Presence by Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin’s seventh album, Presence, was recorded at a torrid pace while Robert Plant recovered from a brutal car accident on a Greek isle.

Here are three of my favorite tracks:

“Achilles Last Stand” is a ten-minute epic and one of the greatest Zep songs of all time. A thunderous rhythm section with precious picking and machine gun snare drums drive the track. Page strums loose guitar notes through the beginning and as the song builds he weaves guitar solos brilliantly through the intense rhythm that abounds. Plant’s vocal solos are haunting and his vocal solo at the end of the track is fantastic. I bet it was tough recording vocals in a wheel chair.


“Nobody’s Fault but Mine” – This Blind Willie Johnson original is taken to a new level. It builds from a simple guitar and vocal intro into a fast paced blues riff that crescendoes with Page ripping a solo. The hard rock bass and drums crash throughout the song with cymbals splashing and bass bopping. Plant rocks a harmonica and blasts different vocal tones and variations of the words “nobody’s fault but mine”.

“Tea for One” – A blues rhythm and guitar riff make this a kindred spirit of “Since I’ve Been Loving You”. The ebbs and flow of pretty guitar licks dance across the laidback drums, bass and vocals. This track exhibits Jimmy Page’s stellar versatility with his guitar and why this band is so damn great. As Page echoes through the song “a minute feels like a lifetime” I have often wondered of the meaning. Is he tired of his recovery? Tired of playing in Zep? Or was it just a cross roads in his lyrical writing. Take a listen and maybe you can connect with the meaning.


This album is a great reminder of the fantastic musical energy and chemistry Led Zeppelin was able to produce even on their later musical efforts. While the band does not revere this as one of their best efforts I believe it is a classic. Dust off the vinyl or open iTunes as its time to revisit or fall in love for the first time with Led Zeppelin’s Presence.