A new 90-minute documentary about Led Zeppelin tribute act Dread Zeppelin has appeared online, and it's free to watch. Dread Zeppelin: A Song of Hope is produced by meme-friendly guitar manufacturer Chibson, whose motto is "more than just a shell company", and are perhaps best-known for making cheap guitars that look a lot like other, more expensive guitars. Oh, and their 'Cease and Desist' toggle switch.
"This long-awaited documentary film chronicles the unlikely journey of the '90s cult sensation, Dread Zeppelin, a band known for their revolutionary mashup of Led Zeppelin’s music with a reggae beat, led by the unforgettable 300-pound Elvis impersonator, Tortelvis," say Chibson.
"From their first show in Pasadena in 1989, Dread Zeppelin was an instant success," they continue, breathlessly. "Their unique blend of rock and reggae, paired with their theatrical performances, captured the attention of music fans and critics alike.
"Within just six months, the band was making waves on MTV, even earning the endorsement of Led Zeppelin’s own Robert Plant, who declared them his favourite band [Plant once said that he preferred Dread Zep’s version of Your Time Is Gonna Come to the Zep original]. The endorsement helped them secure a coveted three-record deal with IRS Records, propelling them to global success."
Footage of Plant features in the movie – and in the trailer, both embedded below – which is narrated by Steel Panther frontman Michael Starr.
Dread Zeppelin may have been the first tribute act to perform rock covers in a reggae style, but others would swiftly follow. New York's Easy Star All-Stars' first album was a cover of The Dark Side Of The Moon entitled Dread Side Of The Moon, The Red Stripes gave a reggae spin to The White Stripes’ catalogue, and – perhaps best of all – Jamaican roots reggae star Little Roy covered Nirvana's Nevermind in its entirety as The Battle For Seattle.
