Metal Health
Senior Member
No, tones of home. They were all important. It's the same with John Lennon and The Beatles.
The most important member of Led Zeppelin?
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tones of home
follow the green smoke
Except The Beatles broke up long before Lennon died and The Beatles were sick of each other and broke up on their own.
If Bonham was part of the frabric keeping the band together and they lost him and broke up, then he was the most important member of the band. What dummer wouldn't have wanted to join that band? They could have continued, easily.
But, I've heard Walking Into Clarksdale. And The Firm. And Outrider. And Plant's numerous solo efforts. And John Paul Jone's solo stuff.
Definitely Bonham.
Metal Health
Senior Member
Like Robert and Jimmy, he was a main songwriter and produced some of their best songs.
Black Dahlia
A Seasoned Witch
First, I need to say that I voted "FAIL! I can't decide and think they're all about equal, woe is me..."
But, in life I am compelled to give some answer, even if I don't know...
There were a LOT of blues bands on the British scene in the 1960's. What did Led Zeppelin have that the Yardbirds didn't have?
Following that train of thought, it's def not Jimmy Page. So we have Bob Plant, JP Jones, and John Bonham.
It's easy to inflate the importance a singer brings to a rock band, as he / she is who the listener first identifies with. What did Robert Plant have that no other singer "on the scene" had? He was actually pretty similar to Roger Daltry, except Plant was blues, and Daltry was rock (and also first to make it big). But the stage presence and ability were comparable in both.
John Bonham was... the drummer. Really... I can't think of any band (besides Rush, and for different reasons) who has a drummer that is all-important to the perpetuation of the band. Yes, John Bonham had a tragic death, and he was a really good drummer, but is that what kept the band going for 8 albums? Don't forget, the band didn't stop because they had lost the key component to their appeal... they stopped because they felt that Led Zeppelin were all four of them... no less (and I couldn't agree more, just bear with me!)
John Paul Jones was was 1/2 of what made Zeppelin "swing". He came up with melodic rhythm lines that the rest of the band friggin' rode for all they were worth. Yeah, he was discrete, but he was no stick-in-the-mud. As a result, JP seems to me the common denominator of the band, given Pages' drug problem in the late 70's, Bonham's binge-drinking, and was the rudder to Plant's creativity.
Having said all that, even I am not convinced... Page's revoulitonary style was only on the first album, and if I am not mistaken, he played a version of "Dazed And Confused" with the Yardbirds with the violin bow, before Led Zeppelin. But I can't resist calling him the most important member of Led Zeppelin.
Who the hell knows?
But, in life I am compelled to give some answer, even if I don't know...
There were a LOT of blues bands on the British scene in the 1960's. What did Led Zeppelin have that the Yardbirds didn't have?
Following that train of thought, it's def not Jimmy Page. So we have Bob Plant, JP Jones, and John Bonham.
It's easy to inflate the importance a singer brings to a rock band, as he / she is who the listener first identifies with. What did Robert Plant have that no other singer "on the scene" had? He was actually pretty similar to Roger Daltry, except Plant was blues, and Daltry was rock (and also first to make it big). But the stage presence and ability were comparable in both.
John Bonham was... the drummer. Really... I can't think of any band (besides Rush, and for different reasons) who has a drummer that is all-important to the perpetuation of the band. Yes, John Bonham had a tragic death, and he was a really good drummer, but is that what kept the band going for 8 albums? Don't forget, the band didn't stop because they had lost the key component to their appeal... they stopped because they felt that Led Zeppelin were all four of them... no less (and I couldn't agree more, just bear with me!)
John Paul Jones was was 1/2 of what made Zeppelin "swing". He came up with melodic rhythm lines that the rest of the band friggin' rode for all they were worth. Yeah, he was discrete, but he was no stick-in-the-mud. As a result, JP seems to me the common denominator of the band, given Pages' drug problem in the late 70's, Bonham's binge-drinking, and was the rudder to Plant's creativity.
Having said all that, even I am not convinced... Page's revoulitonary style was only on the first album, and if I am not mistaken, he played a version of "Dazed And Confused" with the Yardbirds with the violin bow, before Led Zeppelin. But I can't resist calling him the most important member of Led Zeppelin.
Who the hell knows?
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tones of home
follow the green smoke
The only problem with JP Jones is.... well.... In Throught The Out Door
I agree, no one freaking knows.
I agree, no one freaking knows.
recgord27
Walking down a dusty road
Couldn't have said it better myself. John Paul Jones is my favourite member of Zeppelin, but I don't think that any single member is more or less important than any other.
John Bonham *is* the Heart & Soul of LED ZEPPELIN
Over time, since John Bonham's death, and, especially in the last 7 years, I have come to personally realize, that John Henry 'Bonzo' Bonham, is the indispensable 'Heart & Soul' of Led Zeppelin.
Where does leave Jimmy Page. Jimmy is the Spirit of Led Zeppelin.
But, they are all indispensable! The sum of the parts not equal to the whole.
No ONE can sing LZ like Robert Plant can sing Led Zeppelin. NO ONE
And Zeppelin is never sweeter, than with JP Jones masterful bass and keyboards!
Over time, since John Bonham's death, and, especially in the last 7 years, I have come to personally realize, that John Henry 'Bonzo' Bonham, is the indispensable 'Heart & Soul' of Led Zeppelin.
Where does leave Jimmy Page. Jimmy is the Spirit of Led Zeppelin.
But, they are all indispensable! The sum of the parts not equal to the whole.
No ONE can sing LZ like Robert Plant can sing Led Zeppelin. NO ONE
And Zeppelin is never sweeter, than with JP Jones masterful bass and keyboards!
joker1961
Skaven Swear Runner
all four members each bring something to the whole...
JimJam
Senior Member
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts and all four are indispensible, which is why they were wise to disband after Bonzo's death. But i chose Page because he's the guy who started the band and picked Plant who in turn suggested Bonzo.
Hurdy Gurdy Man
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Wholeheartedly behind you,JimJam.The whole project started with Page very eager to start as well as name the band The New Yardbirds",with Keith Moon being his first choice for drummer.(Like you were gonna snare him away from the Who).Yardbirds guitarist Chris Dreja was also part of original band design,but felt he would have been a bit extraneous to the lineup and also,he fancied becoming a professional photographer.He took the photo on the back cover of Zep's freshman release.In time,Page assembled an incredible creative ensemble that as much as each member was exceptionally talented at their chosen crafts, was indeed greater than the sum of their parts as was mentioned in a previous post.Led Zeppelin was the brainchild of a brilliant show biz visionary of hugely particular musical foresight.Zeppelin coming off the Yardbirds was an awesome product of such foresight,but annexing the rather ephemeral Honeydrippers to Led Zep lore was going too far.Perhaps by then,Page was a bit desperate in keeping himself in the public eye.I've heard he's forming a new band at 71 so he apparently still has great faith in his efforts to contribute even further to his already stellar reputation as one of rock's all time best guitarists.I'm assuming he'll produce.And he should.Took rock to such glorious heights in his capacity as Zep producer,I figure,if it ain't broke,don;t fix it..............
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