I’ve come to realize that many of the most well-known classic rock bands/artists between the 60s and 80s were English. Similarly to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin is an English rock band that started in London in 1968. Unlike The Beatles, their musical sound is more heavy and guitar-driven leading them to be one of the original heavy metal bands. Although considered to be rock and heavy metal, their influences stem from folk music, blues and psychedelia. Their name originally started as New Yardbirds, but once that changed they signed a record deal. Included on their fourth album, Led Zeppelin IV, the song Stairway to Heaven is known to be one of the most popular and influential compositions in rock music.
The band received even greater recognition post the release of the song and had some extremely victorious tours in the later years of the bands life. In the late 1970s, their touring schedule subsided and the band ultimately split post John Bonham’s alcohol-related asphyxia death in the 1980. Over the years the other three members of the band would come together for a few reunions and Jason Bonham, son of John Bonham, would take over on the drums.
Sometimes I wonder about how bands for almost 50 year have kept their legacy over time and have continued to have such an impact in the music industry even today, in 2018. I think classic rock just has a raw sound in their music and it’s just more real and unfeigned compared to the constant auto-tuning phenomenon within the music industry today. It’s great to have current bands try to rise up and show that this quintessential sound we need to upkeep and hold onto, will hopefully thrive and keep their musical ancestors legacy alive.
