"Jimmy is Digging Through the Archives"

In a Q&A with Jimmy Page's manager at Reddit yesterday, Peter Mensch answers a variety of questions posted by fans while driving to Bethlehem, PA to see the band Dawes.

Mensch tells one fan who asks about the upcoming remasters, "Jimmy is digging through the archives for material that's never been released to the public before." While that may excite Zeppelin fans, there's bad news in that statement too: "No progress (on the solo album Page has said he's committed to doing) yet. Currently focused on rooting around in the Led Zeppelin archives."

Mensch also states that "some" of the Led Zeppelin remasters - talked about here as reissued box sets - will be released this year. It is hoped Coda will be included in the reissues.

Finally, on the question of will Led Zeppelin do any more shows, Mensch is not the optimistic one:

Honestly, my gut tells me they won't.

Kirsty Lang in Conversation with Jimmy Page

As shown on BBC TV on Christmas Day



Did he just say Earth Wind and Fire sucks?

Led Zeppelin on CBS For the Record this morning

Well, now we know what Plant was doing in front of the Physical Graffiti building last fall.

Led Zeppelin on David Letterman

Lots of complaints today about Letterman and his interview style. Maybe I'm used to it - I used to watch Letterman quite a lot back in his NBC days - but it seemed to me he did a reasonable job. His job is to get the guests, and the guys can be reticent, to talk. He does that, not by having all the answer at his fingertips, but by asking open ended questions.

For Plant, Page and Jones, the three looked relaxed, had some fun and seemed to enjoy themselves.  Watch the very beginning when Plant starts to laugh as he and Jimmy take the seats farther away, leaving Jones in the seat next to Letterman. An interesting comment, Letterman, on talking about the Kennedy Center Honors Gala, pointed out that Jimmy said to him during the show, "musicians like playing Led Zeppelin music."

Ramble On Radio's good friend Steve, The Lemon, Sauer was at the taping of the show. His report on it was posted on FBO.

Here's the Led Zeppelin portion of last nights David Letterman Show.

Jimmy Page on Jools Holland

Jimmy Page made an appearance on Britain's the Jools Holland show on Tuesday. Unlike New York, when the band rudely dismissed the question, what about disappointed fans if you don't do any more shows, Jimmy answered the same question when put to him by the former member of Squeeze:

JH: 20-million people applied for tickets to that show, and you could only fit 20,000... are they to be disappointed, or is there likely to be another Led Zeppelin concert?

JP: Well look, we're almost five years after the O2 concert and, I must say, I thought there might be some other sort of get together for some reason or another. But as the years ticked by, you know, one year; two years; three years; four years; now almost five years, it doesn't look very likely does it.

So as is suspected by just about everybody, Page was not the reason there was no more Led Zeppelin shows.

Here's the edited interview. The complete interview airs tonight on BBC television.



Celebration Day the new Led Zeppelin concert film from the 1997 O2 arena show is available in stores Tuesday.

Jimmy Page Says The TIme For a Reunion Has Passed

In the last podcast I was fairly clear on how I felt the guys in Led Zeppelin had been doing a poor job of communicating what seemed obvious to most observers, no reunion is coming:

[caption id="attachment_2053" align="alignright" width="179" caption="Photo: Nech Tytla"][/caption]

For the life of me, at this stage I don't know why they just don't say..."at this time we have no plans. we see no foreseen circumstances in the upcoming future... so the short answer is no! However, we don't rule out the possibility of something somewhere down the road. Of something coming up somewhere down the road that we feel is big enough, important enough to do.

The answer to "will there be a reunion?" has been no for some time time, no. And while I understand they don't want to shut the door 100%, they don't have to. Just be honest, and say, no reunion that we can foresee, but never say never.

With those words ringing in Jimmy Page's ear, he talked recently to Rollin Stone, and on teh issue of a reunion, he said:

I think if there had been any more concerts to be done, we'd already be talking about them. So I don't see it.

See Jimmy, that's all you had to say.

"Daunting is What I Do"

There is a short John Paul Jones interview in the October 2012 edition of Uncut, which hit the newstands today.

