The "thunderous racket" that blew Mick Jagger away in the 1960s

Mick Jagger used regular club visits as a way to spot new acts early, and in 1968 he predicted Rolling Stones would face fresh rivals. Instead of taking the yacht in St-Tropez route, the frontman stayed focused on keeping “his ear to the ground.” One example was Led Zeppelin, whose early touring and shared London venues stood out to Jagger. He said he already knew guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones before Led Zeppelin’s rise: Page was a session player he admired, and Jones had worked with the Stones in 1967. Jagger later pointed to how Page and Jones drew from that session experience to build a successful new band.