BBC Radio Devon caught up with John Paul Jones at the Mansons Guitar Show in Exeter on Oct. 26. "The Late Show," hosted by Vic Morgan, broadcast the full interview with Jones last night.
"It was wonderful, it was wonderful. It was a combination of a lot of hard work. We worked really, really hard. It wasn't just a matter of getting through the show and just hoping that people hearing the songs again would carry us through. We were determined to give a really top-of-the-line performance. And you've got to be so familiar with it all again and then move on to the next level. And it was very important to us that we did that, and we did it. I think we pulled it off. We put a tremendous amount of work in it, a lot of focus on that one show."
He then confirmed that an album and tour could be in the works once the lineup with Jimmy Page, Jason Bonham and a new singer is firmed up. Jones added that this project is taking priority over the solo album he announced years ago would be his follow-up to The Thunderthief, released in 2002.
Some things to notice from this:
Jones never said the project will be called Led Zeppelin. The talk of replacing Robert Plant may be off-base. They may simply be auditioning singers for a new, separate band consisted of two original members of Led Zeppelin and the son of a third.
Jones says an album and tour will follow. How does this differ from Jimmy Page's most recent comments on the subject, delivered last month, in which he denied media speculation? I always took Page's comments to mean there would be no album or tour, yet here's Jonesy saying there will be both. The only distinction is, again, whether it would be called Led Zeppelin or not.
The search for a new singer to join Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham is on, sources including Jones himself have confirmed either publicly or to news organizations.
Jones said as recently as yesterday that no one singer had been identified for his project with the other musicians. He did say the new music is loud and has been enjoyable for everyone involved.
One oft-cited possible singer for Page, Jones and Bonham is Myles Kennedy, who is currently the vocalist for Alter Bridge, a Florida-based rock group that is scheduled to tour the United Kingdom and mainland Europe in November and December. This will include an early date, Nov. 8, in the Led Zeppelin base of London, that will be filmed for a DVD release. (This development is somewhat reminiscent to me of the Foo Fighters shows in London that were released on DVD earlier this year with an encore set including Page and Jones. I'm not saying history will repeat itself; I'm just saying it crossed my mind.)
For the first several weeks, none of Alter Bridge's members were known to be addressing the longstanding rumors of Kennedy's possible selection to join Page, Jones and Bonham. Guitarist Mark Tremonti has broken the silence in an interview published in Kerrang magazine, revealing that Kennedy would remain a member of Alter Bridge during time off with the British musicians. Tremonti says he welcomes the attention Alter Bridge would gain if Kennedy were to tour in some capacity with Page, Jones and Bonham.
Tremonti, a former member of Creed, formed Alter Bridge in 2004 with two other former Creed members and selected as their new singer Kennedy, who was singing for West Coast group the Mayfield Four. It was with a brief singing and acting role in the 2001 film "Rock Star" that Kennedy made his theatrical debut, giving him his first-ever connection to Bonham, who played drums for the movie's fictional band.
While Kennedy has not directly commented on his rumored link to Page, Jones and Bonham rehearsals, he did recently write on his official blog that he has been composing new music that could be used for a project other than Alter Bridge. He did not elaborate on what that project might be.
What's keeping Robert Plant away from reuniting Led Zeppelin comes down to the music, John Paul Jones said Sunday.
Speaking before a crowd during a question-and-answer session in Exeter, England, Jones addressed for the first time reports of rehearsals involving Jimmy Page, Jason Bonham and himself.
A YouTube video of the Mansons Guitar Show workshop has Jones saying he and the others are working on "loud music." They hope to announce something soon, he said, "because we really want to do it."
As for what singer (or singers) would be involved, Jones told the crowd, "I'm afraid there's no final answer yet."
The audience member asking Jones the question did not invoke the names of any of the singers mentioned as having been involved during the rehearsal stage, nor did Jones volunteer any particular names.
