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Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones to give rare interview on 'Letterman'


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Spoiler sort of.

Email Account of Led Zep's Appearance on Letterman

This account of Led Zeppelin’s (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones) appearance on David Letterman came from someone who was there. A long time Zeppelin fan, and expert was kind enough to regale us with a blow by blow account:

The elusive third chair was brought out to the stage of the Ed

Sullivan Theater for today’s “Late Show,” to accommodate the Led

Zeppelin threesome of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones.

The standard two-chair setup returned for the interview with actor

John Krasinski of “The Office,” an unabashed Led Zeppelin fan who, as

it turned out, was sporting a Swan Song logo T-shirt underneath his

dressy outfit.

Audience coach Eddie Brill said he was psyched that Led Zeppelin was

going to be on the show. Krasinski said he was working as an intern

for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” the time Page appeared on the show

with the Black Crowes, and he recalled what it was like behind the

scenes of a TV show with such a huge star as Jimmy Page. Fraternizing

with guests was grounds for immediate dismissal, he said, adding that

backstage tonight he was basically unable to speak coherently to Page

for fear of babbling and/or pissing his pants.

When the CBS Orchestra played the trio onto the stage to the strains

of “Rock and Roll,” Robert Plant came out first, shook Dave

Letterman’s hand and took the empty seat farthest from Dave. Page was

next out, and when he went to take his seat in the middle, Jones was

left with the one closest to Dave, and it looked like there was some

confusion over the seating arrangement. All matched in their black

outfits, although Plant traded in his black shoes for some tan cowboy

boots.

Letterman started things off by asking if Led Zeppelin had received

awards like the Kennedy Center Honors, prompting a brief one-word

answer from John Paul Jones followed by a lengthy roll of the eyes.

Dave appeared to be grasping at straws for ways to relate to the

musicians, and Jones even made a witty remark after a few of Dave’s

vein attempts: “How many ‘no’s do you want?” Plant, the only one who’d

sat solo on Letterman’s couch before, joked it was good Jones was

sitting closest to Dave. Dave got one back at Jones, saying the

placement wasn’t best for everybody concerned.

Jimmy Page, sandwiched between his former bandmates, spoke early in

the interview, picking up on a question from Dave about Buddy Guy,

who’d also been an award recipient. Dave asked if Buddy was an

influence on all of them, and Jimmy said indeed he was, referencing by

name some of the other blues musicians he and Jeff Beck used to watch

Buddy Guy playing with when they were all young. The names Muddy

Waters and Howlin’ Wolf were easy for Dave to pick up on, but Page’s

mention of Sonny Boy Williamson threw the host a curveball. Dave ,

“Sonny Boy … Williams?” Robert shot a look of disgust toward the

crowd, as if to say, “Can you believe this guy?”

Dave may not know old blues musicians well, but he named off a few of

the most obvious choices for British rock bands from the same era as

Led Zeppelin: the Who, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks. Dave listed

off a few of these bands and asked if they would ever jam together

back in the day. The answer was a surprising no, until Robert

clarified that while he and John Bonham were touring the “big top,”

the other two guys were studio cats and did indeed get to work with

those groups. Plant interestingly went not for an anecdote about

stealing milk bottles off of people’s front steps but said Bonham, in

those days, was stealing cars. Dave kept the humor going by asking if

this came up at all when being vetted for a Kennedy Center award. Dave

also asked Paul Shaffer his opinion on whether the same musicians who

were influences on British musicians similarly affected American

musicians. Paul said British musicians had turned on to American music

that wasn’t popular here first and, through their innovation, made it

popular here.

If it’s a really enlightening question and answer session you were

hoping for, it wasn’t there. Dave concentrated on the award ceremony

and how they felt listening to others play their music back. Jimmy

complimented Kid Rock, and Dave kept on naming other performers who

had been on the scene to get their reactions. The mention of Jack

Black seemed to make Plant chuckle. Even worse, the mention of

“Stairway to Heaven,” which they performed at the Kennedy Center

Honors, made Plant jeer once again. Either he didn’t like the

performance, by a choir and an orchestra and Jason Bonham on drums, or

he was just once again reiterating his disdain for the song.

