Plant starved by bad case of root-rot: [FIN Edition] Mitch Potter and Craig MacInnis Toronto Star. Toronto Star [Toronto, Ont] 06 Apr 1990 Robert Plant Manic Nirvana (Atlantic): Manic something, anyway. Why Plant has systematically demoted himself from rock icon to self- parody is beyond all but his most loyal fans. Whatever the reason, he obviously spends far too much time with the words "Led Zeppelin" running through his noggin. With Manic Nirvana, Plant walks tail-first into the 1990s and goes splat on the threshhold of the new decade. Backed by a fresher-faced trio that plays 1972 like it hadn't already happened (drummer Chris Blackwell, guitarist Doug Boyle, keyboardist Phil Johnstone), Plant rolls out enough dated howl, swagger and croon to fill a Spinal Tap sequel. At worst, Manic Nirvana indulges in bargain sleaze ("Big Love"); at best, the record becomes something that would be better served with the title Browses of The Holy - a vivid rear-view that reassembles Zeppelin's first experiments beyond brisk molten blues. Produced by a troika of Plant, Johnstone and Mark Stent, the record is crisp, clean and carefully cooked. But Plant is conspicuous in his silence for anything but pat perpeptuation of the classic rock myth. He should have more to say, but Plant seems sadly suffering from root-rot.

Led Zeppelin radio a flop: The Ottawa Citizen [Ottawa, Ont] 19 Jan 1990 Remember the all-Led Zeppelin radio station in Clearwater, Fla.? The former WKRL switched its call-letters to WXTB, then kicked off the promotion by playing Stairway to Heaven 181 times in a row on New Year's Day. Now the format has gone to heaven as well. The all-Zep idea lasted just 11 days. Zep may have been high on quality, but it was never what you'd call a quantity band. In fact, the band produced just six hours and 27 minutes of total product during its 12-year history. That alone was not enough to carry the all-Zep concept, so last week programmers added The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and ZZ Top to the playlist at audience request. Credit: FORT LAUDERDALE NEWS & SUN-SENTINEL

Led Zep format fails to take off The Gazette [Montreal, Que] 19 Jan 1990 The radio station that launched its all- Led Zeppelin format by playing Stairway to Heaven 181 times in a row on New Year's Day stopped short after 11 days. The band produced six hours and 27 minutes of recorded music in 12 years, not enough to carry the concept.

The Vancouver Sun [Vancouver, B.C] 15 Jan 1990 SONG REMAINS SAME: Jason Bonham, leader of the band Bonham, acknowledges some of his music tends to sound a lot like his dad's old band - Led Zeppelin. But that's only natural, he figures. He has remained close to Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant since the 1980 death of his father, drummer John Bonham. "They're like family," Bonham said in Dallas. "They're two of the greatest guys in the world, and I love them very much." Bonham stood in for his father in a Zeppelin reunion performance in 1988. "It was very frightening but very heartwarming for me to play with Led Zeppelin," he said. "It's something I've always wanted to do since I was a kid." The four-member band is on tour to promote its debut album, The Disregard of Timekeeping, which has sold about 500,000 albums.

Bonham band has Zeppelin sound The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 15 Jan 1990 Jason Bonham , leader of the band Bonham , acknowledges some of his music tends to sound a lot like his dad's old band - Led Zeppelin . But that's only natural, he figures. He has remained close to Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant since the 1980 death of his father, drummer John Bonham. ''They're like family,'' Bonham told the Dallas Morning News. ''They're two of the greatest guys in the world, and I love them very much.'' Bonham stood in for his father in a Zeppelin reunion performance in 1988. ''It was very frightening but very heartwarming for me to play with Led Zeppelin,'' he said. ''It's something I've always wanted to do since I was a kid.'' The four-member band is on tour to promote its debut album, The Disregard of Timekeeping, which has sold about 500,000 albums.

It had to happen: Led Zep around the clock: The Gazette [Montreal, Que] 04 Jan 1990 A Florida radio station has come up with a novel format and a catchy entry into the 1990s - playing nothing but songs recorded by the defunct rock group Led Zeppelin - 24 hours a day. Beginning at the stroke of the new year, radio station WKRL-FM in Clearwater on the Gulf of Mexico has been calling itself: "The first all-Led Zeppelin radio station." The station first confused listeners on Sunday, the last day of 1989, by playing only the 1971 Led Zeppelin song, Stairway to Heaven - over and over for 24 hours. Before each playing of the song - which is the most requested rock song in radio - the station repeatedly announced: "It's coming tomorrow ... Your Stairway to Heaven station." The change followed the station's purchase by Great American Broadcasting Co. Led Zeppelin, a British group active in the late 1960s and 1970s, fused blues, country and prototypical heavy metal with dark lyricism. The band released 10 albums over 12 years. The band consisted of lead singer Robert Plant, Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards with the late John Bonham on drums.

