Messin’ With the Mekon

Alright, Zoo Freaks, you’re tuned into THE ZOO with the Zoo Crew, your favorite hippie DJs, spinning the wildest vibes for all you out there in radioland! Right now, we’ve got the cosmic grooves of Robert Plant’s “Messin’ With the Mekon” from his 1983 solo album The Principle of Moments blasting through the airwaves. This track is a funky, experimental ride, and there’s some cool trivia to share. The song’s title nods to the Mekon, a villain from the sci-fi comic strip Dan Dare, which Plant was riffing on for a bit of playful, otherworldly energy. In a 1983 interview with Rolling Stone, Plant described the track as a way to break free from his Led Zeppelin past, blending a Led Zep-like riff with a reggae-tinged verse and quirky synths. It’s got that stop-start rhythm that absolutely popped off during his live shows, with lighting synced to the synthesizer phrases for a mind-bending effect, as noted by fans on Led Zeppelin fan groups.

Dig this: “Messin’ With the Mekon” features some serious star power behind the scenes. While Phil Collins laid down drums for most of The Principle of Moments, this track swaps him out for Barriemore Barlow, formerly of Jethro Tull, bringing a different flavor to the beat. Plant shared in a 2020 interview with This Is Dig that working with Collins was a trip because Phil was such a fan of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham, offering to help Plant navigate the tough transition to solo work. The song’s lyrics, as fans have dissected on Robert Plant’s official forum, dive into the messiness of a rocky relationship, with lines like “don’t cross your fingers, cross your heart and soul” pleading for honesty amid emotional chaos. And if you catch it live, like at Plant’s 1985 St. Paul show posted about on X fan accounts, the track’s jerky rhythm and Caribbean groove had crowds grooving hard.

Let’s roll back the tape on how Robert Plant, the golden god himself, got his start. Born August 20, 1948, in West Bromwich, England, Plant was a blues-obsessed kid, soaking up sounds from Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. By his teens, he was singing in local bands like the Crawling King Snakes, where he crossed paths with drummer John Bonham. His big break came in 1968 when guitarist Jimmy Page, fresh from The Yardbirds, caught Plant performing with a band called Hobbstweedle and recruited him for a new project that became Led Zeppelin. Plant’s powerful voice and wild stage presence helped rocket the band to legendary status, with hits like “Stairway to Heaven” defining rock history. After Zeppelin’s 1980 breakup following Bonham’s death, Plant launched his solo career with Pictures at Eleven in 1982, proving he could carve a new path with eclectic sounds, as heard in “Messin’ With the Mekon.”

For all you Zoo Freaks wanting to keep up with Robert Plant, check out his official website for tour dates and news. He’s active on Facebook, sharing throwback photos and updates, and you can catch his artsy posts on Instagram. Over on X, he drops occasional thoughts and interacts with fans. For deeper dives, join the Led Zeppelin Community on Facebook, where fans geek out over Plant’s solo work and Zeppelin classics. There’s also The Dig, a fan-driven forum on his site, buzzing with discussions about tracks like this one. So, keep it locked here at THE ZOO, where we’re always messin’ with the grooviest tunes for you Zoo Freaks!