Many rock artists can continue doing what they do well long into their careers: Artists like Paul McCartney, Elton John and even ZZ Top don't seem desperate when they plot a new tour. But once a band pledges its allegiance to the dark side (see Black Sabbath, the Stones, the Stooges), twilight-years reunions are more troublesome.
Led Zeppelin may be the best rock 'n' roll band of all time, and their reunion is the most hotly anticipated in musical history. Remember when Pink Floyd reunited for a one-off a couple of years ago? Neither does anybody else. My friend has always excitedly postulated that a Zeppelin reunion would happen, featuring seven-eighths of the original band if they enlisted Bonzo's son Jason to play drums (oddly, Van Halen is touring with roughly seven-eighths of its original lineup as well this fall). So now Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham* have announced a reunion in honor of Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun. A worthy cause, to be sure. So why am I discouraged?
Their music and dangerous image are so firmly entwined with youth that seeing them onstage now could be disappointing. It was hard enough for me to watch the late-70s footage of the original lineup on the "How the West Was Won" DVD (I believe Jimmy Page was wearing a turquoise silk shirt and white bloomers). The last three decades have ravaged Robert Plant's vocal cords, and Jason Bonham isn't half the drummer his father was - years touring with Foreigner will do that to you.
Perhaps the concert announcement is just too surreal to understand. The mightiest of rock gods are reconvening for the listening pleasure of a select few of their humble disciples. My advice to those lucky enough to score tickets: When they open with "Rock And Roll," don't think about the Cadillac commercial, and when they play "Kashmir," forgive Jimmy's "Godzilla" soundtrack misstep with Diddy.
Source:
Daily Texan
