Led Zeppelin News

Looks like Led Zeppelin’s appetite for rock is well and truly back.

We can exclusively reveal that the legends - who staged a triumphant “one-off” gig at the O2 this month - will be the headline act at the Bonnaroo festival in the US next year.

The festival runs from June 12 to 15 in Tennessee - and if all goes smoothly they may even hit the road and tour.

An insider told us: “This is the news that will drive their fans absolutely wild.

“They have been bombarding their website to get back together for good but only Robert Plant wasn’t keen to commit.

“Now he’s had a change of heart and if it goes well they are also talking about touring.”

The band have a huge following and continue to influence today’s young bands - sometimes in very mysterious ways.

Up and coming band Van Tramp were stunned when they realised they were rehearsing in the studio next to the legends. But Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were even more impressed. They asked a studio assistant: “Excuse me, who’s that playing in Room 4? They’re great!”

And when Van Tramp left that night they discovered their debt for the session had been cleared - most likely by their hero Plant.

The boys - Tim Howar, Patrick Mascall, Andy Tinning, Mike Potter and Guy Snelgar - were overwhelmed.

A pal of the band said: “They were rehearsing at The Ritz studios in Putney and couldn’t believe their eyes when they realised that the men walking down the corridor to the studio next door were none other than Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.

“The band wanted to go and introduce themselves but they were too shy. But when they had packed up their gear and went to pay, they were told by the assistant that a certain long-haired blonde man had approached her at the desk and asked who they were.

“They believe Robert Plant then cleared their studio debt. They couldn’t believe it!”

The indie rock group release single Help Me Make It next month. If Led Zep’s opinion is anything to go by, it could be a very happy new year for them.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2007/12/31/led-zep-for-festival-89520-20270256/

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant has the beard of the year, according to the Beard Liberation Front, an informal network of beard wearers.

Liverpool football manager Rafael Benitez came second, with third place shared by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and cricketer Monty Panesar.

They were followed by comedian Russell Brand and author Michael Rosen.

The prize is designed to highlight those who promote “a positive image of hirsuteness” in the public arena.

Plant, who was clean-shaven in Led Zeppelin’s 1970s heyday, was seen sporting a beard at the band’s reunion gig in London earlier this month.

Beard Liberation Front organiser Keith Flett said: “The winners this year have stylish beards and are promoting a new 21st Century image of the hirsute.”

Panesar, who plays for England, won the award last year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7162740.stm

According to TechWhack.com, Amazon has announced that they are now offering Warner Music Group music — including selections from LED ZEPPELIN and METALLICA — on their Amazon MP3 music download service.

Amazon claims that their catalog of mainstream artists — which is free of digital rights management (DRM) software — is the biggest offering of its kind on the Internet.

Apple iTunes is the largest digital media store on the web but majority of the content offered through it is DRMed.

DRM-free music purchased from Amazon is compatible with almost any portable media player capable of playing MP3 files.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=87376

The legendary rock group - who played a sensational comeback concert at London’s O2 arena earlier this month - will take to the stage for the world-famous musical extravaganza, in Somerset, England, before embarking on an 18-month world tour.

A source close to the band - Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and drummer Jason Bonham, who has replaced his late father John Bonham - said: “It will kick off at next year’s Glastonbury after Robert has finished touring with American country star Alison Krauss.”

Led Zeppelin first inspired Michael Eavis to organise the Glastonbury Festival after he saw the band perform an open air concert in 1970.

It has also been reported the rockers plan to return to New York’s Madison Square Garden - where they played three historic sell-out concerts in 1973 - as part of the globetrotting tour.

Although the group has previously hinted at playing further shows together, there has still been no official announcement.

Earlier this month, frontman Plant said: “It wouldn’t be such a bad idea for Led Zeppelin to play together from time to time.”

Guitarist Page has previously stated: “It’s a bit selfish to do just one show. If that’s it, we probably shouldn’t have taken the genie out of the bottle.”

http://people.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1382356.php/Led_Zeppelin_to_rock_Glastonbury

The will-they-won’t they saga of future Led Zeppelin gigs has been fuelled by reports that the band are definitely touring next year and planning a show at the Millennium Stadium.

Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were apparently thrilled by their reception at their comeback concert earlier this month, but want the buzz to “die down” before they announce dates, which are likely to be in the second half of 2008.

A source told the Daily Star: “Robert was overwhelmed by the attention but he wants the fuss to die down before doing more stuff with the band. It will be towards the end of the year now.”

And although Robert, 59, recently announced a solo tour with Alison Krauss, the band are said to be looking into arranging a string of gigs around the world, including one at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Welsh Rugby Union chief Roger Lewis, who is friends with bassist John, said: “We would love to welcome Led Zeppelin and we have already put in a request to [promoter] Harvey Goldsmith.

“Initially Harvey said they were only going to do a one-off gig but now they are considering a tour.”

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=244367&command=displayContent&sourceNode=244365&contentPK=19310278&folderPk=112383&pNodeId=188965

Paul Sexton of Billboard.biz reports that Led Zeppelin’s “Mothership” compilation (Rhino/Atlantic) surges 6-1 in its fifth week on European Top 100 Albums to top the survey for the first time. The ZEPPELIN album enjoys a sales spurt from publicity surrounding the group’s reunion performance at the Ahmet Ertegun memorial concert at London’s 02 Arena Dec. 10. In Austria it leaps 16-4, in Germany 12-4, and in the group’s native United Kingdom, it’s up 8-4.

