Led Zeppelin dodges reunion issue at film promotion

Celebration Day is a two-hour film based on a tribute gig to Ahmet Ertegun.

LONDON: The surviving members of British rock band Led Zeppelin on Friday sidestepped the question of whether they would perform together again, and the closest their legions of fans may get is a film of their last concert in 2007.

The group that brought the world tracks like “Whole Lotta Love”, “Kashmir” and “Stairway to Heaven” reunited five years ago at London’s O2 Arena for a tribute gig to Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records which signed Led Zeppelin in 1968.

It was one of the few times the band performed together since breaking up following the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980 and sparked frenzied speculation that a lucrative reunion tour could be on the cards.

That has failed to materialise, and at a press conference to promote the new video of the 2007 gig, called Celebration Day, lead singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bass/keyboard player John Paul Jones all refused to be drawn on future plans.

Asked whether they might consider reuniting, Page, considered one of the greatest guitarists in rock history, replied: “Can I ask you a question? You’ve all been to see the film. Did you enjoy it?” And when a reporter questioned would Led Zeppelin “do it again”, Plant simply replied: “With you?”

Their non-committal answers will mean the guessing game over one of the most eagerly awaited reunions in rock is likely to continue for some time to come.

Celebration Day, directed by Dick Carruthers, is a two-hour film featuring all 16 tracks of the band’s tribute gig, starting with “Good Times Bad Times”, taking in “Dazed and Confused” and “Whole Lotta Love” and concluding with “Rock and Roll”.

Jones, a man of few words when it comes to the press, was asked why Led Zeppelin had taken five years to produce a movie based on the concert. “Five years is like five minutes in Zeppelin time,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2012.         

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