The Real Relationship Between Robert Plant And All His Bandmates

Led Zeppelin burst onto the scene in 1969 with two self-titled albums, quickly becoming one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Their music was raw yet masterfully played, setting the stage for heavy metal and influencing generations of guitar-driven acts.

A huge part of their signature sound came from Robert Plant, whose soaring vocals transformed their bluesy rock into something almost otherworldly. Originally, Led Zeppelin was guitarist Jimmy Page’s project, continuing under The New Yardbirds name for one last tour. Plant was brought in for that final run, but he soon became irreplaceable—unlike bands like AC/DC or Van Halen, who swapped singers over time. Here’s what his bandmates have said about him through the years.

Jimmy Page
When Robert Plant auditioned for The New Yardbirds, Jimmy Page was amazed to hear him sing. Plant hadn’t established himself despite playing in lesser bands for years. The Trouser Press (via Teach Rock) reported that Page said, “I thought there must be something wrong with him—some personality flaw or a reputation for being difficult.” However, when they spent some time together, Page discovered that Plant was not only very skilled but also a pleasure to work with.

Even after Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980 due to the death of John Bonham, their relationship and creative connection remained strong. In 1985, they got back together for Live Aid, and in the 1990s, they collaborated on No Quarter, which combined new songs with Zeppelin hits. The 2007 Celebration Day reunion was their final significant performance together. Nevertheless, Page has been irritated by Plant’s refusal to make another Led Zeppelin comeback in recent years, telling The New York Times, “He’s just playing games, and I’m fed up with it.”

John Paul Jones
Despite not being as well-known as Jimmy Page or Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, the keyboardist and bassist, was an essential member of Led Zeppelin. His impact on the band’s music was evident as a co-writer of hits like Black Dog and No Quarter. Before joining The New Yardbirds and eventually becoming a permanent member of Led Zeppelin, Jones first met Page while working as a session musician. Jones recalls how Plant was “slightly in awe” of the musicians surrounding him in their early days together. “He never knew what to make of me and to a certain extent still doesn’t,” he revealed in Led Zeppelin: The Oral History of the Greatest Rock Band in the World.

Jones said that although the band members had a close working relationship, they weren’t quite best buddies. He said, “We get along fine,” to Q magazine in 2007 (via Far Out Magazine). “We have never socialized… As soon as we left the road, we never saw each other, which I always thought contributed to the longevity and harmony of the band. We weren’t friends.”

Jones was not present for Plant and Page’s No Quarter project in the 1990s, but he did take part in Zeppelin reunions in 1985, 1988, and 2007. He told The Oral History that he was especially shocked that they adopted the title, saying, “I always reckoned it was one of my best tunes.”

John Bonham
Before joining Led Zeppelin, drummer John Bonham and guitarist Robert Plant worked together in several short-lived bands, including The Crawling King Snakes, before joining The New Yardbirds. Bonham had made up his mind to remain with Plant even before Zeppelin was created. He told him, “You’re all right, but you’re no good without me,” as recounted in Led Zeppelin: The Oral History of the Greatest Rock Band in the World.

Strong yet frequently intense, their relationship occasionally resulted in furious disagreements; one incident culminated with Bonham striking Plant in the mouth over a disagreement about gas. However, Bonham reassured Richard Cole, the tour manager for Zeppelin, that it was never serious. According to Beast: John Bonham and the Rise of Led Zeppelin, he stated, “Robert and I have known each other for so long that there’s never any maliciousness in these fights. We just lose our tempers sometimes.”

Plant has never been afraid to say how much he loved Bonham. Led Zeppelin never got back together because of his terrible death in 1980, and Plant has even admitted that he still has dreams about his former bandmate.

Jason Bonham
Jason, the son of John Bonham, has demonstrated his ability as a drummer since he first picked up drumsticks at the age of five, leading to a remarkable career. He began performing professionally at the age of 17, eventually collaborating with legendary musicians like Van Halen, Jeff Beck, and Led Zeppelin. He was selected by the band’s remaining members to take his father’s place for their reunion performance in 1988.

Expectations were high, particularly following their highly criticized 1985 performance with Phil Collins on drums. Jason’s drumming was praised despite the 1988 set’s technical problems. “It was having to explain myself to people, ‘Why didn’t they get you, aren’t you good enough?'” he said on The Eddie Trunk Podcast, expressing his disappointment at not being a part of Plant and Page’s 1990s tour.”… Additionally, [Robert] had a compelling explanation for their actions.

Later, Jason performed at the 2007 Celebration Day reunion, but he acknowledged on The Howard Stern Show that Plant didn’t think it was appropriate for Zeppelin to tour without John. Over the years, their families have stayed close, and Plant was the one who initially informed them of John’s death in 1980.

Alison Krauss
The renowned Illinois bluegrass singer and violinist Alison Krauss is one of Robert Plant’s most well-known musical collaborators. Before collaborating with Plant, Krauss was already a significant player in the bluegrass genre; she made her debut album at the age of 14 and, with her band Union Station, released Too Late to Cry by the age of 16. She established herself as one of the greats of the genre by receiving her first Grammy nomination in 1989.

Raising Sand, a 2007 album produced by T Bone Burnett, is the product of their cooperation. Going multiplatinum, taking home five Grammys, and spawning multiple tours, the record was an enormous hit. They got back together for Raise the Roof in 2021. Although Krauss confirmed to People that their relationship has always been solely musical, she told Billboard in 2024 that she and Plant are “yin and yang” musically.

“He’s so free with everything that he sings… he’s always on the edge, and it’s a beautiful thing,” she said in 2021 while praising Plant’s vocal style in an interview with Variety.