John Paul Jones explains Led Zeppelin's tense relationship with the media (interview part 16 of 22)

This is the 16th part of the transcript of my interview with John Paul Jones, conducted Dec. 10, 2001.

SPS: In 1979, Melody Maker's readers' choice awards, you were there wearing a button on your lapel with the message, "Rock Against Journalism."

JPJ: Oh, right! I remember that button.

SPS: What’s that mean?

JPJ: Just what it says!

SPS: Is that something against me?

JPJ: No, well, you're not a journalist, you said. [Laughs]

SPS: Not yet. So far.

JPJ: I was just joking. It was an affectation at the time. There was a great turn-out at the Melody Maker. That’s kind of what we… They all hated or seemed to hate us in the beginning. And I think they were kind of annoyed because our reputation really grew by word of mouth and people coming to the shows. And they kind of dismissed us earlier on. And by the time they caught up, we were big and famous, but they really hadn't much to do with it. I can remember when we first came to America and read that ... Rolling Stone review. And we just couldn't understand, what had we done to those guys? Because "This band's hyped." Well, what do you mean "hyped"? In what way? Oh, you mean hyped by people like [pointing to Steve Sauer as a fan] you? Not the media. I mean, we [the band] didn't do any hype. We just made an honest, good record, so we thought, and we were coming here to perform it. And they say, "Aw," this and that and this. …

I remember going to New York. I'm sitting with a friend having dinner. … And suddenly I hear this thing, "If you want get ripped off, go to Madison Square Garden tonight and go and see Led Slime." [Astonished:] What did he mean? "Get ripped off"? We did good shows! "Go see Led Slime. OK, if you want to call up…" And I thought, ah! I wanna call. It's a talk show! Right, get me on the phone, quick! They said, "Hello?" I said, "Yeah, I want to talk about Led Slime." "OK. Who are you?" I said, "John Paul Jones." And they just went [makes a clicking noise]. [Laughs]

SPS: "Yeah, sure you are!" [Laughs]

JPJ: No, he knew.

SPS: Oh!

JPJ: He knew because he was a journalist. He knew who I was, and as soon as he heard, he went, "Oh, [click] OK. Next call." 'Cause I was gonna give him, "What the f*** are you talking about, Led Slime?" I mean, we were fiercely defensive of the band, because we knew we were good, we knew what would happen, and we wanted people … just … dissonance. … I was gonna call him out, but then, werrrrnt! Said I must confirm quick!

SPS: "Rock Against Journalism." Is there anyway I could get a pin?

JPJ: [Laughs] I've probably still got mine somewhere. I just saw it and said, "That's really appropriate." So that's how we viewed the press at the time. To be honest, it was a generalization. There were good people who appeared and wrote correct things. But the initial reaction just seemed to be so hostile. You read it and think, "You don't mean us. Do they really mean us? It's us!" People just spread venomous things. One of the bands that was in Bath. I remember reading that they were an honest band or "I saw cases and cases of new Fender guitars and amplifiers, they were hyped by the record and instrument industries," and everything, and I thought, "You assholes. Our one bloody Fender, which I bought new, my dad had guaranteed for it… And of course when people write stuff, it becomes fact, because nobody… I mean you wouldn't… Why would I bother to write… "Well, won't these guys ever improve, because…?" You know. But it just becomes fact. I mean, it's, what the hell. Don't get mixed up in it. [Laughs]

On to part 17: John Paul Jones on his daughter Jacinda's music.