LZ's 50th Anniversary not a happy one everyone.

[SteveAJones]

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 1:48 PM, Yossarian said:

It does seem however that Robert is less happy with questions. He has never been my favorite personality, I prefer Jimmy's take on the music and the history. Jimmy seems to enjoy sharing more as he has gotten older, something I appreciate.

Robert is still touring and recording, in addition to his own promotional responsibilities. Jimmy is not, so he has much more time to do so. Led Zeppelin is forever Jimmy's garden, and he still loves to putter around in it. "Look, over there I've planted some remasters, and here the previously unseen are about to bloom".   

[Jukkin]

On 5/1/2018 at 11:55 AM, andrew r said:

I read the article, everything was humming along until the 50 th

was brought up . Plant always goes into this "the cost of it all" spiel 

but i suspect more than the loss of lives (sad though that is) its the irritation he feels 

that a band he left 38 years ago continues to dominate the narrative about him.

In his eyes what he has done in the intervening period should have equal ,if not greater weight musically .

Unfortunately for him ... it doesn't

Paul McCartney left his band 48 years ago yet seems happy to accept his legacy and happy to play mostly Beatles songs when he's on tour. He also has a touring band that recreates the Beatles sound wonderfully well. He issues his own albums every few years and gets to front 'The Beatles' on tour. 76 years old and still happy as a clam and still a rock god.
Plant needs to understand that there is such a huge demand for Zeppelin to play some shows again. It's too late now of course but at least he should accept that people continue to hope and at least be gracious when answering the question. BTW has he ever given a proper reason why he doesn't want to do it? I don't recall reading of one but I may well have missed it.
 

[andrew r]

12 hours ago, Jukkin said:

Paul McCartney left his band 48 years ago yet seems happy to accept his legacy and happy to play mostly Beatles songs when he's on tour. He also has a touring band that recreates the Beatles sound wonderfully well. He issues his own albums every few years and gets to front 'The Beatles' on tour. 76 years old and still happy as a clam and still a rock god.
Plant needs to understand that there is such a huge demand for Zeppelin to play some shows again. It's too late now of course but at least he should accept that people continue to hope and at least be gracious when answering the question. BTW has he ever given a proper reason why he doesn't want to do it? I don't recall reading of one but I may well have missed it.
 

He usually trots out "i am not that man anymore "    "we couldn't do it justice "

"show some respect for John's memory "  "that was then, if you want nostalgia listen to the records"

In reality i feel he views Led Zeppelin as a necessary evil  that alllowed him to advance this far with his career.

He has no intention of going back. As far as the o2 is concerned check his body language at the encore 

something changed (was something said about doing it again) that made him completely against any 

mention of a reformation. That continues today.  Alternately it's just ego ."Iam bigger than that band 

can't you all see it?"

[Mook]

20 hours ago, Jukkin said:

Paul McCartney left his band 48 years ago yet seems happy to accept his legacy and happy to play mostly Beatles songs when he's on tour. He also has a touring band that recreates the Beatles sound wonderfully well. He issues his own albums every few years and gets to front 'The Beatles' on tour. 76 years old and still happy as a clam and still a rock god.
Plant needs to understand that there is such a huge demand for Zeppelin to play some shows again. It's too late now of course but at least he should accept that people continue to hope and at least be gracious when answering the question. BTW has he ever given a proper reason why he doesn't want to do it? I don't recall reading of one but I may well have missed it.
 

Plant doesn't need to understand anything, he seems quite happy with his lot. When rock stars start bending over for music journalists & their stupid questions, we should all just pack up & go home.

 

[Jukkin]

3 hours ago, Mook said:

Plant doesn't need to understand anything, he seems quite happy with his lot. When rock stars start bending over for music journalists & their stupid questions, we should all just pack up & go home.

 

Successful artists make millions from people buying albums and concert tickets so to imply that the hopes of fans are of no matter or are an irritant - journos with their access can ask the questions that fans rarely get the chance to, is  a bit rich. These questions get asked at interviews or press conferences arranged by the artist to promote a record, book or tour so if Plant doesn't want to be asked yet again about Zeppelin then maybe he should not hold so many press conferences. He is asked again and again for one very good reason, time has almost run out. Yeah, sorry if Plant' gets the hump with being asked again and again but I'm sure sipping on chilled Moet in his beautiful home will ease the strain....remembering who paid for his lifestyle of course.

