Robert Plant Feels Early Led Zeppelin Vocals Were 'Horrific'

Photo courtesy of Ticket Crusader

Some times when a musician or artist of any kind has a rather extensive career spanning multiple decades they can often notice the rather drastic evolution of their work. Such is the case for Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant who has recently voiced that he feels his early Led Zeppelin vocals were "horrific".

Plant made this self-criticism known during a recent interview with The Guardian. He felt that he was trying to be too manly in his vocal style and it affected his performances in a negative way. Plant says:

"[I] realized that tough, manly approach to singing I’d begun on [the 1966 track with the band Listen] 'You Better Run' wasn’t really what it was all about at all. Songs like [Zeppelin's] 'Babe I’m Going to Leave You' ... I find my vocals on there horrific now. I really should have shut the f--- up!”

I like many other of Plant's fans think he is absolutely insane on this subject. Those first Led Zeppelin albums were their best in part because of Plant's manly rafter shaking vocal style. Without it they wouldn't have taken off and become rock n' roll icons that they have. I guess I can understand that since Plant has aged and evolved his style over the years that it's only natural that he feels what he did at the start is awful. I know I cringe whenever I listen to my earliest recordings. Regardless, Plant is still way off base.