The Led Zeppelin Channel

I think with a musician as highly regarded as JPJ, you're lucky to get a piece of it. A piece associated with Led Zeppelin would be priced so far out of the realm for most musicians it would just be something to read about, not to own.
 
I think with a musician as highly regarded as JPJ, you're lucky to get a piece of it. A piece associated with Led Zeppelin would be priced so far out of the realm for most musicians it would just be something to read about, not to own.
That’s just it, this auction, as stated, is for JPJ to unload a bunch of stuff he’ll never use again to someone who actually wants to use it. Comes w/ no provenience. So, bidders will likely wind up paying much more than it’s worth, at least in comparison to finding the same thing from an unknown seller. There are a few items that I might be interested in but am not paying JPJ fan prices w/o documented provenience. IMO, he should have just left his name out of it…or given accompanying documents and given the proceeds to charity. It’s not like he needs the $$$. 😉
 
John Paul Jones is unloading some of his recording gear. First item on the auction block is a Guild Thunder Bass amp.

Finally! A Zep-Guild connection!! :D
 
bidders will likely wind up paying much more than it’s worth
Lol, isn't this the story of auctions in general.

We know a local caller, he does auctions, saw him doing it last fall at a benefit for the local museum, it's fun.

He's the 2nd one I've known over the years, I went to a few of his auctions way back in the day, trying to furnish a house.

I'd talk to him about items, junk items that sold for ridiculous prices after the auction and he'd agree, "he'd never ask anything close to that in his store".
 
It's a good thing he concentrated on guitar chords and tunings, rather than germs, or we could have been in trouble.
His germ research was all top secret stuff.
page-on-stage-making-leo-theremins-electric-wonder-wail-to-v0-gu3y5ck09y3b1.jpg
 
Lol, isn't this the story of auctions in general.
Lol, isn't this the story of auctions in general.

We know a local caller, he does auctions, saw him doing it last fall at a benefit for the local museum, it's fun.

He's the 2nd one I've known over the years, I went to a few of his auctions way back in the day, trying to furnish a house.

I'd talk to him about items, junk items that sold for ridiculous prices after the auction and he'd agree, "he'd never ask anything close to that in his store".
Auctions are specifically where I go to find really great deals. It’s all about putting in a low silent bid, not attending the auction itself, and if you get it, you get it, and if you don’t, no big deal. It’s also about location and the local population. Oftentimes I’ve been the only bidder on an item and wound up w/ things like a prewar National Dobro amp for $40, a Supro lap steel for $35, a pair of $3500 Vienna Acoustic speakers for $200, a crate of 60-70 vinyl records (including Beatles first pressings) for $75, a Beatles “Blue Box” complete vinyl collection for $100, a Trek mountain bike for $50. Etc etc.
 
There are noises at the beginning that are pretty disturbing I found (thought it was one of my own recording I was checking out while listening !!). Gosh I find some people are ready to pay quite a bit of money for that ;) ; well I have hours of the kind - but not Led Zeppelin's -, if any body's interested (send PM, you'd get LTGers bargain price !! 🙂:D). O.K., I find I'm definitely not a passionate genuine fan :cool: though I found Plant outstanding
 
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That’s just it, this auction, as stated, is for JPJ to unload a bunch of stuff he’ll never use again to someone who actually wants to use it. Comes w/ no provenience. So, bidders will likely wind up paying much more than it’s worth, at least in comparison to finding the same thing from an unknown seller. There are a few items that I might be interested in but am not paying JPJ fan prices w/o documented provenience. IMO, he should have just left his name out of it…or given accompanying documents and given the proceeds to charity.
I watched an Akai sampler device (S1000 or something) and noticed the bids were low (under $ 80)...
It’s not like he needs the $$$. 😉
I wonder if JPJ is a rich man still, or if he is just like anybody else...I've never heard that his work on his own was very successful, and don't really know what he does currently...I did see he participated to the Music For Change thing, but that's about it (and it's more of a charity thing I believe)...
Seems to me that Led Zep albums wouldn't sell too well these days - I've seen them charged $7 or $8 more than one time in a major seller here. I bet that Page must make quite a bit as he produced most of them if not all, but are the others really well off ?
 
I watched an Akai sampler device (S1000 or something) and noticed the bids were low (under $ 80)...

