Robert Plant‘s efficiency of the LED ZEPPELIN basic “Stairway To Heaven” final weekend was reportedly prompted by a six-figure donation to a cancer-focused charity.
On Saturday (October 21),the 75-year-old LED ZEPPELIN frontman sang a rendition of the 1971 energy ballad throughout a charity live performance for The Most cancers Platform at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire, organized by DURAN DURAN‘s Andy Taylor. It marked Robert‘s first time singing the track in public since LED ZEPPELIN‘s 2007 efficiency on the O2 Area in London, which was later launched because the “Celebration Day” live performance movie.
In a brand new interview with Led Zeppelin News, former REEF and present GOLDRAY guitarist Kenwyn Home, who performed alongside Plant on the occasion, stated that he had no concept “Stairway To Heaven” was on the setlist till he arrived at rehearsal.
“It was a mix between über pleasure and terrifying,” Home stated. “I actually solely had 4 days to be taught all the things” after receiving a cellphone name from Taylor‘s guitar technician on October 15 asking if he can be out there for a charity efficiency lower than every week later.
“When Robert Plant walked into the room and I needed to play ‘Stairway To Heaven’ with him for the primary time in a small enclosed atmosphere, that was in all probability essentially the most pressured skilled scenario I’ve ever, ever come throughout. I am in a small room with my hero taking part in essentially the most well-known of his songs.”
Home went on to say that Plant — who has shared considerably conflicting emotions concerning the observe throughout interviews all through the years — solely agreed to carry out “Stairway To Heaven” after it was requested by somebody who donated a big sum of money to the aforementioned The Most cancers Platform.
“Somebody bid an enormous sum of money for him to sing this track,” Home stated. “There’s a good circle of karma round it. That raised a six-figure sum for the charity, that one track.”
Plant, Taylor and Home have been joined on the occasion by PINK FLOYD/David Gilmour bassist participant Man Pratt, Rod Stewart drummer David Palmer, Taylor‘s son Andy J. Taylor on guitar, Danish singer Anne Rani and Croatian multi-instrumentalist Dino Jelusick (WHITESNAKE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) on keyboards and backing vocals.
Again in 2019, Plant stated that he might not “relate” to “Stairway To Heaven”. Throughout an look on the “Final Traditional Rock Nights” radio present, Plant spoke candidly about his emotions relating to the “Led Zeppelin IV” basic. “After all, it was a superb track,” he stated. “The development of the track, the precise musical development could be very, superb. It is a kind of moments that actually can stand and not using a vocal — and, the truth is, it would stand once more and not using a vocal, I am positive, as a result of it is a fantastic, fantastic piece of music.”
Plant went on to say: “Lyrically, now, I am unable to relate to it, as a result of it was so way back. I might haven’t any intention ever to jot down alongside these summary traces anymore. I have a look at it and I tip my hat to it, and I feel there are components of it which might be unbelievable. The best way that Jimmy [Page] took the music via, and the way in which that the drums reached virtually climaxed after which continued… It is a very lovely piece. However lyrically, now, and even vocally, I am going, ‘I am undecided about that.'”
A number of years in the past, LED ZEPPELIN needed to defend itself towards a copyright lawsuit alleging “Stairway To Heaven” was stolen from an obscure Nineteen Sixties instrumental. Jurors within the 2016 trial, which included testimony from Plant and Web page, determined that “Stairway” didn’t infringe on “Taurus”, written by the late Randy Wolfe and carried out by his band SPIRIT.
Throughout the trial, Plant recalled how he and Web page had labored on “Stairway To Heaven” at Headley Grange, a former poorhouse in Hampshire, England. He stated: “One night, Jimmy Web page and I sat by the hearth, going over bits and items.” He recalled leaving the remainder of the band to work on the track whereas he went to his bed room to jot down the track’s lyrics, which he instructed the court docket have been based mostly on Celtic mythology and “the pastoral areas of Britain I really like.”