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Robert Plant: A Life by Paul Rees, major new biography of Robert Plant


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HarperCollins has signed world rights for a major new biography of rock star Robert Plant.

Robert Plant: A Life is written by former Q and Kerrang! editor Paul Rees, and is based on in-depth interviews with those closest to to the Led Zeppelin frontman as well as access to the singer himself.

Natalie Jerome, publishing director at Harper Non-Fiction UK, and Denise Oswald, senior editor for It Books/HarperCollins US, bought the rights from Matthew Hamilton at Aitken Alexander and Matthew Elblonk at DeFiore and Company. The book will be released in the UK in October 2013, and appear in the US in January 2014.

It will follow Plant's career from early folk gigs in the 1960s in the Black Country, to his globe-spanning success with rock pioneers Led Zeppelin, as well as his recent Grammy-winning career working alongside bluegrass singer Alison Krauss.

Jerome said: "Robert Plant¹s stature as one of the greatest frontmen of all time is without question and as fans of his music from Led Zep to present, we have long wanted to publish his story. This book is as close to Plant telling his own story in his own words as we've seen or heard to date.

"Paul's close professional relationship with Robert is going to make for a revealing read and we can't wait to bring one of the greatest untold rock n' roll stories to the world."

Source: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/hc-buys-robert-plant-biography.html

Robert Plant is one of the few genuine living rock legends. Frontman of Led Zeppelin, musical innovator and seller of millions of records, Plant has been a profound influence on music, culture and modern history for over 40 years. Volumes have been written on the Zeppelin story, but Plant’s tale has barely been told – until now.

Vividly written and meticulously researched by acclaimed music writer Paul Rees, Robert Plant: A Life is an indispensible part of any music bookshelf.

For more than a decade, Robert Plant led one of the biggest and most successful rock bands of all time: Led Zeppelin. The sheer scale of their success is extraordinary: in the US alone they sold 70 million records, a figure surpassed only by the Beatles, while Stairway to Heaven, the band’s most recognisable song, has been played more times on American radio than any other track.

But Plant’s legacy stretches far beyond the band. Here Paul Rees, ex-Editor of Q and Kerrang! magazines, whose professional relationship with Plant spans decades, brings the whole picture into focus for the first time – from the forces that shaped him as a boy in the Black Country to the ravaging highs and lows of the Zeppelin years; from his relationship with Jimmy Page and John Bonham to the solo career that today, at the age of 62, sees him producing some of the most acclaimed work of his career.

Told with tenacity, emotion and the spark of brilliance that befits such an enigmatic frontman, this is the definitive story of a man of incredible talent, remarkable courage and extraordinary conviction.

ISBN: 978-0-00-751487-8

Size: 153x234mm

Format: Hardback

Imprint: HarperCollins

Division: HarperNonFiction

UK: £ 20.00

Canada: $ 39.99

Ireland: $ 20.00

UK: 24 October 2013

Canada: 25 October 2013

Australia: 01 November 2013

Source: http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/Titles/82764/robert-plant-a-life-paul-rees-9780007514878

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So even though he's getting close to 65, it's going to cut off at 62? That's too bad since he's been pretty busy in the last few years.

For casual fans everything since the release of Raising Sand can (and may) probably be summed up in a paragraph or two.

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For casual fans everything since the release of Raising Sand can (and may) probably be summed up in a paragraph or two.

Couldn't you replace "release of Raising Sand" with the words "end of Led Zeppelin" basically?

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For casual fans everything since the release of Raising Sand can (and may) probably be summed up in a paragraph or two.

I think even a casual fan appreciated what he did with the Band of Joy. It was big here in America.

Plus his on-going musical relationship with Patty Griffin bears a read for sure.

Robert has done a lot of interesting things since Raising Sand I think.

The guy never stops moving. Unlike his former partners....

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I was hoping this book would be pretty accurate of a biography, but I guess it may not be. Got the idea it was well supported by Robert, but not much detail about it yet. Anyone know how much involvement Robert has with this and his support for the book?

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I don't think so at all.

I don't personally think that. I just meant that based on the comment that to a casual fan nothing past Raising Sand would be of any interest, that for many "casual" fans the same could be said for nothing past Led Zeppelin being of interest. If there was going to be a biography on his life, I personally would like to read about his entire life and not leave off from three years ago. Still, I'm not expecting there to be much to this book other than rehashing interviews that people have already read and trying to weave a story out of them

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Totally agree

"Casual" fans aren't going to be interested in the one album he's released since Raising Sand? Somehow, I don't buy that. Casual fans also aren't going to be interested in anything beyond Led Zeppelin disbanding in 1980 either? Live Aid, the Atlantic Records reunion, the 02? My guess is, if someone is interested enough in Plant to buy a biography about him they are more than a casual fan to start with.

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I think even a casual fan appreciated what he did with the Band of Joy. It was big here in America.

Plus his on-going musical relationship with Patty Griffin bears a read for sure.

Robert has done a lot of interesting things since Raising Sand I think.

The guy never stops moving. Unlike his former partners....

Um, John Paul Jones has been doing some moving himself. In fact, his list of collaborators is at least as varied and long as Robert Plant's...maybe even more so. I mean, the guy has worked with Diamanda Galas and Supersilent.

Back to the topic...I'll try to stay optimistic, but the more I read about it, the more it sounds like Brad Tolinski's Jimmy Page book last year. Okay as a casual overview, but nothing essential and groundbreaking like Nick Tosches' Jerry Lee Lewis bio "Hellfire" or Peter Guralnick's Elvis Presley bios, "Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless Love".

But, like Knebby, I'll keep hope alive. After all, Robert Plant is long overdue to be given a proper and authentic biography, such as have been written for Dylan, the Beatles, and the Stones already.

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"Casual" fans aren't going to be interested in the one album he's released since Raising Sand? Somehow, I don't buy that. Casual fans also aren't going to be interested in anything beyond Led Zeppelin disbanding in 1980 either? Live Aid, the Atlantic Records reunion, the 02? My guess is, if someone is interested enough in Plant to buy a biography about him they are more than a casual fan to start with.

And there are plenty of fans that got turned on to The Band of Joy even though they weren't Zeppelin fans.

Band of Joy was awesome and a very exciting band in its own right.

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And there are plenty of fans that got turned on to The Band of Joy even though they weren't Zeppelin fans.

Band of Joy was awesome and a very exciting band in its own right.

I agree. I met quite a few fans at both the Raising Sand and Band of Joy shows that had only become Robert Plant fans with these respective albums. They didn't like the Led Zeppelin screaming wailing banshee years, but preferred his later stuff.

Oh, and Virgil Kane is no longer around to answer you...in a shocking development, he's been driven down.

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