What if John Paul Jones Had Left Led Zeppelin in 1973/74

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by BillyMacQ, Aug 17, 2018.

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  1. No JPJ, no Led Zeppelin IMO. You can’t replace his level of talent and chemistry and expect Zep to be as good. He was an equal contributor to their greatness.
     
  2. piston broke

    piston broke Forum Resident

    Why not the one they call The Ox?

    Bassist? Yep. Multi-instrumentalist? Why, yes. Guitar, keys and brass. Imagine that...

     
  3. aphexj

    aphexj Sound mind & body

    If he had left, Led Zeppelin would have sucked from that point on. No killer funk on Physical Graffiti, no slammin' 8-string bass on Presence, no groovy New Orleans shuffles on ITtOD... I could maybe see him coming back briefly just to finish off filming of The Song Remains the Same and them releasing the soundtrack as a final bow, but there's no way they would have continued without losing all the magic
     
  4. Bingo Bongo

    Bingo Bongo Music gives me Eargasms

    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    I disagree. He was probably the best musician in the band.

    1973's Houses Of The Holy and 1975's Physical Graffiti would not have been masterpieces without him. Very important keyboards on those 2 albums.
     
  5. Diamond Star Halo

    Diamond Star Halo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver
    In my opinion, the first four Zeppelin albums are where it’s at.
     
  6. markbrow

    markbrow Forum President

    Location:
    Denver
    I've posted this before, but Eddie Kramer told me JPJ was Zep's "secret weapon." His arrangements were what allowed P&P to get their ideas realized on tape. And as noted, a monster musician.

    To me, Plant was the most replaceable. :hide:
     
  7. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    Since Physical Graffiti is one of my all time favorite albums, (made more special by even my non -rocker folks liking it!), JPJ was essential to the Zep. The fact that they compromised with him indicates that everyone else was concerned about losing him. Nuff said.
     
  8. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Completely agree with the first part, the second part, not at all. Plant not only contained one of the best vocals in music at the time (and was one of the best front men in rock), but he was the principle lyricist for the band. He was no more replaceable than the other three.
     
  9. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    All four members of Led Zeppelin were equally important and all were irreplaceable...but if JPJ had really left at that point I don't think they would have stopped. No idea who they would have gotten or how it would have worked out but I do think they would have continued.
     
  10. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    In all likelihood they would have, if simply because they were on a roll, and you know Grant would never let them break up when they’re on top.
     
  11. penguinzzz

    penguinzzz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charlton, London
    Yes, Alphonso Johnson came to mind - remember he was a big rock fan who auditioned to replace Hackett in Genesis a few years later. I can imagine Page & Plant going the route of the funk / fusion scene too. Albeit in a looking glass world kind of way.
     
  12. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    I don't like these "what if" threads. - It's like people can't deal with "what was"...
     
  13. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    I think they would have turned to a harder Rock style. JPJ gave them the softer edge for songs with strings, etc. In Through The Out Door is mostly JPJ "arrangements".
     
  14. Mbd77

    Mbd77 Collect ‘Em All!

    Location:
    London
    I’d imagine many a night would have been spent coming up with these interview questions...:sigh:
     
  15. bluejimbop

    bluejimbop Thumb Toe Heel Toe

    Location:
    Castro Valley, CA
    Duke & Alphonso, huh? Okay, let’s really make it interesting. Josef Zawinul.
     
  16. Terrapin Station

    Terrapin Station Master Guns

    Location:
    NYC Man/Joy-Z City
    Either that or "Singring and the Glass Guitar" would have become a 20-volume affair over the course of as many years.
     
    fr in sc likes this.
  17. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    Oh great...jazz odyssey
     
  18. Lurch

    Lurch Well-Known Member

    Jones is certainly the perpetually under-appreciated member of the band, and that's a shame as his contributions were unquestionably vital.

    That said, Page and Grant would not have allowed the gravy train to stop. The music wouldn't have been as good, but the guess here is they would have attempted to soldier on without him.
     
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  19. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Page’s work would have suffered without JPJ’s contributions post-1974. As a result, Plant’s discontent with the music and the band may have happened sooner.
     
    Comet01 and Roberto899 like this.
  20. BillyMacQ

    BillyMacQ Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    And yet you feel compelled to weigh in...
     
  21. BillyMacQ

    BillyMacQ Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Ah, that would be a "no." Took me about as long as it took to type them out. Next?

    Love,
    Billy
     
  22. BillyMacQ

    BillyMacQ Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Wrong. JPJ loved to rock and wrote some of their most killer riffs - something he continued to do during his solo career and his work with Them Crooked Vultures.
     
  23. BillyMacQ

    BillyMacQ Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Let's not. Zawinul was a jazz musician. No way he'd want to play straight rock like some of Zep's music. (note "some").
    Duke and Johnson had solid funk and rock backgrounds to go along with their jazz chops. Much more akin to JPJ.

    Love,
    Billy
     
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  24. TheMaestro335

    TheMaestro335 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York NY
    For all the people who think that JPJ leaving Zep wouldn’t have mattered, have you listened to the Dreck page and Plant made without him?
     
    porieux likes this.
  25. And, if you haven’t heard any of it, check out his Zooma cd release:



    He utilizes an army of 10 and 12 string basses as well as steel guitar and keys. It’s Arguably the heaviest post Zep (solo) release and a fantastic listen.
     
    Roberto899 likes this.
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