While Jimmy Page and Robert Plant are the focal points of Led Zeppelin, Plant says it was bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham that set them apart from other bands.

Speaking to Rolling Stone Robert Plant says, “When you start listening to what he did and his contribution to the world of rhythm and drumming, he transcended all those other players. He and Jonesy gave the whole thing so much class, so much feel, that it really did bring us a deal of separation between Led Zeppelin and a lot of the other stuff that was around at the time. Those two guys had a crucial way of working…”

And Jones agrees that they had the best drummer.

“He was a bass player’s dream really. Not only was he a drummer, he was a musician as well. The two can be sometimes different. Having said that you can say that about any instrument. But he really knew what he was doing and he listened and he had such feel and such a soul and we just worked really well together. Plus he was always funny and he was a very humorous man and very generous man. So he used to go crazy? So did we all. No he was really a joy on stage, he really was I just loved played with him.”

It was Plant who brought Bonham into the group, as they grew up together, and Page recruited Jones as they were both in-demand session players in ’60s.