Johnson advertises for Led Zeppelin
PITTSBURGH – There was a time when organ music was sufficient to cover stoppages in play during NHL games. Then “in-game entertainment” was born in the 1990s, and suddenly entire departments were created to choose the mixture of music, film clips and gimmicks that cover down time in games.
The music tends to be of the throbbing classic rock variety, and that’s fine with Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Brent Johnson, with one stipulation:
That the rafters rock with Led Zeppelin, his all-time favorite band.
Johnson is so much of a fan that his mask is decorated with images of the group.
So how does a guy born in 1977 become such a fan of a band that formed in 1969 and disbanded in 1980?
“My sister is probably to blame,” he said. “She got into the ’60s era rock when she was growing up, and she’s only four years older than me. Then my best friend’s dad was a drummer and loved Zeppelin. He and I hit it off, and we started listening to that all the time. It just stuck.”
It stuck to the point that Johnson advertises his love for the band.
“Yeah, the next thing you know, it’s on my mask.”
Led Zeppelin was a four-man band that grew out of the Yardbirds. Robert Plant handled lead vocals, Jimmy Page was on guitar, and John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards, with the late John Bonham on drums.
The name came from a detractor, who warned members that their music would “go over like a lead zeppelin.”
But Rolling Stone called Led Zeppelin the band of the ’70s and “one of the most enduring groups in rock history.”
That resonates with Johnson, who has the group’s entire output on CD and DVDs.
“Since I was probably about 15 years old, I was rocking to them,” Johnson said. “I just loved them.”
Ask for his favorite Zeppelin album, and there’s no quick answer.
“That’s tough,” he said. “It’s probably ‘Led Zeppelin II,’ or ‘Physical Graffiti.’ I like every tune on every one. Maybe ‘Led Zeppelin III’ is like a hidden gem? It’s maybe not one that has a ton of hits on it.”
There is no question about Johnson’s favorite Zeppelin track.
“It’s ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You,'” he said. “It’s on ‘III.'”
Johnson never got to see the band perform live. They broke up after Bonham’s death in 1980.
The surviving members have worked on a few special projects, and Plant and Page have done some touring.
“All my friends saw Page-Plant,” he said. “I didn’t get to go because I was playing hockey. My friends said they were unbelievable. I saw Robert Plant with his own band in Phoenix, and it was incredible.
“He sang probably 10 Led Zeppelin songs and sounded fantastic. This was about five years ago. I was really just silent, it was so unbelievable.”
While Zeppelin is Johnson’s undisputed No. 1, he lists two other groups with deeper roots as Nos. 2 and 3 on his list: The Beatles and Pink Floyd.
n n n
Five questions with + Bill Guerin:
Bill Guerin, 39, was the No. 1 draft pick of the New Jersey Devils in 1989, when Sidney Crosby was looking forward to his second birthday.
Guerin played for New Jersey, Edmonton, Boston, Dallas, St. Louis, San Jose and the New York Islanders before he was traded to Pittsburgh last March in time to help the Penguins win the Stanley Cup.
1. You’ve been traded four times. Did any of them come as a complete surprise?
“I asked for a trade from Jersey, but your first trade is still a surprise, no matter what. But the trade from Edmonton to Boston was a complete blindside. I was completely shocked by that one. That was pretty tough to take. I was close to a lot of guys on that team, and I loved playing in Edmonton. That was tough.”
2. Where is your favorite place that you’ve played?
“I’ve been asked that a lot, and I honestly have to say I’ve enjoyed every place I’ve played. There are good things and bad things about everywhere. I can’t pick one place and say it’s the best. I truly believe in my heart there are good things about playing anywhere.”
3. Who is the best coach you’ve played for (excluding Dan Bylsma)?
“Jacques Lemaire.”
4. Who is your all-time favorite teammate?
“Doug Weight, without a doubt.”
5. You’ve been in the Olympics and the World Cup. How does that compare to playing for the Stanley Cup?
“It doesn’t. They’re great and they’re all different experiences, but it just doesn’t compare. The Stanley Cup is our life. The Olympics and the World Cup are fantastic, great international tournaments, and I’d jump at the chance to play again. But it’s one every four years and it’s not something you live every day. The Stanley Cup is something we live every day. During the summer, during the season, that’s where the focus is, getting yourself ready to compete for the Stanley Cup. That’s your job, that’s your life.”
n n n
This week in Penguins history:
Nov. 24, 1987: The Penguins acquired Paul Coffey, Dave Hunter and Wayne Van Dorp from the Edmonton Oilers for Craig Simpson, Chris Joseph, Moe Mantha and Dave Hannan.
Forget about the Hunter/Van Dorp for Mantha/Hannan component of this deal. This one came down to Coffey for Simpson and Joseph.
Coffey was 26, in the prime of his career, and the NHL’s most dangerous offensive defenseman. He was also involved in a contract holdout with Edmonton, which was anxious to trade him.
After weeks of negotiations, general manager Eddie Johnston was finally able to close the deal, with owner Edward DeBartolo agreeing to meet the contract terms Coffey couldn’t get in Edmonton.
The Penguins gave up two former first-round draft picks in Simpson and Joseph, and Simpson won two Stanley Cups in his five-plus seasons with Edmonton.
Coffey helped the Penguins win their first championship in 1991, and then was dealt to Los Angeles during the 1992 season. He wound up playing for nine teams, and was voted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.