The Pop Life (P&P new material)

[Cat]

New York Times Company Jun 23, 1994

by Neil Strauss

Led Zeppelin fans hoping for a reunion of the singer Robert Plant and the guitarist Jimmy Page should get their fill of the legendary 1970's band by the end of next year. There is an album, a film, an all-star tribute album, and a possible tour and MTV appearance in the works.

After nearly a year of speculation and rumors, Mr. Plant and Mr. Page are said to be in a London studio recording new material. The two teamed up last month to perform at a tribute concert to the late English bluesman Alexis Korner.

Though a final decision has not been made, the pair will probably not release the album under the lucrative moniker of Led Zeppelin. When the group broke up 14 years ago, shortly after the death of the drummer John Bonham, the surviving members said there could be no Led Zeppelin without him. John Paul Jones, the group's bassist, who has been producing an album by the avant-garde screamer Diamanda Galas, will not be involved in the project. Michael Lee, who has toured with Mr. Plant, will be the drummer. Talk of a Robert Plant and Jimmy Page episode of MTV's acoustic Unplugged show could not be confirmed, but a spring tour is likely.

Meanwhile, Atlantic will release a Led Zeppelin tribute album in the winter. Though a spokeswoman for the label would not discuss the project, the Rollins Band is said to perform a cover version of "Four Sticks" and 4 Non Blondes play "Misty Mountain Hop." Other musicians reportedly on the album are Sting, Stone Temple Pilots, Lenny Kravitz, Tool and Cracker.

One project Mr. Plant and Mr. Page probably aren't too thrilled with is a planned film biography of Peter Grant, who used to be the band's manager. The movie, produced by the former Sex Pistols impresario Malcolm McLaren, is based on "Hammer of the Gods," by Stephen Davis, a book Mr. Grant and band members found exploitative and sensationalist when it was first published in 1985.

[SteveAJones]

Cat, I was not aware of this article. One of the earliest reports of their possible reunion.

All the filming for the MTV telecast was recorded in August 1994.