What Should This Be Called?

Is Led Zeppelin going to take flight again? Robert Plant has said he doesn’t intend to pilot it this time around. Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, however, are itching for some action and are looking to tour regardless.

This is an interesting development. After Led Zeppelin’s triumphant reunion gig at London’s O2 Arena last year, all parties involved were enthusiastic about the experience and results and discussed the possibility of future engagements. Meanwhile, Plant was gearing up for extensive touring plans with Alison Krauss in 2008. So, while rumors swelled that Led Zeppelin was going to reunite for the biggest tour in Rock N Roll history, it was clear those plans would have to wait until at least the fall of 2008 after Plant’s work with Krauss came to a close.

While Robert Plant has been touring with Alison Krauss in support of their highly regarded album Raising Sand; Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham have continued to rehearse and jam. In fact, they have been working with stand-in vocalists as well.

Recently, the rumor mill began churning out more stories of a major 2009 Led Zeppelin tour – this time, with or without Robert Plant. A few weeks ago, Plant came out with a statement that he had no intention of touring with anyone for the next two years and that he had no plans to work with Led Zeppelin. He also wished his former band-mates the best. With that news, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones have continued their rehearsals and apparently are now actively searching for a replacement vocalist.

This story has divided not only Led Zeppelin fans, but also music fans in general. There are those that feel Led Zeppelin is one of the last truly great bands that has not destroyed its legacy with cash-grabbing tours and that by reuniting with a vocalist other than Robert Plant, it will be destroying the band’s musical legacy that has stayed intact for 40 years.

Others are thrilled about the idea of Page and Jones going out and playing Zeppelin standards with a stand-in vocalist. They figure, many bands move on and evolve. I have seen people comparing this to Fleetwood Mac evolving from a British blues band to one of the biggest pop bands in the world through band member changes.

Well, sorry, but this has more of the potential to follow in the sad footsteps of Journey, Styx and The Doors of The 21st Century than it does of Fleetwood Mac or even Van Halen. This will not end well. Other than diehard fans hoping for any band activity, the concept of Page and Jones working as Led Zeppelin without Plant is not being looked at fondly by the initial press reports.

Now, to be fair, neither Page nor Jones has confirmed whether or not they will tour and record under the Led Zeppelin name. If they choose to regroup and collaborate much like Page and Plant did in the mid-90’s and not use the Led Zeppelin name, they will most likely be embraced. But, if they go out and drag a Led Zeppelin road show across the world, the will lose credibility. And you can be sure promoters and managers will want them to use the Led Zeppelin name.

I can’t blame them for wanting to work. The O2 show was a tremendous success and it was probably the first real musical high both Page and Jones had experienced in many years. They can still play, particularly Jones who happens to be a musical genius. In fact, over the years, I always thought the two of them should collaborate on a full-scale project.

Maybe some of us music fans take this stuff too seriously. Maybe it is okay for Page and Jones to trash one of the remaining band legacies still in good standing. After all, it is their band and their talent. Who are we to say why it is okay and why it isn’t okay for them to work? Either way, plan on seeing Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones touring next year celebrating the music of Led Zeppelin. What they will call themselves, who knows? Whether they use the name or not, they truly won’t be Led Zeppelin – even Page and Jones know this.

The Beatles In The Arcade

The Beatles’ song catalogue and master recordings are some of the most admired and discussed songs in contemporary music. Anytime a song is used for a commercial purpose, it makes the headlines. The announcement that the band’s catalogue is now going to be part of an exclusive interactive videogame through MTV Networks and Harmonix (the developer behind the “Rock Band” franchise) is clearly making headlines.

This is an interesting development on many levels. For the past few years, there have been constant discussions, articles and hints by the band that remastered and digital versions of The Beatles’ recordings are forthcoming. Yet, to this day, nothing has appeared.

The Beatles have a large fan-base that spans many generations, but clearly this development is aimed at a younger demographic. This is a great move in the sense that it creates a unique and exclusive vehicle for the band to showcase its work and legacy in a very contemporary and popular format.

Music producer Giles Martin has stated that the music associated with this videogame will not be remixed or remastered. What is the band waiting for? One would think that optimum sound quality would be criteria for maximizing the potential of this new endeavor.

The Beatles’ core fan-base has been waiting for years for access to upgraded sound quality. The band has a very important and influential body of work and it is strange that the catalogue is solely available to the masses on CD pressings from the 1980’s. Even ABKCO finally remastered and reissued The Rolling Stones’ early catalogue in 2002. In an era of upgraded CDs and an increase in downloads as a viable option for consumers, one has to wonder why The Beatles continue to only offer their music in sub-par sound quality.

Time is ticking away. Instead of offering The Beatles’ fan-base and the holiday consumer a chance at acquiring this famous catalogue in remastered deluxe form, the world gets an announcement of a future videogame. It is big news, but really not that interesting for the fan concerned with the actual music. Rumors again persist that the remasters are coming. Will it be in 2009?

Ronnie & Steve

October 20th marked the anniversary of the untimely passing of Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Over thirty years ago, both musicians perished in a plane crash near Gillsburg Mississippi that also took the lives of other members of the band’s entourage as well as both pilots of the Convair 240 tour plane the band was leasing.

Today, Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of the most celebrated rock bands in history and Ronnie Van Zant is a legend. But in 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd was still a hardworking band, a band that had not reached its iconic status. From 1973 to 1977, the band released six albums and toured relentlessly. On October 17, just three days before the accident, the band released the final studio album from the Ronnie Van Zant-era, Street Survivors. When the accident occurred, the band had just embarked on a major supporting tour for what was arguably their finest album to date. Their first headlining gig at Madison Square Garden was on the itinerary – a symbol that the band had indeed hit the big-time.

Ronnie Van Zant was a rock star. But it wasn’t because of Greek God looks or an angelic voice. Ronnie was rocker. For a time, he lived hard with bouts of intoxication and brushes with the law. His behavior contributed to his legend, but he was best know for his love of the South and more importantly, his incredible skill as a songwriter and arranger. Bandleaders, front-men and songwriters like Ronnie Van Zant don’t come around very often. He was a tremendous talent.

Steven Gaines had only been in the band for a year when he passed away, however, Gaines’ creative stamp on the band was instant. Gaines was a gifted songwriter, dazzling guitarist and impassioned vocalist. His influence and drive gave Lynyrd Skynyrd a jolt of creative energy it had been lacking at the time of his arrival. Ronnie publicly marveled at the diverse talents of Gaines, even claiming that he and the rest of the band would one day be in Gaines’ shadow.

Who knows what kind of heights Lynyrd Skynyrd could have reached had the accident not occurred.* If there was ever a need for documentation of a creative rebirth within the band, look no further than the triumphant Street Survivors album. This is one bad-ass rock album. It has it all: great hooks, strong melodies, fantastic vocals by both Van Zant and Gaines, inspired guitar work, introspective lyrics and a whole lot of groove. Street Survivors is testament to the greatness of Lynyrd Skynyrd – and the monster talent of Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines.

The music still lives and breathes. That is what great rock and roll does. Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines are not forgotten.

*Lynyrd Skynyrd reformed a decade after the accident with Ronnie’s younger brother Johnny Van Zant handling the lead vocal duties. A revolving line-up of musicians including some original members have been parading around the world performing the Lynyrd Skynyrd catalogue for twenty years now, but the true creative greatness of the band ended in 1977.