Musical #TipFromLoc…if you’re a Zeppelin fan don’t go to a Robert Plant show. Plant is more Sting than Led Zeppelin nowadays, and it’s f*cking sad really.

Happy Birthday to Robert Plant, who turns 64 years old today (August 20th)!!! Although Plant has enjoyed a successful solo career since 1982, he will always be best known for his years fronting Led Zeppelin and co-writing the majority of the band's songs with Jimmy Page. This past July 28th marked they 30th anniversary of Plant's debut solo album, Pictures At Eleven, which featured contributions from Plant's future producer, Phil Collins, and drummer Cozy Powell -- who in the months after John Bonham's death was on the shortlist to replace him in Led Zeppelin before the band decided to call it quits.

Late last month, Plant rush released a surprise live album from his new band Sensational Space Shifters, only two weeks after recording the set in London. The 15-track-collection, called Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters 7/12/12 HMV Forum, London, GB, includes tracks from Plant and bandmember Patty Griffin's solo works, blues covers of Howlin' Wolf and John Mayall tunes, along with handful of Led Zeppelin classics. In addition to Patty Griffin, the Space Shifters features members of Plant's pre-Band Of Joy group, Strange Sensations, including frequent Plant collaborator Justin Adams.

Despite the December 2007 Zeppelin reunion in London featuring himself, Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham filling in for his late dad John Bonham, Plant has been the lone hold-out in committing to any future performances. Several of the industries' top promoters have essentially offered the band a blank check should they commit to any number of road dates.

Coincidentally, just as the Zeppelin reunion rumors first began to catch fire, Plant enjoyed the biggest success of his solo career with his collaboration with Alison Krauss on their joint album Raising Sand, which hit Number Two on The Billboard 200 album charts. Plant and Krauss' cover of the Everly Brothers' "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" scored the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Well over 40 years in the business, Plant says that up and coming musicians should stay as independent as possible: ["Stay away from a major label. Y'know, you've got to be able to deal with people who are telling the truth. You can't be in a position where, if things aren't happening for you within four weeks, you're history and you're left dangling forever. I know quite a few artists of my era who are in that position now, who just can't get away."]

Rock 101 question: What band was Plant in when Jimmy Page recruited him for Led Zeppelin?

Rock 101 answer: Hobbstweedle.

Join Lochlin Cross weekdays at 12:50p for a chance to win Rock 101 during Lunch with Locker on Edmonton's Best Rock, 100.3 The Bear.

Led Zeppelin live in 1975 performing "Going To California" live at London's Earls Court: