back to article Led Zeppelin plan Plant-free tour

Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones has told the BBC that the band is planning to tour and hit the studio - but without frontman Robert Plant. Plant has apparently ruled himself out of the line-up, so Jones, Jimmy Page and Jason Bonham are looking for someone to step up to the mic. Jones said: "We are trying out a couple of …

COMMENTS

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  1. Neil

    Not Zep

    Zep without Plant != Zep.

  2. Pete James

    Shame

    IIRC Planty is busy at the mo with this collaboration thing with the Krauss woman, so can't they wait a couple of months? It's not as if we're all going to not bother with "the biggest reunion tour of all time... ever!" if it's a bit later in 2009.

    When the rumours first kicked off I did mention to a friend - and fellow Led Zep lover - friend of mine that we'd have to go to the US for a show, just to say that we saw them in California or Philly or whatever. But now I've got to say I may not bother if Plant isn't fronting it - just won't be the same. Mind you, ideally I would see them at the Molineux, which would make it the most perfect show ever in my eyes. Led Zepp playing at the Planty's fave footie club. Now that would be a bit special!

  3. Mike Crawshaw
    Thumb Down

    Subtitle meh and other Trivialities

    I have a preference for Soulfly's "The Song Remains Insane".

    And to carry on Neil's comment: Zep without Plant == Insane

  4. Simon
    Happy

    !Not Zep

    So therefore, by extrapolation

    Plant = Zep

    Not sure Mr Page would agree :)

    Who cares - couldn't buy or beg tickets for the O2 gig so any chance of seeing another live performance should be leapt at

  5. Gis Bun
    Unhappy

    Grrrr.

    On behalf of those who were too young to see them live [original four] --- bummer!

    Mike Portnoy of Dream theater assembled a tribute band for a few concerts a few years back. Plant's "duplicate", Daniel Gildenlow wasn't too bad actually.

    That said it still won't be Led Zep.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    I understand...

    ..that John Prescott is at a loose end right now, and John McCain will also be available fairly soon.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @Simon

    Your logic is faulty if

    Page + Plant == Zep

    it is accurate for non zero values of Plant to say

    Zep - Plant != Zep

    It's not accurate to say

    Plant == Zep

    For no zero values of Page.

  8. Erik Aamot

    @Shame

    The shame is that Robert Plant won't do it, and seems his mindset is to never do a Zep reunion ... he said so a week ago ... and has no plans for any touring for a couple of years

    Saw Zep 7 times starting in Aug. 1969, counting the marvelous Page/Plant No Quarter tour

    Only interesting idea I've heard on replacements for Plant is to have Nancy and Ann Wilson of Heart sing ... gag me if it's someone like Paul Rogers

  9. fred scuttle
    Paris Hilton

    Stairway to Greed

    Plant doesn't need the cash, the others do - should be interesting to see the totally jumped up ticket prices for this pseudo show...........

    Paris, coz she'll do anything for a quick buck too!

  10. Bill Stickers
    Stop

    Led Zip, please die already.

    LZ sucked when it was in it's heyday, and it sucks even more now. But if this turd does get off the ground, I can't help but wonder whom they're going to plagiarize this time around.

  11. Sceptical Bastard

    @ (Simon @AC) and a pic of Plant

    Er, nice equations, AC - but do the maths prove anything?

    The fact is that Zep was/is more Plant than Page and that a reunion without the (now wrinkled) blond rock god is unthinkable.

    I was in the audience when Plant took the stage at Fairport Convention's Cropredy festival in August. His appearance was unanounced and the 20,000-strong audience went predictably ape. He then sang a duet - 'Battle of Evermore' - with a lass called Kristina Donahue. Plant still sang wonderfully even though he didn't look quite as god-like as thirty-odd years ago - see this pic in Cropredy's local rag:

    http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/cropredy/Cropredy-pictures-Singing-in-the.4377565.jp

    My point being that if it had been Jimmy Page walking on to do a guest spot, the reception would've been a lot more muted.

    More on Fairport's site, no doubt.

    BTW, is there an IT angle to this story?

  12. Mike Groombridge
    Coat

    Zep maths

    if Jones + Plant + Page + Bonham == led zep then

    Jones +page +Bonham != led zep

    so surely it depends on the value of the new front man (FM) if new FM == Plant then

    Jones +page +Bonham + FM == led zep

    of course if FM > Plant then

    jones +page +Bonham + FM != led zep either maybe equal to led zep+

    of course that s for a given value of led zep and for plant value is given in BS*

    unforunately this BS value is arrivaled at pre individual and varies greatly from person to person

    thus we may never know the turth value

    *the BS unit of measurement is not the britney spears measurment as some may think (this would be the how many more times talent some one has to britney but since she has next to no talent it would be an impossible value to give )

    it's actually the Bull Sh*t value based on how many hours your willing to waste argueing that the band/person in question is the greatest thing in Music after 4 pints.

