Not noticed here until last night, the Birmingham Evening Mail in England reported last Friday, Nov. 21:
Plant well away from tour plansThe Birmingham Evening Mail doesn't report when this conversation took place, but exhaustive Robert Plant fan site Manic Nirvana says it took place Nov. 6.
Robert Plant tries to avoid questions about his role in the proposed Led Zeppelin reunion tour - but Hancock managed to steer him in that direction at Bilston's Robin 2 club.
Robert made a surprise on-stage appearance to mark singer Ricky Cool's 30 years in music and confirmed to Hancock he would not be joining Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham on the road. He said it was partly because he'd be busy working on the follow-up to his awardwinning Raising Sand LP.
"In January, I'm starting to record a new album with Alison Krauss and T Bone Burnett," he revealed, before adding "but I understand that everyone's got to eat," implying that the Plant-less Led Zep has his blessing.
But before he joined the Big Town Playboys on stage for a couple of bluesy numbers, he imparted one piece of significant information: "They won't be calling it Led Zeppelin!"
If that's correct, it's funny the Birmingham Evening Mail took all of two weeks to report on the only known statement by Plant on the topic of Led Zeppelin since September, when he said he was taking two years off from all touring and that he didn't see himself participating in any form of Led Zeppelin reunion.
Anyway, this is the first we're hearing any kind of official confirmation that Plant and Krauss, with producer Burnett, will be working together on a follow-up to their 2007 album Raising Sand.
And Plant's parting comment -- that Page and Jones "won't be calling" their group "Led Zeppelin" -- is in line with the latest word from Page's management. As RollingStone.com reported Nov. 12, a representative for management company QPrime told Rolling Stone's Brian Hiatt, "Whatever this is, it is not Led Zeppelin. ... Not without the involvement of Robert Plant."
So, to summarize, Plant on the likelihood of Page, Jones and Jason Bonham going out on the road with a new singer: "Everyone's got to eat." I can just see the comments on this site raining in now ...
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I just don't get it, what is the big deal with going on a 1-1/2 year farewell world tour to support an ultimate Led Zeppelin album that they very well could record in the next couple of months? The whole thing could be shot in 3-D for everyone to enjoy.There is some shabbiness and lack of gratitude to JImmy Page and to fans who have made him who he is today involved here.
ReplyDeleteClearly since January this year an 'inpass' has developed between Robert and the others.
ReplyDeleteWhat bugs me though is he left the door just slightly ajar (" you never know whats around the corner")for 9 months,keeping Jimmy/JPJ/Bonham waiting around,hoping for a return then Mr.Ego concludes he wants nothing of it & issues curt 'statement'. I've followed this guy from 1981 solo days and this way of treating Jimmy/others is actually deplorable.Its almost like he's done it out of spite for former greivences.
I dont understand the above comments. Surely, after all these years, Robert Plant is free to do as he pleases? - and many of us even prefer his solo work to that with Led Zeppelin. If the two other surviving members of the band want to go on the road or make an album, that is fine too. In fact, Robert has said so himself.
ReplyDeleteThings have moved on a lot since the 1970's and we don't want some sad recreation of Led Zeppelin. The occasional reunion show (like the O2) is great as its just enough to stir up our memories without destroying them. I for one dont want to see a bunch of 60-70 years olds touring around trying unsuccessfully to turn back the clock.
A Led Zeppelin today, would not have that extreme high energy, intellectual, chaotic, sexy bounce groove which was the heartbeat of the group in their heyday - HOWEVER - as stated below, an occasional reunion here and there would be the best way to go, to keep things stirred up and keep everyone happy without destroying the original legacy.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that Robert Plant should pursue his musical interests - he is entitled to that without having to feel "strapped down" with led zep expectations-but with that said- I also agree there is a certain "respect" element to jimmy page - john paul jones and john and jason bonham and to ALL the people that accepted their music, supported them, bought tickets, thereby granting them the lifestyle and financial freedoms they enjoy today. I think Plant is being Very Selfish by not agreeing to do an occasional one off reunion here and there just to say thanks, ESPECIALLY when he KNOWS for a fact the world is asking for it and the remaining members are asking him too. Robert Plant stated that it was never about the fans, but I have to ask- when Plant was on stage with Led Zep, and looking out into the arena, what was out there? A bunch of cardboard boxes or people?
