Robert Plant on his musical peers: "There's nothing worse than a bunch of jaded old farts"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

In the new issue of Rolling Stone — on stands and online in the digital archives now (subscription required) — Robert Plant explains to writer Stephen Rodrick why he was unwilling to keep performing with Led Zeppelin after their 2007 reunion concert.

"It was an amazing evening," Plant says. "The preparations for it were fraught and intense, but the last rehearsal was really, really good, for all that it represented and all that we were trying to capture. But I've gone so far somewhere else that I almost can't relate to it...It's a bit of a pain in the pisser to be honest. Who cares? I know people care, but think about it from my angle — soon, I'm going to need help crossing the street."

Plant and Alison Krauss began crafting a follow-up to their 2007 surprise smash LP "Raising Sand," but it didn't go well. "The sound wasn't there," says Plant. "Alison is the best. She's one of my favorite people. We'll come back to it."

Plant is endlessly annoyed by his musical peers (he won't name names) who do little besides replay their old hits. "There's nothing worse than a bunch of jaded old farts, and that's a fact," he says. "People who have written their story — they've gotten to the point where nothing moves. I don't deal in that, and I don't deal with anybody who deals in that."

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40951768/ns/today-entertainment/

[Wickerman]

1. Like his latest album

and that he did two songs by Low.

[maxsolomon]

2. Raising Sand was fine, but "gone so far somewhere else"?

take a hard look back at the rest of your solo catalog, Bob. it ain't pretty.

[msongs]

3. paul mccartney's last album was among his best ever - an old fart who keeps moving forward nt

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. Yep...McCartney can do a show that's half greatest hits, half new album, and come up a winner.

He also has a lot of back-catalog album tracks, songs that weren't "hits" per se or singles, that he throws into the lineup now and then.

[brewens]

5. Best show I ever saw was Page & Plant at The Gorge in '95.

I'm sure glad he did a bunch of the old stuff then. I've seen a lot of concerts and that was awesome. 9th row right in the middle. We paid $90 apiece for the seats, the most I had ever paid at that point.
All we expected was the same show they did that is on the Unleaded dvd. Starting with The Wanton Song, we got about a whole extra hour of rockin' Zeppelin classics. When it got dark they brought out the orchestra and got to the stuff from the dvd. I think that was originally on HBO, I can't really remember. You just never see a show so much above expectations like that!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Wasn't it Grace Slick who said something along the lines of rock and roll being for the young

I have no problems with artists who continue to grow and produce music, but straight up nostalgia bands wear a bit thin.

[KT2000]

7. Have to agree with him

old guys playing their old hits - awful, except of course James Taylor.
Fleetwood Mac has to be the worst.

[saras]

8. Naah..

Fleetwood Mac isn't the worst. You have to check out the West Coast casino circuit if you REALLY want to find the worst. We're talking the sort of one-hit-wonders that make Jay and the Americans seem like superstars.

But you know, if it's the only job you ever had...

[mackerel]

9. Love his new stuff!