Classic Tour - Orchestral Maneuvers Revive Page and Plant Material

[Cat]

Chicago Sun-Times - October 13, 1995

Author: Jeff Johnson

Jimmy Page & Robert Plant ;

the Tragically Hip

8 tonight United Center, 1901 W. Madison

Tickets, $29.50-$39.50

(312) 559-1212

It takes a whole lotta innovation to keep Jimmy Page and Robert Plant afloat.

The odd couple who fronted Led Zeppelin through its heyday supply mostly hot air these days as they sail through a yearlong reunion tour. But the world beat and classical musicians appearing with Page and Plant tonight at the United Center are led as much by keyboardist-musical coordinator Ed Shearmur as the former Zeppelin stars.

Shearmur, an amiable 29-year-old Londoner, has a classical background and has done extensive movie soundtrack work composing for orchestras. But he resents any attempt to pigeonhole him as a classical musician.

"I prefer to think of myself as a musician, period," says Shearmur, who defends the composing ability of rockers. "It varies from artist to artist, but when you're working with writers of the caliber of Page and Plant , any comparison (to classical music) is odious."

Led Zeppelin was the No. 1 rock band in the world through the early '70s, combining the guitar virtuosity of Page and siren-voiced vocals of Plant with the dead-solid-perfect rhythm section of drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones. But Zeppelin was artistically bankrupt long before Bonham's death in 1980 officially closed the book on the band.

To Page and Plant 's credit, when they did reunite for a tour and album ("No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded") they took an entirely new approach to their old hits, exploring the rhythms of Northern Africa. They're touring with an eight-piece Egyptian ensemble, and they hire a 20-piece classical orchestra for each tour stop.

"Anyone who's familiar with Zeppelin material knows that both Robert and Jimmy have traveled in North Africa a great deal, and both have a passion for the music, particularly from Morocco," Shearmur says. "As far back as the '70s, they worked with a lot of those musicians. Anyone who has heard Zeppelin bootlegs will recognize this from the time they spent in Bombay. What we've done is rework this material, using Western orchestration as well."

Such projects usually come off as bombastic and pretentious (the unfortunate Procol Harum collaboration with the Edmonton Symphony being the archetype), but the Page ; Plant effort makes old material sound fresh again. That's something Shearmur credits to the overall high quality of their songs.

Besides Page and Plant , Shearmur has played keyboards with Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart, and worked as an arranger for Pink Floyd and Roger Daltrey. Those are some heavyweight egos, and Shearmur admits that the personality of one unnamed performer became unbearable to him. But he downplays any friction he's experienced onstage and during recording sessions.

"People make a lot out of the rock star temperament, but once you get into the studio those kinds of more public displays disappear very quickly," he says.

A Los Angeles talent agent is responsible for staffing the Page and Plant orchestra in each city. But Shearmur must whip the musicians into shape during a rigorous three-hour rehearsal the day of the show. They generally practice without the band, using tapes to get a feel for the music. And while some of the players may have preconceived notions about rock 'n' roll, he says those are quickly dispelled by a run-through of the songs.

"At the beginning of the day, people coming in cold without knowing the material in advance may, in comparing it with symphonies, not expect to get the same satisfaction out of playing it," Shearmur says. "But by the end of the show, you can't help but have a good time. Of course, Jimmy and Robert have a very broad range of musical interests - they're not playing straight four-bar rock 'n' roll."

Most of the violinists, violists and cellists who form the makeshift orchestras have never experienced the intensity or sheer volume that they encounter onstage.

"We like to drop them in at the deep end when it comes to show time," Shearmur says. "Most of them bring earplugs, but I don't see too many people using them onstage. We do keep them barricaded behind Plexiglas during the show."

Shearmur himself would not think of hiding. A self-professed Led Zeppelin fanatic who played air guitar to "Whole Lotta Love" in front of a mirror at age 7 or 8, he's living out a fantasy on this tour. But he says soundtrack work gives him the ultimate artistic satisfaction.

"When you're involved with film music, every new film that you work on opens a new range of musical possibilities," he says. "The opportunity to work with orchestras is fabulous."

[SteveAJones]

Thanks, Cat! Nice to see Ed Shearmur got some press coverage in the eye of the storm.

