Last night’s Revolution was being promoted all week long as featuring the epic sounds of Led Zeppelin, and I’m not going to lie, I was pretty excited.
It is a well-known fact that obtaining the rights to use Zeppelin songs is pretty difficult: the British rock band is stingy about whom, and what Hollywood projects, can use their music. It’s a pretty short list of whom they’ve granted song rights in the past: Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, a 2001 Cadillac commercial and Argo are among the few. So when I first saw the promo for last night’s episode, “Kashmir,” I could barely contain my glee.
Unfortunately, the episode did not live up to my admittedly high expectations. Only two songs were featured: the titular, iconic “Kashmir” and slower “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” And honestly, the way the songs were used were a complete waste. When you have the extremely-hard-to-acquire rights to use Led Zeppelin, use the songs wisely! Revolution did not do that.
The first time we heard some zep rock last night was when Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) was working in a lab on a bomb to take out the Monroe Militia, and her pendant is powering a record player. We hear “Since I’ve Been Loving You” playing in the background of the scene, and… then it’s over. Blink and you miss it!
The second time we get to hear Led Zeppelin is when Miles (Billy Burke) is having an oxygen-deprived hallucination about finally meeting face-to-face with his ex-BFF Monroe. The legendary sounds of “Kashmir” build up until Miles and Monroe hug. The scene really gave viewers a deeper look into the complicated psychological relationship between these two important and dangerous characters. But let me reiterate, this was just a hallucination. It didn’t really happen! Why waste such an epic song on a scene that wasn’t real?
Series creator Eric Kripke made a huge mistake with how he used the music, I’m afraid. Why not use the songs on another show–one that, for eight seasons, has dropped massive Led Zeppelin references and has constantly sung the praises of the legendary rock band? I’m talking, of course, about Kripke’s other TV show, Supernatural. The series is basically one long love letter to Zeppelin – many episodes are named after their songs or lyrics, Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) favorite songs are “Travelling Riverside Blues” and “Ramble On,” and band member names are often used as fake government names by the Winchesters. And yet, not a single Zeppelin song has been used because of rights issues. Why, then, did Kripke waste such an amazing opportunity on Revolution? Especially when the way the songs were used was so un-creative and uninspired?
Those poor Winchester boys just can’t catch a break.
Follow Sydney on Twitter @SydneyBucksbaum
[Photo Credit: Michael Putland/Retna Brownie Harris/NBC]
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