When legendary bands reunite, fans often expect magic. But the truth is, getting back together isn\u2019t as easy as just plugging in and turning up. For some, the years bring too much baggage, physical wear, or diverging creative paths. Take The Police, for example \u2014 one reunion and done. But if there\u2019s any band whose reunion still feels like unfinished business, it\u2019s Led Zeppelin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, the remaining members rarely stepped on stage together. And while fans clung to hope, it was Robert Plant who remained the biggest holdout. It wasn\u2019t ego \u2014 it was evolution. Plant wasn\u2019t interested in mimicking the golden-haired, bare-chested \u201cPercy\u201d persona of the \u201870s. While Jimmy Page could still shred through \u201cBlack Dog\u201d and Jason Bonham could admirably fill his father\u2019s shoes, Plant had grown past the hammer-swinging frontman role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, Plant never shut the door completely. His Page and Plant collaborations in the \u201890s offered some interesting reinterpretations of Zeppelin classics, and his work with Alison Krauss showed his range in blending folk and rock \u2014 especially on songs like \u201cThe Battle of Evermore.\u201d These stripped-down performances arguably had more emotional weight than any attempt at recreating the bombast of \u201cImmigrant Song.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2007 Celebration Day concert remains Zeppelin\u2019s final official reunion, but long before that, there were whispers of a comeback in the \u201880s \u2014 particularly after their Live Aid performance in 1985. Though that performance is widely regarded as a misstep, things started to look promising again when Tony Thompson joined them for rehearsals. Working out of Peter Gabriel\u2019s high-tech studio in Bath, the band had the gear, the space, and the muscle to make something special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But magic doesn\u2019t happen without chemistry \u2014 or a setlist. With no clear musical direction and Thompson being pulled away on another tour, things fell apart fast. The biggest issue wasn\u2019t ability; it was alignment. Robert Plant simply didn\u2019t see the point anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe whole thing dematerialised,\u201d he recalled. \u201cJimmy had to change the battery on his wah-wah pedal every one and a half songs. And I said, \u2018I\u2019m going home.\u2019 Jonesy said, \u2018Why?\u2019 \u2018Because I can\u2019t put up with this.\u2019 He said, \u2018But you lived with it before.\u2019 I said, \u2018Look, man, I don\u2019t need the money. I\u2019m off.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By that time, Plant was on a different musical planet. His solo career was in full swing, especially after 1985\u2019s Now and Zen, but even before that, his sound was evolving. Coming off the quirky, Talking Heads-inspired Shaken \u2018n\u2019 Stirred, Plant\u2019s new wave leanings didn\u2019t mesh with Jones\u2019 synth nostalgia or Page\u2019s desire to crank out the old-school riffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of the day, the failed \u201880s reunion wasn\u2019t really about the mess at Live Aid. It wasn\u2019t about egos, either. Everyone could still play, but they were playing different games entirely. For Plant, it came down to one simple truth: he had already moved on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And really, can you blame him?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When legendary bands reunite, fans often expect magic. But the truth is, getting back together isn\u2019t as easy…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6376","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-musician"},"yoast_head":"\n