Them Crooked Vultures Live From A Cellphone

Weeeellllllllllll, I wish the quality was better. But we are talking about the newest supergroup that does NOT feature Jack White playing the maracas. This wonderful ensemble features Josh Homme from the Queens Of The Stone Age, Dave Grohl from Nirvana/Foo Fighters, Alain Johannes from QOTSA, and some older gent who goes by the name John Paul Jones and was purportedly in some little regional group called Led Zeppelin. This is from the opening number on their super-secret opening slot for the Arctic Monkeys, whose new release Josh had a hand in producing. From August 26, 2009.

Sorry for the cell phone quality. But this is too interesting to not post:

Cheap Trick Plans To Celebrate 30th Anniversary of "Live In Budokan"

In an effort to get the bad taste of that last post out, here's something from Cheap Trick, WHO HAVE ALL THEIR ORIGINAL MEMBERS:

1. The boys from Rockford have a new album in the can, and are looking for someone to partner with to release it. No release date, obviously, yet. More when we hear about it at the Old Skool Institute Of Rockology World Headquarters.

2. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of "At Budokan", the disc that launched them, at least for a while, into superstardom with "I Want You To Want Me", the band is planning some special goodness. The band has recorded a new Budokan set from their visit this past April, and plans on releasing a CD/DVD of the concert. That is interesting, but let's face it, they did it because they can sell some discs on nostalgia. I doubt the recording will be anticipated by anyone other than the faithful followers of Bun E. and gang.

The more interesting news here, although I admit it still probably only excites the Cheap Trick mega-fans, is that they will also release a box set CD/DVD of the ORIGINAL concert, which was filmed and broadcast on April 30, 1978 on Japanese TV. It's been in the can all that time, aging like a fine wine. Unless it had a bad cork, which in that case it will stink like a 30-year-old Members Only jacket. We'll see, but I think that will be interesting.

3. The band also hope to release a 1998 re-recording of the classic 1977 "In Color" album that was produced by Steve Albini.

That's a lot of nostalgia, but one thing is true: Cheap Trick is ALWAYS good in concert. And if these little trips down memory lane help fund them so they can go out on the road and rock some more state fairs and club dates, I say do it.

Oh, and one more thing about that last LZ post: IF this is real and that other guy sings for them, it means that Creed may re-form since Alter Bridge is all the non-singing members of that band. It goes from bad to worse, folks.

Old Skool Weeps: Led Zeppelin: Are They REALLY Thinking About Touring With A Singer Other Than Robert Plant? REALLY?

If this was April 1, I would feel better reporting this. Because then it would be a bad joke, not a "real" news story that I picked up from Billboard.

But here it is, from Billboard. I can't even bring myself to paraphrase. An excerpt:

Who needs Robert Plant? Apparently not the other surviving members of Led Zeppelin, who are ready to pull the trigger on a tour with a new singer if Plant refuses to join in. Sources tell Billboard the frontman first in line for the gig is Myles Kennedy, who has most recently led the rock outfit Alter Bridge.

Kennedy has rehearsed with Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones and drummer Jason Bonham on several occasions, according to sources in the know. In a recent BBC interview, Jones confirmed the band was planning to tour but didn't refer to Kennedy by name.

First Page and Plant tour and don't consider having Jones join them. And now this.

Sigh.

The Good Lord Giveth, Robert Plant Taketh Away

Doesn't anybody talk to the singers of bands? Here's Robert on his web site, squashing rumors of a Led Zep reunion tour:

Robert has no intention whatsoever of touring with anyone for at least the next two years. Contrary to a spate of recent reports, Robert Plant will not be touring or recording with Led Zeppelin. Anyone buying tickets online to any such event will be buying bogus tickets.

“It‘s both frustrating and ridiculous for this story to continue to
rear its head when all the musicians that surround the story are keen to get on with their individual projects and move forward,” Robert Plant said.

“I wish Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham nothing but success with any future projects,” he added.

Guess you better get those Celebration Day tickets for November 14 & 15.

Old Skool Saturday Round-up

Welcome, welcome! How are you? You are looking great, very relaxed, so good to see it. Is it because you have heard the news that:

1. Guns-n-Roses have signed an exclusive deal with Best Buy to release Chinese Democracy by the end of the year? Well, don't hold your breath on that one. One of the sticking points is when the release date will be (snicker).

2. I am sure that you will be excited to hear that Led Zeppelin are rumored by the British tabloid the Sun to be ready to start rehearsals for a tour that would begin next summer.

Maybe you should go see Celebration Day, the very nice Led Zep cover/tribute band that will be at the Pageant November 14 + 15. From what I saw last time, these guys really do it right. You'll be all salivating and stuff, thinking about the real thing.

3. Remember how I told you about Yes replacing Jon Anderson, because of illness? I would have assumed they would have checked in with him, told him what they were doing. You know, make sure he was cool with it. Eh, not really. And he's pissed.

4. One thing I know: you look great, happy, all that jazz. You must not have known that Paul Newman died at 83, losing his battle with cancer. Hate to bring you down, but he was a great. And seemed like a great man. Damn. Here he is singing Plastic Jesus in Cool Hand Luke. God rest.