The Rover Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has penned a lengthy response to music industry commentator Bob Lefsetz's recent review of LED ZEPPELIN's reunion concert at the O2 arena in London in which Bob wrote, in part, "LED ZEPPELIN is dead. And one of the reasons it's so revered is that the band didn't carry on after Bonham died, which utterly stunned us. There's no time for carrying on now. Give it a rest. Sell the DVD. Allow those in attendance their badge of honor and their memories. Please don't tarnish the image, the legend. We've whored out rock and roll too much already. It's as if Jesus sold Cadillacs." Bettencourt's entire letter reads as follows (edited by BLABBERMOUTH.NET for clarity): "Stop it! Just stop it! Enough! All of you writing these negative letters in regards to LED ZEPPELIN should be ashamed of yourselves. Who the fuck are you to assume or pretend to know why Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones at this point in their lives are jamming together? Maybe it was just time... maybe they wanted a last run before they go. Maybe at the rehearsals for this benefit they got turned on by the magic and chemistry they have forgotten and secretly craved for so many years and now realize that they are not getting any younger and they should put they're differences aside and go out and have some fun. It's a stretch, but possible. Maybe they wanna rock. Maybe they need to rock. Maybe it's for the money. But that's none of our business. Our business, as fans, is to rock with them. "Upset about the money? If that was the case, then you should punish them for all the previous tours they did back in the day, 'cause they were raking it in... private jets, limos, five-star hotels, not to mention the merch. What did you think? That they weren't thinking about money back then? They were doing it only for us? And so they should get paid. They are one of the biggest rock band this earth has ever seen. Only THE BEATLES, who were obviously massive, could create this much havoc and excitement on a reunion. They deserve every fucking penny. This is LED ZEPPELIN. They are true rock and roll royalty. And you do have the right to NOT go see them. But don't be like those pompous assholes who picket movies calling the film blasphemous and disrespectable that, when asked if they had seen the movie they are boycotting, they say, 'No, I don't need to see it. I just know.' That is just ignorance speaking. "Whatever the reason for hating on these guys, I just can't believe I read, 'I don't want them to fuck with my memories.' They gave you those fucking memories. For that reason alone, if you are a true ZEP fan, you owe them at least the respect to not criticize them for wanting to rock and roll again. What's so wrong with that? ZEP has always played by their own rules. Instead, we, as fans, should be estatic to get a chance to celebrate with them and show them how much we appreciate what they have left behind for us. They were the most played soundtrack to our lives... the bad times that they got us through, and the parties they hosted for us, just by dropping that needle. Not to mention how much they have influenced musicians. "And why is it so wrong just to simply sit in a venue and share some beautiful music with them maybe one last time before they die? Hell, before we all die. Why are there so many rules? Rock and roll has NO RULES! Where did these regulations come from? They are betraying us? Is Jimmy Page is really Osama Bin Laden? LED ZEPPELIN backwards is really Al Qaeda? They are a rock and roll band. Don't crucify them for wanting to rock. "Yeah, I know it's gonna be different. No shit. There's no Bonzo, no shiny dragon outfit, no sock stuffed down Plant's pants... Well, I can't be sure about that one. But it won't be as crazy as it was was when they were coming to Boston Garden and cars and trains were being flipped over and destroyed, and we got so wasted we don't remember how we got home. Oh, yeah, we didn't make it home; we got into a head-on car collision doing 120 mph and in the hospital with glass in our faces. But that's another story for another day. "'But Plant looks all wrinkly and…' And guess what?! Newsflash! They're much, much older. Robert Plant looks old, and so does Page. Are we to punish them for that also? 'How dare they wanna rock at that age?!?!?!!?' Oh, shit. If that's the case, I'm in my 40s and I'm fucked. I was just cutting some new tracks today. Oh, well, I'd better go put my guitar and rig up in the attic for good, because, guaranteed, I will be accused of greed if I tour with my band. "Is that what we have become? We look for any reason to criticize the greats. But yet the majority of emails that come from Bob and his readers are about how much the new generation of artists have no soul and musicianship and can't write a decent tune. See, more importantly, he fucking kids NEED to see ZEP... even this lineup at this age. "Rock is dying... if [it's] not dead already. "Do we need to see one more awards show to know that music is in deep shit? So depressing. There is no one out there inspiring kids to pick up a guitar. Why do you think that there are millions of copies of the game Guitar Hero are being sold? They are starved for it. We're fucked if we have to count on a video game to save rock and roll. "And I have to say it broke my heart to hear Bob say that he was sitting next to the legendary Jimmy Page and didn't even bother to say hi or shake his hand, for selfish, memory-based reasons. You missed out, Bob. That could have turned into one of your greatest memories ever. Are you that old and set in your ways that you are not capable to allow some new memories into your heart? You might have missed out on a life-changing conversation that we would have read in your letters. You see, I did a gig in Germany in the early Nineties, a festival. PAGE/PLANT were also on the bill. When I saw them walk into the backstage outdoor area, my childhood flashed before me. Sheryl Crow was standing next to me. She said, 'Go say hi!' I said, 'No fucking way! That is Jimmy Page! What do you say to Jimmy Page?' 