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Jimmy Page talks to Rollingstone about Post-O2 Plans


kenticus

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Ultimately, Robert Plant had no interest in carrying on. "He was busy," says Page. "He was doing his Alison Krauss project. I wasn't fully aware it was going to be launched at the same time."

Well, I can understand if Jimmy means he was not fully aware of Robert & Alison's intentions in June 2007 when it was initially decided upon to perform a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun, but certainly Jimmy must have known by the end of summer...in October 2007 Robert and Alison spent several days in New York City conducting a series of high-profile interviews to promote their new album. Extensive touring to support it (April to September 2008) followed, with several dates announced well in advance of the 02 concert.

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Yes Seriously I am a huge fam of a lot of Plant's post Zep work but the thread and story is about Jimmy...Maybe these new remasters will just kill and everyone will be happy..."reunion"is a word that has been used so much it ceases to have meeting...McCartney and Ringo play a song and its a "Beatles reunion"!...I think Jimmy may surprise us in the next year no matter what the project is...I guess I am the only one who saw It Might Get Loud...people talk like Jimmy disappeared 20 years ago...it is really an interesting little film found on Blu ray for 6.99 ..even if u dont like white or the Edge...It's a look at the musical side of jimmy page and things that are overlooked in favor of occult-oriented questions people shouldnt even care about after 40 years...

I agree andI saw It Might Get Loud the day it was released in theaters and bought it the day it came out on DVD.

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Robert Plant couldn't be more clear in showing people where he's at these days. He loves the Buddy MIller/ Patty Griffin- Nashville/ Austin music scene. And he will continue to keep his Stange Sensation collaboration together from time to time. I believe his relatioinship with Patty Griffin is first and foremost in his life right now. By the way Patty Griffin is an amazing singer/songwriter. I this Robert is in awe of her talent, and for good reason.

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I just finished reading the whole interview several times over.

It will take some time to digest, but I come away first of all thinking...

Supposedly this was an over 8 hour interview conducted over 2 days.

The interview does not touch on much that JP or Zep fans don't already know.

RS was being deliberately provocative (as usual) leading with the Plant vs Page angle. (Not cool, RS!)

When asked "what is it in Robert as a collaborator do you find attractive?"

In very typical Page fashion he answers with a question, "What is the quality in me that attracts him?"

Then he says,"Maybe there isn't one because were not working together!"(laughs)

He makes no promises or much of a comment on any future solo projects.

Which, even if he has 3 brand new whole solo albums recorded he would not tell RS!

Page is still very careful and very wary (and rightly so) of what he says and how he says it.

Even the answers about playing with Jason and JPJ after the o2, nothing new is revealed.

When told that Steven Tyler had said he was involved, Jimmy asks, "Did he say he sang?....well then he did! [grins]. The timing wasn't the best."

I get the message that Page saw what could very well quickly turn into a train-wreck and decided to stop.

He owns up to the fact that he is the founder and keeper of all things Zeppelin.

His message is very clear that he takes that job very seriously!

His answer to any question meant to be provocative is, "the music will still be here when all the myths fade!"

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I just finished reading the whole interview several times over.

It will take some time to digest, but I come away first of all thinking...

Supposedly this was an over 8 hour interview conducted over 2 days.

The interview does not touch on much that JP or Zep fans don't already know.

RS was being deliberately provocative (as usual) leading with the Plant vs Page angle. (Not cool, RS!)

When asked "what is it in Robert as a collaborator do you find attractive?"

In very typical Page fashion he answers with a question, "What is the quality in me that attracts him?"

Then he says,"Maybe there isn't one because were not working together!"(laughs)

He makes no promises or much of a comment on any future solo projects.

Which, even if he has 3 brand new whole solo albums recorded he would not tell RS!

Page is still very careful and very wary (and rightly so) of what he says and how he says it.

Even the answers about playing with Jason and JPJ after the o2, nothing new is revealed.

When told that Steven Tyler had said he was involved, Jimmy asks, "Did he say he sang?....well then he did! [grins]. The timing wasn't the best."

I get the message that Page saw what could very well quickly turn into a train-wreck and decided to stop.

He owns up to the fact that he is the founder and keeper of all things Zeppelin.

