Jimmy Page refused a Led Zeppelin reunion for years - because he was too traumatized by the death of drummer John Bonham to hear the band's songs.

The group disbanded after the accidental passing of the then 32-year-old, who died choking on vomit after a session of heavy drinking - and Page was so horrified he avoided the band for years.

He says, "After John Bonham's death I spent 15 years not even wanting to think about Led Zeppelin. But I also have difficulty thinking it's all over. Now at least one concert is planned and I'm incredibly happy about that."

And it was the music that eventually convinced the guitarist to reunite with his bandmates for a comeback concert.

He adds, "If I listen to our records from that time now, I think, 'My God, we were incredibly good!' We really blew everyone else off stage and in that way created a separate status for ourselves in the music world."

Led Zeppelin reformed to headline an upcoming tribute concert for late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun in London this month - but the rockers are also rumored to be planning a U.S. tour with The Cult in 2008.

I would love to see a 2008 reunion tour! :rock:

I saw Zeppeling once, in 1977 at MSG in NYC, and still remember the show. It would be great to see the surviving members go around just one more time. :)

It always seems that the drummers always dies. Why?

It always seems that the drummers always dies. Why?It's the Spinal Tap jinx. Spontaneous combustion, bizarre gardening accidents, and....inhalation of and asphyxiation by certain foreign substances. ;)

why do all the oldbands that reunite tour first on their oldies, and if all goes well, maybe years later they might, just might record a new album? The Eagles have been back together since 1994 and we just got their first all-new album since. The Who just dropped their first new album last year and they've been back together off and on since 1989. Fleetwood Mac released their first new album six years after their reunion tour, etc... The Police and Genesis toured this year and we got repackaged Greatest Hits albums instead of a new cd to tour behind.

Even if this incarnation of Led Zep sticks, I bet we won't see the first new "Led Zeppelin" album until 2015

why do all the oldbands that reunite tour first on their oldies, and if all goes well, maybe years later they might, just might record a new album? The Eagles have been back together since 1994 and we just got their first all-new album since. The Who just dropped their first new album last year and they've been back together off and on since 1989. Fleetwood Mac released their first new album six years after their reunion tour, etc... The Police and Genesis toured this year and we got repackaged Greatest Hits albums instead of a new cd to tour behind.

Even if this incarnation of Led Zep sticks, I bet we won't see the first new "Led Zeppelin" album until 2015Same thing with Black Sabbath. Ten years ago, their reunion with Ozzy was hailed as the biggest thing in music, but for all this time, Ozzy refused to do a new studio album, except for a few songs for their 'Reunion' concert album in 1998. The rest of the band was all up for it, but Ozzy just dragged his heels and just made Sabbath into a mere "nostalgia" band that only showed up for Ozzfest to play the familiar hits and popular songs for an hour. This past year Sabbath has gotten back together with Ronnie James Dio under the moniker Heaven And Hell and have completed a very successful tour playing only music from their Dio era. Word is that there will be a new Sabbath album with Dio next year, which seems more likely than anything new with Ozzy. Sabbath have done a few new Dio songs, including a popular track, "The Devil Cried". Bassist Geezer Butler says there will be no new album with Ozzy in the foreseeable future.

I think it's good to keep doing new music. Granted, the old music is usually the best, but if the band still has the chemistry, new material can still be very good. I thought "Say You Will" was a great Fleetwood Mac album and it added a few songs to the "Fleetwood Mac classics canon" like Peacekeeper and the title track IMO. We know The Police and Genesis still have "it", so give us some new material that proves it.

Same thing with Black Sabbath. Ten years ago, their reunion with Ozzy was hailed as the biggest thing in music, but for all this time, Ozzy refused to do a new studio album, except for a few songs for their 'Reunion' concert album in 1998. The rest of the band was all up for it, but Ozzy just dragged his heels and just made Sabbath into a mere "nostalgia" band that only showed up for Ozzfest to play the familiar hits and popular songs for an hour. This past year Sabbath has gotten back together with Ronnie James Dio under the moniker Heaven And Hell and have completed a very successful tour playing only music from their Dio era. Word is that there will be a new Sabbath album with Dio next year, which seems more likely than anything new with Ozzy. Sabbath have done a few new Dio songs, including a popular track, "The Devil Cried". Bassist Geezer Butler says there will be no new album with Ozzy in the foreseeable future.

The truth is their 'old.' :) Let's face it, very few people have the same energy they did at 20 at 50 or more. I mean I don't even stand as much at concerts anymore, Jethro Tull is more my speed now, than Black Sabbath. The members of huge rock bands like Zeppelin, the Who, Sabbath and others made a career of excess. To be honest, the last members of any band I ever expected to survive intact was Black Sabbath, not that i wanted them to die, but, their rep. on stage and off was 'legendary', it made Zeppelin and Floyd seem like school principals. As someone who spent alot of my youth behind a drum set, concerts, CBGB's Metalhead and Punk, I can attest to some 'damage.' :lol: I worked on two OZZ FESTS in New Jersey as a stage hand in 1998, the partial 'ward-less' Sabbath Reunion, and the '99 full blown Sabbath Reunion, I was stunned how well they came off and their musicianships, if not OZZY's toned down stage theatrics, were on par with OZZY's original 'swan song' during the Never Say Die tour of 1978, where a very young Van Halen opened up for them when I saw them at MSG, in NYC. Sill, a song like 'War Pigs' woefully dated and juvenille lyrics, but, expected by old Sabbath fans, still packs an amazing Lead by Tony Iommi. No doubt, Jimmy Page, who along with Plant, did some great leads, complete with violin bow in 1998, still has it as well, Plant, on the other hand cannot hit the high notes of the 1970's. I'm just glad that most are still around and I will be there if they make it to NYC. I just hope they add enough dates that I won't have to mortgage the house or sell blood to see them. :)

http://www.ledzep.com/

It always seems that the drummers always dies. Why?


