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In L.A. for Jimmy Page's movie? Why not pick up John Bonham's gong too!

Friday, May 29, 2009

As of this morning, tickets are currently on sale for films associated with the Los Angeles Film Festival, including for two theater presentations of "It Might Get Loud," starring Jimmy Page along with Jack White and The Edge.

It's only $12 a pop to see the three guitarists rock out "In My Time of Dying" together on the big screen, so you'll have some money left to burn, right?

OK, I'm broke too. But still.

Why not pick up some authentic John Bonham percussion just a traffic jam away?

Bonzo's gong will be up for auction on Sunday, June 14, just in time for the L.A. festival's premiere of "It Might Get Loud" on the 19th.

Yep, it's John Bonham's original gong, as seen in concert. It was made by made by Paiste, but instead of featuring the drum company's logo, it instead depicts a pair of Chinese letters.

James Cartledge reports in the Birminghm Mail that the gong was contributed to the auction by none other than the drummer's younger sister, singer and Atco recording artist Deborah Bonham.

The auction house says the gong's final price will range between $80,000 and $120,000.

Now I know I can't afford it!

That is, not so soon after I just dropped $30,000 for Jimmy Page's stage-used 1971 200-watt Orange MATAMP.

Just kidding, I wasn't the winning buyer on the eBay auction. The buyer's identity was withheld.

Anyway, Bonham's gong is one lot in the Entertainment Memorabilia auction. Advance viewings are being held June 12 and 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Bonhams and Butterfields Offices at 7601 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles.

If you're nearby, you ought to check it out.

Oh, and here's something else to look at if you happen to find yourself in the L.A. area with a craving for anything connected to Led Zeppelin.

And I do mean anything.

The photographer behind some candid shots of Robert Plant sporting a Speedo in 1978 is showing that series of photos, and many others, in Los Angeles right now.

Nicholas White of the L.A. Times reports that California-based paparazzo Brad Elterman has an ongoing exhibit of his unauthorized shots of Michael Jackson, Phil Spector, Duran Duran, Joan Jett and more, right on through July 23 in Venice, Calif.

But the ones Elterman took of Robert Plant in 1978 take the cake. The Times article explains:

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant was playing a game of soccer, wearing a blue Speedo. In the pictures, Plant is angrily pointing his finger toward the camera, shouting.

According to Elterman, after he took the pictures, Plant approached the teen, took his business card and told him that he would never take a picture of the rock star again.

"For a couple days I was scared," Elterman says. "[I heard] that a few days [later] he kind of laughed it off. But I wanted to make this picture. That's the risk you have to make. If you didn't, it would be gone."
So, there's lots to see out west, if you're so endowed.

Endowed? I meant inclined.

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Led Zeppelin Reunion


Photo courtesy of Simon Keeping

The surviving members of Led Zeppelin regrouped in 2007, with Jason Bonham on drums, to perform a year-end tribute to Ahmet Ertegun. Their widely praised concert was witnessed in person by fewer than 20,000 people. It is likely never to be repeated, and there are no announced plans to release the concert for home viewing. However, clicking the image above will bring up multi-cam footage of the entire Led Zeppelin performance as it happened on Dec. 10, 2007, at the O2 arena in London.

Many posts on LedZeppelinNews.com have centered on the possibility of a full-scale Led Zeppelin reunion, noting particularly the inaccuracies reported by the popular press.

Page


Jimmy Page stars with fellow guitarists Jack White and The Edge in this guitar documentary, directed by Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth"), which had widespread theatrical showings beginning in August.

LedZeppelinNews.com provided a review of "It Might Get Loud" at that time.

"It Might Get Loud" will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on Dec. 22 in the United States. Click here to pre-order on DVD or Blu-Ray. Prior to this, "It Might Get Loud" will be available on iTunes for two weeks beginning Dec. 8.

- What else should I know about "It Might Get Loud"?

- What else is Jimmy Page up to?

Plant


Just prior to the Led Zeppelin reunion concert in 2007, Robert Plant released the album Raising Sand with Alison Krauss. Their partnership has been the subject of much critical and commercial success, including victories at the Grammy awards two years in a row.

A follow-up to that album has been in pre-production, but Krauss's current priorities are new recordings and eventual touring with her signature band, Union Station. Progress on the second Plant/Krauss album is anticipated following the completion of the Union Station tour.

More recently, Plant entered the studio with famed U2 producer Daniel Lanois for some recording sessions, the nature of which has not been disclosed.

Following the breakup of Led Zeppelin, Plant went on to a rewarding career as a solo artist. He released six albums of his own between 1982 and 1993, two collaborative albums with Jimmy Page between 1994 and 1998, and two more solo albums since that time. Yet until Raising Sand, his biggest commercial success came in releasing an EP of classic cover material under the name The Honeydrippers.

- What else is Robert Plant up to?

Jones


John Paul Jones is now in one of the hottest and hardest rock bands, Them Crooked Vultures. The frontman, handling lead guitar and vocals, is Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters is on drums. As for Jones, he offers not only bass and keyboard but also mandolin, keytar, lap steel and whatever else is needed.

One album was released in November, and another is forthcoming. A tour of North America completed in November, and the band now heads to Europe in December and Australia in January.

- What's the latest on Them Crooked Vultures, the group featuring John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme?

- What else is John Paul Jones up to?

Jason Bonham


Jason Bonham, son of the late John "Bonzo" Bonham, does not take lightly the responsibility of carrying on his father's legacy. Having made a head start at drumming while he was a child, Jason is now passing on the same lessons to a third generation of Bonham drummers.

John Bonham's death in 1980 left such an impact on the surviving members of Led Zeppelin that they knew immediately they could not continue as they were. Yet Jason Bonham's familiarity with the band made him a shoe-in to join his father's bandmates on the few occasions reunion concerts have taken place.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of Bonham's most successful album release to date, the Platinum-certified disc The Disregard of Timekeeping released by his band, Bonham. To mark the milestone, he recently toured with a new band and played under the banner of "An Evening with Jason Bonham."

In the past, Bonham has also toured and/or recorded with Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Foreigner, UFO, Paul Rodgers, Joe Bonamassa, Virginia Wolf, Airrace, Healing Sixes and Motherland. He also acted in the movie Rock Star and appeared on the reality TV show "SuperGroup."

- What's the latest on Jason Bonham?

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