Jason Bonham Plans Led Zeppelin Experience

Son of Led Zeppelin’s drummer John Bonham, Jason Bonham is planning a Led Zeppelin Experience similar to the Hendrix Experience that is touring now.
Nightwatcher house of rock is reporting that Plans are at an early stage for Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, but it’s thought he’ll gather a group of musicians to recreate the band’s sound while elaborate video presentations provide historical narrative to the iconic outfit’s history.

His plans come just months after he realised a long-held ambition to perform the Moby Dick drum solo alongside his father, who died in 1980, using modern multimedia techniques.

And the move may clash with plans to release an album recorded with Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), Joe Bonamassa and Derek Sherinian (Kiss, Alice Cooper, Dream Theater.)

LedZeppelinNews.com reports: “For Led Zeppelin fans, Bonham’s sudden announcement marks a sharp turnaround, as the drummer’s primary focus so far this year has been readying new music created with a supergroup that was to be called Black Country.”

Producer Kevin Shirley, who recently completed work on the album, last week revealed that management arguments were a threat to the possibility of the album’s release. It’s already been heard by Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, both of whom are said to have been “blown away” by the experience. But now it’s suggested that Bonham’s plans could be part of the problem.

LedZeppelinNews continues: “Bonham was asked to rehearse with Led Zeppelin’s surviving members in 2007 as the others were planning a reunion concert. This led, of course, to a single show as a tribute to the late Ahmet Ertegun.

“Following this were some expectations that a full-fledged tour would follow. Bonham even said recently that his mother warned him not to get his hopes up. She was right – Robert Plant eventually made known his intention not to revive Led Zeppelin again. By that time, Bonham had quit his touring gig with Foreigner and been replaced. Rehearsals with Page and Jones, and eventually singer Myles Kennedy, ended fruitlessly.

“Apparently, Bonham is seeing to it that his desire to bring Led Zeppelin’s songs to a wide American audience in the concert setting will not to suffer the same fate.”

Hughes recently confirmed a solo tour of the UK for September this year. It had been speculated that it might turn out to be a tour featuring the band formerly known as Black Country.

Live Show Review: Them Crooked Vultures at The Tabernacle

Them Crooked Vultures set their perch atop the Tabernacle last Thursday night.

In a music world that seems to be spitting out so called “supergroups” left and right, Them Crooked Vultures are circling and setting their gaze upon the dieing carcass of mainstream rock groups creating bland and uninspired rock and roll.

Them Crooked Vultures have a sound that blends together the quirky inspired fuzzy  jams of Josh Homme (Queens of The Stoneage), the mastership bass and keyboard playing of John Paul Jones and the pounding beats of Dave Grohl. With this foundation ,Them Crooked Vultures came out with a sound of their own that is far from the regurgitated let’s write one good song that  and put out  a bunch of weak filler shit  to fluff up the rest of the record.

The Tabernacle was sold out and packed with curious and envious fans like myself. For me the highlight was finally getting a chance to see a living legend, John Paul Jones! Their was a vicious rumor of a Led Zeppelin reunion last year that never happen, thus putting an end to my dream of seeing part of rock and roll history. I have seen Josh Homme live once before with The Screaming Trees as a touring guitarist on their Dust tour and it was my first time seeing Dave Grohl.

I make my way to the balcony stage left and find a place on the wall in front of the staircase parallel to the edge of the stage with an unobstructed view. Lights out and the crowd screams as Dave Grohl hits the beats and John Paul Jones starts tapping out a  beat to the strutting song ‘No One Loves Me and Neither Do I’. Josh Homme squeezes out a high stepping rhythmic  riff and struts along sounding as if he is just casually standing on a street corner telling a story. Grohl and Jones rhythm pulse on this song stands out and keeps your internal pecking motion feed!

I made my way downstairs during the next song “Dead End Friends” and end up at the back of the floor hanging out near the doorway.

Next they went into “Scumbag Blues“. Josh and touring Guitarists Alain Johannes really shine as they trade licks  during this jam and Josh pulls off a great trippy Cream inspired vocals then picks it up and blast into “Elephants“. Elephants is the song you envisioned when you first heard about this line up. It starts with big fat Zeppelin style riff and a heavy low end groove that spins ahead then accelerates into a whirlwind with the rhythmic power of Grohl, and Jones galloping and crashing into a airy interlude before slamming back into heavy Zeppelin flavored riff to end.

