Robert Plant took inspiration from Pink Floyd for Led Zeppelin's final show
Robert Plant says that Pink Floyd’s “quick one-off” show at Live 8 in 2005 was an inspiration for Led Zeppelin's own swansong concert two years later.
Last updated 9th Aug 2021
Led Zeppelin’s Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, of course, took place at The O2 in London on 10th December 2007 – a historic show that still holds the Guinness World Record for the ‘Highest Demand for Tickets for One Music Concert’ and was immortalised in the 2012 concert film ‘Celebration Day’.
Despite hope from fans that it would pave the way for a world tour, it proved to be their final show with Percy consistently shooting down the idea of another reunion.
Speaking in the My Guide To Life feature in Issue 14 of Planet Rock Magazine, Plant explained that the O2 concert has parallels to Pink Floyd's final show at Live Aid in 2005.
“I liked what (Pink) Floyd did at Live 8 – a quick one-off and let’s leave it at that. They did it for a good cause,” Plant said.
“It’s was the same when (Led) Zeppelin did the charity show for Ahmet (Ertegun). We had a prolonged affinity with Ahmet, so if there was ever a reason for (a reunion) to happen, that was it.
“But the idea of doing it next summer and the summer after that and so on is enough to break me out in hives.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Plant said his contributions to Led Zeppelin were sometimes “great” and sometimes they "missed the mark.”
Elucidating further, he explained: “My peer group were writing substantial pieces of social commentary, and I was willowing along the Welsh borders thinking about Gollum.
“I liked what I did, but now I look at it and go ‘Wooh, that was a bit iffy.’ But I do like ‘Stairway To Heaven. I can look at it objectively. I can’t always get my head around it, but it does do something substantial.”
You can read Robert Plant’s full My Guide To Life feature in Issue 14 of Planet Rock Magazine, where he also talks about wanting to give Jimmy Page a hug, being a golden god and how he’s resisted following the herd.
Issue 14 also boasts a Van Halen cover feature, interviews with David Coverdale, Geezer Butler, Duff McKagan and Paul Rodgers, plus Tyler Bryant, KISS, Megadeth, Venom, Hollywood Vampires, the Eagles and much more.
ORDER ISSUE 14 OF PLANET ROCK MAGAZINE ONLINE HERE