A Sweeping Curve of Sound

Writer and Techgnostic Erik Davis (author of an excellently esoteric book concerning Led Zeppelin’s “IV”) weighs in on the recent Led Zeppelin reunion show, and what exactly the band was invoking that night.

“While the Zeppelin reunion show was indeed an invocation, what was really being invoked was not the devil but, well, the entertainment juggernaut that is Led Zeppelin. Market-wise, their live appearance was as well-timed as a bonfire on solstice: the band recently released their “new” Mothership collection, featuring barely a hair’s difference from their last new double-CD collection; there’s also a redux of the still-wack The Song Remains of Same. In October, the behemoths gave into the digital regime and agreed to offer up their catalog online—an agreement that brought them an increased royalty rate from their distributor Warner Music Group, who also negotiated to oversee their copyrights. (Sharks!) I just saw The Golden Compass, and was treated with a Verizon ad for Zeppelin downloads before the film—a movie that, now that I think of it, also features a airship beefed up with metallurgic technology. When I finally played the bootleg backwards, I distinctly heard the following during the awesome rendition of “Kashmir”: buyyy led seppelyn ringtonezz… “

Capitalism devours all, even Crowley-obsessed legendary bands it seems. But despite that, Davis is still a true believer.

“Feeding off this show at one remove, I was forced to recognize that I was still a believer, that live performance on a global stage can recall and retain something like majesty in our hypermediated age. Call it presence, if you will, or a piper’s call. I just know I wish I had been there.”

It remains to be seen if Led Zeppelin will continue to hold on to their legendary legacy in our digital age, will the sigil magick conducted in the sixties and seventies hold out?