Jimmy Page has revealed that Led Zeppelin considered holding a hologram reunion show using virtual avatars, but the project was abandoned after the band members couldn’t agree on it.
Speaking on stage at the Hay Festival in Wales on June 2, Page said that Led Zeppelin was asked to do “that sort of thing,” according to a report in The Guardian.
Led Zeppelin was approached about a hologram act long before ABBA opened its ABBA Voyage “avatar” show, Page reportedly said on stage.
However, Page said he couldn’t get the surviving members of Led Zeppelin to agree on the project so it “didn’t really get moving”.
Page’s on-stage comments confirm LedZepNews’ December story that Led Zeppelin’s planned “The Led Zeppelin Experience” exhibition might include a hologram performance.
Back in December, we dug into trademark filings and UK company registration documents and found that Led Zeppelin’s since-abandoned exhibition project had the potential for an ABBA Voyage-style experience.
Led Zeppelin scrapped its exhibition and hologram project
Led Zeppelin has spent years working on an exhibition and hologram project but it has been abandoned due to a lack of agreement between the surviving members of the band.
Page spoke to Uncut Magazine for its its May 2022 issue. In the interview, he confirmed the December LedZepNews report that Led Zeppelin has been working on an official exhibition, but revealed that the project ended because the band members disagreed about it.
When asked whether Led Zeppelin has considered holding its own exhibition, Page said that “there was something at one point. But all the members and people around the band couldn’t agree. I was much happier doing my book and the exhibition with the Met.”
Led Zeppelin’s surviving members along with John Bonham’s widow Patricia Bonham registered a business in the UK in 2018 as part of a plan to hold a Led Zeppelin exhibition, potentially using the name “The Led Zeppelin Experience.”
On June 21, 2018, Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham’s wife Patricia Bonham set up a company in the UK which has the intentionally vague name “Company 2018.”
The business was created for the purpose of “activities of exhibition and fair organisers,” according to its Companies House code.
The company’s shares are split four ways, with Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham each owning 25% of the company.
Jason Bonham said in 2018 that he was asked to change the name of his band from “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience” because Led Zeppelin “have plans for the terminology.”
“They have plans for the terminology, Led Zeppelin Experience. And I was like, ‘Um, okay, but I need to keep the logo, JBLZE.’ One, I have the tag on my car, and two, I have a huge backdrop that I paid for last year,” he told KSHE 95. “For me it’s about the music. So the name of it — I just wanted to keep the logo. So I said, ‘I got it. Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening.’ I don’t know what they have planned, but I said, ‘Okay, I will clear the way so they can do what they wish.'”
Thank you for not doing a nerd project like ABBA! Going to release some live stuff on vinyl and bluray first👍 billion times better in any quality
Not surprised it all fell apart, they’ve hardly ever agreed on anything since 1980. Jimmy Page has stated he’s been working on an album and he’s been saying that for about the last 20 years. The 50th anniversary; a book. A fecking book but no music. No live release for a concert post 1973. I would love new live releases but it won’t happen because Jimmy’s no longer interested in editing concerts for a release and won’t allow anyone else to edit them.
I saw the Roy Orbison / Buddy Holly thing a few years ago and although the technology was incredible, I found the whole experience a little creepy to be honest. I’m so glad they scrapped the project as I think it’s a bit undignified. It suits the likes of Abba as their kind of audience will cheer at everything from Eurovision to Britain’s Got Talent. Much better to get some live footage and audio out there. They can start by sorting out Earls Court. I agree with everything Junkin James and Michael Ulmer has said.
hologram version of zeppelin whos really interesed in that another jimmy page idea which as gone down with jones and plant like a lead balloom
Jukin James: it was Plant and Bonham’s estate that vetoed any releases of the 1975 Earl’s Court concerts, a 1977 compilation and a 1979/1980 concert compilation. Jimmy has already mastered the footage and audio of Earl’s Court gigs but I think he’s given up trying tp persuade Plant that it’s a good idea.
Didn’t know that Jimmy had even started on Earls Court never mind finished it. Lots of people have been hoping for a proper Earls Court audio and video release. Out of Jones and Plant, I’d bet my house on who I think it is that’s vetoed it. There are OK video releases of the 24th and 25th out there which are a lot better than nothing and there’s multiple audio releases for all 5 nights. Some are excellent. So at least we have them but official would be very welcome. As I said in my previous email, there’s nothing official for 1975, 1977, 1979 or 1980. I’m 68 so whichever SOB is blocking these releases needs to get a grip!
I wanted to delete the sentence about Plant vetoing it as you addressed that in your post. Seems there’s no way to edit posts hence this post.
I have all the Earls Court on CD and the 24/25 on DVD. A properly mastered and mixed official release is my holy grail. A 1977 not far behind. 1979/1980 I have bootleg CDs of, and most of 1980 is not pretty.
There’s a poorish video of the 17-07-1977 Seattle concert. Audio is good but video is not as good as the Earls Court videos. There’s also the two Knebworth gigs on (unofficial) DVDs. The knebworth gigs are similar or perhaps just a bit better than the Earls Court videos. Someone has put together a Song Remains The Same called ‘In For A Quick Garden’ DVD that uses official and unofficial footage to make the complete concert. Pretty good actually. Due to the movie rights, Jimmy was not able to make and changes to the remastered DVD that came out a few years ago. I’m sure he would have done if he could. In terms of complete or near complete concerts that’s about for post 1973 Zeppelin.
Hi: yes. I bought a T shirt from The Bannisters, who promoted the Knebworth gigs, and it included two DVD’s of the 11.4.79 gig. The quality is excellant and it has been edited as if for a professional release. I’ve got a couple of DVDs of 1977 concerts but, as you say, the picture quality is poor and jumpy.
Getting a little fed up of this “We were going to release this, but …” line now, it’s tiresome.
I suspect there is nothing left of any worth in the mythical Zeppelin Archive.
This band is done.