Yes. Originally published December 1994. Interview took place 9/29/1994 Yesterday, I picked up a book called Led Zeppelin on Led Zeppelin interviews and encounters. It contains interviews through the years, including the Mojo interview.

He probably wasn't being serious. I thought Robert's answer about John Paul Jones was honest and made some sense. But it was handled wrong. A call, business meeting, something was called for out of "professional courtesy" as Steve rightly put it, if not a professional obligation. His one liners and sarcastic wit cause a lot of unnecessary problems and bad feelings. I find Jimmy Page more disappointing, at least in this interview.. He didn't, from what I gather have any type of issue with David Coverdale. Pleading the 5th was odd and kind of wimpy.

From Led Zeppelin on Led Zeppelin interviews and encounters - article by Mat Snow dictated into my phone.. MS: is that why John Paul Jones was not asked? It would have thrown out the chemistry? RP: apart from the fact it would be virtually Led Zeppelin and the next person you start talking about is Jason Bonham, which is just so cheesy and ridiculous, the fact is that our thread was this north African thing, was India, was the howlin wolf riffs. We focus together on those manual points, so rather than to confuse the issue let's see what we still got. So it's nothing at all personal. It's just that at this point in time you've got to get a result quickly to know if it's worth it. JP: We were gaining so much momentum from the loops and working with Charlie and Michael, that quite honestly I for one wasn't thinking John Paul Jones. I was thinking about what we were getting together between the two of us and the rest of the band. It was its own thing before all of that started to become an issue. RP: Jonesey, I really like what he does in the angles he employs in the projects he works on, which are far from the mainstream, and he has a great career in that respect. But I didn't think it was necessary for us to .... this is the pressure thing again. JP: we are working together in all of a sudden everyone's saying John Paul Jones ought to be there. RP: so anyway, it's good luck John, and maybe will all get together somewhere down the line. JP: yeah in the future. RP: but right now this thing is growing so much. We were about another nine songs written from a four piece angle. --- MS: returning, briefly to the exchange of messages in the press. For resuming your partnership, do you two gentlemen agree to disagree about Mr. Coverdale? JP: i'll let you handle that. RP: no no. He's your mate. Ha ha ha! JP: well, I am not going to answer that question. RP: that's very very well done you. You've come on a bundle! JP: haha. RP: and I am not going to either. MS: how nice that there is a diplomatic accord here. RP: well, I think he's a fucking idiot. Horses for courses: I worked with Phil Johnstone (Roberts man musical collaborator in the late 80s )– nobody's perfect. JP: see what happens when you're already loose and for too long? ---

^ I guess. The bottom line is they're good now.. The "parking the car" line never bothered me much either.. It's just another one of Robert Plant's goofy, odd one liners.. Watch JPJ on the David Letterman appearance and tell me his sense of humor isn't a little on the odd side as well.. Speaking for myself, I've always been guilty of supporting the underdog.. or the person who I feel was treated unfairly.. f'd over.. which is probably unnecessary in this case.. Even though JPJ was treated disrespectfully more than once.. He's a big boy and doesn't really need me or us to stick up for him.. But Robert did try to nudge him out of important events (Live Aid) and not really put him at the same level of importance as the other 2 surviving members.. which is a load of bollocks.. (going British here).. "Page and I" "Me and Page" blah blah blah... the "parking the car" was minor compared to that constant stance of exclusion. Out of the 3 of them, John Paul Jones has not only maintained his high musical standards, he's improved on them. He is arguably an even better musician now than he was in Zeppelin's heyday. Not sure I'd say the same for Jimmy or Robert.

Thanks for posting the link. Sounds like it's from about 66, not 61. Very cool. Jimmy Page should have done more with Chris Farlowe post Zeppelin. I thought The Firm was a little too safe and basic.. Didn't really care for what Chris did on Outrider either, but i love Who's To Blame... and he has a great blusey powerful voice.

Jimmy catches more grief on here for the remasters and little to no solo activity than Robert does on every other issue combined.