[Mook]

Plant is rich because he's contributed immensly to our musical enjoyment over the years, not because he's a great interviewee.

Personally I don't feel the need to demand anything from him, Page or Jones because I'm eternally grateful for what they've given us. Other people are clearly more 'high maintenence'.

[gibsonfan159]

Zeppelin fans- "Boy, I don't care how old you are, you gonna get on that there stage and play me a song or I'll get my whooping stick out. YOU HEAR ME BOY?"

Edit: This doesn't include all fans, but many of them it seems.

[Jukkin]

7 hours ago, Mook said:

Plant is rich because he's contributed immensly to our musical enjoyment over the years, not because he's a great interviewee.

Personally I don't feel the need to demand anything from him, Page or Jones because I'm eternally grateful for what they've given us. Other people are clearly more 'high maintenence'.

Not talking about demanding at all. Merely saying that he should be a little less off-hand in his responses to being asked about another reunion as Zeppelin are not just another band, they are second only to The Beatles in impact and in the quality of their music. So many people have become fans in the years after the band was done and so even the slightest chance they might have a chance to see Zeppelin play is grabbed at. Plant gets asked the question all the time for two reasons; he has been the sole holdout, and he has never sat down for a few minutes to clarify why he won't do it any more. Do you think the journo's care that much? Of course not but they know their readership does. Whatever you say about Plant's right to do whatever he wants I maintain that he has a moral obligation to explain to Zeppelin's younger fans just why he will never go back. It's very simple, either Plants continues to get exasperated by being asked repeatedly about performing as Percy again or he gives the fans his reasons in a way that makes it clear to them that the door is firmly closed for good. The choice is his - and I don't think it's too much to ask of him at all.

[Jukkin]

3 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Zeppelin fans- "Boy, I don't care how old you are, you gonna get on that there stage and play me a song or I'll get my whooping stick out. YOU HEAR ME BOY?"

Edit: This doesn't include all fans, but many of them it seems.

Many, many people have become fans in the years since Bonzo's death. I would bet it's those younger fans that hope against hope that they might still have a chance to see Zeppelin someday and for them, they know that if Robert was to say "yes" they could get their wish. When only one band member is holding out fans believe there is still a chance things might change. I'm 65, I no longer give a crap about live bands as my recliner and the blu-ray of TSRTS is about my rock 'n' roll limit these days but that doesn't mean I can't put myself in those younger fans position and imagine the hunger to see Zeppelin just the one time.

[gibsonfan159]

55 minutes ago, Jukkin said:

Many, many people have become fans in the years since Bonzo's death. I would bet it's those younger fans that hope against hope that they might still have a chance to see Zeppelin someday and for them, they know that if Robert was to say "yes" they could get their wish. When only one band member is holding out fans believe there is still a chance things might change. I'm 65, I no longer give a crap about live bands as my recliner and the blu-ray of TSRTS is about my rock 'n' roll limit these days but that doesn't mean I can't put myself in those younger fans position and imagine the hunger to see Zeppelin just the one time.

Plant tours regularly, Jones usually has something going on. Jason does his Led Zeppelin Evening shows. Page is the only one you can't see. So it's not really a matter of not getting to see them. And even if they all toured together, I would hardly call it "Led Zeppelin". That band is long gone.

[chef free]

Truth be told, it's Jimmy "I have some great stuff coming soon" Page who's pissing me off...

[76229]

2 hours ago, chef free said:

Truth be told, it's Jimmy "I have some great stuff coming soon" Page who's pissing me off...

If he'd just admit he's retired from live performance I wouldn't mind, but it's the "I'm working on some er...things / new music / Andean nose flute instrumentals" dance he so often dances that irritate me. But the truth is, in musical terms he doesn't owe you me or any of us anything. Nor does Plant or Jones.

