Brief
Robert Plant says he didn’t need Led Zeppelin after son’s death
The 78‑year‑old rocker told The Times the loss of his five‑year‑old son changed his view of the band.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Robert Plant, the 78‑year‑old former frontman of Led Zeppelin, told The Times that he “didn’t need the group” after his five‑year‑old son Karac died of a stomach virus while the band was touring America in 1977.
Plant recalled that the tragedy left him without a “map, no instructions to Led Zeppelin, and we just carried on,” adding that the loss made the long‑standing relationships within the band feel burdensome. He said, “When things go left of centre, who wants to sit backstage for hours and hours with people you’ve been stuck with since 1968?”
The interview also touched on the band’s later years. Plant noted that Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 after drummer John Bonham died at age 32 from alcohol‑related causes, describing Bonham as “a sensitive, big‑hearted guy who got overwhelmed by the boredom of the moving monolith.”
Living now in Shatterford, a village in Worcestershire, Plant said he leads a quiet life and continues to perform, but his focus is on entertaining and making people feel good rather than writing new material. He said the current “national sense of panic in America” makes any new songwriting feel “trite.”
Key facts
- Robert Plant said he didn’t need Led Zeppelin after his son died in 1977. (standard.co.uk)
- Plant’s son Karac died of a stomach virus while the band was on tour in America. (standard.co.uk)
- Plant now lives in Shatterford, Worcestershire, and continues to perform. (standard.co.uk)
- Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 after John Bonham’s death. (standard.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Robert Plant ‘didn’t need’ Led Zeppelin after death of son”
