Compendium of Heavy Metal

Lead Zeppelin one of the greatest music bands that ever lived

Lead Zeppelin is one of the greatest music bands that ever lived which consisted of four members: Jimmy Page (Guitar), Robert Plant (Vocals), John Paul Jones (Bass & Keyboard), and John Bonham (Drums) released their first album in 1969 and their last in 1982 following the tragic death of Bonham. They are said to be the band that created Heavy Metal and gave rise to Punk Rock soon before their demise.

This pivotal heavy rock quartet was formed in October 1968 by British guitarist, Jimmy Page after following the downfall of his former band, “The Yardbirds”. John Paul Jones; which played bass, keyboards, and a respected arranger and session musician, replaced original member Chris Dreja, but hopes to incorporate vocalist Terry Reid floundered on a contractual standoff. The singer, Terry Reid unselfishly recommended Robert Plant, which was the frontman of a struggling Midlands act called, Hobbstweedle, who then in turn introduced drummer John Bonham. The quartet consolidated immediately and having completed outstanding commitments under the name, “New Yardbirds”, became “Led Zeppelin” following a wisecrack remark by “The Who’s”, Keith Moon, who, when assessing their prospects, remarked that they would probably “go down like a “Lead Zeppelin”.

The early Zeppelin sound was heavily blues-based, but with more emphasis on chunky riffs, plus a classical touch in Jones‘s keyboard work, and even a slight West Coast influence in some of Plant’s high-pitched vocals, his piercing screech sometimes sounded uncannily like Janis Joplin. The eponymous first album, reportedly recorded in just thirty hours, and was one of the most stunning debuts of all time. It incorporated raunchy numbers with captivating riffs, like “Good Times Bad Times” and their live magnum opus “Dazed And Confused”, the breakneck speed of “Communication Breakdown”, a couple of heavy blues standards, and signs of the diversity to come in the acoustic instrumental “Black Mountain Side” and the outstanding, “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”.

After their debut in Denver on December 26, 1968, Led Zeppelin went around blowing everybody off stage, from Country Joe and The Fish to Iron Butterfly. Their incendiary stage shows lasted up to four hours, and kept fizzing by the chemistry that had developed between the four which filled out with lengthy solos, becoming a hallmark of the era.

Zeppelin’s reputation as a great live act continued to grow, as progressive British rock groups like Zep and Jethro Tull started to fill huge arenas in the US. They also developed the “bad boys on the road” image by trashing hotel rooms and so on, an image that accrued a nastier edge due to Page’s fascination with the occult. Their gigs during this period sometimes degenerated into riots, thanks to fans which were fueled by various substances. Their next release was not until late 1971, with the album known to all as Led Zeppelin IV, though no title or any kind of name appeared on the cover. The band wanted the music to speak for itself, and that it did with “Stairway To Heaven”.  No 1970′s party was complete without the air guitars coming out to this song, and it is still an album track frequently requested.

After the last two proper albums, Presence (1976) and “In Through The Out Door” (1979), things went downhill. In the wake of the punk explosion, Led Zeppelin were numbered among the dinosaurs that the new generation had come to blow away, although, interestingly, this negative attitude did not work in reverse, as both Page and Plant made positive noises about what the young bands were doing. To make matters worse, Plant had a serious car accident on the Greek island of Rhodes in August 1975, which laid him up for the best part of two years, and this was followed by the sudden death of his young son, Karac in July 1977, just after the first US comeback tour. This drove him into retirement for a further year and rumors circulated that the group had split. In fact, they made a dramatic return in 1979 with an appearance at the Knebworth Festival in England. Although critical acclaim was muted, they had proved they could still pull in the crowds. “In Through the out Door” topped the US album charts for a record seven weeks, and it seemed they had come through their demise. In 1980 they toured extensively again in Europe, and more activity was lined up, when John Bonham was found dead after a binge at Page’s house on September 25. The decision to call it a day was immediate, but the announcement didn’t come until December. As a postscript, “Coda”, a collection of previously recorded material, came out in 1981 to fulfill contractual obligations, but it was only relevant to diehard fans. Later in the decade, Plant embarked on quite a successful solo career and there were a couple of reunion gigs, with Bonham’s son on drums. More recently, CD compilations as, “Remasters” and the “Led Zeppelin box set”, digitally remixed by Page, brought them renewed popularity. Page and Plant have also since reunited, but that is another story.

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Danny Devereaux

My Top 10 Bands Metal/Nu Metal/Alternative