[Mook]

4 hours ago, Jukkin said:

Not talking about demanding at all. Merely saying that he should be a little less off-hand in his responses to being asked about another reunion as Zeppelin are not just another band, they are second only to The Beatles in impact and in the quality of their music. So many people have become fans in the years after the band was done and so even the slightest chance they might have a chance to see Zeppelin play is grabbed at. Plant gets asked the question all the time for two reasons; he has been the sole holdout, and he has never sat down for a few minutes to clarify why he won't do it any more. Do you think the journo's care that much? Of course not but they know their readership does. Whatever you say about Plant's right to do whatever he wants I maintain that he has a moral obligation to explain to Zeppelin's younger fans just why he will never go back. It's very simple, either Plants continues to get exasperated by being asked repeatedly about performing as Percy again or he gives the fans his reasons in a way that makes it clear to them that the door is firmly closed for good. The choice is his - and I don't think it's too much to ask of him at all.

You maintain that he has a moral obligation but it's not demanding?

Ok.

I was born in 1979 & I don't need anything else from anyone who was in Led Zeppelin. This culture of entitlement that younger people have now irritates me far more than anything Robert Plant has ever done. He's not going to reform Led Zeppelin again, time for some people to move on with their lives.

[Jukkin]

17 hours ago, Mook said:

You maintain that he has a moral obligation but it's not demanding?

Ok.

I was born in 1979 & I don't need anything else from anyone who was in Led Zeppelin. This culture of entitlement that younger people have now irritates me far more than anything Robert Plant has ever done. He's not going to reform Led Zeppelin again, time for some people to move on with their lives.

I disagree.It's not about entitlement it's about the hunger to see the band for themselves, just once. When Lennon died, George Harrison famously said that "The Beatles will not be getting back together as long as John Lennon remains dead". And so that was that. However, with Zeppelin it's different, Page and JPJ wanted to continue after 2007 but Plant nixed it. Fans want to see their heroes in the flesh, playing the music they love. So, if there is the slightest chance that Plant might change his mind, they will continue hope and interviewers will continue to ask because of that hope - was it two million applications for O2 tickets? Tells you all you need to know about how desperately fans want to see the band. Is it demanding? Sure. However it is nothing to do with entitlement and everything to do with passion, for the band and for the music. You can't knock fans for hoping against hope, it's human nature.

[Mook]

Yeah, fair enough, mate.

I guess some people have that need to see old musicians reliving their youth for money, it's understandable even if it's not for me.

[Stryder1978]

3 hours ago, Jukkin said:

I disagree.It's not about entitlement it's about the hunger to see the band for themselves, just once. When Lennon died, George Harrison famously said that "The Beatles will not be getting back together as long as John Lennon remains dead". And so that was that. However, with Zeppelin it's different, Page and JPJ wanted to continue after 2007 but Plant nixed it. Fans want to see their heroes in the flesh, playing the music they love. So, if there is the slightest chance that Plant might change his mind, they will continue hope and interviewers will continue to ask because of that hope - was it two million applications for O2 tickets? Tells you all you need to know about how desperately fans want to see the band. Is it demanding? Sure. However it is nothing to do with entitlement and everything to do with passion, for the band and for the music. You can't knock fans for hoping against hope, it's human nature.

The Guinness Book of World Records (2010 Edition) says Led Zeppelin broke the record for the Highest demand for tickets for one musical concert when 20 MILLION requests came through for the one-time reunion show on December 10, 2007.  Unofficially, the web site to fill out the application received over 1 billion hits that week and caused the site to crash several times. 

[Christopher Lees]

Reading the Plant interview, I think he's making a huge mistake dwelling on the sadness of Bonham dying. It's been 38 years; time to let it go! People die. Are you going to mope around your whole long life because someone died? We all lose our parents, brothers, friends and other people we love dearly, every bit as much as Plant loved Bonham, but normal people get on with life and LIVE. Life is about living. It's about the present, not the past. Plant lives in September 1980, but why? He's a debbie downer about the 50th anniversary. You'd think at his age he would have learned by now to let things go. I mean, does he WANT to be sad all this time? Seriously, it's time to let it go.

[Christopher Lees]

On 11/17/2018 at 8:55 AM, andrew r said:

He usually trots out "i am not that man anymore "    "we couldn't do it justice "

"show some respect for John's memory "  "that was then, if you want nostalgia listen to the records"

In reality i feel he views Led Zeppelin as a necessary evil  that alllowed him to advance this far with his career.

He has no intention of going back. As far as the o2 is concerned check his body language at the encore 

something changed (was something said about doing it again) that made him completely against any 

mention of a reformation. That continues today.  Alternately it's just ego ."Iam bigger than that band 

can't you all see it?"

