Rating: 
Summary: HIgh Jinx
Review: I read this book 3 times now. I think it is an acurate history of the High jinx that took place in Led zeppelins history. We all know Rock and roll is fun. So with that Zeppelin had fun and I believe Mr. cole told it as acuratly as possible. Although I did find that Mr. cole always included himself alot in the stories concerning groupies and stuff. He was close to the band so he would know what went on.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, but...
Review: I read this book in a day. It's an easy read, and very funny. But I take what I read with a grain of salt. I'm not sure how credible Richard Cole is, and I'm unsure of his motivation. I would have enjoyed a deeper look into who the members of Zeppelin really were. But you never achieve that with this book. What you see, is what Richard was made privy to. And I don't believe it was much. That most of what you do see, is the drunken escapades, tells me a drunken escapade is what it took for the band to allow him into their circle. Drunkeness or a crisis. I don't doubt Cole's affection for the band. This shows through in the writing. But I do doubt the overall accuracy of the picture. Still, as someone who was born in 1971, this book really did help me to better understand a group I've long admired, albeit after the fact. But I'll keep reading, with hopes of seeing the entire picture.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing
Review: I recently purchased this book just because I am a huge Led Zeppelin fan, I had never heard of it. I began to read it and couldn't put it down. The detailed recollections of what seems like EVERYTHING that went on throughout the time of the band were amazing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who might think they know ANYTHING about Led Zeppelin.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting story!
Review: I red this book about two months ago. I think it is well written, but of course it is a one opinion what have happened. It's very important to recon, especially when the story is about this kind of matter. It's made to collect money for the authors, of course.
I have loved LedZep since I was 15, but this book had both elements that which disturbed me and that interested me. I understand why Jimmy didn't like it. I wouldn't like it, if I would be him.
Read this book with a open mind. Do not belief all you read, but enjoy. It's a good entertainmed for a all LedZep fans. Everybody likes a good mysteries like that have been about this great band. It's part of their reputation and part of whole Led Zeppelin saga.
I think the most important thing is to enjoy their great music which have had a enormous efeckt to hole world of music still today.
Today my world smiles!
Rating:
Summary: Nasty, brutish, and therefore probably true
Review: I very quickly came to the conclusion, reading this book, that I didn't like Richard Cole at all. Nor did I like the members of Led Zeppelin, with the possible exception of John Paul Jones, for having the sense to stay clear of the rest of the band between gigs. But this is an interesting book about what stardom can do to people. I'm not expressing any sympathy, here; the Roger Waters/Billy Corgan school of "life's awful for rich and famous rock stars" whining is beneath contempt, basically. If they have a problem with being rich and famous, they can cure beng rich with a five-minute phone call to any charity, while fame takes, oh, six months to cure. By "what stardom can do to people" I am talking about turning people who are initially no worse than most of us into brutalised, narcissistic morons, too drugged and too stupid to know how ugly they are becoming. Cole's book is from the inside of that culture in every sense; he actually expects us to laugh along with the band and their hangers-on, when "losers" get beaten up, when people who aren't rich have their property smashed and Bonzo laughs at the promise to pay for the damage, making it clear that the payment won't happen. The treatment of young women is one of the least of the band's appallingnesses; mostly groupies got more or less the experience they came for, and where there is informed consent there is no abuse. This goes even for Page's interest in underage girls and whips, usually the focus of most moral condemnation of this band; but Page emerges as a relatively gentle soul, and at least one of the girls as a rather stronger personality than him. On the other hand, Cole expects us to share his amusement about kidnapping a group of underage girls and flying them interstate without their consent, or their parents' knowledge or consent, leaving them to find their own ways home. The point was to have a joke on Plant. Cole warned the girls not to talk to Plant, and then watched Plant fail to seduce the terrified girls, and wonder what had happened to his charms. (Plant didn't wonder long; in no time he'd concluded they were all lesbians.) What a laugh, Cole expects us to think: but this is creepy, skin-crawling stuff. But it's still a compelling book. The waste of Led Zeppelin's astonishing talent was a tragedy. Sure, the talent that produced the first five albums, bits of _Physical Graffiti_ and most of _In Through the Out Door_ was not entirely wasted; that's a respectable body of work that is still exciting to hear 30-odd years later. But the potential that was thrown away in smack, booze and ego-driven excess is far greater than the achievements. Anyone who was wondering how come _Presence_ and much of _Physical Graffiti_ is so uninspired, and how come such a bountiful well ran dry so fast, need only read this book. It is, of course, abysmally badly written, but that's part of its authenticity, if you like. Cheers! Laon
Rating: 
Summary: Who wants to know about Richard Cole's life?
