A nyone who tried and failed to get tickets to the Led Zeppelin reunion gig at the O2 Arena two years ago, will know how huge the band still are with their dedicated fans. For what was their first full performance in 19 years, tickets cost £125 and were in such demand they were allocated by ballot.

Luckily, Led Zeppelin tribute bands are doing great business and one, claiming to be among the most popular and top rated on the circuit today, is coming to Tunbridge Wells this month.

Letz Zep have been featured on BBC TV and ITV, as well as receiving a glowing review in Kerrang! magazine and a full-page feature in Classic Rock magazine. They've even been reviewed in The Sunday Times by Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

But the best accolade the band has received in its 10 year history is praise from Led Zeppelin themselves. In fact, so taken were they that Letz Zep were invited to play at the official launch party for Led Zeppelin's Mothership CD.

Legendary Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant said it was like watching himself on stage.

Vocalist Billy Kulke bears a strong physical resemblance to Plant. Originally from Liverpool, Billy came to London in the 1980s and had considerable success with his own band, touring throughout Europe with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Roger Daltrey.

Billy is also the voice of The Led Zeppelin Project, performing classical Led Zeppelin with the 65-piece full orchestration of Led Zep music by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, in New Zealand.

His performance is so convincing that Led Zeppelin's management thought it was Robert Plant himself, threatening to take legal action if the orchestra did not immediately desist using a photo of Robert Plant to promote the gig. The orchestra made it clear that the photo was not of Plant, but of Billy.

Go! spoke to Billy ahead of the band's visit to Tunbridge Wells.

How did you form the band?

"We did it all at first as a hobby. And we wanted to do our favourite band, which of course was Led Zeppelin. And we just did two or three gigs a year.

How did you discover you could emulate Robert Plant?

"We were all musicians anyway but it wasn't overnight. There was a lot of listening back to what I was doing and seeing how I could improve, picking out where I sounded like him and where I didn't.

"You're trying to get into the mind of how Plant would sing and how he would approach a song. So it's more of a recreation rather than an impersonation."

What was it like the night Robert Plant himself walked into one of your gigs?

"Somebody said he was coming but no-one believed it. But he came in, fashionably late of course, and all the lights in this small venue in Camden streamed in behind him and there he was in silhouette. And the whole place came to a standstill.

"I was just thankful I could remember the words of the next song!"

And he was impressed?

"He was. He gave us the old thumbs up, passed on his best wishes and all that. And he said if we can inspire kids to come along and pick up guitars themselves, then good luck to us.

"You can't get a better recommendation than that."

And you're very successful – you've toured most of the world.

"We have. We go to Spain a few times a year; Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand. We're even supposed to be going to Japan next year."

Would you say that times are good for tribute bands?

"I think they are. You've got to be good of course but I find that a lot of theatres, who are approaching us for shows now, in the past said they wouldn't do tribute bands. They've put one on and it's been a success and in these times you need bums on seats. So they're turning to us more and more.

"And it's popular. People still want to hear the music. And of course they don't get the chance to see the real Led Zeppelin very often."

Did you go to the reunion gig at the O2 yourself?

"I did yeah. I was right down the front, standing next to Noel Gallagher and Lisa-Marie Presley.

"I just kept walking closer to the stage, no-one stopped me."

No-one mistook you for Plant then?

"Well loads of people asked for a photograph but I thought surely they know Robert Plant isn't standing in the audience!"

By Caroline Read

The Forum, Tunbridge Wells November 27 Tickets £13 from www.moles music.com or 01892 557333 Also at Westcombe Park Sports Club in Orpington on December 11.