In a revealing new interview with Uncut, Jimmy Page peeled back the curtain on the earliest days of Led Zeppelin — and how one simple philosophy sparked a band that would change rock forever.
When Page first set out to create what was initially called The New Yardbirds, his vision was clear: this wasn’t going to be just another British rock group. With the backing of formidable manager Peter Grant, Page wasn’t just building a band — he was building a creative force with absolute freedom at its core. That vision became Led Zeppelin, a name that would soon shake the world.
It all started with a single jam. “I said, ‘Let’s play Train Kept A-Rollin’,’” Page recalled, referring to the blues-rock staple made famous by The Yardbirds. It didn’t matter who knew the song or who’d played it before — what mattered was the energy.
The result? Instant fireworks. “We didn’t stop playing,” Page said. “I was trading off with Robert [Plant], and from that first moment, it was clear — this was meant to be.”
After that electric first rehearsal, Page invited Plant to his home in Pangbourne, where they continued to rehearse and write. But it was Page’s approach to each member that truly set the tone for Zeppelin’s future. His guidance to drummer John Bonham was simple yet profound: “I want you to play the drums exactly how you want to play — not how you’ve played for others, but how you feel, as John Bonham.”
That mindset of freedom and trust defined the band’s chemistry. Page wasn’t just a guitarist — he was a visionary leader who wrote with each member’s unique power in mind. “I knew what the band could do,” Page said. “So when I was writing, I brought in riffs and chord changes and just said, ‘Let’s go.’ And every time, we’d hit that zone.”
That “zone” would go on to produce some of the most iconic music in rock history. From the first rehearsal to the studio sessions that birthed legendary albums, Page’s belief in his bandmates’ instincts became the secret ingredient.
In the end, the formula was simple: let great musicians be themselves — and the music will take care of the rest.
