HinweiseGenre : Alternative Rock
Country : USA
Year : 2008

LINE UP

Tortelvis (vocals), Carl Jah (guitar), Jah Paul Jo (guitar), Put Mon (bass), Ed Zeppelin (bongos), Fresh Cheese (drums)

DREAD ZEPPELIN gave the Rock world a much needed injection of humour in the 90's by daring to fuse the two mighty institutions of LED ZEPPELIN with ELVIS PRESLEY presenting the quirky combination in a Reggae style. LED ZEPPELIN men JIMMY PAGE and ROBERT PLANT were apparantly highly amused although the Graceland's estate were far from happy at the result. DREAD ZEPPELIN wre fronted by the portly Tortelvis (real name Greg Tortell) mimicking Elvis's bloated Vegas days admirably. Other lead vocals were handled by the suitably titled Ed Zeppelin (a.k.a. Bruce Fernandez).

DREAD ZEPPELIN added BOB MARLEY to their homages on their second album. Drummer Fresh Cheese (real name Bruce Fernandez) joined HO CAKE.

Dread Zeppelin channeled the musical spirits of Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, and
Bob Marley to create tongue-in-cheek novelty rock heartily endorsed by no less
an authority than Robert Plant himself. Led by one Tortelvis — a 300-pound Elvis
impersonator born Greg Tortell — the lineup also included guitarists Jah Paul Jo
(Joe Ramsey) and Carl Jah (Carl Haasis), bassist Butt-Boy (Gary Putman),
percussionist Ed Zeppelin (Bryant Fernandez), and drummer Fresh Cheese (Paul
Masselli); playing their debut live gig on January 8, 1989 (the 54th anniversary
of the King's birth), the Pasadena, CA-based group performed reggae-influenced
renditions of classic Led Zep anthems capped off by Presley-like vocals, an
approach perhaps best exemplified by gene-spliced songs like "Heartbreaker (At
the End of Lonely Street)." Growing local buzz soon earned Dread Zeppelin a deal
with IRS Records, and in 1990 the group issued their debut LP Un-led-Ed; in
addition to surprisingly strong sales, the record's cover of "Your Time Is Gonna
Come" also earned high marks from former Led Zep frontman Plant, who admitted he
preferred their updated rendition over the original.

Dread Zeppelin's second album, 5,000,000*, followed in 1991, but already the
joke was growing stale, and the following summer Tortelvis, Ed Zeppelin, and
Fresh Cheese left the band; Butt-Boy rechristened himself Gary B.I.B.B. and
assumed vocal duties for the follow-up, 1992's It's Not Unusual, a disco record
which effectively alienated much of their core audience as well as executives at
IRS, who dropped the group immediately after. Tortelvis and Ed Zeppelin returned
for 1993's Hot & Spicy Beanburger, a return to past glories issued on Jah Paul
Jo's own Birdcage label; shortly after Dread Zeppelin made a cameo in the 1994
film comedy National Lampoon's Last Resort, Carl Jah and Ed Zeppelin then left
the lineup, with the latter's brother Bruce and bassist Derf Nasna-Haj signing
on for 1995's No Quarter Pounder. Jah Paul Jo's subsequent departure preceded
1996's The Fun Sessions, the group's lone recording for the Imago imprint; both
the live The Song Remains Insane and the rarities collection Ruins soon
followed. Deja Voodoo was released in late 2000, marking a return to the Led Zep
tributes that constituted the group's bread and butter. The band soon started
their own label and website, creating a cottage industry selling music direct to
their fans. Live DVDs and CDs plus their first all-original album, Spam Bake,
kept hungry Dread Heads satisfied. The music/video hybrid CD Chicken and Ribs
from 2005 included the band's version of "Kung Fu Fighting".