Robert Plant on Why Jack Black’s ‘School of Rock’ Was Allowed to Use ‘Immigrant Song’
Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant is opening up about why he allowed Jack Black’s School of Rock to use “Immigrant Song” in the movie. Speaking with Vulture, Plant said, “My response…
Robert Plant: (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) / Jack Black: (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for ReedPop)
Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant is opening up about why he allowed Jack Black's School of Rock to use "Immigrant Song" in the movie.
Speaking with Vulture, Plant said, "My response is: Why not? Our songs didn’t come from Valhalla. It’s not a preferred destination, either," he says. "I like the idea of taking the hammer to another time."
"Jack Black made a magnificent meal of it," Plant adds. "It’s a killer guitar riff. What a shame 'Immigrant Song' isn’t easy for kids to play, by the way. Everyone gets it, young and old. It’s a great song. Not only slightly ridiculous but ridiculous. Considering that we wrote it in midair leaving Iceland — a fantastically inspiring gig and an adventure, beyond which there will be no books written. To give it to the kids is important. Send it up, send it down, and just keep sending it."
So, how did Black do? Plant was very impressed, saying, "Jack Black got it right down..." He adds, "All of my grandkids have all been able to play Jack Black’s riffs. I think it was exactly the right thing to do, with School of Rock, to blow our myth up into the sky for a while. Because it’s all myth. It doesn’t matter. I’ve watched the film and find it funny."
When it comes to which movies are allowed to use Zeppelin songs, Plant says there is a process that movies have to go through to get approval.
"I’m not responsible for all the decision-making when it comes to where we allow our music," he says. "It’s group decisions... We have to go through the whole thing together. Not to generalize, but quite often we’re presented with a scene that’s in the script or cuts of a film. When there’s something uncomfortable, unpleasant, or overtly just not the right place for our music to be, we say no. The music is dynamic. There it is, sitting there, and happily waiting for romance or nuance or drive that should link to a film with substance."
Led Zeppelin: All 92 Songs Ranked
Led Zeppelin and their catalog as a whole have become more beloved and revered with time as they've been passed down through generations and become standards for which future bands are measured.
So, how do you honor one of the greatest, most influential bands of all time? Hunker down with a fifth of Jack Daniel's, a 2-liter of Coke and dive headfirst into the "Zep-a-Thon." Dubbed so by Jack Black when the band received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012, the "Zep-a-Thon" is a musical binge session where you listen to all of Zeppelin's eight studio albums (plus the 1982 compilation album Coda) in one sitting.
"Led Zeppelin: The greatest rock and roll band of all time," said Black. "Better than The Beatles, better than the Stones, even better than Tenacious D."
Black continued, "If you don't agree with me, it's because you never did the 'Zeppelin Marathon.' The 'Zep-a-Thon' is when you sit your ass down and listen to all nine Zep albums in a row ... [It's] the thing every true fan must do at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage to heavy metal Mecca."
For the author, this binge wasn't all for pleasure, even though it was oddly fulfilling. The purpose of doing this was for research in order to rank all 92 original Zeppelin tracks.
Exhausting? Yes. A bit much? Maybe, but crazier things have likely been committed in the name of Zeppelin throughout the past five decades. We're positive a simple Google search will yield many things that prove this statement correct. However, we're almost too afraid even to find out what those things are.
Where do your favorite Zeppelin tracks rank? Scroll through the gallery below to find out!
Additional song descriptions by Brian Ives.
