Одна из первых статей о группе Led Zeppelin.
Январь 1969
Another Cream?
The Led Zeppelin — vibrations in blues
What is a Led Zeppelin? Choose one of the following:
1. A rigid airship first constructed in 1899
2. A guy by the name of Ferdinand who lived from 1838 to 1917 and was the original hippie
3. A prehistoric ancestor of the striped animal known today as a zebra
4. None of the above
The answer of course is none of the above.
Led Zeppelin is the newest of the new blues-rock groups. It's so new it's only been together two months. But Led Zep is already beginning to make vibrations.
It all happened in a small stuffy rehearsal hall in London when former Yardbird Jimmy Page started jamming with a threesome by the names of John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant.
"We started laughing at each other,” says Jimmy. "Maybe it was from relief, or maybe from the knowledge we could groove together. But whatever it was, it was going well.”
The formation of Led Zeppelin was no easy task. When it became known Jimmy was putting a group together, he was inundated with calls from musicians all over the country.
When the Yardbirds split up last summer. Jimmy was ready to take bass player Chris Dreja with him into Led Zeppelin. Chris eventually backed out of the arrangement, choosing instead to go into management.
”I joined the Yardbirds to give myself the opportunity to play my own music. Before that my only' interest was session work," says Jimmy. "I had begun to feel limited not being able to express myself.
"When I left the Yardbirds it was for almost exactly the same reasons. The group split because everyone began to feel the need to go in his own direction. The pity is, there was still great potential.''
Jimmy set out on a one–man campaign to make himself heard. As a session guitarist he had contributed to tracks by such stars as the Stones, Donovan and Joe Cocker.
"I was working on the Donovan album 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' with John Paul, who did some of the arrangements. He asked if I could use a bass guitarist in Led Zeppelin."
Singer — friend Terry Reid turned Jimmy and John on to lead vocalist Robert Plant. Known for his powerful voice. Robert was able to be heard of the back of a Swedish auditorium when the speakers broke down.
They later signed drummer John Bonham who does his drum solo with his hands.
Together Led Zeppelin produces one of the rawest, most basic contemporary blues sounds around. Give them a listen.