“The massive buzz around the reunion gig, coupled with a powerful marketing campaign, has seen sales of ‘Mothership’ soar,” says Dan Chalmers, VP at Rhino UK & International. “The strength of both the two and three disc versions has meant it’s appealing to long term collectors and, importantly, new fans, and proving to be an ideal festive gift.”

Read more at Billboard.biz.

Still buzzing from Led Zeppelin’s reunion show on Dec. 10 in London, drummer Jason Bonham says he’s the wrong guy to ask about any future plans for the group.

“I’m still the new guy, and I wouldn’t know,” Bonham — whose late father, John Bonham, was Zep’s original drummer — tells Billboard.com. “There’s been no talks except to Jimmy (Page) and Robert (Plant) and John Paul (Jones), just to say thanks for the best Christmas present I could ask for. It really meant a lot to me.”

“Is it gonna be again? Don’t be greedy,” he continues. “Just take it for what you’ve done and be proud to be part of that. If they do it again, of course I would love to. But that’s up to them. Only time will tell. If you’d have asked me a year ago, ‘Are they gonna do a date next year?,’ I’d have gone, ‘No way!’ So I was proved wrong once before.”

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003686690

Negotiations are going ahead to bring legendary band Led Zeppelin back to Belfast where they first played their class rock hit, Stairway to Heaven for the first time in public, 36 years ago.

Promoter Peter Aiken whose late father Jim brought Zeppelin to the Ulster Hall in 1971, was a guest at the band’s one-off comeback gig in London last week and is now talking to singer Robert Plant and the others about a return to the city where big things happened for them nearly four decades ago.

“If Zeppelin go touring as has been suggested I will definitely bring them on an overdue return to Belfast, as they are keen on the idea,” Mr Aiken said.

“I will take Robert and Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham, son of the late John Bonham, back for a tour of the Ulster Hall where they first played that famous tune, but this time the concert would have to go on at the Odyssey Arena.

“I hope it happens - just like the Belfast Telegraph forecast it would when the Zeppelin comeback in London was announced in the summer.”

Peter Aiken wasn’t at the original ‘71 Zeppelin gig.

“I was only 10 and father decided I was too young and besides I had a lot of studying too do with the 11-Plus just around the corner.

“I’d like to put the comeback concert on just for old time’s sake. My dad always talked fondly about Zeppelin’s time here.

“The Ulster Hall now would be too small for the return and of course it is closed to the public for refurbishment anyway.”

Zeppelin recorded Stairway to Heaven on an album immediately after the 1971 Belfast gig because of the positive reaction of the crowd that night to the song.

On the 30th anniversary of the gig in 2001, there was a reunion of the Zeppelin faithful - complete with tribute band - again at the Ulster Hall.

Led Zeppelin split in 1980 after the death of drummer John Bonham whose place for last week’s O2 reunion gig in memory of the band’s mentor Ahmet Ertegun, found of Atlantic Records, was taken by his son.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music-gigs/news/article3258208.ece

At front of house for Led Zeppelin’s recent 02 Arena concert was a Midas XL8 Live Performance System provided by Britannia Row, with two engineers at the controls. Big Mick Hughes mixed the band — Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass and drummer Jason Bonham — while Robert Plant’s front of house engineer Roy Williams handled the singer’s soaring vocal range.

The decision to use the XL8 came after Page heard it at Metallica’s Wembley gig this summer. Plant subsequently visited the Midas factory to see and hear the XL8, which guaranteed the XL8’s place on the rider.

Williams has worked as front of house engineer for Robert Plant for almost a decade.

“I’ll always have a preference for Midas, and the transition from analogue wasn’t as hard as I had expected; I found the XL8 user-friendly, especially when obtaining any EQ that I might be looking for,” he said.

“I had known from before the start of rehearsals that two engineers would be doing the show, one to look after the band and one to concentrate on Robert’s vocals and effects. Not the easiest thing to do: two engineers, two pairs of ears and two egos! Mick and I have known one another for over 30 years and are both from the Black Country so that helped a lot.

“The XL8 let me have my own world to work in with just the vocal mic and eight effects — leaving Mick to create his world without either of us getting in one another’s way. No blood was drawn, we had a blast and more importantly are still friends.”

Big Mick, who put the XL8 through its paces on Metallica’s European tour earlier this summer, was mixing the band. “We felt that using the XL8 gave us an unlimited amount of options,” he said. “It was a good job we did as the input list grew to over 70 channels, and if we’d gone analogue we would have been into two desks.

“The operation of the console made it really easy for Roy and myself to divide the work surface. Being able to set the last bay of the console to the B zone and then recall a POP (population) group containing Robert’s vocal and effects into the B zone meant that Roy had his own section. This in turn allowed me the remaining two bays and the VCA (Variable Control Association) section to mix the band. The ‘a/b’ headphone solo busses were invaluable as I could be using one while Roy used the other. And as before, when I first used the XL8 for Metallica, the pure sound and stereo image quality is undeniable.”

Read more at this location.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=86898

Led Zeppelin fans are paying up to £125 for ticket stubs from the band’s reunion gig at London’s O2 Arena.

The reunion took place last week (December 10) and saw the band play for two hours.

One seller wrote on eBay: “I was one of the lucky ones. This is the ticket from the show 20 million wanted to see.”

Another concert goer, posting against the bids, said he saw touts paying “£20 for ticket stubs and wristbands after the gig”.

Tony McLearie explained: “It was bizarre - now I know why. But there’s no way I’d sell, no matter how much I was offered.”

The rush for souvenirs meant that the ticket stubs were selling for the same value as the tickets themselves, reports the Daily Mail.

http://www.nme.com/news/led-zeppelin/33238