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Robert Plant slams idea of Zeppelin tour


mookieblaylock

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I think what I hate the most about Plant's interviews ....he pooh poohs any work with the x Zeppelin members, but then......leaves the door open, like a tease.

Unlike 1981-1985 if he embraced a "No Led Anything" stance from 2011-2015 his media and press presence would be virtually nil. To put it bluntly, aside from his collaboration with Alison Krauss nothing happening with Robert solo (musically) has generated headlines or mass appeal on it's own merits since the Page/Plant partnership dissolved 15 long years ago. However, the media has always loved to take a tease and run with it.

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I watched an interview with Robert Plant a few years back. It didn't seem to get much exposure. But at the end of the interview the journalist asked him what motivates him to accept or reject a project. I think his reasons he listed for rejecting a project holds the key to why it would take moving heaven and earth to get him to do a Zep tour. He listed a. Not being new or innovative, b. too much work & c or too great an expectation. Those 3 items pretty much sum up what a Zep tour would be to him.

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You really have to give Plant a lot of credit for this statement. From a very successful solo career (Pictures at 11, Principle, Now and Zen, etc), to his work with SSS, Allison Kraus, Band of Joy, Priory of Brion, etc) the man has been a chameleon. And when he feels like changing it up, he does, and if people want to follow along he's happy to have you. If not, he's ok with people dropping off the bandwagon. To be his age and working as much as he does, and with as much variety, instead of doing "the Vegas thing" is pretty amazing.

A lot of credit for being ridiculous. I saw the Eagles three times on this past tour and they were anything but bored with what they were doing. Do they need the money? No, neither does Jimmy or Robert. Maybe the Eagles enjoy the music and the legacy they created and know how many fans still love their music after all these years and enjoy going out and playing live and giving the fans who made them what they are today, an enjoyable evening of music and memories.

If Robert doesn't want to do that, fine, that's his decision and right but to claim that bands are bored if they are playing the music that made them what they are today is just goofy.

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Robert Plant speakes the truth,like it or not. If he thinks the Eagles are bored how boring Jimmy Page must be to him.Robert Plant knows Jimmy has no ambition. Its pretty obvious he thi

nks little of people who rest on there laurels like Jimmy Page.

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Bottom line is that Robert is pissed that no one is asking about his upcoming release

and tour plans (goodbye Spain) with the Sensational Space Shifters.

Instead he gets the same old reunion questions and rehash of the old songs. He needs

to drop the same old set-list of Zeppelin songs with the SSS if his claim to "not being a juke-box"

is to stand and hold water. You can't bash the boring when your very own set-list has become

just that - boring. Black Dog in a hundred different versions is still Black Dog - and it still doesn't

match the original.

But Robert is, in theory, correct in his hold out of any reunion of what would amount to a Zombie

like farce.

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However, I can't help but think that if Jimmy Page had gotten off his arse over the years and proved to

Robert that he could be a creative, dynamic, and a musical force on his own - things today would have been

very different regarding a Zeppelin.v2.

Robert always wanted to see his musical partner take to the studio and stage to prove that he was more than

a dusty legend. To no avail.

Robert showed Jimmy in many ways how to re-start a musical career over the years. He was blazing a path

to new territory and yet Jimmy never took the clues to a new venture for himself. Never.

I'm convinced that had Jimmy come up with great material and stood on his own over the years Robert would

have changed his tune on the Zep gathering.

It needs to be "mystic" and it just ain't in its current state.

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I wonder what Glen Fry, Don Henley, and Joe Walsh think about Robert's comments on

them "being bored" so they got the Eagles back together.

Robert has a flair for pissing off other musicians with his personal views on the state of

classic rockers. Even IF it were true that the Eagles members were bored...it's not for

Robert to take them to task for it.

Again, no one is chasing Robert for his upcoming material and tour so he sounds "pissy".

I for one cannot wait for his new stuff, but it looks like I'm in the minority.

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I wonder what Glen Fry, Don Henley, and Joe Walsh think about Robert's comments on

them "being bored" so they got the Eagles back together.

Again, no one is chasing Robert for his upcoming material and tour so he sounds "pissy".

I for one cannot wait for his new stuff, but it looks like I'm in the minority.

I think he is right to a degree.

When the Eagles split up they were obviously tired of touring and the drugs and their hearts weren't in it so they called it quits.

Frey and Henley had mediocre solo careers but they weren't as successful as they would've liked.

As for Walsh and Schmidt, I don't recall either doing anything of note during those years.

So the call that they were bored isn't far off the mark, after all it was many years later when they reformed after being re-charged and sober.

From the performances I've seen on YouTube etc they were enjoying themselves again.

At $300 a ticket (too expensive for some), they certainly were in it for the money so that part of Robert's quote is perhaps incorrect.

I have never been inclined to see them live (I prefer the earlier lineups with Meisner etc. anyway) but they are fine musicians and have many good songs.

Unlike previous members being fired or resigning from the Eagles, Plant lost his best friend and hasn't gotten over it even to this day or so it seems.

If Robert is pissed off about his SSS thunder being stolen (which is only an assumption), who could blame him?

