As I mentioned before, and as I’m sure you are all fully aware, there’s a lot of worry and wonder over how well Led Zeppelin are likely to perform on December 10. Now I wouldn’t really say that I’m worried about it, I’m sort of, well, confused.
To be totally honest, I’ve never been one to champion reunion tours or musicians of yesteryear reforming in attempts rekindle their former glory. In fact I’ve always scoffed at it, that same scoff that most young (self appointed) music scholars do. The Police, for example, a brilliant band no question about it, did a reunion tour last year…yet I can’t help but to question the motives behind it…they didn’t write any new material, they didn’t do anything new, in fact they did absolutely nothing to strengthen the legacy that they should have rightfully left in the 80’s. What was the point? The only motivation for such a move that springs to mind is money. Money, and vast amounts of it, wads of the stuff for one little tour. So many bands have done it in the past few years; Cream, The Who and on a less credible and more current note, The Spice Girls have all re-emerged. But ultimately, what for? Money? Have they forgotten that a raw talent for songwriting, a buzz and the desire to play anywhere and everywhere is what brought them together and towards success in the first place.
And what is a new tour really going to offer us? Those who missed out in the first place get a chance to see them? Well no, it’s not them, they’ve turned into a load of rich guys, dressed up as young guys, trying to get richer…Big fans get to see them again? Again, no. Just NO! Most of the fans of decent bands from the 60’s and 70’s went through a dodgy period in the 80’s and turned into yuppies and listened to Phil Collins and Level 42 anyway. It’s only once the midlife crisis kicked in during the late 90’s, when your hair began to grey and your son started listening to metal that you decided to dust off the old ‘hard rock’ vinyl and reminisce about those hazy teenage years.
The most noticeable trait of the current generations seems to be one that thrives off nostalgia and the wonder of youth. A sort of ‘grass is greener on the other side of yesterday’ type notion. Even people my age bang on about how great toys and TV programmes used to be, how sweets were nicer, how they actually liked high-top trainers the first time round etc. It’s become our thing, our identity…This is why people attend reunion concerts, this is why they get a chance to happen in the first place.
I’m crossing my fingers and hoping that bands like The Smiths won’t decide this is a good idea, to leave it where you left it seems to be such a more dignified and mysterious way of putting down and accepting the end of a musical era. This was always something I had championed Led Zep for, as mystery and that discerning mystique had always been their ‘thing’. I had always considered it quite cringeworthy, watching wrinkly Jaggers, Iggy Pops and Debbie Harrys still rolling around stages, parodying the raw and genuine glory of their respective heydays. I had never expected Led Zeppelin to follow suit Of course there are exceptions to this rule, but Bob Dylan and Neil Young never stopped being cool in the first place did they? .
But…in my opinion, a number of things save Led Zeppelin this time. The fact they have a good reason for performing: as a tribute to their good friend and montor, Ahmet Ertegun. And the fact that it’s a one off gig. I even think that the whole ticket-lottery and the assurance that many people weren’t going to get a chance to see the gig was done in a typically mysterious and utterly Led Zeppelin-esque fashion…by letting a tiny fraction of your fanbase see you one last time only increases interest. All of the best bands have ended at a point where they logically shouldn’t have: Morrison’s death ended the Doors, The Beatles ended on a high, Hendrix died at his peak, Nick Drake, Nirvana, Jeff Buckley…the list goes on…
For Zeppelin to not do a follow up tour now would be the most illogical thing to do right now, and therefore the best thing they could possibly do.
In this age of rockstars with walking sticks and botox faced groupies, we need Led Zeppeilin more than ever to exemplify how it should end.
What I’m trying to say is that I hope Led Zeppelin end it here, they have the opportunity to bow out with millions scrambling to see them, the chance to end on the most ultimate of highs…and that would be the most perfect way to bring the curtains down.
