And yes I think I have mentioned before that we bought the first two Led Zeppelin albums when they came out and I considered them almost superhuman in writing and playing; the riffs the bass and the drumming and above all the extraordinary singing. The soaring dipping whispering screaming vocals. You have never heard their like before . . . . or since
These two first albums I considered, and still do consider, almost note perfect . . . . . . vocally they were the music of strange gods of some far off Nordic or Viking land . . . . . . . they were strange erotic and mystical . . . . . . . I was 16
Check out the riff on Heartbreaker here, you have heard it before, in your dreams, somewhere elemental, it is a universal, a truth we have merely all connected with, it stands the test of time. It is without equal anywhere in music. Turn it up! Window shaking volume and tell me I am wrong

On this day in music history: December 27, 1969 - “Led Zeppelin II” by Led Zeppelin hits #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for 7 weeks (non-consecutive). Produced by Jimmy Page, it is recorded at Olympic Studios, Morgan Studios in London, A&R Studios, Juggy Sound, Groove Studios, Mayfair Studios in New York City, Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN, The Hut in Vancouver, BC, Canada, Sunset Sound, A&M Studios, Quantum Studios, Mirror Sound and Mystic Studios in Hollywood, CA from January - August 1969. Following the success of their self-titled debut, Atlantic request that Led Zeppelin quickly record a follow up for release by the end of the year. With their schedule fully booked during this period, the album is largely written and recorded while the band are on the road on their first and second tours of the US and UK. Final recording and mixing takes place at Olympic Studios in London. No singles are issued in the UK, though “Whole Lotta Love” is released in the US (and several other countries) and becomes their highest charting single (#4 Pop). Atlantic Records runs into a problem with the original US pressing of the LP, when many fans return the album to stores complaining that their copies skip when played. The original mastering of the album cut by engineer Bob Ludwig at Sterling Sound in New York captures the albums’ wide sonic dynamics, which unfortunately prove to be too much for many cheaper turntables of the time. The label quickly remasters the LP, this time using engineer George Marino. The newer copies have a significant amount of high end and bass rolled off which caused tracking problems on the first issue copies. The original “loud cut” by Ludwig becomes a heavily sought after collector’s item by fans in later years. “Led Zeppelin II” goes on to be one of the most influential rock albums of all time, and is certified 12x Platinum in the US by the RIAA, earning a Diamond Certification.

thanks to Jeff Harris' blog Behind the Grooves