Why did the Clash hate Led Zeppelin?
The famed British punk band The Clash and the iconic phenomenon Led Zeppelin had a tumultuous relationship throughout the 1970’s. Despite both bands being British and claiming to be innovators of a new age of rock, their extreme dislike for each other was very public and present.
The groundwork of the feud between the Clash and Led Zeppelin was established mostly by John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin’s bassist. Jones lambasted the Clash and their music for being too chaotic and “dreadful” and disregarded them as being anything but a distraction. Jones was famously unimpressed with everything the Clash stood for and proclaimed, “If they wanted to be taken seriously, all they had to do was choose better songs”.
Furthermore, the Clash and their vocalist Joe Strummer weren’t exactly fond of Led Zeppelin either. Strummer took offense to Led Zeppelin’s perceived corporate greed in the music industry at the time and offered his own assessment of the band by calling them “dinosaur rock” and critiquing them for being monolithic and overwhelming.
It’s worth noting, however, that tensions between the two bands didn’t turn public with personal shots until the mid-seventies. After Led Zeppelin’s George Harrison-penned “Stairway to Heaven” was declared the song of the ’70s by the end of the decade, the Clash responded by belittling Zeppelin’s status in a song titled “Clash City Rockers”.
The song was a masterful jab at the band for their commercial appeal, with lyrics and melody that were a tongue-in-cheek satire of Zeppelin’s style. Strummer wrote the lyrics himself and is quoted as saying the track was pointedly “aimed at those who preferred Led Zeppelin to us”.
The ongoing feud between the Clash and Led Zeppelin was a reflection of the socio-political tensions that arose among various musical genres in the seventies. Rock and roll was flourishing and the demand for it was extremely high, but the punk scene was just starting to rise and needed a platform to be heard. For the Clash, Led Zeppelin represented something bigger and antithetical to their beliefs.
The Clash was the disruptive force in the music industry, taking aim at the almighty Zeppelin who were, to a large degree, untouchable. The credibility of punk-rock was based on the back of Led Zeppelin, who held back alternative music like The Clash and pushed its own agenda in the mainstream.
At the core of the feud, there was a sense of disrespect. Led Zeppelin was the establishment and The Clash felt like they weren’t being given the recognition they deserved. The whole ordeal was a symbol of a new wave of music that was bursting in the seams, but not given the space it deserved.
How did the Clash speak out?
The Clash’s outspoken attitude towards Led Zeppelin wasn’t limited to “Clash City Rockers” either–it was made manifest in the lyrics for other releases. For instance, in the lyrics to the 1979 song “Train in Vain”, the Clash is thought to have taken a jab at Led Zeppelin’s famous track “Whole Lotta Love”. The song is thought to serve as a critique against Led Zeppelin’s lack of punk sensibility, with lines like “you gotta lose, to find out how you won”.
The Clash’s lyrics here are a way for the group to deliver their message–that the public needs to wake up to and understand punk music and the neutrality of Zeppelin’s music.
In addition to their lyrical criticisms, the Clash has also drawn attention to Led Zeppelin with other antics, such as performing the song “I Fought the Law”, originally recorded by Bobby Fuller, while at the same time performing a Ted Nugent song by the same title as a way to provoke Led Zeppelin fans.
Still, the tension between the two sides continued. Led Zeppelin continued to receive unfettered promotion while The Clash felt stifled by the mainstream. Despite the vocal criticisms, however, both bands have only spoken kindly about each other in public settings.
How did their feud shape rock music?
The legacy of the tangled relationship between the Clash and Led Zeppelin is without question a significant one. This heated rivalry allowed punk an opportunity to take the spotlight and eventually become part of the mainstream.
Led Zeppelin undeniably contributed to the rise of punk-rock, due to its assumed superiority amongst the zeitgeist of rock music at the time. The Clash’s stance against the industry powers that be gave punk a voice, even if it was a sometimes-ignored voice.
Though the feud between the Clash and Led Zeppelin was a major part of the punk rock movement, it eventually led to the end of The Clash. The group disbanded in 1986 after a brief reunion in the mid-1980s, while Led Zeppelin remained popular until the early 2000s. Their feud, however, has lived on in the annals of rock history.
What impact did it have on punk culture?
The feud that raged between the Clash and Led Zeppelin in the 70s was a result of the emergence of the punk scene. Before punk, there were no dissenting voices and the mainstream powers were very much in control.
The feud between the two bands helped to break down those walls. It created an outlet for punk musicians to express their frustrations and dissatisfaction, and it allowed punk a platform to get its message across. As a result, punk music began to grow in visibility and popularity.
The feud also sparked debates in the music industry about the relevance of punk music, and made the punk movement a more significant part of the music industry. The debates around punk music allowed more people to consider its merits, and it eventually led to punk music gaining acceptance as a legitimate form of music.
How does the feud affect music today?
Though the clash between the Clash and Led Zeppelin occurred over four decades ago, its effects are still present in music today. The feud between the two bands has made a lasting impression on the way music is consumed, received, and respected. It has shown that there is room for different forms of music and that people can come to appreciate different styles.
Additionally, the tension between the band has given rise to some of the most impressive music to emerge in the music industry. Through this hostile rivalry, both bands were able to hone their artistry and create some of the greatest songs in their respective genres.
The feud of The Clash and Led Zeppelin has made a lasting impression on music and the music industry as we know it today. It has perpetuated the idea that different forms of music can be appreciated and taught us that criticism isn’t always a bad thing.
What is the legacy of the feud?
The battle between The Clash and Led Zeppelin has impacted every generation since then. It helped to break down the barriers of conformity in the music industry, giving alternative music like punk an opportunity to enter the mainstream. The feud between the two groups had a lasting impression on the way music is consumed and appreciated in the modern age.
Today, the legacy of the clash between the Clash and Led Zeppelin lives on in the form of punk festivals and genre-blending music. At the heart of these events is an appreciation for the clash between two of rock and roll’s greatest forces, whose mutual dislike for one another gave rise to what we know as punk music.
The clash between the Clash and Zeppelin changed the face of music forever, and its reverberations can still be heard in today’s music.
