Led Zeppelin
The Greatest Band Ever!!!
Led Zeppelin: This pivotal quartet was formed in October 1968 by British guitarist Jimmy Page (b. 9 January 1944, Heston, Middlesex, England) on the demise of his former band, the Yardbirds. John Paul Jones (b. John Baldwin, 31 January 1946, London, England; bass/keyboards), a respected arranger and session musician, replaced original member Chris Dreja, but hopes to incorporate vocalist Terry Reid floundered on a contractual impasse. The singer unselfishly recommended Robert Plant (b. 26 August 1947, Birmingham, England), then frontman of struggling Midlands act Hobbstweedle, who in turn introduced drummer, John Bonham (b. 31 May 1947, Birmingham, England, d. 25 September 1980) when first choice B.J. Wilson opted to remain with Procol Harum. The quartet gelled immediately and having completed outstanding commitments under the name 'New Yardbirds', became Led Zeppelin following an off-the-cuff quip by the Who's Keith Moon, who remarked when rating their prospects that they would probably go down like a lead Zeppelin. Armed with a prestigious contract with Atlantic Records, the group toured the USA supporting Vanilla Fudge prior to the release of their explosive debut LED ZEPPELIN, which included several exceptional original songs, including; Good Times, Bad Times, Communication Breakdown, Dazed And Confused—a hold-over from the Yardbirds' era, and skilled interpretations of R&B standards How Many More Times? and You Shook Me. The set vied with Jeff Beck's TRUTH as the definitive statement of English heavy blues/rock, but Page's meticulous production showed a greater grasp of basic pop dynamics, resulting in a clarity redolent of '50s rock 'n'roll. His staggering dexterity was matched by Plant's expressive, beseeching voice, a combination that flourished on LED ZEPPELIN II. The group was already a headline act, drawing sell-out crowds across the USA, when this propulsive collection confirmed an almost peerless position. The introductory track, Whole Lotta Love, a thinly-veiled rewrite of Willie Dixon's You Need Love, has since become a classic, while Livin' Lovin' Maid and Moby Dick, Bonham's exhibition piece, were a staple part of the quartet's early repertoire. Elsewhere, Thank You and What Is And What Should Never Be revealed a greater subtlety, a factor emphasized more fully on LED ZEPPELIN III. Preparation for this set had been undertaken at Bron-Y-Aur cottage in Snowdonia (immortalized in Bron-Y-Aur Stomp) and a resultant pastoral atmosphere permeated the acoustic-based selections, That's The Way and Tangerine. The Immigrant Song and Gallow's Pole reasserted the group's traditional fire and the album's release confirmed Led Zeppelin's position as one of the world's leading attractions. In concert, Plant's sexuality and Adonis-like persona provided the perfect foil to Page's more mercurial character, yet both individuals took full command of the stage, the guitarist's versatility matched only by the singer's unfettered roar. Confirmation of the group's ever-burgeoning strengths appeared on LED ZEPPELIN IV, also known as 'Four Symbols' the 'Runes Album' or 'Zoso' in deference to the fact the set bore no official title. It included the anthemic Stairway To Heaven, a tour de force, viewed as the unit's finest performance and which became their in-concert finale in 1975. The latter song is arguably the definitive heavy-rock song, it continues to win polls and the memorable introduction remains every guitar novice's first hurdle. The approbation granted this ambitious piece initially obscured other contents, but the propulsive When The Levee Breaks is now lauded as a masterpiece, particularly for Bonham's drumming, which later became the subject of widespread sampling. Black Dog and Rock'N'Roll were Zeppelin at their immediate energetic best, while The Battle Of Evermore was marked by a contribution by singer Sandy Denny. However, the effusive praise this album generated was notably more muted for HOUSES OF THE HOLY. Critics queried its musically diverse selection—the set embraced folksy ballads, reggae and soul—yet when the accustomed power was unleashed, notably on No Quarter, the effect was inspiring.
Robert Plant: Mesmorizing Vocals
Jimmy Page: Master Rock Guitarist
John Paul Jones: Bass, Keyboard; the Ultimate Arranger
John Bonham: Power-house Percussionist
A concurrent US tour broke all previous attendance records, the proceeds from which helped finance an in-concert film, issued in 1976 as The Song Remains The Same, and the formation of the group's own record label, Swan Song, allowed Led Zeppelin total artistic freedom. Bad Company, the Pretty Things and Maggie Bell were also signed to the company. PHYSICAL GRAFFITI, a double set, gave full rein to the quartet's diverse interests with material ranging from compulsive hard-rock (Custard Pie and Sick Again) to pseudo-mystical experimentation (Kashmir). The irrepressible Trampled Underfoot joined an ever-growing lexicon of peerless performances while In My Time Of Dying showed an undiminished grasp of progressive blues. Sell-out appearances in the UK followed the release, but rehearsals for a projected world tour were abandoned in August 1975 when Plant sustained multiple injuries in a car crash. A new album was prepared during his period of convalescence, although problems over artwork delayed its release. Advance orders alone assured PRESENCE platinum status, yet the set was regarded as a disappointment and UK sales were noticeably weaker. The 10-minute maelstrom, Achilles Last Stand, was indeed a remarkable performance, but the remaining tracks were competent rather than fiery and lacked the accustomed sense of grandeur. In 1977 Led Zeppelin began its rescheduled US tour, but on 26 July news reached Robert Plant that his six-year-old son, Karac, had died of a viral infection. The remaining dates were cancelled amid speculation that the group would break up.
They remained largely inactive for over a year, but late in 1978 flew to Abba's Polar recording complex in Stockholm. Although lacking the definition of earlier work, IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR was a strong collection on which John Paul Jones emerged as the unifying factor. Two concerts at Britain's Knebworth Festival were the prelude to a short European tour on which the group unveiled a stripped-down act, inspired, in part, by the punk explosion. Rehearsals were then undertaken for another US tour, but in September 1980, Bonham was found dead following a lengthy drinking bout. On 4 December, Swan Song announced that the group had officially retired, although a collection of archive material, CODA, was subsequently issued. Jones later became a successful producer, notably with the Mission, while Robert Plant embarked on a highly-successful solo career, launched with PICTURES AT ELEVEN. Page scored the film Death Wish 2 and, after a brief reunion with Plant and the Honeydrippers project in 1984, he inaugurated the short-lived Firm with Paul Rogers. He then formed the Jimmy Page Band with John Bonham's son, Jason, who in turn drummed with Led Zeppelin on their appearance at Atlantic's 25th Anniversary Concert in 1988. Despite renewed interest in the group's career, particularly in the wake of the retrospective REMASTERS, entreaties to make this a permanent reunion have been resisted. However, in 1994 Page and Plant went two thirds of the way to a reformation with their ironically titled UNLEDDED project, though John Paul Jones was conspicuous in his absence (for want of an invitation). Although their commercial success is unquestionable, Led Zeppelin are now rightly recognized as one of the most influential bands of the rock era and their catalogue continues to provide inspiration to successive generations of musicians.
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