In the interview, Jones describes playing with Led Zeppelin, especially in the early days, and compares it to playing with the "Norwegian noisemakers," Supersilent.

There was great unplanned improv sequences in Led Zep songs...  Quite often I found myself onstage with absolutely no idea of what I was going to do, and that's the fun of it...

When asked to play with Supersilent for the first time in 2010, he asked what they did:

Well, we don't talk about it, we don't rehearse, we just play.

"I thought it sounded intriguing," Jones says.

When playing with Supersilent, Jones plays a 12 string bass through a programming system called Kyma. Of Supersilent, Jones says:

It can be extraordinarily delicate and beautiful, or it can sound like the end of the world.

Of Jones, Supersilent's Helge Sten says:

(he has a) really big palette of things - he's playing bass but what you hear sounds completely different.

Jones also talks about the opera he is working on, August Strindberg's play, The Ghost Sonata, due for completion in 2015. "It's more than slightly daunting," he says. "But daunting is what I do."

Jones will be performing with Supersilent in Birmingham on November 14, Glasgow on November 15, Manchester on November 16, Bristol November 17 and London on November 18.

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.

Jimmy Page at David Bowie Book Launch

Genesis Publication, the makers of the Jimmy Page book, Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page, released last year, threw a release party for their latest release on Tuesday, and Jimmy Page was in attendance.

The party was for the release of Speed of Life a collaboration between David Bowie and photographer Masayoshi Sukita. Jez Coulson was there, and reported on events.

There too, was the BBC, and unlike Coulson, they had a chance to talk to Page.

In the interview, Page says he has "been working on all things musical over the last... couple of years... without necessarily playing." And next up, Page intends to be "getting together with musicians, and just be totally focused... on just that an that alone." He adds that at "my time of life... I much prefer to put all my energies into one thing."

Certainly, Page has talked in the last number of years about new music, playing, touring &tc., but nothing comes about. I'll be sceptical until we hear something more concrete.

The David Bowie book, by the way, retails for £360.00 from Genesis publications.

Ramble on Radio Interviews James Dylan

Sunshine Sketches of Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience

Jason Bonham rolls into Central Ontario this weekend, playing Casino Rama in Orillia. Orillia’s claim to fame is the home of Canadian author and humourist Stephen Leacock, and the setting of his most famous book, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Townis reputed to be Orillia.

Heading into the show, Toronto Sun’s Darryl Sterdan has a short interview that is full of information. Bonham tells Sterdan that, should there be another Led Zeppelin Reunion, he’ll find out when we all find out:

When I was last with those guys they said, ‘You will always be the last to know of anything from now on because you can’t keep your mouth shut.’

He adds defeatedly, “They said ‘What are you going to do? Say no?’”

There are a few more very interesting tidbits in the interview, including that the band had to learn “the entire catalogue.” These guys are prepared to play any Zeppelin song (note to Bonham: Fool in the Rain on Saturday Nov 5, please).

As well, he Bonham reports that Black Country Communion will be recording ‘3’ sometime next year. This was reported previously, but Glenn Hughes has since announced he’s recording a solo album and doing a world tour in 2012, which seemed to preclude also doing a BCC album.

Hopefully Black Country Communion doesn't have the same "don't tell Jason rule" as Led Zeppelin does.

Jimmy Page from the Ivor Novello's

Last week, I reported from the Ivor Novello Awards that Jimmy Page said his new website was ready, and music ready to launch. Today, a video emerges from the Ivor Novello's that tell a less enthusiastic story:

At the moment I'm constructing a website, because I've had the domain name JimmyPage.com, but I've not had a website. I'm constructing that, I think that'll bring a few surprisesto how things normally are. Once that's done, then I'm going to start working on the new music. It's a whole sort of, knock out effect.

So we'll see you playing soon

Let's hope so. That's the whole idea.

On a reunion, Page was more blunt: I don't know, you better ask the others... I was up to do the O2.

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Update: Transcription has been edited for, I hope, greater accuracy.

