Robert Plant Jokes About Getting Old—“I’m Now That Guy”

On his podcast, Digging Deep with Robert Plant, singer Robert Plant joked about getting old.

During a recent episode, the former Led Zeppelin frontman joked about being the old man on the cover of his band’s fourth album, Led Zeppelin IV.

Plant, who is 73 years old, was just 23 when Led Zeppelin released their popular fourth record. Now, though, 50 years later, Plant said he resembles (and feels like) the fellow on the cover.

Reminiscing about the making of Led Zeppelin III (and IV) on his podcast, Plant remembered moving to the Bron-Yr-Aur cottage in Snowdonia, Wales to write in solitude. He said that Led Zeppelin would go there when it was time to write new music for their fourth LP.

“It was fine; it was really good. It was a beautiful place and all those things were part of the bargain,” Plant said. The cottage had no electricity or running water. “You’re there for a reason and you’re just in it, so all that actually adds to it—the idea of going outside and bringing in kindling.

“In fact, the old guy with the sticks on his back on Zeppelin IV—I’m now that guy,” Plant continued. “I pick up kindling everywhere I go and wrap it around with a piece of baling twine and shunt it on my back just in case anyone’s driving by and they go, ‘There’s that bloke from the Led Zeppelin IV album cover!’”

The comments come in line with his wry old guy bashing. Previously, Plant has talked about classic rock bands looking “sadly decrepit” if they stay together too long and perform big heralded rock shows into old age. Plant is no longer performing with Zeppelin. But he is working with singer Alison Krauss as the two promote their latest LP Raise the Roof.

Plant has also talked about having a big back catalog of unreleased music and that he won’t be retiring from performing anytime soon.

See tickets to their show here via Ticketmaster.

Photo by Per Ole Hagen/Redferns