Heartbreaking news: Jimmy Page announces his reunoin with …..
By the time Led Zeppelin released Physical Graffiti, they had been touring extensively and were at an all-time high in fame.
Although the seemingly smooth trajectory of their success up until that point left many wondering how they would outdo themselves this time, the album effortlessly proved their unwavering dedication and talent.
It’s safe to say that Physical Graffiti showed Led Zeppelin at their most raw, any sense of overpolishing and pretentiousness of previous albums completely dissolving in favour of a more authentic approach.
This also meant that, by the mid-1970s, the band had established themselves time and time again as leaders in stadium rock and the forerunners of blending Chicago blues and traditional rock ‘n’ roll.
The album also enabled the band to build upon many aspects of the artistry they had already worked hard to establish, taking full advantage of the extended material to explore even more sonic territories.
As Jimmy Page put it, “It’s going from all manners of extremes in the equation. I think we done that even in the first album, the second album, but here, being given the opportunity of a double album, then obviously all of these character pieces, it’s just that thing of the multi-faceted diamond, that’s what it is.”
The issue with such immense success, however, was that while flying high, the inevitability of crashing down begins to loom closer.
After taking a brief break from touring, the band intended to get back on the road in August 1975, but things took a significant turn when Robert Plant sustained serious injuries from a car crash. As a result, they decided to book studio time instead of more tour dates.
Presence undeniably came at a strange time, but the band felt eager to deliver a project despite being unable to get in front of a live audience.
In order to complete the album on time, Page also decided to work long hours, but Plant felt particularly frustrated because he had to deliver vocals while still recovering from his injuries.
Plant would later say he didn’t exactly appreciate the band booking the sessions when he could have made a speedy recovery instead.
That said, Page’s feelings towards the album differ slightly, as he regarded it as one of their more stripped-back works, not in terms of the musical arrangements but in the mindset they all carried at the time.
Discussing the album with Rolling Stone in 2006, the musician explained: “Presence was pure anxiety and emotion. We didn’t know if we’d ever be able to play in the same way again.
It might have been a very dramatic change if the worst had happened to Robert. Presence is our best in terms of uninterrupted emotion.”
Although the album did considerably well commercially, it was also the band’s worst-selling record. This demonstrates two things:
first, that even Led Zeppelin’s least successful album wasn’t bad by any means, and second, that had the band been on form and waited a little longer before entering the studio again, it’s anyone’s guess whether the follow-up to Physical Graffiti would have been even better than what was ultimately released.
