The Making of Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day

The Furnace Record Plant in Germany presses Celebration Day vinyl records.



h/t The Hoffman Forum

Robert Plant Puts Away His Big Voice

In an interview last year discussing his current band, The Sensational Space Shifters, Robert Plant said he had found his big voice again.

Today, Patty Griffin released the first song from her upcoming album, American Kid, featuring Robert Plant on background vocals. In the song, Ohio, Plant gives a very understated performance providing harmony to Griffin's lead vocal. It is comparable to some of his work with The Band of Joy or Allison Krauss: that is to say, he put the big voice away for this one.

Ohio is an old style folk song about the Underground Railroad. In an interview with USA Today, Griffin said Plant was key to the arrangement:

I had the song in an odd shape and couldn't really figure out how to use it. He came in and arranged it so that it became what it is. He came up with the tempo and the mood on it.

It is previously ported that Plant provided backing vocals on three tracks on American Kid, due in stores May 7th.

Led Zep Gear Book

Jeff Strawman, who writes the Achilles Last Stand blog and is a contributor to Tight But Loose, is writing a book on the instruments and other gear Led Zeppelin used.  Called Led Zep Gear: All the Gear From Led Zeppelin and the Solo Careers, Strawman hopes to have Led Zep Gear out for Christmas 2013.

You can go to his webpage and sign up for email updates on release date and where to buy the book.

Led Zeppelin to Receive German Lifetime Achievement Award

On March 21st, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones will travel to Berlin to receive the ECHO awards lifetime achievement award on behalf of Led Zeppelin.

From Google translate:

Led Zeppelin has inspired generations of musicians and fans around the world excited and sustainable - now two members of one of the greatest rock bands ever to come to the award of the German music award ECHO to Berlin. On 21 March gives the German Phono Academy, the cultural institute of the Federal Association of Music Industry (BVMI), the British band the "Lifetime Achievement Award International for Outstanding Contribution to Music".

The ECHO's are Germany's music industry's yearly awards, similar to the Grammy's in the USA, or the JUNO's here in Canada.

Original link here.

Ramble On #28

What exactly did Robert say, and why is that guy in the wizard hat laughing?

In Ramble On Radio, Episode 28, I parse what Robert Plant said about doing a 2014 tour, and tell you what I think it means. As well, I tell you about my couple of days with Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience.

Ad in a lifetime achievement award, a Seasick Steve album, a statue by a bandshell, a Bonhameizer and a review of the latest issue of Tight But Loose, all on Ramble On Radio Episode #28.

Get it now, or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.



*****************************************
Links from the show

Jeff Stramans Led Zep Gear Book.

Milk in the Bathtub podcast.

Preoeder Seasick Steve's Hubcap Music

The Bonhamheizer