Interview portends discouraging view on future live releases from Led Zeppelin era

By Steve Sauer

Unconfirmed rumors have it that a new legitimate, official release from Led Zeppelin is in the works. It would be the long-awaited video of Led Zeppelin's reunion concert, staged on Dec. 10, 2007, at the O₂ arena in London.

At that concert, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jason Bonham performed a two-hour stage show of Led Zeppelin material. There has been no official announcement of a DVD release, but rumors suggest such a release is forthcoming, with a possible shelf date much later this year.

Meanwhile, a new interview with producer Kevin Shirley about his past work on Led Zeppelin projects contains an overall discouraging view on the prospect of any future live releases of performances from the original Led Zeppelin era.

LedZeppelinNews.com contributor Wyatt Brake picks up the story with his own observations, originally posted to the discussion groups Royal Orleans and For Badgeholders Only:

There are several discouraging aspects to this interview.

1. The Zeppelin camp (at least as of 2002-2003) thought they had tons of live recordings to sift through in preparation for public release, and they (mistakenly) believed that these recordings were being adequately stored over the past 20+ years.
2. Kevin Shirley, who is now the Zepsters' go-to guy when it comes to this stuff ('03 DVD/HTWWW/Unledded/TSRTS) has declared to the members that 'there really isn't that much there' because the performances are unworthy of release. That's obviously a judgment call from a guy they now trust, and the judgment seems unlikely to be reversed because there's little desire - apparently even on Page's part - to delve in and determine if they agree with that determination. A convincing argument could be made that even without that declaration on Caveman's part that Page (the meticulous guy who gave us the original splice-a-thon of 1976 on TSRTS) would have come to the same conclusion, but now we might never know.
3. The confirmation of something we've long suspected - that Page's role as a producer and even as an "in the cutting room" overseer is over and done. From another KS interview that came out in 2007/2008 in the wake of the remastered TSRTS, we know that Plant was actually the one to 'take the lead on that release and that he was the guy sitting next to Caveman taking an interest in what was being done.
4. Hopes for an Earl's Court retrospective combining elements of all five (or at least the last three) nights, or a How The (Far) East Was Won, or a more complete Knebworth... all those things seem much less likely to come out in light of what Shirley had to say in this interview. Maybe we'll get an upgraded version of the 2003 LZDVD on Blu-ray, but aside from that, it doesn't leave me optimistic about more archive releases - especially about a release of Japan '71 or Bath '70.

Kevin Shirley admits to run-ins with Jimmy Page

By Brian Gardiner and Steve Sauer

Grammy-nominated recording engineer Dave Rideau sat recently with producer Kevin "The Caveman" Shirley at his aptly named studio, The Cave, located in Malibu, California.

In the interview for Solid State Logic, Shirley opens up about his career and his recording methods, including working on Led Zeppelin's digital-era releases and discs from current supergroup Black Country Communion.

The resulting 39-minute interview has been published in three parts on YouTube.

Is 'Black Country Communion II' smokin’ hot?

By Brian Gardiner

Glenn Hughes was heading this week to producer Kevin "The Caveman" Shirley's studio to record vocals for the last two songs of Black Country Communion's second album. Upon arriving at "The Cave," Shirley discovered a fire.

He writes:

"I opened up to thick acrid smoke and a sideboard aflame. Miraculously, there were no guitars lost, no masters affected, and the studio is smelly but otherwise OK."

Hughes finished his vocals, reporting via Facebook, "all vocals are now done... what a crazy day." It was a close call, he says:

"we are SO lucky that Kevin walked in just in time..."

Hughes has previously said BCC II had fast become his "proudest musical moment" and its recording "has been a wonderful experience."

Hughes called Kev "The Caveman" the "best producer I have ever worked with."

BCC II, which is so hot it fried a soundboard, is due for release in June. It is the follow-up to the self-titled debut album out last September. Check out their tour dates and a second-album preview video here. Also, see Jason Bonham on tour with Paul Rodgers ahead of the BCC II album release.

Kevin Shirley: 'Imagine putting together your dream band'

Producer Kevin Shirley has worked on projects for bands such as Aerosmith, the Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin. He says Zep was one of his "first loves," the type of music he grew up on, along with Bad Company and Deep Purple.

The secret to producing, he says, is to make "the type of music you love to listen to." However, it can be tough to do that when you've hardened with age and experience. Shirley concedes, "After almost thirty busy, passionate years making records, there are only a handful I love," he confesses.

There was one time last year that Shirley fell in love musically once again. It happened on Nov. 12, 2009, at the House of Blues in Hollywood, Calif., when one of his closest friends and favorite guitarists welcomed to the stage a former member of Deep Purple. The two performers were guitarist Joe Bonamassa and singer/bassist Glenn Hughes.

Shirley says Bonamassa takes the cake as a guitarist. "It's his lyrical fluid guitar style, rooted in the deepest blues traditions, that touches my soul," Shirley attests. "And he can flat out rock, all the time keeping his own style front and center. There’s no copycat styling there, just 'Always On the Road' Bonamassa."

As for Hughes, he's just as complimentary. "Will the voice of rock please step up," he emphasizes. "The enigmatic Glenn Hughes! He sings [and] plays everything from metal to soul. ... There’s nobody else around that can match the talents of Robert Plant and Paul Rodgers and still be unique."

