Led Zeppelin plan Plant-free tour

Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones has told the BBC that the band is planning to tour and hit the studio - but without frontman Robert Plant.

Plant has apparently ruled himself out of the line-up, so Jones, Jimmy Page and Jason Bonham are looking for someone to step up to the mic. Jones said: "We are trying out a couple of singers. We want to do it. It's sounding great and we want to get on and get out there."

Zeps fans will probably be relieved to learn that the plan is not to recruit a Plant-a-like. Jones explained: "It's got to be right. There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band."

Led Zeppelin's last full-fat outing was at the O2 arena back in December last year - described by Jones as "very hard work" but "wonderful". He enthused: "The most pleasure is making music. I love listening to it, but nothing as much fun as having an instrument in my hand and communicating with people." ®