Prepare to meet John Bonham's boy Kim Honey Toronto Star. Toronto Star [Toronto, Ont] 23 Aug 1989: Led Zeppelin fans won't be disappointed with the new Bonham. It's not John Bonham reincarnated, but the next generation. Jason Bonham is the late drummer's 23-year-old son, and Bonham is the name of his new band. And the band is obviously going to capitalize on both the name and the Led Zeppelin sound, right down to the vocalist's Robert Plant voice. In an interview yesterday, Bonham said that's the whole idea "To play in a band that's not like Led Zeppelin, I think I'd be throwing my cards away and picking up the joker." Bonham is preparing for a North American tour this fall, planned to coincide with the release of its debut album, The Disregard Of Time Keeping. 'A musician' Bonham, a drummer like his father, formed the group after his former band Virginia Woolf split up and he decided he wanted to write songs, not just play them. "I wanted to show people what I could do writing-wise, to show I'm a musician, not just a drummer. He enlisted two English friends, guitarist Ian Hatton, 27, and keyboard and bass player John Smithson, 26, and they started to write songs. But after a year together they decided they needed ideas for vocals and started looking around. Daniel McMaster had been playing with his Barrie band, Scorcher, when a local disc jockey played some of their tunes for Bad Company's Brian Howe during an interview. Howe told Bonham, and McMaster was whisked away from Scorcher and landed in the recording studio. "I was over the moon about it," said McMaster, insisting he's not going to let it go to his head. "I'm still going to be me 10 years from now." Bonham said the songs on the album are not political, but milder tunes about men and women and life in the city. "There's one U2 in the world: we don't need another U2." Not pretentious The band hasn't played together live before, but that doesn't bother Bonham. He said he'd rather have the spontaneity than the rehearsed choreography. "We're not going to be a pretentious band, we're not going to rehearse every move. We're going to be spontaneous combustion." The band is rehearsing in Florida before its first show there Sept.5. They expect to tour Canada the third week in October. And they're negotiating with major bands, including Steve Taylor, looking for a top opening act. "We've got lots of cards, but we're just trying to find the ace," said Bonham. He doesn't discount the possibility of playing drums with the three remaining Led Zeppelin band members if they go on tour.

Zeppelin son flies on his own: Barr, Greg. The Ottawa Citizen [Ottawa, Ont] 22 Aug 1989 Jason Bonham's first dream came true in 1988, when he played drums alongside Robert Plant and Jimmy Page during the Led Zeppelin reunion at Madison Square Garden. His second dream comes true in September when the 23-year-old percussionist -- the son of original Zeppelin drummer John Bonham -- releases his debut album worldwide, followed by a North American tour. As other sons of famous musicians have found, it can open doors in the industry. But it can also be a burden. "I was brought up in the Led Zeppelin household, so that influence is pretty hard to ignore. And I was taught by the drummer himself," Jason said Monday in a telephone interview. Bonham's father, who died in 1980, bought Jason his drum kit when he was four. The same splashy yet air-tight drum sound that John pioneered in the late '60s with Zeppelin is easily recognized as Jason pounds away on a preview cassette of his new album, Bonham. Although everyone close to the Zeppelin camp gasped in horror when Kingdom Come released its Zeppelin-clone sound -- Zeppelin tunes are also used freely by hip-hop and rap groups who sample riffs here and there -- Jason said they seemed relieved when they knew he was cutting a record. "I was worried at first about the Zeppelin influence," Jason conceded. "But I went round to let Robert (Plant) and Jimmy (Page) hear the album, and they both said, great, go to it. I see this as a new band, with our own style that's built around (my style). This isn't cashing in." Bonham's four-man band is negotiating with several other bands for an opening slot in the fall, on tours that will no doubt come our way. Two of the bands he confirmed were part of the discussion were Aerosmith and Whitesnake

Restaurant of the stars turning 50: The Vancouver Sun [Vancouver, B.C] 19 Sep 1988 The Pump Room, which has served meals to celebrities from Bogart and Bacall to Belushi, and banned rocker Phil Collins for inappropriate dress, is turning 50 and the owner says he wants the tradition to continue. "I want the stories of today to be as legendary as the ones of 40 years ago," said Richard Melman, who bought the restaurant in the Omni Ambassador East Hotel a dozen years ago. The famous eatery, where Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall celebrated their wedding, will officially mark its 50th anniversary Oct. 1. The restaurant made its name as a place for show business and high society people to see and be seen, but it also is a place where many go to celebrate anniversaries or graduations. "To this day, many people come here for special occasions - they get very emotional about it," Melman said. "So do I. I don't feel like the owner as much as the curator of part of Chicago's history." The Pump Room was founded by Ernie Byfield in 1938 and soon became known as the place where stars had to go when they stopped in the Windy City on their train trips to Hollywood. Celebrities such as Sammy Davis Jr., Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, rock group Led Zeppelin and canine beer promoter Spuds MacKenzie have put their names or paw prints in The Great Signature Book of the Pump Room.

