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105-573: The festival featured Led Zeppelin , Buffy Sainte-Marie , The First Edition , Sweetwater , Pacific Gas & Electric , SRC and Shag (July 25); Blind Faith , Delaney and Bonnie and Friends , Shag, Taste , John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers , MC5 and SRC (July 26); and Johnny Winter , Joe Cocker and the Grease Band , Bob Seger System , Jim Schwall Blues Period , MC5, Zephyr , Shag, Litter and SRC (July 27). The show had

210-507: A Grammy Award for Best Album Package in 1977. The album was released on 31 March 1976, having been delayed by the completion of the album sleeve. In Britain it attained one of the highest ever advance orders, shipping gold on the day of release. It entered at No. 2 and peaked the following week at No. 1 on the US Billboard Pop Albums chart. However, this album is the lowest selling of their careers as it

315-568: A cease and desist letter, stating that Page was allowed to use the New Yardbirds moniker for the Scandinavian dates only. One account of how the new band's name was chosen held that Moon and Entwistle had suggested that a supergroup with Page and Beck would go down like a "lead balloon", an idiom for being very unsuccessful or unpopular. The group dropped the 'a' in lead at the suggestion of Peter Grant, so that those unfamiliar with

420-579: A series of concerts at this venue in May 1975, a few months after the boat show. The inner sleeve photographs came from various archive stock pictures, and was designed to resemble a feature in National Geographic . The girl on the back cover photo was Samantha Gates, and she had also appeared (with her brother Stefan ) on the cover of Houses of the Holy . Hipgnosis and Hardie were nominated for

525-617: A 90-minute "UnLedded" MTV project. They later released an album called No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded , which featured some reworked Led Zeppelin songs, and embarked on a world tour the following year. This is said to be the beginning of a rift between the band members, as Jones was not even told of the reunion. In 1995, Led Zeppelin were inducted into the United States Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith . Jason and Zoë Bonham also attended, representing their late father. At

630-443: A Deluxe Edition, which contained a bonus disc of previously unheard material ( Coda's Deluxe Edition would include two bonus discs). Each album was also available in a Super Deluxe Edition Box Set, which included the remastered album and bonus disc on both CD and 180-gram vinyl, a high-definition audio download card of all content at 96 kHz/24 bit, a hardbound book filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia, and

735-413: A Page-Relf composition initially titled "Knowing That I'm Losing You", which would eventually be re-recorded by Led Zeppelin as " Tangerine ". The Yardbirds' 1968 tour proved to be exhausting for the band. Drummer Jim McCarty and vocalist Keith Relf aimed to embark in a more acoustic direction, forming a folk rock duo called Together, whereas Page wanted to continue the heavier blues-based sound of

840-463: A brief break from touring that summer, intending to start a major US tour on 23 August. Critics had said they were at the height of their popularity at this time. However, singer Robert Plant sustained serious injuries from a car accident on the Greek island of Rhodes on 4 August, which forced the band to cancel the tour and reschedule their activities. Because of their status as tax exiles , Plant

945-514: A broken ankle and Maureen was badly injured; a blood transfusion saved her life. Unable to tour, he 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 . During this forced hiatus, much of the material for their next album, Presence , was written. By this time, Led Zeppelin were

1050-638: A concert at Tampa Stadium was cut short because of a severe thunderstorm, despite tickets indicating "Rain or Shine". A riot broke out, resulting in arrests and injuries. After 23 July show at the Day on the Green festival at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California , Bonham and members of Led Zeppelin's support staff were arrested after a member of promoter Bill Graham 's staff was badly beaten during

1155-791: A deal with Atlantic Records that gave them considerable artistic freedom. Initially unpopular with critics, they achieved significant commercial success with eight studio albums over ten years. Their 1969 debut, Led Zeppelin , was a top-ten album in several countries and features such tracks as " Good Times Bad Times ", " Dazed and Confused " and " Communication Breakdown ". Led Zeppelin II (1969), their first number-one album, includes " Whole Lotta Love " and " Ramble On ". In 1970, they released Led Zeppelin III which opens with " Immigrant Song ". Their untitled fourth album, commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV (1971),

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1260-670: A different direction from Zeppelin, playing standards and in a more R&B style, highlighted by a cover of " Sea of Love " that peaked at number three on the Billboard chart in early 1985. The studio album Coda – a collection of Zeppelin outtakes and unused tracks – was issued in November 1982. It included two tracks from the Royal Albert Hall in 1970, one each from the Led Zeppelin III and Houses of

