Tony Iommi has said he once approached Robert Plant about making music together, according to an interview with Los Angeles Times.
The Black Sabbath guitarist explained that both he and the Led Zeppelin singer were focused on their own projects at the time. Iommi said the idea came up more than once between them.
“I did say to [Robert] one time about doing something together, but again, he got his own thing, and I did [too],” Iommi told Katherine Turman. “Who knows? We’ve talked about it a couple of times, but he’s into a certain flavor of music that he likes to play, which is different to what I play, really.”
Despite those differences, Iommi said he remains open to the possibility of working with other musicians if the right opportunity comes along. “I don’t discard anything that way,” he explained. “If something comes up that’s a good idea and somebody’s into it, then I’m going to have a go.”
The comments came as Iommi discussed his approach to music and collaboration in recent years.
Iommi’s openness to collaboration reflects his current work. He announced his album “From the Dark” on October 23, 2026, his first new solo album in 20 years, featuring Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande, bassist Becky Baldwin and drummer Karl Brazil. The single “World Alone” was released in July 2026.
Robert Plant has also been active with his own projects. He released the album “Saving Grace” in 2025 and performed with his band of the same name on the “Up the Sharp End” tour from September 18 to October 15, 2026. Plant and Saving Grace have two sold-out concerts scheduled at London’s Royal Albert Hall on December 2 and 3.
The idea of bringing Iommi and Plant together is not new. In 2025, Iommi personally reached out to Plant and invited him to perform at the Black Sabbath farewell concert in Birmingham, but Plant politely declined. The two musicians shared history on the Birmingham club circuit in the 1960s, and they even jammed together in a recording studio while Black Sabbath was making its 1975 album “Sabotage”.
Iommi has shown his willingness to step outside traditional heavy metal. He worked alongside Robbie Williams on the single “Rocket” from Williams’ 2026 album “BRITPOP”, which demonstrates his approach of saying yes to projects that interest him.