  13. Mal Franks
    Thumb Down

    Led Zeppelin+

    Led Zep without Robert Plant and John Bonham? That'd be like Queen without Freddie Mercury and John Deacon.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    RE: !Not Zep et al.

    If maths is too complex take a real world example:

    bacon and eggs= bacon and eggs.

    If you took away the bacon you would not anymore have bacon and eggs.

    However this clearly does not mean that eggs on their own is the same as bacon and eggs.

    I am not a fan of Led Zeppelin, but I do like bacon and eggs.

  15. Harry Neary
    Thumb Up

    LZ was always Jimmy's band

    You're mad to believe that Led Zeppelin was Robert's group. Sure he fronted the band but it was always Jimmy's baby. Page formed the group (with manager Peter Grant) and always remained its driving force. He wrote most of the early material himself - including lyrics - and even once Plant (and Jones) began to make a bigger creative contribution Page remained the main creative behind the band and its sound.

    That really only changed on In Through the Out Door (the last studio album) when Jones took the lead.

    Plant was a great frontman for the band. And his writing was invaluable in the mid and later period. But it's completely wrong to view LZ as his group. It was and always was Page's, with Jones as his second in command.

    I'd love to see the three of them (plus Bonham Jnr,) play together. I was only born in 1972 so never got a chance to see them in their full pomp. But I'm still interested to see them on tour and perhaps a new record. But if Robert doesn't want to do it, fair play.

    However that shouldn't stop Page playing music he created and is justly proud of to large audiences. Should they use the Led Zep name? Perhaps not. But it's great news that Page and Jones will be playing again together and giving fans a chance to see them in their best element - live.

  16. Luther Blissett

    How about...?

    Bjork. Her general artlessness worked very well for the Tavener work she performed. She would articulate the spirit of Bob Plant's lyrics rather better then Bob himself, methinks.

    The music is not the music - it's behind the music. Judging by the comments, not many people know this.

  17. Robert Frapples

    Rod Stewart

    He sang well with Jones in the Jeff Beck Group.

  18. Shig
    Paris Hilton

    They tried this before...

    Jimmy Page played with the Black Crowes, and it was shit. Robert Plant's voice IS Led Zeppelin... the band touring without him isn't the real thing.

    Hasn't Jimmy Page made enough fucking money from the last tour? Give it a rest guys!

    Paris, because even she knows when to call it a day.

  19. lee harvey osmond

    heresy!

    Well, if it's to be Zep, or least to sound like Zep, best *not* to re-engage Percy. He doesn't have the pipes for it any more.

    The problem is that Page et al selected him in 1968 because, then, he did have the pipes for it. There was only one Robert Plant at the time, and we have been waiting forty years for the next one. And there is no sign. After forty years of leading the Israelites through the wilderness, Moses did at least know that Joshua would be available for the leading-into-the-Promised-Land bit.

    Mind you, as Promised Lands go, the O2 Arena is a bit lacking. [It's not much cop as the wilderness either -- at least one got manna from heaven for free.]

    Now, I have seen Led Zep tribute bands, mostly in smaller venues, and on occasion the experience has been thoroughly agreeable. One does need a band that can actually play a bit, and whose members know and love the canon of work they are trying hard not to butcher. But just how badly is the singer going to mangle the opening scream in The Immigrant Song?

    And on that last thought ... James and John (and Jason!) need to think really hard about whom to employ, if they don't want to sound like their own really naff tribute band.

  20. Mike Holden

    Plant wrote a lot more in the earlier years

    than people necessarily realise. He was under contract to another record company at the beginning, and was precluded from taking any songwriting credits on the first album because of that.

    That said, most of the lyrics and music in the early years came from Muddy Waters and a host of other blues and folk musicians than were ever really given credit for. And if you think that Black Mountain Side is an original Page composition, check out Blackwaterside, a traditional folk tune popularised partly by Bert Jansch on a recording in 1966.

  21. Michael Messina
    Go

    The only person I've ever seen do LZ justice

    Was former 4 non-blondes singer Linda Perry.

