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Page, Plant, & Jones Press Conference: Friday, September 21


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The writer who asked that moronic question about Rory Gallagher has published his report...

The Irish Times

September 22, 2012

Led Zeppelin tribute to Gallagher

298517_1.jpg?ts=1348273850

John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin attend a press conference to announce

Led Zeppelin's new live DVD Celebration day in London today. Photograph: Danny Martindale/Getty Images

RONAN McGREEVY

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has paid tribute to Rory Gallagher at an event to mark the launch of a CD/DVD recording of their only live concert in nearly 30 years.

The three surviving members of the fabled band, Page, singer Robert Plant and bass player John Paul Jones, made a rare appearance together at a press conference to launch the CD/DVD Celebration Day which is a live recording of their one-off concert at the O2 in London in December 2007.

When Page was reminded that Gallagher had beaten him in a poll of best guitarists in the world in Melody Maker 40 years ago, Page replied: "I really liked Rory and I had the pleasure of meeting him at Peter Grant (Led Zeppelin manager) our old manager’s office in the early days".

"He came up to reception with Peter Grant and we had a good chat"

"I liked Rory, he was fine guitarist and singer and lovely man and I know how loved he was in Co. Cork"

The band members were very coy when the inevitable question came up about a potential reunion and tour.

"Let me ask you a question," said Page in response to a reporter’s question. "Have you seen the film? Did you enjoy it? Then we've done our job, haven't we?"

Plant said he didn’t know what the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven meant although he had written them.

“Maybe I didn’t quite feel the same about the lyrics a little bit later on in life, further on down the road,” he said.

“Maybe I’m still trying to work out what I was talking about. Every other f***** is.”

Celebration Day will get a worldwide theatrical release on 17 October, and a multi-format home release on 19 November.

http://www.irishtime...breaking46.html

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Thought the guy's handled the press conference extremely well . No shortage of dry humour either . Loved it !

Ally, that is my thought as well, handled well, this was not easy for JPJ, Robert and Jimmy....

Very heartfelt warm thoughts for our favorite Legendary Musicians for Gracing This Front Room with such Class, as they Graced The Memorable Stage so skillfully

five years ago...it was same in 1977, no matter how difficult, they always shine, that is how skillful and professional they are...

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Hi all. I watched the conference about a half hour ago and here is my take; for what it's worth. I thought the boys were all on their game. I think they all look terrific...yes, especially Jimmy. ;)

I couldn't get over how often I outright laughed at some of their responses. Loved JPJ's line about "5 years equals 5 minutes in Zeppelin time! I cringed a bit when the STH question was asked. Robert handled that one with honesty and wit. It was a perfect response and enlightened me too.

The Rory Gallagher question I thought rather tacky, but Jimmy answered with such grace. He is a class act and it shows in the conference.

The comments about JPJ and the locations of chairs, distance from the others, etc. I did not see. To me, they talked like 3 bandmates that like and respect one another and clearly still have the "IT" factor. :notworthy:

My two cents, and now please excuse me while I start my countdown for the DVD from the greatest Rock Band in the World. :cheer:

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Hi all. I watched the conference about a half hour ago and here is my take; for what it's worth. I thought the boys were all on their game. I think they all look terrific...yes, especially Jimmy. ;)

I couldn't get over how often I outright laughed at some of their responses. Loved JPJ's line about "5 years equals 5 minutes in Zeppelin time! I cringed a bit when the STH question was asked. Robert handled that one with honesty and wit. It was a perfect response and enlightened me too.

The Rory Gallagher question I thought rather tacky, but Jimmy answered with such grace. He is a class act and it shows in the conference.

