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Cause of plant/JPJ friction


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Going way back to plants remark about where John Paul Jones was, when plant replied "He's out parking the car". What was the catalyst for that? Why did he have such animosity towards JPJ? Was there a long simmering fued between them?  I mean, plant isn't exactly an idiot...he had to know it would get back to JPJ. I dont recall any friction between them during their heyday. Any ideas?

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2 minutes ago, dandak said:

Going way back to plants remark about where John Paul Jones was, when plant replied "He's out parking the car". What was the catalyst for that? Why did he have such animosity towards JPJ? Was there a long simmering fued between them?  I mean, plant isn't exactly an idiot...he had to know it would get back to JPJ. I dont recall any friction between them during their heyday. Any ideas?

I am just speculating here but Robert was a midlands bloke with no formal musical training, Jones was a formally trained musician from London and very professional. Robert was Mr. Groupie & party while with Zep, Jones typically did not associate with the band after a gig but preferred his own circle of friends and stayed in rented houses or with friends while on the road (starting around the 73' tour I believe). I figure Robert believed Jones was being a snob when in fact Jones was the only one being smart. I believe it is as simple as that. Also, Robert is likely intimidated by Jones breath of knowledge regarding music and may have called Robert out a time or two when they were putting together songs in the studio.

Or maybe Jones made a stupid comment in 1971 and Robert never forgave him. Anything is possible with people.

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I think it is nothing more than people with different and conflicting personalities. I don't think the animosity was ever hateful, I would guess that the comment OP referenced was made in a way of two guys digging at one another...as many guys do, even good friends. In fact that's who people usually have the most fun giving digs at, not that they were necessarily "friends". Of course remember that they became closer than ever before around the time of ITTOD. Probably very overblown and taking comments out of context, we know Plant is always very sarcastic.

Again, before very many No Quarters RP would introduce JPJ and make mention of his "poshness", but still it was never made in a way that I interpreted to be anything other than a guy poking fun, not attempting to actually be mean.

2 hours ago, IpMan said:

Also, Robert is likely intimidated by Jones breath of knowledge regarding music

Cannot imagine that RP is in any way shape or form intimidated by JPJ. And not the other way around either.

2 hours ago, IpMan said:

and may have called Robert out a time or two when they were putting together songs in the studio.

Can definitely imagine this happening.

Image result for robert plant and john paul jones

Image result for robert plant and john paul jones

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Who knows. They're very different people.

Pure speculation on my part, but I remember reading something Richard Cole said claiming John Paul Jones told him if he was going to see Robert's solo band "to get there early because it goes straight downhill after the 3rd number". (from memory) 

I can imagine that bothering Robert if he caught wind of it.

Robert himself said JPJ's critique about Pictures At Eleven was "I thought you could have done better than that old chap".

It might be something simple as that.

Jones was probably sick of Robert referring to everything Zeppelin related as "Page and I" "Me and Page" etc...   

Edited by the chase
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30 minutes ago, the chase said:

Pure speculation on my part, but I remember reading something Richard Cole said claiming John Paul Jones told him if he was going to see Robert's solo band "to get there early because it goes straight downhill after the 3rd number". (from memory) 

I can imagine that bothering Robert if he caught wind of it.

Robert himself said JPJ's critique about Pictures At Eleven was "I thought you could have done better than that old chap".

It might be something simple as that.

Jones was probably sick of Robert referring to everything Zeppelin related as "Page and I" "Me and Page" etc...   

I take Cole's comments with a huge grain of salt. For one thing, it was actually Cole, not JPJ, who was often at odds with Plant. In fact, when JPJ did go to see Plant's show in Bristol (12/4/83) he jammed with him. 

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57 minutes ago, Stryder1978 said:

...agreed, I think it was simply Robert's sense of humor...which some people take the wrong way!

Funny.. Robert has said that JPJ's sense of humor is an acquired taste.

As far as taking Richard Cole at his word.. I wasn't there, so who knows.. Didn't sound to me like he made it up, but again who knows.  

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21 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

That quip is called having a sense of humor and it was laugh out loud funny, though some people took it the wrong way.

What he said.

Quite why people have to take everything Plant says so seriously is beyond me, he's a very funny man if you take it the way it's intended.

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I went for quite a few years thinking JPJ bought out Robert's publishing in 1983, and I was willing to try that on for size as a reason for the gap between them, but lately I've gotten the notion that Robert got publishing rights restored as part of the 1990 Zeppelin Remasters (and aborted 1990 full Led Zeppelin reunion tour).. reminds me, I recall the Boston Globe with an article claiming tickets would be on sale at the Boston Garden the very next day. like we got really close that time..

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not to generalize, but Brits seem to be "allowed" to make certain comments or jokes about someone else that would look rude

or hammer blunt to us here in the states. I've watched some pretty funny Brit series or soap operas, and right alongside

the formal manners are rather naked  and very pointed barbs which are not taken in great offense. I think it's "Taking the Piss

Out of Someone", a English quirk for sure. Don't know what to make of Plant and Jones, somewhat convoluted.

