History Formation
6 - 10
Early years (1968–70)
11 - 15
Peak of success (1971–75)
16 - 30
Hiatus from touring and return (1975–77)
31 - 34
Bonham’s death and break-up (1978–80)
35 - 42
Post-breakup events
43 - 50
1980s
51 - 56
1990s
57 - 64
2000s
65 - 70
Memorabilia 71 - 74
Ads
75 - 79
General
80 - 84
Passes
85 - 88
Vintage Swag
89 - 93
45’s / 7� Sleeves
94 - 100
Magazines
101 - 106
Tickets
Discography 107 - 112
Legacy
113 - 117
Awards and accolades
118 - 124
External links
125 - 130
Concert tours
131 - 137
References
138 - 145
Notes
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 that consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones. With their heavy, guitar-driven blues-rock sound, Led Zeppelin are regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal and hard rock, even though the band’s individualistic
Led Zeppelin have sold over 200 million
style drew from many sources and
albums worldwide according to some
transcends any one music genre.
sources, while other sources state sales of
Led Zeppelin did not release songs from
more than 300 million records, including
their albums as singles in the United
111.5 million certified units in the United
Kingdom, as they preferred to develop
States, making them one of the world’s
the concept of album-oriented rock.
best-selling music artists of all time, as well
In 2007, the surviving members of Led
More than 30 years after disbanding
as the second best selling band of all time
Zeppelin reunited (along with John
following Bonham’s death in 1980,
in the United States. They have had all of
Bonham’s son, Jason) for the Ahmet
Led Zeppelin continue to be held in high
their original studio albums reach the top
Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2
regard for their artistic achievements,
10 of the Billboard album chart in the US,
Arena in London. The band was honoured
commercial success, and broad influence.
with six reaching the number one spot.
with the “Best Live Act” prize for their
The band are widely considered to be
Rolling Stone magazine has described
one-off reunion at MOJO Awards 2008,
one of the most successful, innovative
Led Zeppelin as “the heaviest band of all
where they were declared the “greatest
and influential bands in the history
time”, “the biggest band of the ‘70s” and
rock and roll band of all time.” The
of rock music.
“unquestionably one of the most enduring
discography of the English rock band
bands in rock history”. Similarly, the Rock
Led Zeppelin consists of nine studio albums,
and Roll Hall of Fame described the
three live albums, nine compilation
band in the 1970s as being “as influential
albums, sixteen singles, eight digital songs,
in that decade as The Beatles were
three charted songs and two video
in the prior one”.
albums. Formed in London in 1968, the group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bass player John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band pioneered the concept of album-oriented rock and often refused to release popular songs as singles.
4 / Introduction
Led Zeppelin were one of the most commercially successful and influential groups of the 1970s. The band’s popularity in the early years was dwarfed by their mid-seventies successes and it is this period that continues to define them. The band’s image also changed as members began to wear elaborate, flamboyant clothing. Led Zeppelin began traveling in a private jet airliner (nicknamed The Starship), rented out entire sections of hotels (including the Continental Hyatt House in Los Angeles, known colloquially as the “Riot House”), and became the subject of many of rock’s most repeated stories of debauchery. One escapade involved John Bonham riding a motorcycle through a rented floor of the Riot House, while another involved the destruction of a room in the Tokyo Hilton, leading to the band being banned from that establishment for life.
Although Led Zeppelin developed a reputation for trashing their hotel suites and throwing television sets out of the windows, some suggest that these tales have been somewhat exaggerated. Music journalist Chris Welch argues that “Led Zeppelin’s travels spawned many stories, but it was a myth that they were constantly engaged in acts of wanton destruction and lewd behavior.” Led Zeppelin’s fourth album was released on 8 November 1971. There was no indication of a title or a band name on the original cover, as the band disdained being labelled as “hyped” and “overrated” by the music press, and in response wanted to prove that the music could sell itself by giving no indication of who they were.