I hope not, I'm in my 40's now and have been playing since 13, John Bonham was a huge influence. ;) Still, I think the very nature of drummers is they are constantly moving their entire bodies, whereas guitarists, singers can lay back a bit and wail and strum to get their thing across. Keith Moon, John Bonham were wild men.

The truth is their 'old.' :) Let's face it, very few people have the same energy they did at 20 at 50 or more. I mean I don't even stand as much at concerts anymore, Jethro Tull is more my speed now, than Black Sabbath. The members of huge rock bands like Zeppelin, the Who, Sabbath and others made a career of excess. To be honest, the last members of any band I ever expected to survive intact was Black Sabbath, not that i wanted them to die, but, their rep. on stage and off was 'legendary', it made Zeppelin and Floyd seem like school principals. As someone who spent alot of my youth behind a drum set, concerts, CBGB's Metalhead and Punk, I can attest to some 'damage.' :lol: I worked on two OZZ FESTS in New Jersey as a stage hand in 1998, the partial 'ward-less' Sabbath Reunion, and the '99 full blown Sabbath Reunion, I was stunned how well they came off and their musicianships, if not OZZY's toned down stage theatrics, were on par with OZZY's original 'swan song' during the Never Say Die tour of 1978, where a very young Van Halen opened up for them when I saw them at MSG, in NYC. Sill, a song like 'War Pigs' woefully dated and juvenille lyrics, but, expected by old Sabbath fans, still packs an amazing Lead by Tony Iommi. No doubt, Jimmy Page, who along with Plant, did some great leads, complete with violin bow in 1998, still has it as well, Plant, on the other hand cannot hit the high notes of the 1970's. I'm just glad that most are still around and I will be there if they make it to NYC. I just hope they add enough dates that I won't have to mortgage the house or sell blood to see them. :)

http://www.ledzep.com/"War Pigs" were some of Geezer Butler's best lyrics, very timely. :cool: It's considered their best song by many.

I saw Van Halen open up for Black Sabbath back in 1978 as well, and hate to say it, but VH mopped the floor with them that night.

Zeppelin are old, but they're not THAT old. They're five years younger than The Stones and young enough to be Tony Bennett's sons, so age really has nothing to do with it these days. McCartney is 65 and has put out back to back two of his finest albums of his entire post-Beatles career. Paul Simon's last album was brilliant too and he's 66. So I am sure new LZ and Sabbath music would be decent if they gave it a go since a lot of the 60's artists are proving age is nothing but a number because they're continuing to put good music out as grandparents.

"War Pigs" were some of Geezer Butler's best lyrics, very timely. :cool: It's considered their best song by many.

I saw Van Halen open up for Black Sabbath back in 1978 as well, and hate to say it, but VH mopped the floor with them that night.

Yeah, "generals gathered in their masses.' :lol: I think it's very played out, but, songs like "chidren of the grave', and 'into the void', along the same lines are much better. Still, Sabbath was at it's best when it invoked life and death and spiritual issues. I read an interview once where Tony Iomi said in 1978, OZZY was so stoned he almost fell off the stage, during the 1978, which is why they dumped him. Yeah, VH was up and coming and 'hungry', while Sabbath by that time, had nothing to prove.

Zeppelin are old, but they're not THAT old. They're five years younger than The Stones and young enough to be Tony Bennett's sons, so age really has nothing to do with it these days. McCartney is 65 and has put out back to back two of his finest albums of his entire post-Beatles career. Paul Simon's last album was brilliant too and he's 66. So I am sure new LZ and Sabbath music would be decent if they gave it a go since a lot of the 60's artists are proving age is nothing but a number because they're continuing to put good music out as grandparents.

The Stones have lost members and certainly they have continued to tour almost non-stop, so their 'age' is gradual to a public that is used to seeing them perform. If you watch 'Gimme Shelter' and see a recent Stones concert, you'll see a 'difference.' Yes, they are not THAT 'old' in terms of everyday folks, but, Rock lends itself to raucous behavior, you know, live fast, die young. So, yes, they can still come up with great stuff, but, it will be on the 'slower' side, which is OK, As for McCarthney and Simon,let's face it, their music was always much less 'frantic', except maybe some 60's Beatles stuff, and it doesn't take much of a physical tone on a 2 or even 3 hour concert. Good Health is a gift, no matter what you do, if you are genetically pre-disposed to live long and healthy, you probably can even abuse your body abit in youth. On the other hand you can be a marathon runner, never drink and smoke, and drop dead running from a heart attack. It's the luck of the draw, sadly. :(

I really think it's silly to wanna have these bands reunite.

Their best years are behind them and people should respect what they wanna do.

Same if they chose to make a comeback.

At least we can still listen to their music.

Too bad the death of John made Jimmy upset to the point where he couldn't think about the legendary band he created.