Zeppelin’s Jones, Galas Try New Terrain : Pop Beat: The unlikely pair joins forces to create a sound just outside the realm of traditional rock.

The collaboration of ex-Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones and confrontational vocalist Diamanda Galas may seem as freakish as a double cream and battery acid smoothie. But remember, before Elvis peanut butter and banana sandwiches were considered outlandish too.

“It’s less surprising once you hear what we’ve done,” says Jones, 48. “I do believe there are some people at our shows going, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ But fortunately, they’re the minority.”

While the much-publicized reunion of Jones’ ex-band mates Jimmy Page and Robert Plant finds the two milking old Zeppelin songs for all they’re worth, Jones--who was never even contacted about the venture--is veering off into new terrain with Galas on their album “The Sporting Life.”

Jones and Galas, who perform at the Wadsworth Theater on Sunday, meet on a bizarre plain just outside the realm of traditional rock, and bring with them a bristling edge of dark humor.

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Galas lets her many dramatic voices rip, sounding as if she’s channeling dozens of turbulent souls through her thin frame, while Jones--playing eight-string bass and lap steel guitar, co-writing half the songs and producing the record--provides a weighty foundation of menacing blues and rock.

Jones is not only comfortable with the pairing, but also draws parallels between his recent and past work.

“Zeppelin was always known at the time, at least I thought, as being innovative and exciting on stage,” says Jones, who hooked up with Galas last year at the urging of a mutual friend. “We’re doing both of those things. It’s basically a rock act with some blues, some soul. . . . Like Zeppelin, we cover a lot of bases.”

Since Zeppelin split in 1980, Jones has played with Brian Eno, written music for R.E.M., produced a Butthole Surfers record and scored several films, among other endeavors. He’s been a fan of Galas since his wife introduced him to the artist’s 1982 debut album, but Zeppelin is something Galas only recently discovered.

While Jones was playing “Stairway to Heaven” to stadiums full of kids in the ‘70s, the San Diego-born Galas was honing her performances in subterranean Berlin.

“A few years back I was touring with some people who were listening to Zeppelin a lot,” she says in a separate interview. “I kept saying, ‘Damn, what is this? The bass and drums are just killer!’ They said it’s the Jones and (John) Bonham rhythm section, and I thought ‘Now that’s the kind of power I’m looking for.’ ”

Jones’ presence has brought a lot of new fans into the dramatic realm of Galas, and has also given Jones a chance to spread his wings a little.

“I’m glad to be doing something that’s ‘out there,’ that’s challenging,” Jones says. “It’s not some airy, weird stuff, but instead hard, uncompromising and ultimately satisfying.”

* Galas and Jones play Sunday at the Wadsworth Theater, Veterans Administration grounds, Brentwood, 8 p.m. $26 and $23. (310) 825-2101.

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Jac Zinder: L.A.’s underground music scene lost a major catalyst last week when promoter, deejay and critic Jac Zinder died in an automobile accident on Thanksgiving. Zinder, whose Fuzzyland was one of the city’s coolest and most eccentric clubs, had been supporting obscure and offbeat bands since his days as a sound man at the Anticlub in the early ‘80s.

Following his full devotion to the weird, he went on to set up his own shows and tiny clubs (including Third Eye) wherever there was space, supporting such bands as L7, Beck and Extra Fancy along the way. As a deejay he was able to spin everything from lounge tunes to Middle Eastern mantras and make them danceable. Zinder, 33, also wrote for the L.A. Weekly seemingly about every form of music around.

“(Jac’s) tireless work at making a cool underground will be missed,” said L7’s Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner in a faxed statement. “We can’t count the number of times we’d see him around town passing out flyers for some truly bizarre show or club he’d concocted. He was a master patron of the obscure and absurd. We’ll miss him.”

A memorial performance is being organized for next Saturday at the site of Fuzzyland: Mr. T’s Bowl, 5621 Figueroa St. in Highland Park.