Led Zeppelin tour reunion rumors are heating up. Speculation has arisen that Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones will reunite and tour in 2003. Whether the late John Bonham's son, Jason Bonham, reclaims the drummer position is unknown. Page and Plant have conducted two major tours since Led Zeppelin folded in 1980.

    Led Zeppelin tour rumors are being fueled by the fact the band is issuing two different live releases for DVD and CD. The two live collections, scheduled for May 27, present separate Zeppelin performances; Led Zeppelin DVD and How The West Was Won on CD. These two concert documents of the group constitute the final unreleased material of the British heavy metal band.

    A Led Zeppelin reunion has kindled for years with promoters offering substantial capital for the surviving members to regroup and perform live. Although guitarist Page and vocalist Plant have sporadically appeared as a team at singular events or on tour together, the three remaining members have not performed as a touring ensemble since the untimely death of drummer John Bonham in 1980. An irresponsible drinking binge contributed to his demise.

    Page, Plant, and Jones have not appeared together as Led Zeppelin since being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in 1994. Their last public perfromance was at Madison Square Garden in May 1988. An unrelenting rumor has Led Zeppelin conducting a 2003 U.S. stadium tour during the summer with Jason Bonham on drums. Jason sat in on drums for that 1988 gig and was superb.

    Trinifold, which handles management for the defunct band, has claimed there is no tour, nor are there plans for a tour, and that no discussions have even been conducted to launch a tour. Sir Paul McCartney called upon Led Zeppelin to appear at the Concert for New York City in October 2001, but they did not regroup for the live mega-telethon held at Madison Square Garden.

    Oddly enough, both Robert Plant and Jimmy Page participated on stage at the Teenage Cancer Trust benefit concert held on February 8, 2002, at the Royal Albert Hall. Plant sang on stage with Strange Sensation as a solo act, and Page jammed with Paul Weller's band on an encore during the same evening without performing together.

Page & Plant Reunions
July 13, 1985 - Live Aid, Philadelphia - w/JPJ
May 14, 1988 - Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary - w/JPJ
June 30, 1990 - Knebworth Pop Festival
1994 - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - w/JPJ
Spring 1995 - No Quarter tour
Summer 1998 - Walking Into Clarksdale tour
July 7, 2001 - Montreux Jazz Festival

RockonTour   Issue #19
Mitt Namlitt   CyberSnews@yahoo.com

RockonTour.net - the Single Source for the Concertphile © 2003 RoT
RockonTour ™

 

Whole Lotta Speculation
Led Zeppelin 2003 Tour Rumors

by Timothy Tilghman