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"But Of Course, It Wasn't Led Zeppelin"
2:00 PM GMT 23/07/2010
Robert Plant has backed his reluctance to turn Led Zeppelin's O2 stadium show into a full-blown tour, preferring instead to focus on solo projects in the vein of his Grammy-winning Raising Sand.
"It's really like, What's new?" Plant says in an interview in MOJO magazine, on sale next week. "We did it once. That was really the best Led Zeppelin gig since 1975. But of course it wasn't Led Zeppelin. Let's not forget that."
Plant argues that a Zeppelin without late drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980, did not quite merit the name, but acknowledges that "if the three of us got together and called ourselves 'Page & Jones & Plant' it wouldn't carry the same oomph."
Among other Zep-centric revelations, he describes the scene backstage at the 02, where John Bonham's mother told him, "You haven't changed a bit - you're always scratching your balls."
But it is a different kind of restlessness that drives Plant, discovers MOJO's Keith Cameron. He's the quester who followed his nose from the '60s' Stourbridge beat scene (in groups including Perry Foster's Delta Blues Band and Black Snake Moan), taking on board West Coast psych and lending his full-on banshee wail, luscious hair and born frontman hauteur to Led Zeppelin's rich and heavy music mix.
"Bonzo used to say to me, quite categorically, 'You're no f**king good," Plant recalls. "'Just go out there and look good.' And he was probably right most of the time, from what I've heard on the bootlegs."
Not afraid to move on, even from successful incarnations, Plant enters a new phase with Band Of Joy, his latest album named after the pre-Zep group he formed with John Bonham. It features country-folk-rock rearrangements of songs including Richard Thompson's House Of Cards, the trad arr. Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down and two tunes by Minnesota Mormons Low: Monkey and Silver Rider. Nashville names Buddy Miller, Parry Griffin, Byron House, Marco Giovino and Darrell Scott help out.
Robert Plant's Band Of Joy is out on September 13.
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 2:00 PM GMT 23/07/2010
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having just heard the opening show in the u.s and viewed various youtube clips,i'm shocked and disillussioned by the songs.he can sing his solo/covers in any shape he wants but when it comes to zep songs,i really believe a court injunction should be made to stop him bringing the led zeppelin image into disrepute.i can go to my local and hear better kareoke versions of these songs.PATHETIC
Posted by bernie at 10:54 PM GMT 23/07/2010 Report Abuse
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I am a huge Led Zep fan and a fan of each of the performers solo work. I am rather sad that Robert Plant didn't think the O2 gig was really Led Zeppelin, as Jason Bonham did a fantastic job in tribute to his dad. I think Robert's words could be taken in the wrong way as disrespectful to Jason.
Posted by Jim at 10:16 AM GMT 24/07/2010 Report Abuse
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It wasn't Led Zeppelin, without Bonzo it could never be. That isn't to say that Jason didn't do an excellent job, he did, but that doesn't make it Led Zeppelin.
Robert and John Paul jones are both doing interesting work which is new and creative, how many others from this generation could say the same. If you want Led Zeppelin watch the DVD and listen to the music and remember the greatest Rock and roll band the world will ever see, because it can not be recreated even if the DNA is nearly right.
Posted by Andy at 10:32 AM GMT 24/07/2010 Report Abuse
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Old Man's Cock Rock. Nasty.
Posted by Angela at 3:16 AM GMT 25/07/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: Andy
I whole heartily agree with wat u said!
Posted by Heavenly at 7:51 AM GMT 25/07/2010 Report Abuse
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Plant has long been known to fans to speak with a forked tonque and this is the latest iteration. In interviews he gave in 2007 before the O2 gig, he talked about how they were as good as they ever were and other variations on referring to the band with Jason as "Led Zeppelin" and even made a comment between songs at the O2 about "bringing Jason in" (what as a "temp" he could later discard. Nice way to honor Bonzo's memory by discarding his son!). As for the notion that he has been honoring Bonzo's memory by refusing to reunite LZ and saying Bonzo is irreplaceable, well we know by Plant's own admission that he practiced with a reformed Led Zeppelin in 1986 (and it only failed because the drummer Tony Thompson had a car crash). It was also rumored they almost reunited in 1991 with Mike Bordin on drums. So much for Plant's respect for Bonzo. He does whatever HE wants, disses his contemporaries who give the fans what THEY want and just keep getting more and more irrelevant. What a sad old man.