Joe Bonamassa adds postcard from Greece to Zep-inspired catalog

If Led Zeppelin fans are at all aware of Mississippi Fred McDowell, it is probably because of his lyrics to "Shake 'em On Down" and "Drop Down Mama" having been appropriated for the Physical Graffiti track "Custard Pie." (Robert Plant had also sung "Shake 'em On Down" on the closing number of Led Zeppelin III, "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper.")

With songs like "Custard Pie" -- as well as "Whole Lotta Love," "When the Levee Breaks," "In My Time of Dying" and "Nobody's Fault but Mine" -- Led Zeppelin seemingly made an art form of copying lyrics and creating unique musical arrangements with a heavy rock edge. One of the better examples of an artist following in their footsteps comes from guitarist and singer Joe Bonamassa on his steady 2004 album, Had to Cry Today.

He does it twice on that disc, once with another set of lyrics from McDowell, titled "The River," which is played in a heavy, electric accompaniment with a straightforward rock rhythm and howling harmonica. If it sounds like I could be describing the flood-themed "When the Levee Breaks," that's because you're right. Bonamassa knowingly mimics Led Zeppelin on that track. He thoughtfully explained in the CD liner notes at the time:

"I wanted to write a mystery blues folklore song like the blues greats did in the 20's and 30's. What I wanted to do is take a song that could easily be played on the National Triolian alone but make it heavy. With that said, I wanted to keep all the soulful elements and the authentic feel intact. Masterful harmonica by the legendary Jon Paris adds a unique flavor to the song. This one is also best when played loud."

Perhaps even stronger on that album is the other Zeppelin-inspired piece, which takes the lyric of "Reconsider Baby" by Lowell Fulson. Bonamassa and his studio band recreated the sound of the Led Zeppelin III blues "Since I've Been Loving You." He writes in the liner notes that he's trying to take us right back to the Royal Albert Hall in London, circa 1968. (Give him a break; he's off by only a year or two.) Bonamassa's style of playing on these two tracks -- both contained on the album Had to Cry Today (the title track being his cover of the Blind Faith song) -- is very reminiscent of Jimmy Page's.

There's no doubt from listening to either of those two tracks that Bonamassa is a Led Zeppelin fan and a student of Page. His follow-up album, 2006's You & Me, had Jason Bonham on drums and contained a cover of Led Zeppelin's blues track "Tea for One." Also, this was the first album of Bonamassa's to feature the production work of Kevin Shirley, who by then had become the sound man of choice for Jimmy Page on any of his musical projects, including Led Zeppelin live releases. Despite the collective studio unit's best intentions, the guitar playing on "Tea for One" is rather busy compared to the original, and the excessive string arrangement provides too much connectivity in a song that was originally meant to sound staccato.

However, Bonamassa's next live album, the 2008 double-disc set From Nowhere in Particular, contained two tracks that more than atone for any past transgressions. They're the only two that exceed the 10-minute mark.

The first is a medley beginning with Bonamassa's own instrumental, "India," which could easily be mistaken for the Page instrumental "White Summer," and transforming into the vocal track "Mountain Time" -- the same way Page used to play "White Summer," on electric guitar, to introduce the full band with "Kashmir."

The other is the longest track on either half of the live album. Clocking in at 17:53, it is another medley opening with an instrumental, this time "Django." It is used here as a three-minute introduction for a full-band rendition of the ZZ Top tune "Just Got Paid." As a lengthy guitar solo proceeds, you can eventually a rare guitar sound that has become quite familiar to Led Zeppelin fans: a bow being used on the fretboard. Slowly but surely, Bonamassa is building up to something; what that is becomes clear by the 15-minute mark as he and his band have launched into the instrumental sections of "Dazed and Confused." It's there as a bonus, the title not listed on the album jacket, which may be why some fans have missed it. This is not to be missed!

Last year, Bonamassa released another album, this one titled The Ballad of John Henry. The title character is described as a workingman hero, using a name that's commonly been invoked in fictional literary works. There was no apparent intent to name the album after the John Henry Bonham who drummed for Led Zeppelin. It did have some standout tracks, including "Funkier than a Mosquito's Tweeter," with its array of James Brown-inspired brass hits, and a deliciously blue song in "The Great Flood" unveiling some drawn-out improvisation and guitar/saxophone interplay.

A New Dose in Black Rock

The history of Bonamassa's discography suggests advancement over the years, and the latest release is no exception. Released tomorrow, Black Rock showcases some of his finest vocal delivery, particularly on his cover of Otis Rush's two-minute straight-ahead blues, "Three Times a Fool." He also hones his guitar chops as he covers the Jeff Beck Group for the second time in his studio output. This time, it's the Rod Stewart vocal track "Spanish Boots"; before, the Jeff Beck Group's "Blues Deluxe" from Truth became the title track to Bonamassa's 2003 blues album. (A great live version of the Beck-Ola instrumental "Rice Pudding" also graces Bonamassa's earlier A New Day Yesterday Live 12-21-01, also available on DVD.)

