In September 1968, guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham, and bassist John Paul Jones made their onstage debut in Denmark as the New Yardbirds—a band hastily thrown together by Page to fulfill contractual obligations. Immediately realizing they had something special, the quartet changed their name to Led Zeppelin upon returning home to the United Kingdom. Eight months later—on this day (May 10) in 1969—the blues-rockers made their first chart appearance when their eponymous debut album reached No. 6 on the UK albums chart.
Led Zeppelin Self-Funded Their First Album
While on their Scandinavian tour as the New Yardbirds, the members of Led Zeppelin had selected and arranged the material for their debut album. Because of this, the LP took only about 36 hours to record over the course of a few weeks, according to Jimmy Page.
No record deal meant that Page and the band’s manager, Peter Grant, paid for the sessions out of their own pockets. This added up to nearly £2,000. (That’s about £45,000, or $61,234, in today’s economy.)
However, their lack of a label also meant the band could record whatever they wanted, however they wanted, without having to answer to company executives. Page was heavily involved in the production. He used natural room ambience to enhance the reverb and recording texture on the record.
With songs like “Dazed and Confused” and “Communication Breakdown”, Led Zeppelin spent 71 weeks on the UK charts. It also made its way onto the U.S. charts, debuting at No. 10.
The Album’s Shifting Legacy
Surprisingly, critics weren’t sold on Led Zeppelin at first. Rolling Stone deemed the lyrics “weak” and “unimaginative.” It also criticized Page’s production skills (although the writer did concede that he was “an extraordinarily proficient blues guitarist).”
However, the album achieved commercial success, and its original critics have since come around. Led Zeppelin is now widely considered among the best debut albums of all time, if not the best.
Still, the band never quite overcame the slight from Rolling Stone. Plant & Co. famously refused to speak with the outlet throughout their career.
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