Robert Plant - Official Statement

[SteveAJones]

Possibly you misunderstood?

I was just saying that it appears that the band have something concrete in mind, if Jason has given up a paying gig to apparently become part of it. (Didn't say a word about anybody feuling anybody's imagination, and agreed with what you said about the Page/Plant relationship.)

Sheesh . . .

I was just saying it's a sad day in Zepdom when Jason leaving Foreigner is construed as the second coming of Led Zeppelin, because it isn't. For a band whom have something

concrete in mind there is no single, no album, no tour dates, and no publicity. Call the band Just Jams, cause that's where it's at and it'll satisfy those who apparently harbor a fetish for the letter J.

[BlackandGold]

You know I hardly ever post but I have to put my two cents in after reading 30+ pages of people mostly whining and criticizing RP for choosing to do what inspires him and makes him happy at this point in his life. I have known since 1980 I was never going to get to see Led Zeppelin live. I was disappointed and sad since at 16 they were probably the most important thing in my life other than my boyfriend. Since then I have grown up and gotten over it, and realized that there are many many more things far more important than a rock group (even if they are the best rock group ever) or that particular boyfriend for that matter.

I frankly am surprised that RP ever worked with JP and JPJ after his son died and they couldn't bother to show up at the funeral to provide the love and support that he would have needed at that time. Perhaps he forgave them, but I wouldn't doubt he carries that hurt to this day.

To my knowledge, JP has not done anything creative in the past decade. He has regurgitated a lot of unreleased Zeppelin material for which I am grateful, but really...can't he come up with anything new? No one, including RP has held him back. His post Zep career has been spotty, and generally, in my opinion, uninspired. So instead of blaming Robert, why isn't anyone asking Jimmy where the hell he has been? Other that digging through the archives and doing Zep "coverversions" with the Black Crowes?

I would love to see Led Zeppelin. I never got to and that's one of my life's disappointments. I was thrilled to see that the O2 happened and was a success. I secretly harbored hope that there would be more shows, but doubted it all the same. Life goes on and it's shorter than you think. I wish them all much happiness and am thankful for the music that they've already created. I hope they continue to make music in whatever form and with whomever they chose as is their right.

[SteveAJones]

Name anyone superior to Jimmy in regards to playing and presentation that Robert's played with.

Irrelevant, because, sorry to say, the mystery of the quotient is he needs Robert a hell of a lot more than Robert has needed him to make new music.

[zooma]

You know I hardly ever post but I have to put my two cents in after reading 30+ pages of people mostly whining and criticizing RP for choosing to do what inspires him and makes him happy at this point in his life. I have known since 1980 I was never going to get to see Led Zeppelin live. I was disappointed and sad since at 16 they were probably the most important thing in my life other than my boyfriend. Since then I have grown up and gotten over it, and realized that there are many many more things far more important than a rock group (even if they are the best rock group ever) or that particular boyfriend for that matter.

I frankly am surprised that RP ever worked with JP and JPJ after his son died and they couldn't bother to show up at the funeral to provide the love and support that he would have needed at that time. Perhaps he forgave them, but I wouldn't doubt he carries that hurt to this day.

To my knowledge, JP has not done anything creative in the past decade. He has regurgitated a lot of unreleased Zeppelin material for which I am grateful, but really...can't he come up with anything new? No one, including RP has held him back. His post Zep career has been spotty, and generally, in my opinion, uninspired. So instead of blaming Robert, why isn't anyone asking Jimmy where the hell he has been? Other that digging through the archives and doing Zep "coverversions" with the Black Crowes?

I would love to see Led Zeppelin. I never got to and that's one of my life's disappointments. I was thrilled to see that the O2 happened and was a success. I secretly harbored hope that there would be more shows, but doubted it all the same. Life goes on and it's shorter than you think. I wish them all much happiness and am thankful for the music that they've already created. I hope they continue to make music in whatever form and with whomever they chose as is their right.

Right on the money in my opinion. Especially the part about 1977. Sometimes rock'n'roll and business should take a back seat to real life and tragedy. That's when you know who your real friends are.

[SteveAJones]

I frankly am surprised that RP ever worked with JP and JPJ after his son died and they couldn't bother to show up at the funeral to provide the love and support that he would have needed at that time. Perhaps he forgave them, but I wouldn't doubt he carries that hurt to this day.

