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Robert Plant: A legend continues |
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Written by Mike Stahl
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Sunday, 18 December 2005 |
Robert Plant keeps rockin' at SXSW 2005
Rock truly lives on as Robert Plant sat down for a 90 minute interview with MTV's Bill Flanagan at South by Southwest 2005.
But first, there was a bit of a surprise. Neil Portnow, the president of the Recording Academy presented Robert Plant with a lifetime Achievement award for Led Zeppelin’s contribution to music history. This was a surprise since Plant was unable to attend the Grammy Awards to receive the award in February.
During the interview, Plant often referred to the “blue note” which has influenced his life and music enormously. The blues for him are a passion and a pursuit.
Elvis Presley was and remains someone that Plant has looked up to all throughout his career. He shared a story about meeting Elvis the first time. Led Zeppelin was in attendance at an Elvis show when Elvis himself stopped a song and commented, “Wait a second, we’ve got to do this right. Led Zeppelin is here tonight”. Plant was touched by the fact that someone he idolized so much reciprocated the respect.
Plant was no stranger, like most rockers, to being misunderstood by his parents. Plant lamented about his mother cutting the cord off his record player when he was a teenager. This didn’t dissuade the young rocker as it wasn’t too long before he hooked up with Jimmy Page and together with John Paul Jones and John Bonham formed the everlasting Led Zeppelin.
Plant stated, “I don't think popular music can ever stand still. It can't always be left to new musicians to print the future”.
When asked what advice he could give to aspiring musicians at SXSW Plant said, “Stay away from the major labels. Stay independent and do your own thing.”
The live show on Thursday night showed off Plant’s new songs as well as his band Strange Sensation. The almost 2 hour set combined songs from “Mighty Rearranger” with a smattering of Led Zeppelin favorites. “Shine it All Around” is an immediate standout track from the new disc. It incorporates the driving drum sound of Zeppelin records with a more electronic modern rock feel. Zeppelin favorites “Babe I'm Gonna Leave You “ and “Immigrant Song” were inviting and re-invigorated with their focus on rhythms. “Whole Lotta Love” closed the show with a bit of a re-work that showed that Robert and Strange Sensation could keep it fresh and exciting.
Plant frankly stated from the stage, “Fuck the record labels, they have screwed everything up”. The crowd on hand at the Austin Music Center wasn’t disagreeing. Having someone as successful as Robert Plant make such a statement definitely had an impact. His new cd out on Sanctuary Records titled “Mighty Rearranger” is due out May 10th.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 18 December 2005 )
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