Jason Thinks Led Zeppelin Will Play Again

[Jukkin]

2 hours ago, Cofa said:

 

To say that JPJ has dabbled here and there aimlessly is I think a disservice to his hugely creative and prolific body of work over the last 30 plus years.

Yes, agreed, I didn't mean to be disparaging, but rather to highlight that only Plant has continued to develop his musical career, never standing still and remains highly visible to music fans. JPJ has done a lot of work of course but it appears, to me anyway, that he's not really driven to create or take responsibility for creating a new band - I don't know how much responsibility took for getting Them Crooked Vultures off the ground (no pun!!!) but there I thought, and hoped, that he would be part of something stable that would allow him to stretch his creative muscles. Can't remember why it didn't last - may have just been a one-off supergroup thing, but I do know that the loss of Vultures and BCC was a damn shame, for us and I believe certainly for JPJ and Jason.

OK, lost my place here so I'll shut up, good post Cofa. Thanks.

[Mithril46]

Yeah, I see as well how jukkin meant that Jones mainly has the one-off projects which show promise but never continue.

I don't know about the nostalgia part, a lot of Jones' post Zep music has shown his influence on Zep, but a lot of it 

sounds quite original to me. Page is likely as you said heavy with the nostalgia, and I don't want to prejudge his

supposed ?? new material, but I would be very surprised(but delighted,probably) if Jimmy could avoid falling into

what is easiest for him, the dreaded Zep rewrites.

[Cofa]

1 hour ago, Jukkin said:

Yes, agreed, I didn't mean to be disparaging, but rather to highlight that only Plant has continued to develop his musical career, never standing still and remains highly visible to music fans. JPJ has done a lot of work of course but it appears, to me anyway, that he's not really driven to create or take responsibility for creating a new band - I don't know how much responsibility took for getting Them Crooked Vultures off the ground (no pun!!!) but there I thought, and hoped, that he would be part of something stable that would allow him to stretch his creative muscles. Can't remember why it didn't last - may have just been a one-off supergroup thing, but I do know that the loss of Vultures and BCC was a damn shame, for us and I believe certainly for JPJ and Jason.

OK, lost my place here so I'll shut up, good post Cofa. Thanks.

Yes I can see that is certainly how it appears. I just think he seems to enjoy the variety of what he does. Bluegrass one week, electronic improv the next, opera and blues the next, etc, etc. And at this stage of his career if that is what he enjoys then who can blame him. I get the impression he is 'happy with his lot' and does exactly what he wants to do.

TCV was only ever going to be a side project for them all with Grohl and Homme having their own bands. They have all said they would like to do more together as and when their schedules allow so I can see that being a possibility in the future. I hope so.    

[Patrycja]

21 hours ago, Jukkin said:

I think that Robert has a fear that Zeppelin could end up being classed as a nostalgia band and that may be staying his hand. I think Jimmy misses the passion of the old days; performing, partying and other stuff that comes with being a rock god, plus the great creative input he had to the albums alongside Robert. I get the impression that Jimmy's life is a bit underwhelming now that it's been over 35 years since the band were still in their prime. JPJ appears nostalgic for the good old days - he, like Jimmy, dabbles a bit here, dabbles a bit there and it does seem a little aimless. Robert is the only member that has had a consistently career since the end of the band and that must obviously make it harder for him to commit time and energy  to the band. Jason I think would love to spend some time as Bonzo II, to make his dad proud (which I'm sure he is!). OK, rambling over. The point about Robert's voice is spot on; he would increasing struggle to do justice to many of the old songs. Taking all things into account, if there is any future for the band then they should look at making a new album, one where the new songs are written to accomodate Roberts vocal limitations these days. It would the band a chance to exit on a creative high rather than as a nostalgic tribute band. If they decided to promote the album with some dates then they would mostly play numbers from the new album that does not force them out of their relative comfort zone, plus older songs that were more suitable for Roberts voice. Personally, if I had to choose between some more live dates or a new album, I'd be in the album line every time. I'm just imagining a scenario where the band could create and perform again without risking their legacy.

Others have addressed this already and you've responded, but I wanted to chime in as well. Not that you meant it in a derogatory way, as you said, but I think rather than aimless, Jonesy has more accurately been ever more versatile. He was neither running away from Zep's shadow nor waiting around for some shadow of Zep to manifest. He's put out two excellent solo albums, produced albums for other artists, participated in interesting art projects, explored other musical genres and instruments, wrote an opera (!!!), and, of course,  was in TCV. It just doesn't seem like he has time for nostalgia, does it? And his not being in bands post-TCV is not really a hit-and-miss endeavour (as another person alluded to) so much as a choice. Jonesy could have musicians lined up for blocks if they found out he were forming a band to record and tour with. He was a professional musician before Zep, and continues exploring and growing down whatever paths have moved him. That's not dabbling; that's a musician's full life. And I can't wait to hear what else he's got going next.

[Disco Duck]

Just now, Cofa said:

 

To say that JPJ has dabbled here and there aimlessly is I think a disservice to his hugely creative and prolific body of work over the last 30 plus years.

