ROBERT PLANT: REVENGE © profelipe ™
Robert Plant, sometimes, doesn’t show respect to the past of Led Zeppelin. Why?
First, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were musicians with important works on records as groups The Rolling Stones or The Who. Jimmy Page was known for his experience with Yardbirds. When he formed Led Zeppelin, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Once, Plant said:
“(…) he was really the master of Led Zeppelin. I was just chief whip.” (Guitar World, July 1986, p. 64)
John Bonham was young but he had his own style:
“According to (Jeff) Beck, Jimmy said: “Listen to this, listen to Bonzo, this guy called John Bonham. that I’ve got.’ When Beck heard the version, his heart sink. ‘I looked at him and said: ‘Jim, what?’ and the tears were coming out with anger.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 57)
Robert Plant was young too. However, he was critized. After the first U. S. tour, “the pop critics insulted his aria-like blues wails and his prissy, hyper-masculine posing. (…) Even Jimmy wasn’t absolutely positive about Robert. Cole recalls: ‘It was a very touch-and-go thing whether Robert would even be in the group after the first tour, because he didn’t quite seem to make it up to Page’s expectation. At the time, there was a possibility he wouldn’t do another tour. That was the truth.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p.64)
Robert Plant became a sex symbol. He and Jimmy Page were the stars of Led Zeppelin. After Bonzo’s death and the end of the band, Plant started his solo project with his first record “Pictures At Eleven”:
“(…) Robert took the tapes to Jimmy Page for approval. ‘It was very emotional,’ he later told an interviewer. ‘We just sat there and I sort had my hand on his knee, We were just sitting through it together. He knew that I’d gone, that I was off on my own with the aid of other people and just forging ahead, and all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213)
John Paul Jones didn’t like “Pictures At Eleven” and he told it to Robert Plant: “Jonesy thought I could have done a lot better with the first record.” (Guitar World, p. 64)
The revenge of Zeppelin’s singer would come with the project of “No Quarter”. John Paul Jones said:
“It’s a Jimmy and Robert’s reunion. I’m sure they’ll be doing Zeppelin’s stuff, but they didn’t bother to ask me.” (Record Hunter, November 1994, p. 97)
What about Jimmy Page? The critics came to Coverdale-Page’s project. Robert Plant said:
“Page & ‘Coverdale’? It was ridiculous when ‘I’ did it…” (Vox, May 1993)
The cover of Rock World’s magazine (June 1993) was: “Zep Wars! Coverdale – Page – Plant (The interviews)” In fact, Jimmy tried to work with other musicians. Robert did it with his first record and said about Page: “(…) all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213) However, when the guitarrist tried to work, Plant didn’t respect his project.
Robert Plant said in 1993: “The idea that Led Zep would reform with Jason on the drums, though, is preposterous. What’s gone is gone.” (Vox, May 1993, p. 18) But in December 2007, he, Page, Jones and Jason did a concert with one and half hour under the name of Led Zeppelin.
“Whole Lotta Love” was one of the greatest song of the seventies (it was relesead in 1969).
The music was perfect, but there was problems with the lyrics. Robert Plant:
“‘Whole Lotta Love’ did push rock ‘n’ roll another couple of steps. If the lyric hadn’t been stolen, the music would have been lesser for it. The mistake came in not crediting Dixion.
Page’s riff was Page’s riff. It was here before anything else. I just thought, ‘Well, what am I going to sing? That was it, a nick. (…) well, you only get caught when you’re successful. That’s the game.” (Musician, June 1990, p. 47)
This is Robert Plant. What more? It’s hard to say anything about the future. Probably Led Zeppelin is on the past and it was made by four musicians and Peter Grant. The master was Jimmy Page. Plant was right about it.
Robert Plant, sometimes, doesn’t show respect to the past of Led Zeppelin. Why?
First, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were musicians with important works on records as groups The Rolling Stones or The Who. Jimmy Page was known for his experience with Yardbirds. When he formed Led Zeppelin, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Once, Plant said:
“(…) he was really the master of Led Zeppelin. I was just chief whip.” (Guitar World, July 1986, p. 64)
John Bonham was young but he had his own style:
“According to (Jeff) Beck, Jimmy said: “Listen to this, listen to Bonzo, this guy called John Bonham. that I’ve got.’ When Beck heard the version, his heart sink. ‘I looked at him and said: ‘Jim, what?’ and the tears were coming out with anger.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 57)
Robert Plant was young too. However, he was critized. After the first U. S. tour, “the pop critics insulted his aria-like blues wails and his prissy, hyper-masculine posing. (…) Even Jimmy wasn’t absolutely positive about Robert. Cole recalls: ‘It was a very touch-and-go thing whether Robert would even be in the group after the first tour, because he didn’t quite seem to make it up to Page’s expectation. At the time, there was a possibility he wouldn’t do another tour. That was the truth.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p.64)
Robert Plant became a sex symbol. He and Jimmy Page were the stars of Led Zeppelin. After Bonzo’s death and the end of the band, Plant started his solo project with his first record “Pictures At Eleven”:
“(…) Robert took the tapes to Jimmy Page for approval. ‘It was very emotional,’ he later told an interviewer. ‘We just sat there and I sort had my hand on his knee, We were just sitting through it together. He knew that I’d gone, that I was off on my own with the aid of other people and just forging ahead, and all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213)
John Paul Jones didn’t like “Pictures At Eleven” and he told it to Robert Plant: “Jonesy thought I could have done a lot better with the first record.” (Guitar World, p. 64)
The revenge of Zeppelin’s singer would come with the project of “No Quarter”. John Paul Jones said:
“It’s a Jimmy and Robert’s reunion. I’m sure they’ll be doing Zeppelin’s stuff, but they didn’t bother to ask me.” (Record Hunter, November 1994, p. 97)
What about Jimmy Page? The critics came to Coverdale-Page’s project. Robert Plant said:
“Page & ‘Coverdale’? It was ridiculous when ‘I’ did it…” (Vox, May 1993)
The cover of Rock World’s magazine (June 1993) was: “Zep Wars! Coverdale – Page – Plant (The interviews)” In fact, Jimmy tried to work with other musicians. Robert did it with his first record and said about Page: “(…) all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213) However, when the guitarrist tried to work, Plant didn’t respect his project.
Robert Plant said in 1993: “The idea that Led Zep would reform with Jason on the drums, though, is preposterous. What’s gone is gone.” (Vox, May 1993, p. 18) But in December 2007, he, Page, Jones and Jason did a concert with one and half hour under the name of Led Zeppelin.
“Whole Lotta Love” was one of the greatest song of the seventies (it was relesead in 1969).
The music was perfect, but there was problems with the lyrics. Robert Plant:
“‘Whole Lotta Love’ did push rock ‘n’ roll another couple of steps. If the lyric hadn’t been stolen, the music would have been lesser for it. The mistake came in not crediting Dixion.
Page’s riff was Page’s riff. It was here before anything else. I just thought, ‘Well, what am I going to sing? That was it, a nick. (…) well, you only get caught when you’re successful. That’s the game.” (Musician, June 1990, p. 47)
This is Robert Plant. What more? It’s hard to say anything about the future. Probably Led Zeppelin is on the past and it was made by four musicians and Peter Grant. The master was Jimmy Page. Plant was right about it.