Led Zeppelin aren’t just a band. They’re basically the reason your dad grew his hair out in the ‘70s, why every pub covers band butchers Stairway to Heaven, and why guitar shops worldwide still have a “No Stairway” sign next to the amps. 🤣 They’re gods of riffology — and whether you’re into classic rock, grunge, or nu-metal, you’ve felt their shadow.
But what’s lush about Zeppelin isn’t just the music — it’s the way other bands talk about them. From open worship to cheeky digs, here’s what 10 massive names in rock ‘n’ roll had to say about Jimmy Page and the gang.
1. Aerosmith – The American Zeppelin Wannabes
Aerosmith have never been shy about where their blueprint came from. Steven Tyler has admitted he copied Robert Plant’s swagger, while Joe Perry practically studied Jimmy Page like it was GCSE revision.
Tyler once said:
“We wanted to be like Zeppelin, but we wanted to kick it in the ass with more raunch and roll.”
Songs like Dream On and Sweet Emotion wouldn’t exist without Zep’s mix of blues and bombast. Aerosmith’s live shows in the ‘70s were also Zeppelin-lite — lots of scarves, chest hair, and dangerous substances.
👉 Fun Fact: Perry has said if Zeppelin hadn’t existed, Aerosmith might not have either. Imagine a world without Walk This Way. Dark times, mun.
2. Black Sabbath – Brummie Rivals in Riffs
Ozzy, Iommi, Butler, and Ward came from the same city as Zeppelin played their earliest gigs — Birmingham. But while Zeppelin made blues heavy and sexy, Sabbath made it dark and terrifying.
Geezer Butler once quipped:
“Led Zeppelin were about women and sex. We were about doom, despair, and the end of the world.”
Tony Iommi always respected Page but considered Sabbath the heavier band. They were like the evil cousins at the Brum family barbecue. Still, both bands changed music forever — one with swagger, one with gloom.
👉 Classic Brummie rivalry: Zep wore dragon suits, Sabbath wore crosses. Both scared your nan.
3. Foo Fighters – Grohl’s Holy Grail
Dave Grohl is the high priest of Led Zeppelin fandom. He worships John Bonham like he’s a saint, and has gone on record calling him “the greatest drummer of all time.”
At Foo Fighters’ 2008 Wembley Stadium gig, Grohl’s childhood dream came true — Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones joined the Foos onstage to blast out Rock and Roll and Ramble On. The grin on Grohl’s face could’ve powered Cardiff for a week.
Grohl said later:
“Playing with them was like joining The Beatles for a night.”
👉 Even Taylor Hawkins, Grohl’s brother in arms, had a Zep tribute band called Chevy Metal. Bonham’s spirit is all over the Foos.
4. Rush – From Copycats to Prog Kings
When Rush burst out of Canada, critics dismissed them as “Zeppelin clones.” Geddy Lee had the high wails, Alex Lifeson had the crunchy riffs, and their first album could’ve been a Zep B-side collection.
Geddy admitted:
“We were compared to Zeppelin constantly. We had to fight hard to prove we weren’t just copycats.”
By the time Neil Peart joined, Rush had gone prog and carved their own path. But they never denied their debt to Zeppelin — especially Neil, who openly admired Bonham’s swing and power.
👉 Early Rush gigs were basically mini-Zeppelin shows. Fans loved it. Critics didn’t. Guess who won?
5. Metallica – The Thrash Zeppelins
James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich have never hidden their Zep obsession. Hetfield once called Zeppelin “the blueprint for heavy music”. Lars has banged on endlessly about how Zeppelin showed you could be heavy, experimental, and massive at the same time.
Metallica rehearsed When the Levee Breaks and Communication Breakdown during their garage days, and the influence shows — Kashmir’s epic stomp is basically the DNA of Sad But True.
👉 Imagine if Metallica dropped a full Zeppelin covers EP? The internet would melt faster than Kirk Hammett’s wah pedal.
6. Queen – Glam Meets Grit
Brian May adored Jimmy Page’s layered guitar wizardry. He once said:
“Page showed how the guitar could be orchestral, not just a riff machine.”
Freddie Mercury? He loved Zeppelin’s showmanship but cheekily mocked Plant’s shirtless mic-stand thrusts. Coming from Freddie, that’s rich. 😂
👉 While Queen leaned theatrical and Zeppelin leaned primal, both bands proved British rock could conquer stadiums worldwide.
7. Soundgarden – Grunge Goes Zeppelin
Chris Cornell’s voice had that same banshee range as Plant, while Kim Thayil admitted Zeppelin were the glue of grunge:
“They were the common denominator for every rock musician.”
Soundgarden’s psychedelic heaviness on tracks like Beyond the Wheel owes a huge debt to Dazed and Confused.
👉 Cornell covering Thank You live was pure goosebumps. Bonham would’ve nodded in approval.
8. Guns N’ Roses – Plant’s Scarf Apprentices
Slash has admitted Jimmy Page is the reason he plays guitar. He even copied Page’s Les Paul look, right down to the top hat.
Axl Rose? Let’s be honest — the scarves, the stage struts, the banshee screams… he owes at least 50% of his act to Plant.
👉 In the early ‘90s, GNR often covered Whole Lotta Rosie (AC/DC) but deep down, they wanted to be Zeppelin 2.0.
9. Greta Van Fleet – The Inevitable Comparison
Poor lads. They can’t escape it. Every review since 2017 has called them “Led Zeppelin cosplay.”
Robert Plant himself chimed in, saying about singer Josh Kiszka:
“He’s a beautiful little singer… looks like he came out of a machine.”
Burnt worse than a Bridgend kebab after Popworld, mun. 😂 Still, GVF insist they’re doing their own thing — and love Zeppelin to bits.
👉 Love them or hate them, they’ve introduced Zep’s sound to Gen Z.
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Funk Meets Zeppelin Jam
Flea has admitted Zeppelin are “the ultimate jam band”. Chad Smith worships Bonham, even using similar Ludwig kits.
Their improvisational chaos — those 10-minute jams in the middle of Give It Away — owes a lot to Zeppelin’s sprawling live solos.
👉 Without Zeppelin, the Peppers might’ve just been another funk band. With Zep’s influence? They became arena-filling maniacs.
🎤 The Verdict
Every band, from Brummie doomlords to LA glam kings, has had to face the Zeppelin dragon. Some tried to copy it (Aerosmith), some tried to escape it (Rush), and some got roasted alive by it (Greta Van Fleet).
Whether you’re into thrash, grunge, funk, or pop-rock, there’s a bit of Zeppelin in your DNA. They’re the band everyone either bows to, fights against, or secretly nicked a riff from.
C’mon butt — love ‘em or hate ‘em, Zeppelin are the Big Bang of rock. 🌍🔥🎸
