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Hammer of the Gods: Definitive Biography of "Led Zeppelin"
 
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Hammer of the Gods: Definitive Biography of "Led Zeppelin" (Paperback)

by Stephen Davis (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Pan Books; 2nd Revised edition edition (7 Jul 1995)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0330342878
  • ISBN-13: 978-0330342872
  • Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 11 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 59,173 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #5 in  Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Composers & Musicians > Rock & Other Styles > Led Zepplin

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Product Description

Product Description

If ever there were Satanic Majesties of rock their name was Led Zeppelin. The band that out-sold the Rolling Stones and made Robert Johnson's deals with the Devil look like a playground game of conkers were as high, inflated and glorified as their namesake. in Stephen Davis's scorching account of their phenomenally successful career, no aspect - however disquieting - is ignored. The infamous encounters with willing groupies in hotel bedrooms, the narcotic, alcoholic and psychotic wreckage they wreaked, the disturbing influence of the notorious mage, Aleister Crowley, on lead guitarist Jimmy Page and the death of John Bonham are all recorded. Above all, the exultant, blazing charge of their music and its effects on Led Zeppelin and their fans is scrutinized. Hammer of the Gods is a fierce and fearless story about a band that remain a legend of musical, sexual and mystical power. It is the last word in rock 'n' roll savagery. 'The biggest surprise success of the year...the Led Zep tale, drenched in sex, drugs and psychic abuse, demonstrated the validity of all the old adages about talent, power and corruption. Stephen Davis's grimy homage to imperial excess and demonic influence had fans slavering for more' Rolling Stone


About the Author

Stephen Davis's most recent book is Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend. He is also the author of Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith.

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
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 (6)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Probably all true, 27 April 2000
By A Customer
Notorious for being the book that neither Robert Plant or Jimmy Page have read, let alone endorsed, most of the 'sordid' tales don't seem that shocking, in light of the standard behaviour now required of modern rock stars. What does come across very strongly, though, is the general madness that the lifestyle created for the band, which then trapped them, and which made some of the excesses inevitable: the impossible stress of touring and the constantly building pressures to deliver better and better material, without the protective corporate shield of modern management, and above all a deep rooting in the kind of hard blues where sex and drugs and alcohol were standard routes to creativity - no wonder they went off the rails by the end. Yes, they were selfish and indulgent, and no, Jimmy Page probably shouldn't have dumped little Lori Maddox like that, but they created a timeless and genuinely thrilling sound. And a myth that fans lap up as much as the music. This book walks through the whole lot, with plenty of gossip, much of which is sourced from Richard Cole and probably true-ish, and it does give you the story behind 'Royal Orleans' on Presence, which you wouldn't ever work out from Plant's garbled lyrics. Most of all, it makes you realise that when all this madness was going on, they were in their early twenties - and also that it was a very, very different world. Fans who still long for a note-faithful reunion probably won't after reading this: it couldn't ever be the same.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting read!!, 17 May 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: Hammer of the Gods: Led Zeppelin Unauthorised (Paperback)
This is a great read, one for all long-time Zeppelin fans and new fans of the band who want to find out more about their beginnings, life on the road and the truth behind the myths that led to their 'hellraisers' label. Unlike many biographies which can get bogged down in too much detail and be boring to read, this combines detail with interesting facts and is a real page-turner. Well recommended!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Almost certainly more fiction than fact, 13 Mar 2003
By A Customer
Entertaining and in places reads almost like a novel. A bit sprawling and probably needed some brutal editing. Contributes to the cult of band on the edge in place of hard facts and reality. Entertaining and would have made good Oliver Stone film if he hadn't gone the Doors route.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars No surprises
I found this book in a second-hand shop a couple of weeks ago, and picked it up out of curiosity. First published in 1985 (and updated ten years later), it was one of the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jeremy Walton

1.0 out of 5 stars Overrated & Out Of Date
Once upon a time this was the book all Zep fans had to read. Now with the new Mick Wall book this seems like the overrated and made-up nonsense you always suspected. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Linda Ruby

4.0 out of 5 stars Sex ,Drugs and Rock N Roll
"Hammer of the Gods" is an interesting account of the history of the colourful 1970's heavy rock band Led Zeppelin. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2007 by L. Davidson

4.0 out of 5 stars Hammer of the Dogs.
This is a fantastic read, a great insight to a fantastic band..
I recently bought the Rock Legends 'five book Box Set' coming from the publishers 'Pan-Macmillan'... Read more
Published on 30 Jun 2007 by Jac Pascall

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe everything you read - but do read this
The image of Led Zeppelin was carefully crafted by their larger than life manager Peter Grant and overseer Jimmy Page. Read more
Published on 25 April 2007 by Lee Ann Day-Whistler

5.0 out of 5 stars Whole Lotta Love For This Book
This is not just the greatest Led Zeppelin book ever but the most indepth, fascinating, revealing and addictive music book ever written. Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2006 by George Bruin

5.0 out of 5 stars ledtastic
This book is a must read for all music fans. The book takes you from before the band were formed and then through the good and bad times of one of the worlds biggest bands, from... Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2005 by zoso67

3.0 out of 5 stars Hammering the point home, again and again...
I am nearly at the end of this book, which was recommended many years ago. I hope that I don't come across as intellectually overbearing about it, but it has been a bit of a... Read more
Published on 8 Jul 2004 by pavano

3.0 out of 5 stars Hammer of the Rock Hack
Stephen Davis wrote his version of the LZ Saga first, but his has the questionable glory of being also the worst. Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2003 by Mikko Riihimaki

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Read
Having been a Zep Fan since hearing Kasmir played to me back in the Early 70's, i found this book a wonderful in sight into the GREATEST Rock Band we'll probably see. Read more
Published on 1 May 2003 by R J Barlow

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