Led Zeppelin reunited 2012 : the picture

NOT so lean and mean these days, but oh so cool.

Led Zeppelin reunited briefly on Friday to promote the release of Celebration Day, the long-awaited DVD of the band’s 2007 reunion gig at the 02 Arena.

Although they posed together in London, they refused to be drawn on the question of whether they will ever play together again.

It’s thought that Jimmy Page is desperate for another outing, and that John Paul Jones has resolved differences with the others.

But Robert Plant has sought in recent years to distance himself from his Zeppelin past, preferring a successful solo career.

Led Zeppelin : new Black Dog trailer for Celebration Day

You can't beat a bit of Black Dog ...

Yes, it's another trailer for the Celebration Day DVD out on November 19.

Or catch it early in a cinema near you on October 17.

Robert Plant : I haven't the faintest idea what Led Zeppelin anthem Stairway To Heaven is about

Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant admits he has no idea what iconic anthem Stairway To Heaven is all about.

The track is one of rock’s most revered songs – and is banned in many music stores because so many budding guitarists try playing it.

But speaking at a press conference in London today, Plant said: “I struggle with some of the lyrics from particular periods of time.

“The musicality and construction of Stairway To Heaven is peerless. Maybe I didn’t quite feel the same about the lyrics a little bit later on in life, further on down the road.

“Maybe I’m still trying to work out what I was talking about. Every other f****r is!”

The three surviving members – Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones – were back together to promote their new DVD Celebration Day, the film of their 2007 reunion gig in tribute to the late Atlantic Records supremo Ahmet Ertegun.

Drummer John Bonham died in 1980.

Rammstein to headline Download 2013

Rammstein have today announced that they’ll be coming back to the UK, all flame guns blazing to headline Download 2013.

They’ll head the main stage on Sunday June 16, the first time ever that the German industrial metallers will have played at Donington Park.

The news comes hot on the heels of yesterday’s news that Iron Maiden will headline on Saturday June 15, recreating their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son set.

With more than 15 million album sales worldwide, several world tours and a collection of music awards, Rammstein are tonge in cheek titans.

The band last played the UK earlier this year with critics describing the tour as ‘spectacular’, and ‘a ferocious industrial music hurricane’.

Andy Copping, from promoters Live Nation, says: “We’re very excited to welcome Rammstein to Donington for the very first time.

“They are an epic live act and a perfect Sunday headliner to cap off what is shaping up to be yet another fantastic Download festival.”
 
When asked how it felt to be playing Download, Rammstein frontman Till Lindermann’s reaction was today typically unpredictable.

“It’s only a festival….not a moon landing,” he said.

This from a man who likes to cook his keyboards player in a giant pot onstage, using a flame-thrower to get him more than a little hot under the collar.

Download 2013 runs from June 14 to 16 next year. Weekend tickets with camping go on sale at 9.00am on Friday September 28 from www.downloadfestival.co.uk.

ZZ Top found frozen in beer dispenser

Just been listening to ZZ Top’s new album, La Futura.

Reckon it’s easily their best since Rhythmeen - and maybe even further back than that.

Nine years after their last studio set, the beards are back with ten short, sharp, sweet songs in just over half an hour, drawing on lessons learned from their back catalogue.

Chartreuse motors along like the classic Tush, while both I Don’t Wanna Lose You and Big Shiny Nine could be out-takes from the Eliminator album that made them household names.

Consumption rubs shoulders with the likes of  Bang Bang and Black Fly, and Heartache In Blue revisits the band's blues-wailing R&B roots.

When they slow things down, Over You is the album’s equivalent of Rough Boy, complete with a sublime Billy Gibbons guitar solo.

Not that they’re afraid to experiment – opener I Gotsta Get Paid is a blues boogie take on hip-hop hallmark 25 Lighters! Check out the song in the sensational video prank they played for Jeremiah Weed beer!

 Genius. Gotta get me one of those.

Led Zeppelin : Celebration Day 02 DVD trailer

So the waiting is over.

We’ve held our breath as the countdown has continued.

And now it’s official.

Led Zeppelin’s 2007 reunion gig at London’s 02 Arena is finally to be released on DVD.

But first there’ll be special screenings in selected cinemas around the world.

The film of Celebration Day has a worldwide theatrical release by Omniverse Vision on 1,500 screens in over 40 territories on October 17.

The theatrical screenings will follow premieres in London, Los Angeles, New York, and other major cities. Tickets for the public screenings are available from today via www.ledzeppelin.com

Celebration Day will then be available in multiple video and audio formats on November 19 from Swan Song/Atlantic Records. Specific product details will be announced soon.

It was on December 10, 2007 that Zeppelin took the stage at the 02 to headline a tribute concert for dear friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. What followed was a two-hour-plus tour de force of the band’s signature blues-infused rock ‘n’ roll that instantly became part of the legend of Led Zeppelin.

Founding members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were joined by Jason Bonham, son of late drummer John Bonham, to perform 16 songs from their celebrated catalogue.

Although 20 million people applied for tickets, the band’s first headline show in 27 years was seen only by the 18,000 ticket holders who were fortunate enough to have secured seats through the worldwide lottery.

Here’s the tracklisting for Led Zeppelin : Celebration Day:

1. GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES
2. RAMBLE ON
3. BLACK DOG
4. IN MY TIME OF DYING
5. FOR YOUR LIFE
6. TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT
7. NOBODY’S FAULT BUT MINE
8. NO QUARTER
9. SINCE I’VE BEEN LOVING YOU
10. DAZED AND CONFUSED
11. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
12. THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME
13. MISTY MOUNTAIN HOP
14. KASHMIR
15. WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
16. ROCK AND ROLL

See you at the screenings!