Led Zeppelin Without Robert Plant?
— September 21, 2008 8 28Well, if recent media reports are to be believed, there may be a lot more going on behind the scenes with Led Zeppelin that many of us thought.
Jason Bonham, who took the place of his legendary dad behind the drums at the Led Zeppelin reunion show at the O2 in London last year did recently reveal in a radio interview that he has been traveling a bit to the U.K. to work on some new material with original Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones.
Although Bonham says during the interview that his departure from Foreigner had to do with a desire to spend more time with his family, one now wonders if he meant that he wants to spend more time with his family before hitting the road as part of a Led Zeppelin tour.
Robert Plant has so far been the holdout when it comes to the idea of a tour, with his recent claims that too much paperwork was the reason he was reluctant to commit. To me at least, that seems like a rather odd and perhaps flimsy excuse to put off a reunion tour that he presumably would otherwise be willing to do.
We are now hearing from U.K. tabloid The Sun, that Page and Jones may be tiring of Plant’s foot-dragging and have been rehearsing with Bonham and trying out new lead singers as well. One of the singers, an American, is said to be impressive enough to give the group thoughts of hitting the road without Plant.
A source was said to have commented that: “Jimmy, Jason and John are determined a tour will go ahead next year. They’ve been rehearsing frequently in London and the band is really gelling. There’s an American guy who has been standing in for Robert regularly and doing a great job. Obviously they want the original frontman to join them on the road but he still won’t commit.”
The group is reportedly planning to tell Plant that he can either join them, or they will simply go on tour without him.
What reaction fans would have to a Led Zeppelin sans Plant will be interesting if things end up going that way. I suspect there will still be a sufficient number of them willing to pay to see some form of the group back together and others who would consider such a notion rock and roll sacrilege.
Things appear to be heating up where the future of the group is concerned, it Robert Plant may have a very important decision to make in the near future. It’s hard to imagine Led Zeppelin without their iconic frontman, but the rest of the guys seem to have a real desire to get up there in front of live audiences again, and they seem determined to keep Plant from holding them back.
Stay tuned, this could get interesting.
8 Comments
WOW, this is incredible news. I am not sure what to think about this, would I go see J, J and J with R? It wouldn’t be the same, I don’t know if I could do it. Then on the other hand….. I am going to put a special link to your blog in my sidebar. This is the first place I stop for rock news.
Laylas last blog post..Magical Mystery Blog
Thanks for the nice comment and the link, Layla.
Unlike YES, I would go see LZ without their lead singer Plant. Jimmy Page is a guitar hero of mine and that’s good enough for me. Plant will be a BIG bummer if he does not get his shit together.
I would go see them for sure! Page is Led Zeppelin for me with that guitar work. He’s one of the most influential guitarists ever, and he’s more influential than Robert Plant, in my opinion, out of anything that came out of Led Zeppelin and influenced people. It’s the guitar. Led Zeppelin can go on without Plant, but not Page. Do it!!!
It’s all too true that the original members of this band were all equally essential. But the fact remains the same, they’ve been away too long. Jason is holding up well and is truly a testament to his Dad on the drums. He deserves this opportunity to celebrate the spirit of his Dad and Led Zeppelin and so do the rest. I much prefer to see Robert up there with the band that made him a star but if he wont go for it after all this time then there is no reason to hold the others back. Time is limited for most of these guys. It’s the last chance to celebrate this music live in this form.
You can never replace or diminish what LZ has done. A new line up would have to prove itself for sure. To ignore the opportunity is to declare it dead prematurely. You know Bonzo would want you to go for it! Don’t deny him!
ac dc did it with another singer for the music ill be great zep tour
There is something more to this then meets the eye. Page and Jones have been ready for awhile. Jason Bonham has studied his father’s style meticulously and you literally cannot tell the difference. What is the REAL reason Plant is holding out? I have heard everything from commitments to Allison Krause to he is an old man and goes to bed at 9:00.
Enough Robert…..what do you really want?
HEY GUYS in 2008 im sending thisx bac from the futgure ,its Aug 2009
robert hasnt freed up yet however every1s missin somthin bigger here although no change here at this time ,
JASON says hes worked on some NEW STUFF with jpj & jimmy
THATS BIGGER NEWS THAN A TOUR