All this talk of Plant's career is really overblown. Compared to Zeppelin, his career is negligible, frankly. His big ego doesn't like it that he rode Jimmy's coattails into stardom and couldn't make it on his own. After Zeppelin, it seems like he had this conversation with himself where he said, "I've got to show the world (read: my big ego) that I don't need Zeppelin to do my thing. I need new praise and I seek new glory based all on me, me, me (Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!)" I think it's all ego, all the time. None of this horseshit about the car accident, losing his son and Bonham dying has anything to do with Led Zeppelin. It has to do with life, and life happened while he was active in Zeppelin. Does he really think that Zeppelin was a curse and that if he wasn't in Zeppelin, then his son would be alive today? Gimme a break. This is all about ego. He should be nothing by grateful and cheerful when it comes to all things Zeppelin. We all have a tough time in life, all of us, and so did Plant, but at least he was in Led Friggen Zeppelin in between time! For goodness sakes!

[Christopher Lees]

On 11/17/2018 at 8:39 PM, Jukkin said:

Successful artists make millions from people buying albums and concert tickets so to imply that the hopes of fans are of no matter or are an irritant - journos with their access can ask the questions that fans rarely get the chance to, is  a bit rich. These questions get asked at interviews or press conferences arranged by the artist to promote a record, book or tour so if Plant doesn't want to be asked yet again about Zeppelin then maybe he should not hold so many press conferences. He is asked again and again for one very good reason, time has almost run out. Yeah, sorry if Plant' gets the hump with being asked again and again but I'm sure sipping on chilled Moet in his beautiful home will ease the strain....remembering who paid for his lifestyle of course.

Took the words right out of my mouth (or off my fingertips). I can't stand the "I'm so famous blues - boo freaking hoo". He doesn't want to answer questions. (please). You know what I don't want to do? Sometimes I don't want to answer my client's questions! I don't even want to answer the phone sometimes when they call to complain about something. But you know what? It's because of them that I have a good living, and I appreciate them, and they deserve my appreciate and respect, so I swallow it, pick up the phone and smile, "Hey Mr. Client, how are you doing today!" So I don't want to hear any complaining from the rich pop star about what an annoyance journalist's questions (who are asking for the fans) are. I don't feel bad for any rich, famous sons of bitches. I just don't. Yeah, money doesn't buy happiness. I know. Yeah, money and fame ain't all it's cracked up to be. I know, I know.

I love Zeppelin and I'll always like all the members, but sometimes the arrogance is pretty disgusting.

[andrew r]

Pant doesn't understand that when he shares a stage with JP and JPJ 

some magic alchemy occurs .Do what he likes, fool himself if he wants to ,

it doesn't occur with anybody else he plays with. He knows this deep down 

it annoys him on a profound level.He is a stubborn proud man so he invents reasons  

for not reforming the band. Zeppelin now is a necessary evil  in his career but given the 

barest of respect and time within it. 

[SteveAJones]

15 hours ago, Christopher Lees said:

His big ego doesn't like it that he rode Jimmy's coattails into stardom and couldn't make it on his own. After Zeppelin, it seems like he had this conversation with himself where he said, "I've got to show the world (read: my big ego) that I don't need Zeppelin to do my thing. 

Unsure if you are a casual fan or not but the fact is Robert Plant was by no means an unknown when Jimmy Page invited him to join Led Zeppelin. He was an established regional artist on what was known as the Ma Regan circuit https://beechdaleblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/02/ma-regan/ and cut at least a half dozen demos with his Band of Joy. So again, my point is Robert was a little known but not unknown rising star. Jimmy's coattails?! He was a preeminent session man who had made a splash with The Yardbirds and conceived a vision of what he wanted to achieve next. I guarantee you if you read the album and live reviews Plant is equally at the forefront of the public's interest and attention by Summer 1970.  Post-1980 he was wise enough to realize that given the New Wave and Next Wave of British Heavy Metal he HAD TO reinvent himself as a solo artist if he was to avoid becoming a parody and a cliché of what he was in the 1970s. Personally, I find his studio and live output from 1980-85 to be commendable for the authenticity and conviction with which they were developed and executed. It remains my favorite era of his musical direction by far.

