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A few weeks ago, Robert Plant informed the world that he would not be hitting the road with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and son-of-John Bonham in an attempt to squeeze money out of fans of Led Zeppelin, because he was pretty happy performing bluegrass with Alison Krauss and he really needed a two-year vacation or so. This led to many rumors of Page, Jones, and Bonham auditioning other lead singers–including the dude from Alter Bridge–although they were never confirmed. Until this weekend, when Jones took the stage at a guitar show in the UK and told the crowd that a) yes, there may actually be a Led Zeppelin reunion tour in the works (provided that the global economy doesn’t completely crater and people don’t have to start taking shelter in the arenas that would play host to the shows) and b) Robert Plant is basically a wuss these days:
“I’m afraid, there’s no final answer yet. As you probably know, Jimmy, Jason and I are actually rehearsing and we’ve had the odd singer come in and have a bash. As soon as we know — which we don’t — we will let you know. But we really hope that something is going to happen soon because we really want to do it and we’re having a lot of fun, actually, just rehearsing. Jason is actually tremendous. . . We really wanna do something and Robert doesn’t want to do this, at least for the moment. I don’t really know what his plans are. He really doesn’t want to make loud music anymore. We do. I mean, I love acoustic music, but it doesn’t stop me from turning something up . . . And what we’ve done so far sounds absolutely fantastic. When it does come, it will come, and you’ll know about it.”
“Don’t really know what his plans are”? Sounds like someone isn’t keeping up with his ex-bandmate’s blogging!
LED ZEPPELIN’s JOHN PAUL JONES Confirms Plans To Hit Road Without ROBERT PLANT [Blabbermouth]
If Led Zep tours without Robert Plant, I will boycott the concert. They were so classy and principled after the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert…I can’t believe they’d even consider replacing Plant.
Whatevs, Jimmy. Plant looks to take home another haul of Grammys in a few months. He’s happy. Let it go.
What a load. There has never been a less classy band than Led Zeppelin. We should consider ourselves lucky as long as they don’t end up going out with Sammy Hagar, or Sarah McClellan (thanks wikipedia!) from Lez Zep.
No Robert Plant, no Zeppelin.
I’d watch Jimmy Page play arrangements of songs from High School Musical.
@janine: Don’t get me wrong. I’d prefer Plant, but I don’t really care about anything as much as Jimmy Page.
@janine: He’d do it for $500k and a suitcase full of Persian.
Without Plant? Hopefully they skip the Zepp stuff and play Page’s soundtrack for Death Wish II & III!
@panfriedcharlie: Taking a page from Ben Folds, Patti Smith, Public Enemy and all those Classic Album shows, they’ll play Page’s Outrider straight through.
Here’s what I don’t get: why is it a Led Zeppelin reunion when the original guitarist and bassist reunite? 50% of the band does not make a reunion. Would it be a Beatles reunion if Paul and Ringo tour together? It’s embarrassing, Page & Plant was more a Led Zeppelin reunion to me than Page and Jones.
By the way, I lost a great deal of respect for Led Zeppelin after hearing “Rock and Roll” in that Cadillac commercial ad infinitum. What I’m wondering is: what is costing Jimmy Page so much that he has to sell anything left of his credibility to make even more cash?
@derek_the_dork: Principles are a great way to earn extra credit if your talent is only adequate (Ryan Adams). Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones can do what they want. Some people get to a point where they’re pure Teflon. Exhibit A:
Now if you’re too young to remember, this was shown constantly, in a pre-DVR era no less, and no one I know could reasonably argue Bo Diddly stopped being credible at any point.
In closing, Achilles Last Stand.
Also, if Jimmy Page is still itching do play some Led Zeppelin songs, why doesn’t he just go out on tour with the Black Crowes again and release “Live at the Greek, vol. 2″? I recently listened to the cd for the first time in awhile, and it still sounds massive.
And just for fun, here’s the Crowes and Jimmy doing “Whole Lotta Love”:
For that matter, why doesn’t he just come over to my house?
@derek_the_dork: In that case, you’d probably enjoy Mat Callahan’s The Trouble With Music, he talks about the saturation of the public space with music sapping it of it’s potential (or something, when the word shaman crept up, I stopped reading and wanted to throw it out a window. Alas, I was on a plane.)
That sort of thing never bothered me, I think perhaps because I have set aside my music listening from other parts of my life. What I mean by that is I don’t listen to music on the subway, when I’m doing laundry or cleaning. When it’s time to listen to music, I take my glasses off (in case they fly off when I rock out), sit on the one spot on my couch that’s exactly between the two speakers and only listen to music. I’m guessing that’s maybe why commercial use of music doesn’t bother me, because it’s outside of the context for me listening to music.
Also, for my own guitar playing, I would like to see/hear Jimmy Page play guitar.
@derek_the_dork: Zep were second choice for the Cadillac ad, too. Remember, the tag line was “break through.” They wanted to use the Doors “Break on Through,” but John Densmore used his veto power (so to speak) and blocked the sale.
@janine: ha, I certainly remember that ad. The difference for me is that the Bo Diddley music featured in the Nike ad is not the beginning of a very recognizable song.
I guess if I were a Bo Diddley fan in the late 80s/early 90s, I might be annoyed if the song was one of his staples.
By the way, I have a hard time listening to “Just What I Needed” by the Cars as well, due to Circuit City. “Pictures of You” by the cure was in an HP ad, also. Ick. Personally, I’m just not a big fan of bands selling their previously created music for advertisement. Luckily, since I do have a DVR nowadays, I don’t have to deal with commercials. I just don’t listen to “Rock and Roll” that much, because my brain keeps firing an image of a Cadillac on salt flats. I just skip it and move right into “The Battle of Evermore.”
Also, aren’t principles what made Led Zeppelin break up in the first place? After Bonham’s death: “We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were.” Oh, but now we can. And without Robert Plant. It just looks like a money grab now, especially with reunions in full swing. They can do what they want, sure, but I don’t have to respect the new version of “Led Zeppelin.”
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