robert Johnson is examined in a manner which, while giving him credit for being a great musician and wonderful lyricist, does not over-emphasize his greatness at the expense of House or Patton. The second half of the dvd is quite different, as we get to learn about Skiffle, a watered-down British attempt at American Blues and Folk songs. Despite the music's lack of emotion and authenticity, it was interesting to learn about how huge the Skiffle scene was in England at the time, and how men like Page were influenced by it. The three acoustic European guitar players who influenced Page are shown, and we are able to see how one of these men's fascination with Arabian and Indian music influenced Jimmy. Though it is sometimes unclear exactly how a particular artist influenced Led Zeppelin's Plant or Page, at other times, the connections are made quite clear. Considering the price of this dvd and the excellent production value, I highly recommend this documentary to any Blues and/or Led Zeppelin fan. Ironically, a dvd dedicated to Led Zeppelin is full of more information on Blues than the seven-part "The Blues" series from a few years ago.