Led Zeppelin Group Members

Jimmy Page 's incredible career spans four decades, appearing on an innumerable list of recordings. Best known for his trademark Les Pauls, double-neck guitar and riff-master deluxe, his contributions to rock history are nearly unmatched. He first picked up a guitar as a child, curiously plucking away on a Spanish acoustic given to the family. Soon after, Page became entranced with rock and roll, inspired by Elvis Presley's "Baby, Let's Play House". The rest is history.

Jimmy Page Biography

James Patrick Page was born on January 9, 1944 in Heston, Middlesex. His mother was a doctor's secretary and his father was an industrial personnel officer. He spent his first few years living on his uncle's farm in Northamptionshire, but then his family moved to Epsom, Surrey when he was eight years old. He spent his time as a youth like anyone else, but at age twelve, his life changed forever when he heard Elvis' Baby, Let's Play House.

He picked up a Spanish guitar, and after a handful of lessons, he was set. His parents encouraged his obsession with music. At age fifteen, he accepted a position to play in Neil Christian and the Crusaders after Neil spotted him performing in a dance hall in Epsom. He toured for two years until a bout with glandular fever forced him to quit. He then enrolled in an art college in Sutton, Surrey. He attended for 18 months. He was still involved in music and jam sessions were commonplace. Jeff Beck was a frequent guitarist at these sessions. Jimmy had brief stints in various bands, like The Cyril Davies All Stars, Carter Lewis and the Southerners and The Mickey Finn and soon became one of the most sought after session players in London, playing for artists such as Burt Bacharach, PJ Proby, The Who, The Kinks, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Brenda Lee and Lulu. In 1965, he was approached to join the Yardbirds, but instead recommended Jeff Beck. Also, in 1965, he managed to record his own single, She Just Satisfies, with Keep Moving on the B-Side. Jimmy Page also crossed paths with Eric Clapton at this time, recording a handful of tracks. Getting tired of session work, Jimmy joined the Yardbirds, this time taking the role as the bass guitarist, after previous bassist, Paul Samwell-Smith quit the band. Jimmy switched over to guitar, assuming one half of a dual lead guitarist group with Jeff Beck, when Chris Dreja, the rhythm guitarist, took over on bass. This excitement was short-lived, because by the end of 1966, the band could not work with Jeff Back anymore, and The Yardbirds was fired from the band. About this time, The Yardbirds gained a new manager, Peter Grant. The glory days for The Yardbirds were far gone and by early 1968, they decided to call it quits. Needing to fulfill some Yardbirds tour dates, Jimmy quickly needed to put together a band. Terry Reid became Jimmy's first choice for a lead singer, but he was under contract and could not joined. He suggested Robert Plant, who was playing in the Midlands band named Hobbstweedle. In August 1968, Jimmy and Peter Grant went to see Robert perform at a teacher training college. Jimmy invited Robert to his house in Pangbourne to discuss some ideas about starting a band. Although Procul Harum's drummer BJ Wilson, Keith Moon, Paul Francis and Aynsley Dunbar were under consideration for the drum spot, Robert's insistence on John Bonham got him the spot. John Paul Jones contacted Jimmy about being the bassist. After three weeks of rehearsal, the band was off to Scandinavia to play a handful of dates.