He did, however, confirm that "the odd singer" has often been involved and that they are enjoying playing together. He praised Bonham's creativity and repeated that they are "really having a lot of fun, just rehearsing."
At first, Jones playfully responded to the question by issuing his own: "Who wants to know?" And after providing his full answer, he decided against taking any follow-up questions, opting instead to play some music. The audience reaction apparent in the video was not one of disappointment.
"As soon as we know, which we don't, we will let you know," said Jones. He re-emphasized this point in his closing, adding, "When it does come, it'll come, and you'll know about it."
The big difference between this trio and Plant, according to Jones, is the style of music now they want to play. "We really want to do something, and Robert doesn't want to do this sort of thing -- at least for the moment," he said. "I don't really know what his plans are."
"He doesn't want to make loud music anymore," Jones said of Plant. "I mean, I like acoustic music. I love acoustic music, but it really doesn't stop me liking turning something up and just smashing the hell out of it."
Oh, you mean like TVs?
"We really hope that something's going to happen soon because we really want to do it," said Jones.
Names like Myles Kennedy and Jack White have been touted in the press, but not a word on the subject has been uttered by Page, Jones or Bonham. It has been a while since any of them elaborated on it, and Jones in particular has been the least vocal in recent months.
But the quiet one is about to open his mouth. Jones is slotted to take questions during the event. Surely, not everything people want to know from Jones at this point has to do with instruments and strings and tunings. Especially not when the latest singer rumored to be jamming with the Zeppelin trio sans Plant is none other than Steven Tyler of Aerosmith!
What will Jones say tomorrow if asked to confirm or deny the rumors of his involvement with Page and Bonham and another singer? The question has been ready since the Mansons Guitar Shop in Exeter, England, announced Jones's participation a few weeks back in workshop taking place this weekend.
Perhaps the level of interest will be much higher thanks to the latest rumor about what has been going on behind closed doors and what might be around the corner.
An unnamed source has apparently told the Daily Mail that Tyler has spent a few days rehearsing with the others. As reported only one day before the Q&A with Jones, the source says, "Steve was jamming with Zep. They had a great time but Steve kept fluffing his lines. He got quite flustered about it."
Tyler has long admitted to being a huge fan of Led Zeppelin -- and also of Page's earlier band, the Yardbirds. The Boston band was founded in the early 1970s while Zep had just taken off. Aerosmith recorded "Train Kept A-Rollin'," which was a cover the Yardbirds used to play and had been resurrected in concert by Led Zeppelin in the band's early days. Page sat in with Aerosmith in 1990 while the group played London.
After Tyler inducted Zeppelin into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, he and Aerosmith's Joe Perry sat in with Bonham, Jones, Page and Plant for a few songs.
Tyler also narrated the hour-long program "Legends" for VH-1 that focused on Led Zeppelin.
It is likely that during tomorrow's question-and-answer session, Jones will be prompted to address publicly for the first time the rumors he and the others involved with Led Zeppelin have been jamming with singers. Even if no decision has been reached as to what project may come out of the jamming, the opportunity to talk about Tyler or Kennedy will be there for Jones, should he choose to.
Kennedy, who fronts the band Alter Bridge and also plays guitar in addition to sporting a wild vocal range, has not commented on reports spread by Britain's The Sun and elsewhere that he has been musically involved with Jones, Page and Bonham.
Jones may have to tell all. The day of reckoning is upon us. This is tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow ...
The voices of John Paul Jones and Rayna Gellert are backed by a subtle drone instrumentation in their song that opens the album Help Me to Sing: Songs of the Sacred Harp. Here is a 30-second audio clip of Jones singing "Blooming Youth" with Gellert, who is one of the four women in Uncle Earl.
Some reporters, following up on rumors of a possible Led Zeppelin reunion in the works with Robert Plant being replaced, are saying they are being told that is not what is going to happen.
OK, now pay attention. What exactly are they being told is either not possible or hasn't been confirmed?