Personally, IMHO had Bonzo not cajoled Robert into rejoining them for rehearsals at Clearwell Castle I can easily see him not having returned. Regardless, Robert Plant's

psyche was altered forever after the events of July 1977, and understandably so.

[Chicago]

So instead of blaming Robert, why isn't anyone asking Jimmy where the hell he has been? Other that digging through the archives and doing Zep "coverversions" with the Black Crowes?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jimmy did the dirty work no one else was willing to do by carefully and mindfully making sure the band HE produced didn't get the same shit treatment Jimi Hendrix's catalog got when Jimi passed. The biggest band in the world and he's supposed to leave his masterpieces to some stooge at Atlantic.

Jimmy played his own music with the Black Crowes. Robert Plant is only playing covers with Alison Krauss. Does the term coverversion apply to him?

[Aquamarine]

I was just saying it's a sad day in Zepdom when Jason leaving Foreigner is construed as the second coming of Led Zeppelin, because it isn't. For a band whom have something

concrete in mind there is no single, no album, no tour dates, and no publicity. Call the band Just Jams, cause that's where it's at and it'll satisfy those who apparently harbor a fetish for the letter J.

It's rather a large step to translate me saying that they appear to have something concrete in mind (or at least Jason appears to think they do), into me saying this is the second coming of Led Zeppelin, which is the last thing in the world I'd say. And I was posing the whole thing as one of those Mysteries you're so keen on--if Jason appears to be on board for, well, something, what's that all about, given that we have yet to hear, well, anything?

Oh, and no fetish for the letter J here, Mr Jones.

Nice post, btw, blackandgold.

[mos6507]

Your doing little more than arguing semantics here. The meaning of the above and the

intent of what he did say is virtually identical, save for the reference to 1/4 veto power

which is either irrelevent or doesn't exist, depending on whom you wish to believe.

To say "I have given serious thought" sounds a lot better than using the (implausible) plausible deniability card that he was NEVER giving it serious thought. The former respects the fact that we've all been waiting on his decision with baited breath. The latter insults our intelligence.

[ninelives]

You know I hardly ever post but I have to put my two cents in after reading 30+ pages of people mostly whining and criticizing RP for choosing to do what inspires him and makes him happy at this point in his life. I have known since 1980 I was never going to get to see Led Zeppelin live. I was disappointed and sad since at 16 they were probably the most important thing in my life other than my boyfriend. Since then I have grown up and gotten over it, and realized that there are many many more things far more important than a rock group (even if they are the best rock group ever) or that particular boyfriend for that matter.

I frankly am surprised that RP ever worked with JP and JPJ after his son died and they couldn't bother to show up at the funeral to provide the love and support that he would have needed at that time. Perhaps he forgave them, but I wouldn't doubt he carries that hurt to this day.

To my knowledge, JP has not done anything creative in the past decade. He has regurgitated a lot of unreleased Zeppelin material for which I am grateful, but really...can't he come up with anything new? No one, including RP has held him back. His post Zep career has been spotty, and generally, in my opinion, uninspired. So instead of blaming Robert, why isn't anyone asking Jimmy where the hell he has been? Other that digging through the archives and doing Zep "coverversions" with the Black Crowes?

I would love to see Led Zeppelin. I never got to and that's one of my life's disappointments. I was thrilled to see that the O2 happened and was a success. I secretly harbored hope that there would be more shows, but doubted it all the same. Life goes on and it's shorter than you think. I wish them all much happiness and am thankful for the music that they've already created. I hope they continue to make music in whatever form and with whomever they chose as is their right.

[mos6507]

i concur with steve, page's best work has been with plant, pure and simple. his work without plant is barely listenable.

I'll take Coverdale/Page over Walking into Clarksdale any day.

[Chicago]

Irrelevant, because, sorry to say, the mystery of the quotient is he needs Robert a hell of a lot more than Robert has needed him to make new music.

--------------------------------------------------------------

You can't honestly answer that so you deem it irrelevant. Is it raining a lot over there? The Jimmy Page Negative Syndrome. Hope it's not contagious.

