In a seemingly unlikely turn in the Led Zeppelin story, it seems fans may get one last chance to hear and see the band play during a ‘final’ world tour. Led Zeppelin’s last performance was in 2007 at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at London’s O2 Arena, honouring the late Atlantic Records executive. Ever since, Page has publicly expressed interest in pursuing a full tour with public interest rarely waning thanks to the band’s extensive remastering/reissuing campaign. 

Unfortunately the odds of a Led Zeppelin reunion seemed to be growing slimmer by the month after on line spats between vocalist Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page, with Plant quickly dismissing attempts by Page to fuel the fires of a reunion. Back in 2014, Page told The New York Times that he was ready to hit the stage with Zeppelin once more but blamed the lack of progress on a disinterested Plant.

I was told last year that Robert Plant said he is doing nothing in 2014, and what do the other two guys think? Well, he knows what the other guys think. Everyone would love to play more concerts for the band. He’s just playing games, and I’m fed up with it, to be honest with you. I don’t sing, so I can’t do much about it. It just looks so unlikely, doesn’t it?” 

It seems that since then, Page has taken the matter in to his own hands and put his foot on the gas of the Led Zeppelin vehicle with an unlikely figure in the passenger seat. Enter one Michael James Hucknall. Originally singer for the modestly successful punk rock band the Frantic Elevators, he has already stepped into some pretty big leopard print shoes when in 2009 he appeared at a charity performance as vocalist for a re-formed version of the Faces, replacing Rod Stewart. Now, the legendary blue eyed soul singer most famous for fronting the hugely successful pop group Simply Red, is warming up his undeniably capable vocal chords for what promises to be the most controversial Led Zeppelin shows in the band’s career.

However, news of this rather unexpected line-up change has not pleased Plant. In a recent interview he stated

I feel for the guy.” Plant tells the publication “He knows he’s got the headlines if he wants them. But I don’t know what he’s trying to do. So I feel slightly disappointed and baffled why he has approached Mick.” The singer even mentions a failed attempt at collaborating with his former bandmate in an acoustic format. “A couple of years ago, I said, ‘If you’ve got anything acoustic, let me know. I’ll give it a whirl. It was hands across the water. He just walked away. But we couldn’t do anything proper. The weight of expectation is too great.

The tour is rumoured to be taking place at the end of 2017. The rock world eagerly awaits more detailed news…..