Back in October out on a walk I passed this scenic spot in mid-Wales, a remote house boasting a distant view. Peaceful now and equally in early 1970, when it was rented by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, recuperating from a crazy 12 months that had seen their new band – Led Zeppelin – become the biggest in the world, seemingly overnight. That winter they worked on new material that became their third album, including two songs named after the house, Bron-y-aur. They also started on another number that later did quite well, Stairway to Heaven.

Since that October walk I’ve been taking a deep dive into the impressive Zeppelin back catalogue, and this week caught a fab new film, Becoming Led Zeppelin, that documents their whirlwind 1969. You can see why they may have needed a few months chilling out in the middle of nowhere after that.

Some reviewers of the film have criticised its limited scope. It stops 18 months into the life of a band that continued for another 10 years. But for me, this is the film’s strength. The focus is almost exclusively on the amazing music, and how the four members gelled from the off. Everything in the film is positive, with any later controversy conveniently left out. R + R without the s or d (or occult, violent managers, untimely death of members etc etc). This is Zeppelin you can take the grandkids to watch.

Some of the early footage is amazing, and shows how unprepared people were for what they were about to hear. An early concert in Denmark where the audience comes in and sits on the floor in front of the band, as if they’re coming into a school assembly. Another with mums and babies watching, covering their ears. Later footage shows them relentlessly touring around America, where things really took off. The best performance is this one of Dazed and Confused, with Jimmy Page’s trademark playing of the guitar with violin bow, very avant garde!

The three surviving members of the band are all interviewed and come across well. Jimmy Page, who dreamt up the idea of the band and executed it ruthlessly, recollects everything in minute detail. Robert Plant quite avuncular, seemingly still pinching himself that he went from obscurity to stardom so quickly. Equally John Paul Jones, softly-spoken ex-choirmaster who found himself in the world’s biggest rock group. And perhaps the movie’s strongest feature, a previously-undiscovered audio interview with drummer John Bonham (who almost never gave interviews and died in 1980) – this is integrated into scenes to some effect, and makes you feel that the whole group are telling their story on their own terms.

As an added bonus, I went to see the film at the IMAX. Zeppelin have a huge sound and an arresting image, so this is how best to see and hear them. Go and do so while you can!