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I'm taking a moment to remember The Day That Zeppelin Died, which coincided with the premature demise of drummer John Henry Bonham, then 32, on 25 October 1980. Bonham is reported to have begun his last full day of life with about half a liter of vodka, "The Breakfast of Champions" (one might say if it wouldn't be overinterpreted as a trademark infringement), and then remained with that general refreshment protocol throughout that day 30 years ago until sinking into his final sleep after midnight."Achilles Last Stand" is my favorite Zeppelin track, and I do not believe it can be fully appreciated at much below ear-bleeding level. Try it cranked into some "earbuds" for a dim facsimile, but do listen. It's ambitious and mighty, with all the authority of the best Lummox Rock, but having too much compositional and production complexity to be confined to that category.
As you can hear, Bonzo Bonham put about half a career's worth of effort into this track. But to be fair, so did everyone else.
Achilles Last Stand, Led Zeppelin (1976, from "Presence," Swan Song LP SS 8416), via YouTube, embedded for noncommercial critical discussion and educational purposes.
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