Besides hardcore Led Zeppelin fans, it's a little known fact that Jimmy Page produced and played on a 1970 album by theatrical rocker Screaming Lord Sutch, Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends. In addition to Page's appearance (he also co-penned a few tracks), the other 'friends' included John Bonham, Jeff Beck, Nicky Hopkins, and Noel Redding. Since the album is quite difficult to find nowadays, select tracks have popped up over the years on compilations, such as the 2000 set Rock and Roll Highway.
John Paul Jones stayed quiet for years after the disbandment of Led Zeppelin, performing the occasional arranging, soundtrack, or production gig, or collaborating with such avant garde musicians as Diamanda Galas. Throughout it all, he never released a full-fledged solo album – until the fall of 1999, when he unleashed Zooma. Anyone that was following who Jones worked with in the '90s – including Galas, the Butthole Surfers, and R.E.M. – shouldn't be entirely surprised by the depth, range, and gleeful strangeness on Zooma, but those expecting something like Led Zeppelin IV will be disappointed. That's not to say that there's no Zeppelin here at all. Jones was a key member of Zep, contributing heavily to their sonic majesty and experimental bent, all things that are apparent throughout the album.
Legendary Led Zepplin member and multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones releases the Thundertheif, following the the success of his first solo album Zooma. This record is a 9 track stormy adventure, from roaring bass riffs, to moments of acoustic beauty and calm. A must hear!
Page began his career as a studio session musician in London and, by the mid-1960s, alongside Big Jim Sullivan, was one of the most sought-after session guitarists in Britain. He was a member of the Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968. In late 1968, he founded Led Zeppelin. Page is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Rolling Stone magazine has described Page as "the pontiff of power riffing" and ranked him number 3 in their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". In 2010, he was ranked number two in Gibson's list of "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time" and, in 2007, number four on Classic Rock's "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes". He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and once as a member of Led Zeppelin (1995). Page has been described by Uncut as "rock's greatest and most mysterious guitar hero".
As in his previous solo album, The Thunderthief makes it very clear exactly what John Paul Jones brought to Led Zeppelin: driving bass, epic compositions, and impeccable musicianship. It's also very clear what he wasn't doing for Zeppelin: writing the lyrics. The tracks with words on the album are awkward and occasionally laughable, particularly the title track, which sounds suspiciously like a jab at Robert Plant, and "Angry Angry," a presumably mock punk song. Both detract from what is otherwise a very impressive album. Jones plays nearly every instrument on the record and mixes sounds from seemingly every continent and era he could think of.
This is a tribute to 50's rock'n'roll/rockabilly reminiscent of Bill Wyman's "Willie & the Poor Boys" project in the '80's…
This is a must-have for JPJ or those who collect Zeppelin material. This isnt the bone crushing rock n roll you expect but some good experimentation by Jonsey. With Jimmy Page on 2 tracks and Jon Anderson of Yes on 2 tracks,plus the bonus of Jones himself singing on tracks, I really enjoyed the various types of music on this. "Crackback" will remind you of the same hard hitting sound heard on Zep 4 while "Chilli Sauce" is all in the mind of Jones stepping away from Zeppelin and into his own. A sweet piece of work for sure and when you select this CD for the collection, dont forget to pick up "Zooma"also.
Them Crooked Vultures is a rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 2009 by John Paul Jones (former member of Led Zeppelin), Dave Grohl (of Foo Fighters and former member of Nirvana), and Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age and former member of Kyuss). The group also includes guitarist Alain Johannes during live performances. The band's first single "New Fang" was released in October 2009, followed by the group's self-titled debut album the following month, debuting at number 12 on the Billboard 200. The group won the 2011 Grammy Awards Best Hard Rock Performance category for "New Fang".