Re: But...it just sucks

[Steve Thomson <stevethomson_mtl@xxxxxxxx>]

Yep, nothing will stir up the list like a good
anti-Plant rant! Seriously, Michael O, while I
understand where you're coming from to a point, I
don't think it's fair to paint us all as mindless
lemmings when it comes to Plant. 

I've been accused of being a relentless Plant-hater a
couple of times for my criticisms so I hardly think my
enthusiasm for Raising Sand can be considered
"kowtowing" to Plant. I'm excited about this project
because the excerpts sound like he's back to singing
the way he did up until about halfway through Fate of
Nations, with a strong, resonant voice in tune with
the music. 

To be honest, although I was thrilled by the
Page-Plant project just because it got Jimmy out there
and working, I think it suffered from Plant's input,
both his weak singing and his more or less forcing the
exclusion of John Paul Jones and the inclusion of
Michael Lee and Charlie Jones (possibly the most
uninspiring bassist I've ever heard). I did hope it
would gel with time as the WIC producer Steve Albini
said he thought would happen. Page has since mentioned
that he hoped to eventually convince Plant to let JPJ
into the fold, and I think that would have either
prompted Lee to improve as a drummer or else they'd
find another better drummer. I really do think it's a
shame shame it didn't last and I honestly feel Plant
stabbed Jimmy and his fans in the back by walking out
on the tour. 

I thought Dreamland was a durge-like, morose, weak
effort other than three songs. To think that he
abandoned Jimmy just to come up with such a depressing
pile of dreck really made me angry. Then to follow up
with Mighty Rearranger, which I've already criticized
enough here (ironically, I bought a vinyl copy of MR
that sounds much better. Without all the digital
brickwall compression that mars CDs these days, the
vocals don't sound as bad). Anyway, let just say I
wasn't very fond of Plant anymore. Throughout the 80's
I was a devoted fan. No more. When people pined for a
Zeppelin reunion, I hoped Page and Jones would work
together, but not Plant because I felt he would sink
it with those horrible pitchy vocals and annoying,
repetitive and somewhat creepy stylings (he's a little
old to be pleasing "come on, come on, come on, little
girl, little girl" without sounding like some
aqualung-like perv)!

However, towards the end of the last SS tour, he
seemed to smarten up. Appearances he did at different
guest gigs, etc., found him in much better voice.
Everything I've heard from the 2007 appearances on
Youtube seem to indicate he's back in good voice and
he's ditched the "old perv" mannerisms (or directed
them at Alison ;-). Based on the versions of Zeppelin
songs I've heard, I see no plausible reason why he
couldn't do some kind of reunion gig with the other
two. If he can stand onstage with Skin cranking out
Jimmy's WLL riff in all its glory, and singing the
song better than he has since 1971 or so, why not
stand with Jimmy and do the same? 

All this being said, I like what I hear on this
Raising Sand promo video. Even if he doesn't do
something with Page and Jones (which I still suspect
is less out of the question than some would think), I
will most likely enjoy this project because it sounds
like the Robert Plant I used to enjoy in the 80's. I'm
not some aging groupie "wanted to be" hanging out at
Manic Menopause and worshipping every fart the guy
utters (You want lemmings, go there!) I'm a music fan
who still thinks Plant has the potential to sing well.
I'm glad he seems to be doing so again. I still have
issues with the way he treats his Zeppelin heritage as
a curse one day and a trophy the next. I'd prefer he
handle it the way JPJ does, but as a music lover, I'm
optimistic again about Plant for the first time in years.


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