John Paul Jones at Hardly Strictly

John Paul Jones joined Robyn Hitchcock on stage at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Fransisco's Golden Gate Park to play the song Glass Hotel yesterday.

"Just imagine your listening to this out doors, on a sunny day in the park," Hitchcock told the crowd.

Watch at 1:45 to 1:55, where Hitchcock says something to Jones which makes Jones laugh and stop playing for a second.




The free festival takes place every year and features a number of acts. Hitchcock performed on the Porch Stage, which Jones also played on with Seasick Steve later in the day.



Last year Robert Plant and the Band of Joy opened the Banjo Stage on the Friday night of the festival. Plant also joined Patty Griffin during her set on the Saturday portion.

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Update: Robert Plant also made an appearance at Hardly Strictly this year, joining both Buddy Miller and Patty Griffin during their sets. He sang a song he wrote with Patty during her set:



With Buddy Miller he joined Griffin and Emmylou Harris for Somewhere Trouble Don't Go, which Plant played harp on:

Robert Plant Writing Again

Is Robert Plant set to release two albums in the upcoming year or so? That seems to be the logical conclusion as Plant tells The Telegraph's Paul Sexton that he has almost completed an album with The Sensational Space Shifters.

This comes on the heels of telling The Independent that he had completed a new Band of Joy record, "with psychedelic pedal steel and all sorts of stuff."

Besides recording two new albums, Plant appears to be writing songs again, as he told Sexton of the Space Shifters recording:

12 tracks (completed), 11 originals and no sentimental stuff.

If true, the album will be Plant's first album with new, original material since 2005's Strange Sensation album Mighty ReArranger. Last year, Plant told Rolling Stone that he was through writing new songs and hadn't written anything since "Tony Blair became a Roman Catholic (Dec 2007)".

I have contacted Plant's management to verify whether he actually has two new albums coming up, but they have so far not responded to my emails.

New Band of Joy Album Due Next Year

In preparation for The Sensational Space Shifters show at the HMV theatre in London tomorrow, Robert Plant sat down with Tim Cumming of Britain's The Independent, Plant reveals that his next album (first mentioned here) will be a Band of Joy album, and that it is complete:

...Buddy Miller and I created Band of Joy... and we've recorded a new record that's far, far out with psychedelic pedal steel and all sorts of stuff.

The album is set for release next year according to the article.

As for the Sensational Space Shifters, "So long as it feels good, I'm not trying to break the bank..."

Sounds like Band of Joy has a future, and The Sensational Space Shifters will be Plant's side project for a while.

DVD Review: Robert Plant and the Band of Joy Live From the Artists Den

The presser for the Robert Plant and the Band of Joy Live From The Artists Den DVD states that Plant presents "six Led Zeppelin classics..." Yea, well...  If you've come here from a google search for "Whatever happened to Robert Plant Led Zeppelin?", stop reading now. That Robert Plant left the building some time ago.



If, however, you have followed and enjoyed Robert Plant's solo career, keep reading, there's good news.

Live From The Artists Den was recorded on Feb 8 and 9th, 2011 at the intimate War Memorial Auditorium. The Band of Joy had progressed and developed over the winter of 2011, and by this stage had developed a bit of an edge. That edge is in full flower on the Live From The Artists Den DVD of reworked Led Zeppelin songs, songs from the the Band of Joy album and some old-timey Americana.

Truthfully, by the time The Band of Joy rolled into Nashville even a known to be sceptical blogger was becoming sold that Band of Joy was doing some interesting music. That impression is proven fully on Live From The Artists Den.

The Band of Joy was fully a band in every sense of the word by the time this show was recorded for PBS. So far gone is the Golden God from the land of ice and snow that Plant takes a secondary position on a series of songs while guitarists Buddy Miller, Darrell Scott and his "companion" Patty Griffin take a song each. Plant even moves into the background physically during these moments, doing his best bass-less John Paul Jones imitation.

But the Band of Joy had an edge, and it is fully on display on Live From The Artists Den. While Plant purrs his vocals, the guitars virtually growl, giving a dark, rock edge to the country and traditional tinged setlist.

The DVD itself is first rate, the videography providing an intimate feel - catching the band members smiling at each other for example - and spreading the screen time around the band. This is no Robert Plant show, and no Robert Plant DVD. It is Band of Joy all the way.

If you missed the Band of Joy when they came around, as I did, it's OK: you can see them now up close and personal, a DVD so good it feel like your there.

Information on the DVD is here, including the tracklist.

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy in the Artists Den DVD Preview

Robert Plant & The Band of Joy DVD and Blu-ray from Artists Den on Vimeo.

New Robert Plant Album "Two-Thirds Done"

In a short interview with Classic Rock Magazine this week at the Jim Capaldi book signing, does Robert Plant let slip that he is working on, and close to finished, a new album? Listen below, starting at 3:00.

