Rock and roll music has attracted artists and contributors with its fast-paced party life inevitably throughout the years of its existence. When one thinks about rock music, it’s challenging to differentiate the musical genre from its symbols, such as extravagant costumes and stage stunts primarily designed to let off some steam. The musicians often cared about this image at least as much as they cared about the music they created.
This lifestyle sometimes caused harm to the musicians’ health and caused problems they had to struggle with most of their lives. Even though this is not special to rock and roll, it is one of the most energy-consuming genres. Some celebrities wanted to stay out of it as much as possible instead of enjoying this fast pace. One of them was Led Zeppelin’s bassist John Paul Jones.
What Did John Paul Jones Want To Do Instead Of Being A Rockstar?
The bassist was a member of possibly one of the biggest bands in the rock genre. Led Zeppelin had a prosperous career, and they created music that still inspires musicians all over the world, even today. After starting as an English rock band, they toured worldwide constantly after reaching fame. However, like many other rockstars, they were recognized, and their privacy was invaded by the fans and the paparazzi.
These disadvantages were too much for John Paul Jones. He wanted his privacy because he wished to roam around whichever country or city he was in as a tourist without being bothered. He was able to do that easily because he wasn’t as recognizable as his bandmates Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, which was exactly what he wanted. He spoke about this back in 2000 and expressed how glad he was to be in the shadows so that he could enjoy himself everywhere.
Here is what he said in 2000:
“I tried to stay out of the drift of the rock star’s path, mainly because I needed my sanity and freedom on the road. So generally, I used to check out of the hotel, and then get out on the street. I’d go walking. I’m not as recognizable as Plant and Page. Plus, I used to change my appearance all the time just to make sure I wasn’t as recognizable. Generally, I’m pretty quickly into the shadows. I once read the Beatles did a whole tour of America and never left their hotel rooms. And I thought, ‘I can’t see the point of traveling around the world and not seeing anything.‘”
He gave an example by stating that the Beatles once went on an American tour, but they couldn’t leave their hotels to discover the country. The musician considered this a huge disadvantage for a band that easily can travel all around the world. The perks of his job are seeing the world alongside making rock music. However, fame and recognition have to be eliminated to achieve that.