Black Rock takes its name from the studio in Greece where it was recorded, and part of it serves as a postcard from Bonamassa's visit to the country. Songs like "Quarryman's Lament" and Leonard Cohen's "Bird on a Wire" bear the foreign stamp with instrumentation never heard before on any Bonamassa disc -- or any of Led Zeppelin's either. Audible right from the beginning along with Bonamassa's acoustic guitar is the clarino (think clarinet) of Thanasis Vasilopoulos, and joining in shortly thereafter on bouzouki (think lute or mandolin) is Manolis Karadinis. Neither of these Greek musicians spoke any English, producer Kevin Shirley recently revealed to Mix magazine.

But the Jeff Beck Group is not the only British blues-based rock band he's evoking on Black Rock. You guessed it! There's some Led Zeppelin in there. The disc kicks off with a Zeppelin-style guitar riff that appears once and then inexplicably drops off to segue into "Steal Your Heart Away," a Bobby Parker song that Bonamassa acknowledges was suggested to him personally by Robert Plant. The heaviest song on the album is "Blue and Evil," which has sort of the feel of "The Ocean" as filtered through modern imitators like Audioslave or Wolfmother. Here, Bonamassa again stretches his muscles far beyond the blues of his past records and conjures up about as fitting a guitar solo as could be there. He says it was inspired by Jimmy Page. (Go ahead and download "Blue and Evil"; it's free from Amazon MP3!)

Two minutes into "Bird on a Wire" starts a familiar drum sound. While drum duties on Black Rock are split between Bogie Bowles and Anton Fig (Late Show with David Letterman), one might almost swear it's a sample of John Bonham. That's not the first time for a Bonamassa track either; check out Fig's drumming on "Ball Peen Hammer" from Sloe Gin in 2007, and again you'll think you're hearing Bonham sampled, much more so than anything his own son laid down for You & Me in 2006.

Eric Clapton fans will also find some things drawn from that guitarist's past. The aforementioned "Three Times a Fool" bears some musical resemblance to Clapton's version of "I'm Tore Down" on From the Cradle from 1994. Quotes from the 1960s follow on "Wandering Earth," which draws musically from Cream's cover of "Sitting on Top of the World," and on "Look over Yonders Wall," as Bonamassa's guitar part seconds into the song quotes from Clapton's unforgettable solo in his take on Robert Johnson's "Crossroads" with Cream.

Mentioning these sources of inspiration likely does no injustice to Bonamassa, who has frequently in the past made it plain whenever he was quoting something. Take, for example, his insert of a few bars from the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" on the live version of "If Heartaches Were Nickels" (written by Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule and the Allman Brothers) on From Nowhere in Particular; it fits right in because the song always screamed out for it, right from the very first time Bonamassa recorded it, for his 2000 album A New Day Yesterday, as a vocal duet between Leslie West of Mountain and Gregg Allman.

Those guest appearances, and another spot by Rick Derringer on that same album, are about the only special guests Bonamassa has welcomed over the years. (Clapton did sit in, however, as the 2009 DVD Live from the Royal Albert Hall was recorded, as did singer Paul Jones of Manfred Mann.) Bonamassa's most notable in-studio guest appearance to date occurs on Black Rock as B.B. King helps to cover the classic blues number "Night Life," lending both guitar and vocals. What's refreshing on this take is that their voices don't exactly blend; there's been no attempt to synchronize their vocals. It is simply a case of leaving it the way it sounded, which is pretty much a Led Zeppelin thing to do.

Bonamassa does many Zeppelin things, it seems, and it also seems this new disc is definitely worth the investment for readers here. Physical copies are selling at Amazon for $9.99.

All former members of Led Zeppelin gearing up for new projects

This is a big time for news featuring Led Zeppelin members. Let's get right to it.

John Paul Jones and the other members of Them Crooked Vultures start their tour of Australia and New Zealand next week. The first show is on Tuesday, Jan. 19. In the meantime, the band today offered in their e-mail newsletter an exclusive promo code for a 10% discount on new merchandise purchased through their online store. Between now and Jan. 18, just enter DOLESSGETMORE at the time of checkout to save on a new line of products including the iVulture iPhone case. Just in case you needed a reminder of what a Them Crooked Vultures show is like, you can watch their entire performance filmed in a TV studio in Paris last month. Don't forget, too, they're planning on getting a second album ready soon.

Jimmy Page was in Beijing today to announce his support of the upcoming Show of Peace concert. Reports from the press conference have so far been unclear as to whether Page actually said he would be performing at the April 17 show or merely supporting the event's mission. LedZeppelinNews.com is definitely seeking clarification on this point because, for instance, Page did not play guitar when he held a fundraiser in Brazil two months ago. However, he has been stating repeatedly in interviews that he intends to be seen in 2010 and presenting new music he's recorded. Maybe that means he has some great new pop songs he'll be performing with Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas onstage in Beijing.

Jason Bonham has confirmed reports that he has been involved in a supergroup recording with producer Kevin Shirley. Bonham tells Spinner that the group is called Black Country and consists of guitarist Joe Bonamassa, along with singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, formerly of both Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. A separate report says the group also includes Derek Sherinian, who has played keyboards for Dream Theater, among other acts. Bonham tells Spinner:

"I just literally went into the studio last week for two days with one person I'd done an album with before, very quickly [Joe Bonamassa]. And then the other was a friend of my father's I got to meet later on [Glenn Hughes]. ... And we're working on a new project with a working title of Black Country. ... We just went in with Kevin Shirley and played riffs and just jammed for two days. And that's really exciting."

