Why does Led Zeppelin hate being considered Heavy Metal? ?

Question

Led Zeppelin hates being considered Heavy Metal. They said it in this one documentary or interview.

Answer 1

Probably because they're not

Answer 2

They're roots are in American based blues.

Answer 3

They'd barely invented the term "Heavy Metal" when Zeppelin released their first album. Clearly, they were influenced by folk and blues, so Heavy Metal would've been diminishing their music in their own eyes.

Try to imagine the music scene in 1969, when Heavy Metal was an insult by the few rock writers that were around. They thought Heavy bands couldn't really play very well and in many cases they were right. Led Zep was an entirely different matter.

I can remember when Zeppelin ran from being labeled by the rock press. They made a very concious effort to stay away from being tagged with ANY label except heavy rock. And they eventually outran all of those writers too, never falling for the tag of Heavy Metal.

They might've been rock, heavy rock, or even folk-rock on some of their songs, but they never fell into the Heavy Metal canard. And good for them. They refused to let others label their music and argued the only thing they had in common with Metal was playing at a high volume. They were a completely unique band, with a unique sound that people couldn't easily label.

Wouldn't that be nice today, with all the labels bands already have on them. But it was a different musical/recording world back then, and will never be replicated.  

Answer 4

Robert Plant hated Led Zeppelin being called Heavy Metal because half of there songs are country, folk or pure blues. And its true. Not only, they Incorporated other styles such as rockabilly, reggae, arabian and soul.

I believe Led Zeppelin is the most diverse band to date and that more bands should not be scared to reach out into incorporating other styles into their music.

Answer 5

They Are A Blues Band !

Answer 6

Because its not what they are...

Answer 7

because they aren't

Answer 8

cause they were basted on blues and heavy rock

Answer 9

Because then they'd be lumped in with bands like Poison, Winger, Dokken, and Bon Jovi.... you can see why someone might take offense to that.....

Answer 10

The same reason a lot of new groups are pissed about being called emo.

People take whatever 'era' a band was big in, and assume that they participated musically in whatever the big thing was.

Also pisses me off in the same manner as Smashing Pumpkins. They are NOT grunge, yet so many people call them that because of the era they were born of. Yes, they are a 90's band, no they are not grunge.

Yes, Led Zep is a 70's band, no they are not heavy metal. Ignorant people looking for an 'in' make a lot of assumptions. There is nothing to be done about it except for smile and ignore.

Answer 11

well cuz they're always classified as heavy metal when thats not what kinda music they play they're a mixture of everything great so basically they're in their own genre of music

Answer 12

Because they're not Heavy Metal; they're Hard Rock. I don't think any dislike for that genre has anything to do with it, it's just they don't like to be labeled as something they're not, because they surely are not Heavy Metal.