June 2025 - Page 25 of 31 - Vintage Rock Times

Why this Led Zeppelin album Paul Stanley called a “disaster”

Rock stars talk a lot of bollocks, but every now and then, one of them accidentally lands on something true. In a 2014 interview on his official website, Kiss frontman Paul Stanley went so far as to call Led Zeppelin’s 1969 debut album, Led Zeppelin I, a “disaster”. Now, hold on. Put your pitchforks down, […]

Blackmore Calls Out Zeppelin’s “Stolen” Sound while Deep Purple Were No Saints Either

Ritchie Blackmore, the legendary guitarist of Deep Purple, has never been shy about his opinions. In past interviews, he’s criticized Led Zeppelin for what he perceives as borrowing—if not outright lifting—musical ideas from blues and earlier rock artists, particularly pointing at Jimmy Page and Zeppelin’s early material as being derivative. “Much of their stuff was […]

The one song that gives Jimmy Page the “chills”

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page redefined the instrument as we know it today. His enchanting riffs ushered in a new era for heavy rock, but despite the seismic impact of his work on the world of music, Page, like every other guitarist, took inspiration from a series of greats. Whether it be Keith Richards or […]

Why this the Beatles album John Lennon hated: “Garbage”

For a long time, John Lennon was the ultimate leader of The Beatles. The more brutish member of ther group, not afraid to lose his temper or devote himself to his idyll of rock and roll rebellion, Lennon was the natural candidate to be the face of the group. Having assembled the quartet, he saw […]

The singers Jimmy Page considered for Led Zeppelin before Robert Plant

Certain pillars of cultural history seem so inextricably linked to one another that the thought of an alternative is largely impossible. Imagine Gordon Ramsay without the word “fuck” or David Beckham with a receding hairline. You can’t, can you? The same goes for Led Zeppelin, in all honesty – I mean, how could their greatness […]

‘Don’t Stop Me Now’: Is there tragedy behind Queen’s euphoria?

It would take one hell of a prude to have a problem with ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. It’s one of the most beloved Queen songs from a back catalogue almost entirely made up of beloved songs. It’s an expression of pure, energised joy straight from the pen of a man who endured so much pain. […]

The Who’s Pete Townshend admits Ringo Starr Son Zak Starkey firing was “a mess” and “got out of hand”

The Who‘s Pete Townshend has addressed Zak Starkey’s departure from the band and admitted the situation has been “a mess”. The saga began in March when The Who performed a concert at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this year with little rehearsal time. They then announced Starkey’s initial exit in April, which was met by […]

“It would have been nice”: The song John Lennon thought Paul McCartney needed sing

The entire rivalry between John Lennon and Paul McCartney is far more embellished than most people realise. Anyone could pick certain sound bites from interviews and claim that the two geniuses behind The Beatles hated each other’s guts by the time they called it quits, but if they didn’t acknowledge each other at all after […]

The power of desperation: Robert Plant hates his vocals on the first Led Zeppelin album

While we might love artists like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Black Sabbath, all of whom defined their own corners of rock and pop music, classical composers would despise them. This isn’t me pointing out the obvious and saying that maybe the palette of classical musicians from centuries will be different to Jimmy Page’s; however, […]

The controversial Queen song that Freddie Mercury described as “only a bloody record”

Behind the sheen of Queen’s lasting legacy is a band that endured controversy at every corner. If it wasn’t about how their music threatened to overthrow traditional rock, it was about sexuality or how Freddie Mercury single-handedly corrupted the youth of the time with his flamboyant irreverence. All of this seems absurd now, but back […]