AboutMike Caldwell Expertise Fortunately, or unfortunately, there are no Led Zeppelin questions I can't answer. My immediate specialty (or proclivity as it may be) has to do with concert performances and lyrical interpretations.
Experience Countless hours of biographical research and personal interaction with relevant individuals. Avid contributor to Led Zeppelin newsgroups since 1997 (check Google groups!)
Publications Bullseye News Magazine. The Vapid Voice.
Question Hey Mike, I would like to hear your opinion on why Robert refuses to tour. Lately I've read allot of negative comments about him on general discussion forums which I think are unfair. I've heard it said quite often that he feels he can no longer do justice to the vocals. At the O2 concert he sounded great. What do you think?
Answer Hi Mike
In my view, it's for a couple solid reasons. Yes, I should be upset that he might prevent us from seeing more post-Bonham-Zeppelin live performances before we, and they, are too old. The key is that he is afraid of the Zeppelin "name" become a tired out novelty act, and he's been voicing these fears since the late 1970s.
For example, let's cite Lynyrd Skynyrd. They were a fantastic band in the 1970s, and they should have retired gracefully from the scene after 1977. However, they continued to play concerts to half-empty arenas with one or two surviving members, and it's rather sad to see them wear out a legendary act by simply touring behind the name.
Plant doesn't want to wear out the Led Zeppelin legacy by trying to repackage it 29 years later, minus a very prominent drummer, and laden by age, withering vocal chords, and withering bodies.
I believe, in Plant's views, Zep was a 12 year-long "moment" - equipped with youth, sexual bravado, and 1970s excess...all of which cannot be manufactured or even remotely simulated by simply repackaging the surviving members into a commercialized tour in stadiums named after corporations. Plant is afraid that attempting to conjure up such old spirits would be met with disappointment, and Plant has always been fearful of disappointing himself and his fans. He aptly said in a recent NME article:
"I think the thing about it is really, is that to visit old ground, it's a very incredibly delicate thing to do, and the disappointment that could be there once you commit to that and the comparisons to something that was basically fired by youth and a different kind of exuberance to now, its very hard to go back and meet that head on and do it justice."
I enjoyed the Page/Plant tours in the 90s, and soaked them up for the moment, thinking there'd be nothing as good to come in the future. Plant was energetic and inspired about that era, because it *wasn't* Led Zeppelin, yet we adoring fans could still see the two most flamboyant members of the group play off of each other's energy and much of the old dynamic was recaptured. They always said that Led Zeppelin ceased to exist with the demise of John Bonham, and I heartily agree. There will never again be a true "Led Zeppelin", plain and simple. Michael Jordan, upon hitting his final championship winning shot with the Bulls, should have retired for good, left on a high note, and let that moment define his legacy. But, he came out of retirement, played a couple more forgettable seasons, and did not leave on a high note. Plant doesn't want to risk that mistake, and I understand that. His high notes, literally and figuratively, are behind him for Led Zeppelin, and he'd rather it stay that way.