18 / Peak of success
20 / Peak of success
In 1966, Jimmy Page joined the blues-influenced rock band The Yardbirds to replace bassist Paul SamwellSmith. Shortly after, Page switched from bass to lead guitar, creating a dual lead-guitar lineup with Jeff Beck. Following the departure of Beck in October 1966, The Yardbirds, who were tired from constant touring and recording, began to wind down. Page wanted to form a supergroup with himself and Beck on guitars, and The Who’s rhythm section—drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle.Vocalists Steve Winwood and Steve Marriott were also considered for the project. The group never formed, although Page, Beck and Moon did record a song together in 1966, “Beck’s Bolero”, which is featured on Beck’s 1968 album, Truth. The recording session also included bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones, who told Page that he would be interested in collaborating with him on future projects. The Yardbirds played their final gig in July 1968 at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire, England. They were still committed to performing several concerts in Scandinavia, so drummer Jim McCarty and vocalist Keith Relf authorised Page and bassist Chris Dreja to use the Yardbirds name to fulfill the band’s obligations. Page and Dreja began putting a new line-up together. Page’s first choice for lead singer, Terry Reid, declined the offer, but suggested Robert Plant, a Stourbridge singer for the Band of Joy. Plant eventually accepted the position, recommending drummer John Bonham from nearby Redditch. When Dreja dropped out of the project to become a photographer, John Paul Jones, at the suggestion of his wife, contacted Page about the vacant position.
Following these triumphant Earls Court appearances Led Zeppelin took a holiday and planned a series of outdoor summer concerts in America, scheduled to open with two dates in San Francisco. These plans were thwarted in August 1975 when Robert Plant and his wife Maureen were involved in a serious car crash while on holiday in Rhodes, Greece. Robert suffered a broken ankle and Maureen was badly injured; a blood transfusion saved her life. Unable to tour, Plant headed to the Channel Island of Jersey to spend August and September recuperating, with Bonham and Page in tow. The band then reconvened in Malibu, California. It was during this forced hiatus that much of the material for their next album, Presence, was written. By this time, Led Zeppelin were the world’s number one rock attraction, having outsold most bands of the time, including The Rolling Stones. Presence, released in March 1976, marked a change in the Led Zeppelin sound towards more straightforward, guitar-based jams, departing from the acoustic ballads and intricate arrangements featured on their previous albums. Though it was a platinum seller, Presence received mixed responses from critics and fans and some said the band’s excesses may have caught up with them. The recording of Presence coincided with the beginning of Page’s heroin use, which may have interfered with Led Zeppelin’s later live shows and studio recordings, although Page has denied this. Plant’s injuries prevented Led Zeppelin from touring in 1976. Instead, the band finally completed the concert film The Song Remains the Same, and
Plant and Page perform acoustically in Hamburg in March 1973, just before the release of Led Zeppelin’s fifth album, Houses of the Holy.
the soundtrack album of the film. The recording had taken place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in July 1973, during the
After a 23 July show at the Days on the Green
band’s concert tour of North America. The film premiered in New York on
festival at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland,
20 October 1976, but was given a lukewarm reception by critics and fans.
California, John Bonham and members of
The film was particularly unsuccessful in the UK, where, after being
the band’s support staff were arrested after a
unwilling to tour since 1975 due to a taxation exile, Led Zeppelin were
member of promoter Bill Graham’s staff was
facing an uphill battle to recapture the public spotlight at home. In 1977,
badly beaten during the band’s performance.
Led Zeppelin embarked on another major concert tour of North America.
The following day’s second Oakland concert
Here the band set another attendance record, with 76,229 people attending
would prove to be the band’s final live
their Pontiac Silverdome concert on 30 April. It was, according to the
appearance in the United States. Two days
Guinness Book of Records, the largest attendance to date for a single act
later, as the band checked in at a French
show. Though the tour was financially profitable it was beset with off-
Quarter hotel for their 30 July performance
stage problems. On 19 April over 70 persons were arrested as about 1,000
at the Louisiana Superdome, news came that
ticketless fans tried to gatecrash Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum for two
Plant’s five year old son, Karac, had died from
sold out festival seating concerts while some tried to gain entry by throwing
a stomach virus.
rocks and bottles through glass entrance doors.
