When you think of the most influential and successful bands of all time, two names come to mind. Led Zeppelin and The Mission.
The death of John Bonham in 1979 put an end to Zeppelin's quest for eternal rockdom, but the surviving members still manage to dust themselves off for the occasional rock'n'roll endeavor. In fact, bassist and producer John Paul Jones has signaled an end to the years of comparison and rivalry between his band and Wayne Hussey's by producing The Mission's second platter, due for release any day now.
Surely the world will change in a way that'll make it different from what it was before.
Graffiti planned to speak to both mega-rocksters simultaneously during a conference call to New York, but Goth Guru Hussey was suddenly ushered to the airport to catch a plane back to London, England, where he was to appear on countless TV specials and attend all the major media events.
Meanwhile, John Paul, the quiet member of Zeppelin, was ready to speak to the world. The degree of artistry and craft, not to mention good-time R'n'R, involved in completing The Mission project has left the man feeling rejuvenated: He took on an impossible mission making the British band sound even better than they were before- and he feels he's succeeded. But it still came as a surprise to hear J,P. praise a band that has constantly challenged his own group in the ultimate Gods of Rock pursuit.
"The Mission," he declared unfalteringly, "outshine any other band in the world at the present time. No question."
Whenever the interview seemed to delve too much into Led Zeppelin's past, J.P. would explain, "This should be a Mission interview, you know." And who better to discuss the magnitude of the Mission than someone who's felt the awesome power of the music being made right there in the studio, before his very eyes? We'll join the conversation with John Paul Jones in progress.
Graffiti: Do you still feel as creative now as you did 15 years ago?
John Paul Jones: Certainly! More so, I'm more experienced; I know the conditions in which I like to work; I know what to choose as stimuli, and how not to get the blahs.
G: Do you listen to Led Zeppelin records very often?
J.P.: No, not at all. But I did take a listen to them just recently, funnily enough, having worked with The Mission, because they were very enthusiastic about certain things and they tend to have the tapes. They'd talk about what they liked and occasionally it was like-'All the things we wanted to ask Led Zeppelin and now we can? 'How did you do that?' 'What did you do to get that?' But it had nothing to do with making their music, which is entirely different.
G: Why did you decide to produce The Mission?
J.P: Somebody in the record company decided it'd be an excellent idea.
G: What does it take to be as good as Led Zeppelin?
J.P.: Dedication, love of music, hard work. Desire for professionalism, desire to have a lot of fun, something I think The Mission have got.
G: Did you feel like you were part of a phenomenon in Led Zeppelin?
J.P.: Not really-you're too busy. I mean, yes, certain things were surprising. The level of interest was surprising in the early days. But you're working, you're creating-you have good days and not so good days and life goes on, it's not so monumental-I mean obviously It you look lmm the stage and see 100,000 people in the audience...but apart from that...
G: Kids are still buying Zeppelin records and they'll likely be part of teenagers' lives for a long time to come.
J.P.: Yeah, it's great...What good taste they have!
G: Do The Mission have the talent to affect generations like that?
J.P.: yes, I would say that. I'd say they'll be very inspirational for a lot of musicians.
G: Have you made them sound much different from their previous projects?
J.P.: Not at all.
G: When people say music, or culture in general, isn't as good now as it was 15 years ago, what's your response?
JP: I say generally nothing has changed that much. People tend to remember all the good bits. There was as much dross then as there is now. And there always will be. You're just in the middle of it now. In 10 years' time, people will look back on the '8Os and say, 'Oh, my God, it was much better then.'
G: Who's really good these days?
J.P.: The Mission are really good. They outshine every other band (and so on).
G: What about all these rumors about pacts with the devil? I heard that you not agreeing to it had something to do with the break-up of the band.
J.P.: Led Zeppelin broke up because they lost their drummer, if you remember rightly. He died. When one member of a band dies, it can have an effect on the other members, I wouldn't worry your head about pacts with the devil.
G: It was just rumors?
J.P.: Rumors! It's utter bollocks, my dear.
When we finally caught up with Wayne Hussey in London, England, he was on the tail end of three days of incessant self-abuse and recreational witchcraft, The man was exhausted, and admitted to barely being able to string a few sentences together. The high powered world of rock stardom is not for the meek, The conversation was quick and to the point. "My brains are scrambled," said the almighty one. I had to act fast; he had another appointment in mere moments.
G: Wayne, the world awaits your response: What's important to you?
Wayne Hussey: Hanna, my baby, then the band.
G: What are you listening to these days?
W: The Mission,
G: Will the new record be major?.
W: I feel it should be if there's any justice, I mean, it's never a consideration when we're making a record, but I'd like to see it sell, I think it's going to do us an awful lot of good, put it that way. We'll sell a whole lot more records than we've done in the past.
G: Is it the best record there is?
W: No.
G: What would John Paul have to say about that?
W: He'd probably agree. I think he sees the potential of this band as vast and we've yet to fulfil that. It's very close to a perfect record, but not quite there. But I think our fans will think we made a wonderful, wonderful record.
G: John Paul says you're the number one band at the moment,
W: Yeah, I think he's right, Yeah. And we're only just beginning to realize what we can give,
G: Wayne, what makes the Mission so special?
W: It's the rapport between the band members. And the rapport between the audience, I don't know if
you've ever been to one of our shows, specifically here in Britain, but there's no other atmosphere like it-there's no other relationship like it. It's all very, very close, I mean, I walked home today and still felt the waves of affection and I want to give back as much Of it as possible. The audience is....it's just one big family, really.