Robert Plant Found The Who ‘Dull, Obvious, and Sad’
The Who has been performing as a band for decades, and Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant once said that he found this sad. Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980 after the death of drummer John Bonham. While the band has sporadically collaborated, they have not toured since the 1970s. Plant likes it that way and wouldn’t want to continue on like The Who.
Led Zeppelin broke up after John Bonham’s death
In 1980, Led Zeppelin was gearing up for a tour in the United States. On Sept. 25, however, all plans halted when Bonham died. He had been drinking heavily the day before and died of pulmonary aspiration in his sleep.
On Dec. 6, 1980, Led Zeppelin announced that they would disband out of respect for Bonham.
“We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend and the deep respect we have for his family, together with the sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were,” they wrote in a statement, per The Spokesman-Review.
Robert Plant wouldn’t have wanted to continue on like The Who
The remaining members of Led Zeppelin have collaborated over the years, most notably with a 2007 headline performance at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert. In this performance, Bonham’s son, Jason, played drums for the group.
Beyond their one-off performances, though, the band has not toured together since they broke up. Many bands have reunited to tour, but Led Zeppelin remains opposed to this. Plant once pointed to The Who, who replaced drummer Keith Moon after his death, as an example of what he did not want.
“I was frightened of the bandwagon,” Plant told Rolling Stone in 1994. “I saw the Who trundled around the stadiums of America, and I found it so dull, obvious and sad. The fact that they carried on without [Keith] Moon was always a mystery to me, but the fact that they did it again and again, augmenting it with more and more musicians … I don’t want to be a part of that aspect of entertainment. I’ve played Vegas already.”
Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin did not need to continue performing like The Who
Many bands reunite to tour after years apart, much to the delight of their fans. A reunion tour is lucrative and likely fulfilling for many bands, but it isn’t always necessary.
Bonham is widely considered to have been one of the best drummers of all time. The power, energy, and time keeping that characterized his drumming was an integral part of Led Zeppelin’s sound. Had the band replaced him and continued on, or reunited years later with a new drummer, their music would lack the richness he gave it.
In addition, Led Zeppelin has a far-reaching legacy even though they have been broken up for decades. They are still considered one of the most influential rock bands of all time despite only performing together for 12 years. Though fans would welcome a reunion tour, the band doesn’t need to do it to bolster its musical legacy.
