Jump to content

If I interviewed them today


Graphite Blimp

Recommended Posts

I was wondering what questions myself and all of YOU would want to ask the remaining members? I would try and ask the most odd questions they wouldn't expect, just to get to know them. I was thinking of asking some of these, and you guys tell me what you'd ask!

* Jimmy, what became of the Dragon Suit?

* Robert, what's your favorite musical style you've discovered while travelling the world?

* Do you listen to your own music still today?

* What advice would you give me as a musician?

* Do you ever know "Oh this song will be a hit" before it's even released?

* What bands today do you guys think are promising? (I know Robert is quite fond of Mumford and Sons)

* What do you think about heavy metal today, and do you think rock is dead?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would ask Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones what They Watch on Television when They are in Their Downtime. I suppose that They watch whatever is on the BBC when They are in England, but since Jimmy, Robert and Jonesy spend a lot of time in the United States of America, I would ask them of Their Opinion of what They thought of the Great American television Shows that They surely watched while in the Great United States of America.

I would bet $10,000 that Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones are very familiar with the Greatest American Shows in the Past 15 years.

The Sopranos, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, etc...

That would be My Question to Them.

"Breaking Bad" has won Dozens of Awards for Best Drama Series.

Led Zeppelin Won a Grammy for "Best Hard Rock Album".

I see no distinction between Them being the Greatest Rock and Roll Band of All-Time (from England) and Them Enjoying the Greatest Television Shows that are Made in the United States of America.

For History's Sake, it was America that fully Embraced Led Zeppelin as a Band and as a "FORCE" to be reckoned with (way before Led Zeppelin's home country of the United Kingdom did).

The Best are the Best and these Two are the BEST OF ALL-TIME!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The specifics of their writing process in Led Zeppelin days - even in the best books, it's very hard to get a sense of exactly how / when / where they used to write and how different band members' contributions were incorporated etc. Was it a matter of just working really fast when inspiration happened to strike, or of shutting themselves in a room with the intention of writing even when not feeling too inspired, etc. What role, if any, did drugs play in the actual creative process (helping or hindering)?

Who wrote which lyrics, in the early days when it wasn't all Robert. Could give an interesting insight into their characters.

What they regret most (professional and personal). (Probably a waste of a question, they wouldn't tell me).

What Jimmy's spiritual / philosophical beliefs are. (Definitely a waste of a question). Also whether, as an art-school grad, he has carried on making art all this time.

Whether any of them plan on writing memoirs.

Whether, if they had foreseen the advent of the internet (or even that groupies would start writing books, or if cameraphones had been around in their day), they would have done anything differently. Whether some of the more sordid stuff that's come out has created problems / awkward conversations with their families etc. (That's where they'd walk out, but we're just playing fantasy interview here, right?)

Whether they're sitting on costumes, memorabilia etc that they'd be willing to exhibit. I have this fantasy that they'll leave it all to the nation - the Museum of Led Zeppelin.

Why they ever felt inclined to kiss and make up with Richard Cole.

Which lyrics they find embarrassing now and why.

Why they think it is that rock musicians generally do their best stuff when young, when this isn't necessarily how it goes in other art forms or even other kinds of music. (There's no polite way to ask, "So, what exactly, in your view, changed in your head that suddenly took you from writing awesome songs to writing comparatively ordinary ones, or not being able to produce anything at all?", and chances are they don't actually know...but again, fantasy interview).

Their all-time favourite musicians / albums, e.g. top ten or something. Their favourite works in other art forms (films, novels etc).

What are JPJ's favourites of his post-Zep projects. Where he stands on the idea of working with the others again.

Whether they can play instruments apart from what we know about. Is Robert any good on the guitar? Can Jimmy play piano? (I'm aware JPJ can play everything).

Something about their experience of ageing, losing their looks etc. I always wonder if that stuff's as grim for men as it is for women, when they've been very beautiful and famous sex symbols etc.

What musicians or other creative people we might have heard of they're friends with.

Which they would say are the best books / articles about them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would probably ask them how long It took them to get their hair just right back in zeppelin heyday

Girl, I knew you would ask a hair question! :D

I want to know all about Jimmy's hair and style!

Did they discuss how they were dressing on stage?

Did anyone ever say, " you are NOT wearing THAT!"?

And if so who was it and what was it?

The specifics of their writing process in Led Zeppelin days - even in the best books, it's very hard to get a sense of exactly how / when / where they used to write and how different band members' contributions were incorporated etc. Was it a matter of just working really fast when inspiration happened to strike, or of shutting themselves in a room with the intention of writing even when not feeling too inspired, etc. What role, if any, did drugs play in the actual creative process (helping or hindering)?

Who wrote which lyrics, in the early days when it wasn't all Robert. Could give an interesting insight into their characters.

What Jimmy's spiritual / philosophical beliefs are. (Definitely a waste of a question). Also whether, as an art-school grad, he has carried on making art all this time.

Why they think it is that rock musicians generally do their best stuff when young, when this isn't necessarily how it goes in other art forms or even other kinds of music. (There's no polite way to ask, "So, what exactly, in your view, changed in your head that suddenly took you from writing awesome songs to writing comparatively ordinary ones, or not being able to produce anything at all?", and chances are they don't actually know...but again, fantasy interview).

Their all-time favourite musicians / albums, e.g. top ten or something. Their favourite works in other art forms (films, novels etc).

Whether they can play instruments apart from what we know about. Is Robert any good on the guitar? Can Jimmy play piano? (I'm aware JPJ can play everything).