Going to Q107

Last Friday the Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience was here in Toronto in advance of their show Saturday night. They appeared on Kim Mitchell's afternoon drive time radio show, where they played Going to California:



Nice mandolin playing Stephen LeBlanc!

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For those unfamiliar, Kim Mitchell was the frontman for a seventies band called Max Webster, and had a successful solo career in the 80's. Unfortunately, seventies rock star, successful 80's solo career in Canada means day job in 2011. Rock and roll just doesn't pay the same up here as it does elsewhere.

Not being a fan, one of my favourite moments on his radio show was when he was interviewing Robert Plant during the Mighty Rearranger tour, and Plant gave a classic sarcastic response to what he perceived to be a stupid question.

ElixirStrings Interviews John Paul Jones

These interviews were posted to ElixirStringsMedia's YouTube page about a year ago. I have no idea when they were taped, but I stumbled across them today, so I thought I'd post them.

Robert Plant and the Wall Street Journal

The concerts are an eclectic mix pulled together by the charm and force of Mr. Plant's personality, the wonder of his voice and his spirited band…

One of the better stories, and interviews I’ve seen with Robert Plant landed today in the Wall Street Journal. Heading into New York for two shows this weekend, Plant talked to the Journal about the progress of the Band of Joy.

When recordings of the Band of Joy’s first show in Memphis hit the internet last July, I listened to it and thought, not for me. But by December when I listened to and partially watched, the BBC Electric Proms broadcast, it was clear either the show was much better or I had acclimatized to what Plant was doing. Turns out, the shows were better:

"I think we were masking a whole lot of nerves. It was great, though. It started becoming a bit more mysterious on the second and third nights.

The project, as Plant refers to it, is ever evolving. During sound check the band sits in a circle and toys with arrangements. It’s all part of the “workshop feel” of the American music scene at present, says Plant. Making the obvious reference that many reviewers, including myself, have made, he compares The Band of Joy to Led Zeppelin III

The two projects have some similarities over 40 years: the spirit of the '70s.

Robert Plant: American Songwriter?

Robert Plant isn't American, and doesn't really write his own songs anymore. "I’m through with trying to express stuff in three minutes until I’ve got something really interesting, ironic or humorous," he tells American Songwriter. YEt he is featured in an American Songwriter Piece this month: Robert Plant: The Unlikely King of Americana.

It is a pretty wide ranging piece, in which Plant discusses his career, old and new. On his current status, Plant is diffident:

I traded drugs for Rand McNally. And you know what? It’s better than drugs...

I was looking for substance to get my head around it and my motive to project into other people’s songs, you know. I just think there’s so many different strains and filigrees in our record, which require a different mind to get into them as a singer, to tell them.

And that question? The one he hates, but an interviewer has to ask:

...(Plant) refers to the idea of Led Zeppelin playing more gigs together as something that’s “not even a talking point,”

"You Know Too Much!"

Jason Bonham, once again proving he does do interviews with blogs, has talked to Stephen Appleford of West Coast Sound. The interview appears on LA Blogs, where The Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience is currently playing. Bonham speaks about his tour, his father, and his time recording with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, who told Jason leading up to the 02 concert three years ago, "You know too much!"

On his father's drumming style:

It's like the myth of him using huge drumsticks and hitting harder than anybody else. That's a lot of bollocks. His drums sticks are tiny compared to mine. There's a whole jazz element there that not many people are aware of.

On his father's three ring, Ballantine Beer symbol:

...it means father, mother and son. I always felt that I was part of it in some way.

On hanging arond with the memebrs of Led Zeppelin (while rehearsing for the 02 show):

They are the most normal bunch of guys you could be around. At one point we were in rehearsal, and this old lady turned up with sandwiches... we took a break, everyone would take a section of the newspaper and read. And I'm going, 'Where's the debauchery? Where's the upside down crosses and naked girls and sacrificial tables with virgins on them?' But, boy, when they played.

On why Robert Plant didn't continue with Led Zeppelin after the 02 show:

Robert always expressed to me: 'Jason, you know I love you, I loved your dad, and I know how great you are as a player. And on the night, you were great. But to me Led Zeppelin's John, not Jason.'