That leaves Robert Plant, who hasn't said publicly what his plans are for 2010 -- other than worrying about incontinence, of course. However, two of Plant's gigs last October were with Buddy Miller, who performs tonight at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville along with Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell. For now, the three amigos are playing one show only, but plans may change as the trio is said to be "fresh from a collaborative recording session" and performing songs from their upcoming album to be released later this year. Miller has also been booked for the Old Settler's Music Festival in Austin, Texas, on April 17; currently, there is no word on his lineup at that appearance.

Speculation on Jimmy Page supergroup unfounded

Yesterday's LedZeppelinNews.com post relating to a possible project with Jimmy Page was unfounded, the result of a misinterpretation. Kevin Shirley has clarified that the list of guitarists he has recorded -- Page, Clapton, Perry, Whitford, the three amigos of Iron Maiden, and all the rest -- is a record of his lifetime achievement, not a list of people he has had in the studio recently, especially not together (imagine that many guitarists plugged in, outside of a jam at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony).

LedZeppelinNews.com approached Shirley for clarification too late, after not only having posted its own misinterpretation of his comments but after other music sites began speculating on a Page/Clapton/Perry/Whitford supergroup or even a Yardbirds reunion. Some sites listed Lemon Squeezings as the source of such speculation.

• Antimusic
• Live4ever.uk.com
• Music Radar
• Mog
  

In particular, Mog made it seem as though Shirley had said in his diary Page, Clapton, Perry and Whitford were going to be in a supergroup. Shirley responded on that site, saying:

And Michael Schumacher will drive the bus... Gordon Ramsey will cater and Spielberg will do the video!!!

It's pretty silly to read between the lines, but I guess it adds hits to the page.

After this, Shirley clarified in an e-mail to LedZeppelinNews.com today:

Hi Steve,
Thanks for the mail.
Unfortunately, it's a misread -- all I said was I am recording a legend (and I have done plenty in the past), and this guy is seriously thrilling!
The Page/Zep thing is not what it is.
There is a supergroup -- there is a classic rock remix, but the speculation is all misguided.
I don't forsee [sic] any future Led Zep related projects, but who knows.
More in the fullness of time.
Thanks again for writing. All the best,
KS

LedZeppelinNews.com regrets the error.

Jimmy Page said to be involved in multi-guitarist project with possible January release date

Update: In a clarification of this post, it is revealed that engineer Kevin Shirley's words were misinterpreted. The guitarists he mentioned were not recorded recently.

While nobody knows what's happening with Aerosmith, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford have apparently been keeping busy, and in good company too.

Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page have joined them in recording with engineer Kevin Shirley, the man behind the sound of Led Zeppelin's 21st century releases, How the West Was Won, DVD and the reissue of the soundtrack to The Song Remains the Same.

(See previous coverage of The Song Remains the Same including Shirley's interview for Modern Guitars magazine. In 1999, he also engineered the concert dates of Page and the Black Crowes that ended up being released on the live album Live at the Greek.)

Shirley says he has been recording these guitarists and "many others." He hints toward some "high profile projects" about which he's been sworn to secrecy.

"Suffice it to say," offers the father of two infants, "that life is very busy."

Writing from Malibu on his online diary today, he spoke of a "supergroup" project -- his term, not mine (I don't need the derision). He said that come January he would be "producing what has the promise to be one of the most exciting 'supergroups' to come around in a long time.

"But theory is just that until we see how the dynamics play out in the studio between these superb musicians. And of course the songs will make the real difference."

Shirley also said he would be "remixing one of Classic Rock's seriously classic albums." This could be just about anything, but next year marks the 40th anniversary of such perennial favorites as Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Band of Gypsys, Abraxas, Led Zeppelin III and Live at Leeds.

Perhaps Shirley's biggest news pertains to the litany of axemen he's recorded of late. The others he mentioned by name are John Petrucci of Dream Theater, Neal Schon of Santana and Journey, and Joe Bonamassa.

He also referred to "Maiden's Three Amigos," presumably Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, all of Iron Maiden. Shirley added that he is "to record one of guitar's great legends" in December. Evidently another one of the secret projects.

Page's name was also invoked last week by photographer Ross Halfin, who posted some photos of Page relaxing in front of a jukebox. Hanging on a wall behind the jukebox was a framed picture found to be of Elvis Presley. On the Internet discussion group For Badgeholders Only, user Dawn Atherton discovered the Elvis photograph to have been taken in 1960, upon the King's meeting with the king of Thailand.

Halfin, a traveling companion of Page's and currently the guitarist's No. 1 photographer, writes that Nov. 17 "was a sunny day, good winter light. I was taking pictures for something new - out this January... The King with his jukebox and his photo of the kings - look closely and work it out."

In other Page-related news, "It Might Get Loud" is now set for a theatrical release in England.

Led Zeppelin news source Tight But Loose reports today "It Might Get Loud" will receive a theatrical release in the United Kingdom beginning Jan. 8. The film, which profiles Page, The Edge and Jack White, has already come and gone from U.S. movie theaters. It is also scheduled to have been released for an online download and on DVD and Blu-Ray in the United States this December.