For something visual, Dave displayed two photos on his desk. The first

was less than 24 hours old and showed the three of them meeting with

President Obama. Perhaps Dave was hoping the photo would elicit some

comments once the crowd’s applause subsided, but it really didn’t.

Dave moved on to the second photo, the famous shot from 1973 with the

band posing in front of the Starship. This provided Dave with a

subject to which he would refer often throughout the rest of the

interview, about not needing to have your shirts buttoned up fully

when flying on your own aircraft. Dave turned it into a running gag

that went over well with the audience. One line that left a few heads

scratching came from Plant when he asked Dave if “matinee” means the

same here as it does in England. The way he related it had sex written

all over it.

Dave recalled something Jack Black said about Led Zeppelin the day

before, that their music is about sex … and Vikings … and Vikings

having sex. The host asked if this was correct. While Page laughed,

Jones added that some songs were about Vikings having sex with

hobbits.

In one of the more mundane questions Letterman has ever uttered, he

asked their musicians how one could sum up Led Zeppelin’s sound in a

10-word sentence. Plant didn’t jump at the ready with a response, nor

did Page. It took Jones to break the silence, mimicking the opening

riff from “Immigrant Song.”

Dave mentioned that Page and Jones had not been on the show before. He

invited them back but did so almost as a group invitation. Imagine,

Led Zeppelin’s surviving members making a habit out of forcing Dave’s

third chair out of retirement!

To Dave’s credit, he did ask whether the 1980 death of “the drummer”

— the name John Bonham obviously not on the tip of his tongue — made

them think about continuing with somebody else on drums. To the

surprise of nobody there, the answer was no. Jimmy Page pounced on it,

saying it would have been unfair to tell another drummer, “Here, learn

these parts.”

Lastly, Dave didn’t ask why these guys aren’t reforming — or if, in

fact, they secretly were. He could have broached the subject easily by

suggesting, “Look, all three of you are here now, and you’re

musicians. Forget about reuniting in the future. Why the hell don’t

you play us a little something right now, for God’s sake?” But alas,

‘twas not to be. Instead, the studio and home audiences were treated

to a musical performance by the waif-like British singer Paloma Faith,

her elaborate orchestra and stage configuration, and her multicolored

hair.

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  • Zeppelin Kennedy Center Honors, Led Zeppelin Honors, Kennedy Center Honors, Kennedy Center Honors 2012, Entertainment News






    s-LED-ZEPPELIN-KENNEDY-CENTER-large.jpg?5
    Led Zeppelin received Kennedy Center Honors.

    WASHINGTON — Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant says he's game to write new songs if anybody else wants to.
    Plant visited the State Department in Washington on Saturday with the other surviving members of the legendary rock band, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page. They are among seven artists receiving the Kennedy Center Honors with accolades from President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
    Plant told The Associated Press he was surprised and overwhelmed in receiving the American honor.
    The band is often asked if they'll reunite. Plant says he loves traveling the world and wants to write music along the way. He says "if anybody wants to write some new songs, I'm game." :bubble:
    The trio is scheduled to appear Monday on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman."

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*** Spoiler Alert ***

If you are waiting to watch the program and do not wish to read a first hand account of their appearance do not read this post...

Steve "The Lemon" Sauer of Led Zeppelin On This Day files this report:

The elusive third chair was brought out to the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater for today's "Late Show," to accommodate the Led

Zeppelin threesome of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. The standard two-chair setup returned for the interview with actor John Krasinski of "The Office," an unabashed Led Zeppelin fan who, as it turned out, was sporting a Swan Song logo T-shirt underneath his dressy outfit.

Audience coach Eddie Brill said he was psyched that Led Zeppelin was going to be on the show. Krasinski said he was working as an intern for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" the time Page appeared on the show with the Black Crowes, and he recalled what it was like behind the scenes of a TV show with such a huge star as Jimmy Page. Fraternizing with guests was grounds for immediate dismissal, he said, adding that backstage tonight he was basically unable to speak coherently to Page for fear of babbling and/or pissing his pants.

When the CBS Orchestra played the trio onto the stage to the strains of "Rock and Roll," Robert Plant came out first, shook Dave

Letterman's hand and took the empty seat farthest from Dave. Page was next out, and when he went to take his seat in the middle, Jones was left with the one closest to Dave, and it looked like there was some confusion over the seating arrangement. All matched in their black outfits, although Plant traded in his black shoes for some tan cowboy boots.