Because Plant acted like an arrogant ass and Jimmy did not. That would be my guess. Watch Robert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony and tell me you don't get douche chills. But i agree and I'll go one further. Jimmy should have been the one to call John Paul Jones and tell him what was going on.

Oh yeah .. I'm sure Jimmy is doing this to make a fortune..

Them Crooked Vultures would have been a very different project with Jimmy. Not including Jimmy in TCV is hardly the same thing as not including John Paul Jones in P and P either. Jimmy getting worked up about it seems kind of ridiculous. The Jones Page Jason project had petered out by this point. Besides, JPJ, while not usually as high profile as TCV, always has something going. Another point .. Robert would always say stuff like "if Page and I were to get back together" or "Page and I are always getting offers to get back together". He was leaving Jones out of the "what if" scenarios for years before it ever happened. One thing positive I do remember was Robert saying he liked how Jones was going about his post Zeppelin career. This was a litte after JPJ had sat in with Lenny Kravitz.

It's not so much that he wasn't asked.. to find out about it on MTV news was the insult. A call or an email would have done wonders..

The only song JPJ received a writing credit for on Presence was Royal Orleans. No doubt for the amazing main riff... yes that's a Bass lick. What did Robert do with it? He embarrassed the shit out of his bandmate by writing a tale about a friend who wakes up kissing whiskers in a hotel fire. Was this good natured ribbing, ball busting or a nasty jab? Not sure, possibly all. But with the shit all 4 of them must have had on each other, it's a little weird that that incident was made into a song.

Sometimes instruments that sound new, modern and fresh don't age all that well. It's like watching a CGI masterpiece from 20 years ago that looks dated and cheesy today.. The Alembic was it in the late 70's.. Much like Shaken n Stirred or Scream For Help. Pretty cool at the time.. dated today. Robert has definitely learned from this and now able to combine modern sounds and technology with his roots. John Paul Jones is one of the most versatile major musicians on the planet.... all's well that ends well..

Well yeah.. besides they seem to be good now, and that's all that really matters. But this a Led Zeppelin website right?.. so discussing LZ, their music, its members and history is why it exists.. it kind of goes with the territory.

The best thing to come out of the Page and Plant collaboration was Zooma and The Thundertheif. John Paul Jones came out blazing and made 2 highly original solo albums. So thank you Jimmy and Robert.

Peter Grant had no say whatsoever in the musical direction of Led Zeppelin .. and he didn't want any say for that matter. He was their Business Manager. They did their thing musically and he ran the business end.

Jimmy Page considers himself to be an "all a rounder". A sort of Jack Of All Trades. Most listed on your (zino's) list are very good if not great specialists at a particular genre. Page is equally at home in Rock, Blues, Hard Rock / Metal, Folk, Pop, Avant Garde etc.. That the same person who recorded Ten Years Gone also recorded Shadow In The City is a testament to his versatility. There are better Blues guitarists because that's their thing. Page has many other things.. There are other all a rounders that didn't make the zino fancy font list. Something tells me he's not big on the Progressive types either. Zappa is there and no doubt of his genius. I'd rank Steve Howe above most on his list.. so it's all subjective... isn't it? There's no doubt Jimmy had some rough patches and some horrendous shows. But that's life (all caught on tape and camera) and he's alive and healthy at 73. How about presenting your top 1000 zino? I'd love to see the 834 bands / artists you list above Led Zeppelin. I'm sure it would be entertaining and interesting.

I'd rather have Coda than not have Coda. Poor Tom, Walter's Walk, etc.. John Bonham is like a relentless battering ram through the whole thing. It's a great tribute.

There is audio of Jimmy and the late great Jaco Pastorious playing together..