In addition to his on-screen role, Page is credited an associate producer of the film.

Update: At the risk of being redundant, see the clarification of this post for the full story.

The film remains the same, but the sounds are vastly improved

The sound engineer behind the newest revisiting of Led Zeppelin’s film says next month’s re-release of The Song Remains the Same will look exactly the same as it did in 1976. What will be vastly different with this version is what you hear, says Kevin Shirley in an interview conducted over the weekend for Modern Guitars magazine.

As was the case with the DVD set released in 2003, the primary sonic output technology for this release is Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound. What does that mean to a layperson? This is high-tech sound quality for the modern era.

“5.1 has made a huge difference in things. It’s like taking an 8-track and saying, ‘Does this work as modern DVD audio?’ It might have been state of the art back then, but it just doesn’t fly anymore,” explains Shirley in the interview conducted Saturday, Oct. 13, by Tom Watson, content director for Modern Guitars.

The film, whose theatrical debut was 31 years ago this month, captures the band at one height of its brilliant career. It concentrates mainly on a three-night tour-closing stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden in July 1973 and also embraces scenes of the band and its entourage at home, work and play.

The original project endured a change in directors a year into production. The end result is a hodgepodge of segments filmed either at those concerts or in the ensuing months. All of that footage will be included on the new release without any alteration. “It would have been a whole can of worms with directors, and legal hassles, and whatnot, if you started editing the movie,” Shirley explains.

So, the new project was essentially matching the 16-track audio recordings from each of the three Madison Square Garden concerts to fit the visuals included in the movie. “We started from scratch,” says Shirley. “Everything was reassembled from the ground up.”

Of course, this was done for the film’s original release, but some concert portions occasionally were not exactly synchronized to the audio. “If you look at the end of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ on the original movie, the visual’s from a completely different take than the audio,” Shirley notes.

Often, this was due to the original audio containing a “mistake” – assumedly things like a guitar note that is out of tune or a crack in Robert Plant’s voice. Such things would render a live recording unusable in the 1970s, but modern editing technology has made it possible for such occurrences to be manipulated and corrected. Given this technology, Shirley says, “I could fix the mistake and we could put the original audio back on there,” thus making the audio match the video.

The music that will be available on the CD soundtrack will closely match the audio presented on the DVD. Historically, the soundtrack has contained its own cuts unlike those in the movie. “What you hear on the new soundtrack CDs is what’s in the movie,” Shirley reveals. “They’re not two different things now.” One persisting difference is that the revisited soundtrack almost completely restores the original sets played in 1973 from start to finish. The movie, however, follows the running order of songs that was approved for theatrical release, and songs not included in the movie are presented separately as bonus features.

As Shirley is aware, the revisited soundtrack will surely be analyzed once it is released worldwide. For one example, “The Garden Tapes” is a site run by Eddie Edwards, an enthusiastic fan who has scrutinized every detail of the audio on every Led Zeppelin live release. (Edwards wrote me in September, saying, “Yes, I think I will be quite busy in a couple of months' time.”)

Shirley says he isn’t interested in that level of painstaking examination. To show this, he gave this sole interview to Modern Guitars magazine before heading off to Peru for a charity bicycle event. He’ll be biking for 11 days, and he doesn’t seem interested in any others at this time. Shirley says of the new releases:

"I hope people dig it, I really do. I'm not going to do a lot of interviews about it because these Internet days are very tough with some people analyzing things to death and obsessing over minute detail. It's really just for people to go and enjoy. The detailed analysis isn't really welcome - who cares if somebody says, 'You needed more cymbal in "Black Dog," or something like that. Enjoy the experience. Don't over analyze it. It's the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band playing a very good set of shows."

Music journalist Lisa Robinson, writing for Vanity Fair, has the following to say about Led Zeppelin’s new releases: “A great band is a great band. Frankly, it doesn't matter how many times these guys re-release this stuff; it always sounds better, still sounds modern, and still combines hard rock with blues, acoustic songs, and Eastern influences.”

Apparently, even Robert Plant had his doubts about the merits of the project going into it.

"What was very cool was Robert [Plant] would come to the studio and he's not a big fan of the original movie, I'd say he was probably a catalyst to the thing being re-done, and when he first came by he said, 'Oh my God, I don't want to hear this,' and he sat down and listened to it with his hands over his eyes. Then, he starts nodding his head and rocking with it and turns around with a big grin on his face and goes, 'It rocks, doesn't it?' Then he looks at the video and goes, 'We weren't half bad, were we.' It was great to experience that chrysalis, to see the butterfly coming out."

Plant ended up telling Cameron Crowe, who quotes him in the liner notes, that the project's end result captures "the warmth and the feel of the room and it sounded good." The room to which he is referring is Madison Square Garden. Watson asked Shirley where the audio point of view is for somebody watching the DVD in 5.1 Surround Sound. Shirley laughed as he answered, "You're sitting three rows back, in the center, just behind the gorgeous girl with blonde hair." Asked what the rear speakers will produce in the proper surround sound environment, Shirley answered:

"There are all sorts of things coming from the rear speakers. Audience, delays, and there are some elements coming back from the rears like in 'Dazed and Confused' - the violin bow thing goes all over the place when Jimmy's climbing up the mountain - some of the drum solos, and in the fantasy sequences the audio travels between the front and the back. So, you're sitting in the middle of this very interesting experience."

