BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN

 

BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN is a brand new documentary detailing the creation of the legendary rock and roll band and the production of the group's first two albums. The film was directed by Bernard MacMahon (who was also co-writer and co-producer). 

The film begins with brief sequences charting the younger years of the four future members of the band--guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. Even as a teenager in the early 1960s Page is already a musical prodigy, becoming an in-demand player on several music sessions in London for various groups. Page accepts an invitation to join The Yardbirds, but he soon finds that the contemporary pop scene doesn't allow him to do the things he wants to do with music. When The Yardbirds split up, Page takes the opportunity to form a brand new band, a band that will reflect his tastes and ambitions. Led Zeppelin is born in late 1968, and the group soon became popular due to its massive touring schedule and eclectic debut albums. 

The highlight of LED ZEPPELIN is the massive amount of rare footage and audio that is presented in it--we get to see such things as a very young Jimmy Page playing skiffle on BBC television and we get to hear Robert Plant's singing style before he even met Page. There's also plenty of footage and audio from Led's concert tours in 1969. 

All three of the surviving members of the group appear on camera to give their thoughts and opinions about what the formation of the band was like (the late John Bonham's insights are heard through vintage audio). What makes BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN different from other rock documentaries is that it focuses strictly on the music. There are no tabloid-style personal revelations, or wallowing in crazy backstage stories. Some might be disappointed in the lack of such clickbait, but what this allows the film to do is to make the viewer keenly aware of just how great an artist each individual member of the group was. (I assume the fact that the surviving members of the group gave their official sanction to the project is the main reason for the lack of any tawdry details.) The film also shows that Jimmy Page wasn't just a magnificent guitarist, he was also a brilliant producer and a savvy deal-maker--he and band manager Peter Grant were able to not only convince Atlantic Records to sign the group, they also got complete creative control musically. 

Led Zeppelin is such a monumental music group that their output is sort of taken for granted now. BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN reminds rock fans how revolutionary and earth-shattering the band was for its time, and how powerful their music remains to this day. (If you do watch this film through streaming or on demand, as I did, make sure you have a decent sound system to truly appreciate it.) Considering that this film only covers Led through its first two albums, one wonders if there might be a sequel in the works.