The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Stephen Presents: Robert Plant (Extended)

Published: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This extended episode of “The Late Show Pod Show” is a special treat for rock and roll enthusiasts, featuring an in-depth, wide-ranging interview with Robert Plant—legendary lead singer of Led Zeppelin and musical explorer. Stephen Colbert and Plant bond over British folklore, Tolkien, blues, folk, and the formation of Plant’s new band, Saving Grace. The episode is rich in musical history, personal anecdotes, and a mutual admiration for mystical, cultural touchstones that shaped an era.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

A. Opening Banter and Plant’s Connection to Led Zeppelin

• Stephen and Becca introduce the Thanksgiving rock and roll week, joking about “guests getting weaker” (04:10), but agreeing Robert Plant is still “super strong” as a guest.
• Stephen reveals personal admiration:

  “Plant came up to me afterwards and he goes, you really made the room jump. I'm like, wow, I can leave now. I can get out of show business.” (05:52-05:55)

B. Formation and Inspiration of Saving Grace

Timestamps: 07:44–09:40

• Plant explains how after years of transatlantic collaboration with American musicians, he discovered a shared love for British/Irish folk in an English pub.
• Quote:

  “A guy came up to me and he said, do you know... these amazing English, British folk, Irish artists. And my heart took flight. I went, somebody knows what I feel and what I talk about… So I grabbed this guy, and a gallon later, we started saying, well, you know, maybe we can do something with that old Incredible String Band song…” (07:44–08:37)

• The band formed organically, rooted in community rather than style:

  “Nobody was really tuned in to a particular style or approach. It developed between the musicians... As the thing began, it opened up like a beautiful concept of sound.” (08:53–09:25)

C. The Meaning Behind ‘Saving Grace’

Timestamps: 09:25–10:08

• “Saving Grace” is both a personal metaphor and literal, providing Plant with a way to channel restless creative energy.
• Quote:

  “What do you do in between big things? You sort of calm down and somebody's gotta be your saving grace. Somebody's gotta get you off yourself. And I've always been frenetic... So I found a bunch of musicians who were my saving grace and did the same thing all over again.” (09:40–10:06)

D. Childhood, Myth, and Tolkien

Timestamps: 10:08–12:03; 15:51–19:18

• Plant describes growing up near the Welsh border, self-romanticizing around castles and “Misty Mountains,” inspired by movies like “The Vikings” and later, Tolkien.
• He and Colbert connect over Tolkien’s language, poems, and the mystical undertone of the Midlands.
• Memorable exchange:

  Colbert: "You'd be a good Bombadil. You've got a bit of a Bombadil feeling."
  Plant: "First you have a fantastic lady there, giving it large. Then you've got Tolkien's Shadow Comes through the Door. It's really great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But Tolkien was a really... He opened the door to all that sort of Dark Age meander of history." (17:09–17:28)

• Plant elaborates on the mythic nature of the British landscape:

  "It’s so remarkable that you can have a culture that’s shunted into the west side of Britain that has absolutely nothing to do with the English at all ... the mix of all the legend and space-shifting and all that stuff, it’s there, it’s 15 miles from where I live.” (18:14–19:17)

E. Musical Influences: Blues and Roots

Timestamps: 11:42–15:45

• Plant’s teenage years were shaped by black music—early Motown, Delta blues—and witnessing American music’s arrival in England.

  “When that music landed in England with Little Water and Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, anybody who could pick up a guitar really was either going to sound like the Hollies... or they were going to dig into that music. And that’s where we went. We dug into that Delta stuff and ... it was remarkable.” (12:03–13:13)

• Plant on performing with Alison Krauss and discovering Anglicana (English roots influences):

  “As we began to develop our own sort of conglomerate style, every day I learned more and more stuff about American music... Many of the songs lived in both cultures ... So I learned a lot, picked it up and brought it back to England, and now it’s called Anglicana.” (15:05–15:45)

F. The Pirate Radio Scene

Timestamps: 13:18–14:06

• Plant reminisces about the UK’s “pirate radio” era, where DJs broadcasted from ships to circumvent government bans:

  “There was pirate ships out in the English Channel, it's true. And there were DJs on there getting seasick, you know, broadcasting into the island ... commercial radio, it was banned by the government, so. So you got that stuff going on.” (13:45–13:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stephen Colbert, on Plant’s praise:

  “Plant came up to me afterwards and he goes, you really made the room jump. I'm like, wow, I can leave now. I can get out of show business.” (05:52)

• Robert Plant, on British myth:

  "I live in this dream world where it's very difficult to find people that have the same affinity." (08:37)

• On the generative power of folk and blues:

  “God knows where they came from in the beginning, but ... they’re for… just take somebody else's song and change the name.” (08:53)

• Plant, on Tolkien:

  “Tolkien was a master and have you heard his recordings?... Old Tom Bombadillo, wasn't it?” (16:28–16:38)

• Plant on why Tolkien resonated:

  “He lived and his points of reference were very close to where I live... this landscape... becomes quite evocative. And I think Tolkien had it down.” (18:14–18:42)

Timeline of Important Segments

• [04:02–06:21]: Stephen’s personal background meeting Plant, mutual Tolkien/folklore obsessions introduced
• [07:44–09:25]: Plant details the formation of Saving Grace
• [09:40–10:08]: Plant explains meaning of “Saving Grace”
• [10:20–12:03]: Plant’s childhood in the Midlands—cinematic and literary influences
• [12:03–13:13]: Plant’s musical influences—Delta blues, British folk, and American radio
• [13:18–14:06]: Pirate radio and the British music scene
• [15:51–19:18]: Tolkien’s influence, the mystical British landscape, and cross-cultural folklore

Tone and Style

• The dialogue is lively, witty, and occasionally self-effacing, with Colbert’s signature humor meshing with Plant’s whimsical, thoughtful storytelling.
• Moments of genuine awe and connection shine—especially over shared literary passions—while musical histories and career anecdotes are delivered with warmth, humility, and a touch of mystical reverence.

Summary

This extended interview pulls back the curtain on the personal and artistic motivations of an enduring rock legend. Plant and Colbert’s shared love of legend, myth, and roots music creates a uniquely engaging conversation—offering listeners a blend of humor, wisdom, and behind-the-scenes insight into the evolution of both Plant’s music and the enduring influence of folklore on his creative vision.