And it’s not just during the concert portions either. He continues:

"There are also the sound effects. There's the subway train that comes in the middle of the movie right before 'No Quarter' - the train comes from right behind you and through the middle of your head, which is pretty cool, actually. It's a surround experience, no doubt. It's not a concert with just some subtle rears."

The concerts depict Led Zeppelin at its best.

"They are explosive, they really are explosive. They're just so much on the edge the whole time, everyone's on the edge - Robert's performing, John Paul Jones is such a solid foundation, and Bonzo, John Bonham, what can you say? He's the rock. …

"Actually, there are a couple of things on the DVD menu, like where I've taken 30-second samples and they'll cycle around, and you could make a song just from those samples of them jamming. There's Soundgarden in there, and countless others. What makes Zeppelin so unique is that it wasn't just about one thing taken further, it was about so many things done in so many different ways."

November reunion, outlasting previous ones six times over, needs to be preserved

It appears some real advance planning has accompanied the announcement of this upcoming concert performance by the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, scheduled to take place two months into the future.

When I speak of advance planning, certainly I am not referring to the lack of foresight that meant the announcement of a ticket registration process was uprooted by excessive demand within minutes. (After all, who could have predicted so many people would want to go to a little Led Zeppelin show in 2007? What does the proverb say absence does? Hmmmm.)

The advance planning that is becoming clearer has to do with Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham. For one thing, they told event promoter Harvey Goldsmith they were going to play for two hours, instead of the 30 minutes he asked for. There is no doubt in my mind that, unlike before the previous handful of reunion shows, they have been extensively talking over set list ideas and rehearsing material. By all accounts, this won't be another trouncing through 20 minutes' worth of songs with minimal prep time; instead, this is going to be something to do justice to the group.

A revelation in the Exeter Express & Echo lets slip that Led Zeppelin has had a "secret rehearsal venue in London." The article also quotes Hugh Manson, longtime manufacturer of electric basses for John Paul Jones and who is building new gear customized for the November reunion. "It is going to be absolutely fantastic," said Manson. "Rehearsals have been hard work but great fun. I have just finished making one new guitar for the concert and am now working on another, which will be a spare. It is a four-string bass which is extra long - at least that is the best way to describe it."

Manson -- who was my interview subject in the April 28, 2003, edition of "On This Day In Led Zeppelin History" -- proceeds to hint that some songs have already been determined, with rehearsals having dictated new keys and, therefore, new instruments. He tells the Express & Echo, "Some of the songs will be in a lower key than usual and, while you can tune a guitar to accommodate almost any note, the best way is to make an instrument to do the job - and that's what this is. In fact, all the basses used by the band in the concert will be ours."

Some fans have interpreted this quote to mean that Jones will not be the only member on bass. Specifically, they think Jimmy Page might play bass for a song like "When the Levee Breaks," allowing Jones to play the lead on his lap steel guitar as he has done in solo outings and other live ventures throughout this decade.

One as-yet unconfirmed rumor suggests that Page has been readying himself since April to play a live version of "Dazed and Confused," complete with a violin bow solo. He sped through a violin bow solo during a live performance of the song on Feb. 9, 2002 – one of only two times he attempted "Dazed" in the past 10 years. The alleged reading of the song this November might be more like the old days when Page thoughtfully prepared for his moment in the spotlight, center-stage.

In fact, prior to Led Zeppelin's shows at Knebworth in 1979 where Page played a violin bow solo to introduce "Achilles Last Stand," the guitarist jotted down stage notes on how he wanted the laser lights and smoke behind him to function during that moment. Those visual and musical cues for effects to be triggered by crew and by fiberoptic cable attached to his violin bow demonstrate how interested and involved Page has been in defining his own image.

Certainly, he has been the primary gatekeeper when it comes to controlling the group's image, given his direct involvement in the behind-the-scenes work of preserving Led Zeppelin. He has coordinated posthumous releases from 1982's Coda on through this November's reissue of The Song Remains the Same, with remastered CDs and box sets as well as live discs and BBC performances. During the band's existence, he labored at length to have great input in the Led Zeppelin film and several studio albums.

This leads me to another point: the documentation of this seemingly well-planned reunion concert. As of now, no plans have been announced to film this sole representation of live Led Zeppelin in the 21st century. If it comes off as well as is hoped, and indeed especially if this one-off show is all that is being considered, then it would be a horrible shame if the unique spectacle can be viewed only by the 18,000 ticketholders and special guests and is not captured on video.

Think of the possibilities: It could result in a massive television extravaganza. Proceeds from sales of a commercial release could be earmarked to benefit the Ahmet Ertegün Education Fund, the charity sowing the benefits of the concert ticket themselves. All this is achievable just by allowing the event to be shared with the millions of fans all around the world.

This is the subject of an online petition now circulating. If you feel the same way, you are urged to sign the letter. The wonderful and historically unique occasion of Led Zeppelin's November 2007 reunion must somehow make it to the masses, and fans must not sit back quietly while such an oversight takes place. Led Zeppelin is a band for the ages, and this should be a reunion for the ages -- not just for two hours on Nov. 26.