His message is very clear that he takes that job very seriously!

His answer to any question meant to be provocative is, "the music will still be here when all the myths fade!"

Bayougal65, thanks for giving some perspective as one who has actually read the interview in it's entirety. Like I said earlier, I think Rolling Stone presents things very much to how their agenda wants them to be seen. I'm not surprised at all that Jimmy was somewhat guarded in his responses with the way these things get turned around even when you are careful. Too bad to hear there wasn't really any new information though.

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A 4 December 1980 press statement stated that, "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were", and was simply signed "Led Zeppelin".

Q: And is that why you were against doing a Led Zeppelin reunion tour?

ROBERT: Yes. Sure is. It was a great band. You can't actually get it together, like Deep Purple or something, and take it out there. It's incredibly old. It's like doing the goosestep. Out of fashion. I don't think it's a good idea. But the whole thing was off the wall. It was crazy. One of those one-in-a-million combinations.

I was astounded that I'd fallen into the idea so easily of playing with Jimmy and Jonesy again, albeit mechanically, not in the name Led Zeppelin. I was letting myself down, my own individuality, my own persona and everything I'd worked for. I was sticking a knife in its side. It's kind of Robert Plant. And Robert Plant was being superseded by the return of the monster. I could see that it was making a lot of people happy. A lot happier than they were the night before when I played in Detroit with the new band. And the cackling cries of "Where's Jimmy?" continued wherever I played next. Media-wise, the band became far more of a backing than they really were. So, that was a hard one to get over for them.

But with this band and this music, basically I wanted to get across to college kids, because my music.... I think about it a lot, I work hard on it and I don't want it to get just wishy-washed around with all the formula music. 'Cause I wanted to get to the kids that wondered what happened to the guy who was the king of fucking rock in 1961. (http://www.artistwd....lant/robert.php)

“It’s almost as if people can’t see that I have other projects. It’s like a woman with white heels and a pencil skirt passing by will attract my eyes, but most will miss it completely,” the former frontman said (via tourdates.co.uk).

While frontman Robert Plant originally sat down with Ben Jones on Absolute Radio to talk about his current work with singer/violinist Alison Krauss, the conversation eventually turned to the Led Zeppelin reunion that could have been. "The reason that it stopped was because we were incomplete and we've been incomplete now for 28 years," Plant says. "No matter what you do, you have to really guard the discretion of what you've done in the past and make sure that you have all the reasons and the right place to be able to do something with absolute and total conviction." (http://www.absoluter...-Alison-Krauss/)

But just as his Krauss collaboration was lifting off, Zeppelin reunited for one night only at the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert at London’s O2 Arena in December 2007, with Jason Bonham taking his father’s place behind the drum kit.

“I really had a wonderful time,” says Plant. “It was the best Led Zeppelin gig since 1975.” Many would like the reunion to have continued, including his band mates. When I spoke to Jimmy Page earlier this year, he said: "You’d better ask Robert Plant what the future of Led Zeppelin is.”

So I put the question directly to Plant: would he do it again?

“I don’t think so,” he sighs. “You’ve got to have a lot in common with the people you’re working with at this time in your life. Everything has to move on and forward, in all relationships.

"I know that bands that haven’t put out a record for 10 years are playing to 20,000 people a night. But that’s not the achievement. The achievement is to knock yourself out. It’s a very selfish thing. The tail must never wag the dog.” (http://www.telegraph...in-reunion.html)

"It was an amazing evening," Plant says. "The preparations for it were fraught and intense, but the last rehearsal was really, really good, for all that it represented and all that we were trying to capture. But I've gone so far somewhere else that I almost can't relate to it...It's a bit of a pain in the pisser to be honest. Who cares? I know people care, but think about it from my angle - soon, I'm going to need help crossing the street."

"There's nothing worse than a bunch of jaded old farts, and that's a fact," he says. "People who have written their story — they've gotten to the point where nothing moves. I don't deal in that, and I don't deal with anybody who deals in that."

Read more: http://www.rollingst...6#ixzz2Czq9IIGu

A 4 December 1980 press statement stated that, "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were", and was simply signed "Led Zeppelin".

Q: And is that why you were against doing a Led Zeppelin reunion tour?