1365-553: A few dull blues rock songs, the album was "another monster in what by now is a continuing tradition of battles won by this band of survivors", in Davis' opinion. Robert Christgau was less enthusiastic in The Village Voice , citing "Hots on for Nowhere" as a "commanding cut" while finding much of the rest consistent but unnecessary in comparison with earlier recordings. Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph claimed it

1470-526: A flatbed trailer as a stage set on the field in front of the racetrack grandstand. This music festival-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass and keyboards) and John Bonham (drums). With

1575-449: A friend stripped Page's custom modifications and repainted the guitar. From 1969 on the mahogany "Number 1" Les Paul has been Page's main guitar. During the 1970s, Led Zeppelin reached new heights of commercial and critical success that made them one of the most influential groups of the era, eclipsing their earlier achievements. The band's image also changed as the members began to wear elaborate, flamboyant clothing, with Page taking

1680-613: A ham roll. After taking a bite of the ham roll he said to his assistant, "breakfast". He continued to drink heavily after arriving at the studio. The rehearsals were halted late that evening and the band retired to Page's house—the Old Mill House in Clewer , Windsor . After midnight, Bonham, who had fallen asleep, was taken to bed and placed on his side. At 1:45 pm the next day, Benji LeFevre (Led Zeppelin's new tour manager) and John Paul Jones found Bonham dead. The cause of death

1785-470: A heavy, guitar-driven sound and drawing from influences including blues and folk music , Led Zeppelin are cited as a progenitor of hard rock and heavy metal . They significantly influenced the music industry, particularly in the development of album-oriented rock and stadium rock . Led Zeppelin evolved from a previous band, the Yardbirds , and were originally named "the New Yardbirds". They signed

1890-504: A high-quality print of the original album cover. On 6 November 2015, the Mothership compilation was reissued using the band's newly remastered audio tracks. The reissuing campaign continued the next year with the re-release of BBC Sessions on 16 September 2016. The reissue contained a bonus disc with nine unreleased BBC recordings, including the heavily bootlegged but never officially released "Sunshine Woman". To commemorate

1995-480: A photo collection called Jimmy Page: The Anthology , confirming a band documentary for the band's 50th anniversary. A work-in-progress version of the documentary film Becoming Led Zeppelin was screened at the Venice Film Festival in 2021. It is the first time band members have agreed to participate in a biographical documentary. Presence (album) Presence is the seventh album by

2100-523: A planned Australian tour. The year 2003 saw the release of the triple live album How the West Was Won , and Led Zeppelin DVD , a six-hour chronological set of live footage that became the best-selling music DVD in history. In July 2007, Atlantic/ Rhino and Warner Home Video announced three Zeppelin titles to be released that November: Mothership , a 24-track best-of spanning the band's career;

2205-587: A reissue of the soundtrack The Song Remains the Same , including previously unreleased material; and a new DVD. Zeppelin also made their catalogue legally available for download, becoming one of the last major rock bands to do so. On 10 December 2007, Zeppelin reunited for the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at the O 2 Arena in London, with Jason Bonham again taking his father's place on drums. According to Guinness World Records 2009 ,

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2310-522: A result of Led Zeppelin having booked the studio immediately prior to the Rolling Stones , who were shortly to record songs for their album Black and Blue (released, like Presence , in the spring of 1976). Page negotiated with the Stones to borrow two days from their recording session time, during which he completed all the guitar overdubs in one lengthy session. Page and Harwood then worked on

2415-526: A result of his car accident, and missed his family. He later said he was upset about Page and manager Peter Grant booking the Presence sessions and began to re-evaluate the priorities in his life. Because the album was completed one day before the American holiday of Thanksgiving , Plant suggested to the record company the album should be called Thanksgiving . This idea was quickly dropped in favour of

2520-548: A safe deposit box at the Drake Hotel . In 1974, Led Zeppelin took a break from touring and launched their own record label, Swan Song , named after an unreleased song. The record label's logo is based on a drawing called Evening: Fall of Day (1869) by William Rimmer . The drawing features a figure of a winged human-like being interpreted as either Apollo or Icarus . The logo can be found on Led Zeppelin memorabilia, especially T-shirts. In addition to using Swan Song as

2625-557: A session that also included bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones . The Yardbirds played their final gig on 7 July 1968 at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire. They were still committed to several concerts in Scandinavia, so McCarty and 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

2730-587: A single edit of "Whole Lotta Love" in the US and the UK, the only single the band released in their homeland, where it peaked at number 21. November 1997 saw the release of Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions , a two-disc set largely recorded in 1969 and 1971. Page and Plant released another album called Walking into Clarksdale in 1998, featuring all new material, but after disappointing sales, the partnership dissolved before

