Face Off 11.18.08: Mike and Randy Discuss the Led Zeppelin Reunion Everyone Wants Except for Robert Plant

Posted by Michael Adler on 11.18.2008

Read on to see how Robert Plant, paralysis, alcoholism and uncles are all related. Now with 100% more Randy.

Dear Readers:
Due to a recent legal battle with the Sesame Workshop, Brandy has lost all rights to use the Letter B in her name. From here on in, Randy will be doing the column. He plays guitar, so he's a cool guy.

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Mike starts out: Recently, in November's Music Roundtable, as all of my loyal reader's know, I labeled Robert Plant as loser of the month for holding out on a full-out Led Zeppelin reunion. If you scroll down a little bit, you can see a reader commented that in fact it was the rest of the band who were losers for holding onto the past.

Now, I read this, and said, well I guess I disagree on that, but perhaps there's a certain logic to it. Then I let it bounce around in my head for a few days, and realized, no there is no logic to that. Robert Plant holding out is illogical. This week's column looks at why he is being illogical.

First, I'll ask a question. Does Robert Plant have a responsibility to get back with Led Zeppelin? Yes, we live in America/Britain-free societies where an artist has the right to do whatever he wants. In theory Robert Plant could step up with an album of sphincter music, a fart album if you would. But, on the other hand, he's built a legacy. His legacy, and much of his personal wealth is built upon his work with Led Zeppelin. Sure, he doesn't have to…but really if the fans want it. Similarly, I think to a certain extent, Brand and I would be letting my millions of fans down (who've come to expect fresh voices arguing over popular music) if we switched formats to Classical Music. I'd say we have a responsibility to the public to stay the course. Sure, we could argue over Beethoven's Ninth, but that'd be stupid.

Now, Plant's reasoning here is he's moved on, and he doesn't want to remain stuck in the past, but let's think about that for a second. Led Zeppelin came to prominence in 1969 with the release of their first album. It wasn't an instant skyrocket, and they were critically bashed-but the music itself was amazing, even though every song on the album was an old blues cover. Zeppelin would go on to release many more albums, with original songs, but, like many other band who came into their own during the late 60's, they would continue to fuse blues with rock. Their songs also would go onto incorporate elements of folk, American traditional, country, and even some world sounds.

Let's look at Robert Plant's last three releases: (all of which I enjoyed by the way). In 2002, he released Dreamland, which was predominantly covers of older folk and blues songs. Then he teamed up with his new band, the Strange Sensation (not bad, but vastly inferior to Zep). It featured songs heavy on world and mystical influences. And most recently, he released a duet with Allison Krauss, which featured, blues, classic rock, and country covers. Which leads me back to my original question: How is this different from a Led Zeppelin tour? The only difference is he's doing it with vastly inferior musicians. It'd be like if I wanted to open up a restaurant, and had the opportunity to have Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsey, and Emeril Lagrasse as chefs, but instead went with the local fry cook from the diner down the corner.

Robert Plant's being a dick. QED.
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Randy is contrary:OK, so let met get this straight. Bands have an obligation to tour, if they want to or not. Also, if you're going to tour, you need to tour with the best musicians you've ever played with.

Really? Is that really the argument? My drunken paraplegic uncle could come up with a better argument than that.

The fact is, Plant tours with other musicians because if he plays with Zeppelin IT WILL SUCK. I mean, has anyone seen that video where Plant and Page play "Bring It On Home" with Aerosmith? I get embarrassed just thinking about it. Plant can't sings the songs anymore and has a stupid goatee. Page is still living down Coverdale-Page. Jason Bonham plays with -Foreigner-. (I guess JPJ is cool.)

Of course, if the alternative is the rest of the band touring with the guy from Alter freaking Bridge and Creed reuniting, then by all means, Mr. Plant, please do it - whatever damage to the Zeppelin legacy will be done by the tour will be offset by preventing us from hearing another Creed song on the radio.
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Mike is contrary to Randy's contrariness:First of all, I object to your classification of Robert Plant's goatee. As far as aging rock stars go, I'd put it in the top five of goatees. It's certainly better than anything Ringo Starr's every grown.

And yes, that is my argument, and I think it's a good one. Also, I don't know about the drunken paraplegic uncle argument working anymore. In all fairness, Stephen Hawking came up with his theory on Black Holes while he was high on Ritalin, and he's a quadriplegic.

But yes, bands do have an obligation to tour to a certain extent. Robert Oppenheimer helped to develop the atomic bomb, and he had to live with the consequences and ramifications of it for his whole life. Robert Plant helped to develop Led Zeppelin, and he will have to do the same. The fact is, he is doing Zeppelin songs when he tours with the Strange Sensation, and they're awful, so I don't see why he's throwing a Mustane about getting back together with his old bandmates. He has the world's greatest guitar player, the world's second greatest Bass player....and well Jason Bonham (who's related to John Bonham!) waiting to tour with him. He's being stupid.

As far as Bring it on Home being embarrassing, anything associated with Aerosmith is embarassing. They're one of the most overrated and undertalented bands in the history of American rock music. If anything Zeppelin managed to make them interesting for a few minutes. And thankfully, Plant remembered to wear his shirt for the performance.

You do have one thing right though, if anything, at the end of the day, Plant has a great obligation to never, ever let Creed get back together.
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Randy has one last bout of contrariness:Aerosmith is embarrassing and Creed must stay dead, therefore Zeppelin must tour. Alright.

But seriously, they're old and it will suck. Period. It'll be like the new Indiana Jones movie.
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Black Dawg says Bring it on Home: So to conclude, looks like Randy's vehemently against a Zeppelin reunion except that it would prevent an unholy realliance of Creed, the worst band in the history of modern music. He worries the quality will be low, to say the least, whereas Mike thinks it's Robert Plant's duty as a Rock god to honor his commitments and go out for one more tour. Join us next week when we discuss "Good Times, Bad Times": Classic Led Zeppelin tune, or unprotected sex with a really hot girl who has herpes?