For several months after John Bonham's death, Jimmy did not touch the guitar. His live return to the stage came on March 10, 1981, when he joined Jeff Beck for a encore jam at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. He spent the next few months at his home studio, Sol, preparing material for Led Zeppelin's 10th album, entitled Coda, which was released November 19, 1982. Also, Jimmy was hard at work, writing the soundtrack for the movie Death Wish II. This soundtrack album was released in February 1982. On May 12, 1982, he joined Robert on stage with Foreigner for a version of Lucille and on May 24, 1983, he joined Eric Clapton in a low-key encore jam, which prompted Eric to invite Jimmy to perform at some charity events at Royal Albert Hall in London on September 20 and 21, 1983 called ARMS. The success of these concerts prompted a 10-date US tour in late 1983. In 1984, Jimmy played some guest spots, including a birthday party for producer Glyn John, some dates with Roy Harper and an encore jam with Yes. In early 1984, Jimmy assembled a band with singer Paul Rodgers that eventually had Tony Franklin on bass and Chris Slade. The band rehearsed under the name The McGregors, but started touring Europe on November 29, 1984 under the name The Firm. The Firm recorded two albums, The Firm and Mean Business over the next two years and toured the US and England. During this time, Jimmy got together with Robert and John Paul Jones for some performances, including the Live Aid performance on July 13, 1985 and an encore jam on July 23, 1985 with Robert. In January 1986, rehearsals with Robert and John Paul sparks Led Zeppelin reunion rumors, although plans fall apart. In 1988, Jimmy joins Robert at the Hammersmith Odeon on April 17, 1988 for a jam on some Led Zeppelin tunes and groups up with Robert and John Paul once again on May 14, 1988 for Atlantic Records' 40th Anniversary part held at Madison Square Garden. Following these dates, Jimmy worked on a solo project, with John Miles as singer, Jason Bonham on drums and Durban Laverde on bass. The resulting album is called Outrider which is supported by a US and UK tour in late 1988. In 1989, Robert and John Paul join Robert in performing at Robert's daughter, Carmen's 21st birthday party and on April 28, 1990 to perform at Jason Bonham's wedding. Also, in 1990, Jimmy jammed with Bon Jovi at a benefit show and joined Robert on June 30, 1990 at Knebworth for the Silver Clef Awards, performing Wearing And Tearing, Misty Mountain Hop and Rock And Roll. He jammed with Aerosmith on two occasions in August 1990. Jimmy put together a four CD boxed set of the Led Zeppelin catalog, which was released in October 1990, along with a condensed two CD Remasters set. He got up for a jam with Poison on May 14, 1991, with David Coverdale and was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with The Yardbirds on January 10, 1992. In 1993, Jimmy recorded an album with David Coverdale, and although a 45-date US tour is planned in mid-1993, it got shelved instead for a low-key Japanese tour in December 1993. In 1993, Jimmy released the remaining 34 tracks, not included in the Remasters, along with The Complete Studio Recordings boxed set, which was released in September 1993. On April 17, 1994, Jimmy joined Robert at the Alexis Korner Memorial Concert for a couple tunes. Two more jams, solidifies a Page and Plant reunion with Plant's backing band. In August 1994, filming began for an MTV Unledded show. New versions of old Led Zeppelin tunes are performed along with some newly written tunes. The resulting album No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded was released on October 14, 1994. A supporting 1995-96 World Tour commenced. January 12, 1995, Led Zeppelin was entered into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Jimmy jammed with Robert John Paul, Jason Bonham, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from Aerosmith, Neil Young as well as Charlie Jones and Michael Lee. In April 1997, Jimmy joined Robert for a cover of Rainer Ptacek tune Rude World on a tribute album for him. On December 7, 1997 Jimmy joined Robert with Charlie Jones and Michael Lee as part of a charity concert for the Seniors Tennis in England. On April 21, 1998 Walking Into Clarksdale Jimmy's first new album with Robert in almost 20 years is released. A 1998 World Tour started in Croatia on February 21, 1998 and ended on December 10, 1998 in Paris. Jimmy lent a riff and his guitar playing to Puff Daddy for a track called Come With Me, a re-working of Kashmir, that was included on the Godzilla movie soundtrack. Jimmy appeared with Puff Daddy on Saturday Night Live on May 9, 1998. Jimmy joined Robert on the Jimmy Rogers All Stars CD in late 1998. After the World Tour, Jimmy took a break from touring and from Robert. On June 13, 1999 Jimmy performed in London at a party launching Gibson Guitar's new office in London and he appeared in late June, with the Black Crowes for the ABC Task Brazil Trust, for the street children of Brazil. Jimmy and the Black Crowes joined up once again for NetAid at Giants Stadium in NYC on October 9, 1999 as well as October 12-14 in NYC and October 16,18,19, 1999 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, the latter which produced a live CD, which was first available for purchase and download via the WWW. Jimmy toured with the Black Crowes once again in the year 2000 in the States, but the 2nd leg of the US tour, as well as the European and Japan dates were cancelled due to a back injury that Jimmy had. Jimmy joined Robert for another tribute track entitled There's A Hole In My Bucket in early summer 2000 for the Sun Records tribute. On January 19, 2001 Jimmy appeared with Iron Maiden to auction a Fender Guitar for Casa Jimmy.

