Led Zeppelin was originally formed in 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page under the name "The New Yardbirds," based on Page's previous band, The Yardbirds. Shortly after their first tour, the group's eponymous first album was released on January 12, 1969. Its blend of blues and rock influences with distorted amplification made it one of the pivotal records in the evolution of heavy metal music. Although several of Zeppelin's earliest songs were based on or were cover versions of blues standards, others such as "Communication Breakdown" had a unique and distinctively heavy sound.