What was the first song Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones played on?
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant might have grabbed most of the headlines about the band., but bassist John Paul Jones was the first member of the…
Which Led Zeppelin song inspired Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’?
In one fell swoop of three-fingered power, Black Sabbath tore down the veil of hippiedom and ushered in a new, darker, meaner, but overall more hard-hitting era for rock and…
‘Rock and Roll’: The Velvet Underground vs Led Zeppelin and two sides of the same counterculture coin
The Velvet Underground and Led Zeppelin are perhaps two of the most iconic rock and roll bands of all time, yet they are worlds apart in terms of sound. While…
‘Immigrant Song’: The mystery chord “nobody could work out” in the Led Zeppelin classic
Ever since hard rock progenitors Led Zeppelin burst onto the scene in 1968, countless young hopefuls have been trying – and, largely, failing – to emulate the incredible guitar stylings…
Who is the “lady” from Led Zeppelin’s song ‘Stairway to Heaven’?
At least in the opinion of casual listeners and the cumulative swell of music critics down the years, ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is Led Zeppelin’s definitive contribution to music. The jewel…
‘St Trinian’s Sword’: the tale of a lost Led Zeppelin song
There’s a good chance that we still haven’t heard the last of the most celebrated rock bands in history. As much as people like the idea of keeping some songs…
What instruments does John Paul Jones play on the Led Zeppelin song ‘Kashmir’?
Led Zeppelin arguably peaked as a band during their frenetic first three years as a group, a time when they produced some of the most ferocious hard-rocking blues and metal…
Every Led Zeppelin song based on a Robert Johnson composition
The reasons why bluesman Robert Johnson is so revered today go far beyond his founding of the notorious “27 Club”, his legendary meeting with the devil at a Mississippi crossroads,…
The Led Zeppelin song Jimmy Page wrote to hit back at George Harrison
It was 1973, and Led Zeppelin was wondering where to steer their revolution next. With critics questioning their reign and many bands taking up their mantle, they produced Houses of…
What is the mysterious black object on the cover of Led Zeppelin album ‘Presence’?
It can feel like truly great album artwork is a thing of the past. There are rare exceptions, such as the Brat artwork that Charli XCX unveiled earlier this summer,…