Un-Led-Ed


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.

Recording

Initial recording sessions for the album took place at The Chapel in Encino, California, in 1989. Co-producer Rasta Li-Mon was the house engineer for owner Dave Stewart, of Eurythmics. The first sessions yielded two vinyl 45 singles, "Immigrant Song" b/w "Hey Hey What Can I Do" and "Whole Lotta Love" b/w "Tour-Telvis: A Bad Trip". Both singles were released by in 1989.
After selling out multiple runs of the singles in various vinyl colors, Birdcage gave the go-ahead to record a full album. The original concept was to lampoon each Led Zeppelin album in its original order but that was scrapped for more of a hodgepodge approach that could include Dread Zeppelin live favorites like "Black Dog" and "Heartbreaker."
Un-Led-Ed was 90% finished when Dread Zeppelin were signed to I.R.S. Records who arranged for the final recording sessions at Club 56 Studio in Burbank, California. Two songs were recorded: "Black Dog" and " My Two Front Teeth." Both songs feature new drummer, Fresh Cheese 'n' Cheese. Original percussionist, Cheese, had left the band after the Chapel recordings.
"Hey Hey What Can I Do" and "Tour-Telvis: A Bad Trip" were not included on Un Led-Ed but appear on a Birdcage Records cassette-only compilation called Kom Gib Mir Deine Zeppelin and various I.R.S. single B-sides. "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" appears on a 1990 I.R.S. Christmas sampler called Just in Time for Christmas.
A fourth extra track, "Un-Led-Ed," a psychedelic pastiche incorporating several songs from the album and meant to be somewhat of an overture, was cut from the album due to copyright considerations. The song appears as "Un-Led-Eddd " on Dread Zeppelin's 1995 album for Birdcage Records, No Quarter Pounder.
The album features a guest appearance by former Lemony Sykes vocalist George-John Chocolatto.

Album cover

Birdcage Records art director, Bryant Fernandez, and producer, Jah Paul Jo, envisioned the album to incorporate a gameboard. A mock Monopoly board was created using Led Zeppelin, reggae music and Elvis Presley references for the properties and utilities. This concept was eventually used for the inside of the album. When the band signed to I.R.S., the idea was pitched to do a cover along the lines of the children's toy where magnetic shavings are manipulated by a magnet to make different hair styles. Artist Hugh Brown created a mock-up for this cover, but the idea was rejected as being too costly. Brown then created the cover that is now used, pictures of the band surrounded by branches and colored lights.

Controversy

At the behest of the Elvis Presley estate, the photo of Tortelvis on the cover of Un Led-Ed was blacked out. Later editions of the album have Tortelvis' giant Elvis coif replaced by a multi-colored rasta wig. The photos of Tortelvis on the Monopoly-style gameboard were also blacked out.
The first pressings of Un Led-Ed were distributed by MCA Records in the United States. These copies show Tortelvis with original hair and photo on the gameboard. Within a month, I.R.S. changed distributors to EMI who distributed copies of the edited cover.
The original Ed Zeppelin was played by Bryant Fernandez. His photo is on the gameboard in the inside of the CD. When Bryant left the group after DZ's first North American tour, his twin brother, Bruce Fernandez, took over the Ed Zeppelin role. His photo is on the front cover.

Critical reception

The Chicago Tribune stated that the album "works partly because the idea is so weird and partly because the band members are actually rather impressive musicians."

Track listing

  1. "Black Dog" /"Hound Dog" – 5:21
  2. "Heartbreaker (At the End of Lonely Street)" /Heartbreak Hotel – 4:46
  3. "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)" – 3:45
  4. "Your Time Is Gonna Come" – 5:09
  5. "Bring It On Home" – 4:34
  6. "Whole Lotta Love" – 4:34
  7. "Black Mountain Side" – 2:01
  8. "I Can't Quit You Baby" – 6:02
  9. "Immigrant Song" – 2:53
  10. "Moby Dick" – 4:19

Personnel

  • Carl Jah - Guitars, Maharishi and Background Vocals
  • Jah Paul Jo - Guitars, Keyboard and Background Vocals
  • Put-Mon - Bass and Background Vocals
  • Tortelvis - Lead Vocals, Drums
  • Ed Zeppelin - Conga, Percussion & Toast
  • Cheese - Drums and Percussion
  • Fresh Cheese 'n' Cheese - Drums on "Black Dog"
  • I-Lar-E Treadwell - Telephone Harmonic Convergence On "Black Dog"
  • "Colonel" Ron Kane - Spoken Introduction to "Moby Dick"
  • Bun-E Slopes - Blues Harp on "Bring It On Home"
  • The Memphis Hornies - Horn Section on "Black Dog"
  • The Dreadettes - Background Vocals
  • Michael Jordanaires - Background Vocals
Production
  • Producers: Jah Paul Jo, Rasta Li-Mon
  • Engineer: Rasta Li-Mon
  • Mastered: Plant 'n' Paige at Love Cave
  • Art Direction: Bryant Fernandez, Hugh Brown
  • Photography: Bruce Fernandez, Andy Castro, Fred Davis

Country and format

  • CD: 1990 JP
  • CD: 1990 UK
  • CD: 1990 US
  • CS: 1990 UK
  • CS: 1990 US
  • CS: 1990 US Selections From Un-Led-Ed
  • LP: 1990 AU Pressed on clear vinyl
  • LP: 1990 BZ
  • LP: 1990 UK Pressed on black and clear vinyl
  • LP: 1990 UK Picture disc
  • LP: 1990 US Pressed on yellow vinyl

Charts

Album
YearChartPosition
1990Billboard 200116
1991Australia ARIA Charts93