[James McGregor]

Irrelevant, because, sorry to say, the mystery of the quotient is he needs Robert a hell of a lot more than Robert has needed him to make new music.

Maybe so but as a musician I think Jimmy is stronger than Robert is now. Page has not played this well in years and quite frankly, even though Robert pulled off the O2 thing, I think he would be terrified to go and do even a 10 city tour for fear his voice would crap out on him.

Raising Sands is wonderful and as soon as someone transcribes it to musak it will sound great in elevators, but it ain't no strain on the old vocal cords

[Kentuckygirl]

See, this is what gives me hope. On the one hand you have people saying (and not wrongly) that he quit to spend more to time with his family.

On the other, you think, 'Why would you quit something that you were doing so well in?'. Why give that up? You still need to earn a living. You love playing. Why quit a sure thing, unless something better's come along?

I don't believe for a second that he's just resting at home, doing nothing. And the fact that they haven't concurred with Robert's statement gives me just as much hope.

I personally would love to see Robert Plant go home to his little village in England (not London), be surrounded by his "real" friends that guard his privacy, and take a rest and do nothing. He has just endured a strenuously paced BLUEGRASS tour (no private jets, two on, one off if lucky) and has already worked with Buddy Miller and others on new material. In my opinion, Page and Bonham are getting bountiful rest and relaxation. Robert deseves a break. I hope that his true friends and family see that he gets one. He needs to get away from Nashville for a while, before they work him to death here. Just my opinion. Everyone deserves time off, and Robert has been working steadily for how many years now?

[SteveAJones]

Jimmy did the dirty work no one else was willing to do by carefully and mindfully making sure the band HE produced didn't get the same shit treatment Jimi Hendrix's catalog got when Jimi passed. The biggest band in the world and he's supposed to leave his masterpieces to some stooge at Atlantic. Jimmy played his own music with the Black Crowes.

With the advent of the compact disc format, stooges had already been permitted to rush Led Zeppelin's back catalog into production using subpar source tapes. The Box

Set (1990) and Remasters (1993) were therefore "corrective" releases, if you like.

It only took him (working very closely with George Marino) twelve days to oversee remastering of the boxed set, so it isn't like he went to Mars and back (though the

end result is commendable).

Jimmy did debut a new song, 'Domino', when he performed with TBC at Net Aid nine

years ago. Bear in mind, that was the only song which surfaced from the extensive

studio sessions he held with Michael Lee that year while waiting for Robert to rejoin

the Page/Plant partnership (ultimately he elected to form Priory of Brion instead).

[zooma]

I personally would love to see Robert Plant go home to his little village in England (not London), be surrounded by his "real" friends that guard his privacy, and take a rest and do nothing. He has just endured a strenuously paced BLUEGRASS tour (no private jets, two on, one off if lucky) and has already worked with Buddy Miller and others on new material. In my opinion, Page and Bonham are getting bountiful rest and relaxation. Robert deseves a break. I hope that his true friends and family see that he gets one. He needs to get away from Nashville for a while, before they work him to death here. Just my opinion. Everyone deserves time off, and Robert has been working steadily for how many years now?

Poor Robert, he must need a rest. What nonsense ,He does what he wants He's a MAN, not a lazy American teenager.

[ninelives]

That goes both ways. If Plant had never been with Page in the first place, you probably would have never heard of him other then in the English pub scene. In America, Plant's solo work does not make the top 200 RIA list. With Led Zeppelin (Page) he is at #4. It is safe to say that they need each other.

I disagree. Robert's voice would have been discovered and in fact he was already making a real name for himself (why else would he have been recommended to Jimmy to check out for a singer). Would have been only a matter of time. Many of Robert's solo albums have gone platinum but regardless, that to me isn't a measure of success. Bands like the Velvet Underground sold poorly and that didn't deter from the impact they had on music. Sales aren't everything and certainly to Robert, quality of music is more important.

I personally would love to see Robert Plant go home to his little village in England (not London), be surrounded by his "real" friends that guard his privacy, and take a rest and do nothing. He has just endured a strenuously paced BLUEGRASS tour (no private jets, two on, one off if lucky) and has already worked with Buddy Miller and others on new material. In my opinion, Page and Bonham are getting bountiful rest and relaxation. Robert deseves a break. I hope that his true friends and family see that he gets one. He needs to get away from Nashville for a while, before they work him to death here. Just my opinion. Everyone deserves time off, and Robert has been working steadily for how many years now?

