Squonk wrote
I was just reading about this yesterday.
I also noticed that on Robert Plants 6th solo Album 'Fate of Nations' there is a Richard Thompson on guitar.
Must get this, did you order online? I suppose it wouldn't be available in our CD shops?
It's only released today. However release copies will have been floating around for the benefit of people in the business and in the media.
I've got it on order (with some other sfuff) and it's en route.
Plant has already taken this band on the road, ahead of the album release, and there are clips on Youtube.
The Plant/Thompson connection is really part of a broader Led Zeppelin/Fairport Convention connection that goes back to 1970. Fairport were on the road and in a "residency" at the Troubador Club in LA. Led Zeppelin arrived and various interactions took place. One of these was a jam with Thompson, Plant and Page on stage together. The other, rather more infamous, was a drinking session which ended with Fairport bass player Dave Pegg out-boozing Janis Joplin and John Bonham. Fairport never got paid for the residency because the bar tab they rang up exceeded the contracted appearance fee.
Later on Sandy Denny became the only guest vocalist on a Zeppelin album when she cut "The Battle Of Evermore". Plant makes occasional appearances at Fairport's annual Cropredy festival.
Thompson was reportedly asked to play guitar on the
Raising Sand album that Plant cut with Allison Krauss. Apparently a schedule clash ruled it out. Marc Ribot got the gig and did a good job. Buddy Miller went on the road with Krauss and Plant and is retained for this album. Darryll Scott is also in the band and on the disc, so there is a promise of considerable guitar fire power.
For me Plant is one of the most interesting of the 60s rock legends still in action. He's managed to build himself a credible solo career without just running an ersatz Led Zeppelin.