'Hi, dude. I dig your playing?' So I did nothing. What a fool I was! So I turned around to walk away, and I felt a hand on my shoulder and someone called my name. I turned around and it was... HIM. All I can say, Bob, right after I passed out and he picked me up off the floor, we spoke for the next two hours about one of his favorite places, my birthplace, Portugal — how much time he spends there, the local moonshine he had an anvil case full of, the traditional guitars he buys there, my family there. No mention of the music business or our bands — just a hang. "So next time you see him, Bob, don't shun him or punish him for being in LED ZEPPELIN — just say, 'Hi, Jimmy.' Shake his hand and smile. I swear, the magic and sincerety in his hands will stay with you forever, and you will be glad to know that that new memory didn't erase any of the old ones. "I guess the point is, can we please, please stop talking about the business side of things for a little while? Just this once. I beg you... All I hear and read from you is how there is no great music anymore, that it's all a scam... marketing, marketing, money, money, money. Clive [Davis] is the evil empire that ruined it all… "You're so right... That's why I beg you to not boycott THE POLICE or LED ZEPPELIN merely because you're upset they are getting compensated. Added more shows... They planned it? Maybe. Fuck it! Who cares? The music is too important. It's a dry musical desert out there, and life is too short to be judgmental and untrusting and missing out with the bands that shaped your life because all we really crave and all we really need is an evening of ROCK and ROLL... Nothing more, nothing less. Just a new memory to take home with us... to keep 'till we die. "And for those of you afraid to take that risk because of the old ZEP? You must have been too fucked up to remember or to notice that seven out of 10 gigs ZEPPELIN sucked live. Those were the nights that they were so drugged and wasted that they could barely stand, never mind play an instrument. Bonham puking into a bucket on stage. But that was the danger and that was the risk. I saw Steven Tyler pass out two nights in a row by the second song in Worcester to never return. "I would give anything to witness one of these great, legendary acts in their fragile state or in their latter years of life than to listen to or to see most of the pretentious crap that's on the radio. This current state of music is so worth seeing that it made MTV extinct. That might be a good thing, though. "And the guy who made fun of Plant having a cup of tea before the show? You must not be a singer. And give the guy a fucking break... he's nearly 100 years old. "But believe me as an eyewitness when I tell you guys and Bob, these guys are old, but they still party hard. Page? Are you kidding? And you also question whether there were groupies backstage at VAN HALEN and whether David Lee Roth was still fucking them. YES! Rock is still alive and well, my friend. "I know you keep going back to the good old days. So do I. It makes me angry. The lineups were rediculous. We were spoiled. Two to three great bands on the bill on any given tour. That was the norm. We took it for granted. It was like tap water. We would go to the sink time and time again believing it was pure and the quality was always gonna be there. Today all we get is bottled water. Flavored water. Vitamin water. With colorful labels, each claiming they are the purest. The truth is, just like rock and roll, tap water was never clean. It was dirty. But that didn't matter — it quenched our thirst just fine. "Bring back that dirty water. Bring back that rock and roll. "Pardon my spelling and typing. I am a simple musician. "And Bob, I just have one last request. To the ones who write in and ask to hide their identity: Grow some balls. Be proud of your opinions. And tell us who you are. This is AMERICA. We are free." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvmyX00qeso http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermo...ewsitemID=87065 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gr3ll Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Go Nuno! Regards, Grell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Action Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJD Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Well spoken for the most part however I think it's hilarious coming from Nuno who is well known in New England for being a colossal prick and treating every other band on the bill like total shit before they got big and even worse after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordor_maiden Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Nuno fuckin ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go man, rip 'em a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solar Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 First this has been posted here, but it's about two or three weeks old now. Good stuff, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorzep Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Fucking Yay! I'll have to go out and get me some NB now! (Hope he doesn't suck. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-zoso Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Rock on Nuno...so true...it is a rock wasteland out there now ... I would rather see these guys just hum a few bars than anything out there now............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zep41 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 he does have some good points here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
040879 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Top quality rant from Mr Tenniscourt [or Bettingshop, if you prefer..]. Reminds me of the reply I got when I first heard of Extreme and asked if the name was appropriate.."What do you really reckon? Yes, they are if you're twelve..." That aside, good to see not just Zep but the whole classic rock 'brand' being defended so stoutly. First bid for a support slot, maybe? I'd be interested to know why Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda have to be mentioned, though. Fine stuff. Is there more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodhisattva Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I first read it on Blabbermouth (dont shoot me) and thought it was a fairly decent article, although I thought he was a bit harsh about the ages of Zep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leddy Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Good for Nuno, I am going to dig out my Copy of Waiting For the Punchline, great album, great player and has very good taste !