2835-485: A title that was thought would represent the powerful force and presence that the band members felt surrounded the group. Six of the seven songs on the album are Page and Plant compositions; the remaining song, "Royal Orleans", is credited to all four band members. This is because the majority of the songs were formulated at Malibu, where Page (but not Bonham and Jones) had initially joined a recuperating Plant. With Plant at less than full fitness, Page took responsibility for

2940-611: A tour of the United States, during which they performed several songs which would later be part of Led Zeppelin's early repertoire, including covers of Johnny Burnette 's " Train Kept A-Rollin' " and " Dazed and Confused ", a song originally written and recorded by Jake Holmes . In early April 1968, the Yardbirds held a recording session at Columbia Studios in New York City, recording a number of tracks including

3045-818: A vehicle to promote their own albums, the band expanded the label's roster, signing artists such as Bad Company , the Pretty Things and Maggie Bell . The label was successful while Led Zeppelin existed, but folded less than three years after they disbanded. In 1975, Led Zeppelin's double album Physical Graffiti was their first release on the Swan Song label. It consisted of fifteen songs, of which eight had been recorded at Headley Grange in 1974 and seven had been recorded earlier. A review in Rolling Stone magazine referred to Physical Graffiti as Led Zeppelin's "bid for artistic respectability", adding that

3150-469: Is among the most special; none of these songs sound like they could have come from another record." Uncut said the original album is grand "in lyric form and musical scale", while "the discs of 'companion audio,' often short on revelation, here reveal a moment of sheer anomaly. '10 Ribs & All/Carrot Pod Pod (Pod)' is whatever that title may mean, everything the LP is not: a tender piano piece." PopMatters

3255-541: Is one of the best-selling albums in history, with 37 million copies sold. It includes " Black Dog ", " Rock and Roll " and " Stairway to Heaven ", with the latter being among the most popular and influential works in rock. Houses of the Holy (1973) includes " The Song Remains the Same " and " Over the Hills and Far Away ". Physical Graffiti (1975), a double album, features " The Rover " and " Kashmir ". Page composed most of Led Zeppelin's music, while Plant wrote most of

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3360-522: Is the lowest-selling album by the band. The album was written and recorded in the last months of 1975, during a difficult time in the band's history. Singer Robert Plant was recovering from serious injuries he had sustained earlier that year in a car accident; this led to tours being cancelled and the band booking studio time to record Presence instead. The entire album was completed in a few weeks, with guitarist Jimmy Page putting in several long shifts to complete recording and mixing. The title came from

3465-471: The Guinness Book of Records , the largest attendance to that date for a single act show. Although the tour was financially profitable, it was beset by off-stage problems. On 19 April, over 70 people were arrested as about 1,000 fans tried to gatecrash Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum for two sold-out concerts, while others tried to gain entry by throwing rocks and bottles through glass doors. On 3 June,

3570-498: The Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert on 10 December 2007. The cover and inside sleeve, created by Hipgnosis with George Hardie , features images of people interacting with a black obelisk -shaped object. Inside the sleeve, the item is referred to simply as "The Object". It was intended to represent Zeppelin's "force and presence". Hipgnosis co-founder Storm Thorgerson wrote that the obelisk represented

3675-563: The Billboard chart; it was released in the UK, where it peaked at number 6, on 31 March. According to Steve Erlewine , the album's memorable guitar riffs, lumbering rhythms, psychedelic blues , groovy, bluesy shuffles and hints of English folk music made it "a significant turning point in the evolution of hard rock and heavy metal". In their first year, Led Zeppelin completed four US and four UK concert tours , and also released their second album, Led Zeppelin II . Recorded mostly on

3780-694: The Earls Court Arena in London, at the time the largest arena in Britain. Following their triumphant Earls Court appearances , Led Zeppelin took a holiday and planned an autumn tour in America, scheduled to open with two outdoor dates in San Francisco. In August 1975, however, Plant and his wife Maureen were involved in a serious car crash while on holiday in Rhodes , Greece. Plant suffered

3885-616: The Knebworth Music Festival , playing to a crowd of approximately 104,000 on the first night. A brief, low-key European tour was undertaken in June and July 1980, featuring a stripped-down set without the usual lengthy jams and solos. On 27 June, at a show in Nuremberg , West Germany, the concert came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the third song, when Bonham collapsed onstage and was rushed to hospital. Speculation in

3990-671: The Mayfair Ballroom in Newcastle upon Tyne . Their first show as Led Zeppelin was at the University of Surrey in Battersea on 25 October. Tour manager Richard Cole , who would become a major figure in the touring life of the group, organised their first North American tour at the end of the year. Their debut album, Led Zeppelin , was released in the US during the tour on 13 January 1969, and peaked at number 10 on

