This pivotal heavy rock quartet was formed in October 1968 by British guitarist Jimmy Page (b. James Patrick Page, 9
January 1944, Heston, Middlesex, England) following the demise of his former band, the Yardbirds. John Paul Jones (b. John
Baldwin, 3 June 1946, Sidcup, Kent, 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. 20 August 1948, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England), then frontman of struggling Midlands act
Hobbstweedle, who in turn introduced drummer John Bonham (b. 31 May 1948, 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 a quip by the Who's Keith Moon, who, when assessing
their prospects, remarked that they would probably "go down like a lead Zeppelin".
They were guided and managed by Peter Grant (b. 5 April 1935, London, England, d. 21 November 1995). He was best known as
the heavyweight manager of all UK rock groups, both in size and stature. 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 hangover 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 (She's Just A Woman)" 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 "Gallows 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 by his 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 that the set bore no official title. It included "Stairway To Heaven", a
group tour de force. 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 tracks, but
the energetic "When The Levee Breaks" is now also lauded as a masterpiece, particularly for Bonham's drumming. "Black Dog"
and "Rock 'N' Roll" saw Zeppelin at their immediate best, while "The Battle Of Evermore" was marked by a vocal contribution
from Sandy Denny. IV was certified as having sold 16 million copies in the USA by March 1996. 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 folk ballads, reggae and soul - yet when the accustomed power was unleashed, notably on "No Quarter", the effect was
inspiring. A concurrent US tour broke all previous attendance records, the proceeds from which helped to 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.
Bad Company, the Pretty Things and Maggie Bell were also signed to the company, which served to provide Led Zeppelin with
total creative freedom. 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 Under Foot" 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 they 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 went on to become a successful producer, notably with the Mission, while Plant embarked on a highly successful solo
career, launched with Pictures At Eleven. Page scored the movie Death Wish 2 and, after a brief reunion with Plant and the
Honeydrippers project in 1984, he inaugurated the short-lived Firm with Paul Rodgers. 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 Records' 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 were resisted. However, in 1994 Page and Plant went two-thirds of the way to a
re-formation with their ironically titled Unledded project, though John Paul Jones was conspicuous by his absence (for want
of an invitation). The duo cemented the relationship with an album of new Page And Plant material in 1998. 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.