by George Case
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, New York, January 12, 1995
Part of an all-star get-together that included Jason Bonham on drums (over Plant’s objections), Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Steve Tyler, and fellow inductee Neil Young, Page, Plant, and Jones got through “Bring It On Home,” “Train Kept A-Rollin’,” “Baby Please Don’t Go,” and “When the Levee Breaks.” The ad hoc formation made for a ragged but passable show: Referring to Jones’s quip regarding the recent Page-Plant No Quarter project, Neil Young nudged Plant and told him, “Don’t forget his phone number again!”
Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, O2 Arena, London, December 10, 2007
A worldwide sensation that drew millions of applicants to an online lottery of just 18,000 available seats, this was the most successful Zeppelin reunion. Weeks of rehearsal between Page, Plant, Jones, and Jason Bonham, and careful recalibration of their best-known songs (some tuned down to accommodate Plant’s lowered voice), resulted in a polished two-hour set that finally brought the band’s legacy to an honorable close. Robert Plant told the Telegraph newspaper that the O2 performance was “the best Led Zeppelin gig since 1975.”
Let Me Get Back: The Most Significant Posthumous Led Zeppelin Releases
Since the band’s official breakup, the popularity and critical standing of Led Zeppelin has steadily risen. Both the solo efforts of the remaining musicians and the unearthing or repackaging of original Zeppelin material have added to the band’s stature and revealed new dimensions to their oeuvre of 1969–79. The standout releases since 1980 have been the following.
Led Zeppelin Box Set, 1990
This celebrated four-disc collection updated the sound of the analog music to the CD era; the lavish presentation and comprehensive history of the band’s nine official studio albums secured Led Zeppelin’s position as one of rock’s greatest, after years of being relegated to the heavy metal subcategory. Most impressive was Jimmy Page’s thoughtful resequencing of the fifty-four tracks, which brought out his contrasting light-and-shade effects as never before. For once the cliché was accurate: Listening to this really was like hearing the songs for the first time.
Led Zeppelin DVD, 2003
The visual document of the quartet’s finest performances that millions of fans were waiting for. Ranging from a 1970 Albert Hall gig on Page’s birthday to Earl’s Court in ’75 and Knebworth in ’79, these video gems once again validated Zeppelin as a brilliant live act. The revelatory coverage of John Bonham’s insuperable drumming is alone worth the price of admission.
The lavish Led Zeppelin box set of 1990 won new respect for the group’s musical legacy.
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How the West Was Won, 2003
Though bootlegs of these LA concerts from 1972 had circulated for many years, their cleaned-up release under official auspices offered more proof of Led Zeppelin’s concert prowess. With the simultaneous issue of the DVD, the three CDs of this set effectively replaced The Song Remains the Same, hitherto doing lonely duty as the group’s imperfect live collection.
BBC Sessions, 1998
Likewise heard in unofficial format for some time but finally given an authorized launch, these British live radio dates from 1969 and 1971 showed a hungry and ambitious Zeppelin before they became the regal superstars of later years. Highlights included the tentative first-ever broadcast version of “Stairway to Heaven,” some funky excursions on “Communication Breakdown,” a rollicking cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Somethin’ Else,” and the killer riffing of “The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair,” adapted into the Zeppelin idiom from an old Sleepy John Estes number.
Coda, 1982
This was the first posthumous Zeppelin record, fulfilling a contractual obligation Jimmy Page found “disgusting,” but it did offer some provocative nuggets that had been left out of earlier albums. The driving folk stomp of “Poor Tom” from 1970 and the punk zeal of 1978’s “Wearing and Tearing” proved the foursome’s range, but it was the vast drum solo “Bonzo’s Montreux” that best paid tribute to their late, great, and irreplaceable drummer.
