Michael Winslow is Led Zeppelin

September 13, 2014 9:23 AM

Michael Winslow does Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." The original here for comparison. Bonus behind the scenes footage.

Previous posts and discussion. Michael Winslow is known as the man of 10,000 sound effects.

posted by SpacemanStix (16 comments total)

It's beyond past the time we should recognize distortion as it's own separate instrument (Mr. Winslow is pretty damn good at playing it).
posted by idiopath at 9:36 AM on September 13, 2014 [2 favorites]

(video previously, but there's new stuff here!)
posted by stinkfoot at 10:11 AM on September 13, 2014

I fear for this man's vocal cords.
posted by cjorgensen at 10:26 AM on September 13, 2014

The distortion pedal's doing the crazy part. I doubt he would have had the career he has had so far if he was reckless with his voice.
posted by idiopath at 10:31 AM on September 13, 2014

The whiteys bobbing their heads at the desk are hilarious.

Also, as long as we're talking about crazy zep covers, here's XTC's Whole Lotta Age from the fabled Drunken Jam sessions. (WARNING: Not safe for work, home, children, those with heart conditions, may interact adversely with a variety of prescription medications, has been known to cause cancer, gout, gastrointestinal distress & rheumatoid arthritis in laboratory mice)
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:52 AM on September 13, 2014 [3 favorites]

Zeppelin, plus he recently showed up in a particularly good episode of Childrens Hospital. Sounds good to me.
posted by Room 641-A at 10:54 AM on September 13, 2014

I am not worthy. *kneels*
posted by arcticseal at 11:21 AM on September 13, 2014 [1 favorite]

Well, sure. Anyone is gonna sound better than Robert Plant.

What? That's like saying anyone is better than Axl Rose or Chris Cornell, at which point I say good day sir.
posted by Brocktoon at 11:37 AM on September 13, 2014 [4 favorites]

So, before saying my little story, I want to explicitly note the fact that before viewing this video, I knew who Michael Winslow is and I knew what he does. With that said:

When he started with the drumming at the very beginning, I thought, "Oh, that's pretty good."

When he switched from drumming to electric guitar a moment later, I thought, "Where's the guy with the electric guitar?"
posted by Flunkie at 12:12 PM on September 13, 2014 [5 favorites]

Also, as long as we're talking about crazy zep covers,

Dread Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love
posted by Celsius1414 at 1:48 PM on September 13, 2014 [3 favorites]

And...

Lez Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love
posted by cosmac at 5:20 PM on September 13, 2014 [1 favorite]

That was amazing. My only quibble is that this should have been offered as a cross reference, BECAUSE IT BURNS.
posted by Ber at 7:30 PM on September 13, 2014

Michael Winslow's vocal chords were the best thing in "Police Academy" (and its misbegotten sequels) THIRTY YEARS AGO, after which he had a great one-joke appearance as the Radar Tech in "Spaceballs" (a movie whose highlights were all 'one-jokes'), only to be swept aside by the temporary ascendance of Bobby McFerrin. If Winslow's vocal chords were ever gonna 'blow out', they would've many years ago. He's the illegitimate forebear of Reggie Watts and he (and his vocal chords) will probably outlive Reggie. Yes, I'm a fan.
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:20 PM on September 13, 2014 [2 favorites]

I just listened to this with the speakers turned way up. Since then I have been staring at the wall for fifteen minutes. A total mindblower. The man is incredible.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 9:35 AM on September 14, 2014

Moog Cookbook's Whole Lotta Love
posted by Casimir at 7:13 PM on September 14, 2014

only to be swept aside by the temporary ascendance of Bobby McFerrin.

They've since settled their differences.
posted by ShutterBun at 3:18 AM on September 15, 2014