Apparently Jack Bruce does not like Led Zeppelin

[bold99]

Jack Bruce (above) picked up the Classic Album gong for Cream's Disraeli Gears at last night's Classic Rock awards.

After the ceremony Dave Ling grabbed Bruce for a quickfire interview – and was stunned when the legendary bassist launched into an extraordinary anti-Led Zeppelin tirade.

Here's a transcript of what transpired...

The million dollar question: Are Cream going to do anything again?
Oh yeah, I'm sure we will. But we'll have Todd Rundgren [who's just walked by] in the band by then.

It's good news that there might be more from Cream.
Well, the trouble is that I'm doing so many amazing things on my own. Cream is just a band from many, many years ago, and we did do something [referring to the reunion shows in 2005]... Everybody talks about Led Zeppelin, and they played one fu#$$#cking gig – one fu#$#cking lame gig – while Cream did weeks of gigs; proper gigs, not just a lame gig like Zeppelin did, with all the [vocal] keys lowered and everything. We played everything in the original keys. [Becoming animated]: Fu#$ck off, Zeppelin, you're cr#$ap. You've always been cr#$ap and you'll never be anything else. The worst thing is that people believe the cr#$ap that they're sold. Cream is 10 times the band that Led Zeppelin is.

That's a bold opinion.
What? You're gonna compare Eric Clapton with that fu#$#cking Jimmy Page? Would you really compare that?

To be fair, they're different kinds of player, aren't they?
No! Eric's good and Jimmy's cr#$ap. And with that I rest my case.

[BH]

Wow, all these years I thought Jimmy Page was an amazing guitar player.

[xmascriminal]

I really respect Jack Bruce as an artist but he's way off. Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones are all amazing musicians. Anyone who doubts that should listen to When the Levee Breaks.

[bold99]

I'm sure he had a few when he said this....but I've even heard Clapton in the past say he was not a fan of Zeppelin.  I love Zeppelin but not as much as Cream.  

[tomEisenbraun]

Shit. Wow. I can respect some Clapton, but he doesn't nearly do for me what Page does. Page plays like man possessed live. Clapton? I haven't seen too much, but everything that he's put out in my lifetime has me left with a sour taste in my mouth. I know that's a little unfair, because he fucking rocked with Cream, but Page had the sense to not have radio hits of songs that soured his incredibility. Of course, I am ignoring his post-Zeppelin solo work, but I guess we're all biased, eh? Just dig him more, I suppose.

But Jack. Jacky boy. Did you ever see Zeppelin live? Did you not enjoy yourself? Just a little? No? Too bad, man. Hell, the DVDs of those guys getting down are enough to give me chills. Damn.

[bold99]

I love Page...and obviously Zep rocked in the heyday but Clapton does way more for me.  I mean take Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Domino's alone.  I think he was more diverse.  I agree his later stuff and the hits didn't do as much for me but there are still some great albums like the Robert Johnson covers album.  Live his band with Derek Trucks over the last few years has been great and I though the Cream reunion rocked as well as the shows he did with Wiinwood.  Zep reunion i'm not so sure...and now they are trying to go out with a different singer? that is just bad.  

[Jaimoe]

Hey Jack, who cares? This isn't 1972.  

[bold99]

Hey Jack, who cares? This isn't 1972.  

oh no one has ever agrued that Jack Bruce was not out of his mind.  Ginger Baker too for that matter.

[TheBigChicken]

Outrider is SUCH an amazing album....well OK not really...hey Tom E go check out 461 Ocean Boulevard and Eric Claptons self entitled album with Bonnie and Delaney and Leon Russell..early 70's stuffis rocking

[ycartrob]

461 Ocean Boulevard

score

one of my all time favorites

in fact, I am going to listen to it right now, thanks

[TheBigChicken]

 8-)

[ManNamedTruth]

Led Zeppelin>Jack Bruce
Led Zeppelin>Cream
Led Zeppelin>Clapton

[dragonboy]

Led Zeppelin>Cream
Led Zeppelin>Clapton

People are quick to knock Clapton these days but I'm a huge fan!
I'm gonna to say I enjoy listening to Led Zeppelin & Clapton equally (which means Clapton solo, Cream, John Mayall, Blind Faith, Derek etc)

Seriously though, don't you just hate all these silly <>= posts? State your argument you lazy bastards!  ;)

[ManNamedTruth]

Led Zeppelin>Cream
Led Zeppelin>Clapton

People are quick to knock Clapton these days but a huge fan!
I'm gonna to say I enjoy listening to Led Zeppelin & Clapton equally (which means Clapton solo, Cream, John Mayall, Blind Faith, Derek etc)

Seriously though, don't you just hate all these silly <>= posts? State your argument you lazy bastards!  ;)

Don't get me wrong, I like Clapton. He's far from a favorite though, I only have Cream of Clapton and some Cream stuff too that I borrowed from a friend to put on itunes. I guess I should eventually get the Derek And The Dominos album.

My use of <>= is partly satirical  :)

[ycartrob]

I guess I should eventually get the Derek And The Dominos album.

yes

Do yourself a huge favor and get this today. It is simply amazing. If not just for Bell Bottom Blues alone, perhaps one of my top 36 rock songs of all-time. Seriously, though. You know Duane Allman is in on this one, right?

score it

[ItStillJaimoe]

I guess I should eventually get the Derek And The Dominos album.

yes

Do yourself a huge favor and get this today. It is simply amazing. If not just for Bell Bottom Blues alone, perhaps one of my top 36 rock songs of all-time. Seriously, though. You know Duane Allman is in on this one, right?

score it

One of the greatest blues rock albums ever. Also, when you are listening to the album, don't assume that the standard lead solos are all done by Clapton. Slow Hand and Duane traded-off solos throughout except on the first three songs. "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad" finds Clapton and Allman jamming and trading solos, and they are indistinguishable most of the time.

[Hawkeye]

Derek and the Dominos is a great album.  Scored it for $3 on vinyl...BEST BUY EVER

[bold99]

One of the best albums ever.  Duane and Eric...nothing else to say.

[DavidCrosby]

I fucking hate Led Zeppelin, there I said it.  I think they are one of the most over rated bands ever.  They stole so much music and called it their own that I can never respect them.  Robert Plant sounds like a banshee, Jimmy Page learned one solo and plays the same thing every time, John Bonham stole everything he knows from Carmine Appice, and they only member really worth anything, hardly gets mentioned (John Paul Jones).  With all the bands from that era that are incredible and have been some what forgotten with time, it pisses me off (a lot) that Led Zeppelin gets the praise that they do.  

[Jaimoe]

Some of what you said Crosby is actually true. Zeppelin did indeed steal some music, ideas etc... from blues greats. However, name me a blues legend that didn't "borrow" from their peers or from one or many of their heroes? Plus, I like how Zeppelin used, refined and amplified the music they "borrowed." Jeff Beck is guilty of this too.

However, Carmine Appice is more of a contemporary of Bonzo's and even though both are heavy hitters and looked exactly the same, Carmine played in the abhorent Vanilla Fudge, so your can stop the argument right there.

I agree that JPJ hardly gets mentioned, but I think he wouldn't have had it any other way, kind of on-par with another quiet multi-talented bassist, John Entwistle.

Page was more than just lead solos (and he's far more melodic than you give him credit). His riffs are highly influential and his production techniques were innovative for the time.