Letterman started things off by asking if Led Zeppelin had received awards like the Kennedy Center Honors, prompting a brief one-word answer from John Paul Jones followed by a lengthy roll of the eyes. Dave appeared to be grasping at straws for ways to relate to the musicians, and Jones even made a witty remark after a few of Dave's vein attempts: "How many 'no's do you want?" Plant, the only one who'd sat solo on Letterman's couch before, joked it was good Jones was sitting closest to Dave. Dave got one back at Jones, saying the placement wasn't best for everybody concerned.

Jimmy Page, sandwiched between his former bandmates, spoke early in the interview, picking up on a question from Dave about Buddy Guy, who'd also been an award recipient. Dave asked if Buddy was an influence on all of them, and Jimmy said indeed he was, referencing by name some of the other blues musicians he and Jeff Beck used to watch Buddy Guy playing with when they were all young. The names Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf were easy for Dave to pick up on, but Page's mention of Sonny Boy Williamson threw the host a curveball. Dave:"Sonny Boy ... Williams?" Robert shot a look of disgust toward the crowd, as if to say, "Can you believe this guy?"

Dave may not know old blues musicians well, but he named off a few of the most obvious choices for British rock bands from the same era as Led Zeppelin: the Who, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks. Dave listed off a few of these bands and asked if they would ever jam together back in the day. The answer was a surprising no, until Robert clarified that while he and John Bonham were touring the "big top," the other two guys were studio cats and did indeed get to work with those groups. Plant interestingly went not for an anecdote about stealing milk bottles off of people's front steps but said Bonham, in those days, was stealing cars. Dave kept the humor going by asking if this came up at all when being vetted for a Kennedy Center award. Dave also asked Paul Shaffer his opinion on whether the same musicians who were influences on British musicians similarly affected American musicians. Paul said British musicians had turned on to American music that wasn't popular here first and, through their innovation, made it popular here.

If it's a really enlightening question and answer session you were hoping for, it wasn't there. Dave concentrated on the award ceremony and how they felt listening to others play their music back. Jimmy complimented Kid Rock, and Dave kept on naming other performers who had been on the scene to get their reactions. The mention of Jack Black seemed to make Plant chuckle. Even worse, the mention of "Stairway to Heaven," which they performed at the Kennedy Center Honors, made Plant jeer once again. Either he didn't like the performance, by a choir and an orchestra and Jason Bonham on drums, or he was just once again reiterating his disdain for the song.

For something visual, Dave displayed two photos on his desk. The first was less than 24 hours old and showed the three of them meeting with President Obama. Perhaps Dave was hoping the photo would elicit some comments once the crowd's applause subsided, but it really didn't. Dave moved on to the second photo, the famous shot from 1973 with the band posing in front of the Starship. This provided Dave with a subject to which he would refer often throughout the rest of the interview, about not needing to have your shirts buttoned up fully when flying on your own aircraft. Dave turned it into a running gag that went over well with the audience. One line that left a few heads scratching came from Plant when he asked Dave if "matinee" means the same here as it does in England. The way he related it had sex written all over it.

Dave recalled something Jack Black said about Led Zeppelin the day before, that their music is about sex ... and Vikings ... and Vikings having sex. The host asked if this was correct. While Page laughed, Jones added that some songs were about Vikings having sex with hobbits.

In one of the more mundane questions Letterman has ever uttered, he asked their musicians how one could sum up Led Zeppelin's sound in a 10-word sentence. Plant didn't jump at the ready with a response, nor did Page. It took Jones to break the silence, mimicking the opening riff from "Immigrant Song."

Dave mentioned that Page and Jones had not been on the show before. He invited them back but did so almost as a group invitation. Imagine, Led Zeppelin's surviving members making a habit out of forcing Dave's third chair out of retirement!

To Dave's credit, he did ask whether the 1980 death of "the drummer" -- the name John Bonham obviously not on the tip of his tongue -- made them think about continuing with somebody else on drums. To the surprise of nobody there, the answer was no. Jimmy Page pounced on it, saying it would have been unfair to tell another drummer, "Here, learn these parts."

