The one bassist John Paul Jones said was out of everybody’s league: “Perfect”
Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones named Paul McCartney as the standout bass player of his generation, calling him "perfect" during one of his earliest major interviews. Jones, himself widely regarded as one of rock's great bassists, made the comments in conversation with NME in 1970, shortly after Led Zeppelin had overtaken The Beatles as the biggest band in the world, showing that admiration between the two camps ran deep despite their rivalry.
In the interview, Jones praised jazz players such as Ray Brown and Charles Mingus and acknowledged Motown's influence on rock bass playing, before turning to his contemporaries. He rated Cream's Jack Bruce as "very good" but said he was "not too keen" on his sound overall, whereas he had nothing but praise for McCartney, describing his playing as consistently "right" and noting how much he had improved since The Beatles' early days. Jones's judgement reflects a broader idea that McCartney's greatness lay not in flashy technicality but in restraint and instinct, always serving the song rather than overshadowing it.
- John Paul Jones called Paul McCartney's bass playing "perfect" in 1970
- Jones favoured McCartney over Cream's Jack Bruce
- Comments came in Jones's first major interview, with NME
New here? Start with this
Led Zeppelin and The Beatles were the two biggest bands to emerge from Britain's rock scene, and by 1970 Led Zeppelin had overtaken the Beatles as the world's most popular group, just as the Beatles themselves were splitting up. John Paul Jones was Led Zeppelin's bassist and keyboard player, and is himself regarded as one of the finest bass players in rock history. Paul McCartney, meanwhile, was the Beatles' bassist as well as a singer and songwriter, and his playing has long been studied by other musicians for its melodic style.
In 1970, Jones gave an early interview to the music paper NME in which he discussed the bass players he admired most, ranging from jazz musicians to his rock contemporaries. Despite the two bands being seen as rivals for the title of the world's biggest act, Jones singled out McCartney's bass playing for particular praise, rating it above that of other well-known players of the era.
The story matters because it offers a rare, direct assessment from one celebrated musician of another, cutting across the perceived rivalry between their bands. It also touches on a wider debate among musicians about what makes a great bass player, contrasting technical flair with the kind of understated, song-serving approach McCartney was known for.