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July 28, 2009
Good Times Interrupted By Bad Times For Robert Plant
Audi A8 meets Mercedes SL 300. Not the best way to encounter a celebrity, but that’s the way it happened to Richard Grant as he tooled along the streets of northwest London on the evening July 2nd. Grant, a drug counselor, collided with none other than former Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant.
Plant, who was behind the wheel of his Audi A8, was, according to reports, making a turn when the collision occurred, rendering Grant unconscious for a short time. When he awoke, he discovered that Plant was operating the car he had collided with.
Although the police report indicated that it was a “minor road traffic collision,” it is said that Grant’s Mercedes was “written off,” which I am presuming is the British equivalent of what we refer to as “totaled” here in the U.S. Been there, done that, by the way.
Grant also suffered from whiplash and a badly bruised arm, but neither driver was reported to have any life-threatening injuries. Grant was hospitalized and released after five hours. There was no word on whether Plant had himself checked out as well.
Although Led Zeppelin was known for their zealous use of drugs during their youth, the police report indicates that no arrests were made as a result of the accident. The tragic loss of his five-year-old son in 1977 reportedly prompted Plant to give up drugs completely and it is said that he has remained drug-free since.
At the present time, there does not appear to be any indication as to who was at fault. A spokesman for Plant declined to comment on the incident.
Read more at The Telegraph.
July 6, 2009
Brian May Not Happy About Mercury-Jackson Recording Leaks
My earlier report regarding the whereabouts of the recordings made by Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury during the 1980’s may have been a bit premature. It has become apparent that whomever it was that was in possession of them has somehow allowed them to be leaked to the internet. Something that does not sit well with Queen guitarist Brian May.
What’s a little strange is that it appears as if the two songs May makes reference two have been on YouTube for quite some time. I was quickly able to locate both “State of Shock” as well as “There Must Be More To Life Than This” on YouTube, and they have apparently been posted there for three years.
Whether or not May realized that the material was posted that long ago on YouTube or was just venting his frustration during this time when there is so much attention focused on Jackson’s death is not clear. The Queen guitarist was quoted as saying, “The music thieves at work as usual.”
Brian May is also in the news for reasons other than his comments about the Mercury-Jackson material. May was injured during a performance in the U.K. on July 2nd.
May and drummer Roger Taylor were on stage at the Birmingham Hippodrome when the accident occurred. A platform that was used to support Taylor reportedly malfunctioned as it was moving forward and failed to stop before hitting May, resulting in a nasty bruise.
Although May laughed off the incident, it was reported by someone who had seen May’s injury that it was worse than May had admitted. Roger Taylor reports that the accident was no fault of his, but just demonstrates that the show was live and that May is all right.
May and Taylor were on stage as part of a production known as “We Will Rock You,” – a musical that is based on Queen’s greatest hits.
For more on the mishap, visit the Sunday Mercury.
