Trampled Underfoot

by Barney Hoskins

A look at Led Zeppelin and the years after by the master of music writing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Brett Davison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different approach to writing a music book. It gave me a greater depth of understanding of the dynamics of both Led Zepplin and the music they were striving to make. Light on salaciousness, it still delivers on a popular level without compromising its underpinning drive to deliver Zepplin by Plant Page Jones & Bonham. Hoskins is a giant of the genre.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hoskins who has written the definitive book on West Coast Rock returns with the Tale of Led Zeppelin.
Hoskins knows enough about the music that spawned Led Zeppelin to allow him to be comfortable in discussing what Zeppelin were aiming to achieve as a band.

This is not a kiss and tell story of drugs and sex, although those tales are there. However his handling of the dark side of Zeppelin is masterful. Somewhat like the band members you are in the grime before you realise it. Although his tales are well told, they are never salacious.
His portrait of Peter Grant is one of the best things about the book. There was a sense of real sadness when Grant died. John Bonham just comes across as a thug. No excuses about his nerves or being homesick and justify his behaviour.
Page is exposed in all his dark satanic glory and ends up looking as foolish as he indeed was! Once more as in all Led Zeppelin books John Paul Jones is invisible. It seems there is nothing to write about this man. Which is a pretty clever trick to pull on JP's part!
Plant comes across as the most grounded one of the four. Interesting to read that the band were offered £250 million to tour after the 02 show and Plant said no!

A must read for all Zeppelin fans.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not the biggest fan of Led Zepplin, but respect the band for the musicianship and for what they achieved at their peak. This book allows the band members and those connected to them to tell their stories through snippets trawled from various sources and interviews over the years. Sometimes you're not sure if the quotes are in a proper chronology and it can be difficult to tell if people are talking with hindsight or with rather blurred memories but, overall, I think you do get a good picture of the people and the times described. Apart from the four band members, Peter Grant looms large throughout the account but, like the band itself, it's Page and Plant who dominate, Bonham lurks darkly in the background and John Paul Jones keeps himself to himself. I can't say that there are any really scandalous accounts of the legendary debauchery and indecency and, in these days of internet porn and familiarity with drugs, that side of it all seems almost rather quaint. Overall, however, I doubt I'l need to read another book about Led Zepplin because this one seems to cover all the bases.

[Ginni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the format of quotes from band members, friends, enemies and contemporaries,which made up the text of the narrative, although I spent much time looking up who was who from the list at the front. It was interesting to read the later history of the band members after Bonham's death and the break up of Zep. The photos were disappointing, rather grainy and black and white; they sent me to YouTube to watch videos of the actual performances.
However chaotic, self-indulgent and just plain sad much of their careers became, the music was truly exciting and electrifying. This helped to bring it all back -(I saw them at Bath Blues Festival in 1970.) The author helped convey the thrill of the early days, the hedonism of the success years, and the tragedies that followed. Must read for old and new rock fans.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for a well written and well researched book on Led Zeppelin since I was 15. This book is spectacular in its scope without ever seeming to drag on. I only wish there was more from the band members and their families. A reviewer noted that this absence of their families' voices is marked (though understandable). But the book is incredibly well researched and documented. Hoskins does a masterful job of selecting anecdotes and descriptions to weave a full picture of the band, reminding the reader of why the band was so successful for such a long period of time while not shying away from the appalling behavior that casts such a long shadow.

[Chris Kelaart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting collection of interviews re Led Zep. Better than most of the biographies of the group and gives a really unique insight.