Led Zeppelin in their pomp were a thrilling prospect – the band’s initial North American tours are the stuff of legend, the clash of guitar, bass, and drums setting in motion a heavy rock revolution. Yet the band has a softer side – something they proved during a trip to a Welsh cottage.
As difficult as it may be for non-Welsh speakers to pronounce, Bron-Yr-Aur is a hallowed name in Zeppelin mythology. An 18th century cottage close to the town of Machynlleth, singer Robert Plant visited it as a child in the 50s, part of a family holiday. When the band was granted some down-time in 1970, the singer decided a return visit was in order.
A cottage with no electricity and running water, Bron-Yr-Aur provided the perfect refuge – exploring their softer side, the band worked up a huge array of acoustic sketches, which would permeate their catalogue.
Much of what would become ‘Led Zeppelin III’ was written here, including ‘That’s The Way’ and the misspelled homage ‘Bron-Y-Aur Stomp’.
But those sessions provided material for years to come – ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’ began here, with Jimmy Page later penning the John Fahey-influenced ‘Bron-Yr-Aur’ in its honour.
Oh, and one other thing came out of the cottage. Page & Plant reminisced about the Bron-Yr-Aur trip during their 90s reunion, with the ‘Unledded’ project containing a curious piece of trivia – Jimmy Page and French model Charlotte Martin conceived their daughter Scarlet Page at the cottage.
Still very much standing, Bron-Yr-Aur is a private residence – but that doesn’t stop Led Zeppelin fans from across the globe visiting Wales in an attempt to soak up some of the magic.
