The Led Zeppelin song that Jimmy Page believes epitomises the brilliance of Robert Plant
There is a strong argument to be made that every great band needs a solid double-act. The likes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and Morrissey and Johnny Marr go a fair way in propping this point up. Concentrating on the classic rock period, aside from The Beatles and their London counterparts in The Rolling Stones, it is safe to say that Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant make up the other most assertive double act it produced.
It is clear that to be an effective duo, there has to be an essence of yin and yang involved in the process, with the parts sharing some similarities but also, more crucially, being mostly contraries. From aspects of their personalities to creative preferences, this theme has regularly appeared in the finest musical duos, with both filling in each other’s blanks and the friction produced by their opposing beliefs creating luminous artistic sparks.
Regarding Page and Plant, this dichotomy can be found in many areas. Whether it be the fact that the guitarist grew up in leafy Surrey and the frontman in the heart of the industrial Black Country or that the former was one of the most sought-after session musicians before Led Zeppelin, whereas the latter was cutting his teeth on the West Midlands circuit, there are several key distinctions. There are also recorded differences in character and interests.
However, despite their contrasts, much binds the pair, and like an artistic yin and yang, it creates a potent interconnectedness and a scintillating sum of its parts. A puristic love of blues and rock ‘n’ roll formed the basis of their relationship, as did the desire to keep pushing on artistically.
United by a common goal – Page’s original concept for the sound of Led Zeppelin – their individual visions of it might have differed in light of their inherently singular nature as humans, but this restlessness allowed them to continue moving forward. Perhaps more significantly, such continual push and pull was so impactful that it even knocked Lennon and McCartney off their perch, as their own differences were becoming too pronounced to ignore, and The Beatles limped to the finish line.
Naturally, it hasn’t always been plain sailing between Page and Plant, either. There is a clear line in the band between the frontman and drummer John Bonham and Page and bassist John Paul Jones. Furthermore, after the tragic death of Plant’s son Karac, Page was nowhere to be seen at the funeral.
Although Led Zeppelin ended with Bonham’s death in 1980, Page and Plant would surprise everybody – not to mention Jones, who was omitted – when they reunited as a double act in the early 1990s, culminating in the Steve Albini-recorded Walking into Clarksdale in 1998. The surviving members of the ‘Communication Breakdown’ outfit later reunited in 2007 for the iconic The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, which resoundingly showed that the band and pair still have it. Since then, though, Plant has continually voiced his reluctance to reform once more and was reportedly happy for the group to trial new vocalists instead of him.
When speaking to Rolling Stone in 2012, Page addressed his long collaborative relationship with Plant and what “attracts” him to the golden-haired maestro. Pointing to the fact that the pair aren’t working together anymore, he touched on their shared empathy and used the cover of ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’ from Led Zeppelin’s 1969 debut as the epitome of what makes his friend such a brilliant singer.
The guitarist explained: “What is the quality in me that attracts him? Maybe there isn’t one. Because we’re not working together [laughs]. We had an empathy. ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’ [on 1969’s Led Zeppelin] — I knew exactly how that was going to shape up.”
Page set the mood with his flamenco-esque guitar, but Plant took it to the next level. Outlining how their differences united, he added: “He came up with an incredible, plaintive vocal. When you’re in a group, you’re trying to bring out the best of each member, in that moment. We managed to bring something good out of each other.”
While both men have found extensive success without each other, there can be no doubt that they are most potent when under the same roof. Due to respective circumstances, it is unlikely that they’ll ever release another collaborative record. However, it speaks volumes about their importance that they are still so revered today when many of their contemporaries are fading into the annals of history.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Led Zeppelin Newsletter
All the latest stories about Led Zeppelin from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.