The one classic rock band Stephen King can’t stand: “Don’t get me started”
It’s no secret that Stephen King has a soft spot for classic rock, or rock as it was called when he first started listening to it, but that doesn’t mean he’ll worship at the altar of the usual suspects.
He will, to a certain extent, because he fucking loves AC/DC. They’re the closest thing he’s got to a definitive favourite band of all time, and when he was making his ill-advised feature-length directorial debut on 1986’s Maximum Overdrive, there was only one act he wanted for the soundtrack.
The movie is awful, of that there’s no doubt, but some of the tunes are pretty good. The Ramones, the Rolling Stones, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Blue Öyster Cult, and, of course, The Beatles have also been mentioned as regular rotations, so he’s obviously familiar with all of the usual guitar-slinging suspects.
The author was never a fan of Black Sabbath, though, saying he “never liked” the Birmingham heavyweights, but they weren’t the only band that turned the music industry upside down in the 1970s that he can’t stand. Again, he’s not obliged to, just because they’re one of the most iconic acts of his preferred musical genre, but that doesn’t make it any less surprising.
When pressed to name his favourite musical acts, King rattled off Creedence Clearwater Revival, AC/DC, The Temptations, and the Stones, before pivoting. “Ah, man, don’t get me started,” he said. “Just not Led Zeppelin.” Why? What have they ever done to him? Presumably, recorded nothing but music he’s never been able to get into.
In 2022, the social media-happy creator of countless iconic horror stories reiterated his distaste, responding to a post by a user that simply stated, “Name a band that is considered great that you can’t stand.” In response, there were two that instantly came to mind for The Shining and Shawshank Redemption mastermind: “Led Zeppelin and Blood, Sweat & Tears.”
Jazz rock catching strays from King is understandable, but Led Zeppelin are one of those bands that every classic rock aficionado is supposed to like, and one of the groups that has been the subject of so, so many, ‘What do you mean you don’t like [Insert Band Name Here]?’ conversations and arguments over the decades when friend groups are left in utter bemusement at each other’s personal tastes.
Sadly, he’s never explained exactly what it is he’s got against the legendary foursome, even if he doesn’t have to. There are many things widely accepted as being among the greatest of all time that lots of people hate with an intense and burning passion, whether it’s music, movies, books, art, or anything else.
All we know is that in the pantheon of classic rock’s biggest-ever names, King would place Led Zeppelin somewhere near the bottom alongside Black Sabbath, and it’s perfectly OK to think he’s nuts for it.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Led Zeppelin Newsletter
All the latest stories about Led Zeppelin from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.