History
Brief History
June 1966
Jimmy Page joins the Yardbirds, playing bass guitar.
November 1966
Jimmy Page takes Jeff Beck's place playing lead guitar with the Yardbirds.
March 1967
John Bonham and Robert Plant begin playing together in the Band of Joy.
August 1968
Jimmy Page asks Robert Plant to sing with the New Yardbirds.
September 1968
The New Yardbirds rehearse with Jimmy Page on guitar, Robert Plant singing vocals, John Paul Jones on bass, and John Bonham on drums.
September 14, 1968
The New Yardbirds debut show in Copenhagen, Denmark.
October 1968
The debut album Led Zeppelin was recorded at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London.
October 17, 1968
First appearance under the name Led Zeppelin, at Surrey University.
November 1968
Led Zeppelin signs to Atlantic Records.
December 26, 1968
First American show, in Denver, Colorado.
January 17, 1969
Led Zeppelin released in America.
March 25, 1969
Led Zeppelin filmed for Super Session movie in Staines, England.
October 31, 1969
Led Zeppelin II released.
October 23, 1970
Led Zeppelin III released.
March 5, 1971
Led Zeppelin first performs "Stairway to Heaven" live, at Ulster Hall, Belfast, N. Ireland.
November 12, 1971
Led Zeppelin IV released.
November 20, 1972
100,000 tickets sold in one day for a UK tour.
March 26, 1973
Houses of the Holy released.
May 10, 1974
Led Zeppelin launches the Swan Song logo.
February 24, 1975
Physical Graffiti, a double album, is released.
May 17, 1975
The first of five shows at London's Earls Court arena.
August 4, 1975
Robert Plant was seriously injured in a car crash in Rhodes.
April 5, 1976
Presence released.
October 20, 1976
World premier of the Led Zeppelin movie The Song Remains the Same.
April 1, 1977
Led Zeppelin's eleventh tour opens in Dallas, Texas.
July 23, 1977
Led Zeppelin entourage was involved in a fight backstage at the Oakland Coliseum.
July 26, 1977
Robert Plant's son Karac dies at home in England. The US tour is cancelled.
August 4, 1979
The first of two appearances in Knebworth, Herts, England. These would be their last shows in Britain.
August 20, 1979
In Through the Out Door, Led Zeppelin's last studio album, released.
June 17, 1980
Led Zeppelin's last European tour starts at Westfalen Halle, Dortmund, Germany.
September 25, 1980
John Bonham was found dead at Jimmy Page's home in Windsor, Berkshire.
December 4, 1980
Led Zeppelin announces their break-up.
November 22, 1981
Coda released.
July 13, 1985
Reunion of Led Zeppelin with Jason Bonham on drums during Live Aid at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia.
October 29, 1990
54-track boxed set, Led Zeppelin, digitally remastered by Jimmy Page, released. The world's interest in the group is rekindled.
September 1993
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant are concentating on solo projects. Meanwhile the remaining 31 Led Zeppelin tracks are issued on Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2. There are rumors of a Led Zeppelin reunion.
Spring of 1994
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant are rumored to be uniting to play together. Unplugged session is coming up.
November 18, 1997
BBC Sessions, a double CD, is released.
In Depth
In 1968, Jimmy Page still had tour obligations to fufil even after the breakup of the Yardbirds. John Paul Jones was inlisted almost immegiately. There was still a hunt goingo on for the lead singer, but Jimmy Page had gotten a tip about a singer from Birmingham named Robert Plant who was currently singing in a band called Hobbstweedle. Plant jumped on bord in August of 1968 and suggested John Bonham as a drummer. The band finished the Yardbirds concert schedule as the New Yardbirds. The bands name was changed to Led Zeppelin after Keith Moon(the drummer from the Who) said they would go over like a lead zeppelin. Led Zeppelin signed on with Altlantic Records and in February of 1969 they released their first album tiled: Led Zeppelin. Zeppelin's second album, Led Zeppelin II, was recorded while they were touring in 1969. It reached No. 1 on the charts, where it stayed for seven weeks. There thrid album was released in October of 1970. The fourth album was left untitled yet many refer to it as Zoso or Led Zeppelin IV, and it was released in 1971. To this day it is Led Zeppelin's best selling album. Houses of the Holy was released in the spring of 1973 and debuted No. 1 both in America and England. In 1974 Led Zeppelin created their own label Swan Song. Physical Graffiti, a double-album set, was the first album released under the label. Presence, the band’s 7th album was released in 1976, sold 4 million copies. Two years later In Through The Out Door was released, and then Coda in 1982.
On September 25, 1980, John Bonham was found dead in Page’s home from a drinking binge. The other members decided that they could not continue without Bonham, and on December 4, 1980 released a statement that they had broken up.