Led Zeppelin I - The Greatest Debut Album Of All Time?

[Estring]

I know what your thinking about....

Cream-Fresh Cream !

That is the first debut album, Gears of Fire is the second album...

I'm not sure if you are joking, but Fresh Cream was their debut, followed by Disraeli Gears and then Wheels of Fire.

 

[Dave_1962]

A highly subjective and debatable subject/thread at best.

 

[noogies]

That's what makes it fun!

 

[2526]

"Crosby, Stills and Nash" is a contender

 

[BobbyBluz]

Those of us in the close to 65 years old and older range may recall that Rolling Stone wasn't the only publication that trashed the first and other following Led Zeppelin albums. We only know what we've been exposed to and tastes vary depending upon that exposure. I'm still searching for another copy of an issue of Rolling Stone from 1970 that my picture is in.

 

[KeninDC]

Van Halen's debut was the best period IMO for a debut lp

Blew my middle school mind.

 

[johnebravo]

John Mendelsohn, his claim to fame was how bad he missed the mark on the LZ1 review, this caused Plant to not talk to Rolling Stone Magazine for several years. Mendelsohn did not like Neil Young's Harvest or The Jeff Beck Group albums either.

Notice his total flip flop when he reviewed LZII. This review seems like he might have been trying to make up for the first, or an editor influenced his thought process, or maybe it was just the various drugs he used while listening to LZ2.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/led-zeppelin-ii-19691213

The second review was sarcastic.

 

[KeninDC]

Here's my middle school Van Halen story:

We were discussing Van Halen's album in art class and whether or not they were as good as the "classic" canon of artists like The Stones, etc. when Laurie (feathered-back brunette) reached into my Levi's cords pocket and grabbed a cartoon I had wadded up and put there to keep from her. As a result, I always associate a beautiful girl with her hand in my pants with Van Halen.

 

[Mystic]

View attachment 770026

Good 'ol Jerry Weintraub.

 

[Mystic]

Just wish I could have seen them around '69 and '70...

My favourite was the 1971 > 1972 tour, the one @ which the set got off to a bang w/ storming rendition of "Immigrant Song".

 

[tubed]

Was there, then.
Hootin' and a hollerin' in the 2nd row.

 

[Djcoolray]

1966 Fresh Cream

1967 Disraeli Gears


1968 Wheels of Fire



Wheels of Fire was Cream's third release. Did they really print covers that said Gears of Fire?

Yah...

That's the album for sale on elusive disc, an original second run $19.99

 

[MAC TED]

I would choose ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

It came from outer space for there was nothing on earth that prepared one for this album upon it's release.

 

[Johnno_Oz]

....and for some more recent debuts.

Arcade Fire- Funeral and The Strokes- This is It

 

[MudSlideSlim]

Dazed and Confused being my favorite 70's song

I can't imagine a Led Zeppelin concert without Dazed and Confused being played and sung.

 

[prisoners]

There's a handful that an argument can be made for, but I'd vote for Pearl Jam's '10' as the winner. There's not a weak track on it and I'd also put in among the top 25 or so of the greatest rock albums ever. That it's a debut instead of a polished effort from an established band is just remarkable. (I think they've evolved into a different band 25 years later but that's another topic)

 

[gggvan]

Joy Divison, Stone Roses, The Stooges, Beastie Boys...

LZ I is a monster, though.

For influential, I'd say Stooges, same year as LZ1; for freshness, I'd say BS1, it was a welcome bit of darkness to all the love, hippie stuff.

But I'm a song guy, not an album guy.

 

[CSCHOEN]

The Pretenders first album, My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello and Marshall Crenshaw's debut were all great first albums.

I actually like Led Zep II better than their debut. Their debut was pretty good though, especially considering they didn't have a lot of time to record it. There is a big mistake on "I Can't Quit You" that I assume they didn't have time to fix.

They were pretty busy while recording LZII also. LZI is (imo) one of the best recorded albums of theirs (Houses Of The Holy as well). The magic of Zeppelin is the players, and
Pages production talent. Saw them live in '73 (my first rock show), but their albums are perfect.

 

[CSCHOEN]

Let's not forget ...Please Please Me by The Beatles.......a debut done in just 12 hours!

Z.Z. Top and Steppenwolf's first were done in little time as well.

 

[Pio1980]

Too many to mention, I'll add Van Halen, Heart, Ricky Lee Jones, Kansas, Billy Joel.