Grammy Awards Nominee Robert Plant Talks About Why No Led Zeppelin Reunion
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Up for Five Grammy Awards for "Raising Sand"
Robert Plant, who is up for five Grammys at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, said, "The reason that it stopped was because we were incomplete and we've been incomplete now for 28 years. No matter what you do, you have to really guard the discretion of what you've done in the past and make sure that you have all the reasons and the right place to be able to do something with absolute and total conviction."
Conviction is something quite evident in the work he has done with country bluegrass singer Alison Krauss on the album "Raising Sand." Together the two have crafted a critically acclaimed album and the industry has responded. They are up for both Song of the Year and Album of the Year and three other awards.
As for the Led Zeppelin reunion, which at one time looked rather promising, the idea lost traction in December when auditions for a lead singer simply did not pan out. Jimmy Page's manager broke the news to the world that plans for a reunion had been shelved. Word got around that Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer Jason Bonham, son of the late John Bonham were floated the idea by Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale of several lead singers to tour with the band.
Robert Plant had denied rumors and was still denying rumors up until the auditions stopped that he would be fronting the band for an upcoming world tour.
Plant said that a reunion would have been difficult because of the "disappointment that could be there once you commit to that and the comparisons to something that was basically fired by youth and a different kind of exuberance to now, its very hard to go back and meet that head on and do it justice."
But comparisons are something Plant isn't too word about at present. Working and touring with Alison Kraus, the duo have combined to produce a unique sound.
Plant also told Absolute Radio that he and Krauss had already begun penning new material for another album.
Alison Krauss, before teaming up with Robert Plant, was the award-winning lead singer of the bluegrass band Union Station.
The 51st Grammy Awards will be aired on CBS on February 8.
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Source:
Ultimate-guitar.com
Published by Saul Relative
WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,... View profile
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10 Comments
Post a CommentCouldn't have said it better.
Robert Plant = Ebineezer Scrooge - PERIOD!
actually, the main reason Plant declined Zepp Reunion Tour, is that HE CAN'T SING HIGH NOTES ANYMORE. I listened to a pretty good quality bootleg of Zepp's London 2007 show, Zepp sounded like a cover band. sadly... and robert plant didn't hit even one-second high note. Plant simply doesn't have the vocal range he used to have in the 70's and 80's...
In comparison, their contemporaries Deep Purple reunited in 1984 and had a EXTREMELY SUCCESSFULL reunion tour, supporting their reunion album Perfect Strangers. since 1984 Deep Purple hasn't stopped. they still record new albums and tour extensively. Purples have almost 150-200 shows per year all over the world...
Yeah, just because vocalist Ian Gillan still has an amazing vocal range.
search for "Ian Gillan Vocal Range 1999-2006" on YouTube and you'll see why Deep Purple still continue touring together, and why Robert Plant declined LZ Reunion tour...
Why would expectations be high, sure they're a great band and still have potential. Most of us come to undertand that they won't be as good as they once were. Still, to see a band of that magnitude reunite, i wouldn't care so much how they played.
It seems to me listening to bootlegs of Zeppelin that they were a completely different beast in 1969 to that in 1979. Plant's voice is noticably different without the highs and Page's playing is shabby and no where near as fluid. The O2 seemed that although Plants voice had mellowed more Page's playing was back to form and the beast had a growl not a shriek. It's a shame Plant doesn't see that essentialy they are the same just more mature and focused in their application. It's an opportunity sadly missed.
;-);-)
Perhaps Robert Plant is not a team player, but he didn't break up a great band. It was a mutual decision among the band members of Led Zeppelin to dissolve. As to his egotism, that may have arguable merit. But only Robert Plant has had a successful solo career (commercially successful). And it comes down to choice. It's his choice. People have to just live with the disappointment. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss aren't Led Zeppelin but it's as close as you're going to get it would seem.
Unfortunately Robert Plant is yet another egotistical vocalist who had to break up a great band because he likes the sound of his voice a little too much. The same thing happenned with the Beatles, Black Sabbath, etc,. Plant would be a nobody if it werent for the music of Led Zeppelin.
As for his excuse that expectations would be too high. I say B.S. There are alot of bands that have had highly successfull re-union tours. There are alot of people who never saw Led Zeppelin who would love to see them even now. Look at the Rolling Stones. Mich has big lips, but atleast he doesn't have such a big attitude.
The reason Plant doesn't want a reunion tour is because after being the center of attention, he can't handle being just another one of the guys. His arrogance stops him from being a team player.
Don't know Album 07; the Grammys have operated under strange eligibility requirements for years...
What gives..how is it up for Grammy's in 09?
Plant is probably right on this one. Expectations would be rather high.