Altsounds - Q&A: Absolute Radio DJ Ben Jone talks exclusively to Robert Plant

BJ: Right, it is Wednesday Night Live on Absolute Radio, this is Ben Jones right across the UK. Thank you very much for tuning in. Our guests this evening, and I'm over the moon about our guests tonight. I believe they're in Nashville, Tennessee, let's say hello to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Good evening.

RP: Yes, good morning.

A: Hello.

BJ: Yes, its good morning for you isn't it.

RP: Well its good day I think, yes.

BJ: Nice to speak to you. You are in Nashville, is that right?

RP: Yes.

BJ: And what are you doing, are you just doing press or are you recording a few songs as well?

RP: Well Alison's got a term for it, what did you call it?

A: I call it pre-production, a mysterious term.

R: Yes, we've got a whole bunch of songs and we're just going does that work and does that work. Yes, so we're trying it out again.

BJ: Before we talk about new stuff, let's talking about Raising Sand, because the success of this record is incredible, well over a year old, huge sales, loads of awards, five Grammy nominations for this year, and I'm still talking about it on the radio. Quite beyond any of your expectations surely?

A: Yes, beyond it, way beyond it. We were just getting into this to have an interesting musical experience, and its ended up being a wonderful time for all of us.

BJ: Was it originally just a project that the two of you just wanted to record for fun, you weren't bothered about critics or sales, it was just at the stages that you are in your career you can record music for yourselves really?

R: Well yes. We'd met a few years prior and we'd performed at a really beautiful event to celebrate the life of Led Belly, and we played with Harry Belafonte and Odetta, and it was a really beautiful evening. Alison had the patience and the virtue to try and harmonise with my meandering vocals, and it seemed to work great and we had a lot of fun, a lot of enjoyment out of it, and we said we should try and see where else we could take it at a future date. And when we both had enough time we got together and it was great. And you're absolutely right, there's nothing really that we need at all except to sing, to have a great time and to enjoy new experiences, and that's what we did. And we toured throughout last year quite a lot, all over the place, and we extended the songs, and the whole project grew in character and personality, and we just kept laughing all the way through it, which is really quite special.

BJ: But after everything that you have both achieved, was it odd, was it exciting when you reached another milestone when it came to sales or another critic said a great thing about the record or another tour sold out?

A: Boy, I think it was just all great that we ended up having such a nice time and other people were recognising it as a good time too. I think we've just been… its all been like extra good. Its been extra good. Thank you.

R: The critical stuff that we've had, the acclaim, it doesn't bode very well for the next record if we get that far, because I mean people really took to it. But you know what, it was so genuine, the choice of songs, the production techniques, the engineering, you know, T -Bone Burnette's input, the whole thing was just a dream, and done in the shortest space of time, and it was just great, you know, it was really good. Of course you don't expect anything because the material isn't kind of mainstream pop particularly, so yes, a real blast, but we have laughed our way around the planet, which is quite special.

BJ: Well when we said that you were coming on the show this evening, the one question I got more than any other question from all the people listing was, when are they going to tour again, when are they going to come back to the UK. Have you spoken about that, are there plans?

R: Big plans. I don't know when the hell they're going to… I mean, you know, you've got to take it one step at a time, and so… You know, you've asked this question a million times I'm sure, but the answers are, they're written in the stars really.

BJ: I like that, tease, it's a tease.

R: No its not. No, this is not Cliff Richard's not really married question answer or whatever, its just we don't know. You know, time, we're not controlling the whole thing at all. We'll be back.

BJ: Doing a bit of research about the pair of you, about the record, I was reading a lot of articles and time and time again it sort of said unlikely duo, and I'm bemused as to why some of the journalists, some of the critics have said unlikely duo. I actually think it's quite a healthy mix, and both of you complement each other spectacularly. Can you see why, though, some people might say it's an unlikely combination?

A: Yes, I can see why they would. I remember when Robert called about wanting to record, I thought yes, that sounds like a great idea, what are we going to do. I mean, I can see why people would wonder what was going on, and our attitude when we were recording was let's go in and see what its like, and after three days, if something doesn't turn into something, then we'll say it was a nice try. I mean, I think that's what makes it surprising and interesting for Robert and myself, is that we didn't know what it was going to be like either.

