Re: John Paul Jones: Long Live the Thunderthief

["lisa chemberlin" <lchemberlin@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Here!  Here!

KC

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Clark" <airweasel@xxxxxxx>
To: "For Badgeholders Only the Zeppelin Digest" <zeppelin@xxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Mark Clark" <airweasel@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 6:41 AM
Subject: John Paul Jones: Long Live the Thunderthief


> After reading the recent interview with JPJ, I feel compelled to share 
> some thoughts with everyone about a person I feel has been 
> extraordinarily underrated and overlooked. Reading his answers to the 
> questions and his detailed description of the dynamics of what was 
> arguably the greatest rock band in history, I am struck by what a 
> humble gentleman he is, completely aside from the awesome 
> professionalism of his muscianship. It seems to me that, although Jimmy 
> may have been the visionary who put the Zeppelin together and steered 
> its course so innovatively, and while Robert may have been the golden 
> god who announced its presence and sang its hymns, and even though it 
> was Bonham's driving force and power that kept it moving ever 
> onward...it is my supposition that it was John Paul Jones who was the 
> backbone-the frame that held the mighty Zeppelin together for as long 
> as it was able to fly. Personally, I think the idea that the band would 
> float like a lead zeppelin had less to do with how well the band would 
> be received or how much success it would have than it reflected the 
> ultimate crash of the type of craft the band was named after. The 
> concept of airships is a rather doomed one from the get-go since it 
> relies on keeping something so heavy floating by trapping gas that is 
> lighter than the air near the surface of the earth-one poke at the 
> gasbags or a misplaced spark and the bloody thing would crash like the 
> one pictured on the band's debut album cover. If you read all the 
> accounts of the band's tours and excesses, you'll notice how Jones was 
> the one who held himself together the best through it all. I bet he was 
> the only one to never miss a rehearsal or to collapse on stage. And has 
> anyone ever heard of a show where JPJ had an 'off' performance? There 
> may be some out there, but I've yet to here much about them.
> I'd like to propose a toast to John Paul Jones-a musician's musician 
> and an all around good man. Personally, I am 100 percent in agreement 
> with the band's assertion that without Bonzo there can be no Zeppelin 
> reunion and I applaud them for sticking to their integrity despite all 
> of our grousing and rumor-mongering. I would, however, like to see 
> Jimmy, Robert and John Paul Jones get together and write some new music 
> together. It won't be Zeppelin, but thats a GOOD THING. Come on, think 
> of Elvis in his later years. Wouldn't you rather not have the memory of 
> the greatest band in rock history stained by a lame attempt to 
> recapture electric magic that CAN'T be recreated due to the simple fact 
> that one of the magicians insists upon remaining deceased and 
> unavailable for sessions :P
> That being said, it would be a GODDAMNED SHAME for the lads not to get 
> together and at least make some NEW noise together. Shit, even the new 
> Yardbirds album is pretty friggin' good and IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE JIMMY 
> ON IT!!! Lets everyone quit complaining about what was lost with the 
> demise of Zeppelin and pray to whatever deity you prefer that the boys 
> will continue, at the very least, to give us new songs to fill our ears 
> and our lives with whatever the hell it is we get out of it. Kudos to 
> John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and, yes, even JASON BONHAM 
> for giving us wonderful music to enjoy and for persevering despite the 
> critics. If you were to take the best tracks from all the boys solo 
> projects after Zeppelin and re-record them with the line-up I just 
> mentioned...I'd be satisfied. But thats just me.
> 
> Thanks for listening! Flames and comments are more than welcome-this 
> list could use a good kick in the pants to liven things up :P 
> CHEERIO!!!! ZEPPELIN FOREVER!!
> 
> 
> 
> Mark
> airweasel@xxxxxxx
> www.desertlightning.com