New singer for Jimmy, JPJ and Jason?

[James McGregor]

As I've said, Myles Kennedy is good but certainly wouldn't be in my top 5. But neither would Dave Grohl and I wouldn't couple Kennedy with Grohl anyway - different styles.

But if Kennedy is the pick, it will be interesting how the Zep stuff comes off. I think major arranging of the Zep stuff is critical to not only suit his voice, but to legitimize his voice.

If they just bang away at the Zep tunes as if Robert were still there, I have a feeling alot of people will be disappointed. For a band like Zep, replacing Plant and then carrying on as usual with another singer will be disastrous.

Now the key to the whole thing if Kennedy is the man, is to come up with original material that is so strong and different from stock Zep stuff, that it impresses to the point that when a Zep tune is thrown in, it is actually a homage to the song itself, so people can understand the difference and appreciate it for what it is.

If the songs being written sound like they are written in Zep mode a la 1975, forget it. Jimmy will be castigated as a dinosaur trying to make a buck off the Zep legacy and Kennedy will be flirted as an opportunist. Certainly no winners in sight if that direction is taken.

[BUK]

I consider a man with vision who "hires" his bandmates (Robert and Bonzo) who are still wet behind the ears, to be a dictator as in he dictates his vision. It grew into much more, but it was Jimmy's clarity of vision that was responsible for Zeps inception. I should have said "benevolent dictator".

I do contend that his vision isn't as strong as it once was. Maybe like most of us old codgers he is just tired.

PS I agree JM

[Otto Masson]

What I've heard by Alter Bridge I frankly don't like at all. Their cover of Kashmir did not impress me.... that is, apart from the singing, which I thought wasn't bad. From what I've heard so far, I imagine that Myles Kennedy just might be a good singer for Jonesy, Jason and Jimmy. We have to think about him here as coming to terms with a totally different context than Alter Bridge.

I don't think it will ever happen, but I've repeatedly mentioned Chris Cornell as a good fit with Jimmy - and if Jonesy and Jason are there too, so much the better. Chris is a great singer, excellently tasteful, and a great songwriter. If he were to work with them it could be a very creative situation; perhaps even one where we would find everybody once again constantly surpassing themselves. A certain creative tension within the band is essential, even if it's predominantly Jimmy's band. Socially it might work, too. At least Chris isn't drinking any more.

I'm mentioning this because it just seems to me that the new singer has to be somebody with a strong individuality, and a creative person - not a Robert clone. Perhaps Myles has what it takes. At any rate, I'm hoping they don't think about the old catalog too much, because what I find most exciting is the thought of finally hearing new music from them.

[eternal light]

I do contend that his vision isn't as strong as it once was. Maybe like most of us old codgers is just tired.

Perhaps he's just at a different time of his life.

[BUK]

Ot,

I too am a Cornell fan since the 80's. His last CD (2yrs ago) was fun and powerful. BUT, I do think that he suffers from the same "singer-of-a-famous-band-running-away-from-his-legacy-can't-put-me-in-no-box-so-I'm-searching" mode as someone we all know so well. I applaud his sobriety (I've written about it) and will continue to be a fan, but for the three J's it'd be out of the frying pan into the fire.

[SuperDave]

Maybe this should begin a new direction in the discussion. What will the new entity produce?

I do believe that the new 3j's entity will produce some new material. For us fans we LOVE the Zep stuff, want to hear it, experience it, crave it, but in fact, it will never meet our expectations. They will do the Zep crowd pleasers on tour, but, as with any musician, the newer compositions are what drives them to the tour. Lets be honest, when P& P toured the the Clarksdale stuff was the "bathroom break" for most of the fans. Jimmy and Robert were most excited when they played the NEW, the audience was not. Personally I crave the NEW/UNHEARD track because of the sheer

I really think that the magic of "creating" new compositions is dependent on the chemistry of the musicians in the mix. The ingredients of Zep will NEVER be matched. I think we need to look at the individual creative output of Zeps members is quite revealing and I think that is how we should anticipate this project. What kind of stew will this brew.

Jimmy has been a very "loose/generous" participant in his post-zep endeavors, IMHO. From the Firm, to Outrider, to Coverdale Page, to the P&P collaborations, he has been much less a dictator than he was with Zep. He seems to be open to the suggestions in regards to production and songwriting. All these projects, although each has it's own charm and strengths, fall short of the Zep level.

