Lenny Kravitz has detailed an embarrassing scolding he received courtesy of Robert Plant.
It was 1993, and the two rockers were on the road together. Kravitz was especially excited to be working alongside one of his idols.
“Led Zeppelin means everything to me, Robert means everything to me, as a voice, as a writer, as a force,” Kravitz recalled, looking back on the experience during a recent conversation with Classic Rock. “We became friendly. During this time I was very serious. Sound is very important to me, and when the sound is not right it drives me mad.”
On one day in particular, Kravitz’s perfectionism sparked a conflict with Plant.
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“I was doing a soundcheck, and I guess I was in a bit of a mood because I didn’t like the way the stage sounded that night, and Robert ripped into me and tore me apart, basically saying: ‘The fuck is wrong with you? You’re in the middle of this great success, you have this music, you’re having a great run and you should be enjoying every moment. Let go, relax!’” Kravitz explained. “He was yelling at me like he was my older brother or my dad or something!”
Kravitz Was ‘Embarrassed’ by Plant, But Also Found the Experience ‘Beautiful’
Despite being one of the biggest stars on the planet at the time, Kravitz suddenly felt self-conscious. Still, the singer admitted the experience was beneficial in the long run.
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“It freaked me out and I was a little embarrassed,” Kravitz confessed. “Here was one my heroes telling me what a bitch I’m being. But it was the most beautiful thing, because he’s a real guy and he saw me in this wonderful place that he’s been, and he said: ‘You better fucking wake up and enjoy this and have fun.’ And that turned me around. We’ve been great friends ever since.”
