The Led Zeppelin Song That “Startled” Mick Jagger: A “Thunderous Racket” That Changed Rock History
In a recently resurfaced interview clip that has reignited fan discussions across rock communities, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger reflected on the early days of Led Zeppelin and revealed the one song that truly “startled” him when he first heard it. Describing it as a “thunderous racket,” Jagger’s candid recollection offers a fascinating glimpse into how even rock legends were shaken by Led Zeppelin’s seismic arrival in the late 1960s.
According to Jagger, the moment occurred during an informal listening session in the early 1970s, when a friend played him Led Zeppelin’s now-iconic track “Whole Lotta Love.” At the time, the Stones were already global superstars, but the sheer force of Zeppelin’s sound—particularly Robert Plant’s piercing vocal style and Jimmy Page’s explosive guitar work—left Jagger stunned.
“I remember hearing it for the first time and thinking, ‘What on earth is this?’” Jagger said. “It was just this thunderous racket—in the best possible way. The energy, the aggression, the volume… it was unlike anything anyone else was doing. It startled me.”
Jagger noted that what struck him most was how Led Zeppelin managed to blend blues frameworks with a level of intensity that pushed rock into new territory. While the Rolling Stones had long been celebrated for their rootsy, blues-driven swagger, Zeppelin’s sound was something altogether different: heavier, louder, and dramatically more experimental.
“It wasn’t just loud for the sake of being loud,” Jagger explained. “There was a real musical intelligence behind it. But it hit you like a freight train. They were pushing boundaries we didn’t even know existed yet.”
Music historians have often pointed to “Whole Lotta Love” as a pivotal turning point in the evolution of hard rock. Released in 1969, the song helped define the emerging heavy metal genre and showcased the band’s distinctive approach to production, including the psychedelic midsection engineered by Page and producer Eddie Kramer. For many listeners at the time, the track’s sonic layering and overwhelming power were unlike anything on mainstream radio.
Jagger’s comments add an intriguing layer to the longstanding narrative of mutual admiration between Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. Despite occasional comparisons—and even rivalries drawn by fans and critics—the two bands maintained a generally respectful relationship. Zeppelin members often cited the Stones as early influences, while Jagger and Keith Richards acknowledged Zeppelin’s profound impact on rock’s next generation.
“They were fearless,” Jagger continued. “They had this confidence, this edge. I think everyone in rock took notice—not just the Stones. They changed the game.”
The renewed buzz around Jagger’s remarks has prompted fans to revisit the early clash of titans in the British rock scene, where bands were constantly reinventing their sound in an atmosphere of intense creativity. For many, Jagger’s description of Zeppelin’s music as a “thunderous racket” captures exactly what made the group so revolutionary: their ability to overwhelm the senses while elevating rock to new artistic heights.
More than fifty years later, the fact that Led Zeppelin’s music could startle even a seasoned icon like Mick Jagger is a testament to their enduring power—and to a moment in history when rock music was loudly, unapologetically breaking free.
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