Robert Plant:

Profession: Rock Singer (lead vocals, harmonica)

Real Name / Birth Name / Full Name: Robert Anthony Plant

Birh Date: 20 August 1948

Birth Place: West Bromwich, West Midlands, England

Best Known As: Lead singer of Led Zeppelin

Robert Plant's interest in music began at an early age, entering the club scene at age fifteen. American blues artists such as Robert Johnson, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters and many more fascinated Plant as he studied their music incessantly. Rock & Roll pioneers such as Elvis and Gene Vincent were also great influences.

Robert Plant Biography:

Robert Anthony Plant was born on August 20, 1948 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire and grew up in the town of Kidderminster. By age fifteen, he quit school in favor of music. Robert joined various bands in the Black Country, such as The New Memphis Bluesbreakers, The Black Snake Moan, The Delta Blues Band and The Crawling King Snakes. In 1966, Robert gathered a group together, named Listen, which recorded a few singles for CBS. Plant's next group was The Band Of Joy, with John Bonham. Although they were successful in area gigs, they failed to secure a record contract, and disbanded in spring 1968. Robert teamed up with blues legend Alexis Korner for a couple recording sessions in August 1968, which gigging around the Midlands with a band named Hobbstweedle. One day in late August 1968, Jimmy Page and Peter Grant came to see Robert perform at a teachers training college outside of Birmingham. Robert married Maureen Wilson on November 9, 1968, whom he'd known for the two previous years. They had a total of three children together, a daughter Carmen Jane who was born on November 21, 1968, and two sons Karac, who died in July 1977 of a stomach infection and Logan Romero, who was born on January 21, 1979.

After Led Zeppelin broke up, Robert was seemingly the most unaffected, forming a new band in early 1981 named The Honeydrippers with some local R&B players. They had several low-key performances in the UK in March-June 1981. With Robbie Blunt, Robert prepared material for his first solo album Pictures At Eleven, which was released on June 28, 1982. Robert's second album Principle Of Moments was released on July 11, 1983 and he toured in support of it in the US, UK and the Far East throughout the second half of 1983 and early 1984. In March 1984, Robert went into the recording studios at Atlantic and recorded Honeydrippers Vol One and had Jimmy Page play on two of the tracks. On January 18, 1985 Robert reformed The Honeydrippers to play at a benefit show in Monmouth. A third album, Shaken 'n' Stirred, was recorded and released on May 20, 1985. Robert joined Jimmy and John Paul for LiveAid on July 13, 1985, sparking Led Zeppelin reunion rumors, which complicated Robert's solo career. In March 1986, Robert played some dates with a local Midlands R&B band, The Big Town Playboys. In late 1987, Robert recorded a fourth solo album Now And Zen and released it on February 29, 1988. He had a new lineup for his band and they toured the US and UK in 1988. In December 1989, Robert joined a local Kidderminster band for a charity event. On January 10, 1990, Robert's fifth studio album Manic Nirvana was released and he toured Europe and the US and had a short UK Tour in December 1990 and January 1991. 1992 was a quiet year for Robert, playing some benefit shows and appearing as part of an all-star line up at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in London on April 20. 1992. Fate Of Nations was released on May 27, 1993 prompting US and European tours. Robert jammed with Def Leppard on May 6, 1993. A South American tour was held in early 1994. Robert performed at the Alexis Korner Memorial Concert on April 17, 1994 with Jimmy and in August 1994 filmed for the MTV Unledded show and album. The newly formed Page and Plant group had an enormous North American tour in 1995, along with tours in Europe, Japan and Australia. In 1995, Robert lent his voice and talent to a track on the Led Zeppelin tribute CD Encomium in which he paired up Tori Amos for a version of Down By The Seaside. Material was written with Jimmy Page and Walking Into Clarksdale was released on April 21, 1998. Page and Plant toured throughout 1998, but Robert scrapped plans for anything new in 1999, instead returning to his roots and hooking up with his old mate from The Band Of Joy Kevyn Gammond and playing old tunes in a band called Priory Of Brion. They played dates in and around England, including dates in Scandinavia and Europe. In 2001, retained bassist Charlie Jones and formed a new band Strange Sensations and toured in early 2001 through Scandinavia and the US for some summer dates.

