Kashmir Movie Song

[Faustina Bartsch]

Kashmir" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. Featured on their sixth studio album Physical Graffiti (1975), it was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant with contributions from John Bonham over a period of three years with lyrics dating to 1973. John Paul Jones was late arriving to the studio for the recording sessions, so did not receive a writers credit.

The song became a concert staple, performed by the band at almost every concert after its release. It has been described as one of Led Zeppelin's two most overtly progressive epics (the other being "Stairway to Heaven").[2]

Page recorded a demo version with drummer Bonham late in 1973, when John Paul Jones was late for the recording sessions. Plant later added lyrics and a middle section; in early 1974, Jones added orchestration.[7][5] Session players were brought in for the string and horn sections[5] and Jones added a Mellotron.[8]

The lyrics were written by Plant in 1973 immediately after Led Zeppelin's 1973 US tour.[5] None of the group members had visited Kashmir.[9] Instead, Plant was inspired during a drive through a desolate desert area of southern Morocco.[7][5]

"Kashmir" was played live at almost every Led Zeppelin concert after its debut in 1975.[10] A version from Knebworth in 1979 appears on the Led Zeppelin DVD (2003).[11] The surviving members performed the song at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert in 1988.[12]

Page and Plant recorded a longer, live version, with an Egyptian/Moroccan orchestra for No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded (1994)[13] and performed the song with an orchestra on their 1995 tour.

All four members of Led Zeppelin have agreed that "Kashmir" is one of their best musical achievements.[8] John Paul Jones suggested that it showcases all of the elements that made up the Led Zeppelin sound.[7] Led Zeppelin archivist Dave Lewis comments:

Unquestionably the most startling and impressive track on Physical Graffiti, and arguably the most progressive and original track that Led Zeppelin ever recorded. "Kashmir" went a long way towards establishing their credibility with otherwise skeptical rock critics. Many would regard this track as the finest example of the sheer majesty of Zeppelin's special chemistry.[5]

In a retrospective review of Physical Graffiti (Deluxe Edition), Brice Ezell of PopMatters described "Kashmir" as Physical Graffiti's "quintessential track".[18] Ezell called "Kashmir"'s "doomy ostinato riff and rapturous post-chorus brass/mellotron section" as "inimitable moments in the legacy of classic rock".[18]

The 1988 Schoolly D song "Signifying Rapper", which samples "Kashmir", was the target of lawsuits following its use in the 1992 film Bad Lieutenant.[34] In 1994, Page and Plant successfully sued Home Box Office to have the song removed from televised showings of the film[35] and Live Home Video and distributor Aries Film Releasing were ordered to destroy any unsold copies of Bad Lieutenant as part of a copyright infringement ruling.[36]

Today's Pedals And Effects Song Dissection is nothing short of legendary! Every single member of Led Zeppelin were innovators of their instrument, having blazed a trail for musicians to follow and cementing their legacy in the upper echelon of musical history. Both Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones are known for their creative sounds on guitar and bass respectively. Jimmy Page used pedals sparingly, not exactly commanding a huge pedalboard. Jimmy Page really only used fuzz, a wah pedal and an Echoplex tape delay for his theremin (and don't forget his violin bow solos!). All things considered for only using three or four effects, Jimmy Page revolutionized how the guitar is approached as an instrument. The same goes for John Paul Jones. Not only a bass wizard, being the multi-instrumentalist he is, he applied a very wet flanger to his keys in the song "No Quarter." All this at a time when straightforward Rhodes and Organs were commonplace, and effects weren't readily available or accessible for keyboards.

One thing we seldom talk about here at Pedals And Effects are effects on drum kits! And that is what today's Song Dissection is all about! Our disclaimer: some bands/artists are very protective about their sonic secrets so these dissections are based solely on our own knowledge of the capabilities of effects pedals, a little internet research, and of course the songs themselves. So let's not delay as we take a look at John Bonham's huge drum sound in the song "Kashmir" from their 1975 double album Physical Graffiti.