The comments about JPJ and the locations of chairs, distance from the others, etc. I did not see. To me, they talked like 3 bandmates that like and respect one another and clearly still have the "IT" factor. :notworthy:

My two cents, and now please excuse me while I start my countdown for the DVD from the greatest Rock Band in the World. :cheer:

...yes!! The IT factor was there totally agree, Jimmy seriously looking HOT, slander, gorgeous, as ever, the Scarf so Classy and appropriate for the Occasion, shining little silver stars on Black...that is awesome...Great that Robert chose to wear the Goregous Blue, very warm and thoughtful, John Paul Jones very himself classy as usual, quite but great sense of humor this occasion...Robert, a classic Leo. I loved the way Robert laughed when he spoke about Jason falling sleep at the Wedding Reception, Robert's mannerism, laughter as he spoke about Jason's wedding, remined me of his famous scene from 1973 backstage The Song Remains The Same...that energy dialouge, I can't remember exactly, but you know what I mean...

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The writer who asked that moronic question about Rory Gallagher has published his report...

The Irish Times

September 22, 2012

Led Zeppelin tribute to Gallagher

298517_1.jpg?ts=1348273850

John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin attend a press conference to announce

Led Zeppelin's new live DVD Celebration day in London today. Photograph: Danny Martindale/Getty Images

RONAN McGREEVY

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has paid tribute to Rory Gallagher at an event to mark the launch of a CD/DVD recording of their only live concert in nearly 30 years.

The three surviving members of the fabled band, Page, singer Robert Plant and bass player John Paul Jones, made a rare appearance together at a press conference to launch the CD/DVD Celebration Day which is a live recording of their one-off concert at the O2 in London in December 2007.

When Page was reminded that Gallagher had beaten him in a poll of best guitarists in the world in Melody Maker 40 years ago, Page replied: "I really liked Rory and I had the pleasure of meeting him at Peter Grant (Led Zeppelin manager) our old manager’s office in the early days".

"He came up to reception with Peter Grant and we had a good chat"

"I liked Rory, he was fine guitarist and singer and lovely man and I know how loved he was in Co. Cork"

The band members were very coy when the inevitable question came up about a potential reunion and tour.

"Let me ask you a question," said Page in response to a reporter’s question. "Have you seen the film? Did you enjoy it? Then we've done our job, haven't we?"

Plant said he didn’t know what the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven meant although he had written them.

“Maybe I didn’t quite feel the same about the lyrics a little bit later on in life, further on down the road,” he said.

“Maybe I’m still trying to work out what I was talking about. Every other f***** is.”

Celebration Day will get a worldwide theatrical release on 17 October, and a multi-format home release on 19 November.

http://www.irishtime...breaking46.html

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I hope the three of them got a couple of minutes post interview, out of view, to laugh their asses off at some of the fucking questions which were asked.

I don't want to come across as "whatever," but members of this informed forum could have posed more relevant questions in my way of thinking.

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...yes!! The IT factor was there totally agree, Jimmy seriously looking HOT, slander, gorgeous, as ever, the Scarf so Classy and appropriate for the Occasion, shining little silver stars on Black...that is awesome...

Hi PlanetPage,

I was just waiting on you to mention the scarf!

Isn't he always too cool for words!? Love it! :)

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Do we know if they did private interviews with select reporters? Im surprise nothing was brought up about the Kennedy Center awards, asking whats next for Page (what is he near future plans), or his wishes regarding Led Zeppelin releases after Celebration Day? (Im not sure if there isn't anything left in the vault they would deem worthy an official release, would love some 75-77 tour).

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Hi PlanetPage,

I was just waiting on you to mention the scarf!

Isn't he always too cool for words!? Love it! :)

Hello Bay..

...totally too cool for words...Jimmy always had and still has such an eye for detail, very exceptional, true vision of an Great Artist...he know how to put "it" together...always meaningful, he is poetry in motion....

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I actually liked the question about Rory Gallagher. Not all of the questions should be related to the release. But I hate how they avoided the qeustions about future plans.

Agree. I think some of the comments were really funny and made me laugh, but they left unresolved questions.

