Warts and all
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This is a straight-down-the-line account of Peter Grant, excusing nothing, presenting the man for who he was -- fiercely loyal to his bands, a bully to everyone who got in their way. It's impossible to read without recognising that today's world would have no place for Peter Grant. He broke a fair few laws in a fair few countries, and by and large got away with it. But he also stood up to the recording and promoting dinosaurs which were simply not ready for the changes in popular music that took place at the end of the sixties and into the seventies. The writing is refreshingly iconoclastic. This is not a reverent account for devoted fans. In telling the story of Grant, the author gives us the story of the band, but from a purely non-musical point of view. It's a story of law-suits, dodgy deals, punch-ups, sharp negotiation, and incredibly astute marketing. It's also the story of people who did successfully take Grant and Zeppelin for a ride, including the people who persuaded them they could make a film of the band without any relevant experience. If you've ever wondered why the 'Song Remains the Same' is so - well - bitty, this book will tell you why. If you are a compulsive collector of Zeppelin ephemera, this book will probably give you little in the way of extra facts and anecdotes. But if you want to understand Peter Grant the human being, or if you want to take a ride through a unique and unrepeatable piece of rock history, I believe you will find it a compelling read.
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Great
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I loved this book. Being brought up as a big Zeppelin fan, this books summed it up. I loved the atmosphere created, very funny parts, very shocking parts, very interesting. I loved it!
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Superficial!
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What do you learn on reading this? If you are a Led Zeppelin fan, as I am, I suspect nothing, if you are new to the group you will get to know the basics of the Peter Grant legend - he was an essential part of their success, he wasn't always very nice but he was always fiercely loyal to the charges he managed (particularly Jimmy Page). To the devout fan this is just not good enough as you do not ever get to know the subject in any depth. For all the wrong reasons I couldn't wait to finish it even though it was only just over 200 pages long. If you are new to the group stick with the music ("Early Days and Later Days" being a good CD to start with) if you are a big fan - don't buy it!
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A welcome insight into the man behind Led Zep
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I was very impressed with this book. Usually books on Zep and their entourage (though it is probably the same for any band!) fall into two categories - the overly sychophantic or the scurrilous. Welch's book on Grant avoids both. While he is obviously a huge fan of the band, he judiciciously quotes some less than complementary observations about the band made at the time by those who got to know them 'up close' and just lets the reader make up his or her own mind. But, of course, the main focus of the book is Grant himself, a physically huge, hard-headed bully in a number of respects but a manager who did geneuinely care for his artists. The material on Grant's post Zeppelin period - his long depression and reclusiveness followed by the healing relationship he developed with the former manager of Dire Straits in the years just before his death, is quite moving and provides some genuine insight into a complex character. If you are a Zep fan, you should not be without this biography of the man who clearly made them what they were (for better or worse).
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Grant deserves much better
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Peter Grant was a genius, a sweeping comment admittedly, but true in my opinion. He was the first manager who both understood the changing dynamics of popular music culture and the leverage that change gave him to extract maximum economic return for his artist. This book acknowledges that fact, but then really does not explore it in any great detail, with the possible exception of the concert industry. Two interesting side notes and one real complaint. The author does not acknowledge the role of Steve Weiss(spc ?) Zep's and Hendrix's attorney for the role he played in Grant's successful efforts to change the economics of the concert business in the artists favor. The author also quotes Mickie Most, the record producer, and in these quotes there is the strong implication that Most had a financial interest, perhaps even partnership interest in Zep, yet Welch does not follow up with any clarification. The complaint is this. Grant was not a dodering relic at the end of his life. To imply this is insulting, both to the memory of Grant and to his surviving son and daughter.
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