Grumpyrocker

Big charity music bash, the ideal time to throw a childish and selfish tantrum, isn't it? The ego that is Paul McCartney has demanded that not only does he headline the London Live 8 show, but that he opens the show too.

The demand has said to have angered other stars, especially U2, the original show openers. Bono and the boys have agreed to share the opening number with the wobbly-headed scouse popmonger, though they are not happy about it.

A source behind the scenes told reporters that, "Some of the more fragile egos are upset. Bono, in particular, was quick to demand a share of the opening number and sees what he has done politically over the years as a bit more relevant to Live 8 than what Paul has to offer."

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What is it with metal videos these days? It's bad enough that Kerrang doesn't bother with metal anymore, instead it panders to kiddies who like that aural abortion nu-metal (a pox on it and all its works) or whiny lamer fake-punk.

At least there's Sky's Skuzz channel that does admit heavy metal exists, ironically playing a lot of the traditional stuff that Kerrang pretends doesn't exist. But I'm rambling here and need to make my point, such as it is.

There's one thing you see in nearly every rock video these days, particularly in the gothier, heavier of nu-er vids. What's that? Saving Private Ryan style camera shake every time a guitarist throws out a power chord.

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While contemporaries such as Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones embraced the visual medium, Led Zeppelin were notoriously camera shy and maintained that their natural arena was the stage. Eschewing the release of singles, or making videos, the band stuck resolutely to the ideal of releasing albums and touring heavily.

The band's only visual document, The Song Remains the Same, is a lacklustre mish-mash of styles. It features concert footage from Madison Square Gardens in 1973, a performance that came towards the end of a gruelling tour, and the below-par performance is a sure sign of fatigue and the flu the band were suffering. The fantasy sequences also seem very dated to a modern audience and often appear at points where the viewer would prefer to watch the band perform. Most notably when Jimmy Page is playing some of the more epic parts of The Rain Song.

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