The nucleus of Dread Zeppelin, bassist Put-Mon (Gary Putman), drummer Cheese (Curt Lichter) and guitarist Jah Paul Jo (Joseph "Severs" Ramsey), were from a Pasadena, California group called The Prime Movers.[3] Signed to Island Records in 1986, The Prime Movers had some success in the UK with singles "On The Trail" and "Dark Western Night".[4] The late Stuart Adamson of Big Country contributed his trademark E-Bow guitar to "Dark Western Night" and another Prime Mover song, "Strong As I Am", was featured in Michael Mann's motion picture thriller, Manhunter.[5]
When The Prime Movers ended in 1989, Jah Paul Jo hatched the idea for a new group that would call itself "Dread Zeppelin".[6] Aside from the three original members, the band recruited guitarist Carl Jah (Carl Haasis) and 300-pound Vegas-era Elvis impersonator Tortelvis (Greg Tortell).[7] The band supposedly met Tortelvis when he rammed his milk float into the back of the band's car.[8] Longtime graphic artist for The Prime Movers, Bryant Fernandez, was brought in as conga-man Ed Zeppelin.[6]
The concept for Dread Zeppelin may be less bizarre than it seems. Notably, Led Zeppelin did make a recording which reflected a prominent reggae influence, the 1973 song "D'yer Mak'er". Also, the band frequently performed Elvis Presley songs in concert, often presented as a medley which occasionally flirted with self-parody. (Led Zeppelin met Elvis briefly in 1974 after attending one of his concerts in Los Angeles.)[9][10]
1989: Birdcage Records
The first Dread Zeppelin recording was meant to be a goof on Led Zeppelin's 45 single "Immigrant Song" and its sought-after non-LP B-Side "Hey Hey What Can I Do". Produced by Jah Paul Jo and Rasta Li-Mon (Lee Manning) and released on their indie Birdcage Records label, the single sold amazingly well and represses featured the seven inch 45 RPM in a rasta rainbow of colors: red (original), green, yellow, blue, white and clear vinyl. All early Dread Zeppelin recordings and most of the band's first album Un-Led-Ed were recorded at the home studio of Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, where Rasta Li-Mon was a house engineer.
After the success of "Immigrant Song", a second single, "Whole Lotta Love/Tour-telvis: A Bad Trip", was released on Birdcage Records.[11] A third, "Your Time is Gonna Come/Woodstock (live)", was released not as a single but as part of a singles compilation entitled Komm Gib Mir Deine Zeppelin (a play on the title of the German version of The Beatles' song "I Want to Hold Your Hand"). There was also a live cassette issued by Birdcage, but only to members of The Dread Zeppelin fan club, called Live On Blueberry Cheesecake.
1990: I.R.S. years
In 1990, Dread Zeppelin were signed to Miles Copeland III's IRS label. Their first album, Un-Led-Ed, consisted of more covers taken from Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II, plus "Black Dog" from Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album. Original drummer Cheese (Curt Lichter) left the band just after recording Un-Led-Ed. He was replaced by Fresh Cheese (Paul Maselli). Shortly before Un-Led-Ed was released, the original Ed Zeppelin (percussion and Reggae Dub) was replaced by his identical twin brother who was the former lead singer of local LA bands: Rampage, Blue Frontier and Public Eye.
Un-Led-Ed was successful. In autumn 1990, Dread Zeppelin took a three-week break from touring and recorded their second album, 5,000,000* *Tortelvis Fans Can't Be Wrong. In addition to the usual "Zeppelin in a reggae style", this album also featured a cover of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" as well as three original songs.
For the next album, the band had planned a rock opera, Albert, about a rock critic who wanted to be a star (based loosely on the real rock critic Albert Goldman), but this never materialized. The plan changed to an album of disco covers, It's Not Unusual. Both Ed Zeppelin and Fresh Cheese had left the band after 5,000,000* *Tortelvis Fans Can't Be Wrong, and during rehearsals for the new album, Tortelvis also quit. Bassist Put-Mon (Gary Putman) took over the vocals, assuming the name Gary B.I.B.B. It's Not Unusual featured guest spots by both Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Randy Bachman.
