Gordon in the morning: Rock sensation

It's not an exclusive - oh, no: it's a Rock Sensation, as Gordon breathlessly reports a story that I'm betting has very little basis to it at all:

LED ZEPPELIN frontman ROBERT PLANT is to be given an ultimatum by his bandmates – join us on tour or we’ll replace you.

Zep guitarist JIMMY PAGE, bassist JOHN PAUL JONES and drummer JASON BONHAM have been busy recently rehearsing in West London’s Ritz Studio and using stand-in vocalists.

And one American singer has been so impressive the other band members are confident they could hit the road next year WITHOUT their iconic frontman.

Did Gordon read that back before publishing it, do you think? The idea that a band could tour without the iconic frontman and somehow it would be worth doing?

Smart spends some time blustering through the idea that Page and not-actually-the-drummer-but-his-son are hurling ultimatums at Plant, before suddenly conceding that:

If he does not take part it remains unclear whether the group will be allowed to use the name Led Zeppelin.

So, they're threatening Plant that if he doesn't join a Led Zep reunion, they'll, erm, do something else.

Led to the wrong conclusion

Goodness - Is this the comeback to end all comebacks?:

Led Zeppelin Confirmed Working on New Materials

Erm, no, as it's already marked down in the standfirst:

Led Zeppelin's drummer Jason Bonham revealed that they, minus vocalist Robert Plant, are back in the studio for the first time in more than 20 years.

And, strictly speaking, Jason Bonham isn't "Led Zeppelin's drummer", he's the son of Led Zeppelin's drummer.

Still, if you'd count Macca, Ringo and Julian Lennon as a Beatles reunion, it counts.

"I've been working with Jimmy and John Paul and trying to do some new material and some writing," Jason said. "I don't know what it will be, but it will be something."

The guess is, Jason, if it's anything, it's most likely to be a slightly disappointing tarnishing of reputation.

Re-inflating the Zeppelin?

You never should believe stuff you read in blogs, just as a default position, but Danny Eccleston's Mojo Blog claims that Led Zeppelin could be about to reform have a ring of truth about them. Apparently Page, Jones and Plant have lined up Jason Bonham to take his Dad's place; the original idea is to do a get-together as a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun - and if that date, before the end of the year, goes well, there could be a tour.