Stairway To Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored (2002) - Plot & Excerpts
I am not a huge fan of music biographies. Most of the time they feel like they are written by fans, or worshipers who feel the need to describe what its like to “feel the music” so to speak (a perfect example of this would be David Henderson’s biography of Jimi Hendrix called Kiss the Sky; I couldn’t get past page 30 of that book). The music bio’s I really love are the ones written by the guys who supervised the tours, who were there for all the parties, the drugs, the girls. Basically the guys who had a front row seat the sex drugs and rock and roll lifestyle. And that is what we have here.Richard Cole may not be Hemingway, and he may not really remember everything that happened with his days in Led Zeppelin but he seems to remember enough to give us a taste of the debauchery, making it an enjoyable book. But, as I remembered from reading the David Carr memoir (Night of the Gun) all memories that we have are subjective, we cast ourselves in a better light than what may be truth. So basically all memoirs, be it rock bio’s to drug memoirs to disaster at the top of blah-biddy-blah-blah-blah, must be taken with a grain of salt. Now I have never been a huge Led Zeppelin fan, I’ve always enjoyed their music, especially the few instances where I heard some live performances, but I would not go so far as to call myself devoted to the band. That being said, I think I would have been a huge Zep fan if I had the opportunity to see the band live. Richard Cole does describe some of the sensations of hearing them perform, whether in the studio or in front of 50,000 fans, but he does not go overboard when describing the sound of Led Zeppelin. I think he mainly describes the feel of the music so that we might appreciate how he felt all those nights for those 500+ tours he managed. There is really no “best thing about this book” moment here, was it accurate? Who knows, Was it fun? Hell yea!
"Stairway To Heaven" is former Led Zeppelin road manager Richard Cole's depiction of his recollections of his years on the road with the biggest band of the 1970s. Much of the off stage 'escapades' are related in a smirking 'boys will be boys' style which gets very obnoxious rather quickly. Cole giggles about drummer John Bonham's propensity for violence (usually directed against service workers who are outnumbered). Cole also recalls breathlessly manager Peter Grant's (and the entire band's) abuse of hired underlings and creepy criminally sexual predatory behavior (like Jimmy Page's fondness for 14 year olds). I've been a huge Zeppelin fan my whole life, and while I will always love their music, I am definitely very creeped-out and disgusted reading about their antics and even moreso, reading them described as if they were harmless pranks. Cole really isn't much of a writer. I honestly have to say that I was rather disappointed. Somebody should tell this author that just because certain behavior is antisocial, illicit, obnoxious or abusive, that doesn't necessarily exciting or appealing. I've read better Zeppelin books.
What do You think about Stairway To Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored (2002)?
I really enjoyed this book, which is by no means a work of literature. But if you've dreamed of the rockstar life, the roadie life, and the 70s rock world, this is the book for you! I'm stoked to finally understand the chronology of Led Zeppelin, how things unfolded, when what song was recorded. Especially interesting because it all happened right before I was born, or very young. This book has a music industry perspective that I found really fascinating. And of course, the groupie and drug stories were great too.
—Tatiana
I bought this expecting it to be an in-depth song-by-song analysis of the world famous folk singing father-and-daughter duo from Kiltimagh. Instead it turned out to be a biography of sorts of some tin pot band of the same name who sold a handful of home made tapes out of a garage in the Home Counties, written in his free time by a friend of the drummer's.Most of the stories deal with the growth pangs of the four lads who took to doing leaden, lumpy blues covers equipped with an electric guitar, a Fender bass and a washboard, and, while it's fascinating in its own way, isn't a patch on reading about the lives and the times of the makers of such fragile ballads as 'There's a Wilting Rose in Eire' and 'The Snowflakes Melt on Fanny Green', who, to me, will always remain the REAL Led Zeppelin.There's some stuff about something they did with a fourteen year old and a bathtub full of fish backstage at the local charity ball, and a lot more besides which mostly involves girls who, whatever their faults, were certainly precocious. All very entertaining no doubt, but I couldn't finish the whole thing in the end as I had my knitting to get back to.
—The Super Moop
An excellent book that takes you through the ups and downs of one of the worlds greatest rock bands. In rich detail, it describes their journey from newly formed group, to growing musicians stretching for new sounds, to commercial success. You feel part of the the decadence and over the top 'rock n roll' lifestyle of the 70's. One cannot underestimate the importance of Richard Cole and Peter Grant's roles in Led Zeppelin's huge success. A rock-n-roll rollercoaster ride through the life of one of rocks greatest tour managers. A must read for all Zeppelin fans.
—Kay