Something about their experience of ageing, losing their looks etc. I always wonder if that stuff's as grim for men as it is for women, when they've been very beautiful and famous sex symbols etc.

What musicians or other creative people we might have heard of they're friends with.

Which they would say are the best books / articles about them.

Skylla, you have awesome questions!

I have always wondered about their creative process!

I remember in an interview once, JPJ spoke about how collaborative it was, and also I have heard them say how they never forced a piece of work into being, if it didn't work, they moved on! But how did all those great songs come to be?

Jimmy has said he kept extremely detailed studio notes, would he ever publish any of those?

Robert has also mentioned his lyric books, would he publish those? ( in a recent interview he mentioned, I think tongue in cheek that they were to be burned, lest anyone find out who he was writing about!

I always wonder if Jimmy paints, sketches or draws! I think once creative, always creative... If not you shrivel away!

Do you ever visit the Led Zeppelin Official Forum to read what your adoring fans have to say.

Jimmy, would you consider making an appearance with Robert Plant at the New Orleans Jazz Fest in April.

Wouldn't that be great!!!! B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard a interview that Jimmy did where he said that he burned all his artwork as a symbolic thing. That shocked me as I wonder too. I would love to know about hs clothes too.. as well as his notes. I love the question about his hair. Pamela and Richard said it took him a long time to get it perfectly. I would also ask why is he so hard on his own singing and how did he first become interested in William Burges.

I love the questions how they decided on the stage clothes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always wondered about their creative process!

I remember in an interview once, JPJ spoke about how collaborative it was, and also I have heard them say how they never forced a piece of work into being, if it didn't work, they moved on! But how did all those great songs come to be?

Yes, I'm always interested in this with my favourite artists because I've known quite a few creative people in various fields and it's interesting how they split into those who just sort of wait for something to occur (and insist it's ridiculous to just treat it like a 9-5 thing you can schedule, and anything you produced that way would come out forced and terrible etc), and those who are very disciplined and just plant themselves at their piano or computer or whatever at nine every morning and keep plugging away even if they end up deciding everything they've done that day is crap and junking the lot. And it seems like the ones in the second category have more longevity.

LZ were obviously working like maniacs between 1968 and 1975, really setting a breakneck pace of recording and touring and so on, and I'd really like to know if during that time they were setting periods of time aside to just write, or if they were so "inspired" (or whatever you want to call it) that the material was just being created very quickly and spontaneously...

The only thing that seems certain is that whatever magic happened, it definitely had everything to do with them physically being together and working as a team - I mean, seeing as how they presumably had all the time in the world to write during the two long hiatuses in the last five years of their career, and yet that didn't produce anything to hold a candle to the first six albums. None of the four of them was going off and producing anything special all by himself. Clearly Jimmy's exactly right when he talks about the near-magical "alchemy" of those four musicians. . . but I'd still like something more specific.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard a interview that Jimmy did where he said that he burned all his artwork as a symbolic thing. That shocked me as I wonder too. I would love to know about hs clothes too.. as well as his notes. I love the question about his hair. Pamela and Richard said it took him a long time to get it perfectly. I would also ask why is he so hard on his own singing and how did he first become interested in William Burges.

I love the questions how they decided on the stage clothes.

Burned it? Jeez. I can't imagine wanting to destroy anything you'd created. They're like your babies...

Jimmy's stated that he's kept all his old stage clothes, all very well-preserved and neatly ordered (he remarked on how incredibly well-made the dragon suits are and how well they've lasted). But I've no idea if Robert, John Paul or the Bonham family have ever made any statements about theirs - anyone know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Burned it? Jeez. I can't imagine wanting to destroy anything you'd created. They're like your babies...

Jimmy's stated that he's kept all his old stage clothes, all very well-preserved and neatly ordered (he remarked on how incredibly well-made the dragon suits are and how well they've lasted). But I've no idea if Robert, John Paul or the Bonham family have ever made any statements about theirs - anyone know?

I was very shocked, because as an artist myself, I could never burn my drawings. It sounded like he did it for a symbolic reason which he didn't want to go into. I would love to see other stuff he did besides the dragon tele he painted. I did know about his clothes because he told Don Bernstein in Hard Rock Treasures DVD that he kept them in a storage facility. The Japanese Swinging 60s exhibit was the first he put his clothes on display and that was because he knew the couple running it. I would love to know what the others have done with theirs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whether, if they had foreseen the advent of the internet (or even that groupies would start writing books, or if cameraphones had been around in their day), they would have done anything differently. Whether some of the more sordid stuff that's come out has created problems / awkward conversations with their families etc. (That's where they'd walk out, but we're just playing fantasy interview here, right?)

What's amazing is that there in fact haven't been any credible tell-all memoirs or interviews. Compare to any number of other celebrities. As for the groupies, if that had been a problem for their spouses, this would have surfaced in the 70s since it was well known. I do sometimes wonder what their kids thought after they became teenagers, but probably by that time it just seemed in the past.

Why they think it is that rock musicians generally do their best stuff when young, when this isn't necessarily how it goes in other art forms or even other kinds of music. (There's no polite way to ask, "So, what exactly, in your view, changed in your head that suddenly took you from writing awesome songs to writing comparatively ordinary ones, or not being able to produce anything at all?", and chances are they don't actually know...but again, fantasy interview).

I have a theory about this. Listening to very loud music over time destroys your hearing and perhaps not just overall hearing but ability to discern pitch. In addition, the drug and alcohol use of most rock stars kills brain cells. Both of these types of physical deterioration could certainly affect creativity. It is interesting; many classical composers did some of their best work toward the ends of their careers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...