Everyone in the Free World wanted to see Led Zeppelin reunite.
Except for one man.
His name is Robert Plant.
Now it appears that the other members of the band have decided not to tour without their famous frontman after all.
Rolling Stone is reporting that Jimmy Page’s manager, Peter Mensch, told Music Radar that the Plant-less reunion is off.
“Led Zeppelin are over!” Mensch said. “If you didn’t see them in 2007, you missed them. It’s done. I can’t be any clearer than that.”
Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham, son of the late Zep drummer John Bonham, had auditioned both Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge and were actively considering touring with someone other than Plant.
“No one worked out,” Mensch said. “That was it. The whole thing is completely over now. “There are absolutely no plans for them to continue. Zero. Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it.”
Still, Mensch confessed he has no idea what Page is planning on doing this year.
“Fuck if I know,” he said. “I’m waiting to hear.”
As for Plant, Zeppelin fans will most likely see him win album of the year at the Grammy Awards on Feb. 8 in Los Angeles. Plant and Alison Krauss are nominated for their 2007 work, “Raising Sand.”
DICKEY BETTS RETURNING TO THE ALLMANS?
Speaking of bands reuniting, it sounds like Dickey Betts could return to the Allman Brothers Band for their upcoming tour, being billed as tributes to Duane “Skydog” Allman, the band’s legendary guitarist who was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1971.
In the current issue of Relix, Allmans guitarist Derek Trucks places odds that Betts will return to the stage with the Allman Brothers during their 40th Anniversary run at “even money or better.”
Rolling Stone reports that special guests like Boz Scaggs and Eric Clapton, who admired Duane and teamed with him for Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, will also be on hand.
“I’d love to tell you what we have planned,” Gregg Allman told Billboard, “but it’s just kick-ass, that’s all I can tell you.”
The ten-date run at the Beacon will kickstart March 9th. Since 1989, the Allmans have played the theater more than 175 times.
Speaking of the Allmans, I drove out to Montclair, NJ last night to see Gregg perform at the Wellmont Theatre, a nice little place with great sightlines that will also feature Steve Winwood and Levon Helm in coming weeks.
A year after missing the Beacon dates because he contracted Hepatitis C, Gregg looked and sounded great, playing “I’m No Angel,” “Lovelight,” “Melissa” (on guitar), “Multicolored Lady” and closing with “Statesboro Blues.”
PittGrad91 / January 9, 2009
I’m a Zep freak and this is disappointing but there’s nothing you can do. Honestly, I think Plant doesn’t want to do it because his voice really is shot.
PS: Happy Birthday to Jimmy Page. Same as my Mom’s no less.
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midKnightrider27 / January 10, 2009
I got my tickets yesterday thanks to good old AMEX for the show on the 20th. I’d love it for Dickey to reunite with them, he’s really kick-ass. I wonder if he’d only be there for one night or for all the shows?
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Adam Zagoria / January 11, 2009
You’re ahead of me. I tried calling today and they only had single tickets…I’ll have to stand in line on Friday. I’m curious to see when and how much Dickey shows up…Can they really have 3 guitarists up front?
Can’t wait to see Clapton too!
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