To my knowledge Page never released anything Zeppelin related when he brought out Outrider or The Firm or any of the other collaborations.

From the outset Robert has said no to any reunion and still he gets badgered about it and is obviously sick of being asked the question every time someone interviews him, hence the toying with reporters as they are so easy to wind up yet they don't get it.

There may have been more of a chance of them doing something else if the media had left him alone but that was never going to happen.

Could you imagine if after your relationship had ended with little or no chance of reconciliation, everyone pestered you and your ex to get back together again, you would be angry about it too.

Lately it's been, "Ask the Capricorns or ask Robert" and nothing changes or helps the situation.

Of the the three only Plant and Jones have released anything in the last 10 years or so, whereas Page has been saying he will, but has yet to do it.

Obviously he has been busy with the re-releases, which is fine but that wouldn't take 10 years to complete.

Maybe if Page had been more prolific with his solo material Plant would have been more open to do something fresh rather than rehashing the older stuff with a "best hits" tour.

For me one of the attractions of the band was their ability to push the envelope while maintaing the roots of ther style, they were never afraid to try anything.

Unfortunately, when Bonzo left that all changed forever.

Led Zeppelin is no more than a memory now and as sad as that may be it is a reality that the media and the rest of us must accept whether we like it or not and no amount of asking "the question" will change it.

Perhaps it will occur when hell freezes over and we all know the chances of that happening.

One saving grace is, we will always have the music.

PS.

An aside point is that Jimmy bought the guitar from Joe Walsh that has become as iconic as Page himself.

Six degrees of separation?

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Perhaps we've always expected something that just was never really there to begin with. After Lennon was murdered, what real chance was there at a Beatles reunion? Or better yet, what energy was there for Paul, George and Ringo to go out on tour and play the hits? Sure, they did the 1995 Anthology stuff which turned out to be great, but without John, it could never happen. Led Zeppelin isn't much different. And the few times they did get together post-1980, it never materialized and produced what many felt could or should have been (including the members themselves). 2008 saw it happen for the right reasons, for them. Jimmy Page is Led Zeppelin's biggest fan and Robert Plant is proud of the work they did, but also carries its burden unlike the others seem to. We have to respect that. Sure, Plant does come off a certain way which only adds kerosene to the sensationalism of it all, but I whole-heartedly believe he truly loves the band. He just doesn't have that young man in him anymore. On the other hand, Page clearly tried to regain that youthfulness several times, but it was directed more towards recapturing something that was and not something that could be. That's the difference between the two (aside from their late 70s strenuous tension at times that seemed to carry over for years).

I agree that Jimmy not staying as creative as he once was dampened Robert's faith in him. And after years of heavy substance abuse, Jimmy did not exactly prove his recommitment and focus like he could have (his playing in 1988 was spectacular despite a solo album of forgettable music). They bring out the best in each other when they have a common vision for their music, but that's also relying on a relationship that saw its creative peak 40 years ago.

The best thing Robert can do for himself is to keep doing what makes him happy. I dig his new stuff, even if its not what I prefer him singing. But what else can he really do at this point? He's not going to walk out onstage, fully cocked out, and sing like its 1973. I applaud him for that. As for Jimmy, I truly wish he could focus on releasing something, anything original. He has a fan base chomping at the bit for his music, and its past time for him to put the same 15 year old sound bytes about new material to note with something we can enjoy. I would love to see him do a full acoustic album of original music and play small venues to promote it. I truly believe he would get more out of that than we would. It would be a great way for him to recapture the intimacy with his playing and with his fans. I believe the main reason he has continually pushed this off from happening is largely because at his age, his guitar playing is not what it once was and I believe he does not feel comfortable performing in front of people at a level where he cannot create the dynamics he wants. As a musician, I understand that and respect that. He's 70, and is still Jimmy Page. But, I know he knows that too.

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It's all about the music, it's always been about the music...

If there is more brilliant music waiting to be made, and if it will never be made because the idea of a tour is too overwhelming, then why do we keep focusing on a tour. I'd prefer to see new music, without a tour...or with a tour that is on.their.own.terms (ie smaller venues like Robert is doing).

I totally agree with you Mrs.

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This is rumored to be the reason Jimmy canceled the Jimmy Fallon appearance.

His publicist could have simply issued a "no reunion questions" edict....more likely his slot was cut to the point of not being worth the effort.

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I hadn't heard he'd canceled his Fallon appearance. Because you know Fallon would have been

asking lot's of questions about Zeppelin's music and etc.

SAJ... What about Band of Joy, with Buddy Guy? That did pretty well, and better than pretty well

here around Nashville. I saw him twice during the 80's on Manic Nirvana, and Now and Zen.

There were some Zeppelin sounding things....but it was kind of his own cut loose, as well,

and he rocked fairly large auditoriums.

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He may be wanton to be the last of his buddies to turn off the light switch, having been the one to wire the world with real rock 'n roll electricity. Top dog takes all. Hopefully health will take him there.

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Bottom line is that Robert is pissed that no one is asking about his upcoming release

and tour plans (goodbye Spain) with the Sensational Space Shifters.