ROBERT: Yes. Sure is. It was a great band. You can't actually get it together, like Deep Purple or something, and take it out there. It's incredibly old. It's like doing the goosestep. Out of fashion. I don't think it's a good idea. But the whole thing was off the wall. It was crazy. One of those one-in-a-million combinations.

I was astounded that I'd fallen into the idea so easily of playing with Jimmy and Jonesy again, albeit mechanically, not in the name Led Zeppelin. I was letting myself down, my own individuality, my own persona and everything I'd worked for. I was sticking a knife in its side. It's kind of Robert Plant. And Robert Plant was being superseded by the return of the monster. I could see that it was making a lot of people happy. A lot happier than they were the night before when I played in Detroit with the new band. And the cackling cries of "Where's Jimmy?" continued wherever I played next. Media-wise, the band became far more of a backing than they really were. So, that was a hard one to get over for them.

But with this band and this music, basically I wanted to get across to college kids, because my music.... I think about it a lot, I work hard on it and I don't want it to get just wishy-washed around with all the formula music. 'Cause I wanted to get to the kids that wondered what happened to the guy who was the king of fucking rock in 1961. (http://www.artistwd....lant/robert.php)

“It’s almost as if people can’t see that I have other projects. It’s like a woman with white heels and a pencil skirt passing by will attract my eyes, but most will miss it completely,” the former frontman said (via tourdates.co.uk).

While frontman Robert Plant originally sat down with Ben Jones on Absolute Radio to talk about his current work with singer/violinist Alison Krauss, the conversation eventually turned to the Led Zeppelin reunion that could have been. "The reason that it stopped was because we were incomplete and we've been incomplete now for 28 years," Plant says. "No matter what you do, you have to really guard the discretion of what you've done in the past and make sure that you have all the reasons and the right place to be able to do something with absolute and total conviction." (http://www.absoluter...-Alison-Krauss/)

But just as his Krauss collaboration was lifting off, Zeppelin reunited for one night only at the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert at London’s O2 Arena in December 2007, with Jason Bonham taking his father’s place behind the drum kit.

“I really had a wonderful time,” says Plant. “It was the best Led Zeppelin gig since 1975.” Many would like the reunion to have continued, including his band mates. When I spoke to Jimmy Page earlier this year, he said: "You’d better ask Robert Plant what the future of Led Zeppelin is.”

So I put the question directly to Plant: would he do it again?

“I don’t think so,” he sighs. “You’ve got to have a lot in common with the people you’re working with at this time in your life. Everything has to move on and forward, in all relationships.

"I know that bands that haven’t put out a record for 10 years are playing to 20,000 people a night. But that’s not the achievement. The achievement is to knock yourself out. It’s a very selfish thing. The tail must never wag the dog.” (http://www.telegraph...in-reunion.html)

"It was an amazing evening," Plant says. "The preparations for it were fraught and intense, but the last rehearsal was really, really good, for all that it represented and all that we were trying to capture. But I've gone so far somewhere else that I almost can't relate to it...It's a bit of a pain in the pisser to be honest. Who cares? I know people care, but think about it from my angle - ,soon I'm going to need help crossing the street."

"There's nothing worse than a bunch of jaded old farts, and that's a fact," he says. "People who have written their story — they've gotten to the point where nothing moves. I don't deal in that, and I don't deal with anybody who deals in that."

Read more: http://www.rollingst...6#ixzz2Czq9IIGu

^ *sigh* I'd be more than happy to help him cross the street. :wub:
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In the new RS article one thing that WAS discussed was Page's involvement in the XYZ project, even revealing that someone had approached Robert Plant about singing with the group. But he wasn't interested.

He does say he has the multi-tracks and hopes that someday they see the light of day! :)

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In the new RS article one thing that WAS discussed was Page's involvement in the XYZ project, even revealing that someone had approached Robert Plant about singing with the group. But he wasn't interested.

By February '81 - when Squire & White began working with Page - Robert had already been recording with Ricky Cool on harmonica and Kev J. O'Neill on drums; this lead to gigging as The Honeydrippers in March '81. Robert has joked about the XYZ project (paraphrasing), "An XYZ pen was sent to me but it was out of ink".

