How Many More Times - Led Zeppelin

1.10.69 - Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA

In late 1968, The “New Yardbirds” officially changed their name to Led Zeppelin, signed a contract with Altantic Records in the U.S. in prepration of the release of their just-recorded Led Zeppelin I, and planned their first U.S. tour to conincide with the album’s release.  Opening for Vanilla Fudge, the band embarked upon a twelve-date North American tour, playing in the U.S. as well as Toronto.  The success of the tour in combination with the raw (if not taboo) sound of what many describe as the first heavy metal record propelled Zeppelin to stardom across the world and quickly inspired the band to plan and record Led Zeppelin II.

“How Many More Times” is the epic finale to Zeppelin’s debute album, consisting of numerous (albeit similar) composed sections, strung together with the use of a bolero rhythm.  Much of the piece comes from “Beck’s Bolero” recorded by Jeff Beck with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins, and Keith Moon playing on the original track.  While “Beck’s Bolero” is often credited as the beginning of both heavy metal and progressive rock, Zeppelin’s more polished version took the heavy metal ideals of Beck’s composition and brought it to life with more focus and creativity in a live environment.

There’s considerable contention as to who actually wrote the original, with Beck often insisting that he wrote it (although Page is officially credited with writing and arranging the song).  In a 1995 interview with Best of Guitar Player, Beck says, “This is what it was: He hit these Amaj7 chords and the Fm7 chords, and I just started playing over the top of it. We agreed that we would go in and get Moonie to play a bolero rhythm with it. That’s where it came from, and in three or four takes it was down. John Paul Jones on the bass. In fact, that group could have been a new Led Zeppelin.”

Ultimately the song was a major force behind the “new” Led Zeppelin.