About Gallagher, the question came from an Irish journalist writing for an Irish newspaper about an Irish musician, it was a pertinent question (from the viewpoint of an audience/readership) and there was nothing moronic about it.

The part where Jones describes how he sees the new bands performing, and that he couldn't "pinpoint anybody" left me really concerned as to the current state of music.

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...yes!! The IT factor was there totally agree, Jimmy seriously looking HOT, slander, gorgeous, as ever, the Scarf so Classy and appropriate for the Occasion, shining little silver stars on Black...that is awesome...

Hello Bay..

...totally too cool for words...Jimmy always had and still has such an eye for detail, very exceptional, true vision of an Great Artist...he know how to put "it" together...always meaningful, he is poetry in motion....

^^^ That's what I was thinking too! Jimmy brings quite a bit to the "IT" factor, doesn't he? ;) Missy

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About Gallagher, the question came from an Irish journalist writing for an Irish newspaper about an Irish musician, it was a pertinent question (from the viewpoint of an audience/readership) and there was nothing moronic about it.

Couldn't disagree more. It had NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the reason that the press had been allowed to be there to ask questions, and was completely out of place. This wasn't an "Ask Led Zeppelin anything you've always wanted to know!" event. It was to talk about their new release and the event that it represented.

Framing it into an "Irish" setting is just patronising to the Irish - as if they can only relate to something via one of "their own" - do all French journalists have to ask about Johnny Halliday first? It was embarrassing, and the way he has written his report is embarrassing. The time given to him to ask about something completely irrelevant to the occasion could have been used by someone who had something intelligent to ask. (*edit - though admittedly they seemed rare yesterday )

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I finally was able to watch the press conference. Thanks Sam for posting the YouTube clip, as the other links that people posted would not work for me.

It's late and I'm too tired to go back and find all the previous posts I wanted to respond to directly, so I'll try to wrap up my general impressions on the fly.

1. All the talk about 'something' between Robert Plant and John Paul Jones turned out to be poppycock; people reading way too much into nothing. I saw winks and smiles and laughter between all three of them. JPJ got off some of the best lines of the conference. I really loved how he admitted he had zoned out while Plant was answering a question.

2. That Ronan McGreevy guy should be sacked from the Irish Times. That was silly. Sorry Zemun and Taro, his question about Rory had no place and was cheap pandering to his readers. The poll he was asking Jimmy about was from 1972!!! WTF? Plus, Rory Gallagher is dead; did he really think Jimmy was going to say Rory sucked? It was a wasted question, like Knebby said, and should have gone to a better journalist.

3. I thought I heard Page asking Plant "is that Phil Spector?" early on...it's very faint as he's asking off-mic, but listen carefully and you can hear it.

4. Thought the inevitable "Stairway to Heaven" question was handled with panache and good humour. As were the questions about another reunion. Well done, lads.

5. I noticed that some of the early reports from the press conference mis-quoted Plant out-of-context regarding the question about overdubs. Plant's remark about "cheek" was directed AT the questioner, meaning he had a lot of nerve asking that question. That's sloppy reporting.

6. Taro, your post...oh never mind.

For a band notoriously press-shy and reticent about press conferences in their heyday, I thought they acquitted themselves admirably given the circumstances. Plant did look a little jet-lagged; his hair looked different than usual. Page and Jones looked great and they all sounded fantastic. I think I heard Jones and Page speak more in that one conference than I heard them in the entire decade of the '70s.

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Dave Lewis of Tight But Loose - The Led Zeppelin Fanzine files his report:

Countdown to the Celebration Day - 26 days to go…

Just back from London after attending the Celebration Day press screening and press conference. Voice box infection or not, I roused myself to get off early this morning for the day’s proceedings ….Where to start…

Some first impressions:

The Celebration Day film, –what can I tell you –it is just astonishing. Brilliantly directed by Dick Curruthers - the multi camera editing creates the feeling of being right on stage with them… totally staggering –I welled up several times in unashamed emotional awe watching it and you will too.

