The re-releases have more than doubled the amount of Led Zeppelin work out there. I wanted it done authoritatively, 'cause I was the one writing the stuff; I was the producer and mixer. I don't think it's any more weird than writing your autobiography.
The one person who's disappeared out of the business is the A&R man. Because the listener at home becomes the A&R man. He's the one who chooses what tracks he wants on the album. And that's cool.
We were lucky in the days of Led Zeppelin. Each album was different. We didn't have to continue a formula or produce a certain number of singles. Because, in those days, radio was still playing albums. That was really good.
I played guitar all my life, all the way through the Yardbirds, but I knew that for me, this was going to be a guitar vehicle, because that's what I wanted it to be. There is no way I would play guitar like a tour de force like I did in Led Zeppelin.
In the wake of the San Francisco scene, ears were alive. It was a listening generation.
We weren't making money in the Yardbirds.
I was really competitive with myself.
I always want to do my very best, and it's frustrating to have something hold me back.
The Stones are great and always have been. Jagger's lyrics are just amazing. Right on the ball every time.
Led Zeppelin wasn't a corporate entity.
Led Zeppelin was an affair of the heart. Each of the members was important to the sum total of what we were.
The passing of John Bonham... Let's just put it... Before we say, 'the passing of John Bonham,' the introduction of John Bonham on the first album and 'Good Times Bad Times,' it changes drumming overnight.
I don't really want to go on about my personal beliefs or my involvement in magic. I'm not interested in turning anybody on to anybody that I'm turned on to.
I have one of those gravel-y voices with no range to it.
I'm pretty loyal to my guitars, you know, but then they're pretty loyal to me, too.
I can play in many sorts of categories because we've seen that with Led Zeppelin, all the acoustic stuff, and this, that and the other.
You'll find so many of the guitarists from the '60s will all say Lonnie Donegan was the influence.
I play like I play. You hear it on 'Celebration Day.' It's pretty good for a one-night shot.
It's good to be in a position to know that I've inspired musicians, from what I've learned to lay down personally, and collectively with Led Zeppelin.
If you listen to our work, from 'Led Zeppelin I' to 'Coda,' it's just a fantastic textbook.
