News The musician who completely changed Robert Plant’s way of thinking
In his debut novel, This Is Memorial Device, David Keenan talks about the phenomenal impact that musicians can have on people from remote places. His example is how the Sex Pistols affected people in Airdrie, but of course, musical movements aren’t just limited to punk. Like the characters in Keenan’s book, Robert Plant was also swept up in the magical majesty of revolutionary sound, as he says that one particularly pioneering folk artist completely changed his way of thinking.
Plant’s vocals, the topics he wrote about, and his attitude towards music were not shaped overnight. He is the by-product of elongated exposure to various styles, allowing the singer to be both cohesive and experimental. His vocal ability captured the hearts of millions, but to have the boldness to be his authentic self in music came from seeing others do it before him.
One artist he says who particularly affected him might surprise some people, as the supple-sounding songs of Bob Dylan are far removed from anything that Led Zeppelin ever recorded. However, Plant attests that the bard significantly influenced his approach to art.
“Something happened when Dylan arrived,” said Robert Plant, “I had to grapple with what he was talking about. His music referenced Woody Guthrie, Richard and Mimi Farina, Reverend Gary Davis, Dave Van Ronk and all these great American artists I knew nothing about. He was absorbing the details of America and bringing it out without any reservation at all, and ignited a social conscience that is spectacular.”
Dylan was renowned for his ability to comment on America from a political and social point of view. It inspired many musicians who saw a true reflection of their country portrayed in the mainstream for the first time. Bruce Springsteen credits Bob Dylan as being the “father of my country” for this very reason.
Plant wasn’t American, though, so while he could appreciate what Dylan was doing, there was a slight disconnect from the words. “In these Anglo-Saxon lands, we could only gawp because we didn’t know about the conditions he was singing about.”
Much like the characters in David Keenan’s book, Plant was so far from the songs’ subject matter and how they were performed that he saw it as a genuine phenomenon of intergalactic proportion. The music wasn’t just good; it was otherworldly and had a true magic to it. It was enough to shift his view on sound entirely. “Dylan was the first one to say: hello, reality. I knew that I had to get rid of the winkle-pickers and get the sandals on quick.”
Drawing parallels between Plant’s and Dylan’s music is difficult, but Dylan’s impact seems more emotional than just musical. He showed Plant the true power of art and solidified that working with it is non-negotiable, hence Plant’s subsequent commitment to the craft.
