A reader, Chris N., brought someone to my attention that I had heard before. Kevin Gilbert. He worked with some pretty hefty names in the music industry. As well he’s worked with some highly respected people in the industry that only die-hard fans would know the names of. Kevin had a storied career helping the likes of Sheryl Crow, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, etc… Then the lights went out. Sad, very sad.
I found out about him originally thru my friend Simeon. He had purchased a CD of Kevin’s, Thud. It was limited edition or something at the time he said he got it. The limited part being that it came with a bonus CD that contained a few extra songs. One of those songs is the cover that you’re listening to now.
The first time I heard this I was initially taken aback by the fact someone would have the balls to cover a Led Zep tune that pretty much felt like it could only ever be done by the Zep. Fortunately for the world Kevin Gilbert changed that. He took one of the most recognized rock songs in history and breathed a different life into it. The minimalist start with tabla percussion and other acoustic instruments is awesome. The shifted timing (metric time conversion) in the midst of the song when it kicks in to the heavier stuff is way cool too. Few bands or artists do it, and even fewer do it well.
I have to thank Chris for reminding me of Kevin. Unfortunate one cannot get this cover version at any of the digital sites. But you can still get the Thud CD. I would recommend you buy it new so that its more likely you get the bonus CD that contains this cover.
Have a great day!