The closeness of the four is superbly captured. The humorous glances between them light up the screen continually. As for individual song performances …again where to start – Ramble On is just incredible as is For Your Life, No Quarter –tremendous close ups on John’s playing. Stairway…there will not be a dry eye in the house when Robert utters those words ‘’Ahmet, we did it.’’….Kashmir – just colossal.

This film is beyond life affirming – it’s life itself – living breathing joyous Led Zeppelin life all up on the big screen in superb sound quality. Totally, totally astonishing.

This is the sheer joy of Zeppelin for everyone to share. I have to say it again …totally, totally astonishing….

Those are some initial thoughts – a full review will follow.

The Press Conference was staged in Northumberland Avenue – the plush conference room was elaborately decked out in Celebration Day style complete with spotlights. Jimmy, Robert and John looked relaxed and on great form. The angered a variety of questions (including one from your TBL editor), with plenty of good humour and there was a lot of compliments for Jason. At one point Jimmy asked if we had enjoyed the film to mass applause.

All in all a simply sensational day. More on all this to follow tomorrow.

As you can probably tell I am completely over whelmed with what I witnessed today…for once mere words are not enough –but when you see this film you will know what I mean…

Dave Lewis (tired and emotional)

http://www.tightbutl...lweb09/?p=16304

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Ally, that is my thought as well, handled well, this was not easy for JPJ, Robert and Jimmy....

Very heartfelt warm thoughts for our favorite Legendary Musicians for Gracing This Front Room with such Class, as they Graced The Memorable Stage so skillfully

five years ago...it was same in 1977, no matter how difficult, they always shine, that is how skillful and professional they are...

They're a little older and a little wiser but as a group and as individuals, their class remains the same.

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Couldn't disagree more. It had NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the reason that the press had been allowed to be there to ask questions, and was completely out of place. This wasn't an "Ask Led Zeppelin anything you've always wanted to know!" event. It was to talk about their new release and the event that it represented.

I must admit I'm being partial, not to the journalist but to the journalistic profession (while you seem to be partial to the P.R. camp in saying that the press conference was about Celebration Day only).

As a former journalist who once attended press conferences round the clock I can tell you that it is not easy to come up with a report while having to meet a deadline, especially in today's Internet time. I understand those people out there in the field, and I'm also of the opinion that in journalism there are no silly or moronic questions -just questions.

Sometimes a P.R. representative would demand that a conference be about something exclusively, but this doesn't seem to be the case here judging by the various questions that were asked.

What I don't understand is why nothing was asked about the Kennedy Center. This was something that was in the media just last week, I mean, not much time has passed for the news to be forgotten so soon and none of the journalists remembered this. Of course, I think the question, had it been asked, may have received a joke in response, or silence as was the case with the question from the CNN journalist.

The five minutes Zeppelin time was a funny comment, a great comment indeed, but it wasn't an answer.

Of course if this specific question had been asked differently (probably what Steve A. Jones suggested in post #44 "Any thoughts concerning the leak of the 02 rehearsal recording? To what extent did it delay this release?") it would have received a more serious response, but that would have required a very specific Zeppelin knowledge and I suppose that the group of journalists covers music, or culture in general and not just a single band.

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2. That Ronan McGreevy guy should be sacked from the Irish Times. That was silly. Sorry Zemun and Taro, his question about Rory had no place and was cheap pandering to his readers. The poll he was asking Jimmy about was from 1972!!! WTF? Plus, Rory Gallagher is dead; did he really think Jimmy was going to say Rory sucked? It was a wasted question, like Knebby said, and should have gone to a better journalist.

There was a plethora of wasted questions.

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Sam, wasn't there a group press conference during the 1973 U.S. tour? Perhaps at the Drake hotel, where that famous promo photo was taken with all of them piled on that chair?

That sounds the photo that was taken around the time that the band announced Swan Song records, but I could be confusing that... all those y-e-a-r-s..

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