Robert Plant has finally divulged the real reason why he opted out of a full Led Zeppelin reunion - because it would be inappropriate without their late drummer John Bonham.

Bonham died in 1980 at the age of 32, effectively ending the band's career - the three remaining members, Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, disbanded the group three months after he passed away. The legendary rockers returned for a one-off gig in London in December 2007, with Bonham's son Jason filling in for his father on percussion.

The Kashmir hit-makers subsequently announced plans for a possible world tour and new album - but Plant refused to rejoin his former band mates, putting his absence down to touring commitments with current collaborator, Alison Krauss. But now the singer has disclosed the reason why he could never resurrect the group - because they will never be the same without Bonham, and he doesn't want to jeopardize Led Zeppelin's rock legacy.

He says, "The reason that it stopped was because we were incomplete, and we've been incomplete now for 29 years. I think the thing about it is really, is that to visit old ground, it's a very incredibly delicate thing to do, and the disappointment that could be there once you commit to that and the comparisons to something that was basically fired by youth and a different kind of exuberance to now, it's very hard to go back and meet that head on and do it justice."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)