Yeah sorry, got a little sidetracked.. i agree with Blindwillie in that I don't think Robert would have ever completely bailed on Zeppelin while JB was alive. Solo project? Sure at some point.. a hiatus? Sure. When John died, that was it.. I agree with KellyGirl that JB himself would have wanted and expected Jason to take his spot. One thing I don't get is all the assumptions that JPJ and Robert were just business partners and little else.. While they weren't boyhood pals like Robert and John B, or the songwriting duo P and P were, there must have been something there. It might have soured at some point, but I can't believe they weren't friends during Zeppelin's run. You can't go through so much good together and be indifferent towards each other. I'd be very surprised if this was the case. Watch the Rockestra theme and Lucille from Kampuchea and tell me they're not having a blast together.

I've read that Maureen in particular was in very bad shape. A fratcured skull and pelvis. She also was in need of a very rare blood type.. I would think the last thing on RP's mind with his leg in plaster and his wife all banged up was going to a studio.

Agree but leaving for a planned summer tour is one thing... leaving after you, your wife and 2 young kids were almost killed in a horrific car accident is another. I think to call him out for this is wrong.. if he did leave them, reluctantly, no doubt in my mind he left them with people, family and or medics to help out every step of the way..

I think he felt / was pressured to record when he wanted time to heal and be with his family either in or out of his country.

From Wikipedia on Presence.. book by Chris Welch.. "I spent the whole process in a wheelchair, so physically I was really frustrated. I think my vocal performance is pretty poor. It sounds strained and tired. The saving grace on the album was "Candy Store Rock" and "Achilles Last Stand". The rhythm section on that it was so inspired ... I was furious at Page and Peter Grant. I was just furious that I couldn't get back to the woman and the children that I loved. And I was thinking, is this rock'n'roll worth anything at all?" http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=363 Robert Plant wrote the lyrics in Malibu while recovering from a car accident. The band wrote the rest of the song in a German studio in about an hour. They had to finish the album quickly because the Rolling Stones needed to use the studio. In an audio documentary on the band, Plant said that the lyrics reflected not only his physically trapped situation at the time, but his general frustrations with Jimmy Page and their manager Peter Grant, whom Plant was convinced weren't sensitive to his point of view. Hence the line, "I've got friends who would give me f--k all." However, he slurred the pronunciation of the F-bomb, hoping to dodge it onto the radio. Didn't work. I was burned in the heat of the moment Though it couldn't have been the heat of the day When I learned how my time had been wasted, (And a) tear fell as I turned away Now I've got friends who will give me their shoulder, Event I should happen to fall Time and his bride growing older I've got friends who will give me fuck all Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala, my baby Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala On the corner of Bleeker and nowhere In the land of not quite day A shiver ran down my backbone Face in the mirror turns grey So I looked round to hitch up the reindeer Searching hard trying to brighten the day I turned around to look for the snowman To my surprise he'd melted away, yeah Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala, my baby Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala As the moon and the stars call the order Inside my tides dance the ebb and sway The sun in my soul's sinking lower While the hope in my hands turns to clay I don't ask that my field's full of clover I don't moan at opportunity's door And if you ask my advice, take it slower Then your story'd be your finest reward Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala, my baby Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala Lost on the path to attainment Search in the eyes of the wise When I bled from the heart of the matter I started bleeding without a disguise Now everything's fine under heaven Now and then you've got to take time to pause When you're down on the ground, don't be messin' around Or you'll land in a boat without oars Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala, my baby Lalalalalalalala, yeah Lalalalalalalala Hey babe, Hey babe, Hey babe I lost my way Hey babe, hey babe I really, really, really Hey babe, hey babe I don't know where I'm gonna find it Hey babe, hey babe Do you want to know Do you really, really, want to help me, yeah? Let me tell you now, babe Let me tell you That it feels so good that it must be right Now my babe Let me tell you That it feels so good that it must be right Now my babe Let me tell you It just feels, it just feels, it just feels, it just feels so good So good, so good oh yeah

Well they had a summer tour planned that was canceled after Robert's accident. So, right or wrong they booked studio time to keep busy, stay out of the country and record Presence. Robert said he was furious at Jimmy and Peter that he had to be recording at the time and referenced the lyrics to Hots On For Nowhere as a dig at the 2 of them.

Rest in Peace to a great singer and incredible bassist, John Wetton.