R: And I'm incredibly challenged by this. I'm chronologically challenged and I'm artistically challenged, because Alison's work… I mean, we've just come from down the road from the studio, working on a particular piece, and its just amazingly spectacular what she and the people here do vocally. And I've always had a kind of free range to meander with vocals and put a lot of adlib stuff in, and it's the classic kind of rock vocalist where you're not really called upon to be precise and measured. So it was, in that way it is quite unlikely, because Alison has got such a kind of amazing place that she comes from, and mine is probably a 180 degrees the opposite direction, so it works, ironically.

BJ: But you've been on quite a musical discovery of recent, spending time I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, in places like Africa and South America, and this record wasn't really the career move that I think even us as fans had predicted from you.

R: For me, well I don't have a career, I just have a bunch of great events in my life and a few dips and troughs. I don't think I've ever had a career. I think when Led Zeppelin… when we lost John in 1980, I was desperate to not reinstate but do something for myself, free from the kind of shackles of people's expectations. And from that moment on, along the line, of course it would be great to get a reflection of your work, but career, it's not something I think about. I mean, if this works now, it's certainly worked up to now with Alison and with everybody around, its been a spectacular Technicolor adventure for me. I couldn't even have imagined this, its just really quite something very, very different and very challenging. And she said to me about an hour ago, we were sitting and she said what's the matter with you, I said I'm frightened by the limitations that I've got in this environment, it's quite spectacular really. But career? Oh no, this is just a bonus.

BJ: So Raising Sand, recorded in Nashville, which is where you are right now, probably the most famous musical city in the world. Why do you think it is the Mecca I suppose of music?

A: I think it helps it's in the middle of the country, what do you think? A shorter drive than going to one of the coasts. But this is right around, not far from where Jimmy Rogers was and where he grew up in Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee, that border of the two states, that the town shares the same name and it's the home of the Carter family. You know, some of the best country music came from there, the beginning of rock and roll came from there, and it's not far. And this was probably the next biggest city, and then of course the Grand Ole Opry started here and everybody loved that, Elvis loved it. Its kind of Nashville and then the Louisiana Hayride, Grand Ole Opry and Louisiana Hayride, and everybody visited those places, all different types of music. It's so much more known for country music now, but it really was the home of all popular music for a while.

R: Yes, yes. I mean, Memphis is only 200 miles from here, and that's a whole different… that's where Stax records is a high records one. That's where they were, and that's where Elvis recorded, and then of course when he slammed RCA he came to Nashville. I mean, that's when the studios were great, the quality of recording, equipment, and the history of RCA and the whole deal about the legacy here. Alabama state line is not that far from here, and then you drop down, once you go passed Memphis, you drop into Mississippi and wow, it's amazing.

A: You get blue collar music from all walks, all races here. They all came here.

BJ: One of the things I had to ask you, Robert, is of course about the CBE, still fresh, is it still in its packet, still in its wrapper?

R: Well I haven't got anything yet. I've got a tuna melt, I've got some sandwiches, but I haven't got any awards yet.

BJ: But not the CBE? Because some rock stars have often rejected their titles from the Queen, or try to remain antiestablishment because it's the cool thing to do, were you proud to accept the award?

R: Well here's the thing, you are given the opportunity, you know, you can tick a box that says yes or tick a box that says no, and I thought long and hard about it and it said the award, in inverted commas, is suggested for a contribution to British music and song writing, and I reckon that 42 years of making records, that that's a gong. It's this time of life that the gongs start coming in, they're usually called lifetime achievement awards, but basically somebody helps you across the street if there's a lot of traffic. So I didn't figure… I mean, one way or another, you know, I said to somebody well maybe I should say no, I'll wait for the knighthood, for a laugh. And Elton John called the other day, and I haven't spoken to him for years, talking about soccer and stuff, and the guy who passed me the phone said its Sir Elton, and I went oh, I never thought about it like that. But over here in America, people like this old notoriety, the idea of being cuffed round the back of the head by royalty, it has a certain swing to it. I mean, as far as I can see, they've got the greatest royal on the planet at the moment.

BJ: Yes, and how is the atmosphere over there with six or seven days into the new administration, has it died down or is the momentum just going to carry on for 100 days and beyond 100 days?

A: Well I imagine it will stick around for a while. It was a beautiful day, the day of the inauguration, everybody walked in and what a sense of peace and hope from everyone. I mean, the studio was a completely different day that day.

R: Oh yes.

A: What's wrong with these people.

