It’s a commonly accepted idea that while the Beatles defined the 1960s, Led Zeppelin became the defining band of the 1970s. The Beatles held the title of Best Group in Melody Maker’s annual fan poll for eight years straight before Led Zeppelin took over.
At that time, Led Zeppelin’s drummer, John Bonham, observed, “The audience is evolving, and so is the music. Today, people aren’t just coming to watch; they’re coming to hear what you’re playing.”
Despite their rivalry, there was mutual respect between the two bands. John Lennon admired Led Zeppelin and praised Jimmy Page as a “bloody good guitarist.” Interestingly, there’s a persistent but false rumor that Jimmy Page played session guitar on parts of the soundtrack for the Beatles’ film *A Hard Day’s Night.*
There were also some quirky connections between the two bands. George Harrison once remarked that Led Zeppelin “don’t do ballads,” which Jimmy Page took as a challenge. When composing ‘The Rain Song,’ Page incorporated a nod to Harrison’s Beatles hit ‘Something’ in the song’s opening chords.
There’s also a theory that links Jimmy Page to the Beatles’ change in spelling of their name. Originally known as the Silver Beetles, they altered the spelling, and various theories suggest why.
During a visit to Oxford University in 2017, Jimmy Page shared that he had met poet Royston Ellis, who had once been associated with the Beatles. Ellis, known for his beat poetry, had encouraged the Beatles to adopt a spelling that aligned with the beat poet movement.
Page, who had played guitar for Ellis, found it fascinating to reflect on these connections years later. So, here’s to the intriguing ties between two iconic British bands. Happy 80th birthday, Jimmy Page!