They run through “Highway One” and the first single “New Fang” ,Gunman and Alain solo before they get to “Bandoliers”. Introduced as a Love song you can hear the Mark Lanegan influence on Josh’s vocal style on this song. “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” was next and probably the most Foo Fighters inspired song of the night.

Through out the night John Paul Jones played a variety of four-, six- and eight-string basses but he pull out his Keytar for “Interlude w/ Lodes”. During this song Josh put down his guitar and tries to put on his crooning vocals and hypnotic dance moves in what looked like an attempt to put Jones in a trance, but while watching Josh without his guitar and contorting onstage,  I kept getting flashes of Jim Breuer doing his stand up routine about the heavy metal hookie pookie (Why? I don’t know but it was pretty funny!)

The free loving “Caligulove” was next with its Doors inspired psyche gushing from it. Next was “Reptiles” then it spun into “Spinning in Daffodils”. Jones spins his magic on the keyboards as the song turned into an inspired blues Jam by Homme.

The show ended with the song “Warsaw or The First Breath You Take after You Give Up”, the song comes apart and burns up in re-entry as the pace quickens to an incendiary rate with Grohl going  primal on the drums, an act that sends Jones and Homme into a fret board fury before the crashing end!

There was no encore, but after that performance there was none needed.
To sum it up, no cookie cutter pseudo-supergroup sound. Just three great musicians playing fuzzy, bluesy inspired jams.

S.E, Metal Meltdown

Photos by Wes Powell of Wes Powell Films and Photography

Jimmy Page Announces Benefit Concert for Peace; Receives UN Peace Award

Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page has just announced the world’s biggest free live music event to benefit peace and environmental efforts, the ‘Show of Peace‘ Concert.  The news was released by Jimmy Page, along with Michael Jackson guitarist, Orianthi, and Chinese superstars Xiao ke and Ai Jing, January 14 in Beijing.  Aerosmith’s Joe Perry also took part in the press conference via a taped message.
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CD Review: Them Crooked Vultures

With the Foo Fighters just releasing a “Best of Compilation”, Queens of the Stone Age releasing their final album “Era Vulgaris”, and Led Zeppelin having only performed one reunion gig in God knows how long; I am assuming that Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Johns were getting restless.  So what exactly is the end result of these three rock n’ roll super powers getting together and probably kicking out one of the sexiest musical  jams anyone’s ever had?  The result is “Them Crooked Vultures“.

A strange and oddly intriguing trip through three minds that none of us can ever possibly hope to understand.  The self-titled debut album, available now through Sony Music and ITunes, is rather an odd one.  You’d think you would hear the musical influence of The Foo Fighters, QOTSA and Led Zeppelin, and to a certain extent you do.  The opening riff to the track “Elephants” reminded me slightly of “Black Dog”.  The opening bass drum and guitar orgy to “Reptiles” really takes you back to the trip-out of a track that was “Kashmir”.  With Josh Hommes vocals,  it’s hard not to think you are listening to Queens of the Stone Age.  But somehow “ Them Crooked Vultures” pull off a compilation that bring a very unique and individual sound.

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One on One with Dropsonic

Dropsonic is that spectacular underground band that can’t find their niche in the indie scene, because they’re too rock.  And while the major labels love what the band is doing, the music is just not mainstream enough to be considered.  So, how does a band that gets multiple comparisons to rock-Gods like Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, and The Jesus Lizard deal with this roadblock on the track into the DIY or corporate music industry?

I caught up with Dan Dixon, Dropsonic frontman, to get his thoughts on this and much more.  Dan offered TST expansive insight on the milieu of music today, finding their way through different labels, touring, and their place presently within the city from which they came, Atlanta.  These thoughtful, witty discernments could only come from a band with the amount of experience, talent, and longevity as that of Dropsonic.  And what other than an intriguing interview can you expect from a guy who’s working a crossword puzzle in a bar upon meeting to talk about his band? [Read more]

Them Crooked Vultures Streams New Single On MySpace, Album Out Nov. 17

Them Crooked Vultures,the new band featuring Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age ) and the legendary John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) will release its self titled album on November 17, but the first single, “New Fang” is currently streaming on the bands MySpace page. The track is also being offered as an instant download for all fans who pre-order album on iTunes.

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