Yes indeed. He's been pretty well nonstop since 2005 between touring and recording (with small breaks in between).

[Chicago]

With the advent of the compact disc format, stooges had already been permitted to rush Led Zeppelin's back catalog into production using subpar source tapes. The Box

Set (1990) and Remasters (1993) were therefore "corrective" releases, if you like.

It only took him (working very closely with George Marino) twelve days to oversee remastering of the boxed set, so it isn't like he went to Mars and back (though the

end result is commendable).

Jimmy did debut a new song, 'Domino', when he performed with TBC at Net Aid nine

years ago. Bear in mind, that was the only song which surfaced from the extensive

studio sessions he held with Michael Lee that year while waiting for Robert to rejoin

the Page/Plant partnership (ultimately he elected to form Priory of Brion instead).

I'm well aware of what he's done. I'm well aware he'll never please you.

[SteveAJones]

The former respects the fact that we've all been waiting on his decision with baited breath. The latter insults our intelligence.

Honestly, it doesn't matter what he says, because too many people see only what they want to see and hear only what they want to hear. It ain't unique to him, either. It was

the same damn treatment when Jimmy went to Japan. He'd clearly articulate a position

or point of view and it was simply published as "Zep Ready to Tour!". It's all bullshit.

Robert could have said nothing and let the baited breath brigade hold their breath for the one who'll never show.

[KEVIN]

I personally would love to see Robert Plant go home to his little village in England (not London), be surrounded by his "real" friends that guard his privacy, and take a rest and do nothing. He has just endured a strenuously paced BLUEGRASS tour (no private jets, two on, one off if lucky[) and has already worked with Buddy Miller and others on new material. In my opinion, Page and Bonham are getting bountiful rest and relaxation. Robert deseves a break. I hope that his true friends and family see that he gets one. He needs to get away from Nashville for a while, before they work him to death here.

I am a business owner and I can tell you it would take nashville 1000 years to kill me at that pace.....

Just my opinion. Everyone deserves time off, and Robert has been working steadily for how many years now?

[Kentuckygirl]

Poor Robert, he must need a rest. What nonsense ,He does what he wants He's a MAN, not a lazy American teenager.

You are correct in that he is far from lazy. He has produced more music in the past two years than many musicians (and teenage bands) one-fourth of his age.

[SteveAJones]

Maybe so but as a musician I think Jimmy is stronger than Robert is now. Page has not played this well in years

James, your entitled to your opinion, but how many shows did you catch in '98? IMHO, THAT was Jimmy delivering his best post-Zep performances, night after night. He was

unstoppable.

[Chicago]

James, your entitled to your opinion, but how many shows did you catch in '98? IMHO, THAT was Jimmy delivering his best post-Zep performances, night after night. He was

unstoppable.

But he was stopped. In January of 1999.

[SteveAJones]

If Plant had never been with Page in the first place, you probably would have never heard of him other then in the English pub scene.

Before the age of 20, he had already secured a recording contract, was a rising star on the Ma Regan club circuit and was considered as a replacement for Daltrey in The Who. He simply was not that obscure and his vocal abilities, coupled with his determination,

undoubtedly would have resulted in some modicrum of success. Clearly this is a point

he tried to make during the "No Zep Anything!" era of his solo career.

[zooma]

You are correct in that he is far from lazy. He has produced more music in the past two years than many musicians (and teenage bands) one-fourth of his age.

Stop making Robert out to be such a wuss. True he is 60 years old, but he has not shown himself to have the makings of someone who runs home to have a rest with the rest of the elderly, just because his tour is over.

[Kentuckygirl]

Hey Kevin, have you ever been on a 60+ show Bluegrass tour? Do you travel frequently on business? I do. I am in my 40s, only travel 50% and my BUTT is whipped right now. And I fly and stay in Hiltons. Just a FYI. Don't make judgements until you have done something similar to what this musician has done since April 19.

The Plant bashing on here is tiresome. For that matter, bashing any member of LZ is tiresome.

If a future reunion is meant to happen, it will. If not, then we can hope for DVDs. Bashing band members on this forum will not change the course of events.