Monday, December 3, 2007

In the Days of My Youth


It was rumored today that mother-effing Led Zeppelin will headline Bonnaroo 2008. Reports have been circulating that Zep will announce this after their make-up Atlantic Records Tribute show this weekend in London. Ian Astbury of The Cult announced (prematurely) blurted out last month in Cincinnati that The newly reunited Cult will be opening for Zep in '08. I guess we will see for both bits of speculation.

As for more speculation, also rumored to be on the Bonnaroo bill will be Metallica, in support of their upcoming 2008 release.

I don't know yet how I feel about either of these possible announcements (not counting the Cult opening slot...does that really matter). One of these is huge! One of these is not. Can you can which one is which?

Now, I am not a big fan of all of the recent (in the last ten years, Thanks KISS) reunion tours, which seem to be about, no, Money?? This reunion rash has included every big group from the past forty years that has at least one original member left...Guns 'N Roses, Skynyrd. Others with more than just one member: Fleetwood Mac, the aforementioned KISS, the Dead, The Who. And those with most or all of the original/main members: the Police, Eagles, the E Street Band, Black Sabbath.

Lorne Michaels can keep trying for the Beatles if he wants...If Nirvana reunite, I effing quit. And Elvis and Johnny Cash too. I swear I will.

Countless others. There are more everyday. As quickly as they break up, they reunite. As one band breaks up, two more reunite. Like cockroaches coming back from the dead, except they never really were dead, they just went on an indefinite hiatus due to musical differences, drug problems, groupies/girlfriends/wives/ex-wives and royalty checks.

"We need that money, uhh, I meant that we miss the music, and we have so much still to say."


But this IS Zeppelin we are talking about. The greatest rock band of all time, and it's not like they are reuniting with some jobbers filling in. It will be 3/4 of them, and Bonzo's boy on the see-through skins (I hope they are at least), so it's not like it's Axl and some guys off the street that were hanging out in front of the liquor store. This is Jimmy, John Paul and Robert, with Jason filling in for his daddy, the original God of Thunder. So I guess I can kinda look past this as just a reunion show/tour type of deal, and look at it as a learning experience, a cultural, historical and cataclysmic event in the life of and for the generation of those of us that had the (mis)fortune of being born too late to see the real thing in real life. In the days of my youth I still was not around for even latter day Zep: just eleven days too late.

Now IF we get the reunion version of Zep (and that's still a pretty big IF), I reckon that it's alright with me. Zeppelin just happen to be the soundtrack and background music for Monday Night Football tonight too, promoting Mothership. Ironic? Coincidence? I like to think not. Not that the 'Roo and MNF have anything in common...except that they are both hopefully featuring the Gods' hammers. ...And they are on the cover of the new Rolling Stone, that came in the mail today too.

Now, Metallica, hmm, not so much anymore...maybe if they play a bunch of old stuff...and don't threaten to sue me again (God, I wish I still had my Napster letter from the attorneys!). But they will be playing lots of new stuff, trying to hawk their new album and new material to all of us. But not me, and not the older kids that remember when Metallica meant something other than MP3s and haircuts.

There's always the youngsters with Daddy's dollar and no sense of history...suckers!

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