A little bit on the side

Over on the Guardian Music site, Johnny Dee has a go at the side project and its usually dispiriting results:

The bit on the side has become a tiresome trend among indie groups. Particularly as there are countless acts who seem to be forming part-time bands and releasing solo albums just to stave off the boredom until their more talented bandmates can be arsed to write some new material. Worse still, the more talented members of said band will probably be involved in side projects of their own.

And he's right. Except... except for this:

This may be stretching the point a little, but what would be better – another nice Robert Plant bluegrass album with a lady who was going to make a nice bluegrass album anyway or a reunion of Britain's greatest rock band?

Seriously, Johnny? A pointless lumbering back of the surviving guys who used to be Led Zeppelin, making an album they have no interest in producing, making them a little less special, taking the band from being part of rock's royal family to fighting for record sales with Lil'Wayne and the Saturdays, or Raising Sand? I'll take the Alison Krauss work every time, thank you.