Despite singer Tortelvis' reputed propensity for gas, there is no denying that, initially,
Dread Zeppelin was a breath of fresh air in a stale music scene which oftentimes took itself way too seriously. Anyone jaded enough to think they had seen it all in rock & roll was forced to think again when faced with the band's improbable reggae renditions of
Led Zeppelin classics, performed by an overweight caricature of the King himself, the aforementioned Tortelvis. Together, these disparate elements provided an aural and visual cocktail of
Spinal Tap proportions -- but in this case, it was all for real. Of course, none of it could possibly have worked had it not been so cleverly well thought out in advance, and then expertly executed. Make no mistake, behind the sextet's comedic façade lies a highly competent group, featuring solid musicianship, great arranging talent, and, face it -- sheer balls and audacity. Having said that, the sextet's first album, 1990s
Un-Led-Ed, is a gag-infested tour de force where almost every dubious musical moment is safeguarded by a healthy dose of humor -- and vice versa. Instantly catchy, and often hilarious renditions of such
Zeppelin staples as "Black Dog" and "Heartbreaker" (cleverly spliced with "Hound Dog" and "Heartbreak Hotel" for added flavor) are, for the most part, perfectly valid interpretations from a musical standpoint. (Just listen to guitar player Carl Jah as he peels off scorching leads that would make
Jimmy Page proud during "Whole lotta Love" for further proof.) And ultimately, what greater endorsement could one hope for, then the one bestowed by
Zep vocal legend
Robert Plant, who claimed that he actually preferred
Dread Zeppelin's take on "You're Time Is Gonna Come" over the original. In the end, there is a very fine line between "sexy clever" and "sexy stupid," and though they would soon cross that line never to regain their way, at least with
Un-Led-Ed, Tortelvis and company were taking care of business. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia