A Tribute Band Unlike Others

Over the years, many of the biggest bands in the world have spawned other musicians to honor their heroes by forming groups that play tribute to those big-band hits.

Many simply re-play the songs note for note, without improvisation. That being said, Dread Zeppelin is unlike any other cover band in the world.

Dread Zeppelin has brought its unique take on the music of Led Zeppelin’s music to the masses since 1989. The band reinvents the magic of the English quartet in reggae form. Making its way to Hermosa Beach, the group is scheduled to play a 90-minute set Saturday night at Saint Rocke.

It’s extremely rare for any cover band to have a shelf life of more than five years, nevertheless 23. But the Sierra Madre-natives have managed to defy the odds with a shtick that manages to keep resonating with fans of both Zeppelin and reggae music.

Each band member’s name is a combination between their real name and a reggae name, which has led to member names such as Charlie Haj, Ziggy Knarley and lead singer Tortelvis.

"We didn’t think that the band would last this long," lead singer Tortelvis told Patch. "We got together in a garage and decided 'here’s a funny name Dread Zeppelin reggae,' turned it into Zeppelin riffs with a reggae feel and did a couple of shows in Pasadena and had no idea it’d be going this many years later."

What makes Tort different than his real counterpart, Robert Plant, simply put, is looks. While Plant is a rock icon and one of the main male sex symbols of the '70s, Tortelvis, well, is not.

His look is a take on late-era Elvis Presley (think Vegas Elvis), which was something the singer did before he joined Dread Zeppelin. Why channel Elvis instead of Plant?

"I had the look from one of my previous bands and being that Robert Plant is a big Elvis fan, that’s what made it work," Tort said. Believe it or not, the band has the blessing of the Led Zeppelin singer.

"The Elvis thing is what drew him to us and he was a big fan in the beginning," Tort said. "We did a few interviews and had a chance to talk to him and it was great to get his approval."

The first Dread Zeppelin recording was meant to be a goof on Led Zeppelin's 45 single "Immigrant Song" and its sought after non-LP B-Side "Hey Hey What Can I Do."

Produced by former members Jah Paul Jo and Rasta Li-Mon and released on their indie Birdcage Records label, the group didn’t expect the song to help establish them as a band in their own right—but it did.

"There wasn’t a whole lot of planning involved but it ended becoming a lot of fun to become a band that paid tribute to a band," Tort said.

Even with a rotating cast of members over the years, the band has managed to release an incredible 16 studio and five live albums during their time together. Despite being around for as long as they have, the novelty of the band’s uniqueness hasn’t worn off.

"You still get confused faces in the beginning," Tort said. "Then after a few songs, most people get it."

The band still gets big crowds in places like Chicago and Kansas City, where they draw a few thousand a night. The group has managed to tour all over the world as a cover band, which is something that simply doesn’t happen for cover bands.

"The thing has taken a life of it’s own," Tort said. "By taking elements of Elvis, reggae and Zeppelin songs and putting them together, you can say we were the original mash-up group."

As far as the songs go with Dread Zeppelin, you can expect to hear the usual mix of Led Zeppelin covers, including "Whole Lotta Love," "The Immigrant Song" and "Black Dog." The cover band also performs a couple of original songs that it has written and played itself, along with covers of Bad Company and The Who amongst others.

"We always have a plan of what we’re going to do, but everybody’s free to do what they want when we’re up there," Tort said about performing. "That’s what makes it fun and different each time."