Snippets from the interview with Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones in the May 2008 issue of Uncut
An article which is something of a corker
Did the success of the [O2] show test your previously stated resolve not to reform for a full-blown reunion and tour?
Robert Plant: Not at all. I really enjoyed it. And hopefully, one day, we could do it again for another really, really good reason. Our profit is — it's metaphysical. And that's the thing, especially with my connection with Jimmy. I mean, the two of us are almost umbilically attached in some strange way and have been down the years. And that's survived everything. From the time I was 19 to now, when I'm 59.
Did you ever confront Jimmy about his heroin use and the effect it was having on himself and the band?
RP: I think with most users, the denial is part of the condition and because most everybody around was in one way or another denying something, there was no central point of solidarity. If Peter hadn't been so unavailable himself, he might have pulled the whole thing he together, 'cos his influence was huge. But it didn't work like that. But nonetheless, I still think that by that time Jimmy and I had become quite adept politically at keeping it going, even though I felt very compromised. I also felt for him, you know.
How could you not?
RP: Exactly, exactly, yeah, yeah. I mean, he was my buddy. He will always be my buddy. But, you know, everything happened that happened and Jimmy's come through it and he's got himself back. He's now the same guy, almost, whatever the scars and the surgery. He's got it, he's back.
How different was he at the O2 reunion from the guy you worked with on the UnLedded tour in 1994?
RP: If Jimmy was as healthy then and when we came to do Walking Into Clarksdale, if he'd been as open and as healthy and he'd had the resolve then that he has now, we'd probably have gone somewhere else again. Because I'm always exhilarated by hearing him play. I think he's met his demons now and he's made that public now as much as he can without losing face. Without giving too much away, the olive branch came out. And when he brought that branch out — he said, "I offer you an olive branch."
Which you were happy to accept?
RP: Yes. I mean, I wish he could've given it to himself so many years back.
Has it been painful to watch what he's been through?
RP: Not really, no. You've got to make your own way. I mean he's got great kids, I'm his friend, he's got a lot of friends. He's just got to be honest with himself. I think that's where he's at now.
Was playing with Robert at the 02 a very different experience to the Page & Plant tours of the ’90s?
Jimmy Page: Of course it was different, because it was better. With no disrespect to the musicians who played in Page & Plant, it’s got to be better to play the music with the key members who’ve written it. So that’s Robert, that’s me and that’s John Paul Jones.
Why did Page & Plant end when it did?
JP: The LP was all right, but it was scaled right down. There could have been a follow-up, but it’s a leading question, isn’t it? I had some material written for another album. I had about a dozen numbers, and some of them were really good, but Robert heard them and he wanted to go in another direction. He wanted to do a solo album. Fair enough.
Robert’s now touring with Alison Krauss. Does it infuriate you? Do you feel like saying: “But Robert, this is LED ZEPPELIN we’re talking about!”
JP: No, because he’s made many departures and that’s what he feels he needs to do. No, he can do what he wants. We’re all grown men, for heaven’s sake. But I know what is inspirational, and what is really challenging, and that is the sort of direction that I personally — personally — intend to go.
I know you weren’t involved with UnLedded, but was there a part of you that was at least glad to see Jimmy working with Robert again?
John Paul Jones: [Doubtfully] Yeah… I wasn’t particularly glad for anybody at that point. [Laughs] But yeah… it was mitigated by that thought. At least he was playing. It was probably good for him.
Can you and Jimmy joke about that now?
JPJ: We don’t actually joke about it. It was quite a hard time for me. But we’re past it, if you know what I mean.