Nearly everything that Robert Plant expresses about John Bonham, particularly over the past 10 years, carries an undertone of survivor's guilt.    

[andrew r]

1 hour ago, SteveAJones said:

Unsure if you are a casual fan or not but the fact is Robert Plant was by no means an unknown when Jimmy Page invited him to join Led Zeppelin. He was an established regional artist on what was known as the Ma Regan circuit https://beechdaleblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/02/ma-regan/ and cut at least a half dozen demos with his Band of Joy. So again, my point is Robert was a little known but not unknown rising star. Jimmy's coattails?! He was a preeminent session man who had made a splash with The Yardbirds and conceived a vision of what he wanted to achieve next. I guarantee you if you read the album and live reviews Plant is equally at the forefront of the public's interest and attention by Summer 1970.  Post-1980 he was wise enough to realize that given the New Wave and Next Wave of British Heavy Metal he HAD TO reinvent himself as a solo artist if he was to avoid becoming a parody and a cliché of what he was in the 1970s. Personally, I find his studio and live output from 1980-85 to be commendable for the authenticity and conviction with which they were developed and executed. It remains my favorite era of his musical direction by far.

Nearly everything that Robert Plant expresses about John Bonham, particularly over the past 10 years, carries an undertone of survivor's guilt.    

Guilt yes, he more or less had given up on Zeppelin and Bonham by 1980 

Bonham must have been a nightmare at this point to deal with  so you move on and protect yourself 

Then the inevitable happens ,you are now free to pursue a solo career ,but the guilt, could you have helped ?

Would he still be here ? dogs you forever. (and yes i speak from personal experience of this situation)

[Mook]

18 hours ago, Christopher Lees said:

Reading the Plant interview, I think he's making a huge mistake dwelling on the sadness of Bonham dying. It's been 38 years; time to let it go! People die. Are you going to mope around your whole long life because someone died? We all lose our parents, brothers, friends and other people we love dearly, every bit as much as Plant loved Bonham, but normal people get on with life and LIVE. Life is about living. It's about the present, not the past. Plant lives in September 1980, but why? He's a debbie downer about the 50th anniversary. You'd think at his age he would have learned by now to let things go. I mean, does he WANT to be sad all this time? Seriously, it's time to let it go.

Congratulations, that is the most ridiculous post I've seen on the internet in a while.

[porgie66]

5 hours ago, Mook said:

Congratulations, that is the most ridiculous post I've seen on the internet in a while.

Haha, agreed. WTF? Can you imagine saying that to Robert? Good grief. 

[ZepHead315]

On 12/5/2018 at 1:47 PM, Christopher Lees said:

Reading the Plant interview, I think he's making a huge mistake dwelling on the sadness of Bonham dying. It's been 38 years; time to let it go! People die. Are you going to mope around your whole long life because someone died? We all lose our parents, brothers, friends and other people we love dearly, every bit as much as Plant loved Bonham, but normal people get on with life and LIVE. Life is about living. It's about the present, not the past. Plant lives in September 1980, but why? He's a debbie downer about the 50th anniversary. You'd think at his age he would have learned by now to let things go. I mean, does he WANT to be sad all this time? Seriously, it's time to let it go.

I'm sorry to be rude but this is utterly ridiculous. First of all, Plant hasn't spent the last 38 years "moping around". He's established a solo career for himself and explored different musical avenues than he did with Led Zeppelin. Sure, you may not like it, but the fact is that he's continuing to progress in his career. Also, "negligible"? He's had 4 Top 40 US hits, 4 Top 40 UK hits, 4 albums in the US Top 10, and 7 albums in the UK Top 10. Sure, not Zeppelin numbers, but certainly nothing to scoff at.

Furthermore, I'd say he's gotten on with life, especially more so than Page has. Who is the one continuing to issue remaster after remaster of TSRTS? Who is the one continuously promising a new live album/tour every year and ALWAYS failing to meet those promises? Who is the one who hasn't put out any new music of value in 20 years?

Plant recognizes that Bonham was a huge part of Zeppelin's sound. Sure, Jason is good, but he's still nothing compared to his dad. All four members made Led Zeppelin what they were. It's a thing of the past. Plant knows that, hence why he's been carving out his own solo career. If that's not reflective of a philosophy of living in the present and not the past, then I'm not sure what is.