Looking through the years, The Firm, in general suffers, from when it was recorded (the 80's), Paul Rodgers rockstar pose and simplified production and compositions (the stripped down 80's). Outrider was great but seemed like more of a hodge-podge of ideas. The instrumentals were stellar. Yet, some of the lyrics and compositions were missing something more grand especially in comparison to The Only One. Coverdale Page is/was a much more Jimmy Page statement, musically, but reflected the knuckleheaded rocker persona that Jimmy seems to not recognize or demures to for the sake of just creating something. WIC seemed to be RP's show. I really dig major parts of it, but I there was a conscious lack of Zep magic. It was by design, a SMALL album. It was like a step away from the layered, intensity of the Jimmy's signature tracks. It was flat/loose in production, yet incredibly intimate at times. Blue train makes me weep always. It seemed that the bombastic tracks lacked heart. Perhaps it's just because it's was 30 years since the mark was laid down. Perhaps it was just lacking the other 2 cornerstones. The Crowes stuff was fun cover band territory. Jimmy stretching his legs again jamming and adding flavor like a maestro.

I only know JPJ's Zooma stuff with any intimacy. He captures the more full, classic bombast of Zep. Musically, he is a much more challenging counterpoint to Jimmy. His compositions are less POP and more avant. He's a player's player. The fatness he ads to a track is the essence of Zeps prog leanings. I also think that he GETS "New"-er music. He's connected in a way that Jimmy cannot be because of his stature as Rock Royalty..

Jason is Jason. He's all genetic legacy and re-born enthusiasm. I do not think he's as inventive as his dad, but perhaps, like I said before, 40 years of music influences by JHB makes it hard to carve out your own niche. Others will be able to give a more detailed account of his creative output than I.

As far as Myles being the choice. I don't think that the J's are looking for a singer in the same way that Michael Lee was a drummer for the P&P stuff. I really do believe that they are searching for a compositional "fit". Yes re-enacting the Zep stuff with the salable panache is key but not the sole motivation. Myles is a bit of the common man composer. His music grows on you over time because of it's familiarity. He has a knack for sappy lyrics that tend more to the romantic than the more etherial Plant. I also do not think that he has the capacity to add the whimsical vocal stylings of sir Robert, that added so much playful sexuality, but I am not sure that is a valuable commodity for todays mindset.

He's spiritually mature and less whiney than say the grunge roots he shares with most his age. His musical compositions are more mainstream second generation classic rock (say like Journey) than Zeps which lead/created the genre. But, he will not be the composer. I hope they are open to him being IN the process and I hope he has the stones to be part of it.

As an instrumentalist, Myles is on the high end of really good. He has a heart for the blues and I would love to see him trade licks with Jimmy. I saw the ARMS concert and even in his debilitated state, I'd never seen Jimmy so in command as when he acted as orchestra leader for that army of musical greats. twin guitar interplay is the bomb for me. It is no slight to Jimmy as the stage general, it just makes for a fuller experience. Myles and Mark Tremonti (stellar player also - more of a Metallica generation guy) trade licks on stage, Myles bringing the AC/DC, Deep Purple, LZ, Robert Johnson roots to the presentation. He will be a capable foil for Jimmy and JPJ.

From a personal standpoint, Myles has been a fave for years. I've seen him languish in relative obscurity from MF4 through AB always producing amazing, emotional, dynamic music. If you can look past the fashion/pigeon hole that the public/press put a band in and take the time to let the music wash over you you will meet a guy of seasoned talent and a worthy addition to the J's legacy.

Well done BUK. This pretty much sums up how I feel about Jimmy's material in the post-Zeppelin era. Although, I felt a lot of the recordings he made with The Firm are rather bland or pretentious. Especially on "Mean Business" with the exception of the "Live In Peace" solo, which I feel is one of Jimmy's best.

[Otto Masson]

Ot,

I too am a Cornell fan since the 80's. His last CD (2yrs ago) was fun and powerful. BUT, I do think that he suffers from the same "singer-of-a-famous-band-running-away-from-his-legacy-can't-put-me-in-no-box-so-I'm-searching" mode as someone we all know so well. I applaud his sobriety (I've written about it) and will continue to be a fan, but for the three J's it'd be out of the frying pan into the fire.