4095-437: The induction ceremony , the band's inner rift became apparent when Jones joked upon accepting his award, "Thank you, my friends, for finally remembering my phone number", causing consternation and awkward looks from Page and Plant. Afterwards, they played one brief set with Tyler and Perry, with Jason Bonham on drums, and then a second with Neil Young , this time with Michael Lee playing the drums. In 1997, Atlantic released

4200-549: The "Riot House"), and became the subject of frequently repeated stories of debauchery. One 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 group being banned from that establishment for life. Although Led Zeppelin developed a reputation for trashing their hotel suites and throwing television sets out of

4305-599: The 1970s as the Beatles were in the 1960s. In 1966, London-based session guitarist Jimmy Page joined the blues-influenced rock band the Yardbirds to replace bassist Paul Samwell-Smith . Page soon switched from bass to lead guitar, creating a dual lead guitar line-up with Jeff Beck . Following Beck's departure in October 1966, the Yardbirds became a four-piece with Page as the sole guitarist. This new line-up recorded an album, Little Games , in 1967, before embarking on

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4410-474: The 1970s. The group followed up the album's release with tours of the UK , Australasia , North America , Japan , and the UK again from late 1971 through early 1973. Led Zeppelin's next album, Houses of the Holy , was released in March 1973. It featured further experimentation by the band, who expanded their use of synthesisers and mellotron orchestration. The predominantly orange album cover, designed by

4515-639: The English rock band Led Zeppelin . It was released by the band's own label Swan Song Records on 31 March 1976 in the United States and on 2 April 1976 in the United Kingdom. While the record was commercially successful, reaching the top of both the British and American album charts, and achieving a triple-platinum certification in the United States by the RIAA , it received mixed reviews from critics and

4620-475: The Holy , were released on 27 October 2014. Physical Graffiti was released on 23 February 2015, almost exactly forty years to the day after the original release. The fourth and final wave of studio album reissues, Presence , In Through the Out Door , and Coda , were released on 31 July 2015. Through this remastering project, each studio album was reissued on CD and vinyl and was also available in

4725-591: The Holy sessions, and three from the In Through the Out Door sessions. It also featured a 1976 Bonham drum instrumental with electronic effects added by Page, called " Bonzo's Montreux ". On 13 July 1985, Page, Plant, and Jones reunited for the Live Aid concert at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia , playing a short set featuring drummers Tony Thompson and Phil Collins , and bassist Paul Martinez . Collins had contributed to Plant's first two solo albums while Martinez

4830-850: The London-based design group Hipgnosis , depicts images of nude children climbing the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Although the children are not shown from the front, the cover was controversial at the time of the album's release. As with the band's fourth album, neither their name nor the album title was printed on the sleeve. Houses of the Holy topped charts worldwide, and the band's subsequent concert tour of North America in 1973 broke records for attendance, as they consistently filled large auditoriums and stadiums. At Tampa Stadium in Florida, they played to 56,800 fans, breaking

4935-576: The Same and the accompanying soundtrack album . The film premiered in New York City on 20 October 1976, but was given a lukewarm reception by critics and fans. The film was particularly unsuccessful in the UK, where, unwilling to tour since 1975 because of their tax exile status, Led Zeppelin faced an uphill battle to recapture the public's affection. In 1977, Led Zeppelin embarked on another major concert tour of North America . The band set another attendance record, with an audience of 76,229 at their Silverdome concert on 30 April. It was, according to

5040-642: The US Billboard 200 , with five of their albums certified Diamond in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Rolling Stone described them as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the seventies", and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995; the museum's biography states that they were "as influential" in

5145-477: The US. In 1969, an edited version of " Whole Lotta Love ", a track from their second album, was released as a single in the US. It reached number four in the Billboard chart in January 1970, selling over one million copies and helping to cement the band's popularity. The group also increasingly shunned television appearances, citing their preference that their fans hear and see them in live concerts. Following

5250-478: The Yardbirds. Page, with the support of the Yardbirds' new manager Peter Grant , planned to form a supergroup with Beck and himself on guitars, and the Who 's Keith Moon and John Entwistle on drums and bass, respectively. 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 ", in

5355-455: The accident during recording and sang his vocals in a wheelchair , which led to Page assuming most of the responsibilities at the sessions. The album was recorded and mixed with longtime group associate and engineer Keith Harwood , and completed in eighteen days, with the final mixes finished on 27 November. This was the fastest recording turnaround time achieved by the band since their debut album . The rushed recording sessions were in part

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5460-461: The album conveys a sense of urgency resulting from the troubled circumstances in which it was recorded, "it's not an easy album for a lot of people to access ... [I]t's not an easy album for a lot of people to listen to." Lewis nonetheless believed that Presence was underrated, as its music "packs a considerable punch", highlighting Page's playing and the production on the album. Fellow journalist Mick Wall said it "pulled Led Zeppelin back from

