Robert Plant: Fans Should Move On

I don't like armchair games about how his feelings regarding the death of his son might play into his current thoughts. He doesn't have to play with Page (and fight second banana status) to fill rooms of a size that makes it worth hitting the road every year and living happily as a musician, so he doesn't. If he has to play some Zeppelin tunes to keep the seats filled but can rearrange them completely and get away with it...well, it seems like a pretty sweet deal to me.

PS Please Read The Letter is a pretty good song without all of Page's nonsense tacked on. Just hearing the version with Krauss made it abundantly clear why Plant would rather plow his own furrow.

 

I think the Sept 25th Bonham date was intentionally a day off on most of his post-LZ tours. Maybe it was the same with the anniversary of his son's passing.

 

Funny how some reason I was thinking about this article last night. Interesting to stumble on it here this morning.

From a personal perspective, I wish they would've went out on tour instead of a one off, 10 years ago tomorrow.........which is amazing, December 10th, 2007.

I'm not one who thinks bands should fold the doors after original members stop playing with the band (I.E.) Bill Wyman or Bill Ward or deaths like Keith Moon and John Bonham. But that is just me. Sting decided to do it one more time with original members which was a good thing for fans. I was glad to see Black Sabbath do it one more time. I know there are purists who believe that these bands and Robert Plant should honor, especially those who have passed away, with maybe not playing again. It makes it even tougher knowing Jason Bonham is out there giving his acceptance to it. I, for one, disagree with it, but I would never blast him for sticking to his principles. Just my worthless opinion. I am glad I saw Zeppelin before and Robert Plant a couple of times since.

 

If Plant wanted to do it, I think it would be fine, and doubly so with Jason B. on drums. But he doesn't want to. The Who continuing with only half their limbs is a bit different. Even if one of those limbs was the brain. But I don't morally fault them, it's their band.

There was a recent-ish interview where Plant seemed to be saying some older bands play together even though they don't like each other because they have to - but that he doesn't have to. I hate throwing that out there without a source but I'm pretty sure I'm not imagining it. It seemed pretty pointed.

 

I think "don't like" is a bit strong. Plant often uses the analogy more like a divorce, you just grow apart, you're not the same person you used to be and neither is your ex "wife" / bandmate. This tribute to Page is fairly genuine


(Though I do like to imagine him saying at the end (Noddy Holder voice) "Now where's that fiver yer owe me!!")

 

I saw him play a small nightclub as part of his Priory Of Brion phase on that date in 1999.

Also, he definitely played that date in 2005. Unusually, a one time only version of Moby Dick (without drum solo of course) was the show opener to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Bonham's passing,