Maybe they should call it Mis-Led Zeppelin. After Robert Plant rebuffed reunion overtures, it appears that Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham will look for another singer to take out on the road in 2009. While stories of Steven Tyler appearing for rehearsals have surfaced, Billboard is reporting that Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy will front the band everyone wants to be Led Zeppelin.

Joining the ranks of the dumbest reunion rumors ever floated, Jermaine Jackson wagged his tongue about embattled brother Michael joining his siblings for a Jackson 5 reunion with sister Janet opening. Within days, Bahrain's most famous resident quashed the hopes of anyone silly enough to believe the reclusive singer will ever emerge from the self-imposed exile he entered after his acquittal on child molestation charges.

Whoever went trick-or-treating at the Bruce Springsteen Web site got a nice treat. He's giving everyone a nice shiny new song - "A Night With The Jersey Devil."

Labels: Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson

On October 16, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel will headline a benefit concert for Barack Obama at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom. Tickets will range from $500 for the balcony to $2,500 for the floor and $10,000 for the lounge, which better include a handshake from Billy Joel, a high five from The Boss and a cabinet position from the Candidate. On the other hand, perhaps the proceeds will serve as a substitute for the failed Bailout Bill.

Internet rumors sometimes turn out to be true: Springsteen will play half time at the 2009 Super Bowl, joining Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince & Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in the ongoing apology for Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction."

Robert Plant crushed the other big Internet rumor, to wit, the Led Zeppelin reunion tour. “It‘s both frustrating and ridiculous for this story to continue to rear its head when all the musicians that surround the story are keen to get on with their individual projects and move forward,” said Plant on a post on his Web site.

Another reunion rumor that's running wild is that Phish will play a three night reunion stand at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia. If this turns out to be a hoax, it's one that's fished in a lot of people. (horrible pun unfortunately intended).

Labels: Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Phish

Possibly wanting to cleanse his palate after his bizarre duet with Leona Lewis at the Olympics Closing Ceremonies in Beijing, Jimmy Page has reignited Led Zeppelin reunion rumors by reportedly entering the studio with John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham. The drummer confirmed that the songs they are working on might end up on some sort of Led Zeppelin but tempered expectations by pointing out that Robert Plant isn't involved with the project at this time.

This may be turn out to be much ado about nothing. It does, however, remove the residual queasiness of having watched Page muddle through "Whole Lotta Love" while Lewis towers above him singing about giving "every bit of her love."

Labels: Led Zeppelin

Despite Jimmy Page calling Led Zeppelin "musically ready" to take on a world tour, they won't be playing Bonnaroo and if a tour does happen, it won't happen until the fall due to Robert Plant's commitments with Alison Krause. Fans though have taken the matter to the people and an online petition has been created to persuade Page, Plant, John Paul Jones and the drummer of their choice to bring their show on the road.

The petition asks, "If you think that it is not fair that only people in the UK had a chance to see Led Zeppelin please sign this petition. I think Led Zep needs to go on a world tour. There are younger and even older fans that never got to see the great Led Zeppelin in concert. We want to be part of history. We want one of the greatest rock bands to tour. "

Although it was started in mid-December, the number of signatures has grown exponentially over the past month. As I've said before, if we wish hard enough, maybe this tour will happen.

Labels: Led Zeppelin

Proving that it's always a good thing to read a press release in its entirety, some news organizations (e.g. World Entertainment News Network) got a little bit overeager and reported the wrong Zeppelin as playing at this year's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Rather, it's Lez Zeppelin, a four-woman Led Zep tribute band, that will be making their way to Tennessee and not the fabled band that famously reunited at London's O2 Arena last December. There will be a Led Zeppelin presence at the festival as Robert Plant will be appearing with Alison Krause. Maybe for kicks, he'll catch the Lez Zep and feel inspired enough to sit in - it's not like he doesn't know the words.

In addition to Pearl Jam, My Morning Jacket, Kanye West and Jack Johnson, Metallica will be headlining the event. Remember two months ago when Metallica denied they were playing Bonnaroo? It's one thing to harass your own fans cause you have an ideological aversion to free downloading, but why spread disinformation about your own concert appearances.

Labels: Led Zeppelin, Metallica

On Monday, Jimmy Page will hold a press conference in Shinjyuku, Japan. As for what Page wishes to discuss with the media: no one's saying.

Coachella? Coachella East? Bonnaroo? All of these? None of these? Or, maybe he's announcing a new Led Zeppelin karaoke machine? Who knows. Jimmy's not saying.

Meanwhile Robert Plant is set to do at least four U.S. dates in April with Allison Kraus to perform songs from their well received Raising Sand project. Will these dates give Robert a taste for the road? Or, will Jimmy announce they've already decided to tour?

Either way...You are now free to commence Led Zeppelin tour rumormongering.

Labels: Led Zeppelin

[Ed. Note: Earvolution's artist development and production side of the business has a few tricks up its sleeve for 2008 as well; new Pawnshop Roses coming soon and expect a major announcement involving the marrying of new media technology with one of the most revered brands in American music history.]

Labels: Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, Drive By Truckers, Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz, Licorice, North Mississippi Allstars, The Black Crowes, The Hold Steady, U-Melt

Unless Jim Morrison isn't really dead, I can't imagine another set list generating as much interest.

