Mastodon cover Led Zeppelin’s Stairway To Heaven

From Loudersound.

Mastodon have released their cover of Led Zeppelin classic Stairway To Heaven.

The band launched their take on the track last weekend to mark Record Store Day – and they’ve now made it available for everyone who didn’t get their hands of the 1500-run 10-inch disc on Saturday.

Mastodon decided to cover the track in honour of their manager Nick John, who died last year after a battle with pancreatic cancer after performing the song at his funeral.

Proceeds from sales of the single will to to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

Mastodon say in a statement: “In early September 2018 we lost one of our closest friends and our biggest fan, our manager Nick John. He was essentially the band’s dad.

“From our highest highs to our lowest lows he was always there. Every single move we made went through him first as our trust in him was marrow deep. His favourite band besides us and Gojira, was Led Zeppelin. We were asked to perform Stairway To Heaven at his funeral.

“Afterwards, finding out that someone had recorded it, we figured we should record a studio version and release it on Record Store Day as a tribute to Nick with all the proceeds to be donated to pancreatic cancer research.

“We would not be the band we are today without the help of Nick John. We miss him dearly and think of him always. We love you buddy!”

Mastodon will head out on the road with Coheed And Cambria on The Unheavenly Skye Tour from May, where Brann Dailor, Bill Kelliher, Brent Hinds and Troy Sanders will play Crack The Skye in its entirety to mark its 10th anniversary.

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