    Saw her sing a 5 or 6 song LZ set in an LA club about 5 years ago and she absolutely scorched the songs. Her voice is exactly in the vocal range the songs were written in. Killed anyone else I've ever seen try to do LZ.

  22. wsm

    Plant-less LZ

    If they tour without Plant, it might be worth doing with someone like Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. Anyone else remember their show with Jimmy Page "Live at the Greek?"

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    linda perry for the job!!

    "Was former 4 non-blondes singer Linda Perry.

    Saw her sing a 5 or 6 song LZ set in an LA club about 5 years ago and she absolutely scorched the songs. Her voice is exactly in the vocal range the songs were written in. Killed anyone else I've ever seen try to do LZ."

    see http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jpl76Hbeu8 very good indeed

    also http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_moia-oVI is ok

  24. Sceptical Bastard

    A suggestion...

    .. for Page. If you're stuck for a singer, Sir Cliff seems to be free according to El Reg:

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/27/uk_music_launch/

    "Whole Latta Devil Women" anyone?

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Well scratch that one off the list

    We can go back and forth all day debating the various and assorted contributions of Plant, Page, Bonham, and Jones to Zeppelin as a whole. However at the end of the day for it to truly be a Led Zeppelin concert (at least for me) then Plant needs to be manning the mic (sadly not much can be done about the lack of Bonzo). Sure others can be the front person and perhaps even do justice to the songs but it simply isn't Plant.

    It's a bit like David Gilmour going out solo and billing it as a Pink Floyd concert, or when the Dead tried to continue to tour after the passing of Jerry Garcia, it just aint the same.

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    @Fred Scuttle - how come they need the money?

    I can't see how the Zepsters (Plant excluded) can possibly need the dosh. Their albums have never been out of print for almost 40 years and even today you can walk into pretty much any record shop and they'll be in stock.

    They are probably all richer than you or I could possibly imagine, and have been for a long time.

    I think it's much more likely that they're old and bored and missing the buzz. I'd imagine the prospect of thousands of screaming girlies (OK, MILFs then) throwing themselves at you every night is enough to get most late middle aged men out of the house.

  27. Tim Brown

    Tee Hee

    "nothing as much fun as having an instrument in my hand"

    snigger

  28. Graham Lockley
    IT Angle

    FFS !!

    I can just about put up with the story about Peaches Geldof (the IT connection is tenous but still just there) but this ?? Zep were over-rated even in their heyday so why the hell have they been mentioned now ?

    Oh wait, maybe theres a science angle. Jurrasic Park/Dinosaurs/DNA maybe ?

    Meh !

    (Awaits flames from doddering Zep Heds)

  29. fred scuttle

    @ Evil Graham - how come they need the money?

    Like you say, their records are all in stock - because excellent as they undoubtabley are not enough people / new fans are actually buying them with hard cash, but truck loads are d/l'ing them for nothing.

    The only way to make solid cash in the music industry is to tour nowadays (with the obligatary new album & licensing / kick-back deals)...... pretty soon we'll have Elvis on tour with Buddy Holly & Crickets doing the backing (accompanied by Glen Miller in the interval) - Well I wouldn't be surprised for one.............

  30. John Meredith
    Thumb Up

    Alter Zepplin....Led Bridge?

    I'm looking forward to seeing Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge live his dream of fronting Led Zep. Very good indeed.

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Went off them in 72 .....

    when I realised they were not spontaneous.

    So much for improvising and playing from the heart.

    It was disappointing to see them in full flow, the spot light switch to another member and then whoever was in darkness shuffle around and strike a pose ready for the spot to be turned back on just at the right time..

    Brilliant choreography and they did play their own instruments unlike today's trash, but completely scripted.

    They phoned us and asked to play so they could record a live session as they liked our acoustics.

    During the afternoon set up I heard some brilliant guitar and also saw what I thought was a roadie head down, messing about with an unplugged guitar out the back. Made the mistake of asking him if Jimmy Page taught him anything, got a strange look and then walked in to see Mr Plant playing the electric guitar! Funnily enough JP did not speak to me again.

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    "we don't want to be our own tribute band"

    They gonna play all the ol' Zep songs, right? And they gonna sound just like their own tribute band except for they are not and they are probably nothing better than a good tribute band. At best. Well, there's only Page and Jones left so I'd call it half a tribute and nothing more.

    Don't misunderstand me; I love the Zep music. Just like it was when they existed. But LedZep is past. It's gone along with Bonzo. Keep enjoying to listen to their records.

    EAfH

    ps.

    Is JIM THE shouting BOSS the same random word generator formerly know as moron from mars?

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