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Rocker Robert Plant promised a VIP reception at Glasgow hotel


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Posted

Rocker Robert Plant promised a VIP reception at Glasgow hotel

by Caroline Wilson

 A GLASGOW hotel has vowed to roll out the red carpet for rock legend Robert Plant, 45 years after the singer was turned away - for not wearing a tie.

The former Led Zeppelin frontman is scheduled to play the SEC Armadillo later this year as he promotes his latest solo album, Carry Fire.

And the city’s Grand Central Hotel has vowed to give the star the VIP treatment if he decides to pop in for a post-gig whisky cocktail after a frosty encounter more than four decades ago which apparently led to one of the world’s biggest rock bands being booted out of the hotel.

The band and crew were booked in for a gig at Green’s Playhouse in 1972, which later became the Apollo.

However, when Plant and his bandmates - Jimmy Paige, John Paul Jones and John Bonham - decided to pop downstairs for a pre-gig feast and a few fine wines, they were refused entry to the hotel’s restaurant.

Apparently open necked shirts and chest hair didn’t quite match the Central’s strict dress code.

The incident was covered by the Scottish press at the time.

Pat Collins, then the band’s head of security said: “We argued with the manager to give us something to eat. One word led to another and eventually we were told to move our stuff out of the hotel.

“None of us has a tie. We asked the manager to give us ties, but he refused.

“We have now moved to another hotel.”

Later, during the gig, Plant is said to have dedicated Misty Mountain Hop to the hotel.

Graeme Gibson, general manager of Grand Central Hotel, said: “‘The stairway to Grand Central will always be open to Robert Plant.

"He can be assured of a warm Glasgow welcome when he comes to stay at the hotel, and know that a tie will not be required in order to enjoy a wee dram in our Champagne Central bar.”

Other famous guests have included; Cary Grant, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Laurel and Hardy, Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger, the Queen, Sir Winston Churchill and John F Kennedy.

Led Zeppelin played the Apollo on December 3. playing hits including Whole Lotta Love and Black Dog as part of their longest running UK tour.

Tickets were charged £1 for all the concerts, except for the shows at Manchester which charged £1.25.

Robert Plant plays the SEC Armadillo on November 72. For tickets go to www.sec.co.uk/events/detail/robert-plant

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/15516410.Rocker_Robert_Plant_promised_a_VIP_reception_at_Glasgow_hotel/

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glasgow72-001_0.jpg

Posted

The Central Hotel is a bit of a shithole these days anyway, I have the odd meeting in there with work.

Great photo in the article though, I've never seen that before.

Posted

Hard to imagine Led Zep wandering about Central Station.

Has to be the coldest place in Glasgow. It's always baltic even on a summer's day.

Laurel and Hardy stayed at the Central Hotel and several other stars of yesteryear.

There's an amazing vid of Neil Young busking outside the station in the 1970s.

Very surreal.

Posted
57 minutes ago, Boleskinner said:

Hard to imagine Led Zep wandering about Central Station.

Has to be the coldest place in Glasgow. It's always baltic even on a summer's day.

Laurel and Hardy stayed at the Central Hotel and several other stars of yesteryear.

There's an amazing vid of Neil Young busking outside the station in the 1970s.

Very surreal.

Aye, the hotel tends to be a bit parky at the best of times. I can't see Robert Plant going out of his way to go back there in November somehow.

I've watched the Neil Young video many times, it's brilliant.

Posted

So, the allowed a horse to enjoy a dram but not the Zeppelin boys? That must have been a mighty charming horse...or was it wearing a tie?

Posted

However, when Plant and his bandmates - Jimmy Paige, John Paul Jones and John Bonham - decided to pop downstairs for a pre-gig feast and a few fine wines, they were refused entry to the hotel’s restaurant

 

After all this time there's no excuse for not knowing how to spell Jimmy's surname. FFS! I suppose all newspapers have laid their sub editors off nowadays

Posted

I think Plant actually dated a bird who lived in Glasgow in the late 80s, so he may well have already been back for a fly beer, but I doubt it.

Funnily, just across the road from the Central Hotel is a cheesy rock boozer called "The Solid Rock".

More of a poodle-rock type place with loads of fake gold records and guitars on the wall, but it's worth going for a beer, for the novelty value, if you're ever in the city for a gig.

Plus it's got Tartan Special on tap, which is pretty rare ;-)

This "news" article is pretty much just a glorified advert for the Central Hotel IMO.

Posted
2 hours ago, Boleskinner said:

I think Plant actually dated a bird who lived in Glasgow in the late 80s, so he may well have already been back for a fly beer, but I doubt it.

Funnily, just across the road from the Central Hotel is a cheesy rock boozer called "The Solid Rock".

More of a poodle-rock type place with loads of fake gold records and guitars on the wall, but it's worth going for a beer, for the novelty value, if you're ever in the city for a gig.

Plus it's got Tartan Special on tap, which is pretty rare ;-)

This "news" article is pretty much just a glorified advert for the Central Hotel IMO.

 😜🎸👍

Posted
8 hours ago, Boleskinner said:

I think Plant actually dated a bird who lived in Glasgow in the late 80s, so he may well have already been back for a fly beer, but I doubt it.

Funnily, just across the road from the Central Hotel is a cheesy rock boozer called "The Solid Rock".

More of a poodle-rock type place with loads of fake gold records and guitars on the wall, but it's worth going for a beer, for the novelty value, if you're ever in the city for a gig.

Plus it's got Tartan Special on tap, which is pretty rare ;-)

This "news" article is pretty much just a glorified advert for the Central Hotel IMO.

Tartan Special on tap?

Only in Glasgow.

Posted (edited)

Just to make another post at the hotel reception, with my thought of Plant organising it, I now finally wonder who would he be promising it to? Probably the girl he use to date in Glasgow is the answer  or maybe the free shag society of the seventies is to blame for the answer.

Edited by SamoKodela
Posted
4 hours ago, Mook said:

Tartan Special on tap?

Only in Glasgow.

Ha ha.

Believe it or not he did a long interview and phone-in with Radio Clyde (West of Scotland radio station) in 1988, pretty sure it's here he mentions the bird.

Some funny stuff in it, including the host asking him why he's wearing slippers on stage instead of cowboy boots. Classic Glasgow humour:

 

Posted
14 hours ago, Boleskinner said:

Funnily, just across the road from the Central Hotel is a cheesy rock boozer called "The Solid Rock".

That's where Dave Lewis held a Tight But Loose fan gathering prior to the Page/Plant Glasgow concert in 1995. I walked past but didn't stop in as I had to collect my ticket from the box office. 

Posted

Wasn't this referenced during the Earl's Court shows by Plant?....though he mentioned The Locarno...Man ...Scotland must have been a tough place to get a meal in back then.

Posted
5 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

That's where Dave Lewis held a Tight But Loose fan gathering prior to the Page/Plant Glasgow concert in 1995. I walked past but didn't stop in as I had to collect my ticket from the box office. 

It was a good day. I was on the same flight as Jimmy from London to Glasgow.  Went to the TBL gathering in the Solid Rock.

After the show at the Hilton Hotel where P&P stayed.

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