• Newsletter Sign up
• Subscribe
• Back Issues
• Sample Issue
• Contact Us

NUCLEAR PLANT EXPLOSION

From page 5 of Classic Rock Magazine March 2007

Cover of March 2007 issue.

Congratulations on last issue’s Life After Led Zeppelin piece, albeit with one glaring letdown: the casual discounting of Robert Plant’s first two solo albums by ‘Sir’ Mick Wall. I, for one, have very fond memories of both Pictures At Eleven and The Principle Of Moments . You only have to take a look at the countless hair-metal reissues from the same time period that are openly praised by your publication, to see how much more classy and original these records really were.

Alright, I accept that the be-mulletted/knuckle dragging Zep-reunion camp thought that they were pants, but

didn’t they think the same of In Through The Out Door and Presence because they didn’t rawk enough? Give the man a break. Plant is undeniably the most original, consistent and accomplished of the three remaining members; your own article and 29 Psalms is testament to that.

Plant moved on extremely quickly and knocked out two bona fide, original classics in fast succession. I remember listening to an interview with Percy around the time and how he was extolling the virtues of Echo & The Bunnymen and The Cocteau Twins. He was clearly trying to distance himself from his past and produce something original. What’s wrong with that? Wasn’t that the true spirit of Zep? I say more power to him! Did you expect him to join The Tygers Of Pan Tang or something?

Plant follows a long line of past masters (eg. Neil Young, Dylan, Van Morrison, Kurt Cobain, etc.) and clearly understands the secret to longevity: be true to yourself and don’t give the masses everything that they want. Let’s hope Classic Rock is less smallminded when the remasters drop through its letterbox for review and, with any luck, Percy will tour them both in their entirety. Although I somehow doubt it. Unlike most of his peers, he simply doesn’t need to pander to the nostalgia trip.

Dumf, Bristol