John Paul Jones recalls that John Bonham hated hotels, flying (interview part 10 of 22)

This is the 10th part of the transcript of my interview with John Paul Jones, conducted Dec. 10, 2001.

SPS: If you could talk to me about John Bonham as a family man, as a traveling companion, as a friend, what was he like?

JPJ: Well, he was tremendous fun. I mean, apart from being … I mean, actually, tremendous fun! Very funny man. Great sense of humor. He didn’t actually like being on the road. He hated traveling. He hated flying! [Laughing] He had actually got to the airport and ordered the driver to turn down occasionally. We used to really have to trick him onto airplanes at times. Great affection, very generous. Yeah, he used to get a bit wild, but it was mainly because he hated being on the road. He loved playing, but the rest of it… Hotels, he hated hotels. It’s just a shame. But no, he was a lovely man. As a drummer, he’s just very delighting.

SPS: Was it ever tough on you playing shows that go on three hours long, like in ’77?

JPJ: No, no. If you’re playing, it’s great!

SPS: Night after night, it never would wear on you?

JPJ: No! No! It was the sort of band that was always interesting on stage. We were always changing, and we could do this and we could do a bit more of it or a bit less of it… You could always work off the crowd a lot.

On to part 11: John Paul Jones on all the keyboard instruments he uses.