John Paul Jones was born John Baldwin on January 3, 1946 in Sidcup, Kent. Both of his parents were musicians, his dad being a pianist and arranger for big bands and his mother was a singer and a dancer. He learned to play the play the piano at an early age. He soon began to take organ lessons and played at his church. By age 14, he picked up the bass guitar. His father wanted him to play the saxophone because, as John Paul explained "He said...I'd never starve." He started a band in his boarding school and he and his father performed as a duo during the holidays. He left school at age 17 and auditioned for Jet Harris and Tony Meehan, who were putting together a band. He got hired as their bass player and the band toured with John Paul for about a year or so, playing music that bands like Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago would play years later. John Paul started doing sessions in about 1964, and for the next four years, recorded for just about everyone from Lulu to The Rolling Stones. He released his own single in April 1964, entitled Baja. During a session for Donovan, he heard Jimmy Page, a popular session guitarist, talking about starting a new group. His wife Mo convinced him to call up Jimmy Page to take the bass guitarist position. Since Jimmy's first two choices for new bass players were unavailable, he agreed to have John Paul in this new group.
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After Led Zeppelin, John Paul took the most low-key position of all the remaining members, focusing mainly on producing and arranging for such performers as The Misision in 1987, R.E.M. in 1992, Ben E. King in 1986, Cinderella in 1990, The Butthole Surfers in 1992 and Peter Gabriel in 1992. On December 7, 1983 he joined Robert Plant for an encore performance of Little Sister. John Paul put out a soundtrack album for the movie Scream For Help, which was released on March 22, 1985. He rejoined Jimmy and Robert at LiveAid on July 15, 1985 and on May 14, 1988 for Atlantic Records' 40th Anniversary party. In September 1993, he joined the stage with Lenny Kravitz for the MTV Awards show, performing Are You Gonna Go My Way. In August 1994, John Paul joined Heart for five performances at The Backstage Theatre in Seattle performing with them as well as producing the live album that was recorded. In late 1994, John Paul joined up with Diamanda Galas for a short European tour and a tour in the States in November 1994. In 1998, John Paul started work on his first solo CD, which was called Zooma. John Paul toured the US, Europe and Japan throughout late 1999 and early 2000, with thunderous response. 2001 found John Paul preparing material for his second solo album. |
