AboutMike Caldwell Expertise Fortunately, or unfortunately, there are no Led Zeppelin questions I can't answer. My immediate specialty (or proclivity as it may be) has to do with concert performances and lyrical interpretations.
Experience Countless hours of biographical research and personal interaction with relevant individuals. Avid contributor to Led Zeppelin newsgroups since 1997 (check Google groups!)
Publications Bullseye News Magazine. The Vapid Voice.
Question Hi Mike,
Why did Joh n Baldmin change his name to John Paul Jones? I know that it was under a suggestion from a friend but why did he do it anyways? Thanks
Answer Hi-
Jonesy had been considering a stage name that would be different from "John Baldwin" for a while - after all, his father Joe was a prominent pianist decades earlier. In a sense, he wanted to assert his own independent success as an arranger and musician of the time (early 1960s). He didn't change his name until he was basically "ordered" to do it by prominent producer Andrew Loog Oldham, back when he had hired he young Baldwin as his arranger.
Oldham mentioned this in an interview with Goldmine magazine. See http://www.led-zeppelin.org/reference/index.php?m=assorted17
for more about that. Oldham wanted his newly hired arranger to have a more prominent stage name, and Oldham liked the name John Paul Jones, from a 1959 biographical movie about the historical figure of the same name. At this point it was still early in Jonesy's career (around 1964), and since the very powerful Oldham was hiring Baldwin for a big career leap, Jonesy took Oldham's suggestion/demand and adapted the new stage name. So it was partially for career success (as appeasing Oldham was a big resume builder at the time) and also Jonesy had been considering a stage name anyway.
