Led Zeppelin

Person Score

 
9.8 Superb
34 votes

Your Score

Biography

Recent Role:
Themselves on Beat-Club
Gender:
Male
Born:
1968
Died:
9-24-1980 (Death of drummer John Bonham)
Birthplace:
London, England
Birth Name:
Led Zeppelin
AKA:
New Yardbirds
Did Led Zeppelin invent heavy metal? Well, they were certainly responsible for the trappings, images, and even the excesses that came to be known as that much-revered and much-hated musical form. The difference is they generally made it sound good...and often great, taking the white boy blues originally perpetuated by Cream and the Yardbirds to its wildest extremes.







Actually, Led Zeppelin rose from







More the ashes of the Yardbirds. Guitarist Jimmy Page had been leading a post-Jeff Beck unit called the New Yardbirds, which he disbanded in 1968 to create his dream "psychedelic blues" band. Recruiting his friend, bassist John Paul Jones (who'd played numerous sessions with artists, ranging from Donovan to Herman's Hermits and Petula Clark, along with Page throughout the '60s), Jimmy Page found two talented novices in singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham. Who drummer Keith Moon reportedly gave the group its moniker when, after hearing their demo tapes, he predicted how the group would go over--but the Zeppelin seemed to take off immediately, eventually becoming one of the most popular bands in rock history. Their appeal never seemed to wane until after they disbanded, following John Bonham's death from overindulgence in 1980.







Perhaps more than any other group before or since, Led Zeppelin was responsible for taking the blues-ish boast of "I'm A Man," originally a boast of black pride, and transforming it into a cry of sometimes sexist penile power. They were also notorious for stealing music from their forebears and putting their own names on it (lawsuits were eventually filed by many, ranging from Willie Dixon to the family of Ritchie Valens, who figured that "Boogie With Stu" was a direct rip-off of their relative's "Ooo, My Soul"). Nevertheless, they always made it sound--stolen or not--like no one but Led Zeppelin. As the band fell more into addictions and excess, they eventually also fell into musical formula, but unlike their progeny, they remained eclectic in their choice of musical for a very long time, pushing the envelope consistently early in their career. And when they were good...








Blog

More

From the Forums

More Topics
  • Favorite Song???

    I like fool in the rain best outta those.

    14 comments, last one Feb 2, 2009
  • Great Band or the Greatest Band?

    Everybody has their different view of Zeppelin, whats yours? A friend of mine who saw all of the great ones said "Led Zeppelin was the greatest rock band of all time, and the Beatles were the greatest pop band of all time." (He's a writer, you should check out his stuff. Its J.L. Abramo) IMore think the Beatles did more quality songs, but the combination of an elite guitarist and an amazing vocalist made Zeppelin unparalleled. I never saw them or the Beatles, so I can't really offer a good perspective view. I can say however that Led Zeppelin did some incredible work, and made several dozen timeless songs.

    1 comments, last one Jul 9, 2008
  • Welcome to the TV.com Forums for Led Zeppelin

    Welcome to the TV.com Forums for Led Zeppelin. Here is your area to discuss, dissect and debate all things about this person.

    1 comments, last one Jan 1, 2007
More Topics

Led Zeppelin News

More
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Led Zeppelin is a hard rock band comprised of Guitarist Jimmy Page, Vocalist Robert Plant, Bassist/ Keyboardist "John Paul Jones" and Drummer John Bohnam. hide show

    Led Zeppelin is easily on of the best bands ever. Jimmy Page is one of the best Guitar players in the world, John Bohnam is in my opinion the second greatest drummer ever, Robert Plant has a great voice, and John Paul Jones is equally talented. They all mix together to create a fantastic sound and they have influenced more types of music than the majority of other classic bands. They practically created hard rock and metal. They have influenced progressive rock and soft rock as well. Their best song in many people's opinion is Stairway to Heaven, but I've always liked the Immigrant Song, Whole Lotta Love, and Fool in the Rain just as much. They are a very unique band and are definitely one of the all time greats.

    Do you agree?
     
    Report Abuse
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Led Zeppelin created hard rock/heavy metal. Period. hide show

    No musical act in history, with the exception of maybe Elvis, was more orignal than Led Zeppelin. When Jimmy Page started the band in 1968, little did he know that the band would dominate music in the 70s and then be known as one of the top 5 bands of all time. They one of the best guitarists the world has ever seen in Jimmy Page. Robert Plant had a powerful voice that is just impossible to imitate. There was John Bonham who is arguably the best drummer of all time. Finally, John Paul Jones created exceptional basslines which are still imitated today. It is a shame that the band broke up in 1980 due to Bonham's death, because I never got to see them as I would not be born until 10 years later.

    Do you agree?
     
    Report Abuse
  •  
    9 Superb
    Legendary. hide show

    Theres a lady whos sure
    All that glitters is gold
    And shes buying a stairway to heaven.
    When she gets there she knows
    If the stores are all closed
    With a word she can get what she came for.
    Ooh, ooh, and shes buying a stairway to heaven.

    Theres a sign on the wall
    But she wants to be sure
    cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
    In a tree by the brook
    Theres a songbird who sings,
    Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
    Ooh, it makes me wonder,
    Ooh, it makes me wonder.

    Theres a feeling I get
    When I look to the west,
    And my spirit is crying for leaving.
    In my thoughts I have seen
    Rings of smoke through the trees,
    And the voices of those who standing looking.
    Ooh, it makes me wonder,
    Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

    And its whispered that soon
    If we all call the tune
    Then the piper will lead us to reason.
    And a new day will dawn
    For those who stand long
    And the forests will echo with laughter.

    If theres a bustle in your hedgerow
    Dont be alarmed now,
    Its just a spring clean for the may queen.
    Yes, there are two paths you can go by
    But in the long run
    Theres still time to change the road youre on.
    And it makes me wonder.

    Your head is humming and it wont go
    In case you dont know,
    The pipers calling you to join him,
    Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
    And did you know
    Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.

    And as we wind on down the road
    Our shadows taller than our soul.
    There walks a lady we all know
    Who shines white light and wants to show
    How evrything still turns to gold.
    And if you listen very hard
    The tune will come to you at last.
    When all are one and one is all
    To be a rock and not to roll.

    And shes buying a stairway to heaven.

    Do you agree?
     
    Report Abuse
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Led Zeppelin are a band formed by Jimmy Page from the Yardbirds in 1968. They were originally called the New Yardbirds, but Keith Moon from the Who gave them the idea for the name Led Zeppelin. hide show

    This is my favourite band. They have so many good songs, everything is a hit! The lead guitarist, Jimmy Page, is arguably the best rock guitarist ever! That is only my opinion, but I recently bought the DVD, and he is amazing on it. Robert Plant, is also a very good singer known for his scat phrases. John Bonham is on percussion, and he is fantastic, especially his drum solo for Moby Dick. John Paul Jones is the best overall musician in the band as he plays multiple instauments. Led Zeppelin ended too early, as they ended, because John Bonham died, in 1980. The band was fantastic, and they also have the best rock hit ever, Stairway to Heaven. Stairway to heaven is my all time favourite song, and if you listen to it you proabably would agree. Led Zeppelin lasted for a little more then twelve years, and released nine albums (not including greatest hits or box sets). These are: Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin 2, Led Zeppelin 3, Led Zeppelin 4 (untitled), Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffity, Precence, Going Trough the Out Door, and Coda. People continue to listen to them to this day. I suggest getting their new greatest hits albums: Early Days, and Latter Days.

    Do you agree?
     
    Report Abuse
 

Top Contributors

What is a TV.com Contributor?