Ahead of the release of his new album, Band of Joy, Robert Plant talks to Andy Gill about the move from fronting the biggest band in the world to his success in exploring a diverse range of styles, from vocal harmony and country to North African and Arabic.
However, I must be honest with you and say that in the two videos below he looks like someones Dad doing his best to wreck a classic song at a Xmas Karaoke
Now I know it’s Youtube so it was probably shot on a mobile phone or small video camera – but to me it just looks, sounds and feels so horribly wrong.
What do you think?
I just put a link in the sidebar to a Metafilter post discussing Claudia Friedlander’s (a New York classical voice teacher) analysis of 5 male heavy metal singers. Interesting reading!
I agree with you about these videos LD.
I saw him with The Strange Sensation a couple of years ago in London, & he was fantastic. IMO he should stick to being the Rock God frontman he always was,but then it’s not like he needs to do anything,so i guess he can just please himself.
Just booked 3 tickets for me & the 2 boys to see Porcupine Tree at The Royal Albert Hall in Oct.( there were only 4 tickets left) Result! Never been to TRAH,so i’m really looking foward to it.£60 a ticket though. Still my birthdays coming up. (Again)
Cheeze – you’re in for a treat. The RAH is a fantastic venue. Have fun!
Thanks Technoflid, I’ve heard the acoustics are great there.
I can’t download your radio shows. Been through the motions,& they seem to download,but when i click on them, it shows O bytes. Any chance of putting them here?
(I’ve no idea how difficult that would be)
I’ll have a chat with LZ to see what can be done, as I’d like to get some shows up here too. I’ll certainly be posting some mini-mixes in the near future too.
Did you download Modzilla firefox first before trying to download the shows? if not, there’s a link on the site that will give you the free download of Mozilla. Once you’ve installed that, downloading shouldn’t be a problem…
Yes, downloaded firefox. I think it’s the box that asks where do you want the downloads to go. RAR wasn’t an option. I got someone who knows about computers & he downloaded
RAR extract frog, but he couldn’t do it either.
Hi LD, as most of you know by now Led Zeppelin is one of my favourite bands of all times.
However, it just makes me sad and want to drown myself in a pool of Beaujolais nouveau if I see Robert Plant like this. Ok, ok, people do get older and not everyone ages gracefully. But what is that? Boy, he does look like the creepy uncle from next door who invites himself to your 3-year-old’s birthday party. But not only has he lost his looks, he also lost his voice which is unequally more tragic. And these youtube videos are by far not the worst I’ve seen. You should have a listen to some of his country stuff he did over the last decade. Nope — I can honestly say I’ve fallen out of love with Robert Plant.
Hi Spiggy – agree with you ’tis a shame, still hope fully his new album ‘Band of Joy’ will be OK.
I had to laugh at the comments on Ozzy on the link that LZ posted. How long did his career last they ask? How about 40 odd years and still going strong? Maybe he’s not the greatest singer in the world, but when you are the Prince of Darkness that hardly matters does it?
As for Robert Plant – has The Dog gone out of his way to find the most awful clips he can find of him? And, if so, why? I didn’t realise that he was in the business of reducing demi-gods to mere mortals.
In reality, I don’t think these videos are nearly as bad as you all seem to think. OK, so he’s not getting any younger, are any of us (apart from Cliff Richard)? And, as Cheezy says, this guy has paid his dues, left an untouchable legacy behind him and is now free to follow whichever musical path he chooses. He’s far from the first rocker to change his style, thinks of Ritchie Blackmore for instance. if you don’t like the stuff he’s doing now, well then just go and dig out Physical Graffiti and think back to the days of your youth.
Alternatively, wait for his Band of Joy CD to come out and listen with a fresh pair of ears.
Maybe Spacepiggy has fallen out of love with Mr Plant – I haven’t, and if he was to come here for a gig, well I don’t think there would be many people in front of us in the ticket queue.
Come on its clear for all to see the man is past his best – plus the band who appear unrehearsed, don’t do him any favours.