I don't know, BUK. That may be the case, but I have always somehow had the impression that when Soundgarden quit, it was more a result of fatigue within the band, and Kim's and Chris's ideas were no longer easily compatible. Led Zeppelin may have had internal problems from 1977 on, but there was more of a sense of "unfinished business" (as Jonesy has put it) when they quit. Bonzo just died, of course. Chris is extremely proud of his work with Soundgarden (especially the last two albums), but also thinks they quit at the right time. Moreover, I don't get the impression that really hurtful things happened in Soundgarden, which I suspect was a factor in Led Zeppelin.

[James McGregor]

Though I am not a fan of a lot of the Firm stuff, the direction Jimmy took was distictive in choosing Paul Rodgers as singer, because he was so different from Plant.

I think Jimmy is thinking the same thing again. Hope it works

Speaking of the Firm and a clear example imo of Jimmy taking a different direction with his writing is the song Radioactive. To this day I can't hear anyone else singing that song except for Paul Rodgers, so in the new direction vein, Jimmy succeeded there.

[BUK]

SG was a creative monster but it too was in a very vertical pigeon hole. Chris has broken the box on his solo stuff and is continuing with his latest being produced by Timbaland. I think he's a brave artist and entirely capable. Not sure he's got the temperament for the Zep project.

Have you ever heard his recording of Ave Maria? Chills.

Not sure if it was Thyall or Cornell with the Zep lean.

Funny thing is, reading press the early rap on Myles was that he was too "Cornell". I never heard it that way, but it's not a bad comparison.

Check out some of Myles stuff from the MF4. I was not a fan right off, but in repeated listens it sells. It starts a bit corny but it'll grow on you. From about the 3 minute mark, the end rave up is all Myles playing and wailin'. From the grunge school yet it leans more classic. It sounds young.

Check out this from Second Skin in 2001:

The J's seasoning and world music experience will broaden the entire project. Woot!

[James McGregor]

SG was a creative monster but it too was in a very vertical pigeon hole. Chris has broken the box on his solo stuff and is continuing with his latest being produced by Timbaland. I think he's a brave artist and entirely capable. Not sure he's got the temperament for the Zep project.

Have you ever heard his recording of Ave Maria? Chills.

Not sure if it was Thyall or Cornell with the Zep lean.

Funny thing is, reading press the early rap on Myles was that he was too "Cornell". I never heard it that way, but it's not a bad comparison.

Check out some of Myles stuff from the MF4. I was not a fan right off, but in repeated listens it sells. It starts a bit corny but it'll grow on you. From about the 3 minute mark, the end rave up is all Myles playing and wailin'. From the grunge school yet it leans more classic. It sounds young.

Check out this from Second Skin in 2001:

The J's seasoning and world music experience will broaden the entire project. Woot!

I listened to a few M4 tracks and it is interesting. Either Kennedy is a chameleon or he has several different personalities in his voice. I hear at times Creed, Iron Maiden, Cornell, those kids from Australia Silverchair, some Ian Gillan.

[BUK]

EXACTLY! He's got influences. He's got range. For me it keeps it not boring. For marketing it's death.

Some might think it a bit too derivative, and me in my snobbery thought the same. Eventually I found it irresistible.

He has matured his stuff from inside AB. Blackbird the song by AB is ALL ABOUT Dazed and Confused. The core of that song is Zep and that influence is Myles.

[zooma]

LOL, anyone who would suggest the "Wilson sisters" as a replacement for Robert Plant really is not a Zeppelin fan in my opinion, Heart sucked in the 70's and were a joke along the lines of Supertramp and the Bee Gees and Wacko Jacko.

None of that crap was hard rock and I question if those who suggest such abominations are even true Zeppelin fans that know their stuff when it comes to music.

There are plenty of great singers that could replace Robert, Robert can't sing his own stuff anymore like he use to be able to, he knows it also, this is why he is reluctant to continue singing Zeppelin stuff, in 1993 he still had it, but today he just does not have the pipes he had back then.

