Led Zeppelin

United Kingdom (1968 - 1980)
70s  classic rock  hard rock  progressive rock  rock   ... see all
Led Zeppelin was originally formed in 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page under the name "The New Yardbirds," based on Page's previous band, The Yardbirds. While The New Yardbirds arose at first simply to fulfill some performance commitments booked in Scandinavia before the original band's break-up, Page attempted to create a rock-supergroup out of the new band, which would have been composed of the Yardbirds' own Page and Jeff Beck, the Who's Keith Moon and John Entwistle (who were considering leaving their band), and possibly Steve Winwood or Steve Marriott.

After Page's attempt at forming a supergroup failed, Page filled the band with vocalist Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham and long-time friend and fellow London recording session player John Paul Jones. Page's first choice as singer, Terry Reid, declined the opportunity but selflessly recommended Plant, who accepted and then brought in his old friend Bonham from the defunct Band of Joy.

After some concerts with this new line-up billed variously as the New Yardbirds, or sometimes simply The Yardbirds, the band's name was changed to Led Zeppelin, after a comment was made by The Who's drummer Keith Moon while the New Yardbirds supergroup was still a possibility.

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