24 / Peak of success
November 1978 saw the group recording again, this time at Polar Studios
The planned North American tour was
in Stockholm, Sweden. The resultant album was In Through the Out Door,
cancelled, and despite rumours that Cozy
which exhibited a degree of sonic experimentation that again drew mixed
Powell, Carmine Appice, Barriemore Barlow,
reactions from critics. Nevertheless, the band still commanded legions of
Simon Kirke or Bev Bevan would join the
loyal fans, and the album easily reached number 1 in the UK and the US
group as his replacement, the remaining
in just its second week on the Billboard album chart. As a result of this
members decided to disband after Bonham’s
album’s release, Led Zeppelin’s entire catalogue made the Billboard Top
death. They issued a press statement on 4
200 between the weeks of 27 October and 3 November 1979.
December 1980 confirming that the band
In August 1979, after two warm-up shows in Copenhagen, Led Zeppelin headlined two concerts at the Knebworth Music Festival, where
would not continue without Bonham. The statement said, “We wish it to be known
crowds of close to 120,000 witnessed the return of the band. Plant was not
that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep
eager to tour full-time again, and even considered leaving Led Zeppelin. He
sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves
was persuaded to stay by Peter Grant. A brief, low-key European tour was
and our manager, have led us to decide that
undertaken in June and July 1980, featuring a stripped-down set without
we could not continue as we were,” and
the usual lengthy jams and solos. At one show on 27 June, in Nuremberg,
was simply signed “Led Zeppelin”. The
Germany, the concert came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the third song
first significant post-Led Zeppelin project
when John Bonham collapsed on stage and was rushed to a hospital. Press
was The Honeydrippers, a band formed in
speculation arose that Bonham’s problem was caused by an excess of alcohol
1981 by Robert Plant and featuring Jimmy
and drugs, but the band claimed that he had simply overeaten, and they
Page on lead guitar, along with an array of
completed the show. On 24 September 1980, John Bonham was picked up
studio musicians and friends of Plant and
by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King to attend rehearsals at Bray Studios for
Page, including Jeff Beck, Paul Shaffer, and
an upcoming North American tour, the band’s first since 1977, scheduled to
Nile Rodgers. Plant intentionally chose to
commence on 17 October. During the journey Bonham had asked to stop for
focus the band in a very different direction
breakfast, where he downed four quadruple vodkas (450 ml), with a ham
from Led Zeppelin, playing standards and
roll. After taking a bite of the ham roll he said to his assistant, “Breakfast”.
more R&B style, highlighted by their cover
He continued to drink heavily when he arrived at the studio. A halt was
of “Sea of Love”, which peaked at number
called to the rehearsals late in the evening and the band retired to Page’s
3 on the Billboard charts in very early
house—The Old Mill House in Clewer, Windsor.
1985. In 1982, the surviving members of
After midnight, Bonham had fallen asleep and was taken to bed and
the group released a collection of out-takes
placed on his side. At 1:45 pm the next day Benji LeFevre and John Paul
from various sessions during Led Zeppelin’s
Jones found him dead. The cause of death was asphyxiation from vomit,
career, entitled Coda. It included two tracks
and a verdict of accidental death was returned at an inquest held on 27
taken from the band’s performance at the
October. An autopsy found no other drugs in Bonham’s body. Bonham
Royal Albert Hall in 1970, one each from
was cremated on 10 October 1980, and his ashes buried at Rushock parish
the Led Zeppelin III and Houses of the Holy
church in Droitwich, Worcestershire.
sessions, and three from the In Through the Out Door sessions.
