ROBERT PLANT will release a new solo album, backed by his band of recent years, the Sensational Space Shifters. "Carry Fire," due Oct. 13, will also feature several guests such as the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde, Albanian cellist Redi Hasa and English viola-fiddle player Seth Lakeman.
In a statement accompanying the announcement of "Carry Fire," Plant said, "I respect and relish my past works, but each time I feel the lure and incentive to create new work. I must mix old with new.
"Consequently the whole impetus of the band has moved on its axis somewhat, the new sound and different space giving way to exciting and dramatic landscapes of mood, melody and instrumentation," he added.
The new album's opening track, "The May Queen," is available as an instant download if you pre-order the album.
Plant's previous release with the Space Shifters, 2014's "Lullaby and ... The Ceaseless Roar," made many music critics' year-end Top 10 lists, and also reached the Top 10 album rankings in the U.S., the United Kingdom and at least 10 other countries.
Plant has consistently distanced himself from fans clamoring for renewed activity with his former hard rock band, talk that was stimulated in recent weeks by a short message on his website: "Any time now..."
When that phrase was brought up during an interview with the BBC in June, Plant alluded to new music, but didn't entirely quell the Zeppelin talk when he said, "What else would there be but more new, beautiful adventures?"
Dallas, TX - April 2, 2015. North American syndicated Rock radio show website www.inthestudio.net celebrates Robert Plant, one of rock's premiere voices, in a special solo career retrospective.
Quite coincidentally, two of Robert Plant's post-Led Zeppelin solo albums, Spring 1985's Shaken'n'Stirred and March 1990's Manic Nirvana, are each marking significant anniversaries, so no better time to examine them via the impressive Nine Lives box set which chronicles Plant's prolific solo output.
It was Robert's second solo album, 1983's The Principle of Moments, which convinced us that Plant could sustain a viable solo career outside of the legendary Led Zeppelin, with whom he fronted for twelve fabled years. Angular extended songs 'In the Mood' and the cryptic 'Big Log' became rock radio staples in the States, followed by 'Little by Little' from Shaken and Stirred in 1985.
Not until 1988's Now and Zen, however, did Plant shed the self-conscious shadow of Zeppelin by exorcising his ghosts with the song 'Tall Cool One', brilliantly sampling the 'thunder of the gods' iconic Led licks and employing Zeppelin mastermind Jimmy Page on guitar. 'Heaven Knows' and 'Ship of Fools' made Now and Zen a blockbuster, with 'Hurting Kind' in 1990 from Manic Nirvana twenty-five years ago and the tender heartfelt '29 Palms' on Fate of Nations.
Robert shares with InTheStudio host Redbeard how Plant views himself and how he continues to evolve as an artist.
'I can't really stand in middle ground and be showered with confetti and compliments. The most important thing to me is to expand what I'm doing and take people with me' or not.' - Robert Plant
