In a 2007 interview with Q magazine, the video of which has recently resurfaced on TikTok and other social media platforms, Jones talks about his famous band’s dynamic. Led Zeppelin, which was put together by guitarist Jimmy Page after his time with the blues rockers The Yardbirds, was a collection of U.K. all-star artists. Not some wide-eyed band of four grammar school pals looking to make it big.
“I mean,” said Jones, “we weren’t like a group who grew up together and made it big. Led Zeppelin wasn’t manufactured exactly but it was put together by Jimmy… Even with Zeppelin, the thing is we have never socialized. As soon as we left the road, we never saw each other, which I always thought contributed to the longevity and harmony of the band. We weren’t friends.”
“You Didn’t Book Your Mates”
Zeppelin, which was founded in 1968, included Jones on bass, Robert Plant as lead vocalist, Page as lead guitarist and John Bonham on drums. The group released its debut self-titled LP in 1969 and quickly became one of the biggest bands in the world. Jones, who first met Page well before Zeppelin was founded, says they were studio session artists before they were collaborators.
“Even though I’d see him in the studio every day, we never socialized,” Jones said, reflecting on this formative period. “The rule with studio sessions in those days was you didn’t book your mates.”
Although their relationship never went beyond being bandmates, Robert Plant always found it difficult to work with Jones.
Plant responded that working with Jones was “always difficult” due to their different backgrounds: “It was always difficult to collaborate with Jonesy because he never listened to the lyrics. I'd talk about a song and he'd say, 'What would that song be?' And I said, 'You know, the one from "Presence."' And he said, 'Sorry, I'm not familiar with the titles, what key was it in?' I would sigh and say, 'I don't have a clue, Jonesy.'"