5565-578: The album's completion, and his playing dominates the album's tracks. Both Page and Plant had planned this album's recording session as a return to hard rock, much like their debut album, except at a new level of complexity. It marked a change in the Led Zeppelin sound towards more straightforward, guitar-based jams. Whereas their previous albums up to and including the previous year's Physical Graffiti contain electric hard rock anthems balanced with acoustic ballads and intricate arrangements, Presence

5670-407: The band could not tour to promote the release, and only two tracks, including the ten-minute opener " Achilles Last Stand ", were performed live. However, the album has been re-appraised in retrospective reviews for its hard rock dynamics and simplicity compared to the group's other work. After touring in support of their previous album, Physical Graffiti , released in early 1975, Led Zeppelin took

5775-486: The band developed a reputation for off-stage excess. In 1970, Page and Plant retired to Bron-Yr-Aur , a remote cottage in Wales , to commence work on their third album, Led Zeppelin III . The result was a more acoustic style that was strongly influenced by folk and Celtic music , and showcased the band's versatility. The album's rich acoustic sound initially received mixed reactions, with critics and fans surprised at

5880-424: The band had autonomy in deciding when they would release albums and tour and had the final say over the contents and design of each album. They would also decide how to promote each release and which tracks to release as singles. They formed their own company, Superhype, to handle all publishing rights. Still billed as the New Yardbirds, the band began their first tour of the UK on 4 October 1968, when they played at

5985-467: The band was active. "Achilles Last Stand" and "Nobody's Fault but Mine" were added to the setlist for the 1977 tour of the United States and stayed on it through the band's final concerts in 1980 . "Tea For One" was performed live on the Page and Plant tour of Japan in 1996, where the main group was backed by an orchestra. "For Your Life" was played in full by Led Zeppelin for the first (and only) time at

6090-503: The band's 50th anniversary, Page, Plant and Jones announced an official illustrated book celebrating 50 years since the formation of the band. Also released for the celebration was a reissue of How the West Was Won on 23 March 2018, which includes the album's first pressing on vinyl. For Record Store Day on 21 April 2018, Led Zeppelin released a 7" single "Rock and Roll" (Sunset Sound Mix) / "Friends" (Olympic Studio Mix) , their first single in 21 years. In October 2020, Page released

6195-539: The band's performance. The following day's second Oakland concert was the group's final live appearance in the United States. Two days later, as they checked in at a French Quarter hotel for their 30 July performance at the Louisiana Superdome , Plant received news that his five-year-old son, Karac, had died from a stomach virus. The rest of the tour was immediately cancelled, prompting widespread speculation about Led Zeppelin's future. In November 1978,

6300-622: The band's reputation, leading to abortive discussions among members about a reunion. This set included four previously unreleased tracks, including a version of Robert Johnson 's " Travelling Riverside Blues ". The song peaked at number seven on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2 was released in 1993; the two box sets together contained all known studio recordings, as well as some rare live tracks. In 1994, Page and Plant reunited for

6405-456: The band. "I told them I was busy and they'd simply have to wait," he recalled in 2014. "I would come around eventually, which they were fine with – at least to my knowledge. But it turns out they weren't. And what's even more disheartening, Jimmy used it against me." Jones and Page reportedly looked for a replacement for Plant; candidates including Steven Tyler of Aerosmith , and Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge . However, in January 2009, it

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6510-463: The band. The other two members, drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones , joined them at Hollywood's SIR Studio where they rehearsed the material throughout October 1975. Once they had worked out arrangements, the group were eager to record. Page favoured going to Musicland Studios in Munich , Germany, which he felt had state-of-the-art recording facilities. Plant was still recovering from

6615-400: The brink of crisis". A remastered version of Presence , along with In Through the Out Door and Coda were reissued on 31 July 2015. The reissue comes in six formats, including CD, vinyl and digital download. The deluxe and super deluxe editions feature bonus material containing alternative takes and one previously unreleased instrumental, "10 Ribs & All/Carrot Pod Pod". The reissue

6720-535: The end of the recording period. "For Your Life" was developed mostly in the studio. For the recording, Page used a Fender Stratocaster , provided by former Byrds guitarist Gene Parsons . "Royal Orleans" was written about an incident involving Jones at the Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans and includes a reference to soul singer Barry White . It was the only track on the album credited to

6825-473: The entire band. " Nobody's Fault but Mine ", was inspired by the Blind Willie Johnson song " It's Nobody's Fault but Mine ", first recorded in 1928 and later covered by Nina Simone in 1969. The influence of the old blues song are noticeable in both Page's guitar work in the track, and also in the melody and lyrics. "Candy Store Rock" was inspired by 1950s rock 'n' roll. "Hots on for Nowhere"