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RP made it clear months before the gig that as far as he was concerned it was a one-off. Presumably the rest of the band were aware of his stance too...

The rest of the band wanted to tour also. That seems to be well documented. Meaning not just Jimmy. JPJ and Jason. Its disappointing. Jagger is going to die on stage.

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Zeppelin inner dynamics always were weird to me.

Everybody is pulling the rug to himself- be that business, song-writing, legacy...

Plant always goes out of his way to prove Zeppelin was only him and Page(especially during Page/Plant interviews) but in fact it was Jones and Page that worked on the music-at l least he had balls to admit that in BBC documentary.

Page again takes every chance to brush his feathers.RS article proves. Rightfuly so.

Celebration Day press conferences were awkward,weird to watch. Those looks, grins...

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Bought 2 mags., last nite!

Good reading about these mags, in this 4/m dough.

Thx.!,...Ladies and Gentleman.

But (that 'WORD' w/a Crack in it) qoute Jason Bonham back in 96-7-or 8, hehe (dah'e!) as we were getn a BUZZZZZ on,...

"There were Money Trucks coming to the House, ALL THE TIME!!!"

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the reason zeppelins inner dynamics seem wierd to you ( elderer ) is I believe that there really isn't aclose relationship between these 3. Plant and Bonham had a close personal relationship. The surviving members are more business partners than actual true friends. Or at least their actions and mannerisms towards each other have always seemed to indicate.

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It's only natural friends drift apart anyway...I think from watching the Blu ray and dvd that Plant most definitely still relates to Page as a musician and can still find a groove there but best friends that last a life time are rare if not imposssible to find ...I think people tend to simplify..."this one is mad...this one smirked"...its not that heavy...It looked like Plant had fun that night but maybe has more fun with a different band or 2 now..that's not a crime...and I do agree with Bonzo gone it changed the dynamics of the 4 forever...its only natural...My Mother died this morning at 330 am...things like that change u and ur perspective forever at any age I think What Plant took from that great night was a tribute to Ahmet and pride in Jason's playing and revisiting old places one last time...not a "rebirth" or "reunion"

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I picked up & read both "Rolling Stone" & "Mojo" yesterday & it's quite obvious that Page is pissed at the outcome of what could have been, particularly at Robert. I found it to be quite refreshing because at least publicly Page has always been reluctant to express his disappointment with Plants decisions. The "RS" interview as a whole was surprisingly frank for Page, it's shocking that "RS" got that much out of him, a definate must read. In "Mojo" Plant was his usual flippant self while Jones was quite revealing, especially his disclosure about Myles Kennedy & the wedge that put between himself & Page. All around both are great articles.

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Plant has always struggled between loving Zeppelin, being Percy, and protecting the legacy in the respect of his fallen mate.

I'm sure it's a huge burden. It's what has contributed to the magic of the band and the thirst for more.

I don't wish I had that responsibilty for anything. It must be a heavy weight.

"To do actually anything at all together is such an incredible weight. Because sometimes we were fucking awful, and sometimes were stunning…" — Robert Plant at the press conference for Celebration Day in NYC on October 9, 2012

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Plant has always struggled between loving Zeppelin, being Percy, and protecting the legacy in the respect of his fallen mate.

I'm sure it's a huge burden. It's what has contributed to the magic of the band and the thirst for more.

I don't wish I had that responsibilty for anything. It must be a heavy weight.

"To do actually anything at all together is such an incredible weight. Because sometimes we were fucking awful, and sometimes were stunning…" — Robert Plant at the press conference for Celebration Day in NYC on October 9, 2012

Plant always, and I mean always, gives Led Zeppelin backhanded compliments. I think it's fine that he dispels the myth of Zeppelin & let's it be known that they're far from perfect yet he'll never do the same of what he's pursuing at that moment or be so extreme in using words like "awful" in regards to his solo career as that regard the responsibility rests solely with him. If I were one of his former bandmates I would definitely feel slighted but his comments in interviews as he constantly walks that tightrope of "On a good night we were fantastic", "Some things were not as good as remembered", etc. It's like having a former lover saying that you're a great person but the sex was horrible or the sex was great but you suck as a person. If I were Page or Jones it would drive me nuts & I'd be suspect of Plant at all times, but as Page seems to do he let's his guard down when Plant is willing to fulfill his Pages desire, then it's a sort of wam bam thank you mam & Plants off while Page licks his wounds. It's an unhealthy relationship for both but in Page's case I'd stop taking Plant's calls & only go through lawyers to deal with their business relations.
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I fail to see anything refreshing about Page citing Plant as the reason for not continuing after the O2. He has been doing it on and off for years. Furthermore, I believe Robert is too nice of a person, and has too much love/respect for Jimmy, to ever discuss (publicly) any ill feelings he may have toward him.