Page blasts back with classic solo album Greg Quill Toronto Star. Toronto Star [Toronto, Ont] 08 July 1988 Few rock guitarists have explored the instrument's possibilities as thoroughly as Jimmy Page, who was among Britain's studio elite even before Led Zeppelin formed in 1968. Unfortunately, precious little - save 1982's Death Wish II soundtrack, an atypical Page opus at best, and the poor work recorded in the late-1970s with flabby, self-indulgent pomp-rockers The Firm - has been heard from the reclusive musician since Zeppelin's demise in 1980. Preceded by rumors that he had lost his touch, that he had wasted away, that he could barely hold his Les Paul let alone coax from it the heart-breaking screams and wrenching rhythms that were once his stock-in-trade, the release of Outrider was one of rock's most intensely anticipated events. We shouldn't have worried. There's not a bad cut on Page's first real solo LP, which is loaded equally with rock radio-ready pieces set ablaze by stunning virtuoso guitar instrumentals and murky, low- down blues reminiscent of Zeppelin's first, and some would say, finest efforts. In fact, the whole set, in which singers Robert Plant (on one track only), and rock journeymen Chris Farlow and John Miles play second string to Page's high-voltage guitar wizardry, is a virtual compression of his best work. It's an electrifying revue set off with new studio sounds and - to prove he hasn't stooped to self-parody or facile repetition - even more accomplished solo passages than he has recorded in the past. It's hard to pick a single stand-out in this bunch of eminently listenable classics-in-the-making. Perhaps because they perform together so naturally, the Page-Plant collaboration, "The Only One," a tough-skinned rocker with a cold metal heart, will likely satisfy Zeppelin fans most, if the seven-minute "Prison Blues," with its overt references to the old band's venerable "Dazed And Confused," doesn't grab them first. "Wasting My Time," featuring Miles (who'll accompany Page on his 31-city American tour this summer) is probably the most smoothly crafted piece and justifiably the album's first single. It features Page's notorious wah-wah and slide and an almost physical kick from drummer Jason Bonham, son of Page's former partner and Led Zeppelin's inimitable pounding heart, John Bonham. Throughout, Page covers vast musical terrain, from loud, crunching grind and metal whine to heavily acidic blues-rock and, in "Emerald Eyes," to sweet and lush acoustic work - reminding us again that it's his appreciation of the instrument that is responsible for its high status among contemporary hard rockers. It then dissolves into crying electric blues and a final passage of orchestrated, textured guitar synthesizers. Outrider is Page's real testament, overwhelming proof that he is indeed among the living and again in rock 'n' roll's vanguard. * Roll With It Stevie Winwood (Virgin): Mechanical, cold, trite . . . hardly epithets that sound applicable to Winwood, one of pop's most astute survivors and a genuine musical innovator with a 20 years of good work under his belt. Still, all that makes this album listenable is Winwood's spectacular and instantly familiar voice, though it hardly gets a decent workout on most of these tepid songs (lyrics courtesy of long- time colleague Will Jennings) with their cutesy, pseudo philosophies about taking life as it comes. Who could be inspired to write challenging melodies around or sing with passion cliches like "The way that you love is good as money/I swear by the stars above sweet as honey" and "Love came to me the minute I saw her/I wanted to make her part of my life" ? The opener and title track has its moments, as Winwood's throaty tenor slips over a solid soul groove. Of course, adding the Memphis Horns and Booker T.-inspired organ fills creates a reasonable impression that Winwood has rediscovered his soul roots. But the illusion fades all too quickly. Roll With It, the album, goes nowhere, except to radio hitsville, and that's not good enough for this performer. Produced by handbook rather than from the heart, these songs only pretend to be happy and uplifting; the grit, the yearning that used to be part of Winwood's soul, are now, sadly, banished. What's left is bland and unconvincing.

Jimmy Page Outrider Dafoe, Chris. The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 30 June 1988 Can Jimmy Page play guitar? Hey, did Aleister Crowley own a Ouija board? Since the breakup of Led Zeppelin, however, Page, like his favorite occult writer, has been more talked about than heard from, which makes this first solo album of considerable interest. Outrider is a mixed bag, ripe with snakelike blues riffs and Page's impeccable use of textures, but hampered by mediocre songwriting. This latter weakness is made more glaring by some of the singing on this record. John Miles (who tries to sing like Robert Plant) and Robert Plant (ditto) both put in passable performances. But British blues vet Chris Farlowe is unbearable, a pompous bellower who spouts tired blues cliches. The morbid will be pleased to note that Jason Bonham, son of late Zeppelin drummer John, plays on a number of tracks.

Griffin, John. The Gazette [Montreal, Que] 30 June 1988 Rock Star Speaks: Ask guitar hero and Led Zeppelin god Jimmy Page, whether he feels threatened by Zep imitators like Kingdom Come and Page wryly replies, "Kingdom Clone?"

Atlantic stars rockin' in anniversary special: [Final Edition] Boone, MikeView Profile. The Gazette [Montreal, Que] 25 June 1988 No sooner do the last echoes of the Nelson Mandela Freedomfest Concert fade away than TV cranks up another rock 'n' rollin' evening. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll will be telecast Sunday at 9 p.m. on CFCF-12. The two-hour special was taped last month at Madison Square Garden. The Manhattan venue for several great prize fights and innumerable bad hockey games became rock 'n' roll heaven for one glorious night as Atlantic Records celebrated its 40th anniversary with a blockbuster concert that featured the label's brightest stars. Check out this talent lineup: Led Zeppelin, and Crosby, Stills & Nash were reunited for the gig and share the stage with the Spinners, the Coasters, Phil Collins, Ben E. King, the Rascals, Yes, Foreigner, Genesis, the Manhattan Transfer, Herbie Mann, LaVern Baker and the Average White Band. Sadly, the list of performers excludes two immortal soul artists whose best work was on Atlantic. Otis Redding is dead, and Aretha Franklin records for Arista. The Atlantic party lasted 11 glorious hours. This weekend's special will feature the most glorious excerpts, plus some archival footage of great Atlantic stars in past performances. Don't miss what should be a rockin' good two hours of TV.

