Led Zeppelin Biography

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, and are one of the most successful and influential groups in popular music history. Led Zeppelin consisted of four men: Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (lead vocals, harmonica), John Bonham (drums), and John Paul Jones (bass guitar, keyboards and mandolin).

Formed in 1968, Led Zeppelin were innovators who never lost mainstream appeal. While the band is perhaps best known as pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal, they also drew inspiration from many other musical genres, including blues, rockabilly, reggae, soul, funk, jazz, classical, Celtic, Indian, Arabic, folk, pop, Latin and country.

Over 25 years after disbanding in response to Bonham's 1980 death, Led Zeppelin continue to be held in high regard for their artistic achievements, commercial success, and broad influence. To date, the group is reported to have sold more than 300 million albums worldwide, including 109.5 million sales in the United States.

For more details on this topic, see the band members' individual articles

Listed below are Led Zeppelin's three instrumental band members and their respective instrument models with with they most commonly recorded and performed during their active years as a band. Lead vocalist Robert Plant is excluded, as he did not usually play an instrument except harmonica, and occasionally tambourine:

Jimmy Page: Electric Guitars--1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (Main guitar), 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard (No. 2 guitar), 1958 Fender Telecaster (used in the early days and in recordings), Danelectro 3021, and the Gibson EDS-1275 (Used for playing, for example, Stairway to Heaven live). Acoustic Guitars--Gibson J-200, Martin D28 Acoustic, and an Andy Manson custom triple neck Mandolin.

John Paul Jones: Bass Guitars--Fender Jazz Bass and Custom Designed Alembic basses. Electronic keyboards-- MK Mellotron and Hammond Organs.

John Bonham: Drum Kits--Ludwig-Musser Green Sparkle and Stainless Steel models.