Author Topic: John Paul Jones (Read 527 times)

88persuader · « **on:** October 15, 2005, 10:08:12 AM »

Yesterday I had time to kill because of all this darn RAIN so I put on a Led Zep DVD, the one that was reissued and remastered a few years ago. The 1st disk is all old classic stuff and the 2nd disk has them doing some real nice acoustic stuff and ends in one of their last shows before J. Bonham died. During this last show you see J. P. Jones playing his famous alembic basses, both the 4 string and the 8 string. Some VERY nice close-ups and great playing.

Watching this it occured to me a that we always talk about J.Entwistle., sometimes Mark King and Stanley but I never see people mention John Paul Jones and that kind of blows my mind. In my opinion JPJ was THE rock blues bass player of his time. Listen to the inventive playing he does on most Zep music, god listen to The Lemon song! I'm not trying to take anything away from J.E., King or Stanley ... they're all gods in their own rights. (Personally I'm a huge fan of Mark King) But it simply amazes me that in this group we ALWAYS talk about the others and almost never about JPJ. Personally for me, although J.E. was amazing. M.K. is a personal favorate and Stanley was one of the 1st true super star solo playing bass players very few players have had the musicality and soul of J.P.J. The funny thing is he's kind of the unsung hero when it comes to Zep fans too, they all talk about Bonham, Page and Plant but JPJ is often not mentioned.

For my personal playing style I think John Paul Jones had the most impact on me. And it doesn't hurt I got to see Led Zep at the Boston Garden when I was 14 years old! My 1st rock concert too ... now THAT was a mind blower.

Peace
Ray

mikedm · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2005, 03:36:30 PM »

Ray,

Hear! Hear!

JPJ has always been a sentimental favorite of mine. I think what I've always admired most about him was how he anchored the band and kept it all together musically. Talk about someone always in the pocket...Let's not forget that his mandolin playing made most of LZ's acoustic material what it is.
I caught one of their shows the summer of '80 in Mannhiem, (then) FRG, a few weeks before JB died. They were untouchable.
I also appreciate that he's never been one to need the spotlight in order to flourish. I check out his site every once in a while and by all appearances he seems content with where he's at and what he's doing, with no regrets. And garners respect from his peers for his capability as a producer. I think that speaks volumes for the man.

A few of my personal Zep faves for the bass are The Crunge, Achilles Last Stand, Four Sticks and Trampled Under Foot.

Cheers, to John Paul Jones!

Mike

eastcoastepic · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2005, 07:59:26 PM »

Ray,
Indeed, JPJ was a true musician (bass, keyboards, mandolin; acoustic and electric; writer, arranger, performer), and is immensely under-appreciated by the masses. His personality has dictated his legacy, and is very similar to mine...shy, private, somewhat understated, but very talented & very powerful in his delivery. (Note: I am nowhere near his talent, nor expertise!) The rhythm section that was John Bonham and John Paul Jones was wonderful and is not something easily duplicated. (Who can find a drummer that hits that hard?!) His early influence on me, most notably live in NYC in June 1977 (coincedentally, my first rock show ever), inspired me enough to eventually purchase an Alembic JPJ Signature Triple Omega bass guitar in 2003. This instrument, for me, combines the appreciation of all that JPJ has done for rock & roll, and all that Alembic has done for the music industry. Two great names in the music history books. FWIW, my vote for one of the top ten Rock performances of all time: from the Led Zeppelin DVD...Achilles Last Stand, Knebworth, England, 1979.
Salute, John.....RIP, Bonzo....

bigbadbill · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2005, 03:31:46 AM »

I'm another big fan; never saw him live with Zep but caught him a few years back on the Zooma tour and he was superb, and what a lovely guy. One of the all time rock greats, no question. He was also the reason that when I ordered a custom built Alembic I got a Triple O; after 20-odd years of drooling over any tiny picture I could find of his 8 string, there was no other option!

811952 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2005, 08:26:03 AM »

John Paul Jones is great. He contributed everything interesting to LZ music, in my opinion. Too bad I never listened to them when Bonham was alive. My loss..

John

beelee · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2005, 10:15:37 AM »

Yeah JPJ is very much overlooked and underated....what a talented individual !!

I never had the chance to see him live either

my playing is influenced by him as well, I started using bass pedals and keyboards cause of him ( Geddy Lee and Felix Hanneman of Zebra too)

After having LZ posters of JPJ playing a Fender 5 string and the Triple Omega 8 string is one of the reasons I started playing extended range basses.

I too am hooked on the Triple Omega body style and can't wait till mine gets here....( Its almost a year)

Bruce

kmh364 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2005, 12:10:09 PM »

Jonesy is truly great and rarely gets his due. He prefers to be humble and low key so, unfortunately, he was the quiet one of a great band with all flamboyant members (save one).

To add insult to injury, Page and Plant deliberately excluded him from their Unledded thing ten years past. Why this was so, only Messrs. Page & Plant know for sure. I think it was at the R&R Hall Of Fame induction for Led Zep that Jonesey publicly asked his former bandmates why he was excluded, LOL! At least he got some form of payback with that one, although I truly feel that he was just hurt to be excluded and just wanted to know why it was so.

FWIW, the bassist they used for the Unledded shows was an excellent musician (his name escapes me at the moment), but he was no JPJ. It took several musicians to replicate his parts. Regardless, it was, I have to admit, a great show. I caught it at the Garden in NYC back in the fall of '95. It would have been, IMHO, an even better show had Jonesey been there.

beelee · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2005, 01:49:22 PM »

It was Robert Plant's bassist.......Charlie Jones

same last name......no relation

I can't blame him for feeling that way, It just wouldn't have been LZ without any of them.

ed_r · « **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2005, 07:33:41 PM »

WHat'
s this 'was' crap anyway? John Paul Jones is still out there working and being quiet and acerbic and musical in all things. He put out a new CD just last summer! It STRONGLY features the Alembics he's been using, I recommend it highly.
I think Jonesy's comment at the HOF induction was something along the lines of, 'WEll now I know they have my phone number'. I suspect they can't look him in the eye any more, Page and Plant were the free spirits but Bonham and Jones were the heart soul and blood of that band, and they owe him respect - and possibly money;)

Charlie Jones is married to Robert Plant's daughter. Or, he was at the time, I think they've gone their seperate ways since then.