Solo Discography of Robert Plant:

Pictures at Eleven (1982)

The Principle of Moments (1983)

The Honeydrippers: Volume One (1984), with Jimmy Page

Shaken 'n' Stirred (1985)

Now and Zen (1988)

Manic Nirvana (1990)

Fate of Nations (1993)

The Wayne's World 2 Soundtrack (1993), only one song

No Quarter (1994), with Jimmy Page

Walking Into Clarksdale (1998), with Jimmy Page

Dreamland (2002) Sixty Six to Timbuktu (2003) Best Of

Mighty Rearranger (2005), with Strange Sensation

John Bonham

Profession: Musician (drums)

Real Name / Birth Name / Full Name: John Henry Bonham

Birth Date: May 31 1948

Birth Place: Redditch, Worcestershire, England

Death Date: September 24, 1980

Death Place: Windsor, England

Best Known As: The drummer of rock band Led Zeppelin.

Describing the style of John Bonham's drumming instantly conjurs up visions of the thunderous power he created. His contributions to rock music were revolutionary, and his talent unmatched and irreplaceable. You can only imagine Jimmy Page's reaction to first seeing him in 1968, ending his search for a new drummer to form a new band, the New Yardbirds (later renamed Led Zeppelin.) His sister is Deborah/Debbie Bonham, who has a singing career of her own.

John Bonham Biography:

John Henry Bonham was born on May 31, 1948 at Redditch, Worchestershire. His parents were Jack and Joan. He had two younger siblings, Michael and Debbie. As a toddler, he beat on his mum's pots and pans, signaling that he knew his future career plans at and early age. He received his first snare drum at the age of 10 and by 15 he had his own drum kit. At the age of 17, he married Pat, whom he met at a dance at Kidderminster. Money was tight for them in the beginning and for a time John gave up smoking for extra money. John quickly earned the reputation of being a loud drummer by bar owners. Some bands John played in were Terry and The Spiders, A Way Of Life, Crawling King Snakes (w/ Robert Plant), The Nicky James Movement, Steve Brett and the Mavericks and The Band Of Joy. The Band lasted from 1966-68, eventually touring England in support of the American Tim Rose. After the Band Of Joy broke up in early 1968, John Bonham accepted a position as the drummer in the backing band for Tim Rose. In August 1968, upon recommendation by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Peter Grant went to hear Bonham play in Oxford and send out no less than 40 telegrams to Bonham before he accepted the position as drummer. After 12 years in Led Zeppelin, John Bonham died on September 25, 1980 in Windsor, England after a heavy night of drinking.