Posted by Brian at 2:19 PM GMT 25/07/2010 Report Abuse
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Plant probably sees John Paul Jones kicking ass with his new projects and is jealous that he can't rock out like that anymore. His voice has been crap since 1973!
Posted by Mark at 4:45 PM GMT 25/07/2010 Report Abuse
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Great. More Vogon-out-of-touch Starbucks music. Luckily I hate coffee.
Posted by Caffeine Free at 8:38 PM GMT 25/07/2010 Report Abuse
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i love his love for musical adventures.
saying they were not led zep is not offensive, i think it's true, they were 3 from ledzep plus john's son and he0s proud for the way they rocked the o2.
...but he prefers singing country rock songs now and he 's luckly a free artist so indipendent and determined.
his new work sounds fab from the videos here and there and his voice is still so good, he's almost 62 not strange his voice has changed.
ps i'm happy he's singing thank you again . can't wait for seeing the band of joy live in london
Posted by fiamma at 1:10 AM GMT 26/07/2010 Report Abuse
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I am amazed how many people feel the same way I do about Plant these days. When I go on fan Forums, everyone is all defensive about him as though he is still a new, vital, complex artist to be honored. But here we have people without any mental disabilities who just see things as they are and agree that this new Plant venture is nothing but pure self indulgent garbage. Thank God for youtube where people can see the crap before bothering to pay for a ticket to see such an exersize in pain.
Posted by Keeper at 4:52 PM GMT 26/07/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: Jim
Totally disagree. Jason was the weak link at the reunion show.
He hasn't improved since I saw him play with Page in 1988. He's nearly awful.
Would have preferred someone like Matt Johnson, Jeff Buckley's old drummer.
Posted by soldout in SF at 2:51 AM GMT 27/07/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: Jim
Totally disagree. Jason was the weak link at the reunion show.
He hasn't improved since I saw him play with Page in 1988. He's nearly awful.
Would have preferred someone like Matt Johnson, Jeff Buckley's old drummer.
Plant is smart to avoid further reunions. His current work is interesting enough.
Posted by soldout in San Francisco at 2:55 AM GMT 27/07/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: Jim
RE: Jim
Totally disagree. Jason was the weak link at the reunion show.
He hasn't improved since I saw him play with Page in 1988. He's nearly awful.
Would have preferred someone like Matt Johnson, Jeff Buckley's old drummer.
Plant is smart to avoid further reunions. His current work is interesting enough.
Posted by soldout in San Francisco at 2:56 AM GMT 27/07/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: soldout in San Francisco WHY DO YOU KEEP GOING IF YOU KNOW YOU WONT LIKE IT DUMBASS MOTHER FUNKERS
Posted by LEDZEP RULES BUDAPEST at 3:40 AM GMT 27/07/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: LEDZEP RULES BUDAPEST
Sorry mate, for the duplicate posts.
Posted by soldout in San Francisco at 5:02 AM GMT 27/07/2010 Report Abuse
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Much respect to Plant for all he's done, and I have no problem with his projects throughout the years. I go see see him whenever I can in whatever iteration he's peddling just to see the legend while I still can, and I enjoy it. However...I believe the reason he will not do the Zep reunion is as someone not so tactfully alluded to; he can't pull off a reasonable recreation of the Zep vocals anymore. THAT'S what's not Zeppelin anymore, and his ego won't stand him being the weak link in a months long Zeppelin tour. All that being said, I wish it would happen, I'd go see it regardless...
Posted by Brian at 6:46 PM GMT 29/07/2010 Report Abuse
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If you want to see a great performance of black dog, look on you tube for the Dick Clarke American Music Awards, Led Zep reunion, purists will not like it, no JPJ and what looks like the great Mike Shrieve from Santana fame on drums, but Page is brilliant as allways, and changes the format somewhat!..........Brilliant
Posted by Barry Laver at 1:29 PM GMT 30/07/2010 Report Abuse
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If you want to see a great performance of black dog, look on you tube for the Dick Clarke American Music Awards, Led Zep reunion, purists will not like it, no JPJ and what looks like the great Mike Shrieve from Santana fame on drums, but Page is brilliant as allways, and changes the format somewhat!..........Brilliant
Posted by Barry Laver at 1:30 PM GMT 30/07/2010 Report Abuse
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It is very likely that Robert would never have achieved anything had not Jimmy tracked him down and offered him the gig.His voice was never that good,really,but his use of it as a quasi-instrumental foil to Jimmy's guitar was inspired,and became the Zeppelin sound.Listen to Them Crooked Vultures and try to imagine the Robert Plant of 69/73 soaring and groaning on top!
