If not for Atlantic Records Ahmet Ertegun, Led Zeppelin may well have languished away in obscurity, or been banished to the one-hit wonder pile. It was the late Atlantic Records co-founder and president who took a very personal interest in the group, above and beyond the call of duty. From the first time he ever listened to Zeppelin’s self-produced first album in 1968, Ertegun became the band’s champion at the label and nurtured their growth over the years like a proud father.
Another band Ertegun remained close friends with over the years was the Rolling Stones. While attending a concert at New York’s Beacon Theatre six years ago this month, Ertegun fell down a flight of stairs and hit his head on the concrete floor. He later slipped into a coma and died December 14, 2006 at the age of 83.
Led Zeppelin was at first devastated by the loss of their mentor, but Ertegun’s death would soon propel them into positive action. The tragic event actually become the impetus for a reunion concert both Mr. Ertegun and Zeppelin’s fans had waited 27 years for.
The surviving members of Led Zeppelin – Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and the late drummer John Bonham’s son Jason – agreed to get the band back together one last time in Ahmet’s memory. One year later, the dream became reality when they took the stage at London’s O2 Arena to raise money for the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund.
This once-in-a-lifetime concert is now being released as a feature-length concert film. “Celebration Day” hits select theaters worldwide for two nights only: Oct. 17 and 18. The DVD/CD version will be released in six formats on Nov. 19. At a press conference this week in New York, the members of Led Zeppelin gathered to talk about the inspiration behind their 2007 reunion concert: Ahmet Ertegun.
“When we were kids in England, actually before Jason was born, we were individually all avid music lovers and vinyl junkies,” said Robert Plant. And the greatest thing on the planet ever to be considered would be to be signed by Atlantic Records, because of the integrity and the roster of Atlantic Records was phenomenal and probably unbeatable.
That first (Led Zeppelin) album, taking that home on an Atlantic label and showing it to your friends, it didn’t really matter what happened after that, everybody hated you,” Plant chuckled softly. “As the years progressed, Ahmet became quite attached to us. I think he liked the after-show relaxations that we had, maybe even more than Jerry Wexler did.” Plant exchanged a knowing smile with Jimmy Page.
” Ahmet never really lost his energy and his love of music and the musicians he’d gotten to know even if they’d changed labels or gone some other place. When he had his accident, everything hung on him returning back to normal and that never happened. In England and also here in New York, everybody wanted to do something to recognize how much we loved the guy.”
” Bit by bit, things took shape,” Plant continued, “and the idea for a tribute concert for Ahmet evolved. But never out of sight was the fact that Ahmet was a personality as well as a real music lover. He was a seer, in many respects. Everybody’s got a different story about him, but I don’t think we are going to tell any of them.” Plant grinned, coyly stroking his beard. “You could have wonderful times with Ahmet, talking to him about everything from Coltrane and the Modern Jazz Quartet to Ratt and White Lion.”
Plant’s deadpan pregnant pause after naming off two `80s hair metal bands elicited a collective laugh from the assembled reporters. (Those that were actually old enough to remember Ratt and White Lion, anyway.)
“The other night I went to the Beacon Theatre to see Johnny Halladay (known as “the French Elvis”), actually.” Page added. “And it dawned on me while standing backstage that’s where Ahmet had the accident. It hit me really strong, I have to tell you.”
Led Zeppelin will be honored this year along with blues legend Buddy Guy – another former Atlantic recording artist – at the Kennedy Center in December. The native British band expressed great excitement at being chosen for this prestigious award, because the recipients are recognized for making unique contributions to American culture.
“We owe such a massive debt to American music,” Page agreed. “It’s a thing that definitely seduced us all to be want to be part of the music.”
“Everything that we talk about is American, from our music tastes more or less (and maybe north African and Egyptian).” Plant agreed. “So the fact that we get to go to this thing and meet the most dynamic and charismatic American outside of America – Obama – bar none is a great great privilege. Our mutual love of and absolute and total influence by American music whether its from Mississippi or Chicago in 1982 – it’s great because we’re sort of Americans but…not – of course.”