6930-402: The final member. In August 1968, the four played together for the first time in a room below a record store on Gerrard Street in London. Page suggested that they attempt " Train Kept A-Rollin' ", originally a jump blues song popularised in a rockabilly version by Johnny Burnette , which had been covered by the Yardbirds. "As soon as I heard John Bonham play", Jones recalled, "I knew this

7035-427: The first time in front of a live audience at Gladsaxe Teen Club at the Egegård School (today Gladsaxe School) festive hall, Gladsaxe , Denmark, on 7 September 1968. Later that month, they began recording their first album, which was based on their live set. The album was recorded and mixed in nine days, and Page covered the costs. After the album's completion, the band were forced to change their name after Dreja issued

7140-402: The four symbols appearing on the record label, as Four Symbols , Zoso or Runes . The band had wanted to release the fourth album with no title or information, in response to the music press "going on about Zeppelin being a hype", but the record company wanted something on the cover, so in discussions, it was agreed to have four symbols to represent both the four members of the band and that it

7245-531: The group recorded at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. The resulting album, In Through the Out Door , featured sonic experimentation that again drew mixed reactions from critics. Nevertheless, the album reached number one in the UK and the US in just its second week of release. With this album's release, Led Zeppelin's entire catalogue returned to the Billboard Top 200 in the weeks of 27 October and 3 November 1979. In August 1979, after two warm-up shows in Copenhagen , Led Zeppelin headlined two concerts at

7350-413: The group would not make another album like it. The ten-minute opening song, " Achilles Last Stand ", was first recorded on 12 November, when the basic backing track was laid down. Jones played an Alembic 8 string bass on the track, giving it a distinctive tone. Plant wrote the lyrics based on travelling across Africa in mid-1975 with Page. Page added six guitars in the marathon overdubbing session at

7455-497: The late 1970s. After Bonham's death in 1980, the group disbanded. The former members have sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off concerts, including the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London, with Bonham's son Jason Bonham on drums. Led Zeppelin are one of the best-selling music artists of all time , with estimated record sales of between 200 and 300 million units worldwide. They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums and six number-one albums on

7560-593: The lead on the flamboyant appearance by wearing a glittering moon-and-stars outfit. Led Zeppelin changed their show by using things such as lasers, professional light shows and mirror balls. They began travelling in a private jet airliner, a Boeing 720 (nicknamed the Starship ), rented out entire sections of hotels (including the Continental Hyatt House in Los Angeles, known colloquially as

7665-546: The lead singer was Terry Reid , but Reid declined the offer and suggested Robert Plant , a singer for the Band of Joy and Hobbstweedle. Plant eventually accepted the position, recommending former Band of Joy drummer John Bonham . John Paul Jones enquired about the vacant position of bass guitarist, at the suggestion of his wife, after Dreja dropped out of the project to become a photographer. Page had known Jones since they were both session musicians, and agreed to let him join as

7770-416: The lyrics. Jones occasionally contributed keyboard-focused parts, particularly on the band's final album. The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery. Although they remained commercially and critically successful, their touring and output, which included Presence (1976) and In Through the Out Door (1979), declined in

7875-401: The mixes virtually non-stop until they fell asleep; whoever woke up first went back to the desk to carry on. Page later stated he worked around 18–20 hours every day during the sessions. The recording sessions for Presence were also particularly challenging for Plant. The studio was in a basement of an old hotel, and the singer felt claustrophobic. He also experienced physical difficulties as

7980-420: The music press, with some critics suggesting that the band's excesses may have caught up with them. Page had begun using heroin during recording sessions for the album, a habit which may have affected the band's later live shows and studio recordings, although he has since denied this. Because of Plant's injuries, Led Zeppelin did not tour in 1976. Instead, the band completed the concert film The Song Remains

8085-493: The only bands Led Zeppelin had to compete with for the title "The World's Best Rock Band" were the Rolling Stones and the Who. The album was a massive commercial and critical success. Shortly after the release of Physical Graffiti , all previous Led Zeppelin albums simultaneously re-entered the top-200 album chart, and the band embarked on another North American tour , now employing sophisticated sound and lighting systems. In May 1975, Led Zeppelin played five sold-out nights at

8190-423: The power of Led Zeppelin, saying they were "so powerful, they didn't need to be there". Both Page and Plant have said that the presence of the object in the photographs made people stop and think about what is real, which reflected the music. The background in the cover photograph is an artificial marina, installed in London's Earl's Court arena for the annual Boat Show, in the winter of 1974–75. The band played