I wonder if JPJ is a rich man still, or if he is just like anybody else...I've never heard that his work on his own was very successful, and don't really know what he does currently...I did see he participated to the Music For Change thing, but that's about it (and it's more of a charity thing I believe)...
Seems to me that Led Zep albums wouldn't sell too well these days - I've seen them charged $7 or $8 more than one time in a major seller here. I bet that Page must make quite a bit as he produced most of them if not all, but are the others really well off ?
I suspect JP Is at the least very very comfortable given the breadth of all his enterprises including composing and arranging. I suspect those royalties may equal Zep's because writing royalties are usually better than performing royalties.

Don't forget his career went back to the Mickie Most days where he did things like the string arrangement and the bell in "No Milk Today".
 
I suspect JP Is at the least very very comfortable given the breadth of all his enterprises including composing and arranging. I suspect those royalties may equal Zep's because writing royalties are usually better than performing royalties.

Don't forget his career went back to the Mickie Most days where he did things like the string arrangement and the bell in "No Milk Today".
You’d be surprised. His Zep money alone is a massive fortune. He has writing credits on just about every album….and we’re talking about a catalog that out of rock bands, only the Beatles have surpassed in sales. And there’s not even a close 3rd.. it’d be like the Beatles are Secretariat going down the stretch, Zep are 2-3 length behind, and the rest of the field are just approaching the second turn!! I mean, Zep 1,2,3 alone outsold The Who’s entire catalog. Zep 4 by itself doubled it again, and Zep’s last 3 albums double it once more!! Pretty much the same w/ the Stones. Hell, Zep IV alone w/ just 2-3 co-writing credits would be enough for anyone to live like a king (and their kids) 21X platinum in the US alone!!

He has a few houses in the US, but his mainstay is his 10 mil dollar mansion in Devon. I bet he’s worth a little over 100 million.
 
And as for them still selling albums. Yes, they are still one of the most demanded bands out there. Anything and everything they release sells. Out of all their contemporaries, they might be the only dinosaur band played on modern rock stations….often sandwiched between acts like The White Stripes and Imagine Dragons. No other 60’s/70’s band has that level of timeless longevity. Not even the Beatles.
 
I love Led Zeppelin, but I wouldn't compare their "timeless longetivity", etc. with the Beatles. Even in 2023, "Now and Then", which I personally don't consider a real Beatles song, debuted at #1. Whether they are on the radio or not depends on the specific station and what genre that station plays. IMO, Zep and the Beatles are arguably not the same genre, except maybe "classic rock". Of course, the Beatles have their own station on Sirius XM, all Beatles (and Beatles solo stuff), all the time.

Top Global Sales (Approximate Figures)
  • The Beatles: Over 200 million (e.g., 207.5M as of mid-2025).
  • Michael Jackson: Around 500 million claimed sales.
  • Elvis Presley: Around 500 million claimed sales.
  • Elton John: Around 300 million claimed sales.
  • Queen: Over 300 million albums sold.
BTW, the next two artists on this list are Madonna, then Led Zeppelin at 300M.

Top U.S. Sales (Certified Units)

  • The Beatles: Highest-certified artist with 183 million units.
  • Garth Brooks: Highest-certified solo artist.
  • Taylor Swift: First female artist over 100 million certified units.
Other Top Artists in U.S. Sales
  • Eagles: Over 120 million U.S. units.
  • Led Zeppelin: Over 112.5 million U.S. units.
  • Beyoncé: High recent sales, with 198.5 million units in one count.
Note: Sales figures vary widely between claimed sales (often from record labels) and certified sales (verified by organizations like the RIAA), with different sources using different methodologies (e.g., albums, units, equivalent album units).

BTW, even Paul McCartney as a solo artist has sold more albums than Led Zeppelin. Although perhaps not a fair comparison because he has so many albums out over so many years.
  • Paul McCartney's combined success: McCartney is one of the only three artists in history to have sold over 100 million albums as both a solo artist and a member of a band (The Beatles).
  • Led Zeppelin's impact: Led Zeppelin is one of the best-selling rock bands of all time and has five studio albums certified Diamond (over 10 million units sold in the U.S. each).

On a personal note, forget the numbers for a minute - I am a fan of Robert Plant's solo work, but oh how I wish Jimmy Page recorded more music after Led Zeppelin! With other artists, a solo instrumental album or two, whatever. I'm assuming it would have been great!
 
*^ also of note, Zep haven’t had their RIAA certifications updated in about 15 years. Since then, they’ve put out the whole 50th anniversary remaster campaign w/ deluxe boxed set editions that each count as 3 album sales (lp/cd/hi rez download)

Iirc, artists themselves have to request RIAA certifications…which the artist pays for. 🫣
 
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