Re: John Paul Jones: Long Live the Thunderthief

[maria callas <vocals7851@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well said my Zeppelin friend, well said...oh, man, and
guess what just came over my computer while I'm
writing this - Tea for One!  I join you in that
salute/toast to the One JPJ.  

- --- Mark Clark <airweasel@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>       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