"Good Times, Bad Times"
"Black Dog"
"In My Time Of Dying"
"For Your Life"
"Trampled Underfoot"
"Nobody's Fault But Mine"
"No Quarter"
"Since I've Been Loving You"
"Dazed And Confused"
"Stairway To Heaven"
"The Song Remains The Same"
"Misty Mountain Hop"
"Kashmir"

Encore Break
"Whole Lotta Love"
"Rock And Roll"

It has been a long time since they rock and rolled. Now come to America and do it here.

Labels: Led Zeppelin

When you've waited more than a quarter century to see a full-blown Led Zeppelin reunion concert, what's another couple weeks. That will have to be everybody's mindset after the postponement of the November 26th show at London's O2 Arena to December 10th. Over the weekend, Jimmy Page broke a finger rendering him unable to properly rehearse for the gig. "I am disappointed that we are forced to postpone the concert by two weeks," said the legendary guitarist. "However, Led Zeppelin have always set very high standards for ourselves, and we feel that this postponement will enable my injury to properly heal, and permit us to perform at the level that both the band and our fans have always been accustomed to."

Labels: Led Zeppelin

Labels: Led Zeppelin

Ever since the stories arose that Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones would reunite to honor Ahmet Ertegun, the man who signed them to Atlantic Records, the rumor mill has been aswirl with all types of stories relating to one more Led Zeppelin reunion show. According to the several UK outlets, the three surviving members of the mythic group are in talks with the owners of London's O2 arena for a one-off show to pay tribute to Atlantic's mogul.

Since drummer John Bonham passed away in 1980, Plant, Page and Jones have played together only a few times; at 1985's Live Aid with Tony Thompson and Phil Collins on drums; in May of 1988, for Atlantic Records' 40th Anniversary concert, with Bonham's son, Jason Bonham, on drums and at their 1995 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony where they played with Aerosmith. For the potential O2 Arena gig the reports have Jason Bonham once again manning the skins.

But, there is still some uncertainty to all this. While he won't completely rule out such a show, Led Zeppelin promoter Harvey Goldsmith told NME there is nothing set right now and warned fans against buying bogus ticket packages for shows that do not exist. So, if you are in the area or are otherwise seeking "tickets" or "hotel packages" please don't spend your money until if and when there is an official announcement.

Labels: Led Zeppelin

AUSTIN, Texas (by Greg Barr) - After a stirring set from gospel singer Mavis Staples, who led a mostly hung over capacity crowd inside the Austin Convention Center ballroom in a stirring sing-a-long rendition of "Let the Circle Be Unbroken," the man once proclaimed as the Golden God of Rock showed that in a way, he has left his own circles of rock unbroken for decades.

Gently prodded by an interviewer on stage, former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant officially opened the 2005 South by Southwest music conference Thursday morning with a series of reminiscences about his early exposure to the great black blues artists of the Mississippi Delta, his life on the road with Led Zep and, most important, how he relates his passion for his current project and new album, "Mighty Rearranger," back to his roots.

Now in his mid-50s, Plant may not have youth on his side, but he has integrity, which a lot of sell-out artists - not to mention the ones who tried unsuccessfully to rip off Zeppelin riffs - in today's musical milieu cannot claim. For Plant - who was surprised at the beginning of the session by an official from the Recording Industry of America, who presented a lifetime Grammy Award to the singer that he was unable to collect in person at this year's Grammys - the bottom line is that today, with his new band of youthful musicians known as The Strange Sensation, his music still elicits the authoritative and familiar feel of his best work with Led Zep in the 1970s. He spoke of being at the same crossroads now as he was when he first jammed with former Yardbirds guitarist Jimmy Page, where "your music has to keep pushing and opening up new arenas. Pop music can't stand still."

Plant received a standing ovation at the end of his session, after explaining why he has resisted the mega-million-dollar payday that a reunion tour with the three remaining Led Zeppers, a prospect that has been dangled in front of his face numerous times since the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980. Basically, he said that Led Zeppelin had its moment, and as amazing as that moment was, it is over.

Sure, like any rock star through the ages, Plant had a new album to plug. But here's the thing. During the discussion, the interviewer stopped the proceedings and asked the sound tech to play a track from the new record. From now on, after hearing that track, I will no longer refer to Plant as the lead singer on the Geezers of Rock tour. The song kicked my ass, along with the butts of the hundreds of other hung over writers, musicians and industry executives in the room. How does it sound? Think Led Zep meets Portishead in a Moroccan casbah. It had that echo-laden heavy Led Zep backbeat, and all the techno-heavy effects that modern ProTools recording sessions bring to the table, but most of all, it had that bluesy, ballsy voice, sounding better than I ever imagined it could.

But, there were plenty of images Plant recreated about the old days, about when Led Zep got to meet Elvis, where according to Plant, the hotel room was "full of second-hand Ann Margarets, and the temperature, cosmetics and feral content of the room had to be just right for Elvis to make his entrance." It was the sound of Elvis' voice on the radio in Britain when Plant was about 10 that made him realize what music was all about. Of course, he was referring to Elvis' knowledge and respect of the black blues artists whom he emulated. Plant then told a hilarious story of how the first time he played an old blues record in his house, his parents cut the electrical cord on his record player.

And, of course, there were the groupies. He brought the house down with several references to Led Zep's jamming during its live concerts, saying that Bonham's drum solo in "Moby Dick" was so long that the rest of the band members had time to go back to the dressing room, bonk some hottie chicks and still have time to get back up on stage to finish the song. What did you expect, dudes? They don't call it friggin' sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll for nothing.

Labels: Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant, SXSW