Led Zeppelin III Anniversary

On the 53rd anniversary of the iconic album, let's take a look at some fun facts!

1. Richard Linklater told Jack Black to "beg" Led Zeppelin to use 'The Immigrant Song' for the School of Rock soundtrack!

The band has a history of not letting their music be used in films so Linklater came up with this idea to have Black beg the band in front of a crowd.

2. Similarly, Cameron Crowe had to get special permission to use Zeppelin's tracks for "Almost Famous"

He flew to England where he met Page and Plant for a screening of the film. When Billy Crudup's Russell said "I never said I was a golden god", Robert Plant shouted "I did!" "Almost Famous" is based off of Crowe's days as a journalist for Rolling Stone and touring with Led Zeppelin. Ultimately, the band gave Crowe five songs for the film including 'That's the Way' and 'Tangerine' off of "Led Zeppelin III".

3. Bad reviews caused Page to refuse interviews for over a year

"Accused of losing their distinctive edge, producing ‘mindless noise’ and blatantly attempting to mimic folk musicians such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the hoards of negative feedback for the album scarred the band deeply. As a result of the harsh criticism, Page refused press interviews for 18 months, claiming that it affected him heavily and was the reason why the following album contained no written information at all." (Source: https://beneaththesurfacemusicdotcom.wordpress.com/2020/10/05/10-ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-led-zeppelin-iii/)

4. And Page took more of a backseat in the writing department

Page was credited as the predominant songwriter on the band’s first two albums, however, it was Plant, Bonham and Jones this time around. "Much of the thoughtful lyricism, centred around themes of history, conflict and personal struggles, came from Plant’s influence, whereas both Jones and Bonham inputted their own spin on numerous tracks for the first time in the band’s career." (Source: https://beneaththesurfacemusicdotcom.wordpress.com/2020/10/05/10-ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-led-zeppelin-iii/)

5. He did, however, take on more of a producing role

In fact, he was the album's sole producer! (Source: https://beneaththesurfacemusicdotcom.wordpress.com/2020/10/05/10-ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-led-zeppelin-iii/)

6. Finally, it showcased John Paul Jones' range as an instrumentalist

"Alongside his usual role on the bass, Jones’ usual range of instruments was greatly enhanced. Recording on keyboards, various synthesizers, mandolin, double bass and the Hammond Organ, the album allowed the member to gather recognition as a talented multi-instrumentalist" (Source: https://beneaththesurfacemusicdotcom.wordpress.com/2020/10/05/10-ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-led-zeppelin-iii/)