He even could do it in 1998, but he can't hit the high notes and has lost the nuances that his voice had when he was in his prime.

Credence Clearwater picked out a new singer when John Fogerty refused to rejoin with them and the guy was great, Zeppelin can do the same and find someone with a passion that Robert certainly has lost for the music.

I am all for this replacement of Robert, it is high time Zeppelin quits fucking around, they have so few years left to do it for the FANS !!!

Whatever it might be, It won't be Zeppelin. That was four unique and gifted artists and now we have only two who are rumored to be collaborating. If any of the newer and younger fans think this is Zeppelin you are very mistaken.

[Mercurious]

Sure it will be Led Zeppelin, just Led Zeppelin with a new singer, Metalica is still Metalica after replacing players last time I looked.

This is an interesting comparison to think about, YoMommaObama. Assuming you saw Some Kind of Monster, you can see that Dave Mustaine is still quite bothered about being replaced early on, and Jason is even more upset about being fired because he assumed Metallica was a four-person band and he was part of it, though they didn't give him much creative room, did they? And you can also see that they still think of Cliff as the bass player, much as Led Zep's surviving members know who their drummer was and would only consider using the name if son of thunder is behind the kit.

With Metallica, though, I think they are at a point where if Kirk left or if Hetfield wanted out that there's no way Lars would continue to use the name, though he does think of Metallica as his band, just as Led Zep is Jimmy's band. But Kirk would never leave and Lars will do just about anything to accomodate Hetfield, so NO - there's no Metallica without all three of them and they feel that their bass player is still Cliff anyway so they can just replace that part when needed, though maybe they feel differently about Trujillo now that 20 years have passed since Cliff died. Grief is a strange beast, and I think it affected a lot of what Jimmy did in the 1980's and probably still affects Robert ... to the point where he'd make them play with Myles Kennedy?!??!

Freaking embarassing ... Jimmy ought to think better of it. If he thought people criticized too much r.e. Leona Lewis, just wait ...

Why not just get the Weiland idiot from Stone Temple Pilots whom Slash fired from Velvet Revolver? He'd certainly be much better than the guy from Creed who is a pale imitation of the Weiland idiot from Stone Temple Pilots whom Slash fired from Velvet Revolver.

[eternal light]

It will have elements of Led Zeppelin, as well as new elements.

[Reggie29]

Sure it will be Led Zeppelin, just Led Zeppelin with a new singer, Metalica is still Metalica after replacing players last time I looked.

Led Zeppelin and Metallica, no comparison.

It will not be Led Zeppelin, get used to it.

Some say that even with Jason playing it wasn't Led Zeppelin despite the band's name appearing on the official site's announcement, worldwide lottery, outside the venue and at the conclusion of the gig.

That particular lineup was as close as you get to the real deal, without Bonzo.

Take Robert Plant out of the equation and no matter who fronts the band it most definitely won't be Led Zeppelin.

That's the way it ought to be and that's the way it's gonna stay.......

[Mercurious]

Some say that even with Jason playing it wasn't Led Zeppelin despite the band's name appearing on the official site's announcement, worldwide lottery, outside the venue and at the conclusion of the gig.

That particular lineup was as close as you get to the real deal, without Bonzo.

Take Robert Plant out of the equation and no matter who fronts the band it most definitely won't be Led Zeppelin.

That's the way it ought to be and that's the way it's gonna stay.......

True, true, agree on all of your points. I started a new Myles Kennedy thread, btw, as this one has been going for a while now.

[FullyLedded]

Let the dust settle where it will. Myles or no Myles, better off hearing new stuff than no stuff. Paralysis by analysis is where we all seem to be......what is and what should never be......?

[SuperDave]

It will have elements of Led Zeppelin, as well as new elements.

I certainly agree with you 100% on this one. But it absolutely will not be Led Zeppelin by name, just two guys who used to play in that band. That's if this whole thing materializes.

[dan67]

Its enjoyable to read the posts and opinions here on this subject.

I thought that when after Bonham died other drummers were considered. Cozy Powell and Carmine Appice come to mind. So at that point was it unanimous that Zep would not continue? Was this an opening for Robert to leave and go solo that he intended to grab? Pictures at Eleven was the first project out of any remaining member? Released June '82--so when did organization of band members, writing, and work begin on this?

