Brian Johnson and that Led Zeppelin cover at a wedding

Brian Johnsonfrontman of AC/DC, e Mark Tremontiguitarist of Alter Bridge and Creed, who perform a cover of the Led Zeppelin? Well yes. A curious fantasy came true at former baseball player Johnny Damon’s wedding in Florida in 2004.

“Johnny is a famous baseball player in the United States: he lives in my neighborhood and is a friend of mine,” says Tremonti. “He invited us to his wedding, and Brian Johnson was there. Someone said to me: ‘You should go up to Brian and see if he wants to come on stage and play with you. Go and get among the instruments of the wedding band!'” And the guitarist didn’t have to be told twice.

“He was having a drink and I went up behind him and said, ‘Hi, Brian, I’m Mark, I’m a guitarist. Do you want to get on stage and play some songs?’ He said, ‘Fuck yeah, man!’. Immediately. Without a second thought!” The two played three songs together, although Tremonti only remembers the first: “Rock and roll“, from Led Zeppelin’s landmark 1971 album, “Led Zeppelin IV”.

“We didn’t play a single AC/DC song,” he adds. “And then it went on like that, with more people coming on stage, and I think I played two more songs. I don’t remember what the second or third was, but it got to the point where people were saying, ‘Oh, I’ll sing!'” A real one jam sessions with Brian Johnson on the microphone.

2004 was a year of great changes for Tremonti. His hard rock band Creed broke up at the beginning of the year and in June he founded the AlterBridge featuring Myles Kennedy and former Creed members Brian Marshall (bass) and Scott Phillips (drums). Alter Bridge’s debut single, “Open Your Eyes”, was released on June 11, exactly one week after Creed publicly confirmed their split.