If you haven’t read “Hammer of the Gods,” the seminal and raunchy history of Led Zeppelin by Stephen Davis, don’t worry, you have a couple of chances to get a close-up feel for the senior citizen gods of rock at two upcoming events. On November 26, the surviving members of Led Z will take the stage in London for a reunion concert. Cash in that 401(k) now for your tickets.
If you are a little more patient, next May in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, you can ride like a re-mastered Jimmy Page solo at 65 mph on “Led Zeppelin — the Ride” at the Hard Rock Park.
Jimmy named the ride himself and picked “Whole Lotta Love” to be played as you gyrate up and down the 155-foot-tall steel roller coaster that features six loops and rolls. I can hear old rockers screaming as they hurl down the first drop.
“Valhalla, I am coming!”
The 140-acre park will also feature “The Midnight Rider,” a Southern Rock -themed coaster that takes riders through a haunted sawmill like a ramblin’ man. Sorry, Duane.
Of course, there will be a “Pinball Wizard” arcade as well. Add this to the most recent Mayberry’s Finest line of vittles and Gladys Knights upcoming foray into food and you can see that old Boomers never die, we just package our memories and do what we’ve always done: Sell some merchandise.
Speaking of Boomer merchandise, check out Bruce Springsteen’s new album, Magic. On his latest grinding road, he has taken on the pop mantra a bit and written some nice hooks, and taken his everyday working-class-Joe ethic and added some chugging E-Street punch. You’ve probably heard the kicking “Radio Nowhere” or the lamenting “Long Walk Home.” Both sound like classic Springsteen.
He is still the king of loss and rejection and cranks out a serious dose of outrage with the best of them. He can turn a phrase and paste a tune on it as well as ever. Sometimes his voice sounds like it is dragging all the painful grit from a Jersey street through the amps, and maybe it is. You don’t listen to Springsteen as much for the music as you listen to feel the stories soaked in that music.
It is nice to see Little Steven (Van Zandt) back in his element and not sucking up to Tony Soprano. Even with a greased, ducktail do, he always knew who The Boss really was.