I would love to see Jimmy play again, and he is the reason why I became a fan of the group, but his inability to take responsibility for his steady decline since 1973, while placing the blame for his inactivity at the feet of Robert, has been somewhat distressing.

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I fail to see anything refreshing about Page citing Plant as the reason for not continuing after the O2. He has been doing it on and off for years. Furthermore, I believe Robert is too nice of a person, and has too much love/respect for Jimmy, to ever discuss (publicly) any ill feelings he may have toward him.

I would love to see Jimmy play again, and he is the reason why I became a fan of the group, but his inability to take responsibility for his steady decline since 1973, while placing the blame for his inactivity at the feet of Robert, has been somewhat distressing.

I don't think he's placing the blame of his "inactivity" on Robert or anyone, actually I think he's been nothing but active since the 02, if he's blaming Robert for anything it's that they didn't continue under the guise of Led Zeppelin after the 02. I think he's finally accepted that it's over which I think is healthy. At this point he should just move forward, Robert Plant should not be a consideration of Page as Page certainly isn't a consideration of Plant's, & to take a risk as Page has nothing to lose at this point. My advice though is to never play with Plant again no matter how tempting that prospect would be if offered as it is not a healthy relationship to be in or pursue further as it affects him negatively.
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I picked up & read both "Rolling Stone" & "Mojo" yesterday & it's quite obvious that Page is pissed at the outcome of what could have been, particularly at Robert. I found it to be quite refreshing because at least publicly Page has always been reluctant to express his disappointment with Plants decisions. The "RS" interview as a whole was surprisingly frank for Page, it's shocking that "RS" got that much out of him, a definate must read. In "Mojo" Plant was his usual flippant self while Jones was quite revealing, especially his disclosure about Myles Kennedy & the wedge that put between himself & Page. All around both are great articles.

Any chance of getting those quotes from Jones here? On both questions please.

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Unfortunately I'm writing from my phone as my computer is down so posting the exchange between Mojo & Jones would be difficult to read due to my phone's limitations. To paraphrase the exchange JPJ said he liked Myles Kennedy because he had the range to sing Zeppelin songs, that Jimmy's heart wasn't in to it, that JPJ himself "might have press ganged" Jimmy to motivate Page to get in to it as JPJ felt they should do something/anything, then it fell apart. Before that JPJ seems to be the one who initiated or was the driving force into getting a new band together while doing some Zeppelin songs if it worked out based on who was in the band as they had new material as well. When asked what will become of this new post-Zeppelin material JPJ said "It will never be heard".That's it in a nutshell as far the Myles Kennedy time period.

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Bought 2 mags., last nite!

Good reading about these mags, in this 4/m dough.

Thx.!,...Ladies and Gentleman.

But (that 'WORD' w/a Crack in it) qoute Jason Bonham back in 96-7-or 8, hehe (dah'e!) as we were getn a BUZZZZZ on,...

"There were Money Trucks coming to the House, ALL THE TIME!!!"

"Money Trucks" huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

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Baffles me how Robert could chose anything over playing with Page again. Unless he just thought it was going to be percieved as what the Rolling Stones have done? The Stones still selll out. And always would. But we know the quality is not anything like it was. I think Led Zeppelin would be far better now as they were far better then. I know its comparing apples to oranges. I really wish Robert had done things differently. I was all for another tour, and I was lucky enough to have seen them in their prime.

You need to read MOJO's December 2012 Celebration Day interview with Robert, he gives revealing, personal insights into his inner relationship with the experience of the O2 show. Once you read that you should understand, perfectly, why there could be no tour back in 2008/9 and NOW.

Cheers,

Indi

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