Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience Announce New Tour

[TheSound]

Aww, come on. I hardly think this tour will have any effect on Zep's reputation. There are TONS of Zeppelin tribute bands out there. And if Jimmy doesn't have any concerns about it, then they must not be that bad, because Jimmy is a known control freak over Zep's music, and Plant to an extent. These people have a long history together, and Jason is a known beast on the drums just like his daddy! If anything I think it's flattering to the original boys to have someone want to imitate them, and the fans never get tired of their songs. Classic stuff!

I have no issues with it.

I have no problem with tribute bands per se ILJP...I still just think it looks like blatant emotional exploitation - and also very easy financial gain through tickets and merchandise etc - when the lead member, with his famous surname up in lights, is the son of a dead member of the famous band that you are mimicking!!!! I'm sure Jason Bonham is a nice bloke, and a decent drummer, but would he honestly have progressed above the commercial level of a pub band if he was called Jason Smith, or Jason Jones, or Jason of the Argonauts!!! But anyway, that's just me. And to be fair to Bonham Jr, I have never heard them, so when I get a minute I will try to find some audio/video footage of them on the web, but if I want to hear/see Zep songs, I will put on CD's or a DVD of the actual line-up.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

I have no problem with tribute bands per se ILJP...I still just think it looks like blatant emotional exploitation - and also very easy financial gain through tickets and merchandise etc - when the lead member, with his famous surname up in lights, is the son of a dead member of the famous band that you are mimicking!!!! I'm sure Jason Bonham is a nice bloke, and a decent drummer, but would he honestly have progressed above the commercial level of a pub band if he was called Jason Smith, or Jason Jones, or Jason of the Argonauts!!! But anyway, that's just me. And to be fair to Bonham Jr, I have never heard them, so when I get a minute I will try to find some audio/video footage of them on the web, but if I want to hear/see Zep songs, I will put on CD's or a DVD of the actual line-up.

I can see your point, really. It's like he's riding on his dad's legacy. I can see that. But hey, who doesn't enjoy hearing Zeppelin's music? If done carefully, I like cover versions of their songs. And I'm sure he's a fabulous drummer if JPJ, Jimmy and Robert themselves wanted him to play with them.

 

[runtfan]

I have no problem with tribute bands per se ILJP...I still just think it looks like blatant emotional exploitation - and also very easy financial gain through tickets and merchandise etc - when the lead member, with his famous surname up in lights, is the son of a dead member of the famous band that you are mimicking!!!! I'm sure Jason Bonham is a nice bloke, and a decent drummer, but would he honestly have progressed above the commercial level of a pub band if he was called Jason Smith, or Jason Jones, or Jason of the Argonauts!!! But anyway, that's just me. And to be fair to Bonham Jr, I have never heard them, so when I get a minute I will try to find some audio/video footage of them on the web, but if I want to hear/see Zep songs, I will put on CD's or a DVD of the actual line-up.

OF COURSE it's emotional exploitation...just about all cover tunes are emotional exploitation, including your local symphony playing Beethoven, Mozart, Tschaikovsky, etc...playing tunes you already know will turn on an audience, ( if done well). I think it's silly to think that great music should be a museum piece...the whole point of it is to evoke emotions in listeners. Our Zeppelin tribute is pretty decent - not as good as Zeppelin, not as good as Jason's band, better than alot of other Zep tributes, not as good as others - but every single time we play, I see people reliving their youth and enjoying the music. I know this because they can't hide it and they tell us in pretty much those exact words at most any show we do. I see people dancing, headbanging, singing along with every tune...I see people laugh, cry, scream...mesmerized...I've been told many times by the ladies that Zeppelin's music makes them horny ( sadly, I guess, I never really took advantage of that )...and we're just a small time ( mostly) local tribute band, but sincere about it. I get a rush out of playing the music. I really enjoy doing it in front of a crowd, but I was doing it ( or trying to) 30+ years ago in my bedroom with nobody around as well. I think it's kinda sad when great music is reduced solely to a CD or DVD. I mean, I love recorded music, but live music is, and always has been, where the rubber meets the road.
Jason's Zeppelin Experience is what it is and makes no claim to be anything other than that. There's no marketing deception - and there's plenty of examples out on the road as we speak where that's not the case.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