That all being said, it is possible that recording the show could be accomplished even as an afterthought. Those who learn from history know that this is how the last three nights of Led Zeppelin's North American tour of 1973 was filmed and came to be included in both The Song Remains the Same and the 2003 DVD. It's also how the last two nights of a 1999 mini-tour of Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes ended up being recorded and subsequently released via computer downloads and on a live album.

The latter circumstance is detailed on the Web site of Kevin Shirley's Cameman Productions; Shirley was the sound engineer for Led Zeppelin's DVD, and he produced, engineered and mixed Live at the Greek for Page and the Black Crowes. Page, who said their performance at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles was "one of those nights where everything just gelled beautifully -- one of those magical nights, so it was just tremendous," was reminded backstage after the show that Shirley had recorded it. "Yeah, that's right, we did record it," Page is quoted as saying. "Thank goodness."

Some history is meant to be repeated.

'The Song Remains the Same' destined for reissue in November

This news originally appeared in an edition of the newsletter "On This Day In Led Zeppelin History."

Fourteen songs from Led Zeppelin's three nights at Madison Square Garden in July 1973 have been remixed and remastered in 2007 for release this November on new DVD and CD sets.

"We have revisited The Song Remains The Same and can now offer the complete set as played at Madison Square Garden," Page said in a statement issued on July 27, 2007, the 34th anniversary of the first of those New York concerts. "When it comes to The Song Remains The Same, the expansion of the DVD and soundtrack are as good as it gets on the Led Zeppelin wish list."

The reissued packaging of The Song Remains the Same, set for release on Nov. 20 from Warner Home Video, is to include liner notes from Cameron Crowe, whose film Almost Famous closely resembled his own journey to near-stardom when he traveled with Led Zeppelin and struggled to land an interview with Page.

The limitations of the LP format in 1976 prevented the double-album soundtrack from containing all 14 songs. In fact, six were missing from it: "Black Dog," "Over The Hills And Far Away," "Misty Mountain Hop," "Since I've Been Loving You," "The Ocean" and "Heartbreaker." These tunes will be included on the CD soundtrack for the first time this year.

"This differs substantially from the original soundtrack released in 1976," said Page, "and highlights the technical prowess of Kevin Shirley, who worked with us on How the West Was Won." That album, capturing live performances from two dates in June 1972, was released in May 2003 alongside the visually spectacular career-spanning live set simply called Led Zeppelin DVD.

As with that release, the new "The Song Remains the Same" DVD will benefit from 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. One deluxe edition will be in high-definition DVD. Another edition will be in the Blu-ray format. All will contain complete versions of songs featured only partially in the film's original theatrical release, as well as clips from television interviews and a radio show involving Crowe.

November will also see a repackaging of Led Zeppelin's greatest hits with newly prepared liner notes by Rolling Stone's David Fricke in the two-disc Mothership. This new collection is to be released Nov. 13 from Atlantic Records and Rhino Entertainment.

Word of Led Zeppelin DVD project release expected soon

This news originally appeared in an edition of the newsletter "On This Day In Led Zeppelin History."

Last year's project to revisit and celebrate the live work of Led Zeppelin was undertaken with Jimmy Page at the helm. His leadership in this monumental task was no surprise. It's been known for years that the Led Zeppelin guitarist has possessed a vault containing hours of unreleased footage of the group in action. Aside from this, Page has numerous times expressed his hopes for a chronological live album. He's made such comments repeatedly over a quarter of a century.

The DVD set resulting from his efforts in 2002 of wading through live tapes and editing footage may be just what he considers Led Zeppelin's ultimate collection.

Word has leaked, apparently from the inside, about the visual contents of the set, expected to run on two or three DVDs. Footage from some of Led Zeppelin's best known concerts will be featured, alongside previously unseen interview footage. The discs' audio will be enhanced with Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound. Concert material under consideration for the set includes Led Zeppelin's March 1969 set filmed for Danish television; the concert at London's Royal Albert Hall on Jan. 9, 1970; previously unreleased footage from the New York 1973 concerts included with the film The Song Remains the Same; excerpts from the Earl's Court appearances on May 24-25, 1975; and excerpts from the two dates at the Knebworth festival in August 1979.

Other clips listed for possible inclusion are shots from backstage and offstage, interviews and press conferences. Also prepared for inclusion is a tribute to late drummer John Bonham, in the form of a full rendition of the drum solo "Moby Dick," from the aforementioned London concert in 1970.

Despite security at the London security that has been likened to that of Fort Knox, some leaks about progress on the DVD set have resulted courtesy of Kevin Shirley, a studio engineer who was involved in the mixing process for the DVD set last year. In journal entries at his production company's CavemanProductions.com Web site throughout October, Shirley revealed some of the only known information about the DVD project.

He declared the project "a wrap" on Oct. 24, 2002, only a few days after commenting on the live footage he'd seen of Led Zeppelin: "I've always been a huge fan, but after this, I'm convinced of the geniuses involved and believe there was never a band with such a chemistry in rock. Miles and Coltrane in jazz maybe, Barenboim and Du Pre in classical, but in rock it must be the all four of them!"