GREAT ROARIN' ROCK: Plant steps out from under the shadow of Led Zeppelin: Mackie, John. The Vancouver Sun [Vancouver, B.C] 22 June 1988 ROBERT PLANT Pacific Coliseum June 21 THERE are rock stars, and there are Rock Gods. Robert Plant is of the latter variety: with his curly blond mane, penchant for dramatic poses and inimitable wail, he's the embodiment of everything a hard rock singer can aspire to. Throw in the fact he just happened to be the voice behind the biggest hard rock band ever and you've got the makings of a larger than life figure. It's not so surprising, then, to see Plant's latest album, Now and Zen, right at the top of the hard rock/heavy metal assault on the world's music charts. Eight years after the demise of Led Zeppelin, it would seem that Robert Plant has finally begun to step out from under their shadow. So what does he do? He goes out and adds some old Zep numbers to his tour, setting the stage for one of the hard rock shows of the year. Last night at the Coliseum, he didn't disappoint. Drawing tunes from his solo career, adding a couple of covers (John Lee Hooker's Dimples and the Beatles' Back in the USSR) and topping it all with some Zep classics (Trampled Underfoot, In The Evening, Misty Mountain Hop), Plant gave the capacity crowd of 14,000 a lot to cheer about. And cheer they did, letting out a lusty roar after each number and going absolutely apewaste on the Zep stuff. Plant's just this side of 40 (his birthday's August 20), but he still gives'er onstage. Unlike other star singers who make a mockery of their younger selves by taking their old moves one step too far, Plant keeps his strut under tight rein, preferring to prowl the stage like papa lion, older and wiser but still brimming with sexual energy (he gets more reaction by shaking his shoulders than most singers do with the most blatant crotch thrusting.) Plant's also become quite good at rationing his wail instead of aiming for ear-piercing territory all the time. But when he decides he needs some love, he can pull off a "babybabybabybaby," "woooooo-woooooo" and "ooooh-yeaaaaahhh" like no other. The musical crunch crunch to Plant's metal mating calls is supplied by guitarist Doug Boyle, a flashy youngster who knows his fair share of totally decent licks. Boyle fronts a crisp, efficient quartet that pumps out streamlined hard rock. They're no Led Zeppelin, but I'll take 'em over Whitesnake and Kingdom Come any day - especially with their current lead singer. The Georgia Satellites got things off to a rousing start with a rollicking opening set. They play hard, they play fast, and they play dirty, and that's a compliment. Alternating trashy originals like Keep Your Hands to Yourself with trashized covers (Jerry Lee Lewis' Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, the Beatles' Don't Pass Me By, Eddie Cochran's Something Else), the Satellites exuded the energy, humor and pizzazz of ZZ Top, with two hot guitarists (Dan Baird and Rick Richards) instead of one. They'll be back at the Expo Theatre July 28; it'll be a rocker. Illustration Black & White Photo; STEVE BOSCH; ROBERT PLANT: still brimming with sexual energy

Plant is just your typical humble legend of rock: Hunt, Dennis. The Vancouver Sun [Vancouver, B.C] 13 June 1988 SINGER Robert Plant is your typical humble legend, when it comes to Led Zeppelin anyway. One will never catch him crowing about his old band, which split up eight years ago. Nor does Plant, now a solo performer, turn peacock when it is mentioned that he was considered one the great singers in rock history during Zeppelin's heyday. Even a question like "What made Zeppelin so great?" - an opportunity for him to pontificate about the virtues of this revered English band - elicited only a modest response from the witty, chatty singer. "I can't say we were innovative, that's the wrong word," Plant said in a recent interview here. "What we had was chemically very interesting. We were using an old formula. It's just the way some of the chemicals reacted together - they fizzled and popped in a different way. When we were together that's what happened. But great? I don't know about that." TODAY, strangely, Zeppelin is bigger than ever. Metal-maniacs still love the band, and its music is still a blueprint for metal musicians everyhere. The band's 1972 classic, Stairway to Heaven, is one of most popular songs in the history of rock radio. Led Zeppelin - Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, keyboardist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham - called it quits in 1980 after the death of the irreplaceable Bonham. But the current edition of heavy-metalmania has swept Zeppelin, the granddaddy of the genre, back into prominence. Two recent Zeppelin reunions at benefit concerts have fueled the resurgence of interest in the band - the first at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985 and the second at the recent Atlantic Records show at Madison Square Garden, which featured Bonham's son, Jason, on drums. All of a sudden Plant, 39, is considered hip by a new generation of fans. "These kids start fawning over me and screaming, 'A legend, a legend!' " Plant said, laughing. "I look behind me to see if they're referring to somebody else. But no, they're talking about me. "Me a legend. That's really funny." Plant is on tour promoting his current album, Now and Zen. He started making solo albums in 1982, with Pictures at Eleven, followed by The Principle of Moments (1983) and Shaken 'n' Stirred (1985). His first three albums are fairly devoid of Zeppelinisms. For most of his solo career, Plant was not going forward with that rag-tag rock - just away from Zeppelin. "I was just trying to do stuff that was as far removed from Zeppelin as possible," he said. "It wasn't commercial but I wanted to be commercial - on my terms." Since then, he has aborted that mission. Now and Zen, sprinkled with Zeppelin references, has more energy than all his previous solo albums combined. Page even plays guitar on the songs Tall Cool One and Heaven Knows, which was a single. Still, compared to old Zeppelin material, Now and Zen is mellow pop. However, it is his biggest solo album yet. Plant has simmered down his raging vocals. "I can now sing with different texturing," he said. "On a song like Heaven Knows I can sing in a low register, with shading. I would never have tried that with Led Zeppelin. It would have been lost." The big news about Plant's current tour is that he is finally including some old Zeppelin material in his shows. "I feel comfortable about my past now," he said. "I don't have to consciously deny it anymore. The Zeppelin material is part of the spectrum of my career. I deal with it as such. The new songs are still the main part of the show." BUT he still will not sing Stairway to Heaven on tour. "Definitely not," he said. "I won't go that far. I'd break out in hives if I had to sing that song in every show. "I sang it at the Atlantic Records show because I'm an old softie and it was a way of saying thank you to Atlantic because I've been with them for 20 years. But no more of 'Stairway to Heaven' for me." Plant was just as negative when the inevitable question about a full-fledged Zeppelin reunion came up. "It's nothing I want to do now," he said. Right now, the closest thing to a Zeppelin reunion is the Plant-Page collaborations on the "Now and Zen" album and the rocking tune, "The Only One," which they co-wrote, and Plant sings, on the Page's solo debut album due out next week. Zeppelin's legacy is contemporary heavy metal. Talk to any of today's metal musicians about their roots and you will most likely get a discourse on how Zeppelin influenced their music. Plant's assessment of today's pop and rock music was acidic: "The mainstream of pop is becoming more and more insidious . . . rock is being ruled by the boys in perms. They're pumping this odd, chorus-ridden, effeminate hard-rock right in the middle of the vein of pop music. It's not a good thing."