RELATED: Get The Led Out & Check Out These 16 Led Zeppelin Items
92. “Sick Again” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
91. “10 Ribs & All/Carrot Pod Pod” - 'Presence' (2015 reissue)
90. “St. Tristan’s Sword” - 'Coda' (2015 reissue)
89. “La La” - outtake from 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
88. “Carouselambra” - 'In Through The Out Door' (1979)
87. “Tea For One” - Presence (1976)
86. “Sunshine Woman” - 'The Complete BBC Sessions' (2016)
85. “Sugar Mama” - 'Coda' (2015 reissue)
84. “The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair” - 'BBC Sessions' (1997)
83. “Royal Orleans” - 'Presence' (1976)
82. “Walter’s Walk” - 'Coda' (1982)
81. “Darlene” - Coda (1982)
80. “Hots On for Nowhere” - 'Presence' (1976)
79. “Candy Store Rock” - 'Presence' (1976)
78. “Black Country Woman” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
77. “For Your Life” - 'Presence' (1976)
76. “Night Flight” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
75. “Poor Tom” - 'Coda' (1982)
74. “Boogie With Stu” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
73. “We’re Gonna Groove” - 'Coda' (1982)
72. "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
71. "You Shook Me" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
70. “Down By the Seaside” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
69. “Wearing And Tearing” - 'Coda' (1982)
68. "Black Mountain Side" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
67. “Out On the Tiles” - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
66. “Bring It On Home” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
65. “Bron-Yr-Aur” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
64. “South Bound Saurez” - In Through The Out Door (1979)
63. “Bonzo's Montreux” - 'Coda' (1982)
62. “C’mon Everybody” - ‘Led Zeppelin DVD’ (2003)
61. “I’m Gonna Crawl” - 'In Through The Out Door' (1979)
60. “Somethin’ Else” - 'BBC Sessions' (1997)
59. “Hot Dog” - 'In Through The Out Door' (1979)
58. “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” - 'Presence' (1976)
57. “Ozone Baby” - 'Coda' (1982)
56. “In the Light” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
55. “Key To The Highway/Trouble In Mind” - outtake from Led Zeppelin III
54. "I Can't Quit You Baby" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
53. “The Crunge” - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
52. “Hey, Hey What Can I Do” - ‘Led Zeppelin Boxed Set’ (1990)
51. “The Wanton Song” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
50. “Four Sticks” - 'Led Zeppelin IV' (1971)
49. “Custard Pie” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
48. “The Lemon Song” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
47. “The Rover” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
46. “Baby Come On Home” - 'Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2' (1993)
45. "How Many More Times" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
44. “Friends” - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
43. "Your Time Is Gonna Come" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
42. “Gallows Pole” - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
41. “Travelling Riverside Blues” - 'Led Zeppelin Boxed Set' (1990)
40. “Tangerine” - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
39. “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
38. “No Quarter” - 'Houses of the Holy' (1973)
37. “In The Evening” - 'In Through The Out Door' (1979)
36. “Celebration Day” - Led Zeppelin III (1970)
35. “That’s The Way” - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
34. “Thank You” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
33. “The Battle of Evermore” - 'Led Zeppelin IV' (1971)
32. “Misty Mountain Hop” - 'Led Zeppelin IV' (1971)
31. “All My Love” - 'In Through The Out Door' (1979)
30. “Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
29. “In My Time Of Dying” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
28. “The Rain Song” - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
27. “The Song Remains The Same” - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
26. “Going To California” - Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
25. “Moby Dick” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
24. “D'yer Mak'er” - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
23. “Ten Years Gone” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
22. “The Ocean” - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
21. “Fool in the Rain” - 'In Through The Out Door' (1979)
20. “Dancing Days” - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
19. “Achilles Last Stand” - 'Presence' (1976)
18. “Since I’ve Been Loving You” - 'Led Zeppelin III' (1970)
17. “Houses Of The Holy” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
16. "Communication Breakdown" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
15. “Trampled Under Foot” - Physical Graffiti (1975)
14. “What Is And What Should Never Be” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
13. “Ramble On” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
12 . "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
11. “Over The Hills And Far Away” - 'Houses Of The Holy' (1973)
10. “Heartbreaker” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
9. “Stairway to Heaven” - 'Led Zeppelin IV' (1971)
8. “When The Levee Breaks” - 'Led Zeppelin IV' (1971)
7. "Dazed and Confused" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
6. "Good Times Bad Times" - 'Led Zeppelin I' (1969)
5. “Black Dog” - Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
4. “Kashmir” - 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
3. “Immigrant Song” - Led Zeppelin III (1970)
2. “Whole Lotta Love” - 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969)
1. “Rock And Roll” - 'Led Zeppelin IV' (1971)