Whether it was the public's resistance to disco, or the lack of Dread's popular frontman, Tortelvis, sales of It's Not Unusual were disappointing. The band was dropped by IRS and for all intents and purposes, had dissolved.
Unknown to the band, Dread Zeppelin were being sought by Australian rock band INXS to be the support band on their US tour. INXS were fans of Dread Zeppelin. Tortelvis was persuaded to return to the band; however, without a recording contract, he could only perform at the May 8, 1993, show at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Dread Zeppelin returned to the studio. With Jah Paul Jo and Rasta Li-Mon again producing, they recorded Hot & Spicy Beanburger, a 1993 release on Birdcage Records.
In the spring of 1994, Dread Zeppelin appeared in the feature film National Lampoon's Last Resort and provided a song for the closing credits.[12] Carl Jah (Carl Haasis) and Ed Zeppelin left the band shortly thereafter.
With Put-Mon moving from bass to lead guitar and the addition of David Raven (drums), bassist Derf Nosna Haj (Freddie Johnson) and Fernandez (Pete Burke) on conga and toast, Dread Zeppelin recorded No Quarter Pounder. Released by Birdcage Records in 1995, No Quarter Pounder would be the band's final Birdcage CD as Jah Paul Jo left the group shortly after its release.[citation needed]
1996: Imago
The remaining members of Dread Zeppelin signed onto Imago Records and released The Fun Sessions, a collection of classic rock covers. It was the first all non-Led Zeppelin cover recording with the exception of "BBWAGS (Butt-Boy's Wearin' a Girls' Shirt)" written by Gary Putman. This would be Derf Nosna Haj (Freddie Johnson) and Fernandez (Pete Burke) last recording with the band. After the Imago release, Carl Jah and Ed Zeppelin returned to the band.
1999: Cleopatra
The band then signed to Cleopatra Records and recorded De-jah Voodoo in 1999. The recording was produced by bassist Bob Knarley (Howard Ulyate) and includes 11 Led Zeppelin covers and two tracks written by the band (Putman, Ulyate, Fernandez, Tortell, and Boerin).[13]
De-jah Voodoo was later re-released with a new cover and title (Re-Led-Ed); some versions include an acoustic version of "Hey Hey What Can I Do" as a bonus track.[14]
2000–2011: Cash Cow
In 1995 Dread Zeppelin had a new production company, Cash Cow, run by original members Gary Putman (Butt-Boy) and Greg Tortell (Tortelvis), which had produced the Fun Sessions. They released the live album Front Yard Bar*B*Que in December 1996 and the all-original album Spam Bake (a take-off of the Elvis movie sound recordings of the 1960s) in November 1997.
Also released on Cash Cow Records were the band's first full length Christmas recording Presents in 2002, followed by Chicken and Ribs 2004; both were produced by Bob Knarley. In February 2008 the band released Bar Coda, produced by Spice (Cris Boerin). Other Cash Cow releases included the DVDs Jah-La-Palooza 2004 and Live in Minne-Jah-Polis 2002. The album SoSo (the title referencing Led Zeppelin's fourth album), followed in 2011, produced by Spice.[15]
Carl Jah released a solo album in 2012;[17] in 2014, founding guitarist Jah Paul Jo died following years of poor health.[18] Dread Zeppelin toured regularly through 2014; Putman is the only member of Dread Zeppelin to have performed on every record and played every live show to date.
Ewart Beckford OD, known by the stage name U-Roy, was a Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of toasting. U-Roy was known for a melodic style of toasting applied with a highly developed sense of timing.
No Quarter Pounder is an album by the American band Dread Zeppelin, released in 1995. Its title is wordplay on the Led Zeppelin song "No Quarter", and the name of a McDonald's hamburger, the Quarter Pounder. The band promoted the album with a North American tour.
National Lampoon's Last Resort is a 1994 direct-to-video comedy film directed by Rafal Zielinski. The film stars Corey Feldman and Corey Haim as Sam and Dave, two friends who are visiting a Caribbean island resort.
