I have to put my two cents in on this Ben Harper and Led Zeppelin discussion. I will admit that i probably know more about ben harper than i do about led zeppelin, however, i am a fan of both, and i think to say that ben is just copying them or any one else i feel is a false statement. Yes, Ben does borrow from zep, as have many other band, and so also did zep borrow from other bands. That is the nature of music. But Ben has borrowed from so many other places as well, and has taken all his influences, mixed them together and made something almost no one could do. I would not call him or pearl jam or any one the Led Zeppelin of the future, because the will always only be one Led Zeppelin. THey will however be the Ben Harper and the Pearl Jam of the future, because that is who they are. I think Ben is so great not because he is an amazing guitarists or an incredible vocalists or a wonderful songwriter, but because he has all of those abilities and can put them together into one unified piece. Led Zeppelin had the same thing. An Amazing guitarist, an incredible singer, and a great songwriting ability (not to mention arrangements)
To conclude, it’s probably my biggest pet peeve when people compare musicians/actors/poets/writers/artist/whatever to someone before them. The greats never become the next “insert name here”, they redefine greatness.
ethan
Feb 21 2003
06:33 pm
I have to put my two cents in on this Ben Harper and Led Zeppelin discussion. I will admit that i probably know more about ben harper than i do about led zeppelin, however, i am a fan of both, and i think to say that ben is just copying them or any one else i feel is a false statement. Yes, Ben does borrow from zep, as have many other band, and so also did zep borrow from other bands. That is the nature of music. But Ben has borrowed from so many other places as well, and has taken all his influences, mixed them together and made something almost no one could do. I would not call him or pearl jam or any one the Led Zeppelin of the future, because the will always only be one Led Zeppelin. THey will however be the Ben Harper and the Pearl Jam of the future, because that is who they are. I think Ben is so great not because he is an amazing guitarists or an incredible vocalists or a wonderful songwriter, but because he has all of those abilities and can put them together into one unified piece. Led Zeppelin had the same thing. An Amazing guitarist, an incredible singer, and a great songwriting ability (not to mention arrangements)
To conclude, it’s probably my biggest pet peeve when people compare musicians/actors/poets/writers/artist/whatever to someone before them. The greats never become the next “insert name here”, they redefine greatness.