Back to This Week in Music History -- December 23 - 29
December 26, 1968: Led Zeppelin Invade the U.S.
Hulton Archive, Getty
British rock legends Led Zeppelin begin their first-ever tour of the U.S., opening for Vanilla Fudge in Denver, Colorado.
Denver Post said of them: "Singer Robert Plant – a cut above average in style, but no special appeal in sound. Guitarist Jimmy Page of Yardbirds fame – exceptionally fine. Used a violin bow on the guitar strings in a couple of tunes with resultant interesting, well integrated effects."
Bassist John Paul Jones – solid, involved, contributing. John Bonham – a very effective drummer, but uninventive, unsubtle and unclimactic, just an uneventful solo.
