Released in October of 1970, the album featured an overt British folk influence. Led Zeppelin's sound began to deepen with Led Zeppelin III. The album helped establish Led Zeppelin as an international concert attraction, and for the next year, the group continued to tour relentlessly. Like its predecessor, Led Zeppelin II was an immediate hit, topping the American charts two months after its release and spending seven weeks at number one. While they were on the road, they recorded their second album, Led Zeppelin II, which was released in October of 1969. Throughout 1969, the band toured relentlessly, playing dates in America and England. Two months after its release, Led Zeppelin had climbed into the U.S. Early in 1969, Led Zeppelin set out on their first American tour, which helped set the stage for the January release of their eponymous debut album. The band secured a contract with Atlantic Records in the United States before the end of the year. Also in October, the group switched its name to Led Zeppelin. The following month, they recorded their debut album in just under 30 hours. Performing under the name the New Yardbirds, the band fulfilled the Yardbirds' previously booked engagements in late September 1968. By September, Bonham agreed to join the band. Bonham had to be persuaded to join the group, as he was being courted by other artists who offered the drummer considerably more money. Plant recommended that Page hire John Bonham, the drummer for Plant's old band, the Band of Joy. Following Dreja's departure, John Paul Jones joined the group as its ba**ist. br /br /After hearing him sing, Page asked Plant to join the band in August of 1968, the same month Chris Dreja dropped out of the new project. Reid suggested that Page contact Robert Plant, who was singing with a band called Hobbstweedle. Wilson, but neither musician was able to join the group. Initially, he wanted to enlist singer Terry Reid and Procol Harum's drummer B.J. Page set out to find a replacement vocalist and drummer. In the summer of 1968, the Yardbirds' Keith Relf and James McCarty left the band, leaving Page and ba**ist Chris Dreja with the rights to the name, as well as the obligation of fulfilling an upcoming fall tour. Page would have to a**emble a band sooner than he had planned. In the spring of 1968, he played on Jones' arrangement of Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man." During the sessions, Jones requested to be part of any future project Page would develop. While the Yardbirds decided their future, Page returned to session work in 1967. During 1967, the Yardbirds were fairly inactive. Jimmy Page had joined the band in its final days, playing a pivotal role on their final album, 1967's Little Games, which also featured string arrangements from John Paul Jones. br /br /Led Zeppelin formed out of the ashes of the Yardbirds. In doing so, they established the dominant format for heavy metal, as well as the genre's actual sound. More than any other band, Led Zeppelin established the concept of album-oriented rock, refusing to release popular songs from their albums as singles. Consequently, the only connection the audience had with the band was through the records and the concerts. They rarely gave interviews, since the music press detested the band. It wasn't just their crushingly loud interpretation of the blues - it was how they incorporated mythology, mysticism, and a variety of other genres (most notably world music and British folk) - into their sound. The band hasn't left the blues behind, but the twisted bottleneck blues of "Hats off to (Roy) Harper" actually outstrips the epic "Since I've Been Loving You," which is the only time Zeppelin sound a bit set in their ways.Led Zeppelin was the definitive heavy metal band. "Gallows Pole" updates a traditional tune with a menacing flair, and "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" is an infectious acoustic romp, while "That's the Way" and "Tangerine" are shimmering songs with graceful country flourishes. Nevertheless, the heart of the album lies on the second side, when the band delve deeply into English folk. And even the rockers aren't as straightforward as before: the galloping "Immigrant Song" is powered by Robert Plant's banshee wail, "Celebration Day" turns blues-rock inside out with a warped slide guitar riff, and "Out on the Tiles" lumbers along with a tricky, multi-part riff. While there are still a handful of metallic rockers, III is built on a folky, acoustic foundation that gives the music extra depth. On their first two albums, Led Zeppelin unleashed a relentless barrage of heavy blues and rockabilly riffs, but Led Zeppelin III provided the band with the necessary room to grow musically.
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