Today is a day to celebrate and hope that other reunions like this will happen again, after all, The Song Remains The Same, THANK GOD!”
by Nando Machado
London, October 12, 2012
On an unusually sunny day for autumn in London, I received an email from my contact at Warner Music saying, "Nando, do you want to go to the premiere of the film Celebration Day?" I immediately replied, "Yes, of course I do." The day before, I had read in Time Out that Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones would be present at the event, which would take place at the Hammersmith Apollo. So, would I really be going to one of the most legendary venues in rock history and see the Gods of Rock up close? Led Zeppelin reunited?
Just going to the Hammersmith Apollo (formerly the Odeon) would be sensational. A place with so much history, where the Beatles performed more than 38 times in 2 years, the Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, Rush. Kiss's first show in England happened there, Motörhead recorded No Sleep Till Hammersmith, Thin Lizzy recorded the legendary live album Live and Dangerous, David Bowie made the film Ziggy Stardust, Iron Maiden recorded 5 songs that made it onto Live After Death, Whitesnake recorded the live album Live…In the Heart of the City, Black Sabbath, Venom, the legendary tribute show to the people of Cambodia with Paul McCartney, Queen and so many others. One of Randy Rhoads' first shows with Ozzy, and one of Metallica's last shows with Cliff Burton as well. The list is long.
Well, this was the chosen venue for the premiere, a venue for 4,000 people where a cinema-like structure and exceptional sound quality were set up. Right at the entrance, the friendly Jimmy Page greeted the TV crews, and Robert Plant and John Paul Jones were also very cheerful. They know the importance they have for the history of music and they know the place Led Zeppelin occupies in history. Going up the stairs of the Hammersmith, a bar decorated with the Led Zeppelin logo sold all kinds of alcoholic beverages, which helped to liven up the guests present. Promptly at 9:00 PM, the film's director, Dick Carruthers, took to the stage to present the excellent work he had done on December 10, 2007, and called three middle-aged gentlemen to the stage who seemed very happy. Page, Plant, and Paul Jones greatly appreciated the applause and said how much fun it had been for them to join the great Jason Bonham and rehearse for seven weeks to put on that show, a tribute to the great Atlantic Records executive, Ahmet Ertegun. A demonstration of affection and respect for a record label executive? Perhaps one of the main reasons for Led Zeppelin's success. It's impressive to think that today, one of the greatest bands of all time would reunite solely to pay tribute to a record label executive. The film wasn't part of the band's plans; it happened by chance, as the band explained before the start of the performance.
The O2 Arena show, as seen in the film, was a memorable night. When it was announced, it broke several records; it was the show with the highest number of ticket attempts of all time. 10 million people worldwide tried to buy tickets, and it was truly worthwhile. Only Led Zeppelin is capable of doing that to people, and those lucky enough to get tickets were very fortunate.
The band's history is unique in itself. A band that started with already experienced musicians, Englishmen who dominated America even before achieving success in England. A mix of rhythms and influences that, in a way, invented Heavy Metal, while simultaneously playing mandolin and Folk music with Celtic influences, etc. A band that elevated the musicality of Rock to unprecedented levels, four geniuses who wrote, composed, played, and rocked rooms like no one else. A band that had the greatest drummer in history, who, after his death, was never replaced. The fact that Bonzo was never replaced shows the loyalty and respect that each member had for the other; despite all the billion-dollar offers to return, they never thought only about the money and still don't think about returning today. This also shows the kind of band Led Zeppelin is.
Watching Celebration Day at the Hammersmith Odeon was truly thrilling, breathing the same air as Page, Plant, and Paul Jones even more so. The film is wonderful; the director managed to capture the emotion of the three, who, along with the impeccable Jason Bonham, captivated everyone present, who applauded, shouted, and sang along as if they were at the O2 Arena in November 2007. I spoke with several of them; they all tried to buy tickets. Some, older ones, had already seen the band live: Knebworth, Earls Court, Madison Square Garden, the Olympia in Paris—how cool it must have been to be young in the 70s! Everyone who had seen Led Zeppelin live was unanimous: there has never been a band that put on a show like them. Live, they were unbeatable, and still are. Celebration Day showcases this: a band with an impressive history, with songs that will forever remain in the memory of any lover of good music, and it's a true parade: Good Times, Bad Times, Ramble On, Black Dog, Immigrant Song, Kashmir, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Whole Lotta Love, Stairway To Heaven, Nobody's Fault But Mine, The Song Remains the Same, Dazed and Confused, and many others. The closing? Simply Rock and Roll.
On the way out, I tried to get close to the three of them as they were leaving Hammersmith and I ran into Paul McCartney, who stayed until the end, a sign of respect. Even a Beatle recognizes the importance of Led Zeppelin. If the Beatles raised the bar and gave Rock a new face in the 60s, Led Zeppelin did it in the 70s.
Will they come back? No. Can they reunite again? Maybe, I hope so. But thank God, or rather, the Gods (Page, Plant, Paul Jones and Bonzo) we have I, II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti, Presence, In Through the Out Door, Coda and now this great live show, Celebration Day. It's a day to celebrate, with a Blu-ray or a DVD or the live CD and hope that other reunions like this happen again, The Song Remains The Same, THANK GOD!