Instead he gets the same old reunion questions and rehash of the old songs. He needs

to drop the same old set-list of Zeppelin songs with the SSS if his claim to "not being a juke-box"

is to stand and hold water. You can't bash the boring when your very own set-list has become

just that - boring. Black Dog in a hundred different versions is still Black Dog - and it still doesn't

match the original.

But Robert is, in theory, correct in his hold out of any reunion of what would amount to a Zombie like farce.

It wouldn't bother me one bit if I never heard "Black Dog" again. No matter how Robert tries to gussy it up it's never as good as the original arrangement. Same with "Rock and Roll" and some of the other warhorses.

But Robert's right to be pissed off...that's why this Rolling Stone article is such useless garbage and the reporter just another incompetent boob. The guy gets a moment with Robert and with Robert just signed to Nonesuch Records and an impending new album in September, what do we get? The same old boring reunion question that's been asked a zillion times already.

As Robert put it so bluntly at the Celebration Day press conference..."Schmuck".

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SAJ... What about Band of Joy, with Buddy Guy? That did pretty well, and better than pretty well here around Nashville.

Artistic success, commercial failure. The album failed to chart in the US and the tour didn't exactly generate front page headlines.

(I know you meant to say Buddy Miller)

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I am not sure Plant is pissed about the lack of attention to SSS.

I agree with others here, if Page had applied himself a little more and done more Post-Zep stuff, I think Plant would have been more lenient about "let's do more stuff together". One of Plant's chief reasons for ending Page/Plant was it was becoming too much like Zeppelin, and he didn't want that.

I loved the stuff Jones did with Dave Rawlings, and TCV was certainly unique. Most of Plant's solo career has been exceptional, he's like a chameleon, changing here and there as he sees fit.

I still hold out the hope of one or two more "one-off" shows with the guys. Heck, in 5 years we will have the 50th anniversary of Zep 1, might be a time for them to get together and do a few songs. Or Plant might show up at a JPJ show or vice versa.

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Robert Plant speakes the truth,like it or not. If he thinks the Eagles are bored how boring Jimmy Page must be to him.Robert Plant knows Jimmy has no ambition. Its pretty obvious he thi

nks little of people who rest on there laurels like Jimmy Page.

Jimmy had been working on new material for a long time, and if I remember correctly, Jones was actively adding bits to it, and Jason was helping work on rhythm patterns. Jimmy was not resting on his laurels – it seems that Jones and Page were crushed that Robert basically just walked away. In fact, I think after the O2 gig, Robert didn’t even go back stage, he basically walked out of the back door and didn’t even tell his guest waiting for him that he was leaving…There seems to be a lot of Jimmy bashing from people in general since the O2 gig.

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This is rumored to be the reason Jimmy canceled the Jimmy Fallon appearance.

Word is he actually conducted a "fairly lengthy" interview with Fallon that will be aired at a future date (from LedZepNews twitter):

NEWS: Jimmy Page recorded a "fairly long” interview during last night’s Tonight Show taping with Jimmy Fallon.

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I wonder what Glen Fry, Don Henley, and Joe Walsh think about Robert's comments on

them "being bored" so they got the Eagles back together.

Robert has a flair for pissing off other musicians with his personal views on the state of

classic rockers. Even IF it were true that the Eagles members were bored...it's not for

Robert to take them to task for it.

It's important that Professor Plant lecture us mere mortals so that we can live by his example, perhaps he should turn his back to the crowd again...

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Yep, I meant to say Miller, sorry about that. Here's a local music magazine article, probably already seen since it's 2010.

http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/how-buddy-miller-brought-robert-plants-band-of-joy-into-the-heart-of-americana/Content?oid=1798568

And doing Tall Cool One as well. Oh my, anyone got video of that incarnation?

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http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/robert-plant-slams-idea-of-zeppelin-tour-im-not-part-of-a-jukebox-20140508

I just thought I'd share this article, which I find pretty interesting. Looks like there was a bit of fallout after the O2 gig between the 3 members. Interesting to hear Plant and Page talk about it in a bit of detail.

For some reason I just read the article now. I think it's a good article; it clears up some confusion I had. I also thought the quotes were good, especially: ". "People ask me nearly every day about a possible reunion," Jimmy Page says with a sigh. "The answer is 'no.' It's been almost seven years since the O2. There's always a possibility that they can exhume me and put me onstage in a coffin and play a tape."

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When I read this article a couple weeks ago, I heard plant saying he was interested in new material. That's being an artist, isn't it. If I remember correctly, there's a bootleg of a zep show, where he jokes about them becoming a cabaret act, or playing a summer season in Vegas...and that's way back then. I didn't read the eagles comment as disrespecting them, he was just making a point. After his trip through Americana and the eagles bein on that top level of rock music, maybe it could have been friendly competition, if anything. The eagles have plenty of new Americana rock left to play and joe walsh is a super talent. Since when do rock musicians mince their words anyway, they are rambunctious folks in the world of art.

I agree that he should retire black dog. He has so many good songs of his own and when, in the mood, sounds awesome compared to black dog....in my opn, retire black dog..haha

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