Great website – more Neil Young required
Hi NYC – and welcome to musicforthemonth.com
I agree with you that the band look out of shape, it was I think their first night, still shouldn’t be an excuse with these guys.
We have had some Neil Young here – why don’t you send me your favorite 12 Young tracks and I’ll make a play list.
Hi Spacey, you’re a wee bit wrong here – I didn’t go out of my way to find the most awful clips of him, these were simply on Youtube and my first idea was to just put a couple of tunes next to the text. These weren’t actually the worst on there.
I”m actually as sad as you that one of the best rock singers ever is portrayed like this – what must people who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing him in his prime think?
I’ve a good feeling about Band of Joy – lets wait for the review on here.
Cheeze – I’ll e-mail LD as I have a plan…. radioshows should be with you shortly…
Okay dokey, the gloves are coming off!
Who’s first, NYC or LD? I know, let’s introduce our new chap with a typical Spacey retort. ‘Don’t do him any favours!!!’ Why not, don’t you think he done us enough over the last 4000 years or whatever? He’s given us all music that will stay with us for as long as we’re still breathing ferrchrisakes, don’t you think he deserves at least a little bit of slack? Any band/artist is capable of messing up what should be a great gig, I should know, I’ve seen enough total disasters in my time and I’m sure you have too.
As for him being past his best – well that may or may not be true, but is that any reason for him to stop now just as he’s attempting to reach out to a new audience? OK, so you don’t appear to like his new approach, neither does Mr D (well, he might still be undecided) or Spacepiggy. But I’m sure that his new CD will sell in the millions and find a whole new audience, sell out massive venues and rekindle the calls for a Zeppelin reunion all over again. And – I hasten to add, how many times has it been said that your own Neil Young has totally blown it, lost the plot, gone ‘past his best’ – only for him to screaming back with another stunner for us? Don’t you think that Plant is capable of the same? Of course, only time will tell, but I’m not anything like ready to give up on him yet.
Mr D – you should know better! I thought you were all for bands diversifying and exploring new areas. Yes the clips you have posted are quite poor quality and, as you say, probably shot with a mobile phone or something. I get the feeling that if they had been done properly then this conversation wouldn’t be taking place. I really don’t think, given the name that he has, that anyone, no matter how young they are, could believe that this is truly representative of what he is like in reality. Hang your head in shame then go back on youtube and give us a clip that shows what a decent Plant gig is really like before I beat you to it.
Oh by the way NYC, welcome along, feel free to totally disagree with everything I said and we’ll discuss it in a gentlemanly fashion in the pub car park at closing time.
Dear Mr Spacepig – me thinks one has been locked in the dungeon for too long this time. All this anger is not good for your inner peace and tranquility – plus I hope you haven’t scared NYC off, poor guy only been here two minutes.
Anyway, you’re wrong.
NYC, I’m trying to squeeze a mix in very soon and there could well be a Neil Young track in there if someone doesn’t beat me to it…
Here’s a 4 star review from Andy Gill http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/robert-plant-and-his-band-of-joy-one-mayfair-london-2069081.html – which does paint a very different picture to the one we saw on YouTube.
Don’t forget though, “believe nothing of what you hear or read and only half of what you see”
I’m really looking looking forward to hearing his new album now
That’s me buggered then!
I always believe what i hear, read & see
Opposite of me then, I never believe a thing that I hear, read or see. Especially if I have said it, written it or done it myself.
Does that make me confirmed sceptic?
Yep
Yep
5 star review from Andy Gill http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-robert-plant-band-of-joy-decca-2075124.html – I can’t wait for this album!
Looks like the tide is turning back in Mr P’s favour after all then?
I certainly hope so as I could never really accept him being written off. Well maybe if he was to do something really stupid, but that is never going to happen is it?
I have total faith in him coming up with the goods no matter what direction he heads in.
I can see why you enjoy Andy Gill’s writing – I really enjoyed that article even though I’ve no real idea of who Robert Plant is or why he’s important (I know, I know, I’ll leave my mftm membership badge on the table as I leave…!)