Prince’s general disposition and musical talents are one-of-a-kind and, consequently, can seem a bit intense. However, it was his convicted personality, matched with his passion, that made him such a prolific artist. Though, some folks found his personality and talent to be a bit too fervent. As a result, they found him to be awfully intimidating. Particularly Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin.
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Robert Plant is, of course, a legend in his own right, but even his legendary status seemingly couldn’t match with Prince’s weirdly intense personality. And that is exactly why Plant never wanted to nor sought out a collaboration with Prince.
Why Robert Plant Said Prince Would “Probably Intimidate Me a Bit”
Prince’s intimidation towards Plant does not merely derive from his epic personality. Rather, it is also rooted in the fact that Prince is just simply one of the best musicians ever to do it. When speaking with Rolling Stone in 1988, Plant said he loved Prince for his “sheer entertainment and audacity.”
In a different interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Plant articulated a similar sentiment but also added a quite surprising one. He told the publication, “I’m not really intimidated by too many people, but I’m very impressed by people.” “Prince is probably the most impressive single person … he’s incredibly inventive, but he’s using a lot of old … he’s coming from all sorts of areas of the past, and he’s really pushing them all through a blender.”
“So they come out oozing and dripping with honey — sex” and “I don’t know if I’d like to work with him because he’s so powerful…He’d probably intimidate me a bit,” concluded Plant. A Plant and Prince collaboration would have been epic; don’t get us wrong. However, Plant’s comments and lack of desire to collaborate with Prince for this reason puts the “Purple Rain” singer on quite a pedestal. A pedestal that very few musicians have reached.
The musicians do not share a one-sided affinity for one another, as Prince praised Zeppelin in an interview with Rolling Stone in 1985. “I don’t mind that, because that was the only period in recent history that delivered songs and colors” and “Led Zeppelin, for example, would make you feel differently on each song,” stated Prince.
Both artists certainly hold a mutual admiration for each other. However, Plant’s affinity for Prince surpasses that of love and nearly transitions into fear. A healthy fear that stems from admiration.
Photo by Art Zelin/Getty Images
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