But the sad reality is- egomaniacs never learn to give back a little in life.....
I will support any show without the Aloof-Egomaniac Robert Plant.
I think they should get that new power singer and call the new band "IRON ZEPPELIN" and the new CD should be "OUT THROUGH THE IN DOOR"... followed by a massive world tour and another CD next year and never look back!!!
As a long time - die hard Zeppelin Fan, I would appreciate that much more than the stalling bullshit thats going on now...they are not getting any younger and the window of opportunity is slowly closing-so its now or never...
Sorry Robert- your gone gone gone...........
Replying to something specific in the fourth "Anonymous" comment:
ReplyDelete"I think Plant is being Very Selfish by not agreeing to do an occasional one off reunion here."
On the contrary, Plant seems not to mind the occasional one-off reunion here and there. What he strongly opposes is a grand and seemingly endless tour. That would be pointless to him and Rolling Stones-like, and he is afraid the general public would perceive it as a money-making venture ("Everybody's gotta eat").
The story I've heard is that Plant suggested to Page and Jones they reunite for a few choice one-off shows, and that Page and Jones replied by dropping their jaws and saying they wanted to do more than a few sporadic shows. They really want to hit the road hard, and that's what Plant opposes for his own reasons.
All Plant wants to do today is pursue other projects without hitting the road for a couple of years. He may decide otherwise later, but obviously they'll be two years deeper into their sixties when that time rolls around.
Plant cynically, opportunistically exploited tour rumors for a year to prop up that lousy "rasing sand" album/tour. And to those of you who have characterized Plant as behaving "magnanimously" toward pag, jones and bonham, he has all but directly said he would sue to keep them from using the name zeppelin. this has NOTHING to due with "integrity" and EVERYTHING to do with money and estate. To the Guy who said "some people prefer" plant solo work to zeppelin i can only offer LOL. or maybe those folks (assuming they really do exist and you werent streching your argument) , have never heard led zeppelin. BRING OF THE MIGHT ZEP. without the obtuse plant.
ReplyDeleteSolerso, thank you as always for your contributions here. You've been pretty vocal about your analysis of this situation, amounting to this: "Plant cynically, opportunistically exploited tour rumors for a year to prop up that lousy 'rasing sand' album/tour."
ReplyDeleteBut now you write this: "And to those of you who have characterized Plant as behaving 'magnanimously' toward pag, jones and bonham, he has all but directly said he would sue to keep them from using the name zeppelin." And I'm not exactly sure how you drew that conclusion. Please substantiate.
Is it because Plant said he'd support Page, Jones and Bonham in their INDIVIDUAL endeavors without mentioning any prospective collaborative endeavors of theirs? Still, I don't see how that's tantamount to a veiled threat of legal action over the use of Led Zeppelin's name.
A rep for Page's management has already made it clear that the Led Zeppelin name will NOT be invoked in Page's future endeavors without Plant. I don't think Page will be bringing on "the mighty Zep." Will you still support Page if he does form a new band with a new singer and, importantly, a new name? Because from your comments, it sounds like all you want is Led Zeppelin with a new singer who is decidedly anything but obtuse.
I don't believe a long hard tour is needed for Led Zeppelin.
ReplyDeleteAll is needed is a tour of the capitol city of each state in the USA and maybe the capitol of some choice countries -thats it.
Maybe in NY Madison Square Garden a 3 night stint because of the heavy population there and thats the end of it.
I love Led Zep as much as anyone else but these guys are not in their 20's - give em a break already....
Hahaha. That just makes me laugh. Not only are you advocating a "small" tour of 50+ shows but also dates in those musical hotbeds of Tallahassee, Topeka, Jefferson City, Augusta, Pierre, Montpelier and Helena. Woo hoo! Sign me up!
ReplyDelete