Greta Van Fleet may be one of the names that come to mind when someone discusses bands who sound like Led Zeppelin, but this article isn’t about them. [Plus, Robert Plant appears to enjoy them.] When a band decided to ‘imitate’ Zeppelin in the 1980s, they didn’t do as well as Greta Van Fleet since they couldn’t avoid Jimmy Page’s critical criticisms about their music. The guitarist even explicitly accused the band in question of ‘ripping off’ the sound of Led Zeppelin, so let’s delve into who these rockers were and whether they succeeded in becoming the new Led Zeppelin. After signing with Polydor in the mid-1980s, singer Lenny Wolf chose to form a band and work with producer Bob Rock, who was later known for his work with Bon Jovi. Wolf and company were known as Kingdom Come, a biblical reference, and their debut track, ‘Get It On,’ sparked speculations when radio stations began playing soundbites in 1988. People suggested that the song sounded so much like Led Zeppelin that it may be a surprise reunion under the cover of another band.
However, this was not the case, and when this became evident, the backlash began. ‘Get It On’ got mixed reviews, and many critics and fans began referring to the band as a ‘Kingdom Clone.’ Their debut song eventually got them into such much difficulty that Jimmy Page had to intervene and say something about Kingdom Come ‘imitating’ their style. In 1988, while addressing questions for Q Magazine, Page was asked about the bands impacted by Led Zeppelin’s sound and whether inspiring others felt like a ‘compliment.’ The guitarist, on the other hand, didn’t think that was much of a complement, especially when it came to Kingdom Come: Deliverance. “Obviously, it can get to the point where it stops being a compliment and becomes rather annoying, especially when you’ve got things like Kingdom Come ripping riffs right off, which is a different thing entirely.” Despite criticism from reviewers, fans, and Page, the band persevered and released their sophomore album ‘In Your Face’ in 1989. Still, the comparisons to Led Zeppelin didn’t help the record’s financial success. The band disbanded after a tour to promote their second album, and all of the band members, with the exception of Wolf, called it quits. Since then, the vocalist has attempted to reassemble Kingdom Come with new musicians, and he even released the band’s 13th studio album in 2013.