8295-521: The press suggested that his collapse had been the result of excessive alcohol and drug use, but the band claimed that he had simply overeaten. A North American tour , the band's first since 1977, was scheduled to commence on 17 October 1980. On 24 September, Bonham was picked up by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King to attend rehearsals at Bray Studios . During the journey, Bonham asked to stop for breakfast, where he downed four quadruple vodkas (from 16 to 24 US fl oz (470 to 710 ml)), with

8400-401: The record set by the Beatles' 1965 Shea Stadium concert and grossing $ 309,000. Three sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City were filmed for a motion picture, but the theatrical release of this project ( The Song Remains the Same ) was delayed until 1976. Before the final night's performance, $ 180,000 ($ 1,235,000 today) of the band's money from gate receipts was stolen from

8505-437: The release of their second album, Led Zeppelin completed several more US tours. They played initially in clubs and ballrooms, and then in larger auditoriums as their popularity grew. Some early Led Zeppelin concerts lasted more than four hours, with expanded and improvised live versions of their repertoire. Many of these shows have been preserved as bootleg recordings . It was during this period of intensive concert touring that

8610-450: The road at various North American studios, it was an even greater commercial success than their first album and reached the number one chart position in the US and the UK. The album further developed the mostly blues-rock musical style established on their debut release, creating a sound that was "heavy and hard, brutal and direct", and which would be highly influential and frequently imitated. Steve Waksman has suggested that Led Zeppelin II

8715-533: The show set a record for the "Highest Demand for Tickets for One Music Concert" as 20 million requests were submitted online. Critics praised the performance and there was widespread speculation about a full reunion. Page, Jones and Jason Bonham were reported to be willing to tour and to be working on material for a new Zeppelin project. Plant continued his touring commitments with Alison Krauss , stating in September 2008 that he would not record or tour with

8820-404: The strong presence the group felt as they worked together. The LP's artwork from Hipgnosis featured several photographs focused on a mysterious black object, called "The Object". Presence is dominated by compositions by Page and Plant, with only one track credited to the entire group; unlike other Zeppelin albums, it features no keyboards and little acoustic guitar. Because Plant was still ill,

8925-417: The term would not pronounce it "leed". The word "balloon" was replaced by " zeppelin ", a word which, according to music journalist Keith Shadwick, brought "the perfect combination of heavy and light, combustibility and grace" to Page's mind. Grant secured a $ 143,000 advance contract ($ 1,253,000 today) from Atlantic Records in November 1968—at the time, the biggest deal of its kind for a new band. Atlantic

9030-463: The turn from the primarily electric arrangements of the first two albums, further fuelling the band's hostility to the musical press. It reached number one in the UK and US charts, but its stay would be the shortest of their first five albums. The album's opening track, " Immigrant Song ", was released as a US single in November 1970 against the band's wishes, reaching the top twenty on the Billboard chart. Page played his 1959 Dragon Telecaster until

9135-409: The windows, some suggest that these tales have been exaggerated. According to music journalist Chris Welch , "[Led Zeppelin's] travels spawned many stories, but it was a myth that [they] were constantly engaged in acts of wanton destruction and lewd behaviour". Led Zeppelin released their fourth album on 8 November 1971. It is variously referred to as Led Zeppelin IV , Untitled , IV , or, due to

9240-422: 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 a mixed reaction among fans and

9345-589: Was asphyxiation from vomit; the finding was accidental death. An autopsy found no other recreational drugs in Bonham's body. Although he had recently begun to take Motival (a cocktail of the antipsychotic fluphenazine and the tricyclic antidepressant nortriptyline ) to combat his anxiety, it is unclear if these substances interacted with the alcohol in his system. Bonham's remains were cremated and his ashes interred on 12 October 1980, at Rushock parish church, Worcestershire . The planned North American tour

9450-443: Was "Zeppelin at their most blunted", awarding it two stars out of five. In a retrospective review, a Q critic who gave the album three out of five stars wrote, " Presence sounds as rushed as it was." According to Dave Lewis, "The direct, hard-hitting nature of the seven recordings failed to connect with a fan base more accustomed to the diversity and experimental edge of their previous work. Page later acknowledged that, because

9555-415: Was "the musical starting point for heavy metal". The band saw their albums as indivisible, complete listening experiences, disliking the re-editing of existing tracks for release as singles. Grant maintained an aggressive pro-album stance, particularly in the UK, where there were few radio and TV outlets for rock music. Without the band's consent, however, some songs were released as singles, particularly in

