Some thoughts after reading the Mojo Interviews

[racerrr]

The one thing I gained from reading the interviews is how the shadow of Zeppelin has affected each of them differently.

Robert: I believe he is most definitely the most "haunted" of the three. I've never really heard him proclaim he was "proud" of Led Zeppelin. He has talked about how great it was, but he always qualifies it with "i'm not that person anymore". Which is fine. I completely understand that. I just feel like he always guards himself from it. He never just "lets his hair down" and enjoy what it was. But maybe he's doesn't have the ability to do that seeing as how he is the only one that has prevented a full scale reunion.

John Paul: He's very proud of Zeppelin, but he can take it or leave it. If Jimmy and Robert want to play, then that's fine with him. And if they don't, that's fine too. He will find someone else to play with.

Jimmy: Of course he's the "keeper" of the Led Zeppelin legacy. It was "his band" in the beginning, and in many ways, it always will be. If Robert wanted to do it tomorrow, Jimmy wouldn't hesitate. Maybe one reason Jimmy hasn't done much since Zep broke up, is when you've been to the "top of the mountain" with the greatest band in history, everything else pales in comparison.

One thing I found very interesting from his interview is he wanted to put out a new album with Robert, John Paul and Jason before going back out on tour. He claims the reason for this is because they would not have called it Led Zeppelin.

[Dallas Knebs]

1:31 in the interview - actually quoted saying something to be proud of

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50137175n&tag=api&fb_action_ids=10200090020002663&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=belowVideo&fb_source=timeline_og&action_object_map={%2210200090020002663%22%3A304130559688141}&action_type_map={%2210200090020002663%22%3A%22og.recommends%22}&action_ref_map={%2210200090020002663%22%3A%22belowVideo%22}

[racerrr]

Dallas, thank you for the link to the video. I meant to watch this yesterday morning and completely forgot about it. I'm glad to see him say it because in the Mojo interivew, he gave off a completely different vibe. That he didn't like the "cliche's" that were associated with the band and that he felt he never really had a place in the band. That he didn't play an instrument and there would be nothing for him to do during the instrumental interludes but prance around like a rock god. That's is opposite of JImmy's opinion that Robert was every much a musician as the other three were. I have to say that Robert's interview disturbed my a little.

[Percys_Plant]

To be honest, I wouldn't/can't blame Robert for feeling 'out of place' every once in a while especially when the rest of the fellas are in the zone and are rocking out on stage and you're honestly not sure of what to do with yourself. It's bad enough that you have to listen or read about people mocking your voice or saying you're interrupting perfectly good music with your 'monkey-like' shrieks (I forget which magazine article I read that in). Bottom line, for all his prancing, he comes across as insecure sometimes and that's perfectly understandable. None of us can understand and even have an inkling of everything that transpired amongst them during their heydey, especially when it comes to Robert. Yes, he wasn't all innocent, but after reading Hoskyns's book (which I don't take as the gospel truth, but can be close enough), man, you really do have to take off your hat to him.

After everything that man went through, he truly can stamp the label 'survivor' to his forehead today. It could have been so easy to descend into a darkness that no one could yank him out of and yet he can smile, make others smile, look back with a smile, and reminiscence on what was so good about being in that band.

[Knebby]

To be honest, I wouldn't/can't blame Robert for feeling 'out of place' every once in a while especially when the rest of the fellas are in the zone and are rocking out on stage and you're honestly not sure of what to do with yourself. It's bad enough that you have to listen or read about people mocking your voice or saying you're interrupting perfectly good music with your 'monkey-like' shrieks (I forget which magazine article I read that in). Bottom line, for all his prancing, he comes across as insecure sometimes and that's perfectly understandable. None of us can understand and even have an inkling of everything that transpired amongst them during their heydey, especially when it comes to Robert. Yes, he wasn't all innocent, but after reading Hoskyns's book (which I don't take as the gospel truth, but can be close enough), man, you really do have to take off your hat to him.

After everything that man went through, he truly can stamp the label 'survivor' to his forehead today. It could have been so easy to descend into a darkness that no one could yank him out of and yet he can smile, make others smile, look back with a smile, and reminiscence on what was so good about being in that band.

Great words. And he is truly a lovely, intelligent bloke, with the most polite and adorable kids; that to me is truly the mark of the man and the legacy he leaves behind.