Jacob Miller was a Jamaican reggae artist and Rastafari from Mandeville, Jamaica. His first recording session was with the producer Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd in the late 1960s. While pursuing a solo career, he became the lead singer for Inner Circle, a Jamaican roots reggae band. Miller recorded and toured with Inner Circle before he died in a car crash in early 1980 at age 27.
Un-Led-Ed is the debut album by Dread Zeppelin, released in 1990. The album received a public endorsement by Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant, who claimed he preferred Dread Zeppelin's cover of "Your Time Is Gonna Come" to the Led Zeppelin original.
5,000,000 is Dread Zeppelin's second full-length album. Recorded in early fall 1990, it was conceived and recorded during a three-week break from touring to support the surprisingly successful Un-Led-Ed. Produced by Jah Paul Jo and Rasta Li-Mon, the album once again featured their patented "Zeppelin-Inna-Reggae-Style" hybrid plus 3 original songs and a cover of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" and "Train Kept A-Rollin'" by The Yardbirds. The album was released worldwide by I.R.S. Records in 1991.
Though reggae music first developed in Jamaica, it has strong rhythmic and thematic associations with Africa and has been called "the quintessential African/third world/black musical form". There are many African reggae musicians with a wide fan base both on the continent and abroad. Well-known African reggae artists are Alpha Blondy, Pax Nindi aka Harare Dread, Majek Fashek, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Colbert Mukwevho,Thomani Tshikororo, Ismael Isaac, Radical Dread, Jambo, Soul Raiders, Lucky Dube, and Serges Kassy.
Midnite was a roots reggae band from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which started playing in 1989.
Michael George Campbell, better known as Mikey Dread, was a Jamaican singer, producer, and broadcaster. He was one of the most influential performers and innovators in reggae music.
Junior Murvin was a Jamaican reggae musician. He is best known for the single "Police and Thieves", produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1976.
The Twinkle Brothers are a Jamaican reggae band formed in 1962, and still active in the 21st century under Norman Grant's lead.
Carl Jah is an American rock musician and co-founder of the band Dread Zeppelin. He was the lead guitarist with the band from its founding until 1995, and returned for a period in the 2000s.
It's Not Unusual is the third album by the musical group Dread Zeppelin, released by I.R.S. Records in 1992. The album presents a shift from reggae-tinged Led Zeppelin covers to disco music cover songs from the 1970s.
The Song Remains Insane is the tenth album by Dread Zeppelin, released in 1996. It is a double live album from their tour recorded in Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, Copenhagen and Las Vegas.
Rock’n Roll is a limited edition Dread Zeppelin album from 1991 available only in Japan. The album contains both studio recordings and live performances. The short running time of the album suggests that it was at or the a promotional tool for the band in Japan.
Hot and Spicy Beanburger, released in 1993, is the fourth studio album by Dread Zeppelin. This album saw the return of Tortelvis, the lead singer who had left the band and did not appear on the previous album, It's Not Unusual.
The Fun Sessions is the 8th studio album by Dread Zeppelin, and the first made with Imago Records. It is described as “Tortelvis sings the classics”, where “classics” are songs from the late-1960s and early-1970s particularly loved by the band. The album title is a wordplay on Elvis's The Sun Sessions.
Joseph Jack "Severs" Ramsey, better known by his stage name Jah Paul Jo was an American musician, singer and producer best known for creating the novelty band Dread Zeppelin. From 1983 to 1988, Ramsey was the singer/bass player in The Prime Movers. Ramsey was also the owner of independent record label Birdcage Records, which has released albums by Dread Zeppelin, The Prime Movers, Stan Ridgway, Ron Asheton, In Vivo, The Mystery Band and others.
The Prime Movers were a rock band from the Sierra Madre, California area known for its post-punk ethereal sound and lyrics evocative of the New West.
Ruins is a Dread Zeppelin album featuring B-sides, alternate mixes and previously unreleased tracks. It was originally released exclusively to members of the Dread Zeppelin fan club in 1996, before being made available to the general public later that year.
1 2 Wall, Mick (July 21, 1990). "Dread Zeppelin". Kerrang!. republished online by L Hoskins. Archived from the original on December 8, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011– via earthlink.net.
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