Song remains the same as Led Zeppelin return for a 'one-off' gig

AT THEIR deafening best in the 1970s, they were the biggest band on the planet and wrote the rulebook on hedonistic rock excess.

But 27 years after the band officially split, Led Zeppelin yesterday delighted fans by confirming a one-off reunion concert.

The show, at the London 02 Arena on 26 November, is a tribute to the late founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, who signed the band in 1968.

But there was, inevitably, feverish speculation that the three surviving members of the band could now join other veteran supergroups with a highly lucrative reunion tour.

Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 after drummer John Bonham died. His son, Jason Bonham, a professional rock drummer, will take his place alongside Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones.

The stellar cast of the show, which will raise money for educational projects, includes Who guitarist Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings, rock band Foreigner and Scottish pop star Paolo Nutini.

Led Zeppelin briefly reunited for Live Aid in 1985 and an Atlantic Records anniversary gig three years later. However, Jones felt snubbed when Page and Plant reunited for a 1995 tour without him.

Asked on that occasion where the bassist was, Plant quipped: "He's out back parking the cars."

However, the trio now appear to have mellowed since the days of hurling televisions from windows and riding motorbikes down hotel corridors.

Concert organiser Harvey Goldsmith said the band had rehearsed in secret for a few days "to see if they could play together again".

He added: "I only asked them to do 30 minutes and they came back after a week's rehearsals and said they wanted to do a full show. This is a one-off show, if something materialises after that, I'll be thrilled."

Plant said the Ahmet Ertegun show "stands alone as our tribute to our long-standing friend".

Tickets for the show cost 125 and organisers say they will be issued by lottery system via a website.

Led Zeppelin have sold more than 300 million albums and, in 1995, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

JIMMY PAGE

Now 63, he was already famous as a guitarist in the Yardbirds when he formed Led Zeppelin. He has acted as curator of the band’s memory since 1980, overseeing the remastering of tracks for album re- releases and giving interviews when How the West Was Won, a DVD of concert footage, came out. His output has been patchy – he joined The Firm with Paul Rogers as singer, released a solo album in 1988 and wrote the Death Wish II soundtrack. He bought a house at Loch Ness, but sold it in 1992.

JOHN BONHAM

Bonham was found dead at Page’s house in Windsor in September 1980 after an epic drinking bout. His death at 32 closed the book on Zeppelin and the band announced they were splitting shortly afterwards. Nicknamed Bonzo, Bonham, like Plant, came from the Midlands and was a jobbing drummer when not working on building sites. He was distinguished by his incredible power, using the heaviest weight of drumstick, and his powerhouse style has been frequently sampled by rap bands. Fans still leave drumsticks at his grave in Worcestershire.

ROBERT PLANT

Now 59, Plant was never known for his modesty: he once shouted “ I’m a golden God” from a hotel balcony. He enjoyed more solo success than his bandmates throughout the 1980s and 90s, scoring a top-ten hit with the ballad Big Log . His musical interests have fringed into world music and folk. He has toured and recorded with his band, the Strange Sensations, and his most recent musical collaboration was an album with singer Alison Krauss. He is worth around 65 million.

JOHN PAUL JONES

Jones, 61, was a session bass player before being invited to join Led Zeppelin by Page, having played sessions with 1960s stars such as Tom Jones and the Walker Brothers. He was the least publicised of the Zeppelin members and tended to be distant from the worst of the on- the- road excesses. Since leaving the band, he has worked mainly as an arranger, including on REM’s 1992 album Au t o m a t i c For the People. He has released several solo albums and scored film soundtracks.

REFORMED CHARACTERS

LED Zeppelin is not the only major group to reform recently.

In January, members of The Police announced they were reforming and the band is currently on a tour of Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, playing to sell-out crowds of as many as 75,000 people in venues such as the Stade de France and Madison Square Garden.

Take That reformed with a sell-out tour and a new album last year - even without Robbie Williams, who has only flirted with the prospect of rejoining.

In December, all five members of the Spice Girls will embark on "The Return of the Spice Girls" world tour.