Celebrities gather to celebrate premiere of 'Becoming Led Zeppelin' - a band with strong ties to the West Midlands
Musicians and celebrities gathered for the LA premiere of Becoming Led Zeppelin, the first official film about the legendary band, at the TCL Chinese Theatre this week.
Among those attending was Paul Stanley, frontman of KISS, who shared his thoughts on the band: “Led Zeppelin was a religious experience for me. The first time I saw them in 1969, it was an epiphany because I saw how great something could be.”
Jesse Hughes from Eagles of Death Metal discussed what he hoped younger fans would take away from the film: “That it’s important to have integrity. Led Zeppelin always maintained that integrity, and that’s something rare in music.”
Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, who was at the premiere with his wife Camille Johnson, spoke about how Led Zeppelin influenced his band's music: “They’re part of the musical language. You can’t get too far without them. They’ve had a huge impact on how we play.”
Actor J.K. Simmons called Led Zeppelin “maybe the greatest rock and roll band of all time,” praising their unique mix of blues and sophisticated musicianship.
Michael de Barres, both an actor and musician, added: “Jimmy Page was one of the greatest songwriters ever. And Robert Plant is an amazing lyricist. It’s not just luck; there’s real feeling in their music.”
Scott Ian, frontman of Anthrax, shared his favourite Led Zeppelin track: “‘In My Time of Dying’—Bonham’s drum track on that is incredible.”
Becoming Led Zeppelin explores the origins of the iconic group and their meteoric rise in just one year against all the odds.
Powered by awe-inspiring, psychedelic, never-before-seen footage, performances, and music, Bernard MacMahon’s experiential cinematic odyssey explores Led Zeppelin’s creative, musical, and personal origin story. The film is told in Led Zeppelin’s own words and is the first officially sanctioned film on the group.
Led Zeppelin has links to the West Midlands, with guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones both having ties to the area. The band also held early rehearsals in the region, which helped shape their sound.
Tickets for the UK cinema release of Becoming Led Zeppelin are available to book online now. After an exclusive IMAX screening on February 5 and 6, the documentary will open in cinemas across the UK on February 7.