OF COURSE it's emotional exploitation...just about all cover tunes are emotional exploitation, including your local symphony playing Beethoven, Mozart, Tschaikovsky, etc...playing tunes you already know will turn on an audience, ( if done well). I think it's silly to think that great music should be a museum piece...the whole point of it is to evoke emotions in listeners. Our Zeppelin tribute is pretty decent - not as good as Zeppelin, not as good as Jason's band, better than alot of other Zep tributes, not as good as others - but every single time we play, I see people reliving their youth and enjoying the music. I know this because they can't hide it and they tell us in pretty much those exact words at most any show we do. I see people dancing, headbanging, singing along with every tune...I see people laugh, cry, scream...mesmerized...I've been told many times by the ladies that Zeppelin's music makes them horny ( sadly, I guess, I never really took advantage of that )...and we're just a small time ( mostly) local tribute band, but sincere about it. I get a rush out of playing the music. I really enjoy doing it in front of a crowd, but I was doing it ( or trying to) 30+ years ago in my bedroom with nobody around as well. I think it's kinda sad when great music is reduced solely to a CD or DVD. I mean, I love recorded music, but live music is, and always has been, where the rubber meets the road.
Jason's Zeppelin Experience is what it is and makes no claim to be anything other than that. There's no marketing deception - and there's plenty of examples out on the road as we speak where that's not the case.

Exactly. It's all about the feel, the raw emotion, the memories the music gives you. For those of us who were not fortunate to see Zeppelin live as a whole, a tribute band is the next best thing. And if anyone can hammer out a solo like Since I've Been Loving You like James Patrick Page, I would sure love to see them live and shake their hand! Kudos to you, sir, for keeping this amazing band's music alive. I think the band members AND Bonzo (God rest his crazy little soul) would like it that way. I bet Bonzo is smiling down (or up, we'll never know ) at Jason carrying on his band's legacy!

 

[TheSound]

Good and interesting posts Runtfan and ILJP, though I stick with what I said, and when I said 'emotional exploitation' I wasn't talking about the emotion in the music, I was talking more about "Hi, I'm the son of the very famous, legendary, and much missed John Bonham, and this is my Zep Tribute band, so even if we suck, you should still buy a ticket, because I'm the nearest thing to Bonham being back with us that you are ever going to get!!"

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

Good and interesting posts Runtfan and ILJP, though I stick with what I said, and when I said 'emotional exploitation' I wasn't talking about the emotion in the music, I was talking more about "Hi, I'm the son of the very famous, legendary, and much missed John Bonham, and this is my Zep Tribute band, so even if we suck, you should still buy a ticket, because I'm the nearest thing to Bonham being back with us that you are ever going to get!!"

I don't think he thinks of it that way at all. I think that's why they call it a "tribute band": it's a commemoration of sorts of an awesome band and a way to show your love and appreciation of their art. I'm sure he has plenty of money anyway, so why would he exploit his name/dad's name?

 

[TheSound]

Good and interesting posts Runtfan and ILJP, though I stick with what I said, and I still don't myself see this as carrying on the band's legacy remotely, anymore than if Julian Lennon suddenly formed 'Beatles II' with 3 of his old mates from college! And when I said 'emotional exploitation' I wasn't talking about the emotion in the music, I was talking more about "Hi, I'm the son of the very famous, legendary, and much missed John Bonham, and this is my Zep Tribute band, so even if we suck, you should still buy a ticket, because I'm the nearest thing to Bonham being back with us that you are ever going to get!!" Cheers anyway.

 

[Prime]

I for one think this is great. I'm with everyone who says the "we werent able to see them when they were in their prime, so this is the next best thing". Not entirely sure why people are making a big deal out of this cover band when there are a million other cover bands of bands that have been great.

EDIT: Pardon me, tribute band.

 

[TheSound]

I don't think we are making a big deal of it especially, I think we are simply giving an opinion either for or against, and hopefully making it a better topic than if nobody had seen this and just said nothing about it at all! Cheers.

 

[Prime]

I don't think we are making a big deal of it especially, I think we are simply giving an opinion either for or against, and hopefully making it a better topic than if nobody had seen this and just said nothing about it at all! Cheers.

Oh no no, I wasn't aiming it toward anybody specifically, I was just giving an opinion is all. I can see how my post could have been read differently, for that I apologize.