Jason Roche from LA Weekly spoke with legendary LED ZEPPELIN singer ROBERT PLANT about a number of topics including his new band, ROBERT PLANT PRESENTS THE SENSATIONAL SPACE SHIFTERS who hit the road in North America this month. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

LA Weekly: What are your memories of the first time you came to Los Angeles with Led Zeppelin?

Plant: "I got off the plane with John Bonham. We had never been to America before. We had never seen anything like it. The control tower at LAX looked like something from I Married A Monster From Outer Space. The city of Los Angeles was stunningly beautiful compared to everything we had seen growing up in Britain. For someone like me that was 20 years old at the time, the musical community couldn't have been better. It was well-intended, beautiful and overwhelming. It was loaded with amazing musicians. To be able to go to The Whisky, and in a week see HOWLIN WOLF, THE DOORS, STEVE MILLER, and then play there with Led Zeppelin, it was just sensational.

LA Weekly: What are your reflections on Led Zeppelin being honored at last year's Kennedy Center Honors?

Plant: "I knew we did a lot of damage to people's brains and ear drums, and I knew we wrote some great songs, but it was a very humbling experience. When I saw HEART perform 'Stairway To Heaven', I just couldn't believe that song had anything to do with this 64-year old man that was sitting next to John Paul Jones. I thought to myself, 'This is me...how did this happen?' The charm of the people involved in the project, from the president and across the board...it was mind-altering. I've been thrust in front of royalty all over the world, kings and queens and princes...but these guys were actually having a good time! The three of us were amazed that that sort of thing happened. That wouldn't happen with Prince Charles!

LA Weekly: What still motivates you to keep pursuing musical endeavors in 2013?

Plant: "The sound of a new project. The sound of music developing. For the last year or so I've been writing quite a lot, and I like the way my voice sounds now. It's not the same as it was years ago. I'm not a castrato anymore but I've learned to get down into that pocket and have it sound good. So here I go again...over the years, I've seen all of these artists that I respect that are able to create all of these amalgamations with other artists. I've watched the way John Paul Jones has worked throughout his life as a musician. I have great respect for him. He's right in the middle of writing an opera right now and people are taking him seriously as a writer in the classical mode. But he can also play in THEM CROOKED VULTURES and play mandolin with SEASICK STEVE. I've learned that it's good to keep moving and keep smiling!"

Read more at LA Weekly.

Robert Plant Presents The Sensational Space Shifters are:

Justin Adams – guitar, bendir, vocals

John Baggott – keyboards

Juldeh Camara – ritti (one stringed African violin), kologo (African Banjo), talking drum, vocals

Billy Fuller – bass guitar, vocals

Dave Smith – drums and percussion

Liam “Skin” Tyson – guitar, vocals

The confirmed tour dates are below:

June

20 - Dallas, TX - Palladium
21 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
23 - Austin, TX - Moody Theater
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Shrine Auditorium
28 - Santa Barbara, CA - County Bowl
29 - Berkeley, CA - Berkeley Greek

July

2 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Festival
4 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Festival
6 - George, WA - Jambase Festival
7 - Portland, OR - Portland Blues Festival
10 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks
12 - Chicago, IL - Grant Park
13 - Memphis, TN - Live In The Garden
14 - Louisville, KY - Forecastle Festival
17 - New Orleans, LA - Mahalia Jackson Theater
19 - Atlanta, GA - Verizon Amphitheatre
20 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre
22 - Vienna, VA - Wolftrap
24 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
25 - Boston, MA - B of A Pavilion
27 - Brooklyn, NY - Prospect Park

View the tour trailer below: