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.