With the exception of Robert Plant, the chaps that took the stage at London's O2 last winter under the Led Zeppelin banner have been sending signals that they are ready to get serious about a tour. Whatever the group comprised of original Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham will be calling themselves on the road, it seems certain that it won't be Led Zeppelin.

Recent word from a spokesman for Jimmy Page said that the group has no intention of working together and using the name Led Zeppelin unless Robert Plant is involved. The latest word from Plant regarding any reunion tour is that he has no interest in touring at all for at least two years.

So it appears that all the rumors lately about Page, Jones and Bonham rehearsing with potential lead singers like Steven Tyler, Chris Cornell, Jack White, Dave Grohl and Myles Kennedy might be an indication that they have indeed decided to tour without Plant.

How fans will respond to a tour by "almost Zeppelin" will be interesting to see if it comes to pass. I certainly agree that their decision to avoid the use of the name Led Zeppelin is a wise choice, and lessens the possibility of diminishing the group's legendary status.

There are probably a lot of fans that refuse to accept the name Led Zeppelin ever being used again after the passing of original drummer John Bonham, so a potential backlash from fans as a result of using the name Led Zeppelin for a group with only two original members is a real possibility.

Whatever they are up to, it seems that Page, Jones and Bonham are serious about it, and we seem to be inching a bit closer to some type of announcement from the trio. Whatever it ends up being, it is sure to have the rock newswire buzzing with activity.