[GetTheLedOut]

But Zeppelin was artistically bankrupt long before Bonham's death in 1980 officially closed the book on the band.

I'm surprised that didn't get more people angry.

[lajoie]

Chicago Sun-Times - October 13, 1995

Author: Jeff Johnson

Jimmy Page & Robert Plant ;

the Tragically Hip

8 tonight United Center, 1901 W. Madison

Tickets, $29.50-$39.50

(312) 559-1212

It takes a whole lotta innovation to keep Jimmy Page and Robert Plant afloat.

The odd couple who fronted Led Zeppelin through its heyday supply mostly hot air these days as they sail through a yearlong reunion tour. But the world beat and classical musicians appearing with Page and Plant tonight at the United Center are led as much by keyboardist-musical coordinator Ed Shearmur as the former Zeppelin stars.

Shearmur, an amiable 29-year-old Londoner, has a classical background and has done extensive movie soundtrack work composing for orchestras. But he resents any attempt to pigeonhole him as a classical musician.

"I prefer to think of myself as a musician, period," says Shearmur, who defends the composing ability of rockers. "It varies from artist to artist, but when you're working with writers of the caliber of Page and Plant , any comparison (to classical music) is odious."

Led Zeppelin was the No. 1 rock band in the world through the early '70s, combining the guitar virtuosity of Page and siren-voiced vocals of Plant with the dead-solid-perfect rhythm section of drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones. But Zeppelin was artistically bankrupt long before Bonham's death in 1980 officially closed the book on the band.

To Page and Plant 's credit, when they did reunite for a tour and album ("No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded") they took an entirely new approach to their old hits, exploring the rhythms of Northern Africa. They're touring with an eight-piece Egyptian ensemble, and they hire a 20-piece classical orchestra for each tour stop.

"Anyone who's familiar with Zeppelin material knows that both Robert and Jimmy have traveled in North Africa a great deal, and both have a passion for the music, particularly from Morocco," Shearmur says. "As far back as the '70s, they worked with a lot of those musicians. Anyone who has heard Zeppelin bootlegs will recognize this from the time they spent in Bombay. What we've done is rework this material, using Western orchestration as well."

Such projects usually come off as bombastic and pretentious (the unfortunate Procol Harum collaboration with the Edmonton Symphony being the archetype), but the Page ; Plant effort makes old material sound fresh again. That's something Shearmur credits to the overall high quality of their songs.

Besides Page and Plant , Shearmur has played keyboards with Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart, and worked as an arranger for Pink Floyd and Roger Daltrey. Those are some heavyweight egos, and Shearmur admits that the personality of one unnamed performer became unbearable to him. But he downplays any friction he's experienced onstage and during recording sessions.

"People make a lot out of the rock star temperament, but once you get into the studio those kinds of more public displays disappear very quickly," he says.

A Los Angeles talent agent is responsible for staffing the Page and Plant orchestra in each city. But Shearmur must whip the musicians into shape during a rigorous three-hour rehearsal the day of the show. They generally practice without the band, using tapes to get a feel for the music. And while some of the players may have preconceived notions about rock 'n' roll, he says those are quickly dispelled by a run-through of the songs.

"At the beginning of the day, people coming in cold without knowing the material in advance may, in comparing it with symphonies, not expect to get the same satisfaction out of playing it," Shearmur says. "But by the end of the show, you can't help but have a good time. Of course, Jimmy and Robert have a very broad range of musical interests - they're not playing straight four-bar rock 'n' roll."

Most of the violinists, violists and cellists who form the makeshift orchestras have never experienced the intensity or sheer volume that they encounter onstage.

"We like to drop them in at the deep end when it comes to show time," Shearmur says. "Most of them bring earplugs, but I don't see too many people using them onstage. We do keep them barricaded behind Plexiglas during the show."

Shearmur himself would not think of hiding. A self-professed Led Zeppelin fanatic who played air guitar to "Whole Lotta Love" in front of a mirror at age 7 or 8, he's living out a fantasy on this tour. But he says soundtrack work gives him the ultimate artistic satisfaction.

"When you're involved with film music, every new film that you work on opens a new range of musical possibilities," he says. "The opportunity to work with orchestras is fabulous."

I think this may be the tour the violinist Sherri Margrave played with Robert & Jimmy, I wonder just how many violinist were included in that orchestra ?