Monday, October 27, 2008

Which one's Pink?

Barbara at Layla's Classic Rock blog posted tonight about the possibility of Led Zeppelin touring without Robert Plant. His heart just isn't in playing it loud anymore, but Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones sure would like to make some noise playing the old faves and why not bill it as Led Zeppelin with or without Plant? It just doesn't seem the sacrilege to me that it might have fifteen years ago. It would have bugged the heck out of me back then, but I didn't blink an eye at those "old" bands like The Four Tops, The Temptations, or any other Motown band touring with maybe only one or two of the original members in the lineup. But then I didn't feel like I was raised on their music like I was Led Zeppelin.

Anyway, Journey doesn't need Steve Perry to fill arenas and Styx doesn't require the vocals of Dennis DeYoung to play "Babe" and "Mr. Roboto" to those of us nostalgic for those hits. Yes is touring without the aid (but with the blessing) of Jon Anderson this year. Found their guy on YouTube in a Yes tribute band much like Judas Priest did when they replaced Rob Halford for a short period. I guess if I wanted to, I could even buy the new Queen album featuring Paul Rodgers at the mic.

At least with that one, it's a bit easier to bear as its own artistic endeavor because they're not merely replacing Freddie Mercury but rather moving on and making new music together. Still, I wouldn't go to that show and feel like I really and truly saw Queen in concert.

But fun is fun and I'd see all of these bands for whom introducing their singer isn't just a formality but indeed an answer to a crowd's honest query. I think I'm pretty laid back about it all. Call the band what you're legally allowed to call the band and if you play the hits then I'm happy to just roll with it and enjoy the songs. Just don't get me started on the whole Pink Floyd-Roger Waters thing. I'm holding onto stubborn and saying that Waters was right.

5 comments:

ChristinaJade said...

i'm with you on this one!

heck, just the fact that ANY of those guys still have it in 'em to want to go out and tour speaks volumes, and i, for one, would love to see them doing what they were obviously born to do.

chez bez said...

I have a good time hearing music on any level. The best time out I had in a long time was at a karaoke bar in East Nashville a couple of years ago.

What rocks is what rocks. Credentials are for something on a plane much higher than a night out listening to music. I'm glad I've gotten more laid back about that over the years. You're right on.

The Old Man and His Dog said...

Sorry, Queen is not Queen without Freddie. Also never got over the whole Van Halen David Lee Roth thing.

GingerSnaps said...

Yeah, I'm with Old Man on this one.

Zep just won't be the same without Plant.

Kelli said...

I always thought that if Pink Floyd really wanted that certain Waters flair, why not go for the totally exaggerated version and get the lead singer from Midnight Oil?