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Good for Nuno, I am going to dig out my Copy of Waiting For the Punchline, great album, great player and has very good taste !! Nuno has played with JPJ (like Grohl) so that would partly explain why he's rising to their defense: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maven2blue Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Excellent article! Never heard of Extreme before. Definitely going to check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCM Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I get Lefsetz letter almost daily, it's usually very interesting/entertaining... (you go to his site and sign up) but when he bashed on my boys I was a little angry. Then the response from Nuno..Fantastic!!! I wanted to applaud him out loud sitting here in front of my computer. I particularly like his comparison to tap water.. how true, and so sad. Maybe he should also take up a career as a writer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leddy Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Excellent article! Never heard of Extreme before. Definitely going to check them out. Some of their stuff has big production, horns etc !! But Waiting for the Punchline is them stripped down without all the big production. Midnight express was inspired by Four Sticks according to Nuno !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catkind Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 this is really nice... Led Zepp is like the celtic highlanders... and his songs are war hammers ready to rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maven2blue Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Some of their stuff has big production, horns etc !! But Waiting for the Punchline is them stripped down without all the big production. Midnight express was inspired by Four Sticks according to Nuno !! Found them on youtube. Listened to More than Words:Relaid Audio. I had heard this song before but didnt know who sang it. Their harmonies on this song is so beautiful. I'm on Nuno's myspace page right nowl listening to Heavy, cool song. I like their music and their easy on the eyes too. lol. An irresistible combination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 I get Lefsetz letter almost daily, it's usually very interesting/entertaining... (you go to his site and sign up) but when he bashed on my boys I was a little angry. Then the response from Nuno..Fantastic!!! I wanted to applaud him out loud sitting here in front of my computer. I particularly like his comparison to tap water.. how true, and so sad. Maybe he should also take up a career as a writer. I have agreed with some things that Lefsetz has said about the degreadationl of FM Rock radio playlists. But, he recently spinned some tunes on XM Radio. He published his setlist. After seeing what he chose to play.... I'm really not impressed at all. I think he's talking out of both sides of his mouth.... Maybe he should run for Dogcatcher. As to his view on Zeppelin.... He is wrong. Sincerely wrong. BTY, did he ever see Zeppelin in the 70's ? Anyone know ?? Sorry Solar, I did not know this had been posted before... What Thread ? ? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renatus Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 so Mr.Page likes Portugal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyrus Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has penned a lengthy response to music industry commentator Bob Lefsetz's recent review of LED ZEPPELIN's reunion concert at the O2 arena in London in which Bob wrote, in part, "LED ZEPPELIN is dead. And one of the reasons it's so revered is that the band didn't carry on after Bonham died, which utterly stunned us. There's no time for carrying on now. Give it a rest. Sell the DVD. Allow those in attendance their badge of honor and their memories. Please don't tarnish the image, the legend. We've whored out rock and roll too much already. It's as if Jesus sold Cadillacs." I didn't read the whole article, but I agree with this portion that you included. I don't think Led Zeppelin is dead, but Bob is right that certainly for me at least, one of the reasons I revere them is because they had the sense to call it quits when Bonham died. If more bands did this I'd have more respect for them. Zeppelin had their day in the light to erase the last 3 reunions which sucked and should have never happened to begin with, and to prove they've still got it. Now it's time to pack it up and move on. Led Zeppelin is on the top right now, if they tour, there's no telling where they'll be when they end. If Bonzo was still alive and Zeppelin had merely taken a hiatus for 27 years then hell I'd be all for a tour, but to go on without Bonzo, no matter who fills in for him, just seems disrespectful to me... Zeppelin has to end someday, why not do it now while they're on top? Be one of the few who has the courage to call it quits before they become caricatures of themselves and an act that rests on it's past accomplishments and draws a crowd merely because they're 3/4 Led Zeppelin. You've progressed outside of the box as a band for almost 40 years, why fall into the fad of playing until even your own fans think you suck? You don't suck yet, but someday you'll end up like the Stones, please don't do that to us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rover Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 ^^^^^ You're not wanting Zeppelin to continue because of what they "might" become ? ? ? You're being paraniod. Resting on their laurels ? ? ? I don't think so.... when you consider all of the Zeppelin tunes that have yet to be performed live. I seriously doubt that Zeppelin will ever decend into the commercial music morass that bands like Aerosmith and ZZ Top have ended up in. Seeing ZZ Top perform "Sharp Dressed Man" at the Orange Bowl was just sick. Absolutely commercial.... I'll just remember the Good ZZ Top, Thank You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Traveler Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 "7 out of 10" gigs sucked? No chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrybadgely Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Don't know what to say in response. It's so full of "Hero worship Angst". I mean we've had enough of Dave Grohl trying to fill Bonzo's shoes for the last 10 years. Is this the latest episode that fans have to put up with because Nuno "Likes Zep", and wants to play Heartbreaker. I'm bored of these people. Probably being a bit harsh but I think I've been jaded after the whole Harvey Goldsmith "Biggest Fan" gets to go bullshit. I did get to go, and it cost me a lot of money, and I met a lot of idiots on the day who had no idea who or what Led Zeppelin were and why the gig was important. I still feel ashamed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdh Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I guess the negativity in the article was overwhelming. However, is Lefsetz going to make money off the tit of Led Zeppelin if they tour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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