Led Zeppelin A Guide to the Band’s Musical Legacy: From where and who is Led Zeppelin?In the 1970s, England’s Led Zeppelin produced groundbreaking hard rock music. All Led Zeppelin members were English.
Led Zeppelin lead guitarist Jimmy Page, from Heston, England, founded the band. Robert Plant of West Bromwich, England sang for Led Zeppelin, while John Bonham of Redditch played drums and John Paul Jones of Sidcup played bass and keyboard.
1960s British Blues-Rock
- Without mentioning Led Zeppelin influences, the biography is incomplete. In the 1960s, rock bands like the Beatles, The Who, and Van Morrison and Black American blues singers like B.B.
- King and Elmore James dominated the UK music scene.
- This mix of styles created British blues-rock.
- This sensational genre inspired Led Zeppelin, Cream, Yes, and The Rolling Stones, whose music combines rock and blues.
Jim Page Founds New Yardbirds
Led Zeppelin’s original name? The band Led Zeppelin started as the New Yardbirds. Led Zeppelin lead guitarist Jimmy Page played with other bands before forming the group. In London in the 1960s, Page played as a session guitarist for bands during studio sessions. Page’s guitar skills were noticed in London by The Kinks and The Who, who hired him to play on their early records.
From session guitarist to live guitarist, Page briefly played with The Yardbirds before the band broke up in 1968. Therefore, Page sought out musicians to form his own band. He hired Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, two musicians who started their careers in London like John Bonham. A milestone in Led Zeppelin history occurred when the quartet became The New Yardbirds.
Led Zeppelin
Switching names is another important moment in Led Zeppelin’s history. After a few shows as The New Yardbirds, they became Led Zeppelin. Page and fellow musicians Jeff Beck and Keith Moon, with whom Page recorded one session, discussed the name Led Zeppelin.
Band formation was briefly considered by the musicians. When they were brainstorming band names, The Who drummer Moon compared the band to a lead-filled zeppelin and said it could fail.
Zeppelin I-IV
The band’s first album, Led Zeppelin, debuted in January 1969. Led Zeppelin influenced psychedelic, blues, ballads, and folk music. One of the first heavy metal bands was Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin II followed in October of that year. Led Zeppelin’s second album, also psychedelic and blues-influenced, produced “Whole Lotta Love” their first hit.
Their third album, Led Zeppelin III, was released in 1970. Led Zeppelin III was influenced by folk and acoustic music, unlike its predecessors. Led Zeppelin IV, loosely titled, was the band’s 1971 album and their most successful.
Led Zeppelin IV, their most critically acclaimed album, was one of the best-selling rock albums ever. The album contains many Led Zeppelin hits and is an important part of their history. It included “Stairway to Heaven” and “Black Dog,” two hits that defined the band’s sound and legacy.
Lots of Love” (1969)
“Whole Lotta Love” may be Zeppelin’s best-known song. The song opened their second album Led Zeppelin II and reached No. 4 on the Billboard pop charts as a single. The blues-influenced song may have been overdone. In 1962, Muddy Waters recorded Willie Dixon’s “You Need Love”. Dixon claimed that Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” was too similar to his and legally demanded and won co-writing credit.
“Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
“Stairway to Heaven” is one of two huge hits from Led Zeppelin IV. The eight-minute track brilliantly transitions from acoustic to hard rock. Its guitar solo is one of rock’s most famous. The song is musically and lyrically interesting because many of the lyrics reference J.R.R.
Tolkien’s stories. Led Zeppelin were known Tolkien fans and often referenced his works in their songs. The Led Zeppelin IV songs “Misty Mountain Hop” and “The Battle of Evermore,” reference Tolkien’s fictional worlds.
“Black Dog” (1971)
However, Led Zeppelin IV retained their blues-rock roots. Beginning with “Black Dog,” the band’s music was influenced by the blues throughout their career. Plant’s vocals and Page’s guitar were powerful. The song has multiple time signatures and key changes, making it complicated. The technical and creative experimentation of Led Zeppelin’s music set it apart from earlier 60s rock songs.
Bonham’s Death and Zeppelin’s Split
In September 1980, drummer John Bonham died of an alcohol overdose, ending the quartet’s career. After losing their fourth member, Led Zeppelin disbanded that year, but Page, Plant, and Jones continued to work on projects. With new drummers, the trio performed at concerts and charity events, but their sound was forever changed.
Lesson Summary
Led Zeppelin is one of the most influential and innovative bands ever. From 1968 to 1980, Led Zeppelin created, performed, and released music that defined heavy metal and hard rock. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham formed Led Zeppelin.
Before Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page was in the Yardbirds. After that band broke up, Page formed the New Yardbirds, later Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant and John Bonham joined Page in Led Zeppelin after starting their careers in London.
London produced many hard rock and heavy metal artists. Led Zeppelin formed in 1960s London during the blues-rock era. The Who, Cream, Yes, and The Rolling Stones were other British bands with similar influences. Famous Led Zeppelin songs include:
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