Robert seems willing to do the one offs and he danced dangerously close to a Zep reunion with Unledded and P/P tours--but he seems intent on avoiding a full blown reunion. Was that the Rock and Roll HOF induction where John Paul Jones says, "I'd like to thank my friends for remembering my phone number"--actually I think Jimmy remembered it and Robert did not. Because if JPJ shows up, then Jason shows up and then......

Going back to 1968, I think its quite possible that Robert would've langusihed in obscurity if left in the UK. I'm sure people know talented musicians that do not become famous--sometimes its more than talent--they lack something or other whether it be a personality flaw or lack of writing skill.

[Mercurious]

True, true, agree on all of your points. I started a new Myles Kennedy thread, btw, as this one has been going for a while now.

Check that - the admins seem to think there is a "Myles Kennedy new singer thread" in News, but where? If this is it we should have a new thread, though maybe it was not a good idea to post a thread in which Myles Kennedy is identified as a nu-metal Scott Weiland imitator when Scott Weiland himself was a poor man's Eddie Vedder.

In any case, if it is Kennedy, I'm extremely disappointed that Jimmy didn't do something more interesting here. I had thought that was something of a priority after he and Plant recorded with Steve Albini (Shellac/Big Black), Jones produced the Butthole Surfers, Page played with the Crowes, Puff daddy, Leona Lewis, etc.

Ah well, I suppose they wanted a kid who wouldn't bring too much to the table and could hit the notes. It's very disappointing and I hope Pagey rethinks this.

[SuperDave]

Mercurious,

More than likely they removed your thread because there is no confirmation from the others that Myles Kennedy is working with them and there is already another thread in the news section regarding a new singer for JP, JPJ and JB, even if the thread is at 42 pages now.

[Mercurious]

Was that the Rock and Roll HOF induction where John Paul Jones says, "I'd like to thank my friends for remembering my phone number"--actually I think Jimmy remembered it and Robert did not. Because if JPJ shows up, then Jason shows up and then......

Going back to 1968, I think its quite possible that Robert would've langusihed in obscurity if left in the UK. I'm sure people know talented musicians that do not become famous--sometimes its more than talent--they lack something or other whether it be a personality flaw or lack of writing skill.

Yeah, the tiff was between Jones and Plant - the "Jones is out parking the car" quote among other things. Plant, you remember, was on the bubble in the early days of Zep and has said himself that he thought he was going to be replaced. He probably would have languished in obscurity were it not for Jimmy and it's Bonzo whom they always said was going to get a great gig no matter what, not Robert.

I'm not going to pretend like I know where Robert's coming from in all of this now, and I don't really want to know. One would think he would want to do it for Jason and to make people (fans like us) happy, but I guess not. Prolonged midlife crisis or something ...

[eternal light]

I would call it evolution.

[Aquamarine]

Yeah, the tiff was between Jones and Plant - the "Jones is out parking the car" quote among other things. Plant, you remember, was on the bubble in the early days of Zep and has said himself that he thought he was going to be replaced. He probably would have languished in obscurity were it not for Jimmy and it's Bonzo whom they always said was going to get a great gig no matter what, not Robert.

He was already attracting a lot of notice by the time Jimmy came along, had a record contract, etc. But in any case, no point in speculating on what DIDN'T happen.

[Mercurious]

Mercurious,

More than likely they removed your thread because there is no confirmation from the others that Myles Kennedy is working with them and there is already another thread in the news section regarding a new singer for JP, JPJ and JB, even if the thread is at 42 pages now.

Good point, SuperDave, and thanks. But when this thread was started, Kennedy was not named and as of this weekend, he's now named and we should get a new thread going -- though there are questions about the veracity of it all, which I did mention.

I am very negative about the singer being Myles Kennedy so I'm probably not the right person to start the thread anyway. A singer with more integrity and lyrical strength within the context of grunge would be much better, for starters, and Kennedy/Creed is part of that dull post grunge numetal wasteland in the mid-90's, wishing they were Queens of the Stone Age.

Although .... the fact that a Myles Kennedy thread was disallowed may suggest that this decision is not final and Kennedy may not be the guy after all ... Zep does control this site, yes!!!

"This is a song of hope."