Led Zeppelin excited about reunion show

Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones say they're confident about Led Zeppelin's single reunion show at the O2 Arena in London next month.

Jones told Sun Media that the band tested the waters earlier this summer to see if they still had their chops: "We had a very, very secret tryout in June just to see if it was possible and if anyone wanted to do it, to see if the will was there. And it was pretty exciting. We made all the musical cues, and we were pretty hot."

Jimmy Page reflected on the first band rehearsal with Jason Bonham filling in for his late father John Bonham: "The hardest step -- or the most tentative step -- was to actually be able to get together, the four of us, in a rehearsal room to actually play with the instruments... and keep the whole damn thing under wraps. As it was, we did manage to pull it off, and we didn't have to shake hands and say, 'Well, at least we sort of know that it might not be a good idea.' It was quite the opposite."

Page added that he doesn't feel the reunion to be unnatural or forced in the least, seeing as how he, Jones and Robert Plant all perform Led Zeppelin material in their solo shows: "You've got the four individual members playing Led Zeppelin in four different capacities. When they unite, you've got the key members. You can't play it any better, as they're the people who actually played it and wrote it in the first place."

He was hesitant to commit to any further Zeppelin projects, although he does feel that the upcoming show might lead to future plans: "(The November 26th concert) is what we're working toward. That's what we have on our horizon at this point. I know you want to hear other answers, but I'm afraid that's all I can give you."

Page, who has been eager for a Zeppelin reunion for nearly 20 years, went on to say, "Look, I'd be really surprised if there wasn't (future Zeppelin projects) -- you know, I mean I just know the way we are. We're musicians... as we're playing we'll probably be coming up with all manner of things. And that will be fun. I mean, that's what it's all about. Let's do the 02 show, shall we? And then we'll speak to you afterward."

Jimmy Page says that he knew that the magic surrounding Led Zeppelin wouldn't last forever: [ Click to listen if you have a backstage pass] "I said basically around the time of the first album, it's all a race against time, and I think it is. It still is. It still is a race against time and trying to do good work and improve on what you've done. It's more difficult as you get older because you know your days are numbered, really. Within Zeppelin we had this amazing vehicle that we could continue and continue and just come up with amazing things -- which fortunately we did continue, and we did come up with amazing stuff. But I still thought it was a race against time. I had no idea how prophetic it would be with the loss of John Bonham."

Robert Plant's album with Alison Krauss called Raising Sand will be released on October 23rd.

The next day (October 24th) Plant and Krauss will appear on the Today Show. An appearance on PBS' Charlie Rose is scheduled for later this month.