Act of Improvising

Robert Plant: ”Hey, it´s me! I was there!”

Led Zeppelin on TV. Enjoyed the short documentary with interviews (by the most well dressed man in Sweden; Per Sinding-Larsen, according to Elle magazine). When Led Zeppelin was relatively new and hot, a couple of years ago…, I noticed it, but didn´t care to much.

In these times there were plenty of pregnant musical creativity, more or less independent. Not everyone reached the glue in the history books… It´s interesting for musicians to involve improvisation, otherwise the act is like a photocopy from the rehearsal room. It demands good musicians, who understand the possibilities to dynamics in almost every second.

Today I feel, something of that, because of newer technology, is left behind. For example; much of the “drumwork” in lighter popmusic can be performed by machines. I think this also influenced the more “pure and authentic” rockmusic. Together with the rockvideo, perfectly designed in every frame….., it´s sometimes interesting as looking into a washingmachine and listening to the flashing sound of the centrifuge process.

Im not so impressed by the instant thunder. Originally rockmusic was a stage act, depending for example of the accoustic conditions of the room, just like classical. Not how it look on TV. It was musicians playing, in that particular moment. Now and then... younger people ask me if I can “show them some Led Zeppelin?” “Yheaaaazhh(my scottish accent), …I shall look in my chamber of archives, but …(I always say;) these men,... as a mother of fact,... by the way.. older than me,..were not beginners,... they had practised on their instruments…and were able to enter another phase of creativity; improvisation. What you hear on records, was merely that particular moment…, on stage could happen something else in those details. It was a band that could deal with their own flexibility”