Going Down Slow Like a Led Balloon- The Rise and Rise of Led Zeppelin

The news, just released, of a one off reunionBeck as Lead player, to join the Godfather of British
concert in London, in November 2007, of arguablyBlues ...John Mayall. The year was 1965.
the Band that changed the face of Rock Music, willJimmy Page joined the Yardbirds initially as Bass
be something that will be talked about in generationsGuitarist, after the departure of Paul Samwell- Smith
to come.who became a record producer.
Led Zeppelin, fronted by Robert Plant; he of theHe then transformed the Band with a two guitar
cherub face and long blond curly locks strode intoline-up which proved successful. If you get a chance
Rock and Blues History in 1968 with the release ofget hold of the film "Blow-Up" by Antonioni and you
their first album.will see a clip of the Yardbirds playing in a small club
On this piece of vinyl magic Jimmy Page, Johnwith this line up.
Bonham, John Paul-Jones and Mr Plant, with theAs the Band was beginning to creak at the seams,
fatherly figure of Ahmet Ertegun, head of AtlanticJimmy Page, in being obliged to honour an American
records wove a spell that will never be broken!Tour that was imminent changed the name of the
It's hard to believe that it will be 40 years in a fewBand to "The New Yardbirds" and from this beginning
months time that this little piece of music history firstLed Zeppelin was born.
saw the light of day.Eric Clapton as we all know steamed into Rock
Its worth mentioning that the genesis of this BandLegend with John Mayall followed by Cream and a
came about as a result of the demise of anothersolo career subsequently.
R&B legend namely the Yardbirds.Jeff Beck, while not perhaps as celebrated
All three of the Lead Guitarists of the Yardbirds wentcommercially as Jimmy or Eric built up a loyal and
on to create their own chunk of Rock and Bluesfanatical following but remained in the shadows.
history and still create a lump in the throat whereverNovember 2007 in London will give an opportunity to
they appear.those who were not born when Page, Plant, Bonham
Eric Clapton...Jeff Beck...Jimmy Page all came toand Paul-Jones strutted their stuff on the world
prominence in the years 1963 to 1966.music stage, to glimpse a slice of Rock History.
Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds, making way for Jeff