Re: Plant's Attractiveness at 48...

[Jean Lorrah <a21711f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 12:38 PM 10/22/97 +0000, Derek wrote:
>	I was in the process of trying to convert my girlfriend into
>Page/Plant (she is already there but I got a video so she and I watched
>it) when I commented how much I wanted hair like Robert Plant.  She
>replied (Jean do not hurt her), "...why, he is not good looking."  Even
>though I am a hetrosexual male I think Plant is a good looking guy even
>at age 48 (during the PP tour).  She does not like the way he acts on
>stage (ie:  his body movements such as (specifically) his clapping).

        Not every younger woman likes older men.  That's one possibilty if
your girlfriend is under thirty.  When I was twenty-five, I wouldn't have
found a man of nearly fifty desirable, though I could appreciate his talent.
        Another possibility is that she is not accustomed to the rather
stylized movements Robert has incorporated into his stage act in the past
few years.  Some of it is Eastern or African in origin.  Some of it is
self-parody--that shoulder shimmy, for example.  I'll bet Robert was
surprised himself the first time he did that and the women in the audience
whistled and cheered instead of laughing.
        Finally, Robert is Robert--he has developed his own style, and after
a brief deviation from it in the early 80's he returned to the look that is
peculiarly his.  Unfortunately, he is prone to the occasional fashion
disaster whenever he deviates from the classic into the faddish, but that
was not really a problem on the NQ tour--he apparently didn't pack most of
the truly awful pieces in his wardrobe, and abandoned the
shirt-hanging-out-from-under-the-vest look, presumably too hot when he
really started moving.
        Does your girlfriend like long hair on men?  Some women don't.  If
you like it, you have to agree that Robert's is beautiful, though sometimes
he could really use a trim or even just a comb!  However, if he were not the
original golden rock god, those long blond curls might not be appropriate on
a man his age.  If this is your girlfriend's first introduction to him, I
can see how his appearance might at first seem rather...aging hippie.  But
then, that's what he is, and the look is an accepted standard today (I do a
modified version of it myself).  After a while I think your girlfriend will
look past the clothes, the hair, and the map of his life that Robert wears
on his face, and see what beautiful shape he's in.
        And _listen_ to him!  After listening to his voice get better and
better on the tour, I can't wait for the new album!

>	I was wondering what the women on this list think?  How many of
>agree with my girlfriend that Plant's clapping during the Page/Plant
>looks a little weird?  I personally think, and Jean I am looking for
>your opinion, that the ultimate Plant stage presence occured at the
>beginning of Since I've Been Loving You in New York (10/26/95).  He is
>laughing and singing (it appears) specifically to some women (I hope).

        Robert did SIBLY wonderfully all through the NQ tour--definitely one
of the highlights.  He can see the audience, and does acknowledge them--he
nodded and smiled at me when I blew him kisses in Chicago, though I'm not
the pretty young thing he prefers to direct a whole song to.  NYC was
another place where he was clearly having a great time--but he and Jimmy
seemed to be happy pretty much throughout the tour, which infected the
audience, which in turn inspired them right back again.
       Anyway, you're worried about _your_ girlfriend, right?  As long as
she likes the music, aren't you better off if she's paying attention to you
while she grooves to the music, rather than fantasizing about Robert or
Jimmy?  Jean

Jean Lorrah A21711F@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (alternate Jean1@xxxxxxxx)
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/3439/ http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4165/