eternal light Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 The night Elvis serenaded me - by Robert Plant Dec 13 2008 By Paul Cole IT was the night the King of Rock serenaded the Black Country boy made good. Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has revealed how Elvis Presley sang to him backstage. The 60 year-old heavy rock icon from West Bromwich met his idol in the early 1970s. And what followed was a surreal serenade that Plant has never forgotten. “I met Elvis with Zeppelin after one of his concerts in the 70s,” he recalls. “He wasn’t quite as tall as me but he had a singer’s build – a good chest ideal for belting out those big songs. “As we all chatted Jimmy Page (the Led Zeppelin guitarist) joked with Elvis that we never bothered much to do soundchecks before our gigs. “But when we did do them, all I wanted to do was sing Elvis songs! “Elvis thought that was really funny and asked me what my favourite song was, which tunes I enjoyed the most. “I told him I liked the ones with all the moods, like that great country song Love Me. “You know, the one that goes: ‘Treat me like a fool, treat me mean and cruel, but love me’.” Elvis looked thoughtful and nodded quietly, recalls Plant, who is himself now singing country songs with Alison Krauss. “We had an illuminating and funny 90 minutes with Elvis,” he continues. “When we were leaving, I was just walking down the corridor when he swung round the door frame, looking quite pleased with himself, and started singing that song to me. “Treat me like a fool ... “I turned around and did my best Elvis right back at him. We stood there for quite a while, singing to each other!” Plant reckons that Elvis was the greatest singer ever to grace a pop stage. He first heard The King while he was still living at home in the Black Country, and Presley’s early Sun singles sparked in a him a love of rock and roll. “There is a difference between people who sing and those who take that voice to another, otherwordly place,” explains Plant. “The first Elvis song I heard was Hound Dog. I heard this voice and it was absolutely in its own place. The voice was confident, insinuating and taking no prisoners . “He had those great whoops and diving moments, those sustains that swoop down to the note like a bird of prey.” Plant believes that Elvis became trapped by his own success, and wanted to experiment beyond the cabaret performances of the years before his untimely death, at the age of 42. “Because of the forces around him, it was difficult for him to stretch out with more contemporary songwriters,” he says. “He didn’t have many fresh liaisons to draw upon – his old pals weren’t going to bring him anything new. “I know he wanted to express himself more in music, but what he did do was make it all possible for people like me.” Robert voted for Presley in Rolling Stone magazine’s poll to find the 100 greatest singers in rock and pop. The full results, including Robert Plant’s own 15th position, appear at www.rollingstone.com. http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands...66331-22470919/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bustle In My Hedgerow Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Funnily enough, I dug out my Hammer of the Gods copy last night on a whim. I know the book is mostly crap, but I read this part... weird. Allegedly (and I use that word for a reason) Peter Grant sat on top of Elvis' sleeping dad when this meeting took place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternal light Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 Funnily enough, I dug out my Hammer of the Gods copy last night on a whim. I know the book is mostly crap, but I read this part... weird. Allegedly (and I use that word for a reason) Peter Grant sat on top of Elvis' sleeping dad when this meeting took place. I don't remember that part but here is the story. This sounds like another mystery. http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/music/led_...meet_elvis.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninelives Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Funnily enough, I dug out my Hammer of the Gods copy last night on a whim. I know the book is mostly crap, but I read this part... weird. Allegedly (and I use that word for a reason) Peter Grant sat on top of Elvis' sleeping dad when this meeting took place. A couple of years ago, Robert recalled his meeting with Elvis and said they were escorted to this room where Elvis was holding court and when Peter walked in, he must have tripped and fell right on top of Elvis' dad who apparently was very frail and the sight of Peter falling on him was quite something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Man meets his hero. Something that everyone would like to do. Very cool EL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabe Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 It does my heart good every time I think about these musical heavyweights together in a room shooting the shit. Wish there was a video floating about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bustle In My Hedgerow Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Peter did not see Vernon on the couch and he accidentally sat on him. Quite funny. That's what I read.. I didn't want to quote the book exactly though because we all know it's mostly a crock of shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badson Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 “Because of the forces around him, it was difficult for him to stretch out with more contemporary songwriters,” he says. “He didn’t have many fresh liaisons to draw upon – his old pals weren’t going to bring him anything new. I think this is how Plant feels about Page and Jones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepyep Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Hi all, I think this is how Plant feels about Page and Jones. Excuse me,how do you know? IMVHO,I think Jimmy and JPJ took Robert to places he never thought he'd go! Bonzo too!Ok,before I go off the hook,... I have read that passage(Cole/HOTG/etc) meeting Elvis!Hot-damn!Can you see that? The King,Robert,Pagey and Jonesy shooting the shoot! John Henry meet him to? I'd would have liked them to all jam together,.....Scotty??????????? KB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUCK'EYE' DOC Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I think this is how Plant feels about Page and Jones. I totally agree with you. If you read what Robert has said on numerous occasions, this is exactly his sentiment. He has said this every decade since the demise of Led Zeppelin, anytime a reunion is mentioned to him. How many times does he have to say it before we finally accept it? But then again, he does get together with Jimmy and Jonesy for the intermitent one-off performance, keeping our hopes alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternal light Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 I totally agree with you. If you read what Robert has said on numerous occasions, this is exactly his sentiment. He has said this every decade since the demise of Led Zeppelin, anytime a reunion is mentioned to him. How many times does he have to say it before we finally accept it? But then again, he does get together with Jimmy and Jonesy for the intermitent one-off performance, keeping our hopes alive. It has been very easy to accept it all along. I see no reason for anyone to be stuck in an artistic rut. Change is the only constant in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vega Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Funnily enough, I dug out my Hammer of the Gods copy last night on a whim. I know the book is mostly crap, but I read this part... weird. Allegedly (and I use that word for a reason) Peter Grant sat on top of Elvis' sleeping dad when this meeting took place. he he When I read "sat on top of ... sleeping dad" I thought that was another urban slang expression of some kind I remember there was a thread on Robert's meeting with Elvis, possibly the "LZ mysteries" thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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