“A complete prat”: the torturous time Steve Albini produced Jimmy Page and Robert Plant
When Led Zeppelin legends Robert Plant and Jimmy Page reunited in the early 1990s for the UnLedded MTV performance, the No Quarter tour, and the ensuing live album, longtime fans of the British band could not believe what was unfolding. While they did not get a full reunion with bassist John Paul Jones until 2007, with his absence still a mystery, people were excited when the pair announced their studio album Walking into Clarksdale. Adding an extra layer of interest was that Steve Albini was signed on to produce the record.
Recording took place at London’s historic home of classic rock, Abbey Road Studios, in August and September 1997, and the album was released the following April to much fanfare. However, after the announcement of the record, eyebrows were raised across the musical spectrum. It seemed unbelievable that one of the most prominent punks and critics of the industry should come together with two men inextricable from an era and band that punk specifically had in its crosshairs when it first emerged.
A pioneer of the American underground sound of the 1980s, Albini produced the widely influential 1988 Pixies debut, Surfer Rosa, and fronted lauded outfits such as Big Black. After years of bubbling away in Chicago, he finally came to global prominence after he produced the darkly atmospheric final Nirvana album, 1993’s In Utero. With the scintillating first Pixies record in mind, this convergence materialised at the behest of the group wanting to return to their dissonant roots.
Of course, it was peculiar that Albini should work with two men supposedly diametrically opposed to everything he represented. Yet, Plant had long been a follower of the American underground and became a fan of Albini’s work after buying Big Black’s second and final album, Songs About Fucking, in 1987.
In 1998, Page and Plant sat down with one of their most famous fans, former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, who was friends with and was fully aware of the bespectacled curmudgeon’s studio approach. In the discussion for Ray Gun, the Led Zeppelin duo reflected on making Walking into Clarksdale, with Plant opening up about how torturous it could be working with Albini.
Both asserted that Albini brought an exceptional album to life. Still, as they say, nothing of worth is earned without hard work, which was particularly true for the vocalist à la the producer’s process. After Grohl told the duo he thought Albini was a perfect choice for the role, Plant offered some of his typical sarcasm, calling the Big Black leader “a complete prat”.
He said: “Despite what I was telling you off tape, about him being a complete prat, he really caught what was in the room….at the exclusion of the vocals. Which almost didn’t matter. It was like another instrument on this fantastic instrumental album. And he got it all sounding really good in the shortest space of time. Without any pain at all.”
Following this, Grohl pointed out one issue he had when listening to the album: the vocals too. Although he maintained the band sounded natural, his central misgiving was how Plant sounded. The Foo Fighters leader then outlined where Albini placed the Black Country native in the final mix: “He’s always afraid of putting a band’s vocalist out too far in the front.”
Plant conceded: “I know. I really felt intimidated, and I realised that he hadn’t quite worked out where he was going to put me.”
Page, who had been quiet most of the chat, added his two cents. As they recorded in the expansive studio two at Abbey Road, the Led Zeppelin guitar hero admitted he took full advantage of it by cranking his amp. Acknowledging it was impossible for his friend to sing amidst the sheer noise, he revealed he was forced to sing between two doors to keep the sound out. Naturally, this fed into Plant feeling “very dejected” and misunderstood.
Offering up a touch of his wry humour once more, Plant confessed: “But then again, I wouldn’t be a vocalist if I thought anybody understood, right? It’s a bloody awful job, But in the end, it turned out all right because I hated him [Albini].”
After a period of poking fun at Albini, which included Page comparing him to Stu in the Rugrats, Plant apologised, saying, “Sorry Steve, because I do really love you.” He concluded: “But without him, we wouldn’t have made a great record. And I wouldn’t have felt insecure for as long as I did.”
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