Jimmy Page–Robert Plant, No Quarter, 1994
The reunion of the two Led Zeppelin showmen was a celebrated occasion that attracted much fanfare, and even some controversy due to the exclusion of John Paul Jones. But the album and video project, begun as an episode of MTV’s Unplugged series, turned out to be a surprisingly inventive rethinking of the Zeppelin canon, with Celtic and Arabic takes on “Nobody’s Fault but Mine,” “The Battle of Evermore,” “No Quarter,” “Kashmir,” and “Four Sticks.” More striking still were the new songs, such as “City Don’t Cry” and “Wonderful One,” accompanied by indigenous Moroccan musicians. What could have been easy remakes turned into an intelligent exploration of Led Zeppelin’s own distant influences.
Robert Plant, Now and Zen, 1988
Robert Plant’s long-awaited reconciliation with his past included digital samples of “Black Dog,” “Dazed and Confused,” and “Whole Lotta Love,” as well as actual collaborations with Jimmy Page on the album’s moody hit singles “Tall Cool One” and “Heaven Knows.” The singer’s already strong solo career was boosted by this clever and sincere engagement with the Zeppelin legacy.
Jimmy Page–David Coverdale, Coverdale-Page, 1993
Derided by many as Page’s settling for an inferior Plant substitute when he couldn’t get the real thing, this earnest joint effort with former Whitesnake and Deep Purple front man David Coverdale revived the guitarist’s fortunes somewhat and marked his return to heavy guitar heroics with “Feeling Hot,” “Take Me for a Little While,” and “Shake My Tree.” “I enjoyed working with him, believe it or not,” Page shrugged in retrospect.
John Paul Jones–Diamanda Galás, The Sporting Life, 1994
If his versatility was ever in doubt, John Paul Jones confirmed its existence with this out-of-nowhere pairing with Diamanda Galás, a dark and feisty
The Page-Plant No Quarter project was a surprising departure for the reunited hard rock heroes.
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alternative screamer and pianist. Adding this credit to his already wide list of credentials put his work with Led Zeppelin into a fresh, even disturbing perspective. Asked if she thought the Gothic yowls and grinds of The Sporting Life were Zeppelin-influenced, the singer responded that instead it was Zeppelin who were Jones-influenced. Good point.
Robert Plant, The Principle of Moments, 1983
Plant’s second official solo album gave him more momentum with the popular singles “Big Log,” and “In the Mood,” further distancing him from the rock-god persona he’d lived in Zeppelin. There was nothing heavy metal about the sophisticated post–New Wave sheen on display here, which was the way Plant wanted it.
The Honeydrippers, The Honeydrippers, Volume One, 1984
Still less evidence of Led Zeppelin was audible in this pseudonymous collaborative effort between Plant, Nile Rodgers, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page, as the Plant-instigated EP offered faithful versions of old rhythm ’n’ blues favorites from the 1950s, including “I Get a Thrill,” “Rockin’ at Midnight,” and the hit “Sea of Love.” As on Plant’s other work of the 1980s, he was obviously relishing the opportunity to sing how and what he wanted rather than any of the stadium-rocking anthems he was identified with.
The Firm, The Firm, 1985
Straining for artistic purpose and career relevance after Zeppelin’s demise, Jimmy Page teamed up with Swan Song labelmate Paul Rodgers of Bad Company to form another four-piece rock act, with Chris Slade on drums and Tony Franklin of Roy Harper’s band on bass. Some of the cuts, such as “Radioactive,” “Closer,” a cover of “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling,” and the grandiose “Midnight Moonlight” were appealing, but the largely generic ’80s-era tones were not the powerhouse Led Company many fans had hoped for.
Jimmy Page–Robert Plant, Walking into Clarksdale, 1998
The second Page-Plant collection, this time of
all-new songs without the support of English and Arabic backing players, was not the triumph the No Quarter comeback had been, but it did go off in some intriguing North African and Middle Eastern directions. Memorable tracks included “Most High,” “Heart in Your Hand,” and “When I Was a Child.”
Jimmy Page, Outrider, 1988
Page’s first real solo album was a better outing than the Firm’s two releases, boasting three intriguing instrumentals (“Emerald Eyes,” “Writes of Winter,” “Liquid Mercury”), a duet with Robert Plant (“The Only One”) and piercing electric blues (“Prison Blues,” “Blues Anthem”). The record had only modest sales, however, and Page has put out no solo music since.
