Pop & Hiss

The L.A. Times music blog

Category: Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin gets a 'whole lotta love' in new comprehensive trivia-based iPhone app

Thisdayapp

Led Zeppelin fans with an insatiable appetite for trivia -- like the location of the photo shoot for the cover of the 1973 disc “Houses of the Holy" or the number of different LP sleeves that were issued for the group's 1979 opus “In Through the Out Door” -- can get their Zeppelin fix and more in a new iPhone/iPad app.

“This Day in Led Zeppelin,” released Monday, follows the popular “This Day in Music” app -- which is a companion to the website and book of the same name.

The Zeppelin app boasts an exhaustive 1,000-plus pages worth of tidbits about the band.

“I had the idea of making individual apps for some of the biggest acts in the world, and thought the best one to start with would be Zeppelin, because of their iconic status,” said Neil Cossar of This Day in Music, in a statement about the app.

Continue reading »

Jason Bonham announces 'Led Zeppelin Experience,' even as female singers attempt their own tributes

On Monday, Jason Bonham, son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, announced details (well, kind of) of his upcoming tribute tour, called "Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience." The string of shows, the specifics of which have yet to be announced, will feature Bonham the younger -- who drummed with Led Zeppelin at their final show at London's O2 Arena in 2007 -- performing the classic rock band's greatest hits with a group of musicians to be announced. Presumably this band will not feature Robert Plant, Jimmy Page or John Paul Jones.

According to the announcement, the tour is tied to the 30th anniversary of John Bonham's death and Jason will be performing 30 shows on the tour, one for each year his dad has been gone. The shows will feature home movies and photographs from the son's collection.

It's a dangerous prospect, covering an iconic band like Led Zep, but the announcement is coming at an interesting moment. The spring has seen the arrival of three intriguing (for different reasons) covers of classic Zeppelin songs, all by women, none of whom sound remotely like Robert Plant. R&B singer Mary J. Blige just covered two songs; Bettye LaVette adapted one on her new album of rock cover songs; and 16-year-old jazz singer Nikki Yanofsky put a Led Zep rocker within a medley with "Sunny Side of the Street." 

Continue reading »

'It Might Get Loud' director Davis Guggenheim stands behind digital distribution

ITMIGHTGETLOUD
 
Director Davis Guggenheim tracked three generations of guitar virtuosos in his "It Might Get Loud," focusing on the philosophies behind the sounds of Jimmy Page, the Edge and Jack White. Sound in the film is paramount.

Yet when "It Might Get Loud" is released on home video, it won't be with a giant Blu-ray or HD push that advertises the latest in high fidelity. Instead, the film will be distributed digitally by Apple's iTunes store, which will sell "It Might Get Loud" exclusively from Dec. 8 through Dec. 22.

"I used to think that the quality of downloading music on iTunes was a barrier for me," Guggenheim said. "I just didn’t think it would be good enough. But in the last year, I’ve put 75 movies on my laptop … There are some movies you need to see in a theater or see on Blu-ray. I think for some fans that’s important. I think some people will need to see this on Blu-ray, but some will need to see it on a Tuesday night at 11 p.m. on iTunes. I don’t think it’s an either/or thing." 

Continue reading »

A quick sigh of relief: No Led Zep tour without Plant

Plant_page

At least that's the word, according to today's reports.

Rolling Stone is reporting that a Robert Plant-less Led Zeppelin reunion is now officially off, and Jimmy Page's manager Peter Mensch is quoted in Music Radar as saying, "Led Zeppelin are over! If you didn't see them in 2007, you missed them." Woo-hoo!

For one, Pop & Hiss wasn't looking forward to what certainly would have been a mega-priced reunion tour, one that most undoubtedly would have priced out anyone not in the upper-tax bracket. And second, a Led Zeppelin tour without Robert Plant is simply not Led Zeppelin.

So it appears that those reports that Led Zeppelin would tour with Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy as the frontman are now officially off, as are any plans that the band would tour under a different name. "They tried out a few singers, but no one worked out," Music Radar quotes Mensch. "That was it. The whole thing is completely over now. There are absolutely no plans for them to continue. Zero. Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it."

Of course, take it all with a dose of skepticism. Yesterday Idolator picked up an earlier BBC item that reported Led Zep was "likely to tour," so Pop & Hiss fully expects rumors to persist throughout 2009. But at least for now, it appears Led Zeppelin's show at a London benefit in 2007 appears to be its last.

As for Plant, Led Zep fans will most likely see the man win album of the year at this year's Grammy Awards, set for Feb. 8 in Los Angeles. Plant and Alison Krauss are nominated for their 2007 work, "Raising Sand."

-- Todd Martens

Photo: Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Credit: Reuters


Did Led Zeppelin almost perform at this year's Grammys?

Led__2

In 2007, the Grammy Awards opened with a performance from the Police. The British rock band launched the gala with a rendition of "Roxanne," which set the stage for what would be a wildly successful tour.

Earlier this year, at its 50th anniversary party, the Grammys began with R&B mega-star Alicia Keys, who performed Frank Sinatra's "Learning the Blues." But a current star and a departed legend may not have been the first choice of Grammy producers, at least not when there are '70s rock bands to try to have reunite on national television.