Filmography of John Bonham:

Son of Dracula (1974)

The Song Remains the Same (1976)

John Paul Jones

Profession: Musician (He can play guitar, mandolin, koto, autoharp, ukulele, mellotron, organ, cello)

Real Name / Birth Name / Full Name: John Baldwin (The name John Paul Jones was suggested to him by a friend, Andrew Loog Oldham, after seeing a movie poster with that name on it in France)

Birh Date: January 3, 1946

Birth Place:

Best Known As: The bassist and keyboard player for Led Zeppelin

The most underrated musician on the planet, John Paul Jones' credentials are staggering. His enormous contribution to music history traces back to his sessions days, working as a bass/keyboard player, arranger and musical director. The list of artists he was involved with features a wide range of British talent such as: Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Donovan, Jeff Beck, Herman's Hermits and many more. Occasionally, he would see his future band-mate, Jimmy Page, as they teamed up on several sessions including Jeff Beck ("Truth") and The Yardbirds ("Little Games"). He was the first to be recruited by Page who was looking to form a new band, as Jones was growing tired of the session scene.

The magical chemistry of Led Zeppelin was created between ALL four members; (Jones' contributions seem go unacknowledged lately.) Although he was given the cold shoulder for the current Page/Plant "reunion", Jones appears happier (and better off) playing with the likes of Diamanda Galas and other such diverse artists. One of the elements that made Led Zeppelin so great was their constant musical development and progress that was evident with each album. Perhaps Jones is the only remaining member that has continued to progress and experiment with new styles and directions, without concern for commercial or critical success.

John Paul Jones Biography:

John Paul Jones was born John Baldwin on January 3, 1946 in Sidcup, Kent. Both of his parents were musicians, his dad being a pianist and arranger for big bands and his mother was a singer and a dancer. He learned to play the play the piano at an early age. He soon began to take organ lessons and played at his church. By age 14, he picked up the bass guitar. His father wanted him to play the saxophone because, as John Paul explained "He said...I'd never starve." He started a band in his boarding school and he and his father performed as a duo during the holidays. He left school at age 17 and auditioned for Jet Harris and Tony Meehan, who were putting together a band. He got hired as their bass player and the band toured with John Paul for about a year or so, playing music that bands like Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago would play years later. John Paul started doing sessions in about 1964, and for the next four years, recorded for just about everyone from Lulu to The Rolling Stones. He released his own single in April 1964, entitled Baja. During a session for Donovan, he heard Jimmy Page, a popular session guitarist, talking about starting a new group. His wife Mo convinced him to call up Jimmy Page to take the bass guitarist position. Since Jimmy's first two choices for new bass players were unavailable, he agreed to have John Paul in this new group.

After Led Zeppelin, John Paul took the most low-key position of all the remaining members, focusing mainly on producing and arranging for such performers as The Misision in 1987, R.E.M. in 1992, Ben E. King in 1986, Cinderella in 1990, The Butthole Surfers in 1992 and Peter Gabriel in 1992. On December 7, 1983 he joined Robert Plant for an encore performance of Little Sister. John Paul put out a soundtrack album for the movie Scream For Help, which was released on March 22, 1985. He rejoined Jimmy and Robert at LiveAid on July 15, 1985 and on May 14, 1988 for Atlantic Records' 40th Anniversary party. In September 1993, he joined the stage with Lenny Kravitz for the MTV Awards show, performing Are You Gonna Go My Way. In August 1994, John Paul joined Heart for five performances at The Backstage Theatre in Seattle performing with them as well as producing the live album that was recorded. In late 1994, John Paul joined up with Diamanda Galas for a short European tour and a tour in the States in November 1994. In 1998, John Paul started work on his first solo CD, which was called Zooma. John Paul toured the US, Europe and Japan throughout late 1999 and early 2000, with thunderous response. 2001 found John Paul preparing material for his second solo album.

John Paul Jones' first solo recording was a single for Pye Records in April 1964 which featured "A Foggy Day in Vietnam". The B-side was "Baja".

Scream for Help (1985) (soundtrack)

The Sporting Life (1994), with Diamanda Galás

Zooma (1999)

Thunderthief (2001)