This pivotal quartet was formed in October 1968 by British guitarist
Jimmy Page
(b. James Patrick Page, 9 January 1944, Heston,
Middlesex, England) following the demise of his former band, the
Yardbirds. John Paul Jones
(b. John Baldwin, 3 June 1946, Sidcup,
Kent, England; bass, keyboards), a respected arranger and session
musician, replaced original member Chris Dreja, but hopes to
incorporate vocalist Terry Reid floundered on a contractual impasse.
The singer unselfishly recommended Robert Plant
(b. 20 August
1948, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England), then frontman of
struggling Midlands act Hobbstweedle, who in turn introduced
drummer John Bonham
(b. 31 May 1948, Birmingham, England, d.
25 September 1980), when first choice B.J. Wilson opted to remain
with Procol Harum. The quartet gelled immediately and having
completed outstanding commitments under the name 'New Yardbirds',
became Led Zeppelin following a quip by the Who 's Keith Moon,
who, when assessing their prospects, remarked that they would
probably 'go down like a lead Zeppelin'. Armed with a prestigious
contract with Atlantic Records, the group toured the USA supporting
Vanilla Fudge prior to the release of their explosive debut,
Led Zeppelin, which included several exceptional original songs,
including 'Good Times, Bad Times', 'Communication Breakdown',
'Dazed And Confused' - a hangover from the Yardbirds' era - and
skilled interpretations of R&B standards 'How Many More Times?'
and 'You Shook Me'. The set vied with Jeff Beck 's Truth as the
definitive statement of English heavy blues/rock, but Page's meticulous
production showed a greater grasp of basic pop dynamics, resulting
in a clarity redolent of 50s rock 'n' roll. His staggering dexterity was
matched by Plant's expressive, beseeching voice, a combination that
flourished on Led Zeppelin II. The group was already a headline act,
drawing sell-out crowds across the USA, when this propulsive
collection confirmed an almost peerless position. The introductory track,
'Whole Lotta Love', a thinly veiled rewrite of Willie Dixon 's 'You Need
Love', has since become a classic, while 'Livin' Lovin' Maid' and
'Moby Dick', Bonham's exhibition piece, were a staple part of the
quartet's early repertoire. Elsewhere, 'Thank You' and 'What Is And
What Should Never Be' revealed a greater subtlety, a factor emphasized
more fully on Led Zeppelin III. Preparation for this set had been undertaken
at Bron-Y-Aur cottage in Snowdonia
(immortalized in 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp'),
and a resultant pastoral atmosphere permeated the acoustic-based selections
'That's The Way' and 'Tangerine'. 'The Immigrant Song' and 'Gallow's Pole'
reasserted the group's traditional fire and the album's release confirmed
Led Zeppelin's position as one of the world's leading attractions. In concert,
Plant's sexuality and Adonis-like persona provided the perfect foil to Page's
more mercurial character, yet both individuals took full command of the stage,
the guitarist's versatility matched by his singer's unfettered roar.

Confirmation of the group's ever-burgeoning strengths appeared on Led
Zeppelin IV, also known as 'Four Symbols', the 'Runes Album' or 'Zoso',
in deference to the fact that the set bore no official title. It included the
anthemic 'Stairway To Heaven', a group tour de force. Arguably the
definitive heavy-rock song, it continues to win polls, and the memorable
introduction remains every guitar novice's first hurdle. The approbation
granted this ambitious piece initially obscured other tracks, but the
energetic 'When The Levee Breaks' is now alsolauded as a masterpiece,
particularly for Bonham's drumming. 'Black Dog' and 'Rock 'N' Roll'
saw Zeppelin at their immediate best, while 'The Battle Of
Evermore' was marked by a vocal contribution from Sandy Denny. IV was
certified as having sold 16 million copies in the USA by March 1996. However,
the effusive praise this album generated was notably more muted for Houses
Of The Holy. Critics queried its musically diverse selection - the set embraced
folk ballads, reggae and soul - yet when the accustomed power was unleashed,
notably on 'No Quarter', the effect was inspiring. A concurrent US tour broke
all previous attendance records, the proceeds from which helped to finance an
in-concert film, issued in 1976 as The Song Remains The Same, and the
formation of the group's own record label, Swan Song. Bad Company, the
Pretty Things and Maggie Bell were also signed to the company, which served
to provide Led Zeppelin with total creative freedom. Physical Graffiti, a double
set, gave full rein to the quartet's diverse interests, with material ranging from
compulsive hard rock
('Custard Pie' and 'Sick Again') to
pseudo-mystical experimentation
('Kashmir'). The irrepressible 'Trampled
Underfoot' joined an ever-growing lexicon of peerless performances, while
'In My Time Of Dying' showed an undiminished grasp of progressive blues.
Sell-out appearances in the UK followed the release, but rehearsals for a
projected world tour were abandoned in August 1975 when Plant sustained
multiple injuries in a car crash. A new album was prepared during his period
of convalescence, although problems over artwork delayed its release.
Advance orders alone assured Presence platinum status, yet the set was
regarded as a disappointment and UK sales were noticeably weaker. The
10-minute maelstrom 'Achilles Last Stand' was indeed a remarkable
performance, but the remaining tracks were competent rather than fiery and
lacked the accustomed sense of grandeur. In 1977 Led Zeppelin began its
rescheduled US tour, but on 26 July news reached Robert Plant that his
six-year-old son, Karac, had died of a viral infection. The remaining
dates were cancelled amid speculation that the group would break up.

They remained largely inactive for over a year, but late in 1978 they flew to
Abba 's Polar recording complex in Stockholm. Although lacking the definition
of earlier work, In Through The Out Door was a strong collection on which
John Paul Jones emerged as the unifying factor. Two concerts at Britain's
Knebworth Festival were the prelude to a short European tour on which the
group unveiled a stripped-down act, inspired, in part, by the punk explosion.
Rehearsals were then undertaken for another US tour, but in September 1980,
Bonham was found dead following a lengthy drinking bout. On 4 December,
Swansong announced that the group had officially retired, although a collection
of archive material, Coda, was subsequently issued. Jones later became a
successful producer, notably with the Mission, while Plant embarked on a highly
successful solo career, launched with Pictures At Eleven. Page scored the
film Death Wish 2 and, after a brief reunion with Plant and the Honeydrippers
project in 1984, he inaugurated the short-lived Firm with Paul Rogers. He then
formed the Jimmy Page Band with John Bonham's son, Jason, who in turn
drummed with Led Zeppelin on their
appearance at Atlantic 's 25th Anniversary Concert in 1988. Despite renewed
interest in the group's career, particularly in the wake of the retrospective
Remasters, entreaties to make this a permanent reunion were resisted. However,
in 1994 Page and Plant went two-thirds of the way to a re-formation with their
ironically titled Unledded project, though John Paul Jones was conspicuous by
his absence
(for want of an invitation). The duo cemented the relationship with
an album of new Page And Plant material in 1998. Although their commercial
success is unquestionable, Led Zeppelin are now rightly recognized as one of
the most influential bands of the rock era and their catalogue continues to
provide inspiration to successive generations of musicians.