Robert Plant–Alison Krauss, Raising Sand, 2007
Plant surprised his audience in this partnership with respected country soprano Alison Krauss. The unlikely vocal combinations of grizzled rocker and Dixie diva, produced by the much-admired roots scholar T Bone Burnett, became a major critical and commercial success. Among the songs performed were soulful versions of obscure bluegrass and R&B songs, as well as a remake of “Please Read the Letter,” which was first heard on Walking into Clarksdale.
Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures, 2009
Never underestimate Jonesy. After years of eclectic and independent production and instrumental work for the likes of REM, the Butthole Surfers, Heart, Cinderella, the Sisters of Mercy, and Brian Eno, he turned around and formed a heavy rock band, with relative youngsters Dave Grohl, formerly of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, and Josh Homme, of Queens of the Stone Age. Grungy nu-metal for frat boys and teenage skateboarders, from a man who’d played with Tom Jones, Petula Clark, and Herman’s Hermits.
Do I Look the Same? Led Zeppelin Tribute Bands
There are many of them. From Elvis Presley to the Beatles, from Shania Twain to Frank Sinatra, and from Kiss to Metallica, there is a long showbiz tradition of providing eager punters with ersatz versions of distant or departed stars. Led Zeppelin, despite their unique sound and image, have been given the tribute treatment from far and wide. As long as guitarists have been figuring out Jimmy Page’s idiosyncratic licks and tunings, as long as drummers have developed the muscle to hit like John Bonham, and as long as singers can grow hair and reach notes like Robert Plant, bar bands
Nineteen ninety-three’s Coverdale-Page effort was an unlikely pairing of the Zeppelin guitarist and Whitesnake singer.
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have made careers out of putting on replica Zeppelin shows. Some of these go for visual as well as musical spectacles—complete with appropriate costumes and instrumental lineups designed to mimic Madison Square Garden in ’73 or Earl’s Court in ’75—but others aim to do the music alone with no theatrical gimmickry to distract, like Michael White’s the White. Some acts stake out strictly local or regional turf, while others have built national followings. At least two all-female tributes, Lez Zeppelin and Zepparella, have put a very novel (maybe even a little discomfiting) slant on the original quartet. One American recreation, Led Zepagain, has been seen and endorsed by Jimmy Page himself, although Page has also said that he would be unlikely to drop in on any tribute show: “I’d probably get torn apart.” In 2010 and 2011 John Bonham’s son Jason toured with Jason
Jimmy Page’s last solo record, Outrider, was released in 1988.
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Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, offering a singular link to the original no other tributes can.
With names that plainly spell out their premise, some of the current or past Led Zeppelin cover bands from the US, Canada, and Britain include: Swan Song, Kashmir, Custard Pie, Led Astray, Get the Led Out, Presence, Zeppelin Live, ZoSo, In the Light, Coda, Screamer, Heartbreaker, No Quarter, Led Hed, the Vibe Remains the Same, Valhalla, Led Zepland, Boot Led Zep, Physical Graffiti, Crunge, Ozone Baby, Led Zep Too, Led by Zeppelin, Black Dog, Fed Zeppelin, Let’s Zeppelin, Stairway to Zeppelin, Letz Zep, and Whole Lotta Led. Perhaps the most musically accurate tributes have been performed by Classic Albums Live, a Canadian ensemble that performs note-for-note, song-by-song versions of legendary rock discs by the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Led Zeppelin.
Led Zeppelin Too: Led Zeppelin Tribute Albums
Another symptom of Zeppelin’s enduring popularity has been the proliferation of collections that present covers of their songs. This too is an extensive subcategory of the music business, as completists and the curious provide a ready market for fresh takes on material by the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and other legends, all the way down to relative cult acts such as Leonard Cohen or Van Morrison. Some of these are random assemblies of work by well-known contemporary artists, while others are thematic remakes by studio teams. At last count there were at least twenty or thirty CDs devoted entirely to Led Zeppelin songs, including several all-orchestral packages. One album consists entirely of “Stairway to Heaven” remakes; it’s called, oddly, Stairways to Heaven.