Effects on drums aren't something that is toted or wildly talked about, but it's something that everyone at one point has heard. You may not consciously be aware of it, but it's there. While mainly done in post-production, some bands and artists will run their drum mics through effects before going back to the front of house and out through the PA. Often heard with echo, or delay, lots of reggae and dub artists like to heavily affect their drums. In the case of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, his drums would sometimes have subtle flange or was very heavily phased out. In Kashmir, the song starts off with Bonham's enormous driving drum sound, but if you pay close attention there is a very subtle rising and falling circular phase to his kit adding to his already larger than life sound.

This sound was achieved by running his drum mics into an Eventide Clockworks PS101 Instant Phaser. The Eventide PS101 is a rack mounted phaser that you can run XLR (mic) cables through in addition to your standard 1/4' instrument cable. The PS101 has simple envelope controls as well as the ability to switch between oscillation and envelope phases. You can achieve a similar effect if you have your mic placement "out of phase" in stereo when recording, or you could achieve a lo-fi version by running XLR/1/4' converters into effects pedals such a MXR Phase 90.

In the case of "Kashmir" the very subtle phase adds a lot of character to complement Bonham's legendary playing. The phase would envelope his machine gun snare drumming adding more depth and dynamics! While mainly used in the studio, Bonham would also employ the PS101 for his lengthy (often 20 minute long) drum solos and live for the song "In the Evening."

Adding effects to instruments that aren't normally associated with them is a great way of breaking the status quo and pushing sonic innovation as Led Zeppelin did. Really dissecting a bands or artists sound is a good way to attempt to figure out their songwriting mentality, and applying it to your own. This process, when done with multiple artists, bands, or sounds that you enjoy really informs a uniqueness exclusive to your style, and no one else.

The song begins by diving directly into the main riff without any setup or intro. There are two noteworthy points regarding the main riff: 1) it has a distinct and unusual rhythm, and 2) it uses chromatic scale.

'Kashmir' is a song by the English Rock musicrock band Led Zeppelin from their sixth album Physical Graffiti, released in 1975. It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant (with contributions from John Bonham) over a period of three years, with the lyrics dating back to 1973.

'Kashmir' is widely considered to be one of Led Zeppelin's most successful songs; all four band members have agreed that it is to date one of their best musical achievements.[1] John Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones suggested that it showcases all of the elements that made up the Led Zeppelin sound.[2] Plant has stated that the song 'was one of my favourite [Led] Zeppelin tracks because it possessed all the latent energy and power that wasn't heavy metal. It was something else. It was the pride of Led Zeppelin.'[3] During a television interview in January 2008, he also named 'Kashmir' as his first choice of all Led Zeppelin songs that he would perform, commenting 'I'm most proud of that one'.[4] Page has indicated he thinks that the song is one of the band's best compositions.[5]

The song centres around a signature chord progression guitar riff, which first appeared on Page's home-studio work tapes.[6] It was initially a tuning, an extension of a guitar-cycle that Page had been working on for years. This was the same cycle that produced 'Black Mountain Side,' 'White Summer' and the unreleased track, 'Swan Song.'[7] As bass player and keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones had been late for the recording sessions, Page used the time to work on the riff with drummer John Bonham. The two demo (music)demoed it late in 1973.[8] Plant later added the middle section and in early 1974 Jones added all the string parts.[9]

The guitar was played in an guitar tuningalternative guitar tuning: the strings are tuned to 'Open Dsus4' or DADGAD. Bonham's drums feature a phasing effect courtesy of an early Eventide phaser supplied by engineer Ron Nevison.[10] Plant has stated that Bonham's drumming is the key to the song: 'It was what he didn't do that made it work'.[11]

The song also includes many distinctive musical patterns of classical Moroccan, Indian and Middle Eastern music. Page explained that 'I had a sitar for some time and I was interested in modal tunings and Arabic stuff. It started off with a riff and then employed Eastern lines underneath.'[12]

Orchestral brass and strings with electric guitar and Mellotron Mk.II. strings are also used in the song. This is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs to use outside musicians. Session players were brought in for the string and horn sections.[13] It is difficult for many to hear the difference between the 'real' and simulated strings, which is a tribute to Jones' clever performance and arrangement. The Mellotron strings are most easily heard on the bridge, during the Gm and A chords.

3a8082e126