What really rocks?

An interesting discussion is taking place right now at The Onion's A.V. Club, asking readers to identify "the most rockin' song of all time." The post's author, Steve Hyden, stipulates that it must be a motivating and recognizable song created between 1955 and 1980 and that "it has to be bluesy, but not too bluesy." However, he says it can't be too recognizable. He considers Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks" for the title but drops the thought because he unfortunately can't separate it from the snore-inducing classic rock radio with which he associates it.

After he makes his choice of the song, he opened it up to readers. Nearly 100 have responded already, including many who suggested other Led Zeppelin songs. In my opinion, whoever suggested "The Bomber" by James Gang may be on to something. Go ahead, toss in your few cents either here or at the original post.

Oh, and while we're on the topic of The Onion and knowing what really rocks, this farcical article was published back in March.

One away from forty: An appeal to memorabilia collectors

This year marks the 39th anniversary of the formation of Led Zeppelin with today being the 39th anniversary of the two first-ever Page-Plant-Jones-Bonham concerts – which means next year's 40th anniversary celebrations ought to be bigger.

Annie Hollinshead is a contact of mine in England who has an idea for a fitting tribute. She would like to see an archive assembled of collectors' fine Led Zeppelin memorabilia and perhaps store it at Knebworth House, a particularly appropriate choice given the band's stellar 1979 performances on a stage at the Knebworth field.

"The exhibit will run for several weeks in the summer at Knebworth, and possibly later in the year in London," says Annie. "ABC Trust [the charity benefiting Brazilian street kids and for which Jimmy Page is a benefactor] is working on combining it with a photographic exhibition for Zeppelin, also for charity."

She is sharing the idea with several supportive folks and is attempting to contact the management for each band member and trustees of John Bonham's estate. For now, Annie says, "I need to spread the word to collectors. Even if they only have one item it would be much appreciated if we could borrow it. ... I told Knebworth and the ABC up front that if I couldn't get enough items we would just have to cancel it, but they think with Knebworth as a venue and the backing of the band and the charities, it will be successful."

Annie stipulates that all photographs shared for the cause must be approved by their original photographers and that no bootlegs will be included.

"I will be very pleased to speak with anyone who is interested in loaning us their memorabilia," says Annie, who can be reached at:

Annie Hollinshead
24 Rusts Lane,
Alconbury,
Huntingdon
UK PE28 4DN
Tel (+44) (0) 1480 896030
E-mail: ayhollinshead [at] hotmail [dot] com

Roy Harper album with Jimmy Page guest spot remastered

Roy Harper's 1971 album Stormcock, which features the lead guitar of Jimmy Page on one track, is to be reissued next month on CD.

Page's contribution to the second of the LP's four tracks, "The Same Old Rock," was a fine acoustic guitar track credited on the original album artwork to the pseudonym S. Flavius Mercurius.

The four-song studo set was released on CD through the Science Friction label in 1994, but liner notes prepared for that edition promised, "Greater sleeve-notes will be written with a special edition."

This remastered version, now said to be ready for release in October, is said to make good on that promise, offering 20 pages of liner notes with new observations from Harper and plenty of photographs.

In addition, the sound is greatly improved over the previous CD release, according to a quote attributed to Harper in a posting at a fan discussion site.

"Certain lines and certain words will not chop your ears off at high volume any more," said Harper. "Bottom end is taken care of properly."

He also alluded to at least one hidden surprise fans might appreciate, but he wouldn't specify exactly what they are. "There are one or two secrets. You may eventually spot them," he said. "It won't matter much to the general public that much, but it sure does matter to me."

No official release date has been touted as of yet, but it will be related here as the information becomes available.

Last August, Page was scheduled to join Harper at the 2006 Rhythm Festival as part of a live performance of Stormcock in its entirety, along with David Bedford, who provided the orchestral arrangement that closes the album. Page canceled, however, saying recuperation from arthroscopic knee surgery made him unable to play, and Harper's son, guitarist Nick Harper, replaced him. It would have been Page's fifth performance in all since giving up regular stage appearances in August 2000 due to a back injury.

Discovery lends credence to Led Zeppelin reunion rumor, still unconfirmed

So now the word according to Blabbermouth.net is that a hold has been placed on the O2 Arena in London for the night of Nov. 26. The venue and date match up with the details that have been reported about the possible Led Zeppelin reunion. As others point out, it doesn't mean that the reunion is assured to take place, but just that people have been planning it just in case.

NME says fan says Plant said reunion is on

Now the New Musical Express Web site is reporting that Robert Plant told a fan he was going to a meeting with former Led Zeppelin bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones to discuss reforming the band for the concert discussed in the media. So if you believe the mag-said-fan-said-he-said hype, and if you believe Robert was serious at the time, then we are a little over two months away from a Led Zeppelin reunion!

How feasible is Nov. 26?

What's the feasibility of a Led Zeppelin reunion concert in London on Monday, Nov. 26?

Robert Plant is pretty busy, but he doesn't have any shows scheduled at the moment. Jimmy Page hasn't played a concert in a while, and John Paul Jones seems to have a pretty open calendar when he's not working on his own album or another side project.

Also mentioned in this reunion rumor is Jason Bonham, son of the late John Bonham, now playing drums with Foreigner. According to their tour schedule, the band will just be ending a tour of South Africa with a show in Cape Town on Nov. 24. So that could put him up in England for a day of rehearsal on the 25th.

Now you may be thinking that's cutting it short. But of course, the few Led Zeppelin reunion gigs in the past have pretty much all happened on little or no rehearsal at all, so this wouldn't be unprecedented.

As far as a marketing standpoint for their new releases, the date would be excellent. Mothership is due Nov. 12 in the UK, with The Song Remains the Same soundtrack and DVD release exactly one week later, and that alleged concert exactly one week later. Three Mondays in a row of huge Led Zeppelin events? Genius.