“Let Them Be Themselves”: Jimmy Page Reflects on Led Zeppelin’s Explosive Beginnings…

In a rare and candid interview, guitar legend Jimmy Page opened up about the early formation of Led Zeppelin, offering new insight into the bold vision that shaped one of the most influential rock bands in history.

“When I started out with what was called The New Yardbirds, I wasn’t interested in putting together just another British rock band,” Page said. “I wanted something different. Something free.”

That freedom, Page revealed, was the heart of his mission from the start. Backed by the unwavering support of legendary manager Peter Grant, Page set out to form a band where each member could bring their full, unfiltered self to the table. That vision, born in late 1968, soon evolved into Led Zeppelin—a name that would come to define the sound and spirit of hard rock for decades.

One moment, in particular, remains burned in Page’s memory: their very first rehearsal. “I said, ‘Let’s play *Train Kept A-Rollin’,’” he recalled, referencing a blues-rock staple once performed by his previous band, The Yardbirds. “It didn’t matter who had played it before. I was going to drive it forward.”

What followed was nothing short of electric. “We didn’t stop playing,” Page said. “I was trading off with Robert [Plant], and from that first moment, it was clear—it was destined to be.”

The chemistry was instant. After that session, Page invited Plant to his home in Pangbourne, where they continued rehearsing and writing with a growing sense of urgency and excitement. The seeds of greatness had been planted—and they were already beginning to grow.

But perhaps the most revealing part of the interview came when Page spoke about his approach to leadership. His guiding principle was simple: let the musicians be themselves.

“When I spoke to Bonham,” Page said of the late, great drummer John Bonham, “I told him, ‘I want you to play drums exactly how you want to play. Not how you’ve played for others—but how you feel it, as John Bonham.’”

That philosophy—of total creative trust—became the foundation on which the Zeppelin sound was built. “When I was writing for each album, I wasn’t writing in a vacuum. I was writing for them. I’d bring in riffs and chord changes, and say, ‘Let’s go,’ and we’d immediately be in the zone.”

And what a zone it was. From their self-titled debut album to Led Zeppelin IV and beyond, the band delivered a string of era-defining records. Tracks like “Dazed and Confused,” “Whole Lotta Love,” and “Stairway to Heaven” didn’t just push boundaries—they redefined them.

For Jimmy Page, the message remains clear even now: trust great musicians to be their true selves, and magic will happen.

Below: Rare photos from the early days of Led Zeppelin
(captioned images of Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham in studio and live rehearsals, 1968–1969)