The Vancouver Sun [Vancouver, B.C] 16 May 1988: The British group Led Zeppelin, most imitated "dinosaur rock" group of the 1960s, reunited on a New York stage Saturday for what may have been its final roar. At the climax of a 13-hour celebration of Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary, the four-man Zeppelin took the stage at Madison Square Garden as millions of U.S. pay-TV viewers watched. An audience of 24,000 got 12 hours of music from such groups as Crosby, Stills and Nash, Genesis and Yes. But it was evident many in the crowd came to see Led Zeppelin. Backstage at the concert, a phalanx of bodyguards led the band from a hurried photo session to the giant fog-enveloped stage. There, the group played a thunderous half-hour set. The musicians, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, have appeared together only one other time since drummer John (Bonzo) Bonham died in 1980.

Marathon concert salutes rock's pioneer record label: (AP). Toronto Star [Toronto, Ont] 16 May 1988 Atlantic Records celebrated its 40th birthday Saturday with a marathon concert featuring performers from its early years as a pioneering rhythm 'n' blues label to its latest pop and rock stars. A full house at Madison Square Garden heard the Coasters kick off the show with a lively "That's Rock 'n' Roll", then settled in to hear the likes of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Roberta Flack, Wilson Pickett, Phil Collins, and Robert Plant and the surviving members of Led Zeppelin. The Bee Gees and The Average White Band revived their dance hits of the 1970s, and Yes and Foreigner pounded out the music that made them mainstays of Atlantic's stable in the '70s and '80s. Atlantic's roots in r 'n' b and soul music were represented by Wilson Pickett, LaVern Baker, Carla Thomas, Ben E. King and others, as well as a tribute to the late Otis Redding. Baker called it a "family reunion." Pickett, on hand to perform his hits "Land Of 1,000 Dances" and "In The Midnight Hour", said the best part of the day was "getting to see some of my old friends, like Ruth Brown. This is really a gas for me." After the Coasters' upbeat opening song, the show pulled back a notch with ballads from Collins, Flack and Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. But within an hour, the arena was cooking again to the British soul of The Average White Band, the jumping jazz of Bobby Short and the rich and rolling blues of Brown, one of Atlantic's first big stars. Atlantic's great contribution to the music world, Collins told the audience, was "showing it was all right for white kids to listen to black music." David Crosby, Stills and Nash teamed up for renditions of "Wooden Ships", "Our House" and "Carry On" that were received enthusiastically. All 11 hours of the show were sold to the British Broadcasting Corp. for live transmission.

Led Zeppelin reunites for finale to 13-hour show SUJO, ALY. The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 16 May 1988 The British group Led Zeppelin , the most imitated ''dinosaur rock'' group of the 1960s, reunited on a Manhattan stage on Saturday for what may have been its final roar. At the climax of a 13-hour celebration of the fortieth anniversary of Atlantic Records, the four-man ''mastodon of heavy metal'' took the stage at Madison Square Garden as millions of cable television viewers watched. An audience of 24,000 sat through 12 hours of music by such groups as Crosby, Stills and Nash, Genesis and Yes. But it was evident many in the crowd had come to see Led Zeppelin. ''Page, Page!'' one woman shouted repeatedly during the marathon show. The group's reclusive lead guitarist Jimmy Page is considered one of rock music's finest musicians. Led Zeppelin has become a model for such younger bands as Kingdom Come and Whitesnake and are said to be one of the originators of the hugely successful ''heavy metal'' genre. Backstage at the concert, celebrities from every branch of show business were pushed aside by a phalanx of bodyguards who led the four ''Zeps'' from a hurried photo session to the giant fog-enveloped stage. There, the group played a thunderous half-hour set. Led Zeppelin, whose biggest hit was Stairway to Heaven, was dissolved in 1980 after drummer John (Bonzo) Bonham died following a reported intake of 40 shots of vodka on the eve of a U.S. tour. Since then, the three remaining musicians, Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, have appeared only once together, at the 1985 Live-Aid benefit concert. For the New York reunion, Bonham's 18-year-old son Jason replaced him on drums, playing with a steadiness and resonance long associated with his late father. The remnants of many of the popular bands of the 1960s and 1970s also appeared at the event. They included the Bee Gees, the Young Rascals, Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly. The concert also featured performances by veteran rhythm-and- blues artist La Vern Baker and brief appearances by the Coasters, the Spinners, Phil Collins, Roberta Flack and other Atlantic acts. Bob Geldof, the Irish singer decorated by the Queen for his charity work, sang an anti-abortion song which he later told reporters ''had not been meant as a political statement.'' The independent Atlantic label was founded in the late 1940s by Ahmet Ertegun, a jazz and blues enthusiast and son of the Turkish ambassador to the United States. ''I started a record label because I was a very rabid fan,'' the elegant Ertegun told reporters backstage during the show. ''I listened to records five, six hours a day.'' Ertegun said there is a shortage of good songwriters in the music industry. ''I'm looking for a good song, if anybody's got one,'' he said.

