91热爆

Old Rockers never die, they simply get more offers to reform and play the odd gig.

Robert Plant

No matter how acrimonious the break up, there's always the chance time will heal all wounds, and old enemies will play together again -听 at least that's what happened with听 Cream, The Police and The Eagles, all of whom broke up with much bitterness and ill-feeling.

Now Led Zeppelin have played a one-off gig - with Jason Bonham on the drums in place of his late and much lamented Dad, John.

Baby I'm going to leave you - waiting

I first met Robert Plant when I was a long-haired teenager doing my first post-school job as a clerk in the motor taxation office in Worcester.

In those days (1974) you could still get a tax disc over the counter if you were prepared to wait in a queue in some old nissan huts in Sansome Walk.

I was the person behind the counter at the end of the queue, and, it has to be admitted, the reason why people were kept waiting so long.

Robert Plant

On that day I walked to the counter and shouted "Tax disc for Mr Plant." to be confronted by that mane of long hair and handsome face familiar from the pages of Sounds and Melody Maker.

Of course the fact that the car I was taxing was an Oldsmobile rather than an Austin 1100 should have been a clue, but then my job was very slow and dull, and so was I.

I did have the sense to ask for an autograph and to rush to the window to watch the rock legend being driven away, though one of the girls in the office said that a true fan wouldn't have asked for an autograph - but then she would say that wouldn't she?

Communication breakdown

I next saw Robert Plant on stage at Earls Court in 1975 during the band's five night residency at the venue with easily the worst acoustics in London.

Me, and the rest of the members of the band I was in, drove up to the gig in an old Bedford van we had at the time.

The selector on the column gear change didn't work properly so you either got third gear or reverse, which made for an interesting journey.

Led Zeppelin

Being the driver I was the only straight and sober person at the gig, which I remember Zeppelin playing at a volume beyond the threshold of pain.

I felt strangely left out of the mayhem around me but at least I could point at Robert and say "I taxed his car."

No, it didn't impress anyone then either.

In through the out door

My final close encounter of the Zeppelin kind came in 1994, in a tiny pub called the Lamb in Malvern, which at the time had a reputation for great gigs.

I was there with my wife, who was interviewing a brilliant local singer/songwriter called Caleb Clarke, who was playing there that night.

Nigel Kennedy had raved about Caleb's talents and had been known to join him on stage.

As the great violinist and Villa fan lived just around the corner, this was what me and the rest of the audience were hoping would happen that night.

Nigel didn't show, but Robert Plant did, strolling in half way through the set and sitting on a table next to me - though in the Lamb every table is the one next to you.

"That's Robert Plant." I said to my wife.

"Who?" she said. She's a clarinet player which has a tendency to limit your knowledge of the legends of hard rock.

Robert Plant

When the gig was over I thought about approaching the great man again, but what would I have said? "I taxed your car once."

No, it wouldn't have impressed him either.

What is and what should never be

So the three surviving members of the band who invented stadium rock and redefined rock star excess have played again, sparking rumours of a tour.

If they do go back on the road they shouldn't bother with Madison Square Gardens or Wembley stadium - they should play the Lamb.

Now that would be some gig!

Check out more on Bonham, Plant, Band Of Joy and Led Zeppelin on 91热爆 H&W's Music Map.