Patty Griffin there (possibly pointing her out), Grammy winning Gospel singer, songwriter, she and I have been travelling together with the band of joy for 14 months. Now she's just finished her new album, and I'm 2/3 of the way through mine in Nashville.

Sounds like new Robert Plant music may be coming soon, although no word on what musicians he recorded with.

Band of Joy DVD

Last April PBS, the American public broadcasting channel featured a Robert Plant and the Band of Joy concert on their Live From the Artists Den series. This week Artists Den and Universal Music announced that Robert Plant & the Band of Joy: Live from the Artists Den would be released on DVD and Blue Ray. Here's a partial press release:

Artists Den Entertainment and Universal Music Group will releaseRobert Plant & the Band of Joy: Live from the Artists Den on 5.1 BluRay and DVD in the US on July 10th. On July 9th, these products will be released internationally under exclusive license through Universal Music Group International. This epic show was filmed as a rare, intimate performance at the historic War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Selections from the show aired nationwide on public television's Live from the Artists Den, the hit music series featuring acclaimed artists performing in extraordinary settings. Now released in full for the first time, the DVD features bonus interview clips and concert footage not included in the television broadcast, including six Led Zeppelin classics, three of which have never been shown before.

The DVD will also be presented as a featured story and product release for public television's National Pledge starting July 26th, The series is a production of Artists Den Entertainment in association with WNET New York Public Media, and is distributed by American Public Television.

By my reading of that, there will be material on the DVD/BlueRay that was not on the original show.

Release date is July 9th internationally, July 10th in US and Canada.

Here's the tracklist:

1. Black Dog


2. Angel Dance


3. Houses of the Holy


4. House of Cards


5. Cindy, I'll Marry You Someday


6. Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down


7. Somewhere Trouble Don't Go


8. Tangerine


9. A Satisfied Mind


10. Move Up


11. Down to the Sea


12. Ramble On


13. Gallows Pole


14. In the Mood


15. Rock and Roll


16. I Bid You Goodnight

Robert Plant wins 2 TEC awards

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy have won two Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards for 2011:

OUTSTANDING CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Record Production/Single or Track
“Angel Dance”, Robert Plant

Remote Production/Recording or Broadcast
Robert Plant and the Band of Joy,
Live in Concert, NPR Music

Congratulations to Plant and the Band of Joy

Robert Plant and Patty Griffin Married?

This site is not, nor has it ever intended to be a gossip site, intent upon the personal lives of the musicians of Led Zeppelin. However, some stories of a personal nature are certainly of interest to Led Zeppelin fans, and if they have potential impact on future musical decisions of band members, relevant.

With that caveat in, a report emerged last week that Robert Plant and his Band of Joy singing partner, Patty Griffin, have married. Nech Tytlia, co-administrator and guru of For Badgeholders Only, considered by myself to be a reliable source, sent a message to subscribers last week. The content of the posting was a simple acronym SSIA (Subject Says It All).

So it would appear that Plant and Griffin, long rumoured to be romantically attached, have exchanged matrimonial vows, although no official word or announcement has emerged as of yet.

Assuming the report to be true, what does it say about Plant’s future musical plans?

Last month he appeared a the El Cosmico for the Trans-Pecos Festival of Music & Love, in Marfa, Texas, with Griffin and a new band, called Crown Vic. They played old rock standards, including some reworked Led Zeppelin songs, in a similar vein to Band of Joy. Plant was also reported to have bought a place in Texas, near the members of Crown Vic (Griffin also resides in Texas).

Based on the marriage report and the report of him moving to Texas, it seems reasonable to assume that Robert Plant’s next project going forward will be Crown Vic, with Griffin.

However, at the Americana Music Awards last month, Plant said of guitarist Buddy Miller, “... I'm never gonna go anywhere without Buddy Miller, ever."

As available evidence suggests that Crown Vic is, in fact, Plant’s next thing, it may be that Plant had already decided not to work with Buddy Miller on his next project. Miller is, however, a busy in demand musician with his own projects, and it may be that Miller was unavailable for a period.

Whether it's with Crown Vic, the Band of Joy, or something entirely new, one thing seems likely, wherever Plant goes in the next few years, Patty Griffin will too.





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Update: A number of sites have picked up this story, including Classic Rock and Blabbermouth. They are also citing sources as saying Plant and Griffin are sporting wedding rings. Robert Plant, however, is apparently denying they are married.
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Update #2: A picture of the couple giving out Halloween treats is currently making the rounds. It is very low def, however, it appears Griffin is wearing a ring on her left hand ring finger

Band of Joy Gets Americana Award

The Americana Music Awards were handed out last night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy received an award for Album of the Year for their self titled album. However Plant lost out on Artist of the Year to his own guitarist, Buddy Miller, who tok the top prize.




