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Robert Plant

I’ve been a Zeppelin fan since I was a little kid. Was obsessed with them in high school. I always thought Plant was one of the best singers in rock and roll. A lot of people still do. I never saw Zep but did see Plant in concert several times in the 80s/90s.

 

Over the decades I find that I don’t listen to Zep all that much for whatever reason.

 

This Christmas Eve morning I stayed home from church because of a nasty cold and dug out some of my old LPs. One of them was a bootleg (at the time) of Zeppelin's live BBC performances. I bought it used in 1984 for $20 which was a ton of money for me back then. (You can get this on Qobuz etc now.)

 

About 4 minutes into Whole Lotta Love the band lapses into a blues/Elvis medley of songs that is simply epic. The entire band is right on point and amazing as always but in this medley Plant really shows you his stuff. The range, the control, the timing, the soul. All there. Is he the best rock and roll singer ever? I can think of a lot of challengers to that idea but he’s certainly up around the top.

Give this song a listen. The initial part of Whole Lotta Love is not my favorite. But this medley and the ending are Zeppelin at its best.

Merry Christmas all.

n80

Showing 2 responses by re-lar-kvothe

re-lar-kvothe's avatar
re-lar-kvothe
184 posts
 

Zep has been my favorite band since I was 10 (now 63) and have the tattoos to prove it. I was devastated when Bonham passed. I met Plant the morning after a show in Norfolk Virginia at breakfast in the hotel. He was with the entire band (Sensational Space Shifters). We sat and talked with him for the better part of an hour. All I can say is what a dude. We didn't come across as star stuck fans. Said good morning and off he went. Asking us questions, did we see the show, what we thought, where we were from,telling jokes.He was funny, engaging, just a good person. I can honestly say I met my lifelong idol and am all the better for it.

The song you reference is a good example of his unique expression of his talent. But I am guilty of being an extreme fanboy, He and the band did nothing to ever disappoint me. I was always intrigued how they progressed as a band and even more amazed at how he has taken is talents to the level he has on his own,

re-lar-kvothe's avatar
re-lar-kvothe
184 posts
 

@dodgealum YES!!! I Love Plant but was always blown away by Bonham and Jones. They were the backbone of the music. When they showed up  the fight begins, so to speak. Their contribution to the band's tone was demonstrative and emotional on an almost guttural level. When they laid down the beats you knew someone was in the room. To this day, when Achilles Last Stand is played anywhere I get goosebumps.Call them what you will, they were the best R&R band ever assembled.

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