By focusing on the band before they became untouchable (in terms of competition and bad behavior) this sparkling documentary is able to tell the undertold story of how each band member found their way into one of the most influential bands in history. The filmmakers were famously able to convince the three surviving band members to participate based on the filmmakers’ prior documentary American Epic, which explored the early roots of music and which was well received by the three musicians.
The filmmakers (Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty) are actually helped in their Zeppelin endeavor because the band’s manager Peter Grant famously put the kibosh on almost any cameras being anywhere near the band on stage or off. The filmmakers were able to hunt down some previously unseen footage, which forms the basis of seeing the band in a way that few of us have ever seen them before. Plus, we are given songs nearly intact, contrary to the current documentary strategy.
Jimmy Page, the precocious but incredibly talented guitarist is seen gigging around London as a teenager, performing on crucial tracks (Kinks, Rolling Stones, Lulu, Shirley ‘Goldfinger’ Bassey), often the youngest musician in the studio by far. Page’s mark is clearly most evident on recordings by Donovan. John-Paul Jones met Page on the session player circuit and when Page is ready to assemble his band after the implosion of The Yardbirds, Jones’ wife encourages the sheepish bassist and arranger to ring Page to see if he’s looking for a bass player.
Meanwhile farther north, drummer John Bonham and singer Robert Plant have bumped into each other gigging in various semi-successful bands. When Page travels north on a tip to see Plant, the singer describes being without a place to live.
The film is told essentially through recent separate footage of interviews with Page, Plant and Jones. Another wonderful discovery is a never-before heard interview with Bonham. The filmmakers cleverly shoot the three surviving members hearing the Bonham interview for the first time; these are the film’s most touching moments.
The best part of the film are the early days as the band begins to form. We see Led Zeppelin overcoming critical disdain by way of thunderingly successful live shows as the first album is released. Page had clearly been paying attention during his previous session gigs, not only being paid for his guitar work but earning a priceless education looking over the shoulders of the engineers and producers at the endless sessions.
Obligatory mention is made of Rolling Stone magazine’s notoriously off base review of the first album. I especially liked the effect of using a map and ticket stubs to show the number of gigs the band played in the USA. Had the film gone beyond the second album, they could have used either of my tickets when I saw Led Zeppelin.
By the time they were ready for the second album, Page describes how they looked forward to recording in a variety of studios while touring the US. Eventually, the band arrives home triumphantly to a packed Royal Albert Hall. Led Zeppelin was arguably the first British band to explode in America before finding success at home.
Sadly, the film ends before their incredibly interesting third album. It is doubtful any of us anytime soon will see a documentary picking up where this one left off, but this film should be enjoyed immensely by long-term fans and by the younger generations who may be still trying to figure out what all the fuss is about and why these songs resonate down the years.
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