In the News

 

Led Zeppelin's Legacy Lives On

by Andy Horonzy

 

In the annals of music history, there have been few names powerful enough to simply speak for themselves when uttered.

Madonna. Elvis. Dylan. Floyd.

Each artist left an inerasable imprint on the music scene that continues to spread decades later. But when the title of "greatest band ever" gets tossed around in trade publications, perhaps only one name pops up with the same frequency as the iconic Beatles.

Zeppelin.

The rock n‚ roll legends - Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones - who comprised the original lineup of Led Zeppelin are little more than memory now, yet their legacy still lives on.

Zoso, a Los Angeles-area band billed as America's No. 1 certified Led Zeppelin tribute, is making sure the memory of the "Hammer of Gods" never truly fades away. The 8-year-old act, which brings its all-encompassing Zeppelin style to the Copper Dragon at 10 p.m. tonight, refuses to entertain the idea of letting their musical heroes fall from the spotlight.

"[Led Zeppelin] are probably more influential than any other group outside of the Beatles," said Matt Jernigan, the group's lead singer. "With them you had funk, heavy rock, Celtic, reggae, blues - it was just an amazing range of music. They were probably the perfect rock 'n' roll band because they were able to make it so you could be a really cool rock band but still be able to branch out and do different genres of music."

Formed in early 1995, the group's founding members didn't start out planning to become a cover band, or even a classic-sounding rock band for that matter.

"When we first started out, we were all about doing our own songs, our own original stuff," Jernigan said. "But that was when everyone was leaning toward the whole 'rap-rock' thing and [record labels] were only looking for the Limp Bizkits, the Korns, the Offsprings and what those bands were definitely wasn't us."

Spurned by a recording industry hell-bent on ignoring their wish to remain close to their musical roots, the members of Zoso sought refuge in what first drew them to music - spirit. They spent months pooling their ideas, but at the end of the selection process the group knew only one band whose music fit their personalities.

"[Led Zeppelin] was really always the only option for us," Jernigan said. "At least half of the people who listen to them nowadays are college-aged, which means they weren't even born when the band broke up. Having that kind of an audience out there and actually respecting the music we were playing was all we needed to have."

Bound and determined to create the most mesmerizing and accurate portrayal of the original Zeppelin lineup, each individual member of what would become to be known as Zoso was slotted to portray both the image and playing styles of their counterpart.

Jernigan plays the Plant role as lead singer, lead guitarist Mike Morgan fills the shoes of Page, bassist Adam Sandling channels Bonham and drummer Greg Thompson emulates Jones. Since its formation, the band has kept up a rigorous schedule of dates in the Los Angeles area and throughout California and the Southwestern United States.

A well-received reception and hard-earned following has won them an award from Rock City News (L.A.) as the best tribute act in California and has also kept the band in constant demand. Zoso has done three tours of the West Coast and in the fall of 1996 the band embarked on a 42-date tour of the Midwest in addition to a repeat Southwestern U.S. tour.

Following a lengthy career as strictly a cover act, the band would one day like to return to the studio to record its own material. But before that happens, Jernigan will have to deal with his hatred of today's music industry.

"In my opinion, the music industry has turned its back on musicians and is more close-minded today than it was 10, or even 20 years ago," Jernigan said. "In the '80s, if you wanted to be Duran Duran you could be, but at the same time you could also be Van Halen. There was something for everyone and so many flavors to pick from, but today it‚s like 'OK, either pick the "punk" thing or the "diva" thing.'"

But until Jernigan lets the ice melt on his frosty relationship with record labels and the industry in general, the band isn't resting on its laurels. Zoso recently set out on its first all-out United States tour, including several stops in Canada. Since its conception, the band has played a remarkable 1,400 shows (and counting) in just under eight years.

Jernigan has been in talks with several record labels about recording original material following the band‚s current tour, but whether or not anything will materialize from the discussion is still a mute point.

"I've got the people at [BMI] ready to publish our songs, but it‚s like 'So, what are we gonna do with it?,'" Jernigan said. "I'd like to see my efforts pay off, but if I'm not exactly sure what they want from us, then what's the point?"

For Jernigan, the point of Zoso has always been, and will continue to be, the fans. He said the crowds that sometimes pack them in and other times are paper thin are what keep him going, no matter how many of them there are.

"The response we get is usually a regional taste or a sporadic taste," Jernigan said. "Sure, a place in Montana isn't likely to get off as much when they see us as a crowd in the Midwest is. But that's why we like coming here and why we always will."