I first heard rumors about this several weeks ago, but didn’t post anything because I figured it couldn’t possibly be true. Uh uh. No way. Not happening
Today, however, the news comes straight from the hardest multi-instrumentalist ever to rock a Day on the Green, master of the heavy-metal church organ, the co-hammer of the gods himself:
Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones confirms that the band is planning to tour and record…without Robert Plant.
Umm….What???
With all due respect to Jones and guitarist Jimmy Page, any Led Zeppelin minus Robert Plant rocks about as hard as a deflated mylar balloon at a dentist’s office party. How can you hit the road without one of the greatest frontmen/singers in rock history (not to mention perhaps the greatest drummer, but that’s another story) – a founding member of the band – and still call yourself “Led Zeppelin”?
I mean, really….What???
Jones says that he and Page aren’t looking for a Plant soundalike: “It’s got to be right. There’s no point in just finding another Robert.”
Who were they considering? Tony Bennett? Natalie Merchant? John Ashcroft?
Jones closed by saying, and I quote: “We don’t want to be our own tribute band.”
Too late.
Maybe rock’n’roll really is dead. Thoughts?
Comments
3 thoughts on “Rock'n'Roll Emergency!”
You know the allman brothers kicked out dicky betts for beating his wife and still, to this day, continue to tour and play without him. the jerry garcia band is still touring, even after jerry’s death in 95. i think, in reality, i’d rather hear page’s rippin guitar than plant’s screeching. its not to say led zeppelin is losing something by not having plant there, but for me, the improvisation of led zeppelin is way more intriguing (can these guys jam?) than whether or not they can still sing. i mean, the Doors toured without morrison – talk about the ultimate frontman.
p.s. rip, merl saunders, you hit me the hardest at one of your shows in bloomington in 1997. made me cry like a baby.
If I had to choose between page’s guitar or plant’s frontmanning, I’d take door #1 too, but this is one of those whole-is-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts things, and I’m totally not down with it. Led Zep was a great band whose reputation has only risen as they’ve passed up all of the easy and obvious opportunities to cash in over the last 3 decades. To cave now, and minus one of your most important elements to boot, is just hella-lame. Unsubscribe!
okay, you’re right