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Led Zeppelin, Musikhalle Hamburg, March 1973: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page (Heinrich Klaffs/Wikipedia Commons)
It's another Soundcheck Smackdown: Singles Edition! Today, the Led Zeppelin classic "Stairway to Heaven" enters the arena to face the challenge. Later: the prolific producer Daniel Lanois shares two of his latest projects, a discursive memoir and a new band that blends Jamaican dub, rock, blues and more.
Stop Buying That Stairway
Led Zeppelin nostalgia is at a fever pitch, with rock heir Jason Bonham leading a tribute tour and biographer Stephen Davis revisiting the subject matter that made his “Hammer of the Gods” tell-all so scandalous. Today, our single-song edition of the Tuesday debate throws down the gauntlet on the band's controversial classic, “Stairway to Heaven:” arena anthem or eight minutes too long? Guests include Emily Rems, managing editor of Bust Magazine, and Phil Freeman, writer of the Headbang metal blog for MSN Music.
In Studio: Daniel Lanois and Black Dub
Producer Daniel Lanois has fine-tuned the music of Bob Dylan, U2, Emmylou Harris and Jimmy Cliff. Neil Young even named his new album, “Le Noise,” for the studio wiz that crafted it. Today, Lanois joins us to talk about recording donkeys in Morocco with Brian Eno and other stories recounted in his autobiography, “Soul Mining: A Musical Life.” Plus: Lanois performs with his new band Black Dub live in our studio.
Tuesday's Soundcheck Playlist
Click through to see the music played on Soundcheck today!
Stairway to Heaven: Length Matters
Stairway to Heaven was an overnight deejay's best friend.
Gig Alert: AfroCubism
Fourteen years ago, a session meant to unite Cuban and Malian musicians was canceled, and by accident, the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon was born. Now, the project that was meant to be comes to life as Eliades Ochoa and Toumani Diabate come together for a world tour.
Gig Alert: Ponderosa
Georgia-based Ponderosa brings its swaggering, no-frills Southern rock anthems to the Mercury Lounge tonight. Download the band's "Old Gin Road" here.
Gig Alert: One EskimO
One EskimO, the pop-friendly indie cuartet from Britain with a penchant for cartoon eskimos, plays Highline Ballroom tonight. Download their "Amazing" here for free.