A Stroke of Fate: The musicians Jimmy Page originally wanted for Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin did more than just broaden the scope of stadium rock music; they were also incredibly collaboratively driven, even when it came to the more important decisions, like taking new sonic directions, even when the future seemed entirely uncertain. However, this instability is something Jimmy Page knew well, long before fans became endeared to every member of their lineup.
The dissolution of The Yardbirds meant several things for Page, including new challenges in the face of an industry that threatened to stifle his desires, restricting his broader vision of one day creating a rock band so immensely impactful it changed the landscape of rock forever. Granted, that thought process likely wasn’t instilled just after The Yardbirds broke up, but it certainly formed somewhere along the way.
When picking the ideal lineup for his new band, Led Zeppelin, he was particularly meticulous. For this group, he wanted musicians who were not only exceptionally skilled but ones who had already adopted an open mindset and possessed the ability to work with others, unafraid to push boundaries where it counted. He wanted drive and adeptness but also versatility, otherwise it wasn’t going to work.
In the mid-1960s, Jeff Beck entered IBC Studios to record some solo music, partially because, in his words, he was becoming increasingly cynical in The Yardbirds and was granted some time to explore his own creative vision. One of the tracks, ‘Beck’s Bolero’, saw him working alongside Page, Keith Moon, John Paul Jones, and Nicky Hopkins. However, legend has it that the collaboration sparked a desire in Page, who suddenly became endeared to the idea of one day forming a supergroup post-Yardbirds.
When they disbanded a couple of years later, he revisited the idea, initially wanting to re-hire Beck in his new band of brothers. However, Beck was already preoccupied with other projects, which led Page to allegedly extend member offers to The Who’s John Entwistle and Keith Moon, who also turned it down because they weren’t available. Before enlisting the legendary Robert Plant, Page also wanted to place Terry Reid in the coveted position, who had become well-versed in being the music industry’s most coveted figure and a name on most lips whenever someone needed a lead singer.
However, firmly focused on his own material, Reid said no. His rejection also seemed to stem from poor timing, especially considering the other bands that showed interest but made no progress. “It’s a waste of time to talk about it,” Reid once reflected during an interview with the Observer. “They did really well. End of story.” He also confirmed he was “asked to join a lot of bands,” including Deep Purple, but refused to give details as to why when pressed.
Varying reports also claim Page was set on enlisting Chris Dreja and BJ Wilson in the early days, but personal preference and scheduling conflicts ended up providing a stroke of fate, leaving Page with the only ones who would ever take the outfit the whole nine yards: Plant, Jones, and, of course, the late, great John Bonham.
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