Robert Plant said he had a VHS copy of some proposed footage with him when he chatted in 2002 via telephone with reporter Mark Brown for Ice magazine. "It's looking good," Plant said in Ice's December issue. "Some great footage, very exciting visuals."

John Paul Jones said in 2002 after seeing the footage, "I am still reminded what an incredible band it was -- excuse the modesty." In a message posted around Dec. 20 to his Web site, www.johnpauljones.com, the former Led Zeppelin keyboardist and bassist hinted, "It all looks and sounds very exciting and should be coming out soon."

Still, no official word is available on the DVD set's expected release date. The date will be set by marketing heads at Atlantic Records. A Feb. 2 news posting at Led Zeppelin Club Italia, translated into English, states that the date could be in late March or in April.

In addition, the club's Web site, www.ledzeppelinclub.it, mentioned that a double-CD live set compiling two Led Zeppelin concerts from the summer of 1972 has also been prepared for release with the DVD set.

Reunion tour?

Do the imminent release of Led Zeppelin's live anthology and the cooperation among the band's surviving members shed any more credibility toward the rumors circulating that a summer tour has been planned for former bandmates Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones? You be the judge of that. Management and the artists themselves when approached have denied everything thus far.

In the past, "On This Day In Led Zeppelin History" has been very vocal in presenting the history of reunion rumors, none of which came to fruition. Review the Aug. 28 and Oct. 14 editions in 2002 for examples. However, it is some kind of a logical fallacy to suggest that just because something has never happened before, it will never happen in the future.

Kevin Shirley suggested last year that Led Zeppelin fans should be prepared with "a DVD player and a real 5.1 system." Perhaps the same fans should also start saving up some extra money just in case any official announcements regarding a summer 2003 reunion tour are made anytime soon.

Jason Bonham says mother would proudly approve if Led Zeppelin reunion included him

Jason Bonham was gracious enough to grant an interview to Lemon Squeezings on Oct. 17 after a concert with his current band, Healing Sixes, at the Thunder Dome in Baltimore. Behind a drum set, this thirtysomething musician sounds tight. But leaning against a bar and sipping from a can of Diet Coke, Jason shows his loose, easygoing demeanor.

Healing Sixes played a great set of material from its new CD, Enormosound, and three Led Zeppelin covers ended the concert on a high note for the energetic crowd. Luckily enough, that's just when things were beginning for myself and the son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer. Off to the side of the stage, he made himself available to sign autographs for new fans and to answer questions regarding bootlegs, cars and his take on the possibility of a Led Zeppelin reunion in 2003.

"I'd be a fool not to ask you if you have any plans for next year, with all the rumors circulating," I coyly phrased the question. Apparently, the London Times was more straightforward when the newspaper recently posed the question to him by telephone.

According to Jason, an interviewer for the Times said that Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones had met on a certain day. Jason, knowing about the work being done on a Led Zeppelin DVD through a common contact, said they were probably meeting to discuss the DVD project.

But the Times insisted that they had also discussed reuniting. Jason said that he had not been contacted by anyone from Led Zeppelin or their management. "So, I phoned Jimmy to see whether he really did want me," Jason told me. "I left a message for him asking to call me and let me know. Well, I haven't heard back."

Jason said he would be comfortable drumming for a reunion and that his mother, Pat Bonham, would proudly approve. "My mom has said that she will give full support to the tour if I'm on the drums but not if anyone else is on drums," Jason said.

Although he hasn't heard from Page about the reunion, he has heard from the engineer on the Led Zeppelin DVD project. Jason said that the man helping Page on the project is Kevin Shirley, who also worked on the Healing Sixes CD as well as Live at the Greek, the double live album by Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes. Although Jason was not able to name any specific footage that would appear on the upcoming Led Zeppelin DVD, he said he's heard it's all excellent footage.

While fans prepare for the first official live release by Led Zeppelin since 1997's BBC Sessions, Led Zeppelin bootleg collectors have been enjoying a highly productive round of newly released soundboard recordings, video releases, and more. Trying to ascertain the sources of these newly discovered recordings, some fans assume that it must be coming from someone near the band.

Since Jason's name has been mentioned in the past in conjunction with such guesses, I asked him whether he knew where such recordings were coming from. He did not claim responsibility for any leaks. However, he hinted that he has been in possession of some recordings that are not available in trading circles, including at least one with a concert date previously unknown to Led Zeppelin historians. Lemon Squeezings will certainly follow up on this issue!

In the meantime, Healing Sixes is scheduled for the following appearances in the eastern United States and Canada:

• Oct. 21: Philadelphia (Venue TBA)
• Oct. 22: B.B. King's, New York
• Oct. 24: Hard Rock Cafe, Toronto
• Oct. 25: Double D's, Morristown, N.J.
• Oct. 26: Palace, Lansford, Pa.
• Oct. 29: Stone Pony, Asbury Park, N.J.
• Oct. 30: Crocodile Rocks, Allentown, Pa.
• Nov. 1: Town House, Williamstown, N.Y.
• Nov. 2: Jarrod's, Attleboro, N.Y.
• Nov. 6: Zanies Too, Indianapolis

And coming soon, dates on the West Coast!