NEW YORK 鈥� The question hangs over an interview with Robert Plant, an obligation for the journalist and a depressing inevitability for his subject. Might as well get it over with.
Are you ever going to make music again with Alison Krauss?
All right, so there are probably other questions. The downside 鈥� admittedly small 鈥� to having an illustrious past in the music world is that many fans want you to live in it. Today, it鈥檚 easier and more lucrative for artists to recycle work and jog pleasant memories from the stage. For some, it鈥檚 the only way to earn a living.
The former Led Zeppelin singer has the luxury of choice and, at 69, he鈥檚 chosen to dwell among the handful of artists producing challenging new work late in their careers. His album Carry Fire, which came out Friday, continues his collaboration with a band whose name, the Sensational Space Shifters, speaks to its versatility. Plant鈥檚 voice is a more intimate instrument now, although he shows, in a duet with Chrissie Hynde, that he can summon the old wail. 鈥淚 just think what we鈥檙e doing here is just such a joy, it really is,鈥� Plant said.
For the second disc in a row, Plant is working with the eclectic Nonesuch Records label. He essentially recruited himself, said that label鈥檚 president, David Bither, knowing that Nonesuch鈥檚 roster contains artists such as David Byrne, Randy Newman and Emmylou Harris, who have enjoyed success but like to push themselves in new directions.
When Plant started working with his current band, his manager invited Bither to a show in Mexico City so he could see what they were doing. 鈥淚f he wanted to rest on his laurels, he鈥檚 got some pretty big laurels to rest upon,鈥� Bither said. 鈥淗ow many people in the world have been begging them to put the band back together and go out on tour? But he wants to live in the present, maybe even in the future, and that, I think, is an incredibly admirable trait for an artist.鈥�
Money, unimaginable money, is being left on the table. But with Plant鈥檚 net worth already estimated at $170 million US and likely only to go up as new generations discover Led Zeppelin, what鈥檚 the imperative?
鈥淗e honours the past,鈥� Bither said. 鈥淲hat he鈥檚 done he鈥檚 very proud of. But that seems like being on some kind of a treadmill for him, almost like a ring of hell, to be doing the same thing over and over and over again.鈥�
The willingness to take chances defines the latter part of his career, Plant said. He鈥檚 enjoyed all of it, from touring with old pal Jimmy Page and an Egyptian orchestra in the 1990s, to the Grammy-winning Raising Sand duet with Krauss in 2007, duets with Patty Griffin and two albums with his new band.
Everyone鈥檚 favourite muse, U.S. President Donald Trump, was an inspiration for the Plant-narrated song Carving Up the World Again 鈥� A Wall and Not a Fence on his new album.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just Trump,鈥� he said in a phone interview from London. 鈥淚t鈥檚 every Trump that鈥檚 ever been. Every generation and every culture has several Trumps. It鈥檚 just some are a bit heftier than others. And you鈥檝e got one hell of a heft over there.鈥�
For the most part, the atmospheric songs, with some of the Middle Eastern influences Plant has long been fond of, delve into the mysteries of personal relationships. Plant chuckles at the mention of one lyric鈥檚 reference to 鈥渄ancing days,鈥� a wink to old fans. His voice is expressive in a quieter way, both a concession to age and a reflection of lessons learned during his work with
Krauss.
Scheduling issues and reported false starts have prevented a sequel to Raising Sand. Plant said he鈥檚 compiling a list of old songs he鈥檇 like to record with the bluegrass star. 鈥淚 do get letters from her, emails [saying] 鈥業 don鈥檛 like it without you,鈥� 鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I don鈥檛 like it without her. But I like it with these guys. It鈥檚 just a volcano of joy playing with these guys.鈥�
Plant won鈥檛 leave his Zeppelin legacy untouched during an upcoming, mostly sold-out theatre tour of the U.S. 鈥淭his is entertainment, after all,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is not just about me being a wandering soul on the edge of the popular mainstream. Of course. I鈥檒l just tell 鈥檈m in a different way.鈥�
Anyone expecting a jukebox of old hits has come to the wrong place, though. 鈥淚f people want to come and get into this groove, it鈥檚 great,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f they don鈥檛, there鈥檚 plenty of other things they can do. Bowling鈥檚 a good one. Or bingo.鈥�
