For many fans, Led Zeppelin is the pinnacle of rock ‘n’ roll success. Combining the genre pioneers’ preference for vibrating sonics with the strides of the most influential bands of the 1960s, the group built on their predecessors’ work and continued to push guitar music into a more refined space.
Led Zeppelin were originally known as ‘The New Yardbirds‘ when they formed in 1968. They burst onto the scene in 1969 with their deeply innovative first pair of albums. Led Zeppelin’s story is inextricable from leader Jimmy Page’s previous band. He could finally explore his ultimate idea of truly augmenting rock music with “a marriage of blues, hard rock, and acoustic music. He topped it with heavy choruses with his new band. It also featured the stellar lineup of frontman Robert Plant, bassist and multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham.
He was now in control of his destiny. His role as principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and producer would allow him to realize his ultimate creative vision. In doing so, Led Zeppelin would surpass The Beatles as the most exciting and commercially viable band around at the end of their careers. They are known for an incredible feat in and of itself – and pave the way for a variety of rock palettes, including prog, punk, metal, and grunge.
Despite the rawness of their early work, Led Zeppelin quickly established themselves as the new standard. Their live performances confirmed this reality. It demonstrated the group’s commitment to truly pushing themselves as artists. They rarely performed a song exactly as they had recorded it. They instead opted for improvisations that used the studio version of the composition as a blueprint to launch into scintillating jams. Jimmy Page is well-known for never repeating his iconic guitar solos.
Focusing on a broader and more encouraging point Led Zeppelin represents musical mastery in all of its forms. They were also prone to making mistakes. While these occurred both in the studio and live, one of the most well-known occurred at the beginning of recording ‘Black Country Woman’. It was from 1975’s Physical Graffiti, demonstrating their profoundly dynamic perspective. They recorded the song in question outside at Mick Jagger’s country estate Stargroves in 1972 for “Houses of the Holy.” It was also a part of the band’s desire to work in “off-the-wall” locations that eschewed the traditional studio environment.
As the group left the safety of the studio to face the world, a surprise awaited them. As the recording reel began, a small plane flew overhead. This prompted engineer Eddie Kramer to say, “Don’t want to get this airplane on”. To this Robert Plant, a key part of the band’s overall commitment to improvisation, responded unfazed, “Nah, leave it, yeah.”