Zep hit of Atlantic rock gala; Reunion highlights anniversary marathon: The Gazette [Montreal, Que] 16 May 1988 British group Led Zeppelin, most imitated "dinosaur rock" band of the 1960s and early '70s, reunited on a New York stage Saturday for what may have been its final roar. At the climax of a 13-hour celebration of Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary, the four-man Zeppelin took the stage at Madison Square Garden as millions of cable-television viewers watched. An audience of 24,000 sat through 12 hours of music by such groups as Crosby, Stills and Nash, Genesis and Yes. But it was evident many in the crowd came to see Led Zeppelin. "Page, Page!" one woman shouted repeatedly during the marathon show. The group's reclusive lead guitarist Jimmy Page is considered one of rock music's finest musicians. Led Zeppelin has become a model for younger bands such as Kingdom Come and Whitesnake and is said to be one of the originators of the hugely successful "heavy-metal" genre. Pushed aside Backstage at the concert, celebrities from every branch of show business were pushed aside by a phalanx of bodyguards who led the band from a hurried photo session to the giant fog-enveloped stage. There, the group played a thunderous half-hour set. Led Zeppelin, whose biggest hit was Stairway to Heaven, was dissolved in 1980 after drummer John (Bonzo) Bonham died following a reported intake of 40 shots of vodka on the eve of a U.S. tour. Since then, the three remaining musicians - Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones - have appeared only once together, at the 1985 Live-Aid benefit concert. For the New York reunion, Bonham's 18-year-old son Jason replaced him on drums, playing with a steadiness and resonance long associated with his late father. Tremendous applause greeted Led Zeppelin the moment the four band members stepped on to the stage shortly after 1 a.m. yesterday. Opening with Kashmir, a concert number, the musicians exhibited a determination and precision that reflected the blend of celebration and tension of their music a decade ago. Page's body twisted and jerked so perfectly with the shifts in the music that he seemed connected electronically to the guitar. After three more numbers, including Misty Mountain and Whole Lotta Love, Zeppelin closed with Stairway to Heaven, the anthem built around a peculiar blend of tenderness and explosion. "It's been a wonderful night . . .," Plant told the crowd. "See you all again soon." For many Zeppelin enthusiasts, the words, coupled with the power of the set itself, carried the hint of a full-scale reunion tour, but Plant was referring to his own North American solo tour, an aide later explained. The remnants of many of the popular bands of the 1960s also appeared at the event. They included the Bee Gees, the Young Rascals, Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly. The concert also featured performances by veteran rhythm-and-blues artist La Vern Baker and brief appearances by the Coasters, the Spinners, and other Atlantic acts. Bob Geldof, the Irish singer decorated by the Queen for his charity work, sang an anti-abortion song which he later said "had not been meant as a political statement." Nostalgic atmosphere In the nostalgic atmosphere backstage, hit makers like Wilson Pickett talked freely about the influence of early Atlantic releases on them. "Oh, I loved Atlantic," he said. "We weren't allowed to go to dances or buy the (R & records because of church reasons. So, we'd go down the street and play them on the juke box. Now, it seems like the whole world is singing that music. It shows you times do change." The independent Atlantic label was founded in the late 1940s by Ahmet Ertegun, a jazz and blues enthusiast and son of the Turkish ambassador to the United States. "I started a record label because I was a very rabid fan," the elegant Ertegun said backstage during the show. "I listened to records five, six hours a day." Ertegun also said humility is the greatest prerequisite for being a record-company executive, and added there is a shortage of good songwriters in the music industry. "I'm looking for a good song, if anybody's got one," he said. Ertegun had been approached several times in recent years about an anniversary party, but turned down the proposals until Barry Cooper, president of Entertainment Company of America, came up with a concept that evolved into a five-hour live broadcast Saturday on HBO, plus future off-shoots on MTV and ABC-TV. Also planned: a concert album, photo book and a home video. Profits, possibly $7 to $10 million, will go to charity.

I am so pleased to be of assistance. It's nice to hear that some members look at this stuff. I have been searching chronologically through my databases, and weeding out articles which just mention LZ in passing. I am about to come to the Atlantic birthday stuff.

Plant can still rock like in days of yore: The Vancouver Sun [Vancouver, B.C] 12 May 1988 At times Led Zeppelin was the pinnacle of pomposity, but when it decided to rock, it cranked out thunderous metal music. By taking grooving blues riffs and amplifying them a 100 times over, adding Robert Plant's screams and Jimmy Page's soaring lead guitar, Led Zeppelin yielded a sonic sledgehammer that sent many an adolescent into hard-rock orbit. Led Zeppelin set the standards for heavy metal, and now a whole raft of bands like the Cult and Kingdom Come are enjoying careers by mimicking Zeppelin. Until his recent Now and Zen album, however, Plant has tried to distance his solo career as much as possible from Zeppelin, which folded in 1980. But as the charming 39-year-old told the crowd of 16,000-plus during his sold-out concert at Maple Leaf Gardens, "I've come to terms with things." Translated, it means he's not afraid to rock like in the days of yore, and Tuesday's show proved that when he wants to, he's still the king of the hard rock castle. While he can't hit those high notes any more, that distinctive bluesy wail still serves him well. It wasn't all Plant, however. Guitarist Doug Boyle put on a raucous display even if his biting tone sounded remarkably like Page's old sound. The big news during this tour is that for the first time since Zeppelin's demise - and a brief set at Live Aid - he has trotted out some Zeppelin warhorses, and by golly, they can still gallop. During a grungy remake of Dimples by bluesman John Lee Hooker, Plant and his four-piece band broke into the pulverizing riff from Zeppelin's Heartbreaker to a torrent of cheers. He proceeded right into Zep's mesmerizing Trampled Under Foot, and then performed the revved-up Billy's Revenge from the new album. Things hit the roof when the group played Misty Mountain Hop, a lumbering blues number that became hypnotic in its unrelenting repetitiveness.

