Led Zeppelin Album Discography; Led Zeppelin CDs & DVDs

Jimmy Page joined The Yardbirds as a bass player, and had been a much in demand session guitarist, playing on Tom Jones's 'It's Not Unusual', The Who's 'I Can't Explain', and 'You Really Got Me' by The Kinks, and Donovan's 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' with John Paul Jones. Both Page and Jones didn't really start out as wild boys of rock, and part of their formative music education saw them playing with Herman's Hermits. Jimmy also appeared in the David Hemmings/Vanessa Redgrave film, 'Blow Up', when The Yardbirds did a turn. Jeff Beck smashed his amp, and a young Page is seen looking on, grinning.

Paradoxically, the recent success of The Yardbirds meant that Clapton's departure was not the blow it could have been. They were now a prestigious group to join. Jimmy Page was invited to be the group's new lead guitarist, but he was, at the time, one of the hottest studio guitarists around - playing on Tom Jones's 'It's Not Unusual', The Who's 'I Can't Explain', and 'You Really Got Me' by The Kinks. Reluctant to take the risk of joining a group that maybe wouldn't last, he recommended Jeff Beck, and it was Beck who pushed The Yardbirds, and rock music in general, into uncharted territory, with his using an electric guitar to not only make music, but strange, futuristic sounds. Songs such as 'Shapes Of Things' and 'Over Under Sideways Down' indicating where the group was heading - and, lyrically, they were like a futuristic Alice In Wonderland. 'Evil Hearted You' also showed early signs of some thunderous Led Zeppelin chords.

When Samwell-Smith decided to quit playing, and become The Yardbirds producer, Jimmy Page joined the group, and Page and Beck's invention was shown on 'Happenings Ten Years Time Ago'. Featuring John Paul Jones on bass, this was a groundbreaking track, and a definitive psychedelic one. Page was also playing bass with The Yardbirds, as well as sharing lead guitar with Beck around this time, while tutoring Dreja into becoming The Yardbirds regular bassist.

When Beck left the group in mysterious circumstances, he went for a solo career, and gave Rod Stewart a job as the lead singer of The Jeff Beck Group. The B-side of Beck's hit, 'Hi Ho Silver Lining' was 'Beck's Bolero', historically interesting as it was written by Page, who also played guitar on it with Beck. John Paul Jones was on bass, Keith Moon on drums, and Nicky Hopkins on keyboards. Thus the supergroup that never was.

When Jeff Beck left The Yardbirds, Page became the dominant figure in the group, and The Yardbirds then became The New Yardbirds, which ultimately metamorphosed into Led Zeppelin. It's interesting to see how the group evolved into Led Zeppelin. Peter Grant became The Yardbirds manager in 1967, then going on to become one of the most famous of all rock managers with Led Zeppelin. Page was experimenting with using a violin and cello bow on his guitar with The Yardbirds - something he carried on doing with Led Zeppelin. The Yardbirds covered Jake Holmes's 'Dazed And Confused' - an early Led Zeppelin classic - which had gone down well on American tours.

In July, 1968, The Yardbirds played effectively their last-ever gig - in Luton, England. Things then got a bit complicated. Jimmy Page had the rights to the band's name, Yardbirds stalwart Dreja quit, Relf and McCarty had already left, and a Scandinavian tour beckoned. A one Terry Reid was offered the job as lead singer with what would be called The New Yardbirds, but still The Yardbirds to record companies trying to shift product from this new assemblage. Reid had other obligations, so recommended an unknown singer from the Midlands, Robert Plant, who suggested John Bonham as the drummer, and John Paul Jones replaced Dreja on bass. Led Zeppelin were to become the biggest rock act of the 1970s.

Though, both Robert Plant (a failed mid-'60s would-be Tom Jones) and drummer John Bonham had much less experience in the music industry than Page and bassist John Paul Jones, they quickly gelled together as an obviously powerful musical force, despite Who drummer Keith Moon's famous, or infamous, "You'll go down like a lead zeppelin" remark. Thus, Led Zeppelin became the name of the group! Led Zeppelin could have been The Whoopie Cushion or The Mad Dogs. Thankfully, neither name prevailed.

Their first album, 'Dazed and Confused', was recorded in only three weeks, and despite sniping remarks about Robert Plant's vocalizing, it was obvious Led Zeppelin were a big talent just waiting to fly...

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
Robert has been making some impressive music with Alison Krauss, and, seeing him on several TV shows, he seems happy with life - and it shows on this album. - P.R.
Buy at Amazon.co.uk
Buy at Amazon.com

Led Zep albums - release dates/recording dates/track listings/songwriting credits (principal albums)

Released on January 12, 1969 (Atlantic 19126)
Remastered 1994 (Atlantic 82632)
Recorded in November 1968 at Olympic Studios, London.

1. Good Times Bad Times (Page/Jones/Bonham)
2. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (Page/Plant/Anne Bredon)
3. You Shook Me (Willie Dixon)
4. Dazed and Confused (Page)
5. Your Time Is Gonna Come (Page/Jones)
6. Black Mountain Side (Page)
7. Communication Breakdown (Page/Jones/Bonham)
8. I Can't Quit You Baby (Willie Dixon)
9. How Many More Times (Page/Jones/Bonham)

Released on October 22, 1969 (Atlantic 19127)
Remastered 1994 (Atlantic 82633)
Recorded between January and August 1969 at various studios.