Lastly, Dave didn't ask why these guys aren't reforming -- or if, in fact, they secretly were. He could have broached the subject easily by suggesting, "Look, all three of you are here now, and you're musicians. Forget about reuniting in the future. Why the hell don't

you play us a little something right now, for God's sake?" But alas, 'twas not to be. Instead, the studio and home audiences were treated to a musical performance by the waif-like British singer Paloma Faith, her elaborate orchestra and stage configuration, and her multicolored hair.

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So how do we read into Robert's statement? Does this open the door perhaps to Jimmy and him recording something? Imagine how great that would be. New Led Zeppelin material!!!! It would be just incredible I am sure Jimmy has some riffs he has put together. I am starting to get that feeling again. Like in 07. Maybe I am being a dreamer? Maybe not. Robert knows that by saying this he is going to get his fans going. Twist his arm Jimmy. And JPJ. I know its hard to produce a studio album decades after an immortal band such as Zeppelin or the Stones is far beyond their prime. But Led Zeppelin unlike the Stones, Aerosmith, The Eagles, etc. has not put anything out and they never put out garbage like alot of bands did. They did not use their name to sell albums like some bands did(meaning using past success to sell) without much care of the quality. They know anything they release is going to sell and sell big. The pre orders alone would make it a gold record award. But I know that they want quality if they ever do it. And I am sure hoping they do it. You wonder what direction they would go? Would they do acoustic? Would they use pedal steel? Could they write another "Stairway"?

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Wow, rude much?

Don't worry about him, he's still trying to get over the admonishment he got from Sam about his so called links with the band.

Gotta love Plant, he knows how to get back at the cynics and haters (this is not aimed at anyone who has posted in this thread).

Just "plant" a seed about being willing to write songs with "anyone" and the speculation is off and running!

2013 is looking interesting, providing we make it there of course!?

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But I know that they want quality if they ever do it. And I am sure hoping they do it. You wonder what direction they would go? Would they do acoustic? Would they use pedal steel? Could they write another "Stairway"?

I believe that the raging fire of Led Zeppelin has long burned out from these three legends.

My hope is to see them reform the Honeydrippers instead. I believe that that would be way more doable for their age while also showing the quality of their genius.

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Just "plant" a seed about being willing to write songs with "anyone" and the speculation is off and running!

Which I always found odd that Plant never did a project with Ann and Nancy Wilson as they are HUGE fans of Zeppelin.

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I believe that the raging fire of Led Zeppelin has long burned out from these three legends.

My hope is to see them reform the Honeydrippers instead. I believe that that would be way more doable for their age while also showing the quality of their genius.

Music is not like sports. I believe Robert and Jimmy could still put a studio album together and maybe it would be more on the acoustic side. If Robert says he is open to doing music, why not with Jimmy for God's sake?

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That is a typical response I expected from the likes of him. No open mind at all. So I guess I am supposed to just ignore what Robert said. Ok Stevey boy

I believe it is more a matter of context, which these stories often get wrong. Here is another take on the same quote which in no way implies that he was talking at all about anything Zeppelin related.

Plant told The Associated Press he plans to continue traveling the world and wants to make new music along the way.

"If anybody wants to write some new songs, I'm game to write songs," he said.

http://www.bravewords.com/news/194748?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Now which one is the correct one? No one knows because these media outlets report it the way they want it to be interpreted. It's tiring both for those who have accepted Robert's saying he wasn't there anymore with the music and for those who want to hold out hope.

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I believe it is more a matter of context, which these stories often get wrong. Here is another take on the same quote which in no way implies that he was talking at all about anything Zeppelin related.

Plant told The Associated Press he plans to continue traveling the world and wants to make new music along the way.

"If anybody wants to write some new songs, I'm game to write songs," he said.

Nice to see there is someone else paying attention to the context in which it was said.

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I thought it was a really nice segment. Not at all awkward like the audience member made it sound. It was definitely a Dave interview and they seemed to have fun.

Really enjoyed it!

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Alright! They gave John Paul the chair right next to Letterman!

I was hoping that they would do that.

Alright! They gave John Paul the chair right next to Letterman!

I was hoping that they would do that.

John Paul Jones looked like he wasn't pleased that they let him sit next to Dave,

but it worked out - JPJ was quite funny. :lol:

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