Although Led Zeppelin soared to fame throughout the 1970s like a titanic force of musical explosion, the entire decade was filled with distinctive struggles and mishaps. The difficulties appeared both personal and professional, and they took a significant toll on the band’s creative output and dynamics in the studio. Then, at the turn of the century, the unimaginable happened when John Bonham died in his sleep from alcohol consumption.
One of the biggest turning points in the band’s downfall occurred during the recording sessions for Presence. Aside from the obvious, like Robert Plant having to deliver his contributions from a wheelchair due to the injuries sustained in a car crash, the dynamics began to grow frail, mainly because Plant felt the rest of the band didn’t appropriately support his needs during such a crucial time.
However, as the years went by, Jimmy Page’s excessive drug use and Bonham’s alcohol consumption caused many ruptures, with unpredictable behaviour, frequent blowouts, and erratic performances becoming a severe problem for the band and their reputation. In 1977, Plant also lost his son to a stomach virus, which caused him to face significant questions about whether he even wanted to continue playing in Led Zeppelin at all.
As Plant grew increasingly distant, music tastes were changing rapidly, meaning that if the band weren’t all in and willing to adapt to the times, then they faced the very real risk of being left behind. A band once considered the cutting edge of rock music was starting to be seen as outdated by the younger generations, and the remaining members were becoming too distracted or hurt to do anything about it.
In normal, everyday situations, all of these events equate to throwing in the towel, but this was Led Zeppelin and the music business—where resilience, reinvention, and pushing forward in the face of adversity were almost expected. Despite the immense personal and professional turmoil, the band released In Through the Out Door in 1979, even amid chaos.
However, reflecting on the various difficulties they each had to go through, John Paul Jones once regarded these crucial years as the band’s lowest point, with the camaraderie that once bound them becoming frayed and the creative spark that fueled their iconic sound started to dim. “[Bonham’s passing] happened at a time when we had gone through the lowest period,” he said. “Robert had lost his son and it wasn’t a good time for us.”
He recalled how Bonham’s unexpected death rocked the group, adding: “It was a terrible shock. We knew immediately that that was the end of Led Zeppelin. John Bonham wasn’t the drummer of Led Zeppelin, he was a quarter of Led Zeppelin. You couldn’t just go and find another drummer, you couldn’t ever find anybody like him.”
Although they never officially reunited after Bonham’s passing, the music they made during their tenure remains a testament to their artistry and innovation, pushing boundaries and redefining rock music in ways that no one deemed possible or even expected.