Robert Plant has always aimed to maintain an impartial perspective regarding Led Zeppelin's legacy. The singer holds mixed feelings about the band's earlier works, particularly becoming quite critical of his own vocal performances. Nevertheless, he generously praises his bandmates and described one album as a pivotal moment for the group.
Notably created in a cottage in the Welsh countryside, ‘Led Zeppelin III’ marked a retreat for the band from the overwhelming international attention they were receiving. As they quickly ascended to become one of the world's foremost bands, Led Zeppelin sought a space for anonymous creativity in Wales and emerged transformed.
‘Led Zeppelin III’ features elements of authentic psychedelic folk, showcasing Robert Plant's growing lyrical skill. Key tracks like ‘That’s The Way’ and ‘Friends’ are complemented by some beloved hard-rock anthems.
The initial critical response was rather tepid, yet ‘Led Zeppelin III’ played a crucial role in redefining the band's identity, arguably paving the way for a decade of success.
Reflecting on the album's creative process, Robert Plant remarked, “People would bring ideas, but they were refined in a four-piece rehearsal setting. It was quite a departure. That’s just part of [III], but it propelled us to a new place. The media reacted quite critically to it.”
In Plant's view, ‘Led Zeppelin III’ signifies a clear departure from their previous work. In a separate conversation with Cameron Crowe, he stated, “I was shouting too much on the first album. I toned it down for the second album. By the third album, I had finally learned how to sing.”
Speaking to the Guardian in 2014, he reminisced about the recording sessions: “We worked quickly and were committed to creating something beautiful as well as powerful. The outro of ‘Gallows Pole’ is fantastic, especially compared to my earlier, overly intense singing. It started to carry real meaning. I was learning to syncopate and truly flourishing.”
Take a moment to revisit ‘Led Zeppelin III’ below.
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Robert Plant has consistently aimed to remain objective regarding Led Zeppelin's legacy. The vocalist has ambivalent feelings about the band's earlier albums, in