For those interested in hearing the band as you’ve never heard them before, check out:
• Enconium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin featuring Sheryl Crow, Hootie and the Blowfish, Duran Duran, and Robert Plant and Tori Amos’s duet on “Down by the Seaside.”
• Pickin’ on Zeppelin: A Tribute. Bluegrass guitar versions.
• Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Led Zeppelin. She is only three years old and it’s time to go nighty-night.
• Long Ago and Far Away: The Celtic Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Scottish-Irish folk stylings.
• Going to California: A Classical Guitarist’s Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Acoustic virtuoso Richard DeVinck’s covers.
• Great Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Popular 1980s hair band and Zeppelin sound-alikes Great White drop the pretense of “original” material to perform the real thing.
• Chamber Maid: The Baroque Tribute to Led Zeppelin. This is getting ridiculous.
• Dead Zeppelin: A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Ugly. Makes the prototypes, which were pretty metal in their day, sound like Nelson Riddle.
Valhalla I Am Coming: Awards and Honors Given to the Group or Its Members
Led Zeppelin often topped readers’ polls of favorite groups in music papers such as Melody Maker and New Musical Express when they were a functioning band but seldom received any great kudos otherwise. However, since 1980 the group or its members have won laurels from all over. All of Led Zeppelin’s music and video releases have been given special commemorative Gold and Platinum acknowledgements from countries around the world, signifying their high sales in many national markets; the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has granted Diamond Awards to the five Zeppelin albums with certified sales of over 10 million units in the US, Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti. As with many celebrations in the entertainment industry, some of these accolades are really promotional tie-ins meant to benefit the entire profession or advertise the outlets granting them (e.g., the group’s premier rank in the Classic Rock Best 50 Live Acts of All Time or the Mojo Hall of Fame), while others are sincere accolades that indicate the genuine respect for Led Zeppelin and its individual members throughout the music business. Among the credits are:
Led Zeppelin
• Q magazine Merit Award, 1992
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, 1995
• International Artist Award, American Music Awards, 1995
• Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award, 1997
• Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, 2005
• Polar Music Prize, 2005
• United Kingdom Music Hall of Fame induction, 2006
• Mojo magazine Honors List for Best Live Act, 2008
Jimmy Page
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction (the Yardbirds), 1992
• Hollywood Rock Walk star, 1993
• Lifetime Achievement Award, MTV Music Video Awards, Japan, 2002
• London Walk of Fame star, 2005
• Honorary Citizen of Rio de Janeiro, 2005
• Officer of the British Empire (OBE), 2005
Robert Plant
• Midlander of the Year Lifetime Achievement award, 2002
• Musical Event of the Year Country Music Association Award, 2008 (“Gone, Gone, Gone”)
• Commander of the British Empire (CBE), 2009
• Album of the Year Grammy Award, 2009 (Raising Sand)
• Record of the Year Grammy Award, 2009 (“Please Read the Letter”)
• Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album Grammy Award, 2009 (Raising Sand)
• Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals Grammy Award, 2009 (“Rich Woman”)
• Best Country Collaboration with Vocals Grammy Award, 2009 (Raising Sand)
• Q magazine Outstanding Contribution to Music prize, 2009
John Paul Jones
• Gold Badge from British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors (basca), 2010
Threads That Have No End: The Best Led Zeppelin Internet Sites
As with seemingly everything else that has ever existed, Led Zeppelin is now represented at numerous points on the Internet. Since 2007 the band’s catalogue has been available for purchase online, and Robert Plant and John Paul Jones have official websites (Jimmy Page has an official domain registered in 2010, but there is no activity there). There is also an authorized Led Zeppelin site, ledzeppelin.com, that contains news, a discography, a timeline, and a busy and well-moderated fan forum. Licensed by the act’s management, ledzeppelin.com began as an independent entity created by