But...he can't sing like that anymore;actually,he can't really sing anything anymore. Like Elvis in Vegas,the body still walks and the ladies who were teenagers when the grizzled greybeard was the golden god remember baby,baby,baby,do you like it....and sigh.
Me:I'm waiting to see what Mr.Page does next. Come on Jimmy,time's a wasting.
Posted by Bill Dedalus at 12:12 PM GMT 31/07/2010 Report Abuse
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Yuk it up to the bank again Chuckles. You horrible english man - stay in Europe and make money off your own country's music for a change!
Posted by Aaron at 6:25 PM GMT 05/08/2010 Report Abuse
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So many cruel and nasty posts. I'm shocked by the viciousness of some of them. He'd be thought pathetic if still WAS only doing Zep songs, but what, he's pathetic if he wants to follow his heart and do something else? If he was still young and gorgeous who would criticize his choices? Nobody. Ageism!
Posted by lovesoldrockers at 3:17 AM GMT 11/08/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: lovesoldrockers
It's not 'ageism' that people are pissed about. It's the fact that he isn't doing anything new and he refuses LZ. Most of us here don't have any connection or interest in yank roots music. I think its cool that he found a niche to present it, but not everyone wants to hear it.
I stopped listening to RP's music years ago. The ambition behind it was far ahead of the heart that should have been before it. The music always came across as calculating, manipulative, and vindictive no matter how skillful the band. It is a reflection I refuse to support and I am sure the "new" endeavor will not be an exception.
He is not all lollipops and rainbows. So expect negative criticism -its good for him. Although it will be laughable when this endeavor wins a grammy!
Posted by RightOn! at 10:50 PM GMT 11/08/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: RightOn!
(I meant laughable at the expense of the negative comments - not RP) - sorry about the lack of clarity!
Posted by RightOn :) at 1:49 AM GMT 12/08/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: bernie
Look bernie, first of, anyone who writes their own songs can sing them any crazy way they wants to(not saying that plant's version is crazy in any way, it's rootsy and different and people like you always seem to have a problem with things being different). If you have a problem with the music dont's listen to it, but don't come barging in with your pathetic views on what a musician who's worked for more than 40 years doing music that you could not even dream of manifesting should do. Do you play music? If so as a musician you should open up your little ears and have a listen to differents types of music that are more influential to the music that you call sacred, yes Zeppelin's music. By the way, people here seem to forget that the voice is a organic instrument, as a person ages their voice, like the rest of their muscles age as well. Robert Plant is doing what he can with his voice, and I think he's actually sounding better know than a few years back. Yeah, how shocking (sarcasm btw)!! Yeah, some of his comments are sometimes a bit of the I-don't-want-to-know type, but to me he is still a refreshing artist to hear, who steeres away from all the typical musical fashion's of the day. He plays what he wants, how he wants, and in the end IT'S HIS MUSIC FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!
Posted by Gabriel at 9:42 PM GMT 14/08/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: Gabriel
Yo defender of Robert Plants dying voice. I play the vielle. Shall we start a menstral or are you too old for that?
Posted by Michael at 1:32 AM GMT 15/08/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: Michael
Ehhh good for you mate?...have fun with your menstral.
Posted by Gabriel at 3:49 AM GMT 15/08/2010 Report Abuse
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RE: Gabriel
"He plays what he wants, how he wants, and in the end IT'S HIS MUSIC FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!"
If we pay we can be critical. No one is making Robert Plant perform and one doesn't have to be a musician to love music.
When you get pissed at a football player you carry on right? Do you personally play football?
Football is an organic sport blah blah blah.. yap yap yap besides, this is the end anyway... so catch his show, get on your knees shut up & amen I'm not married to you!
Posted by yappity flapping harpie at 8:37 PM GMT 16/08/2010 Report Abuse
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Plant: the luckiest rock artist in history.
Posted by latexsolarbeef at 5:42 PM GMT 22/08/2010 Report Abuse
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Wow, you lot are seriously snarky.
Let it GO. He doesn't want to play with Jonesy and Pagey now. He's happy. He's healthy. His records are selling. He is really well-liked and respected. You don't like his new stuff, don't buy it.
Grow Up and stop bitching like babies.
Posted by Feather at 4:14 AM GMT 27/08/2010 Report Abuse
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