You have to ask these questions: who pays the piper, and what is valuable in this life?

It's not some great work of beauty and love to be a rock-and-roll singer.

I think I surprise myself.

I use the music almost as a compass in some kind of quasi-romantic way. I try and go to places that I'm intrigued by, and I take this music with me, using my name at the front.

I'm just lucky because my kids are grown-up - I love them, very proud of them, and we are in close contact as big-time friends, but they don't need me that much now and I can actually enjoy this wonderful world of music.

Led Zeppelin has been there through three generations of teenage angst. And there's a generation of kids now who won't know it, post-Linkin Park.

I've got the big name, but I've always wanted to be in a band, one of a band.