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Robert Plant Won’t Tour But Says He Is Still Friends With Old Band Mates

Each statement that we hear from Robert Plant seems to diminish the chances that he will ever tour with his old Led Zeppelin band mates again. Recently, Plant was quoted as saying that all the speculation about the group’s future is “frustrating and ridiculous.”

In a recent chat with the BBC, Plant says there is no truth to the rumors regarding a rift between him and his old band mates. “I still see Jimmy quite a lot and he’s very complimentary and supportive of what I’m doing,” he said.

Although it is easy to understand how fans could become excited about the possibility of a Led Zeppelin reunion — or as some fans might want to point out, an “almost” Led Zeppelin reunion considering that the late John Bonham’s son Jason is filling in for him on drums – when rumors about bad blood between himself and the rest of the group start surfacing, it is easy to understand his frustration.

Assuming Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones are reasonable guys, there is no reason for them to be upset with Plant just because he does not want to attempt to relive the Led Zeppelin years. Apparently, he is quite satisfied with the more low-key work he has been doing with Alison Krauss and may just be feeling a bit too over-the-hill to be on stage belting out “Whole Lotta Love” over and over again.

It’s hard to speculate about how the remaining group members will be received if they do decide to take their act on the road with a replacement for Plant. The last word on that possibility indicates that they are planning to do just that, but it still appears to be up in the air where their choice of replacement frontman is concerned.

[Real Rock News was unceremoniously knocked out of action by an ice storm here in New Hampshire that is being described as the worst the state has ever experienced. No power for 11 days and lack of internet access until yesterday made it a bit tough to keep the news flowing from RRN Headquarters, but everything is back to normal – at least for now. We’ll be hoping for Mother Nature’s mercy for the remainder of the winter season here in the northeastern U.S.]

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Tags: Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin, reunion, Robert Plant

Jeff Beck’s Turn To Weigh In on Led Zeppelin Reunion Plans

There does not seem to be a shortage of opinions among their fellow music legends when the issue of a possible Led Zeppelin reunion comes up. Some believe that it would be a pointless undertaking without the cooperation of Robert Plant who keeps indicating that he has no interest in such an endeavor for at least a couple of years. Others use the opportunity to take a few cheap shots at the group and their musical abilities.

Beck certainly falls into the former category, and believes that any tour billed as “Led Zeppelin” would be “pointless” without Plant. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea, not if Robert doesn’t want to. I was there at the one-off show at the O2 Arena and it was fantastic. But I think they should just leave it there,” he says.

Beck, a veteran of the The Yardbirds, a group in which Jimmy Page also was a member of, spoke highly of the group’s performance at London’s O2 Arena a year ago, but is obviously someone who does not buy a group called Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant.

For more information, check out Starpulse.

Tags: Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, reunion, Robert Plant

This Time It’s Paul Weller Ripping on Led Zeppelin

It wasn’t that long ago when we got word of some unflattering comments directed at Led Zeppelin by Jack Bruce. Bruce, who was chatting with Classic Rock Magazine, referred to Zeppelin as “crap,” among other things, but later said that his comments were made in jest.

Well now we are hearing that Paul Weller, best known, perhaps, for his years spent with The Jam, also has a few comments to share regarding the status of Led Zeppelin these days.

“I’ve no interest whatsoever to go and see people reform, you know. I’m happy with what they’ve done at the time  and the records and your memories and that’s it really.”  he says. Weller also says he would never take part in any reunion of The Jam.

At least he did not refer to them as “crap,” and simply appears to be someone who would rather remember Led Zeppelin as they were before the untimely death of drummer John Bonham brought the whole thing to an end.

One wonders who will check in next with their thoughts on Led Zeppelin’s plans to tour next year without Robert Plant and whether or not they will bill themselves as Led Zeppelin or use another name. It will be difficult for many fans to think of that lineup as Led Zeppelin without the iconic Robert Plant front and center.

For more on this story, head on over to Contact Music.

Tags: Led Zeppelin, Paul Weller, reunion

Another Led Zeppelin Book Hits The Shelves

For those that just can’t get enough Led Zeppelin, another new book is out and is dishing up more dirt on the group’s activities during their relatively short history, which ended with the untimely passing of drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham in 1980.

The new book, When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin was released to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the group’s formation. Author Mick Wall, reportedly a confidant of both Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, chronicles the group’s rise to become what many consider to be the world’s greatest rock and roll band.

Apparently, Wall does not hold back much in his reporting of the band’s legendary excesses, and delves into the  details of such matters as Jimmy Page’s fascination with the occult, and other details that involve drug and alcohol use, sexual escapades and other varieties of bad behavior that may have remained otherwise unknown to the public.

Although there’s much to say about the group’s unflattering activities during those years, Wall balances things out a bit with stories that expose some of their more admirable qualities as well. The support and sympathy provided to Robert Plant after the death of his young son, by none other than drummer John Bonham – perhaps the group’s most infamous mischief-maker – shows that the “Gods” were no less human than the rest of us.

The book is not solely focused on the dirt and personal tragedies that marred the group’s history however. There is also plenty of content that is focused on the music that propelled the young musicians to stardom that is equaled by few other groups in the history of rock.

Mick Wall is the author of numerous other books that featured other well-known groups such as Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, and is also founding editor of Classic Rock magazine.

As always, When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin is available at Amazon.com.

Tags: A Biography of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin, Mick Wall, When Giants Walked the Earth

No Robert Plant Means No Led Zeppelin Tour

With the exception of Robert Plant, the chaps that took the stage at London’s O2 last winter under the Led Zeppelin banner have been sending signals that they are ready to get serious about a tour. Whatever the group comprised of original Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham will be calling themselves on the road, it seems certain that it won’t be Led Zeppelin.

Recent word from a spokesman for Jimmy Page said that the group has no intention of working together and using the name Led Zeppelin unless Robert Plant is involved. The latest word from Plant regarding any reunion tour is that he has no interest in touring at all for at least two years.

So it appears that all the rumors lately about Page, Jones and Bonham rehearsing with potential lead singers like Steven Tyler, Chris Cornell, Jack White, Dave Grohl and Myles Kennedy might be an indication that they have indeed decided to tour without Plant.

How fans will respond to a tour by “almost Zeppelin” will be interesting to see if it comes to pass. I certainly agree that their decision to avoid the use of the name Led Zeppelin is a wise choice, and lessens the possibility of diminishing the group’s legendary status.

There are probably a lot of fans that refuse to accept the name Led Zeppelin ever being used again after the passing of original drummer John Bonham, so a potential backlash from fans as a result of using the name Led Zeppelin for a group with only two original members is a real possibility.

Whatever they are up to, it seems that Page, Jones and Bonham are serious about it, and we seem to be inching a bit closer to some type of announcement from the trio. Whatever it ends up being, it is sure to have the rock newswire buzzing with activity.

Tags: jason bonham, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant, tour