Which song did Robert Plant sing in his Led Zeppelin audition?
When Jimmy Page came to form Led Zeppelin, he was out of luck on one element. This was to be a bold new chapter in his career, finally bringing his ideas to the forefront after years of playing in other groups or doing session work. It was all his: his songs, his vision, his choice of members…but one thing was missing: the voice.
Immediately in the process of starting the group, Page knew he needed a strong vocalist. The songs he’d already written, either those that had been played with an earlier band or squirrelled away for this moment, required it. They were blues-influenced, yes, so they needed a singer who could pull that off, delivering the swagger and attitude any good front man needs as well. But even those earlier tracks were bigger and bolder than just rock tunes, and Page already had big dreams of getting weird and experimental with them. He knew the singer he picked would have to match up, and he knew it was no easy role to fill.
But really, at this point, there was no Led Zeppelin. Instead, Page had simply been passed the baton of The Yardbirds. The earlier lineup had fallen apart, and he was left in charge with essentially their leftovers under a name that people knew. Before realising that what he was building, or what he would build after finding the right person, would require its own name, Page was originally auditioning for a new Yardbird singer.
Knowing that he wanted power and energy, one person instantly came to mind—Terry Reid, or ‘Superlungs’. The musician already had a powerful career playing with or opening up shows for a long list of icons like The Rolling Stones or fronting Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers. But really, he’d go on to have an even more powerful career in turning down legends. Not only did he reject Page’s offer, but he also later turned down an offer to front Deep Purple.
So, the position was still open. That’s when the story has to change location and journey up to the West Midlands. Robert Plant had one of those voices that spread the word quickly. People would hear him sing and talk about it, meaning that even while attempting to shake off the shackles of his suburban life as a trainee accountant, he started hopping from band to band as musicians begged him to join them. One of those bands was Band of Joy, alongside John Bonham on drums, but while they had some success, it still wasn’t Plant’s big moment.
But patience works, and a good reputation spreads. After Reid rejected Page, he began hearing whisperings of a new name: Plant’s. And the story of the band truly begins when the two meet.
What song did Robert Plant audition for Led Zeppelin with?
The meeting of Plant and Page felt like fate. Page happened to be at a random show in Birmingham where some band called Hobbstweedle were appearing. Plant happened to be in that band. While watching him sing Jefferson Airplane’s ‘Somebody To Love’, Page knew he’d found his singer.
“I was appearing at this college when [manager Peter Grant] and Jimmy turned up and asked me if I’d like to join The Yardbirds. I knew The Yardbirds had done a lot of work in America—which to me meant audiences who would want to know what I might have to offer—so naturally I was very interested,” Plant recalled of the moment. But still, Page made him do an audition to be sure.
The second time around, Plant sang ‘Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You’, a 1950s folk song that Joan Baez covered beautifully, and then the rock bands got their hands on it. Page had already adapted his own version and handed it to Plant to sing as a more formal audition. Again, instantly, Page knew he was the right fit as he was blown away by the singer’s range and power.
“When I auditioned him and heard him sing, I immediately thought there must be something wrong with him personality-wise or that he had to be impossible to work with, because I just could not understand why, after he told me he’d been singing for a few years already, he hadn’t become a big name yet,” Page said once, knowing in an instant he’d found a rare diamond.
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