Led Zeppelin author Denny Somach recently shared insights into a long-rumored jam session between members of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. This information comes from reporting by Metal Mayhem ROC.
The existence of this alleged collaboration, sometimes referred to as “Black Zeppelin” by fans, has remained largely unconfirmed. Somach explained that while Black Sabbath members have acknowledged the session, no recording has ever surfaced publicly.
“I didn’t know anything about that supposed ‘Black Zeppelin,’ Geezer told me about it. And I said, ‘I’ve never heard that’. And there are some Black Sabbath fans that claimed that they heard rumors, and that Tony Iommi said, ‘Yeah, we did the jam, but I told her engineer not to record it.’ But obviously, that doesn’t mean anything in the music business: people record everything,” Somach said.
The lack of evidence has not deterred speculation about the session’s authenticity. Somach noted that while no proof has emerged to confirm or deny the jam, some believe it may eventually appear online.
“No one’s found it. And he believes that at some point it may surface on YouTube or something. But so far, none of it has surfaced anywhere. So, nobody can prove it or disprove it,” Somach explained.
The reported session included Robert Plant and John Bonham from Led Zeppelin alongside Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath. The four musicians allegedly played together for approximately one hour.
Historical Context and Background
This legendary encounter between two of rock music’s most influential bands has become one of the most talked-about but never officially released moments in rock history. Ultimate Classic Rock reports that the jam session took place in late 1973 at Morgan Studios in London. The session occurred during Black Sabbath’s recording sessions for their album Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, which was released in December 1973.
The session was not a full band collaboration, as Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin’s guitarist, was notably absent. John Bonham brought Robert Plant and John Paul Jones to the studio instead. They joined Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Ozzy Osbourne for an impromptu jam, as detailed by Far Out Magazine. Bonham, who was a huge fan of Black Sabbath’s song “Supernaut,” wanted to play the track. However, the session quickly evolved into a chaotic, improvised collaboration that went in unexpected directions.
Those who were present have well-documented the chaotic nature of the session. Bill Ward, Black Sabbath’s drummer, recalled to Louder Sound: “It escalated to a pretty crazy situation within about 30 minutes. Bonzo was kickin’ the crap out of my kit!” The intensity of Bonham’s drumming was so aggressive that Ward had concerns about the survival of his equipment. Fortunately, the kit ultimately remained intact.
The visit from Led Zeppelin was partly motivated by business interests beyond musical collaboration. Louder Sound notes that the band members were attempting to sign Black Sabbath to their Swan Song Records label. Black Sabbath declined the offer due to recent management complications. The musical session remained the only tangible outcome of their encounter.
Despite the legendary status of this jam, the mystery surrounding the recordings persists. Tony Iommi has stated in interviews that the jam was recorded, but the tapes have never surfaced publicly. There is no official release or bootleg of the session available to fans. This has only added to the mystique of what many consider to be one of rock history’s greatest lost recordings.
