Newsbites: Plant slates press at Led Zeppelin interview

Outburst: Robert Plant

Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant slammed press at a media conference in New York for constantly asking about the chances of a reunion. The full band, including John Bonham’s son Jason, were in attendance to promote their Celebration Day movie. Responding to the obvious question about the chances of “something bigger” happening in the future Plant said: “We’ve been thinking about all sorts of things and then we can’t remember what we were thinking of – schmuck.” He added: “Any inane questions from people who are from syndicated outlets, you should just really think about what it takes to answer a question like that in one second. we know what we’ve got, you know.” [Rolling Stone]

A previously unpublished letter from John Lennon to Paul and Linda McCartney showcases the depth of the former Beatles‘ dispute in 1971. In the note Lennon says: “I hope you realise what shit you and the rest of my ‘kind and unselfish’ friends laid on Yoko and me. We both ‘rose above it’ and forgave you too. So it’s the least you can do for us, you noble people. Linda – if you don’t care what I say, shut up! Let Paul write. I’m not ashamed of the Beatles (I did start it all) but some of the shit we took to make them so big… I thought we all felt that way in varying degrees. Obviously not. Do you really think most of today’s art came about because of the Beatles? I don’t believe you’re that insane. Paul – do you believe that?” [Jam]

The Rolling Stones will release brand-new single Doom and Gloom tomorrow (Thursday). The track, one of two fresh songs on the band’s upcoming best-of release, Grrr!, will be premiered on BBC Radio 2 at 8.15am UK time. The other song is called One Last Shot. Both were recorded in Paris last month. The Stones are a week into a month of rehearsals, which it’s believed will culminate in four concerts next month – two in London and two in New York.

The cultural impact of David Bowie is to be discussed by a worldwide panel of academics at the University of Limerick in Ireland later this month. The three-day event entitled Strange Fascination? A Symposium on David Bowie marks the 40th anniversary of his Changes single. Co-organiser De Eoin Devereux says: “His ability to reinvent himself, his capacity to capture the zeitgeist of the age in terms of mankind’s alienation and his versatility as a singer, performer, artist and actor are just a few of the many reasons Bowie will be examined at our event.” [BBC]

Hugh Cornwell was inspired to write a song after accidentally finding himself in a queue to meet pop star Madonna. The former Stranglers singer explains: “It was at a party for Madonna and I was enjoying myself. I met the lead singer that replaced me, Paul, which was bizarre. Then I joined this queue because I thought it was for the toilet. It was moving very slowly, then somebody told me it was the queue to meet Madonna. I was very embarrassed, so I immediately got out of that.” The track, The Face, appears on Cornwell’s new album Totem and Taboo. [Geeks of Doom]

Paul Stanley believes more bands will return to using analogue equipment to record albums after Kiss and the Foo Fighters both made the move. He says: “I have nothing against technology – when technology trumps emotion and feel, when somebody will tell you something is good by looking at a computer screen rather than seeing if they’re sweating or tapping their foot, I’m out of there. Gear that looks like Star Trek isn’t what any of our heroes played on. If you can’t get a great sound with your guitar plugged into an amp, you need a new guitar or amp.” [Rolling Stone]

Accept guitarist Wolf Hoffmann says they knew very quickly that Mark Tornillo was the right vocalist once they’d started touring together – and that’s how they also realised previous incumbent David Reece was wrong. “It takes about a week,” says Hoffmann. “Then you know somebody and how they behave on the road. Mark is a true professional and it was a good experience. With David, we knew from the get-go, ‘Oh, no, this isn’t going too well.’ We didn’t need to spend months on the road to find out the chemistry wasn’t there. it took a few days and you knew there was trouble.” [69 Faces of Rock]

Rage Against the Machine will release a 20th anniversary edition of their self-titled debut album on November 27. It will be available as a deluxe box set with two CDs, two DVDs and a vinyl LP, a special edition with two CDs and a DVD, and a standard album with three bonus tracks.