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Zep-chat with "Robert Plant" Reamsbottom

Who: Whole Lotta Led Where : Boot Pub When: Monday, Nov. 10 Tickets : $7 at the door It was pretty cool witnessing a band as big time as the Tragically Hip play the Boot Pub a couple weeks ago.

Who:

Whole Lotta Led

Where

: Boot Pub

When:

Monday, Nov. 10

Tickets

: $7 at the door

It was pretty cool witnessing a band as big time as the Tragically Hip play the Boot Pub a couple weeks ago. So how would it be if Led Zeppelin played the Boot this Monday?

Yeah, right, you’re probably saying. For one, the original drummer is dead. For two… well there’s just not enough room in this publication to list all the reasons that’s not going to happen.

But Whistler doesn’t need Plant, Page et al when we’ve got Whole Lotta Led, the kick-ass Zeppelin tribute band fronted by local jack of all musical trades Greg Reamsbottom.

Since forming back in June 2002, Reamsbottom, along with guitarist Phil Richard, bass player J.P. Trottier and drummer Tom Rimmer have been wowing locals with high octane renditions of all the Zeppelin favourites.

Reamsbottom’s driver’s license doesn’t say Robert Plant, but he sure can wail like him. And Richard rocks out the deft Page solos on the dual neck like he’s channelling Sir Jimmy himself. This is no deadbeat music store clerk playing Stairway riffs to impress teenaged wannabe customers. This is full on Zeppelin. This is rock ’n’ roll!

The Pique caught up with Robert Plant Reamsbottom for a little Zep-chat in honour of the upcoming show.

Pique:

First Zeppelin Memory?

Greg Reamsbottom:

Being 11 or 12 years old and hearing Dazed and Confused on the radio and being absolutely awestruck by it.

Pique:

Favourite Zeppelin Song to sing?

GR:

How Many More Times.

Pique:

Favourite Zeppelin Song to hear?

GR:

The live version of No Quarter. Picking a favourite is like trying to pick your favourite puppy out of a bunch. It’s hard.

Pique:

Favourite Zeppelin lyric?

GR:

The words to the Immigrant Song. Such vivid imagery.

Pique:

Favourite Zeppelin legend?

GR:

There's always the infamous "mud shark" story from the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle.

Pique:

Ever slow-danced to Stairway?

GR:

Oh, yeah. Totally.

Pique:

Ever seen Zeppelin live?

GR:

Since the original drummer died in 1980, it’s pretty hard to see them live as they were in all their glory. I have seen Robert Plant solo a few times, and saw the Page and Plant tour twice. The best live experience was when Page and Plant ripped into their version of Nobody’s Fault but Mine.

Pique:

Own any Zeppelin memorabilia?

GR:

I’ve got all their albums on vinyl. I’m dating myself a little bit telling you that. I’ve got a couple vintage ’70s posters, stuff like that.

Pique:

What’s Zeppelin’s mark on rock ’n’ roll?

GR:

I think every hard rock act from the ’70s on was influenced by them in some way.

Pique:

Why is Zeppelin so timeless?

GR:

It's just real damn good music, especially when you hear it played live! We see people my father’s age right down to 19 year olds at our shows, and they all know all the words to every song. It's trans-generational… Did I just make up a word?

Pique:

What can people expect from your show at the Boot this Monday?

GR:

A couple new songs we haven’t played before, and just non-stop, good old-fashioned hard-rockin’ Led Zeppelin.

If you can’t make it to the Zeppelin show on Monday, swing by the Boot on Thursday to catch Reamsbottom and Richard as part of their six-piece jam band. The band will host open mic/instrumental jam sessions starting this week and continuing Thursdays throughout the winter season. Call 604-932-3338 for more information.