R: Everybody was in tears, you know, and everybody has a story to tell about the day, but more importantly the next day, when he immediately started changing things. Once he'd got the other guy on the helicopter, it was time for some changes, and I guess it's a hell of a job he's got ahead of him, but his charisma and the people around him that he's accessing, it could be… it's going to be a hard, long struggle, like we all know about that, you know.

BJ: Going back to the awards, what is the award, above all, that you cherish the most? With the Grammys just a few weeks away, I'm just wondering whether you collect awards and which one you're most proud of?

R: This is the award that I'm most proud of, actually working with this woman here, because we just… it's about being happy, you know. You can have a lot of gold stuff and silver stuff and whatever it is, but you end up putting them out of the way, but its just the achievement is really to do something I never imagined and to be schooled into getting it right. And we both taught each other enough about swagger and precision and all that stuff, so this is the great one really. Apart from that, I did get an award for the Worcestershire Sunday Morning Football Runners Up medal in 1979, which is of course very important to me.

BJ: The Grammy Awards 2009, Record of the Year among the many awards that you're up for, up against Adele and Chasing Pavements, Cold Play and Viva La Vida, Leonna Lewis and Bleeding Love, and MIA for Paper Planes. Take you out of the equation, who do you think is going to win Record of the Year at the Grammys?

R: Lord, I haven't got a clue. What do you think, Alison?

A: Oh I don't know who will win, but Adele, I got a chance to meet her and see her live in the UK, and it was in September or October when we went…

R: The Mercury Awards.

A: …for the Mercury Awards, and she was just incredible.

R: Yes.

A: She was wonderful. She sang just with her guitar, and I watched her on various television programmes over here, she was on Letterman, and we thought wow, what a talent. And I saw her sing with just her guitar at that award show, live, and it blew me away. What a talent.

BJ: Robert, I wanted to try and avoid any mentions of these constant Led Zeppelin rumours, but hear my question, because I think it's an interesting play. You've got your reasons as to why there isn't going to be the Led Zeppelin reunion with you, and its nice that you finally sort of set that out, because then we can put the rumours to bed. But you can understand I suppose the interest and why the public's appetite is still so intense.

R: I guess I… well, you know, the thing is, look at it like this, the reason that it stopped was because we were incomplete, and we've been incomplete now for 28 years. And no matter what you do, you have to really guard the discretion of what you've done in the past and make sure that you have all the reasons in the right place to be able to do something with absolute, total conviction. I mean, if my great award is to do this, then I don't want to do anything where we challenge what we did in the first place by just going back and visiting it without having a new, fresh makeover start. I mean, you only get one shot at these things, and if they're spectacular on day one, if on day 10 they aren't so good… As Alison said, when we cut out, started to make Raising Sand, we gave ourselves a deal about if we don't get anything going in three days, let's just go out for lunch and say see you later. And I think the thing about it is really, is that to visit old ground, it's a very incredibly delicate thing to do, and the disappointment that could be there once you commit to that and the comparisons to something that was basically fired by youth and a different kind of exuberance to now, its very hard to go back and meet that head on and do it justice.

BJ: But you must be incredibly proud that you have come back with something completely different and the success is equally self gratifying? I mean, everyone is saying nice things, you know you've done a good job, and its nice that life can go on I guess with Raising Sand and whatever else is going to come from that.

R: Yes. It's absolutely right, yes. Last night's title for the next project was called A Gated Community, because it's like being in a looney bin.

BJ: I'll take that as an exclusive.

R: Yes, but only for five minutes.

BJ: Yes, until you change your mind.

R: Yes, yes. But it's alright, its good, you know, everything has to have its time and its place, and that's it really.

BJ: It's a pleasure to speak to you both, and we love this album, we're rooting for you when it comes to Grammys, and we think it's a fantastic set of songs. We hope there's going to be some new stuff, we look forward to hearing that over here, and maybe some new UK shows as well. Thank you very much for your time. From Nashville, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Have a good day.

R: Thank you.

A: Thank you.

R: Same to you, take care.

A: Bye bye.

R: Bye bye.

BJ: Bye bye.

R: Nice talking to you. Bye.

Thanks very much to Ben Jones and Absolute Radio and visit Absolute Radio - Internet Radio, Music Videos, Concert Tickets & Competitions where you can hear the interview that has been transcribed for your reading pleasure here.