Review: I wanted to read about Led Zeppelin and the band members, not Richard Cole and his over-blown ego. Reading between the lines you get the impression that no one, Led Zeppelin included, liked this fellow much. The book is, ultimately, an attempt to justify himself to people who probably know better.
It's roll-your-eyes see-through and annoying, especially when he refers to Led Zeppelin as "We", as if he had some artistic input.
Page, Plant, Bonham and Jones, ok, but this guy?? Who cares.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun read if you're into Zeppelin FICTION!
Review: I've been collecting articles, books, video, audio, interviews and news articles of Led Zeppelin for 24 years. This book is, plain and simple, a pack of lies and totally awful comprehension. Richard Cole is broke and needs money, any Zeppelin fan worth a stick knows that. Jimmy Page himself has no problem admitting and talking about the past, but even he dismisses this as total crap. And it is. It's a fun read in places, sure! The boys did have fun. They were only kids to begin with. But most of the tales of decadence were perpetrated by Cole and various Zeppelin roadies and had not much to do with the band members themselves. But it's not only that folks. The history Cole provides is astonishingly inaccurate and to be honest I'm surprised he hasn't been sued by Page or Plant. Ridiculous! And the poor person who gave this book a 5 star review "A reader from Mukilteo, WA United States.." I feel so sorry for you. This is obviously the ONLY book you've read on this incredible band, and you took it to heart. Poor thing. Led Zeppelin was all about honesty and integrity. Did they have some "evil" fun? Sure! They were kids in the early days! But it wasn't at anybody's expense. The participants were more than willing and there was never any harm done. Richard Cole is a disgraceful money-grubber! And any true fan or the band members themselves would be the first to admit it. Outrider. Tucson, AZ.
Rating:
Summary: Pack of Lies
Review: If I could rate this book a zero, I would. It's even worse than the other "tell all biography", 'Hammer of The Gods'. These are Richard Coles egomaniacal, crack induced fantasies of what he wishes life with Led Zeppelin was. 90% of the book is pure fantasy. Want proof? The boys in the band released statements renouncing the book and Cole himself. The fact is this book is more an attempt by Richard Cole to boost his own ego than a factual account. If you like fairy-tales, get it. Otherwise, well, I guess we're still waiting for an accurate and well writen biography. Someone,anyone? Wanna help us out?
Rating:
Summary: Not the best, but also not the worst
Review: It's not well written and sometimes sounds a little bit penitent about Cole's past sins, regrets and regeneration from alcohol and drugs. Nonetheless, it has great and funny moments and reveals us some long hidden secrets ans curious stories. Zep die-hards will find it better than neophites.
Rating:
Summary: It's all lies
Review: Jimmy Page said it himself in an old Guitar World article (republished in Guitar Legends). He said what he's read of the book disgust him and is completely inaccurate and not true. Therefore, this book is full of lies. I read the first chapter and I was already spotting errors. Not to mention the fact that I think he purposefully lies about some things, including the bands relationship. While I'm sure they had hard times, he makes it seem as if they all hated each other behind each others back, and for the most part, I'd say it's quite the opposite. There was a lot of synergy between them that couldn't come between 4 guys who hated each other. Cole has all the reason in the world to lie. He was fired by them.
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