Welcome to Brian's Led Zeppelin information page
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Led Zeppelin at Glance Jimmy Page started Led Zeppelin in 1968 after leaving The Yardbirds. Page first picked bass, keyboards, and mandolin player, John Paul Jones, whom Page previously met in London while he was a studio musician. Page then proceeded to find Robert Plant, the lead singer, and John Bonham (aka "Bonzo), the drummer in Birmingham, England. These four made what we know as Led Zeppelin, heralded as one of the most hard rock and influential bands of all time. Led Zeppelin in the United States With amazing riffs, or short rhythmic phrases repeated, combining hard rock and blues Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham created some of the most unique songs of any decade. From the hard rock of a "Whole Lotta Love" or the famous "Stairway to Heaven" to the folk sound of "Bron Yr Aur Stomp," Led Zeppelin attracted many young fans in the United States. According to lead guitarist, Jimmy Page, "NINETEEN SEVENTY-THREE WAS the year we conquered America." And, according to Rolling Stone , "Zeppelin's climactic end-of-tour stand at New York's Madison Square Garden — three nights filmed for The Song Remains the Same," and according to Danny Goldberg, then Zeppelin's press agent, "Now everyone knew they were the biggest rock band in the world." |
Robert Plant Robert Plant was born August 20, 1948, in Staffordshire, U.K. Before joining Led Zeppelin, Robert played with blues bands. He is labeled as having one of the best melodic, yet still hard rock, voices in the industry. On Led Zeppelin's DVD released in 2003, Robert shows off his very theatrical mannerisms with his strange hand movement and spastic dancing. Robert Plant once described his voice as a "girlish whine." And, humorously, Robert Plant has so much range in his voice that he can sometimes make only the "sounds a dog could hear." Robert Plant was the type of singer that liked to travel to various destinations while co-writing Led Zeppelin's songs. For example, in Led Zeppelin's hit, "Kashmir," Plant journeyed through various places around such as India for inspiration. According to Susan Fast, "Their (Led Zeppelin's) albums were recorded at different times and places to create differences among songs." |
Jimmy Page Jimmy Page was born January 9th, 1944, in Heston, Middlesex U.K. After leaving his first big name band, The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page started Led Zeppelin by first selecting John Paul Jones. Jimmy Page was known for the way he played the guitar with a bow on songs such as "Dazed and Confused." On Led Zeppelin's 2003 released DVD, Page is shown doing a 3-4 minute solo with the guitar bow during "Dazed and Confused." In Susan Fast's book, In the Houses of the Holy , she mentions how Page was one of the first to use the 12-string or double-neck guitar. Page said he used the 12-string so he could do multiple guitar parts himself without needing another guitar player. Jimmy Page, although somewhat sloppy live sometimes, will go down as one of the best guitar players. And certainly, Page is highly heralded as a great producer, as Jimmy Page produced and wrote a lot of Led Zeppelin's work. |
John Paul Jones John Paul Jones was born as John Baldwin on January 3, 1946 in Sidcup, Kent U.K. Although overall arguably the most talented member of Led Zeppelin, John Paul Jones rarely received as much credit as he deserved. John Paul Jones can be heard playing the catchy bass guitar lines on songs such as "The Ocean" or Whole Lotta of Love," strumming the mandolin in "Going to California," or dominating the keyboards in "In the Evening" or "Kashmir." John Paul Jones especially liked the diversity of Led Zeppelin's members and their music. John Paul Jones is quoted in Fast's book, In the Houses of the Holy as saying, "we all had ideas, and we'd use everything we came across whether it was folk, country, blues, Indian, Arabic." |
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John Bonham John Henry Bonham was born on May 31, 1948, in Redditch, England. In the words of Bonham, "I'd wanted to be a drummer since I was about five years old. I used to play on a bath-salts container with wires on the bottom, and on a round coffee tin with a loose wire attached to it to give a snare drum effect. Plus there were always my mum's pots and pans." And, Bonham's practice at a young undoubtedly shined with Led Zeppelin. Bonham, along with The Who's Keith Moon, is regarded as one of the best drummers ever. Bonham's best drumming can be found on his drum solo exceeding ten minutes entitled, "Moby Dick." During "Moby Dick," at one point, Bonham drops the sticks and plays only with his bare hands. Watching Bonham during this solo is truly remarkable. Unfortunately, Bonzo, passed away in September of 1980 due to a drug overdose. Despite Bonham's death, his legacy will forever endure. |
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