Robert Plant Opens Up About Led Zeppelin Reunion, Failed Follow-Up With Alison Krauss

Rolling Stone ^ | January 6, 2011 | Andy Greene

[ConservativeStatement]

In the new issue of Rolling Stone - on stands and online in the digital archives now (subscription required) — Robert Plant explains to writer Stephen Rodrick why he was unwilling to keep performing with Led Zeppelin after their 2007 reunion concert.

[wardaddy]

This thread is a bad trip......bee gees good.....Zep and stones bad.........good God....beam me up keith

[Lancey Howard]

A few years ago I saw The Police, and it was one of the best concerts I ever had the pleasure to attend. Great seats, too, spitting distance from Sting. (And I, too, go way back. My first concert was a general admission "dance concert" at the Spectrum in Philly in 1970 ('71?) with Humble Pie, and Black Sabbath, opening for Mountain. A zillion more concerts followed, but I never saw Zep back then.)

Anyway, The Police did a full 2+ hour concert with just the three of them - - no side men at all - - and filled the place with music. I commented to my daughter afterwards how impressed I was with all the sound produced by just three guys. Not "thin" in the slightest, as I would have expected. By the way, the opening act for The Police was Elvis Costello, and he was terrific, too. Sting came out near the end of the set and sang 'Alison' with Elvis.

[equaviator]

“The song, Taurus by Spirit...”

BTW, what LZ song would that have been if LZ had indeed plaguerized the above song by Spirit?

Also, what album by Spirit is “Taurus” from? I have quite a bit of Spirit and I don’t seem to recall what it sounds like.

[equaviator]

Top right- looks like Alison Cammarota of Fox and Friends

[equaviator]

“Was that Jeff Beck smashing up the amp and guitar?”

No, it was Jimi Hendrix in a Jeff Beck suit!

[untwist]

I am watching Fox & Friends as you posted this. Although I might see a vague resemblance, Alisyn is way hotter. I get up early on Saturday just to see her - smokin’ hot!

[dennisw]

Anyway, The Police did a full 2+ hour concert with just the three of them - - no side men at all - - and filled the place with music. I commented to my daughter afterwards how impressed I was with all the sound produced by just three guys. Not "thin" in the slightest, as I would have expected. By the way, the opening act for The Police was Elvis Costello, and he was terrific, too. Sting came out near the end of the set and sang 'Alison' with Elvis.

"Just the three of them"   (the Police)
Is a lot different today than 25 years ago
Today the sound enhancements that can be added and optimized

For the 2007 Led Zep concert I'm sure the sound was a lot fuller than when the same tunes with the same on stage instrumentation were played in 1970. How and why?

[equaviator]

I agree. AC’s not a lesbian, either.

[Yardstick]

Have you ever listened to the Zep live album The Song Remains The Same? They sound huge. So I’m not sure the critical piece is Robert Plant’s stage antics.

RE Plant scrubbing the reunion, I’ll bet if you could really get inside his head, you would find that there’s some kind of an issue with Jimmy Page at the bottom of it. I’ll bet Page kind of wanted to run the show but Plant didn’t feel like submitting to that again.

[Straight Vermonter]

Why do you think they didn’t pay royalties?

The book "Hammer of the Gods" suggested they just flat out stole a lot of their stuff.

[dennisw]

The hoopla and crowd hysteria can make one accept the live concert sound by the Police, Rolling Stones, what have you.... In ways you would never accept listening at home in calmer moments

Older “live” albums were notorious for being overdubbed and sonically enhanced
The kids today have crap music like rap today, we had it much better.

[The Comedian]

Arrgh! I hate you guys!

I had Zep tickets to the Madison Square Garden concert.

Then Bonham very inconsiderately *died*, canceling not only the concert, but the tour, and the band.

Bastard.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[SamAdams76]

He can pull it off vocally. But visually it is too ridiculous for a 65 year old man with a gray goatee and grayish hair to be jumping around like the 40 year old Robert Plant. Mick Jagger has looked ridiculous for 20 years.

Fully agree. Like certain NFL quarterbacks, there are rock stars who stick around so long after their prime that they become caricatures of themselves. They should spend more time in the studio and less time on stage trying to recapture the spark of their former 25-year-old selves.

Not too many rock stars can pull off a long career well into their 60s but it does happen. As much as I dislike the man's politics, Bruce Springsteen is one who still puts a great rock concert. He's also one who performs much better on stage than in the studio.

[SamAdams76]

Actually "In Through The Out Door" is my favorite Led Zep album. Probably because it was the only LZ album I was old enough to buy when it first came out. My favorite tracks from that album were "Fool In The Rain", "Carouselambra" and "All Of My Love" which all hold up well today. There were a couple of throwaways that didn't belong there like "Hot Dog" but overall, a strong album that was to take them in a different direction in the 1980s had Bonham not died. If I had to pick my least favorite LZ album, it would have been "Presence".

A few years after the LZ break-up, Robert Plant released a single called "Big Log". That is one of my favorite songs of alltime and probably the best best indication of what Zeppelin might have sounded like in the 80s had they continued as a band.

[csvset]

I saw LZ twice on their '77 tour. It was outdoors at the Oakland Coliseum. Not so good. I saw Allison Krauss back in 2002. She has a wonderful voice.

The next show I hope to see is Hot Tuna, I can hardly wait.

[dennisw]

Not too many rock stars can pull off a long career well into their 60s but it does happen. As much as I dislike the man's politics, Bruce Springsteen is one who still puts a great rock concert. He's also one who performs much better on stage than in the studio.

Bruce Springstein has can still do his old songs with credibility and stage presence equivalent to what he had when 25-35 years old
#1 Key reason is he is always playing a guitar so is not expected to dance, jump and cavort all over the stage the way Jagger and Plant did being singers only. And Jagger still tries to pull off at age 67??? lol
#2 is he (Springstein) still has a reasonably full head of black hair
#3 I don't like his politics...as far as his music only 2-3 songs grab me. But they say he puts on a bofo show. Ever hear of the Cask and Flagon near Fenway?

[dennisw]

http://www.thegardentapes.co.uk/tgt.html

Here is an analysis and deconstruction of how songs within “Song Remains the Same” were pieced together from different concerts and had minor overdubs

[Hotlanta Mike]

http://www.thegardentapes.co.uk/tgt.html

Here is an analysis and deconstruction of how songs within “Song Remains the Same” were pieced together from different concerts and had minor overdubs

---

Great read, very interesting. Best LZ albums for me are LZ IV and Presence. Particular favorites include Achilles Last Stand and Tea for One. Also like very much Since I’ve Been Loving You from LZ III, of which Tea for One is similar style (minor blues).

You know who else is a great LZ fan? Joe Bonamassa, who is considered to be the best blues rock guitarist at the moment.

http://www.jbonamassa.com/bio.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfKD22Q8VzM

Sloe Gin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46UFXQVSnKs&feature=related

Happier Times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePsPTWGmR-w&feature=related

His latest project is Blsck Country Communion

http://jbonamassa.com/2011/01/music-news-reviews-bcc-shepherds-bush-show/

Mistreated (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8eRQIq3NXI

[Moonman62]

Mick Jagger has looked ridiculous for 20 years.

Yep. Carrying all that money to the bank makes him walk funny.

[dennisw]

I listened to your boy Bonamassa....well done!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGF5y0B1eJU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e8WZ9ijgmE&feature=related