Jason Gregory, who has been pursuing Led Zeppelin reunion rumors for Gigwise, writes that he obtained such a statement when speaking on background with a source connected to American singer-guitarist Jack White. The source, said to have spoken on condition of anonymity, told Gregory, "I do not believe you can have a band called Led Zeppelin, singing Zeppelin songs, without Plant."
Gregory writes that the comment was designed by White's camp to distance the singer from speculation that he could be taking Plant's place in a reunited Led Zeppelin. That's one way of looking at it. Another way says that a band could be in the works that would not be called Led Zeppelin.
Anonymity was also invoked when MTV News reporter Chris Harris had an insider address the issue of a reunion, as he reports. Harris writes that "a source close to Led Zeppelin" denied press reports of a Led Zeppelin reunion with Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge on vocals instead of Plant. As quoted in the news item, the source tells Harris, "They are just rumors. Nothing has been confirmed at all. There's been no talk of a Zeppelin tour!"
Harris seems to interpret that as a denial of Kennedy's involvement in rehearsals with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham. The reporter seems to dismiss the idea of the Alter Bridge singer joining the members of Led Zeppelin based on it being such a remote possibility and utterly far-fetched.
Harris first doesn't realize that the insider who gave him that quote could have been more accurately identified as a source close to Page, a source close to Jones, a source close to Bonham, or whatever the case may be. Led Zeppelin isn't a working band per se, so its people are working with the individual people who were members of that band when it existed. R-r-right?
In the same way, the source's comment that there is "no talk of a Zeppelin tour" has the same ring to it as the statement from White's camp to Gigwise. A band could be forming with Kennedy or White on vocals, and that much of the rumor would be true. But the rumor can be dismissed as false because they're addressing the possibility of that resulting band being called Led Zeppelin.
Hmmmm. I'm seeing a pattern here. Ask about a band called Led Zeppelin with a singer other than Plant, and you get the answer that it's not going to happen.
Then what about the crux of the rumors, that Page, Jones and Bonham have been doing something together to bide the time while Plant was unavailable? Take your band called Led Zeppelin out of the equation, and you might be on to something!
Maybe these reporters ought to go back to their respective sources and ask the question over again but this time not attach the name Led Zeppelin to it. See if the answer changes!
Incidentally, Harris of MTV News also notes that "Kennedy is not available for a five-minute phone interview." He even tried to contact the people surrounding Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider, who last week was shown online explaining that Kennedy had been rehearsing with Page, Jones and Bonham and would be singing on tour with them if Plant did not want to. No call back from Snider's folks, Harris writes.
An interview with Plant and Alison Krauss aired this weekend on the CBS News program "Sunday Morning." It was recorded over a month ago, while the two were in New York on their tour, and it included Plant blowing off a question about whether he would reunite with Led Zeppelin.
When asked the question, Plant first jokingly attempted to change the subject by commenting on the look of interviewer Katie Couric. He then provided the answer that a Zeppelin reunion was so far from his mind while touring with Krauss that he didn't even have the time to ponder the idea.
Since then, Plant issued a statement in the tour's closing days that he would not participate in a Led Zeppelin reunion tour or any tour, or even record with Led Zeppelin, for the next two years.
The unnamed source who was informant for some leaked information to British tabloid The Sun over the past few weeks is now using the name Myles Kennedy.
See here for the story, which doesn't add much to our knowledge.
I would be pretty embarrassed about having been the sole source to provide such a mistaken detail. I would offer some word of explanation if not retraction. This source doesn't.
But interesting nonetheless. Just like we've been suspecting: Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham have been rehearsing with Myles Kennedy, the source says.
Still no official word from the guys themselves though. We expect to hear that word soon.
Lemon Squeezings is a leading source of information on the ongoing musical careers of Led Zeppelin's surviving members, located at www.LedZeppelinNews.com since 2007.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
Jones commented on Led Zeppelin's one-off concert at the O2 Arena in London this past December:
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