Led Zeppelin | Artist
Led Zeppelin was an English heavy Blues-Rock band formed 1968 in London by guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are regularly cited as one of the forerunners of Heavy Metal, but their style drew from a variety of influences, including blues and folk music. While still linked to the Yardbirds in their final days, Page brought together former Band of Joy singer and drummer Robert Plant and John Bonham, together with session player John Paul Jones on bass. In August 1968, the four played together for the first time in a room below a record store on Gerrard Street in London. They soon scored session work providing backing on P.J. Proby's album Three Week Hero, then embarked on a short tour of Scandinavia, still under the name The New Yardbirds. In September 1968 the band began recording their first album, which was based on their live set. The album was recorded and mixed in nine days, and Page covered the costs. After the album's completion, the band were forced to change their name after Yardbird Chris Dreja issued a cease-and-desist letter. The band's manager Peter Grant then secured a $143,000 advance contract from Atlantic Records in November 1968 - at the time the biggest deal of its kind for a new band - and the US-based label signed Led Zeppelin without having ever seen them. Importantly, the band maintain full control over their recordings and publishing, and formed their own company, Superhype, to handle all publishing rights. Led Zeppelin's first six albums: I (1969), II (1969), III (1970), IV (1971), Houses of the Holy (1973), and Physical Graffiti (1975), released between 1969-75 are all rock music masterpieces, and their seventh album Presence (1976) is also excellent, however their final two albums In Through The Out Door (1979) and Coda (1982), fall away quite badly in comparison. In addition to the studio works, there's a wealth of great live material, standouts include The Song Remains the Same (1976), BBC Sessions (1997), How The West Was Won (2003) and Celebration Day (2012). Although the band conformed with the typical rock quartet format prevalent at the time, of singer, guitar, bass and drums, Led Zeppelin's sound was always unique due to the characteristic musicianship of the individual members. Page's guitar playing incorporated elements of the blues scale with those of eastern music, he also perfected controlled feedback and used a violin bow to get droning psychedelic effects. Plant's use of high-pitched shrieks has been compared to Janis Joplin's soulful bluesey vocal technique. Bonham's drumming was noted for its power, his rapid rolls and his fast beats on a single bass drum; while Jones' basslines have been described as melodic and his keyboard playing added a classical touch to the band's sound. And together, their ensemble playing was always tight, not withstanding the occasional impromptu jam or solo. Many consider Led Zeppelin to be one of the most successful, innovative, and influential bands in the history of rock music. It is estimated that they have sold in excess of 300 million records. John Bonham passed away in the early hours of the 25th of September 1980, as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. Plant, Page and Jones collectively agreed that Led Zeppelin was finished, and each continued with various solo projects.
Artist Website: ledzeppelin.com jimmypage.com
Featured Albums: Led Zeppelin
Related Artists: Yardbirds, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Page & Plant, John Paul Jones
