Led Zeppelin Crashed Here: The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America

by Chris Epting

Bob Dylan’s motorcycle accident. Mick Jagger’s Memory Motel. Buddy Holly’s crash site. Bob Marley’s U.S. debut. Elvis Presley’s first public performance. The Sex Pistols’ first and last concert in America. The home where Kurt Cobain died. Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off of a bat. David Bowie’s secret Diamond Dogs rehearsal location. Bruce Springsteen’s “E” Street. John Lennon’s final days. Monterey Pop. Woodstock. Altamont.

In Led Zeppelin Crashed Here: The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America, pop culture historian Chris Epting takes you on a journey across North America to the exact locations where rock and roll history was made. Epting has compiled nearly 600 rock and roll landmarks, combining historical information with trivia, photos, and backstage lore, all with the enthusiasm of a true rock and roll devotee. No other book delivers such an extensive list of rock and roll landmarks—from beginnings (the site where Elvis got his first guitar), to endings (the hotel where Janis Joplin died), and everything in between. The rowdiest and the most talented rockers are all featured, with sidebars on musical greats like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and U2. And, of course, you’ll learn all about the infamous “Riot House” on the Sunset Strip where Led Zeppelin “crashed.”

Led Zeppelin Crashed Here: The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America is an entertaining and rollicking road map through the entire history of rock and roll!

Genres: Music, Travel, Nonfiction, History

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

A pop culture (and baseball) history aficionado, Chris has a lifelong penchant for documenting the exact sites where things both great and small occurred. As an author, Epting has found that unearthing and chronicling ‘hidden’ locations offers him a challenge. What began as an inquisitive hobby soon developed into the writing and photographing of 14 books based on his discoveries, including James Dean Died Here…The Locations of America’s Pop Culture Landmarks, Elvis Presley Passed Here, Even More Locations of America’s Pop Culture Landmarks, Images of America – the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Roadside Baseball, The Ruby Slippers, Madonna's Bra, and Einstein's Brain: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Artifacts and Led Zeppelin Crashed Here.

As an extension of his efforts to chronicle the unique, Epting joins Hampton Hotels for a fourth exciting year as national spokesperson and consultant for the Hidden Landmarks program in support of the brand’s national “Explore the Highway with Hampton Save-A-Landmark™” campaign (the program recently won the President’s award). He was also recently national spokesman for the launch of Microsoft Windows Live Local travel web site and is the current spokesman for EMusic.com, an online music download company.

Chris is a frequent featured guest on numerous radio and television programs such as National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” “The Savvy Traveler,” “Access Hollywood” and FOX TV’s the “Best Damn Sports Show Period,” plus international programs in Australia, Japan and the U.K.

He has contributed articles for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Westways, Travel + Leisure and Preservation magazine, and was the Travel Editor for Chicken Soup for the Soul Magazine. He also writes and voices a series for Major League Baseball Radio, and writes a weekly column for the Huntington Beach Independent newspaper and a monthly feature in Orange Coast magazine. Chris hosts The Pop Culture Road Trip radio show on webtalkradio.net and his 14th book, “The Birthplace Book,” comes out in Spring ‘09.

Chris lives in Huntington Beach, CA with his wife and their two children.

Reviews

[M.M. Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Although this book is an excellent source for musical nature, I found it also to be quite cumbersome to read. The book has 327 pages of musical trivia and facts ranging in particular singers or bands to where they died. In defense of the author though, he did an excellent job in his research and the book is not meant to be read as a novel but as a source for the musical aficionado. The content is divided up into sections beginning alphabetically with singers and bands, then goes through places, landmarks, deaths, memorials. He includes photos, addresses, and phone numbers when at all possible. In the back of the book, the author lists 100 songs for the classic road trip and albums (just in case you want to listen to the whole thing), his own personal top 25, and a list of musical stores across the country. This book no doubt has it all and that is why it gets 4 stars from me.
Disclosure: I picked up a copy of this book at my local library. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle aka Naila Moon

[Ralph Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This indispensable book about rock n’ roll landmarks in America is the most American thing ever but it also might be the most boomer and most rock thing ever. The initial tidal wave of hotels where legendary debauchery took place, gives way to hotels where rock stars met the grim reaper and, even more morbidly, the cemeteries where they are buried. This is morose, and a little tasteless, but it almost feels biblical in irony. These young, angelic talented men who conquered the world but couldn’t conquer death. That Jeff Buckley’s grave overlooks the sumatran tigers at Memphis zoo feels so poetic, his own music being slinky and fierce.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better rock and roll factoid books around. Nice for killing a few minutes or planning trip activities.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about memorials, museums, and locations where significant members of the musical community stayed, played, recorded, or grew up.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book worked for me since I an from Calif and I have seen a lot of these performers live. I lived in Palm Springs where Elvis had his honeymoon house and they rent it out for parties now. So finding out all this info was great.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a guidebook

[hench · Rating 3 out of 5]

way too focused on 60s standbys but otherwise ok - good for roadtrips.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relatively entertaining guidebook of (mostly classic) rock landmarks. Good as a jumping-off-point for pop-culture scandals in the music world, too.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the book! but a lot of stuff happened in California or New York! :( Not enough n other states.

Nice little tidbits of information about rock n roll history.

[Craig Stoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stuff. enjoyed it. You can't help but search for the places in your general area. Cool.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must look at anytime I am going on vacation. It is amazing what America has to offer!

[Dane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, entertaining read that appealed to the rock fan, death hag, and history buff in me. Nails down the locations where rock stars partied, did shocking things, were born, died, and are buried.