1. Whole Lotta Love (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
2. What Is and What Should Never Be (Page/Plant)
3. The Lemon Song (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
4. Thank You (Page/Plant)
5. Heartbreaker (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
6. Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman) (Page/Plant)
7. Ramble On (Page/Plant)
8. Moby Dick (Page/Jones/Bonham)
9. Bring It On Home (Page/Plant)

Released on October 5, 1970 (Atlantic 19128)
Remastered 1994 (Atlantic 82678)
Recorded between January and August 1970 at Olympic Sound, London
  and Ardent Studios, Memphis.

1. Immigrant Song (Page/Plant)
2. Friends (Page/Plant)
3. Celebration Day (Page/Plant/Jones)
4. Since I've Been Loving You (Page/Plant/Jones)
5. Out On The Tiles (Page/Plant/Bonham)
6. Gallows Pole (Traditional)
7. Tangerine (Page)
8. That's The Way (Page)
9. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp (Page/Plant/Jones)
10. Hats Off To (Roy) Harper (Traditional)

Released on November 8, 1971 (Atlantic 19129)
Remastered 1994 (82638)
Recorded between December 1970 and August 1971 at Island Studios, London;
  Headley Grange, Hampshire; and Sunset Sound, Los Angeles.

1. Black Dog (Page/Plant/Jones)
2. Rock and Roll (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
3. The Battle of Evermore (Page/Plant)
4. Stairway To Heaven (Page/Plant)
5. Misty Mountain Hop (Page/Plant/Jones)
6. Four Sticks (Page/Plant)
7. Going To California (Page/Plant)
8. When The Levee Breaks (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham/Memphis Minnie)

Released on March 28, 1973 (Atlantic 19130)
Remastered 1994 (82639)
Recorded between January and August 1972 at Electric Lady Studios, New York
  and Olympic Sound, London.

1. The Song Remains The Same (Page/Plant)
2. The Rain Song (Page/Plant)
3. Over The Hills and Far Away (Page/Plant)
4. The Crunge (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
5. Dancing Days (Page/Plant)
6. D'yer Mak'er (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
7. No Quarter (Page/Plant/Jones)
8. The Ocean (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)

Released on February 24, 1975 (Swan Song SS-200)
Remastered 1994 (92442)
Recorded between November 1973 and December 1974 at Headley Grange with 
Ronnie Lane's mobile studio, and with the Rolling Stones mobile studio, 
Olympic Studios, Island Studios, Stargroves and Electric Ladyland.

Disc 1:
1. Custard Pie (Page/Plant)
2. The Rover (Page/Plant)
3. In My Time of Dying (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
4. Houses of The Holy (Page/Plant)
5. Trampled Under Foot (Page/Plant/Jones)
6. Kashmir (Page/Plant/Bonham)

Disc 2:
1. In The Light (Page/Plant/Jones)
2. Bron-Yr-Aur (Page)
3. Down By The Seaside (Page/Plant)
4. Ten Years Gone (Page/Plant)
5. Night Flight (Page/Plant/Jones)
6. The Wanton Song (Page/Plant)
7. Boogie With Stu (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham/Ian Stewart & Mrs. Valens)
8. Black Country Woman (Page/Plant)
9. Sick Again (Page/Plant)

Released on March 31, 1976 (Swan Song SS8416)
Remastered 1994 (92439)
Recorded between November 1975 at Musicland Studios, Munich.

1. Achilles Last Stand (Page/Plant)
2. For Your Life (Page/Plant)
3. Royal Orleans (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
4. Nobody's Fault But Mine (Page/Plant)
5. Candy Store Rock (Page/Plant)
6. Hots On For Nowhere (Page/Plant)
7. Tea For One (Page/Plant)

Released on August 15, 1979 (Swan Song SS16022)
Remastered 1994 (Swan Song 92443)
Recorded in December 1978 at Polar Music Studios, Stockholm.

1. In The Evening (Page/Plant/Jones)
2. South Bound Saurez (Plant/Jones)
3. Fool In The Rain (Page/Plant/Jones)
4. Hot Dog (Page/Plant)
5. Carouselambra (Page/Plant/Jones)
6. All My Love (Plant/Jones)
7. I'm Gonna Crawl (Page/Plant/Jones)

Released on November 19, 1982 (Atlantic 90051)
Remastered 1994 (Atlantic 92444)
All tracks mixed at The Sol Studio, Cookham, Berkshire.

1. We're Gonna Groove (Ben E. King/James Bethea)
2. Poor Tom (Page/Plant)
3. I Can't Quit You Baby (Willie Dixon)
4. Walter's Walk (Page/Plant)
5. Ozone Baby (Page/Plant)
6. Darlene (Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham)
7. Bonzo's Montreux (Bonham)
8. Wearing and Tearing (Page/Plant)

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin	How the West Was Won Led Zeppelin	The Song Remains the Same Led Zeppelin
Early Days and Latter Days - The Ver... Led Zeppelin	The BBC Sessions Led Zeppelin