Led Zeppelin Documentary Makers Had To Pass This Jimmy Page Test Before They Could Make the Film

When it comes to a massive artistic endeavor like making a documentary about one of the biggest rock bands of all time, sometimes it’s necessary to put the cart (that is, the ideas, materials, and resources) before the horse (getting the band’s blessing). The 2025 Led Zeppelin documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin is certainly no exception to this chain of events.

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Indeed, filmmakers Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty knew they would have to come correct if they were to approach the three surviving members of Led Zeppelin and ask if they could make a documentary about their monumental careers. The entire project could be for naught if the musicians said ‘no.’ And such a response was not out of the realm of possibility.

Luckily, MacMahon and McGourty eventually received approval from Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and Jimmy Page—but not until the latter musician and lead guitarist tested them once or twice.

Led Zeppelin Documentary Makers Had To Pass Jimmy Page’s Test

Documentaries cost money to make long before the camera begins to roll. To pitch a retrospective film like this properly, filmmakers Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty needed to have already outlined their documentary, gathered research materials, and secured funding and other pertinent resources before they could even think of setting up a call with the musicians around whom the film centered. In a 2025 interview with The Guardian, MacMahon said he initially funded Becoming Led Zeppelin knowing “it was incredibly likely that once I put in a phone call, the group might say they were not interested. There was every chance we would not even get a meeting.”

But as fate would have it, they did. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page was the first to answer. He met MacMahon in a London hotel with a grocery bag full of old journals and, upon arrival, delivered his first test. Page asked MacMahon what band Page had been playing in when he first met his future bandmate, Robert Plant. “Hobbstweedle,” MacMahon replied. “Very good,” Page said. “Carry on.” First test passed.

The second test came a few days later when Page phoned MacMahon to invite him on a day trip to Pangbourne. The Berkshire village on the Thames River was the location of Jimmy Page’s boathouse, which the then-Yardbirds guitarist bought with money he made as a session player in the late ‘60s. The Pangbourne Boathouse was also the place where Led Zeppelin had their first rehearsals. Naturally, MacMahon agreed to visit the historic home. MacMahon told The Guardian, “Later, [Page] revealed it had been a test. ‘If you had said no to Paingbourne,’ [Page told him], ‘we wouldn’t have done the film.’”

The Guitarist’s Bandmates Were Equally Hesitant At First

Led Zeppelin might have been one of the most popular rock bands of all time in the 1970s. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the surviving members think back on that time in their lives fondly. The British rock band dissolved following the tragic death of their friend and bandmate, John Bonham, understandably throwing a shadow over the legacy of their meteoric career. Needless to say, Jimmy Page wasn’t the only one the filmmakers had to convince to give up their blessing for the Led Zeppelin documentary.

Bassist John Paul Jones initially told the filmmakers no. Determined to change his mind, MacMahon sent Jones a copy of American Epic, a documentary that covers the early 20th-century blues, country, and cajun musical movements. “Watch 15 minutes, and if you don’t want to talk to us after that, you won’t hear from us again. That will be the end of the film,” MacMahon told Jones. Jones obliged, watching the film and calling MacMahon shortly thereafter to give the documentarian his blessing. Then, MacMahon tracked down Robert Plant. Surprisingly, Plant proved to be the easiest to convince. The frontman was already a fan of American Epic.

With tests passed and blessings received, MacMahon and co-screenwriter Allison McGourty released Becoming Led Zeppelin on February 5, 2025, just under six decades after Led Zeppelin had their first electrifying jam session.

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