Ahead of his performance this Sunday (September 15) at CityFolk Festival in Ottawa, ON (Canada), Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant spoke to Ottawa Citizen about aging in the music business, saying he relates more to Bob Dylan than Elton John.

Although the 71-year-old rock legend expressed the utmost respect for his fellow Brit, John, who’s 72 and circumnavigating the globe on an epic farewell tour, the former Led Zeppelin frontman said he’s nowhere near ready to follow his footsteps.

“Elton is looking for more time to spend with his family, and that’s not a bad idea,” Plant said in the interview. “But my family always says, ‘Keep going, Dad.’

“Elton has his own ideas and everybody does, but I haven’t actually split the atom. I haven’t reached a point where I’ve got nothing left, and I feel pretty good about what I do. I love to tour and I love to sing and twist the songs around.”

It’s a mindset that puts him more in tune with 78-year-old Dylan, who once gave Plant the advice to keep going as long as possible.

“I respect and admire him, not only for waking me up as a kid, a teenager, but also for the fact that he takes such joy in re-entering his own adventures from a different angle. He works more than I do, I think,” he said.  

Plant also recalled a conversation with Dylan when they were both playing in the same region of Spain. “‘Did you know there are 46 bullfighting rings in Spain that you can play?’” Dylan asked him. “‘You gotta keep going.’ Play, and let the music take you to fine people and introduce you to the underbelly of all these areas’ cultures.

“I’ll probably retire when I run out of breath.”

Read the complete interview at Ottawa Citizen, and find Robert Plant's tour itinerary here.