On the music made in the aftermath of the reunion with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones:

Some cool riff-based stuff, some acoustic stuff. I think Jimmy is still working on that stuff now. I look forward to hearing that. Jimmy was playing amazingly.

A good interview that, while short, covers a lot of ground and adds new information to the canon about the Led Zeppelin reunion and John Bonham.

Jimmy Page "Desperate to be Playing."

Jimmy Page is once again making noise about new music and a tour for next year. Earlier this year Page suggested he was ready to go with new material, plus some live shows, including a Peace Concert that was to be have taken place in China last month. Other than his book, Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page, however, the guitarist has been silent.

He now says next year is the year, telling Planet Rock’s Liz Barnes:

I’m desperate to be playing… I’ll get a good vehicle to get out there and do some concerts.

While that statement is fairly ambiguous on the subject of new music, possibly suggesting there won’t be any, it seems clear Page wants to do some shows. Hopefully what he’s talking about is a tour, of course.
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Update: Here's the interview:



3:59 (Liz Barnes): I can't let you go without mentioning your book, because I came to the launch and it's a beautiful book. But, having seen it now in real life, God, a lot of work must have gone in to that. I didn't realize how much was in it.

4:13 (Jimmy Page): Well, people had asked me to do a book before, like a written book. I thought, you know, I'd like to do this in a different way and do an autobiography, in pictures. So that's pretty interesting because, it sort of went back to when I was 13 years old and there's about 70-80 photographers in there. But the more that I did it and laced it together with the commentary, I'm really pleased I've done it now.

4:40 (LB): And what for the future of Mr. Page?

4:45 (JP): I'm desperate to be playing, but it won't be 'til next year. I'll get a good vehicle to get out there and do some concerts.

4:52 (LB): I think lots of people are desperate to see youplay.

5:03 (JP): Yea, next year. Let's hope it all comes to fruition next year.

Black Country Communion to Tour in May

In a recent interview with LeHigh Valley Music Blog, Jason Bonham lays out the itinerary for his supergroup Black Country Communion:

Yes, we got a show in England we’re going to do at the end of the year, ‘cause I finish this, then I’m going to go home for a couple of weeks and I go to England for Christmas and then do the Black Country show at the end of the year. And then we’re going back in the studio in January and recording another album. And we hit the road, I think, in May of 2011.

Black Country Communion is Bonham's group with singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, guitarist Joe Bonamassa and keyboardist Derek Sherinian. Their debut album, released in September, is an international hit that reached #1 on the UK music charts.

Jason Bonham Does Do Interviews With Bloggers...

Just not, apparently, Led Zeppelin bloggers whose very town he's passing through.

The LeHigh Valley Music Blog, however, got a Jason Bonham interview before the Calgary show. As expected, it's the best interview I've seen so far, although the interview passes by a couple of questions that a)was on my list and b)were laying right there to be asked.

A couple of snippets:

After the 02 Stadium show [in 2007] with Led Zeppelin, the expectation was that you guys were going to tour and then it didn’t happen. Can you tell me a little bit about what happened there?

...there was never talk of a tour before the 02, and after the 02, I think that was an idea the press had kind of built on. And there was no ever talk of a tour...the next phone call I got was in March, and then I flew to England to work with Jimmy and John Paul on writing material and to see what we could do musically together – and that was a great time...that was, for me, one of the highlights of my life – to have Jimmy page turn to you after we played a few ideas of his and John’s and then go, ‘Jason, have you got anything you want to work on?’

But I read a whole lot about the fact that Robert opted out of continuing on. Is that correct?

Robert gets a very tough time, gets hit hard because they kind of put it all on him. I’ve sat with Robert and we spoke very, very personally about my dad and the whole how he feels with it all...I felt very strong about his feelings for dad. His time has moved on. [He said] ‘I’m sorry if it’s not what you want to hear me say.’...

Lots more, and good interview. And Jason Bonham, now that we have established you do blog interviews...