Ooooh yeah baby, baby, he's one crafty showman Dafoe, Chris. The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 12 May 1988 THE LADIES' room at The Diamond was redolent of perfume. The mirrors were crowded as hair and makeup were given the once over. Rumors that former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant was coming down to see B.B. King had filled the air - especially the air exhaled by the ladies in the house - with anticipation. One young woman, perhaps encouraged by suggestive comments the singer had made at a press conference here in February, was carrying a large and vaguely obscene-looking lemon in her purse. Just in case. Plant never materialized at The Diamond on Monday. But he did make it to his Maple Leaf Gardens show Tuesday night. At age 40, eight years after Led Zeppelin split, Robert Plant remains a star and a sex symbol of some standing, whether you measure it in album or ticket sales (the show was sold out, with scalpers getting more than $150 for a pair of good seats), or by the hail of lemons that greeted him as he took the stage. He is, of course, a very different star than when he strutted bare- chested across stadium stages with guitarist Jimmy Page. On Tuesday, Plant cast himself as one of rock's elder statesmen: modest, slightly coy, articulate and charming. The impression he left, however, was that the idiot-mystic shouter of days past has become a crafty and fairly clever showman in his middle age. In a long and generally solid set, the still-lithe Plant paid tribute to his roots (a version of John Lee Hooker's Dimples, which slipped teasingly, and instructively, into a familiar Zeppelin riff for a few bars) and his past (yes, Bob's singing the Zeppelin songs again, much to the delight of the crowd, many of whom were weaned to the sound of Stairway to Heaven (no he didn't sing that one, although he did do Misty Mountain Hop). Of course, he sang material from the present, which for Plant is a mixed bag. Drawing from his four solo albums, Plant dabbled in languid art-rock on songs such as Ship of Fools and In The Mood, with his mantra- like vocals on the latter winding around the simple lines set up by guitarist Doug Boyle and keyboardist Phil Johnstone. He also tossed in a little latter-day album radio fodder with the clever, tongue-in-cheek rockabilly of Tall Cool One and the power rock of Lay Down Your Arms. His band, although still occasionally shaky at this early date in the tour, handled the variety of material with more enthusiasm than invention, which is of course, just what the Zeppelin-obsessed crowd required. Plant, on the other hand, remains a powerful and distinctive singer, a high tenor who, though he misses the irony of the blues that inspire him, brings an edge of pain and sex to his music. And while his roof-rendering wails are cliched by now, it is a cliche of his own making. Despite the best efforts of Kingdom Come's Lenny Wolf (whose fledgling career is based solely on his ability to sing like Plant), nobody in the world can sing an "ooooh yeah baby, baby" like Bob. Stevie Ray Vaughan opened the show with a rambunctious set of heavy, dirty blues. It was, for the most part, the same set he's been doing for the past few years - the blues change slowly - but he seemed to catch a spark on Tuesday and turned in a performance that went over the top. Peeling off distorted riffs over a bubbling gumbo of bass, organ and drums, Vaughan got nasty on songs such as Superstition and Willy the Wimp. Mind you, nobody threw a lemon at him.

Plant back with style: Cobb, Chris. The Ottawa Citizen [Ottawa, Ont] 09 May 1988 Robert Plant did himself a huge favor when he stopped dodging his own distinguished rock and roll history. Moving from singer and most visible member of Led Zeppelin to the hard road of a solo career must have presented a tough challenge. Doing all he could to be something other than he was simply made it tougher. As those among the 7,000 or so Civic Centre audience Sunday can testify, Plant is very much back in the familiar, spoofy-sexual lead singer role he developed with Led Zeppelin. And he didn't have to reunite with his old band to achieve it. At 40 years old, Plant is still as dynamic and stylish a performer as he was during the last days of Led Zeppelin. This show _ the third of his North American tour _ had all the elements of an excellent rock concert. The music was exceptional without being excessive, the sound and the generous use of modern audio-technology was superb and the lead singer absolutely in his element _ funny, powerful and, most important, having a good time. His enthusiasm infected the audience from the first song to the last. Plant is remarkably Peter Panish. His long blond curls are intact and unlike many 40-year-old rock and roll bodies _ those that are still mobile _ his is still slender and certainly passable for the job. As was evident Sunday night, Robert Plant has always been ahead of the game. Many major rock performers of today are still struggling to emulate the style he patented 20 years ago. The fact that he can put himself on a stage and look more contemporary than performers half his age is ample evidence of that. This was an interesting, sophisticated concert. The stage was ample, yet uncluttered and the projected video was simple but effective. Plant, as the main attraction, is past the age of taking himself seriously, but is still eminently capable of those patented gyrations _ the agonized cross-legged look, interspersed with numerous orgiastic ''oh yehs,'' his favorite phrase. Beyond the miracles of biology that keep Plant a credible rock and roller, are the musicians he has on this tour. They are young, on their first professional trip to North American and extremely good. Guitarist Doug Boyle is particularly impressive, but by virtue of their place in a rock band guitarists are more inclined to get the glory. Chris Blackwell on drums and percussion and keyboard player Phil Johnstone were no less competent. Bassist Charlie Jones made up the fivesome. This was tight, clean musicianship. Stevie Ray Vaughn opened the show. He is, of course, an exceptional blues guitar player but not one necessarily suited to playing large arenas. While the sound on the Robert Plant set was perfect, it wasn't for Stevie Ray. His voice was inaudible and his keyboard player noticeably obscured. The guitar, fortunately, was clear and bright.

