Jaw-dropping Led Zeppelin news to start the new year with – Jimmy Page’s manager has confirmed that the remaining members of the band are planning to reform. But they’re going to replace Robert Plant and they’re going to take this new act on tour and into the studio to record a new album.

From the report – which I just read on NME – Peter Mensch (a far more reliable source than The Sun) told BBC 6Music that Page and Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones enjoy working together, and that John Bonham’s son Jason seems to be more than happy to sign on as drummer.

Jimmy Page has been playing guitar professionally since he was 16 years old. Jimmy Page likes being a musician. That’s what he does! He doesn’t want to be a race car driver or a solicitor.

So they [Page, Jones, Bonham] did the show with Robert Plant; they had a really good time rehearsing, the three of them, before Robert showed up.

And they decided that if they could find a singer that they thought would fit their bill – whatever their bill was at this stage in their career – that they’d make a record and go on tour.

And I support that because, why not? That’s what Jimmy Page does. That’s his job, his hobby, his vocation.

John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page enjoy playing with each other, Jason Bonham is a really good drummer so why not? We just need to find a singer.

Now, this is totally unprecedented stuff for a band of Led Zeppelin’s stature – replacing an iconic lead singer like Robert Plant, who incidentally was named the greatest vocalist in rock by NME recently.

Naming the band?

This immediately begs the question(s): will the project be called Led Zeppelin? Who owns the rights to the name? Can Page resurrect the band without Plant’s consent, or will Plant happily give the project his blessing? Will the fans accept a reformed Led Zeppelin that doesn’t feature Plant?

Funnily enough, I was listening to Zep’s Coda album the other day, with excellent versions of I Can’t Quit You Baby and Wearing And Tearing. Don’t you wonder what the band would have come up with if they’d continued?

To be honest, I don’t think they can get away with calling the new band Led Zeppelin. It just won’t be. Call it something tongue in cheek, like Stairway to Zeppelin. Shit, why not call it Lead Balloon? OK, maybe Led Balloon.

And who’s the new singer?

From all indications, the band are nowhere near recruiting or confirming a new singer at this stage. Aerosmith are just about to hit the studio to start work on their long-delayed new album, so the rumors about Steven Tyler taking over the role are probably ill-founded.

Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell has been suggested as a possible new singer, and that’s an interesting option because he’s currently without a band, is an excellent vocalist and might take the band in interesting directions creatively. He’s also on the verge of recording a solo album, so is he a plausible replacement for Plant? Hope so.

I wonder if Page’s original choice of singer for Led Zeppelin – Steve Marriott – is available for the gig? I’m pretty sure Jimmy won’t have to worry about broken fingers this time around!

Anyway, as I hinted up above, if this rumor had come from the tabloids, I’d be severely sceptical. But coming from Jimmy Page’s manager, the news is exciting and has me wondering what the future holds for Zeppelin. And much as I’d miss Plant, how exciting to see most of the band back together again?

Must dig out that Walking Into Clarksdale album again…

It looks like Jimmy’s got tired of the short hair he’s been sporting for the last few years. Is it worth reminding you that we’re among the biggest Led Zeppelin fans on the planet, so just watching Jimmy strut his stuff onstage brings on an attack of the goosebumps!

In what Idolator described as an Aguilera-like performance, Leona Lewis did an awesome performance of the song. OK, it wasn’t quite Robert-Plant-squeezing-lemons quality, but it cements Lewis’s position as a class act. And doesn’t she look hot?

Maybe it’s time to start some rumours about Lewis taking Plant’s place for a reformation of Led Zeppelin? Perhaps we’ll get that world tour after all…

Although the best bit by far was Beckham launching a ball into the audience and knocking over some Chinese audience member!

Sensibly, Jimmy’s taking the time to allow the fracture to heal properly instead of blasting ahead. The recovery should take a few weeks, and he’s expected to resume rehearsals on 23 November.

Living Legend

In other news, Jimmy Page is to receive Classic Rock magazine’s living legend award (Alice Cooper took the award last year, fact fans!). The ceremony is being held in London on Monday. Page is expected to be bringing his broken finger along with him. Maybe then we’ll get an indication of what finger is broken!