“‘How could you do acoustic guitars, what is going on?”

During an appearance on Tone Talk, renowned producer Bob Rock talked about metal fans and his fandom of Led Zeppelin.

When the interviewer said, “A lot of metal fans, they’re the most hardcore fans, but they also want bands to repeat things over and over again. When you try to do something creative, that can lead to a lot of hate from fans, it’s tough,” Bob replied (transcribed by UG):

“Well, I’d say when I bought [1970’s] ‘Led Zeppelin III,’ I heard the ‘Immigrant Song,’ I went, ‘Great!’ – then I bought the album, and I went, ‘What is this shit?’, you know what I mean?

“I was in the Led Zeppelin club – ‘How could you do acoustic guitars, what is going on?’ So, I understand the mentality behind it, I get it, and I’m OK with it, it’s like whatever.

“That’s just like when you’re young and you’re just like – because you belong to that club, it brings back memories. But when you expand your horizons, you realize that there’s more to everything.”

Have you ever met Jimmy Page?

“Yes, I met him when he was doing Coverdale-Page [in the early ’90s]. Coverdale was too loud, but it’s kind of amazing, I had the most amazing nights of my life, I was riding with Bon Jovi in Europe, and Jimmy came to visit.

“I was getting dressed, and he was outside; they said, ‘Somebody’s here to see you.’ It was Page, and I was shocked. He watched the show, he stood right beside me.

“When it got finished, Richie [Sambora] and him and I went into the hotel, and we talked about guitars and music all night, all we talked about was guitars and amps and stuff, and it was one of the most amazing nights of my life.

“We became buddies ever since. Every time I see him, he walks over, he knows my name, an excellent guy. Those three guys were the guys for me, by the way, when I was a kid. It was the ‘Truth’ album [by Jeff Beck], ‘Led Zeppelin I,’ and of course, Cream.

“When I saw them get inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame and they played the ‘Immigrant Song’ – all the guitar players, all their jaws were on the floor, we were going like, ‘What?’ It was just the most incredible display of playing ever.”

A fan wants to know about Motley Crue and ’94 [self-titled album] with [singer John] Corabi. Were the same amps used as on ‘Feelgood’?

“Yes, they were… I’ll tell you a funny thing, a great story about tone: somebody else did all the demos, a great guitar player – I’m not gonna say who he is. And all the demos, everything was done, and my wife said, ‘This doesn’t sound like Motley.’

“I’m going like, ‘What do you mean?’ She says, ‘It’s not [Mick] Mars.’ And my wife has never said anything like that; I’m going like, ‘OK…’ Anyway, so Mars comes out, we started recording, and my god, as soon as he plays, it’s Motley.

“It’s because he’s that sound, and his sound is Motley – it ain’t Motley if it ain’t that.

It was sort of like when Motley didn’t have Tommy Lee [between 1999 and 2005]. It wasn’t Motley without Tommy Lee, I remember that period of time. Actually, Samantha [Maloney] was better, but even Randy’s [Castillo] a great drummer, the feel was wrong.

“Bands are bands, and you know, the Corabi album is a great album. It kind of sounds like Motley, but it’s not Motley, and whatever, I’m not gonna argue about anything about that.

“But I’ll just say that Motley is one of those great bands that it’s the sum of all parts – and same with Led Zeppelin.”