Led Zeppelin defend Live Aid DVD move

Led Zeppelin’s former members have defended a decision to pull out of the Live Aid DVD which is being released by Bob Geldof to raise money for Sudan.

The remaining members of the rock group have refused to allow what they called their “sub-standard” 1985 performance to be included in the movie.

Geldof is hoping to sell eight million copies of the DVD and raise as much as £320m (€484m) for famine relief in Africa.

Zeppelin’s three surviving members, singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones, today said they fully supported the fundraising project, but that they considerd their performance in Philadelphia to be “sub-standard”.

They have pledged part of the proceeds from their forthcoming Page and Plant DVD, which is being released in October, to the charity campaign instead.

Plant, Page and Jones were joined by Phil Collins, the Genesis drummer and solo artist, on stage in Philadelphia, while a simultaneous Live Aid performance took place at Wembley.

The band’s original drummer, John Bonham, had died after a heavy drinking session in 1980, on the eve of an American tour.

While Live Aid sparked rumours of “reunion” for the band, who announced they were disbanding after Bonham died, concert-goers said the performance was lacklustre.

In a statement released today, the remaining members of Zeppelin said: “Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones are in absolute full support of the fundraising project for the people of Sudan.

“However, Jimmy, Robert and John Paul found that both the sound and general reproduction of their performance at Live Aid Philadelphia was sub-standard.

“To show their ongoing support Jimmy and Robert have therefore pledged proceeds from their forthcoming Page and Plant DVD release to the campaign.

“John Paul Jones will be donating the proceeds of his current US Tour with Mutual Admiration Society to the project.”