When Led Zeppelin embarked on thier 1975 North American tour on January 18, they were at the pinnacle of their career—yet also facing an unexpected wave of backlash. despite their status as rock icons, the band found themselves in a paradoxical position: adored by legions of fans but increasingly criticized by the media. Sensing the need to shift the narrative, Led Zeppelin made an unusual move for the time—they invited journalists to document their journey, even allowing some to travel aboard their private jet, The Starship.
The tour was a commercial juggernaut, with tickets for nearly 40 arena and stadium shows selling out almost instantly. It seemed like the perfect possibility for the band to solidify their legacy as the kings of hard rock, bolstered by positive press coverage. However, fate had other plans. injuries and illness threatened to derail their aspiring run before it even began.
Setbacks Strike Early
Table of Contents
- 1. Setbacks Strike Early
- 2. Pushing Through Adversity
- 3. A Resilient Legacy
- 4. Led Zeppelin Albums Ranked
- 5. More From Ultimate Classic Rock
- 6. Top 10 Led Zeppelin Live Performances
- 7. Top 10 Led zeppelin Songs
- 8. Top 10 Led Zeppelin Riffs
- 9. Led Zeppelin Albums Ranked
- 10. What were the primary challenges faced by Led Zeppelin during their 1975 North American tour?
The first blow came when guitarist Jimmy Page accidentally crushed his left ring finger in a train door while still in England. Forced to adapt, Page developed a three-finger playing technique to prepare for the tour. Meanwhile, singer Robert Plant arrived in Chicago on January 16, just two days before the opening show, battling a severe cold that left his powerful vocal range compromised.
Bootleg recordings from the tour’s kickoff in Bloomington, Minnesota, reveal the toll these issues took on the band’s performance. Plant struggled to hit his trademark high notes, while Page’s injury led to uncharacteristic fumbles during his solos. The band was forced to remove crowd favorites like “Dazed and Confused” and “As I’ve Been Loving You” from their setlist. Despite these challenges,Led Zeppelin managed to deliver moments of brilliance,including their first-ever live performance of “When the Levee breaks” and a confident rendition of the yet-to-be-released “Kashmir.”
A critic from Minnesota’s Free Press remarked, “If Led Zeppelin was operating at only half-speed, I would be hard-pressed to imagine how sensational this band would be on a good night!” Yet not everyone was impressed. Journalist Stephen Davis noted in his book LZ-’75 that when the band ended their two-hour-and-15-minute set, the crowd erupted in boos, expecting a longer performance.
Pushing Through Adversity
As the tour progressed, things went from bad to worse.Page relied on Jack Daniel’s to numb the pain in his injured finger, but plant’s cold worsened into the flu, forcing the band to cancel their St.Louis show in late January. The show was rescheduled for February 16, the final date of the tour’s first leg, but morale was undeniably low.
“I have no doubt the tour is going to be good, it’s just, dammit, I’m disappointed that I can’t do all I can do,” Page admitted in an interview with Rolling Stone journalist Cameron Crowe. “I always want to do my very best, and it’s frustrating to have something hold me back.”
A Resilient Legacy
Despite the setbacks, Led Zeppelin’s 1975 tour remains a testament to their resilience and determination. Even when operating at less than full capacity, the band managed to captivate audiences and deliver unforgettable performances. It was a tour marked by both struggle and triumph, further cementing their place in rock history as one of the most enduring and influential acts of all time.
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Led Zeppelin Albums Ranked
Counting down every canonical Led zeppelin album, from worst (relatively speaking, of course) to best.
Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