Led Zeppelin were one of t he most commercially successful and influential g roups of the 1970s. The band’s popularity in t he early years was dwarfed by their mid-seventies successes and it is this period that continues to define them. The band’s image also changed as members began to wear elaborate, fl amboyant clothing. L ed Zeppelin began traveling i n a private jet airliner, rented out entire sections of hotels, known c olloquially as the “Riot House” , and became the subject of many of rock’s most repeated stories of debauchery.
The band officially declared they were changing their name to Led Zeppelin on 14 October 1968, and played their first show under the new name at the University of Surrey in Guildford on 25 October. This was followed by a US concert debut on 26 December 1968 before moving on to the west coast for dates in cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Led Zeppelin
They played initially in clubs
was released in the USA on 12 January 1969, while the tour
and ballrooms, then in larger auditoriums
was underway. It didn’t appear in their native UK until 31
as their popularity grew. For the composition of
March 1969. The album’s blend of blues, folk and eastern
their third album, Led Zeppelin III, Page and Plant
influences with distorted amplification made it one of the
retired to Bron-Yr-Aur, a remote cottage in Wales, in
pivotal records in the creation of heavy metal music. Plant
1970. The result was a more acoustic sound which was
has commented that it is unfair for people to typecast the
strongly influenced by folk and Celtic music, and revealed
band as heavy metal, since about a third of their music
the band’s versatility. The album’s rich acoustic sound
was acoustic. On their first album Plant receives no credit
initially received mixed reactions, with many critics and
for his contributions to the songwriting, a result of his
fans surprised at the turn taken away from the primarily
previous association with CBS Records. By 1975, the album
electric compositions of the first two albums. Over time,
had grossed $7,000,000. In their first year, Led Zeppelin
its reputation has improved and Led Zeppelin III is now
managed to complete four US and four UK concert tours,
generally praised. The album’s opening track, “Immigrant
and also released their second album, entitled Led Zeppelin
Song”, was released in November 1970 by Atlantic Records
II. Recorded almost entirely on the road at various North
as a single against the band’s wishes. It included their only
American recording studios, the second album was an
non-album B-side, “Hey Hey What Can I Do”. Even though
even greater success and reached the number one chart
the band saw their albums as indivisible, whole listening
position in the US and the UK. The band further developed
experiences, and their manager, Peter Grant, maintained
ideas established on their debut album, creating a work
an aggressive pro-album stance, some singles were
which became even more widely acclaimed and arguably
released without their consent. The group also increasingly
more influential. It has been suggested that Led Zeppelin
resisted television appearances, enforcing their preference
II largely wrote the blueprint for heavy metal bands that
that their fans hear and see them in live concerts. Led
followed it. Following the album’s release, Led Zeppelin
Zeppelin were one of the most commercially successful and
completed several more tours of the United States.
influential groups of the 1970s.
28 / Peak of success
The band’s popularity in the early years was dwarfed by their mid-seventies successes and it is this period that continues to define them. The band’s image also changed as members began to wear elaborate, flamboyant clothing. Led Zeppelin began traveling in a private jet airliner, rented out entire sections of hotels, and
Music journalist
became the subject of many of rock’s most repeated stories
Chris Welch argues that
of debauchery. One escapade involved John Bonham
“ travels spawned many stories, but
riding a motorcycle through a rented floor of the Riot
it was a myth that were constantly engaged in acts
House, while another involved the destruction of a room
of wanton destruction and lewd behavior.” Led Zeppelin’s
in the Tokyo Hilton, leading to the band being banned
fourth album was released on 8 November 1971. There
from that establishment for life. Although Led Zeppelin
was no indication of a title or a band name on the original
developed a reputation for trashing their hotel suites and
cover, as the band disdained being labelled as “hyped”
throwing television sets out of the windows, some suggest
and “overrated” by the music press, and in response
that these tales have been somewhat exaggerated.
wanted to prove that the music could sell itself by giving no indication of who they were.