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Yes, indeed, we've had this many, many times and it's this simple: 'parking the car' was just an off-the-cuff quip - a joke, a simple pisstake.
Not a value judgement. 
Other than that? Robert gave some interview in the '80s where he said that there'd been times when he'd tried to discuss songs with JPJ,
but Jonesy would go 'oh, I can't remember that one - what key was it in?' and Robert said he'd just sigh and go 'I dunno, Jonesy' and leave it at that.
No big deal - you click less with some people than you do with others, is all. 
I guess there's Dave Thompson's claim that Robert played Pictures At Eleven for JPJ and Jonesy supposedly said 'I thought you could have done something
a little bit better than that, old chap!' - but I don't think Thompson gave a source for that, so who knows how accurate that one is?

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6 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

I saw this post and didn't think much of it until I watched this interview, it's full of Jones remarks. He obviously had some kind of grudge, or was simply having a piss as the English do.

 

Yes he is just taking the piss. One thing this thread does highlight is the still present humor gap between different cultures and how comments can be misinterpreted by others regardless of their original intentions. Even with the well established advances in global communication our nations still have our collective individuality and idiosyncrasies. 

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39 minutes ago, babysquid said:

Yes he is just taking the piss. One thing this thread does highlight is the still present humor gap between different cultures and how comments can be misinterpreted by others regardless of their original intentions. Even with the well established advances in global communication our nations still have our collective individuality and idiosyncrasies. 

He alludes to JPJ and double-glazing twice, possibly a reference to the album cover for Scream For Help. 

thJFVQNPP5.jpg

Edited by SteveAJones
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4 hours ago, babysquid said:

Yes he is just taking the piss. One thing this thread does highlight is the still present humor gap between different cultures and how comments can be misinterpreted by others regardless of their original intentions. Even with the well established advances in global communication our nations still have our collective individuality and idiosyncrasies. 

Certain British humour just doesn't translate abroad. Plant is a natural raconteur and extrovert and says a lot of stuff not meant to be taken seriously. Essentially him & JPJ are opposites: extrovert and introvert, Plant garrulous & JPJ laconic. Given his great mate Bonzo had huge respect for JPJ, I bet deep down Plant knows the band would never have been so good without Jones.

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On 6/6/2018 at 9:03 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

I saw this post and didn't think much of it until I watched this interview, it's full of Jones remarks. He obviously had some kind of grudge, or was simply having a piss as the English do.

 

...Or simply being a pompous windbag trying to impress the pretty interviewer.

I’m glad I missed this for this long.. I did like the Mick Jagger compliment though.

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It is really good that there wasn't a spark anywhere near RP's Aqua Net of a head during this interview! 

I can certainly say that cultural differences and trying to impress a pretty girl are all reasons why RP would reply"John Paul Jones" to many band names during the word association "game;" including really enthusiastically to Zep.  Moreover, I think he is trying to distance himself as much as possible from anything considered "old," and to ally himself with the MTV youth culture of 1988, so let's make fun of JPJ, as of course he is old and stodgy unlike Robert, right?  I really like the hand on the knee Robert pulls on the interviewer as well...so very English!  (I am absolutely kidding UK!)

IMO Robert seems to have always had a need to be a bit of a DB in interviews to his old band mates so as to feel relevant when any new music of his is about to drop.  I guess that's what happens when you were the 4th best musician in the greatest band that ever existed.

Interestingly enough, JPJ played on and produced a slew of college alternative bands in the late 80's and 90's and remained more of a part of youth culture overall.  In high school (89-93), I remember him playing with or producing the Butthole Surfers, Lenny Kravitz, The Foo Fighters, and REM among others. 

And let's not forget TVC - my god that f'n album is a masterpiece and is full of youthful creativity and energy without a doubt (it would have even been better if Jimmy played guitar on it tho!). 

And yes, the Mick Jagger comment is very kind for sure.

Edited by Darth Hoek
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  • 2 weeks later...

Plant has always considered himself to be the great wit 

and feels he can say anything about anyone without causing offence

on the basis he is the "great" Robert Plant . Unfortunately others don't always get the joke

Post Zep he developed a very lopsided view of the band dynamics . It became" me and good old Bonzo 

versus the other two pompous muso's". Strange man. seems straightforward but always playing games.

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the assumption being that Plant is funny, which i say he isn't.

the discussion is, why always the knocking of former bandmates 

by Plant in nearly every interview, which he attempts to pass off as 

humour. Seems as valid as anything else discussed about a band that's been defunct

for over 30 years?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I personally think the whole idea of a "grudge" between Plant and JPJ is overblown. I don't buy it for a minute. It's just humour-challenged people reading too much into off-the-cuff remarks made in interviews over the years.

I believe they all have a healthy respect for each other...maybe even a brotherly love. They also have enough confidence in their bond that they take the piss now and then, knowing it's just a lark.

 

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3 hours ago, andrew r said:

the assumption being that Plant is funny, which i say he isn't.

the discussion is, why always the knocking of former bandmates 

by Plant in nearly every interview, which he attempts to pass off as 

humour. Seems as valid as anything else discussed about a band that's been defunct

for over 30 years?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where are you from?

I can't speak for anyone else but all me & my pals ever do is rip the piss out of each other, it's just the way a lot of blokes in Britain behave. Jones & Page clearly don't take it to heart or we would have never had the O2 gig. 

If you don't find him funny, that's fine, but I really wouldn't take his flippant comments so seriously.

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