Led Zeppelin elevated the rock band to a work of art. So, it seemed fitting that Jimmy Page (the band's guitarist, as well as creator and visionary) would use London's National Portrait Gallery as a backdrop for the launch of a book chronicling 50 years of the group's history.
"Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin" (Reel Art Press) features previously-unseen photos compiled by the three surviving members. It will be published on Tuesday.
Correspondent Charlie D'Agata asked Page, "Was there a moment when the four of you got together the first time, the first couple of times and thought, 'Wow!'?"
Page replied, "Well, the first rehearsal that we did was here in London, in a rehearsal room where we had maybe an hour or two hours, and we just got together, and we counted, '1, 2, 3, 4 ...' and were all playing, and we just kept extending the song and jamming on it.
"And by the end of it, I absolutely guarantee it was a life-changing experience for everyone from that point. Everyone knew that they'd never played with musical equals."
Musical equals without equal.
Robert Plant and drummer John Bohnam were just 20 years old. Bassist John Paul Jones, 22, and Page, 24, were already veteran musicians.
This is the first book about Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin – an extensive archive of previously-unseen photos handpicked by the surviving members of the band, even if they were seeing some of them for the first time.
"Because you're paying attention to the music or getting ready to perform," said D'Agata.
"That's right; the last thing in your mind really is stopping and posing for photographs – we want to get on with it," Page said.