Visitors to the Grammy Museum, which opened this weekend in downtown Los Angeles, will get a glimpse of what could have been. In a short film that provides a behind-the-scenes look at rehearsals between Beyonce and Tina Turner, who teamed up for a rendition of "Proud Mary," it's revealed that Grammy had designs on Led Zeppelin.

No surprise, as only a few weeks before the February Grammy Awards the band had reunited to perform at a London tribute to honor the late Ahmet Ertegun, the co-founder of Atlantic Records. Zeppelin, of course, didn't perform on the Grammys, but the act's presence was still felt.

The Grammys gave an award to one Zep in Robert Plant, who won with Alison Krauss for best pop collaboration with vocals for "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)." And another Zep, John Paul Jones, was tapped to conduct an orchestra behind the Foo Fighters.

As noted in our story on the new facility, the Grammy Museum puts the emphasis on listening to music rather than admiring rare artifacts. It's offerings also extend well beyond those artists who won a trophy. But there are plenty of Grammy tidbits and rarities for the awards buffs, one of them being the brief -- very brief -- glimpse of Led Zeppelin's name crossed-out on a white-board during a rehearsal meeting.

A Grammy Museum spokeswoman confirms that the meeting in the video was the Recording Academy's "TV planning committee." It took place in late 2007, she added, and Zeppelin was indeed listed as a possible performing act -- the suggestion, apparently, of the museum's executive director Robert Santelli. In the clip, the meeting is being led by Recording Academy head Neil Portnow. Of course, whether the inclusion of Zep was just a pipe dream, or involved serious discussions, is unknown.

As far as looking ahead to 2009, expect at least one Zep member to be performing, as Plant and Krauss received an album of the year nomination for their "Raising Sand." In concert, the pair have even dusted off some Zep tunes, including "Black Dog" and "Black Country Woman."

And perhaps Plant's nomination will ignite another round of rumors that Zep will reunite for the Grammys. But although stranger things have happened in rock 'n' roll history, such as politically-infused electronic artist M.I.A. getting nominated for record of the year, don't bet on it. Led Zeppelin has reportedly been considering a tour without Plant, who has stated that he will not be touring with his former bandmates anytime soon, if ever.

--Todd Martens

Photo credit: Associated Press

Follow Pop & Hiss on Twitter.


Report: Led Zeppelin closes in on new singer. Are we excited?

Plant_page

Bringing credence to a rumor started a few weeks ago by Twisted Sister's Dee Snider, Billboard.com is reporting this afternoon that the band is ready to make Myles Kennedy the new Robert Plant. Billboard's anonymous sources don't make it sound like it's a done deal, saying only that Kennedy is "first in line" (a negotiating tactic, perhaps?), but it seems to bring a Plant-less Zep one step closer to reality.

While not a household name, Kennedy isn't an unknown, either. He's been gainfully employed as the lead singer of Alter Bridge, which is Creed-minus-Scott Stapp. Excited yet? The move would bolt Kennedy up the tribute band ladder, and all the Zep die-hards across the pond can get a look at Kennedy next week, as Alter Bridge has a string of dates in the U.K. beginning Tuesday in Sheffield, England.

Here's a glimpse at one of Alter Bridge's biggest hits, "Open Your Eyes."


While Pop & Hiss won't pre-judge Zep 2.0 until there's some new music, the move doesn't exactly entice excitement. It would seem to imply the band is looking for someone to simply step in and sing, rather than help remake and shape a new band.

Continue reading »

Zeppelin without Plant? Five ways to avert a disaster

Led_

Led Zeppelin, apparently, is mulling a new album and a tour, but without its defining vocalist, Robert Plant. Giving some heft to longstanding rumors, bassist John Paul Jones was quoted on a BBC Radio report as revealing that the band has been auditioning lead singers. Maybe Leona Lewis is booked.

But despite the BBC's defining headline of "Zeppelin to go back on the road," nothing appears imminent.

"It's got to be right. There's no point in just finding another Robert," Jones said, adding, "You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band. ... There would be a record and a tour, but everyone has to be on board."

Wired's Listening Post beat Pop & Hiss to asking readers if it's Zeppelin without Plant, but no bother. The answer is no -- credit Jones for already acknowledging the dreaded "tribute band" tag. But because there's no new Plant-less Zeppelin music to discuss at the moment, here's five ways to help ensure that Led Zep 2.0 has a fighting chance at working.

1. Don't get anyone who sounds like Plant. Not only are the man's vocals instantly recognizable, but any singer who's even remotely similar is going to veer the project straight into tribute band territory. For the new project to work, it needs to be a complete band, not just the leftover Zep members recording music with someone who kinda-sorta sounds like Plant.

2. Don't call it Led Zeppelin. Let it stand on its own, and not have to live up to every piece of music in the Zeppelin back catalog. Calling it Led Zeppelin is also a disservice to the fans who have been waiting for a reunion tour. Let's be clear: In no way, shape or form is it Led Zeppelin. Its two original members + the drummer's son + someone who's not Robert Plant, and all of that = a band that's not Led Zeppelin.

Continue reading »



Advertisement





Categories


Archives
 



From screen to stage, music to art.
See a sample | Sign up

Get Alerts on Your Mobile Phone

Sign me up for the following lists: