Led Zeppelin to tour with Robert Plant replacement

while led zeppelin was never one of my favorites back in the day, i did always respect what they did, even though it wasn't my "thing" at the time. there is no doubt that few ever played pure rock and roll better, these boys could rock with the best ever to play the game.

i can't imagine anything anything billed as "led zeppelin" without both plant and page involved. maybe the boys just got jealous of robert's tecent success with allison krauss.

from NME:
Led Zeppelin to tour with Robert Plant replacement
Oct 28, 2008

Led Zeppelin will tour with a replacement for founding singer Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones has confirmed.

Earlier this month it was reported that the rock legends were rehearsing with singer Myles Kennedy after Plant refused to consider touring with the band.

Jones has now told BBC Radio Devon that the band are trying out "a couple" of alternative singers for a proposed tour.

"We want to do it," he explained. "It's sounding great and we want to get on and get out there."

The bassist added that he and his bandmates were not after a Plant soundalike.

"It's got to be right," Jones said. "There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band. There would be a record and a tour, but everyone has to be on board."

There has been speculation about the possibility of a full Led Zeppelin tour since they played a reunion show on December 10 last year at the London O2 Arena.

Robert Plant ruled himself out of a tour by releasing a statement last month saying he would not be part of any such plans.
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and from rolling stone:
Led Zeppelin To Tour, Record Without Plant?
October 28, 2008

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
The non-singing members of Led Zeppelin apparently aren't waiting around for Robert Plant to sign off on a reunion tour and/or album. In an interview with BBC Radio, bassist John Paul Jones said he and guitarist Jimmy Page and drummer Jason Bonham "are trying out a couple of singers."

"We want to do it," he said. "It's sounding great and we want to get on and get out there." But he cautioned Plant sound-a-likes were not the goal, and that "it's got to be right. There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band."

With Plant, Zeppelin reunited for a well-received one-off concert last December in London. But Plant, who has been touring with Alison Krauss for most of 2008, recently said he has no plans to work with the band again.

In recent months, Page, Jones and Bonham have logged rehearsal time together in the hopes Plant would agree to tour. Rumors have also circulated that Alter Bridge vocalist Myles Kennedy is in the running to step in for Plant.

On Nov. 4, Rhino will release a 10-disc boxed set featuring Led Zeppelin's nine studio albums plus the rarities album "Coda" in mini-LP replica sleeves with artwork from the original U.K. vinyl releases.