A young band from Michigan is quickly ascending to fame for their familiar sound.
Referred to as “the new Led Zeppelin,” Greta Van Fleet has been a very hot commodity in rock music.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “A bunch of kids? Compared to Zeppelin? One of the biggest and most influential bands of all time? That’s blasphemy!”
I thought the same way when I first caught wind of them last spring.
I found a video on YouTube for their tune “Highway Song,” which has succinct Jimmy Page-style guitar riffs and tone, along with an allusion to Robert Plant’s howls in “Immigrant Song.”
The next thing I knew, I was trying to buy tickets for their Starland Ballroom show in May (it sold out immediately.)
The band is comprised of three brothers, Jake, Josh, and Sam Kiszka, and their friend Danny Wagner.
They are only 19 to 22 years old and selling out clubs, performing at festivals, and have already one EP, From the Fires, at number 1 on the Billboard Rock Charts.
Jake plays guitar, Sam plays keyboards and bass, Danny sounds like John Bonham on the drums, and Josh belts out Plant-esque high notes with ease.
The band dropped two singles off their upcoming album Anthem of the Peaceful Army: “Watching Over” and “Lover, Leaver” on Sept. 21.
The introduction to “Watching Over” sounds like a mellower version of Zeplin’s “Achilles’ Last Stand” meets The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun.”
But just because the introduction is mellow, doesn’t mean this song doesn’t rock hard.
The latter has an opening riff similar to Aerosmith’s “Train Kept A Rollin,’” a drum fill that reminds listeners of Bonzo’s solo in “Whole Lotta Love,” and a wail of a high note that is similar to Zeppelin’s “How Many More Times.”
This band gets a lot of negativity among the all-knowing YouTube comment section.
Some commenters say they’re “Led Zeppelin knockoffs,” while others say they “lack originality,” and “are going to fade out.”
Here’s where the critics are wrong: Greta Van Fleet has only just begun, and they’re getting sharper with each new song they release.
Being a “knockoff” is not a bad thing, if you can do it well.
If you attempt to copy a legendary band and fail, you’ll be struck down swiftly.
This young group of guys not only imitates Zeppelin’s style well, but they’re performing their own material.
This isn’t a Zeppelin cover band; they’re an entirely new band with a retro style of hard rock.
If you found out you could sing like the Golden God Robert Plant, would you continue working a blue-collar job or would you start a rock band?
And here’s the wildest part yet: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones all have given Greta Van Fleet their seal of approval.
These guys are already storming the airwaves with songs off last year’s Black Smoke Rising EP, but you can expect more big hits and news from these young Michigan rockers.
IMAGE TAKEN from ChunkyGlasses
