Pages tagged “robert plant”

Since their 2007 one-off reunion concert, several members of Led Zeppelin have tried to arrange a splashy world tour, complete with new material from the reassembled band. The hitch has been former lead singer Robert Plant, who stalwartly refuses to rejoin the crew (even releasing a statement to refute the rumors). Remaining collaborators Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham (who replaced his father, John Bonham, as the band's drummer) recently told the press they're willing to take Zeppelin in a new direction. They've been sizing up replacement frontmen, and Billboard seems to think they've got an eye on Myles Kennedy.

Rumors that Robert Plant will join Led Zeppelin for a possible 2009 tour and recording session have been shot down via his official site.

The Band deserves as much credit as anyone for inventing the country-rock subgenre we now know as Americana, so it made sense that this year’s Americana Music Association conference kicked off Wednesday night here in Nashville with a tribute to The Band’s drummer/singer Levon Helm.

Led Zeppelin may be recording a new album, says collaborator Jason Bonham (via Pop Candy). The son of Zeppelin’s late drummer, John Bonham, Jason played with the band at its celebrated reunion concert last year in London. Since then, he’s been meeting with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones periodically to record, creating the band’s first studio work together in more than 25 years.

Listening to the upcoming album by Lucinda Williams, Little Honey, I was thrilled to come across the voice of Elvis Costello on a song called "Jailhouse Tears." Country/rock duets have a pretty long history and even some commercial success (see Jon Bon Jovi with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles). But recently, they've also gotten pretty damn cool. Here are the best country/rock duets of recent years (and a few don't even involve Emmylou Harris):

With a Grammy apiece under their belt, the recent Led Zeppelin reunion show wrapped up, and last year's platinum-selling collaboration LP Raising Sand, you'd expect that Robert Plant and Allison Krauss would be looking forward to some well-earned R&R. Always ones to buck expectations, the erstwhile Zeppelin frontman and the former conductor of Union Station are setting out for another tour. Or rather, as their press release terms it, additional fall dates for their Raising Sand tour. Just call it as a communication breakdown.

[Above: Jason and the Scorchers in 1995]

Back in May, Paste reported the initial showcase line-up for the Americana Music Festival, which was to include (to borrow a phrase) "everyone who's anyone in the Americana genre." Also announced was that the Americana Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting Award would go to John Hiatt, whose songs have been covered by—well, it's probably easier to list people who haven't covered one of his tunes.

Bonnaroo starts tonight! And I'm going! And I've never gone! And I'm pretty excited but also scared that I might pass out in the heat! Or get struck by lightning! Or just get really overwhelmed and curl up in a sweaty ball at the back of the Paste tent! I hope there's a falafel vendor! I love falafel! Oh my god! Bonnaroo! So excited!

Click above to watch a video EPK for Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' new album Raising Sand, out now on Rounder Records.

Related Links:
Review: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
News: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss extend Raising Sand tour
Video of the Day: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - “Gone Gone Gone”

Click above to watch "Gone Gone Gone" from Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' new album Raising Sand out now on Rounder Records.

What a year it has been for Robert Plant. Despite some finger issues, he and his legendary band managed to have a reunion show, and even stepped into the 21st century by allowing the entire Led Zeppelin catalog to be available for digital download. He also hooked up with the queen of bluegrass, Alison Krauss, for an unexpected and wonderful duet album, Raising Sand. Now, Robert Plant bestows upon us the best gift any iconic figure could give: himself.

No, the Led Zeppelin front man won’t be showing up at your front door come Christmas day, but you will be able to curl up with his book next to the fire come Feb. 28. On this date authors Neil Daniels and Paul Stenning will release Robert Plant: Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, and the Solo Years. This biography from Independent Music Press focuses on Plant’s post-Zeppelin years, including his musical partnership with fellow bandmate Page, and his journey as a solo musician over the past two and a half decades.

Related links:
RobertPlant.com
Paste: Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation: Mighty Rearranger
IPMBooks.com (Independent Music Press)

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.

Rounder Records has announced the Oct. 24 release of Robert Plant’s first-ever music DVD, highlighting his prolific solo career as well as staples from the Led Zeppelin era. Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation were filmed for the pioneering PBS series, Soundstage, which initially ran for 11 years (1974-1985) and was recently resurrected. Soundstage features musicians in intimate settings, before small studio audiences, for one-hour live sets.

Plant’s current band Strange Sensation is Clive Deamer (drums), formerly of Portishead; John Baggott (keys), of Portishead and Massive Attack; Billy Fuller (bass) from Fuzz Against Junk; Skin (guitar), of Brit-pop phenomenon Cast; and Justin Adams (gimbri, darbouka, guitar), of Sinead O’Connor, Jah Wobble, and the Wayward Shakes.

Plant and the Strange Sensation play an earth –shattering set of Led Zeppelin classics including "No Quarter," "Black Dog," and "Whole Lotta Love," as well as some of the most well-crafted masterpieces from Plant’s solo career, including "Shine It All Around" and "The Enchanter." Plant exhibits his genre-crossing deftness, moving from world music flavors to funky blues to roots-rock. Bonus tracks include the classic popularized by Jimi Hendrix, "Hey Joe," as well as Bob Dylan’s sweetly nostalgic "Girl from the North Country."

Following the release of Mighty Rearranger Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation will begin a string of U.S. dates June 15.

Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation Summer Tour Schedule

6/15 – Providence, R.I. - Providence Performing Arts Center Providence
6/17 – Boston, Mass. - Bank of America Pavilion
6/19 - Atlantic City, N.J. – Borgata
6/21, 6/22 – Philadelphia, Pa. - Tower Theatre
6/24 – Uncasville, Conn. - Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, Conn.
6/26, 6/27 – New York, N.Y. - Beacon Theatre
6/29 – Nashville, Tenn. - Ryman Auditorium
6/30 – Atlanta, Ga. - Chastain Park
7/4 – Portsmouth, Va. - Harbor Center
7/6 – Toronto, Ontario - Molson Amphitheatre
7/7 – Detroit, Mich. - Meadow Brook Music Fest
7/9 – Chicago, Ill. - Auditorium Theatre
7/10 - Minneapolis, Minn. - Orpheum Theatre
7/12 – Denver, Colo. - Universal Lending Pavilion
7/15 – Phoenix, Ariz. - Dodge Theatre
7/16 – Las Vegas, Nev. - Las Vegas Hilton
7/19 – San Fransisco, Calif. - Paramount Theatre
7/21 – San Diego, Calif. - Bayside Concerts
7/23 – Santa Barbara, Calif. - Santa Barbara Bowl
7/24 – Los Angeles, Calif. - Greek Theatre

Former Zeppelin frontman hits stride on new solo project

After spending the past 20-odd years delivering albums that failed to live up to his legacy as the voice of the mighty Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant follows up a triumphant comeback performance at this year’s SXSW music festival with the best work of his solo career. Flanked by his new group The Strange Sensation, a ragtag band of U.K. musicians who’ve worked with the likes of Sinéad O’Connor, Roni Size and Portishead, Mighty Rearranger finds Plant in fine form. Tracks like “Freedom Fries” and the incredible “Let The Four Winds Blow” prove he can still pack quite a wallop. And the Strange Sensation does an incredible job backing him up throughout, providing a backdrop swirling with Eastern flourishes, trip-hop grooves and guitar crunch that makes you wonder if this is what Zep would’ve sounded like had Bonzo lived through his fatal pub crawl. Manic nirvana, indeed.