Miller received three awards in all, as he recieved Instrumentalist of the Year as well.

The Band of Joy also played the song Monkeyat the ceremony. Plant also reappeared onstage for the finale.

Band of Joy Shines it All Around

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy played Moscow last night and added another song to their rapidly increasing repertoire, Shine it All Around.

Shine it All Around was the first single from Plant's last album with his band Strange Sensation, Mighty ReArranger, in 2005.

Here's a decent video of Plant and the Band of Joy doing Shine it All Around in Moscow:






h/t James Bonal at FBO

Robert Plant and the Montreal Spirit Award

The Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award was created in 2006 and "underlines a popular artist’s extraordinary contribution to the musical world."

The Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award is in bronze, and was inspired by a self-portrait that Miles Davis presented to the Festival in 1988. With this award, created especially on the occasion of its 27th edition, the Festival wishes to showcase quality and musical innovation, as well as the author-composer-performer's undeniable influence on the international pop music scene.

This years winner is Robert Plant, who will be performing to as sold out crowd at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier Place des Arts in downtown Montreal (just off Mordechai Richler old stomping grounds, St. Urbaine St.).

Previous winners of the Spirit Award are:

2006 - Paul Simon
2007 - Bob Dylan
2008 - Leonard Cohen
2009 - Stevie Wonder
2010 - Smokey Robinson

Triple-Play Weekend for Members of Zeppelin

It was a big weekend in the world of Led Zeppelin, with three of the four members of the band that performed at the O2 arena in Dec, 2007 playing this weekend.

On Sunday night, Robert Plant and the Band of Joy took the stage in Tennessee at the annual Bonnaroo festival. Reviews are strong, as they have been for The Band of Joy since they began touring together last year.

On the other side of the ocean, one of Britain's biggest and oldest festivals, the Isle of Wight, featured Plant's old bandmate, John Paul Jones. Jones stepped on stage with at Isle of Wight with a Gibson bass Saturday Night, backing up itinerant bluesman Seasick Steve.

Jones appeared on Seasick Steve's latest album, You Can't Teach an old Dog New Tricks, and has been stepping out at various gigs with Steve. An interactive video of last months Streets of London concert is currently available on at SeasickSteve.com.

Finally, Jason Bonham began the first tour with his band, Black Country Communion last week.

On Friday Night, Black Country Communion played their second show of the tour in Anaheim. The band kicked through a 16 song set, half of which came from their new album, "2."

Aubrey Stewart, a Led Zeppelin fan from Texas, travelled to Anaheim to catch the show. He later commented that,

BCC rocked.  They are excited about what they are doing and it showed... If you get the chance, go see these guys you wont' be disappointed.

Aubrey also took a number of great pictures, which he has graciously allowed me to post here.

Black Country Communion's Setlist, for Friday Night in Anaheim:

1. Black Country


2. One Last Soul


3. Crossfire


4. Save Me


5. The Battle for Hadrian's Wall


6. Beggarman


7. Faithless


8. Song of Yesterday


9. Smokestack Woman


10. Cold


11. John Henry

(Joe Bonamassa song)

12. The Great Divide


13. Sista Jane


14. Outsider

Encore:

15. Man In the Middle


16. Burn
    (Deep Purple cover)

Jimmy Page, it is rumoured, spent the weekend writing HTML code, after showing up at Royal albert Hall with Donovan last weekend.

Robert Plant Receives Americana Award Nominations

Robert Plant has received three Americana Honors & Awards nominations for his Americana album, Band of Joy.

Plant, along with his Band of Joy co-partner Buddy Miller and country singer Elizabeth Cook is nominated for Artist of the Year.

Plant's Band of Joy is also up for album of the year and the Band of Joy itself is up for best group/duo.

Co-producer Miller, who will share in the Band of Joy accolades, is also up for instrumentalist of the year, which he won last year.

The 10th annual Americana Honors & Awards Show goes October 13th.

Trucking with Robert Plant

American Trucker is a television show that features truck expert Robb Mariani showing, “…the iconic trucks, the famous routes they followed and the cargo missions that made history.”

This weeks episode, Rockin' Down the Highway, is described as, "Robb tours with one of the biggest country acts in America."

An attentive fan that has seen a preview for this week's episode, says the country act in question is Robert Plant and the Band of Joy.

It was rumoured in February that the crew of American Trucker was with The Band of Joy, as a poster to LedZeppelin.com noted:

There was... a... film crew from American Truckers [sic] following one of the tour drivers for a segment on the life of a tour trucker.

The show is scheduled for 10PM on Speed Channel, but check your local provider and directory for access to Speed and broadcast time.