I agree.  IMO, JPJ has been the most musically adventurous of the surviving Zep members.  Robert Plant has explored a wide variety of musical genres but his music has always remained commercial.   Some of JPJ's musical projects have been very esoteric; not the kind of music the average music fan would pay money to listen to.  

[Jukkin]

Fair points about JPJ guys. I think I was looking through 'peace, love, dope' eyes where being in a successful band was what a lot of people aimed at. Plus you couldn't avoid his disappointment when it was announced back in the 90's that Robert and Jimmy were to work together again both in the studio and on the road but JPJ was not invited. Seemed a bit cruel to me back then and it still does. Not sure but it seems they never even gave him a heads-up and explained their decision - that was just something I read though so I could be wrong about that.  What has that got to do with anything? Um......can't remember. I've been put on these pain patches called Fentanyl, and every so often you forget your own name. :-) But man, they do do the job! Er....that's it.

[KellyGirl]

1 hour ago, Jukkin said:

Plus you couldn't avoid his disappointment when it was announced back in the 90's that Robert and Jimmy were to work together again both in the studio and on the road but JPJ was not invited. Seemed a bit cruel to me back then and it still does. Not sure but it seems they never even gave him a heads-up and explained their decision - that was just something I read though so I could be wrong about that.

Omg haha I love your avatar Jukkin! Cuteness with that cat  

Yeah that was a bit errrr on Plant's part wasn't? It's probably been said already on here,
but I wonder if he didn't push for Jones to join them because it would've had too much of
a Zeppelin-ish feel to it? It seems when Plant has been asked about that he always gives
some vague round-about answers. Haha taking a page out of Jimmy Page's rule book on
how to talk to the media Plant never really comes out and says why, but if I had to
guess it was to avoid a L Z vibe that would've came with the 3 of them working  together.

Which is kind of silly since even with the lead singer and guitarist together it's going have a
bit of that mood to it. After all it's Jimmy and Robert - basically the two front guys of the band.
Kind of like Mick and Keith going off and doing an album together alone - yet hoping fans separate
it from Stones music.

I do believe that Jimmy would have had no problem with Jones joining them at that time.
After that I always hoped he and Jones would have worked again together on something.

[Mithril46]

These are all very interesting points. And arguably, who would think that 35+ years after Zep disbanded, Jones comes

out on top for artistic integrity and paying no heed whatsoever (well, mostly) to the commercial prospects of a 

project ?? I remember the time after Zep ended when Page disappeared into a black hole. I had a very overactive

imagination in my youth and I thought Jimmy would be striking out in all kinds of brilliant directions when he reappeared.

NOT. Back to Jones, even Scream For Help, like Page's DW2, gets friendlier with each listen. Neither release is essential

listening, but each has its' moments.

[The Dark Lord]

1 hour ago, Mithril46 said:

These are all very interesting points. And arguably, who would think that 35+ years after Zep disbanded, Jones comes

out on top for artistic integrity and paying no heed whatsoever (well, mostly) to the commercial prospects of a 

project ?? I remember the time after Zep ended when Page disappeared into a black hole. I had a very overactive

imagination in my youth and I thought Jimmy would be striking out in all kinds of brilliant directions when he reappeared.

NOT. Back to Jones, even Scream For Help, like Page's DW2, gets friendlier with each listen. Neither release is essential

listening, but each has its' moments.

He almost came out in a brilliant direction with XYZ, but that was not to be, unfortunately. I only wish it could have worked out, but Squire runs a pretty tight ship, and I suspect that working with a drugged out Jimmy was not high on his list of ambitions. In a perfect world, it could have been very interesting.

[Mithril46]

I agree. Perhaps out of respect Squire never criticized Page, but actually IMO Jimmy's work on the tracks Iv'e heard is

pretty good, far more creative than the Firm IMO. Squire himself mentioned being pretty drugged up during the sessions,

so It's not that clear Page was the deciding factor. Drummer Alan White said the sessions were squarely aimed at an

end result, not just casual jams. I mean, sure, one look at Page and your'e seeing someone who looks like they belong

in a hospital bed. And Page wanted Plant to sing, but Plant said the stuff was too complex. Well, I also think at that 

point Plant no longer wanted to play with Page, in any continuing project.

[The Dark Lord]

44 minutes ago, Mithril46 said:

I agree. Perhaps out of respect Squire never criticized Page, but actually IMO Jimmy's work on the tracks Iv'e heard is

pretty good, far more creative than the Firm IMO. Squire himself mentioned being pretty drugged up during the sessions,

so It's not that clear Page was the deciding factor. Drummer Alan White said the sessions were squarely aimed at an

end result, not just casual jams. I mean, sure, one look at Page and your'e seeing someone who looks like they belong

in a hospital bed. And Page wanted Plant to sing, but Plant said the stuff was too complex. Well, I also think at that 

point Plant no longer wanted to play with Page, in any continuing project.

Sounds about right. Such a shame it didn't work out. Oh yeah, RIP Chris Squire. Such a loss.