Without Zep, Plant lacks zip: By MARK LEPAGE Special to The Gazette. The Gazette [Montreal, Que] 08 May 1988 Robert Plant at the Forum last night; with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Robert Plant turns out to be mortal after all. This, despite a show in which the mythical past of Led Zeppelin resurfaced to send Plant fans, new and old, into a frenzy last night. Unlike his other solo tours, Plant's latest demands comparisons with Zeppelin; this due to weeks and weeks of media saturation in which Plant attempted to reclaim his history. In the blitz, Plant closed the distance he had put between Robert Plant in the '80s, and Plant the golden-maned myth of Led Zeppelin. He embraced all things Zeppelin, and savaged his would-be musical descendants: The Mission, The Cult, Kingdom Come, and especially David Coverdale's Whitesnake. Plant's interview festival was both a legitimate coming-to-terms with his own past, and a canny PR move, timed perfectly to coincide with the sudden resurgence of Led Zeppelin-type bands. However, Plant was unable, at least through the early stages of the show, to pull of the tricky high-wire act of forging past and future into one solid present. Through the first 5 songs of the show, Plant seemed awkward, not a familiar position for a performer who, with that old band, virtually invented the type of arena rock touring that dominates today's pop landscape. Plant looked no better than the hated Coverdale during Heaven Knows. Worse, the first Zeppelin offering, In The Evening, was a leaden, trundling monstrosity, evoking the dinosaur elements of Led Zeppelin without the punishing sonic whump. Guitarist Doug Boyle resembled a teenaged Jimmy Page both in licks and moves, but can't really be faulted for bending under the weight of Page's shadow. The good news is that Plant overcame the initial unevenness. After thanking the crowd for their years of devotion, he and the band performed a slick Ship Of Fools. Their legs suddenly gathered beneath them, Plant and Co. lived up to the religious fervor of the crowd, putting muscle into the newer songs, and thunder behind Zep classics Misty Mountain Hop and Trampled Underfoot. But despite the solid end to the show, Plant remains a singer whose best days are behind him. He may stand a head taller than the average hockey-rink rockers, but 10 years gone remain 10 years gone, devotional fans or no. Stevie Ray Vaughan is a performer who has immolated his past, or at least the part of it that dealt with after-concert partying. Despite an almost to-the-death battle with alcohol and drugs, Vaughan's performances in this city have never lacked for virtuosity, energy and commitment. He blazed through Willie the Wimp, Cold Shot, and others, culminating in the inevitable Voodoo Chile, and earned a standing ovation.

He's plain Robert Plant again -- at last: The Ottawa Citizen [Ottawa, Ont] 06 May 1988 Robert Plant strides into the hotel room, swinging his long arms freely, and sits down quickly like someone who's bursting to tell his story. As he sits cross-legged, leaning forward, his body seems to be humming with electricity. When making a point, his hands sweep the air fluidly. Plant has let his curly blond mop hang to his shoulders again, as in the days when he was the dynamic vocalist with Led Zeppelin, the monster metal group that ranked with the Who and the Rolling Stones in the 1970s. His carefree manner, his new album Now and Zen, and even his hair, all confirm that Plant no longer feels compelled to do everything possible to distance himself from Zeppelin, a group whose songs include Stairway to Heaven, a rock classic that still gets plenty of radio airplay. ''I feel a lot less self-conscious in all areas than I have in quite a long time,'' the youthful-looking 39-year-old said in a recent interview. ''I feel cleansed of some of the self-inflicted analysis I've gone through. And I'm quite happy to be just plain, simple Robert Plant again _ at last.'' Plant plays the Civic Centre Sunday, with opening act Stevie Ray Vaughan. After Zeppelin drummer John Bonham died of a heart attack in 1980, Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones decided to ground Zeppelin. Of the three, only Plant has enjoyed post-Zeppelin success: Page's band the Firm failed and Jones has gone into production work. Page is trying to make a comeback with an album to be released in May that features Bonham's son Jason on drums. Plant's first three solo albums were partly and self-consciously different from Zeppelin. However, with his fourth album, Now and Zen, Plant has come to terms with the present and the past. He's still moving forward, using a lot of electronics, but now he's not afraid to rock with a heavy guitar or sing a basic melody. Plant said Now and Zen is such a big change in direction, ''it almost compromises my integrity.'' But he says he has never been one for following formulas, even with Zeppelin. ''You need change and stimulation,'' he said. ''It's very healthy''. While Zeppelin used to overwhelm listeners with its power, Plant said he wants to concentrate on writing decent melodies. He said the key to ''finding the chorus again'' was replacing his old band. In particular, he notes that keyboardist Phil Johnstone kept urging Plant to keep things simple and melodic. ''I looked for somebody who could stand up to me and say, 'I think you're wrong', because I've always gotten away with this desire to be obscure for no particular reason.'' Plant said he's aware many people would rather hear an album by a reunited Plant-and-Page team than his solo work but he cautions fans not to hold their breath. A reunion is unlikely because Plant isn't pleased with Jones's production work with the Mission. ''At such a point where Jimmy feels he's led his own musical renaissance, maybe we'll get back together then.''