Robert Plant Announces 11 date June Tour

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy have spent the winter touring America. Before heading into Europe in July, The Band of Joy will perform one more an 11 date North American tour in June.

The shows include  The Bonnaroo Festival, The Revinia Festival, The Telerude Festival and the Ottawa and Montreal Jazz Festivals.

As well as the June shows, Plant will play The Allman Brothers Wanee Festival in Florida  during the April 14-16 weekend, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on April 29th and  MerleFest on Sunday May 1st.




The scheduled dates for June are:

• 8: San Diego, CA, Copley Symphony Hall


• 9: Highland, CA, San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino


• 12: Manchester, TN, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival


• 13: Columbus, OH, Palace Theatre


• 15: St. Louis, MO, Fabulous Fox Theatre


• 16: Highland Park, IL, Ravinia Festival


• 19: Telluride, CO, Telluride Bluegrass Festival


• 21: Winnipeg, Canada, Centennial Concert Hall


• 23: Ottawa, Canada, Ottawa Jazz Festival


• 24: Montreal, Canada Wilfrid-Pelletier Theatre @ Place des Arts


• 25: Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

Robert Plant on PBS

PBS, the American public broadcasting channel, will be featuring Robert Plant and the Band of Joy in an upcoming show.

Live from the Artists Den features concerts in unusual and intimate settings. The third season will kick off with Elvis Costello at the New York Public Library.

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy were filmed at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville on Feb 9th. It was the last show of the winter leg of the Band of Joy's North American tour. The tour continues in April.

Past artists featured on Live at the Artists Den include The Black Crowes and Band of Joy singer Patty Griffin. Also appearing on season three is A Fine Frenzy, the former band of Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience utility player Stephen LeBlanc.

No date yet has been announced for the Robert Plant performance. Robert Plant and the Band of Joy will be on Artists Den April 22nd.

Robert Plant visits BBC’s Chris Evans Breakfast Show

Robert Plant spent an hour sitting in with Chris Evans on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC radio this morning. Plant is in London between legs of his American tour, a tour schedule that is, apparently, dictated by the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.

[caption id="attachment_956" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Robert Plant and Chris Evans"][/caption]

You have to “plan your career, set our priorities right,” Plant quipped.

Led Zeppelin was, Plant also offered, a lot like The Wolves: really good some nights, really bad others.

In good spirits, Plant even pontificated on that question he hates answering. The Led Zeppelin reunion:

All those big guys saw it as being the next big roll out. Led Zeppelin was worth far more than that… it was great to do it once properly.

And then, unprompted, he went further:

What happens in the future really is based on kinship, camaraderie. Whether or not there’s life in the old beast.

If you’re a betting man? Evans asked. “I don’t bet,” Plant answered.

Evans also asked who was better, Jimmy Page or David Gilmour?

…listen to Pagey, Jimbob, he’s wild, he’s brilliant.

It was, no contest, Plant said. He also suggested he talked to Jimmy Page yesterday, and would see him again Wednesday.

He has been accused recently of not getting along with the other members of Led Zeppelin, so it’s good to hear he’s on terms with Jimmy Page, even if they won’t be working together soon.

About the Band of Joy, Plant said he was pleased for Patty Griffin winning a Grammy. But:

you gotta be sharp with this lot, because they do sound-checks, which I never knew about. Then they go and eat broccoli.

And while it occurred to Plant a person had to look after themselves, he still likes a drink, which is OK because, “a lot of musicians are drinking again.”

For an early morning radio show Plant sounded in good form, and offered quips about many people. Paul McCartney, for instance, was the first person to hug him after his Grammy winning night for Raising Sand. And who gave him the shortest hug? Alison Krauss.




Listen to the show here

Them Crooked Grammy's

Them Crooked Vultures, featuring Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, drummer Dave Grohl and guitarist/singer Josh Homme, have won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for the song New Fang. The Grammy was awarded during non-broadcast portion of the awards.



In other non-broadcast Grammy awards, Robert Plant and the Band of Joy were shut out on their bid for a Grammy. The Band of Joy was nominated for two Grammy’s: Best Americana Album, which was won by Mavis Staples for You Are not Alone; Best Solo Rock Performance, which was won for Helter Skelter from Good Evening New York City.



In other awards, former Yardbird and childhood friend of Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck won three Grammy’s, Best Pop Collaboration; Best Pop Instrumental Performance; Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Robert Plant’s band mate in Band of Joy, Patty Griffin, won a Grammy for Best Tradition Gospel Album for Down Town Church. T-Bone Burnett, who produced Plant’s Grammy winning album with Alison Krauss, Raising Sand, also won a non-broadcast Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture for The Weary Kind from Crazy Heart.

Robert Plant on HDNet Promo