9660-475: Was a label with a catalogue of mainly blues, soul, and jazz artists, but in the late 1960s, it began to take an interest in British progressive rock acts. At the recommendation of British singer Dusty Springfield , a friend of Jones who at the time was completing her first Atlantic album, Dusty in Memphis , record executives signed Led Zeppelin without having ever seen them. Under the terms of their contract,

9765-530: Was a member of Plant's solo band. The performance was marred by a lack of rehearsal with the two drummers, Page's struggles with an out-of-tune guitar, poorly functioning monitors, and Plant's hoarse voice. Page described the performance as "pretty shambolic", while Plant characterised it as an "atrocity". The three members reunited again on 14 May 1988, for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert, with Bonham's son Jason on drums. The result

9870-415: Was again disjointed: Plant and Page had argued immediately prior to taking the stage about whether to play "Stairway to Heaven", and Jones' keyboards were absent from the live television feed. Page described the performance as "one big disappointment" and Plant said "the gig was foul". The first Led Zeppelin box set , featuring tracks remastered under Page's supervision, was released in 1990 and bolstered

9975-473: Was cancelled, and despite rumours that Cozy Powell , Carmine Appice , Barriemore Barlow , Simon Kirke , Ric Lee or Bev Bevan would join the group as his replacement, the remaining members decided to disband. A 4 December 1980 press statement stated that, "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were." The statement

10080-455: Was confirmed that the project had been abandoned. "Getting the opportunity to play with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham was pretty special," Kennedy recalled. "That is pretty much the zenith right there. That was a crazy, good experience. It's something I still think of often ... It's so precious to me." A film of the O2 performance, Celebration Day , premiered on 17 October 2012 and

10185-579: Was forced to recuperate abroad, initially in Jersey in the Channel Islands , then in Malibu, California , and wrote several sets of lyrics that reflected on his personal situation and wondering about the future. Guitarist Jimmy Page joined him in Malibu in September and the pair began to think about plans to make an album instead. The two prepared enough material to be able to present to the rest of

10290-484: Was going to be great ... We locked together as a team immediately". Before leaving for Scandinavia, the group took part in a recording session for the P. J. Proby album Three Week Hero . The album's track "Jim's Blues", with Plant on harmonica, was the first studio track to feature all four future members of Led Zeppelin. The band completed the Scandinavian tour as the New Yardbirds, playing together for

10395-423: Was overshadowed by the release of the band's movie and soundtrack The Song Remains the Same . "Candy Store Rock" was released as a single in the US, but it failed to chart. In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone , Stephen Davis said Presence established Led Zeppelin as the premier heavy metal act and featured some exceptional rock music, highlighting the "clean and purifying" guitar riffs. In spite of

10500-446: Was released on DVD on 19 November. The film grossed $ 2 million in one night, and the live album peaked at number 4 and 9 in the UK and US, respectively. Following the film's premiere, Page revealed that he had been remastering the band's discography . The first wave of albums, Led Zeppelin , Led Zeppelin II , and Led Zeppelin III , were released on 2 June 2014. The second wave of albums, Led Zeppelin IV and Houses of

10605-398: Was released with an altered colour version of the original album's artwork as the bonus disc's cover. The reissue received generally positive reviews. At Metacritic , which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 77, based on eight reviews. Pitchfork wrote, "It might be their weakest album, but Presence

10710-469: Was seen to include more simplified riffs, and is Led Zeppelin's only studio album that features no keyboards, and with the exception of a rhythm track on " Candy Store Rock ", no acoustic guitar. The changed stylistic emphasis on this album was a direct result of the troubled circumstances experienced by the band around the time of its recording. Page later said the music came from this spontaneity. Plant later described it as "a cry of survival" and speculated

10815-463: Was signed simply "Led Zeppelin". Following Led Zeppelin's dissolution, the first significant musical project by one of its members was the Honeydrippers , which Plant initially formed in 1981. The group, featuring Page on lead guitar, along with studio musicians and friends of the pair, including Jeff Beck, Paul Shaffer , and Nile Rodgers , released its only album in 1984. Plant focused on

10920-415: Was the fourth album. With 37 million copies sold, Led Zeppelin IV is one of the best-selling albums in history, and its massive popularity cemented Led Zeppelin's status as superstars in the 1970s. By 2021, it had sold 24 million copies in the United States alone. The track " Stairway to Heaven ", never released as a single, was the most requested and most played song on American rock radio in

11025-573: Was written about Plant's time in Malibu, while Page played the Stratocaster on the track. The closing number, "Tea For One", was a slow blues written by Plant about the problems he faced being separated from his family, and was an attempt to update their earlier " Since I've Been Loving You " from Led Zeppelin III . In contrast to earlier albums that contained several tracks that the band chose to play live at Led Zeppelin concerts , only two tracks from Presence were played in full on stage while

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