Hard rock legends LED ZEPPELIN are celebrating two landmark anniversaries; the 65th birthday of guitarist JIMMY PAGE (yesterday, January 9th) and the 40th anniversary of Led Zeppelin, the band's debut album that was released on January 12th, 1969.

According to Wikipedia, in August 1968, the English rock group THE YARDBIRDS had completely disbanded. Guitarist Jimmy Page, The Yardbirds' sole remaining member, was left with rights to the group’s name and contractual obligations for a series of concerts in Scandinavia. For his new band, Page recruited bassist John Paul Jones, vocalist Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham. During September 1968, the group toured Scandinavia as THE NEW YARDBIRDS, performing some old Yardbirds material as well as new songs such as 'Communication Breakdown', 'I Can't Quit You Baby', 'You Shook Me', 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' and 'How Many More Times". The month after they returned to England, October 1968, Page changed the band's name to Led Zeppelin, and the group entered Olympic Studios in London to record their debut album.

"Led Zeppelin are over!" Jimmy Page's manager declared this past week. After more than a year of tour and reunion rumours, Peter Mensch wants the gossiping to cease. "There are absolutely no plans for [the band] to continue. Zero. Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it."

Of course, it's Mensch himself who fanned the flames of rumour this week, thanks to a BBC 6 Music interview in which he predicted a Led Zeppelin tour – and even a new record. Mensch now says he hasn't spoken to the BBC "for like four months or something", rendering the whole business rather confusing. It doesn't help that the BBC interview, posted on 7 January, 2009, is dated 7 January, 2008.

There is nothing ambiguous about Mensch's most recent comments however. "If you didn't see them in 2007," he told Music Radar, referring to Led Zeppelin's one-off reunion concert, "you missed them. It's done. I can't be any clearer than that".

(Thanks Guardian.co.uk)

'Dazed And Confused' - live in 1969:

Led Zeppelin in Copenhagen in 1969 - 'Communication Breakdown':

'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' - live 1969: