Jimmy Page: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Page.jpg|left|thumb|270px|Jimmy Page in 1975]] |
[[Image:Page.jpg|left|thumb|270px|Jimmy Page in 1975]] |
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Page's past experiences both in the studio and with the Yardbirds were very influential in the success of Led Zeppelin in the [[1970s]]. As a [[record producer|producer]], composer, and guitarist for the band, he was one of the major driving forces behind the rock sound of that era, with his trademark [[Gibson Les Paul]] guitar and [[Marshall Amplifiers|Marshall]] amplification. In the studio however, Page often used a Supro [[amplifier]] and a [[Telecaster]] guitar. His use of [[fuzzbox|fuzz guitar]] ("[[How Many More Times]]"), [[slide guitar]] ("[[You Shook Me]]", "[[Dancing Days]]", "[[In My Time of Dying]]"), [[pedal steel guitar]] ("[[Your Time Is Gonna Come]]", "[[Tangerine (song)|Tangerine]]", "[[That's The Way]]"), acoustic guitar ("[[Gallows Pole]]", "[[Ramble On]]") and recording techniques made Led Zeppelin a prototype for many future rock bands. His landmark [[guitar solo]] from the song "[[Heartbreaker (Led Zeppelin song)|Heartbreaker]]" has been credited by [[Eddie Van Halen]] as the inspiration for his trademark two-hand [[tapping]] technique after he saw Led Zeppelin perform at the [[Los Angeles Forum]] in 1972. (Page's solo contains the [[hammer on]]/[[pull off]] technique.) Page also put to use the bowed playing technique he developed during his session days (though [[Eddie Phillips]] of Creation - also produced by [[Shel Talmy]] - was the first guitarist to use a violin bow) in songs such as "[[Dazed and Confused (song)|Dazed and Confused]]" and "How Many More Times", and experimented with feedback devices and a [[theremin]]. Page used a [[Wah-wah pedal]] but not in the traditional way of rocking it back and forth as done by [[Jimi Hendrix]] and other contemporaries; instead, he put it fully forward in the treble position to get a sharper tone. His solo in the famous epic "[[Stairway to Heaven]]" has been voted by readers of various guitar magazines, including ''[[Guitar World]]'' and ''[[Total Guitar]]'' as the greatest guitar solo of all time. Jimmy Page was named 'Guitarist of the Year' five years straight during the 1970s by ''[[Creem]]'' magazine. |
Page's past experiences both in the studio and with the Yardbirds were very influential in the success of Led Zeppelin in the [[1970s]]. As a [[record producer|producer]], composer, and guitarist for the band, he was one of the major driving forces behind the rock sound of that era, with his trademark [[Gibson Les Paul]] guitar and [[Marshall Amplifiers|Marshall]] amplification. In the studio however, Page often used a Supro [[amplifier]] and a [[Telecaster]] guitar. His use of [[fuzzbox|fuzz guitar]] ("[[How Many More Times]]"), [[slide guitar]] ("[[You Shook Me]]", "[[Dancing Days]]", "[[In My Time of Dying]]"), [[pedal steel guitar]] ("[[Your Time Is Gonna Come]]", "[[Tangerine (song)|Tangerine]]", "[[That's The Way]]"), acoustic guitar ("[[Gallows Pole]]", "[[Ramble On]]") and recording techniques made Led Zeppelin a prototype for many future rock bands. His landmark [[guitar solo]] from the song "[[Heartbreaker (Led Zeppelin song)|Heartbreaker]]" has been credited by [[Eddie Van Halen]] as the inspiration for his trademark two-hand [[tapping]] technique after he saw Led Zeppelin perform at the [[Los Angeles Forum]] in 1972. (Page's solo contains the [[hammer on]]/[[pull off]] technique.) Page also put to use the bowed playing technique he developed during his session days (though [[Eddie Phillips]] of Creation - also produced by [[Shel Talmy]] - was the first guitarist to use a violin bow) in songs such as "[[Dazed and Confused (song)|Dazed and Confused]]" and "How Many More Times", and experimented with feedback devices and a [[theremin]]. Page used a [[Wah-wah pedal]] but not in the traditional way of rocking it back and forth as done by [[Jimi Hendrix]] and other contemporaries; instead, he put it fully forward in the treble position to get a sharper tone. His solo in the famous epic "[[Stairway to Heaven]]" has been voted by readers of various guitar magazines, including ''[[Guitar World]]'' and ''[[Total Guitar]]'' as the greatest guitar solo of all time. Jimmy Page was named 'Guitarist of the Year' five years straight during the 1970s by ''[[Creem]]'' magazine. |
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Page is also widely credited for the innovations in sound recording he brought to the studio. Up until the late [[1960s]], most music producers placed [[microphone]]s directly in front of the [[amplifier]]s. For the recording of the band's [[Led Zeppelin (album)|debut album]], Page developed the idea of placing an additional microphone some distance from the amplifier (as much as twenty feet) and then recording the balance between the two - a method he called 'distance in depth'. By adopting this technique, Page became one of the first producers to record a band's "ambient sound" - the distance of a note's time-lag from one end of the room to the other. |
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Jimmy Page's [[drug use]] during his time with Led Zeppelin has, over the years, been a controversial subject. Page himself has admitted to heavy use of drugs throughout the 1970s. In an interview he gave with ''[[Guitar World]]'' magazine in [[2003]], he stated that: |
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{{cquote|"I can't speak for the [other members of the band], but for me drugs were an integral part of the whole thing, right from the beginning, right to the end.<ref>Tolinski, Brad, "The Greatest Show On Earth", ''Guitar World'', July 2003.</ref>}} |
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From [[1976]], Page was beginning to dabble in [[heroin]], a fact attributed to tour manager [[Richard Cole]], who stated that Page (as well as himself) were taking the drug during the recording sessions of the album ''[[Presence]]'' in that year, and that Page admitted to him shortly afterwards that he was [[addicted]] to the drug.<ref>Cole, Richard (1992) ''Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored'', New York: HarperCollins, ISBN 0-06-018323-3, pp. 322-326.</ref> |
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It is considered by many that, by [[1977]], Page's heroin use was beginning to hamper his guitar playing performances, as exhibited on a number of [[Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings]] from their 1977 tour of the [[United States]], by which time the guitarist had lost a noticable amount of weight. During the recording sessions for ''[[In Through The Out Door]]'' in [[1978]], Page's diminished influence on the album (relative to bassist John Paul Jones) is partly attributed to his ongoing heroin addiction, which resulted in his absence from the studio for large periods of time.<ref>Aizelwood, John, "Closing Time", ''Q Magazine'' Special Led Zeppelin edition, 2003, p. 94.</ref> Page reportedly kicked his heroin habit in the early [[1980s]].<ref name="Hammer of the Gods"> {{cite book | title=Hammer of the Gods (LPC) | year=1995 | author=Stephen Davis | pages= 316-317 ISBN 033043859-X }}</ref> |
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==Post-Led Zeppelin career== |
==Post-Led Zeppelin career== |
Revision as of 15:22, 24 February 2007
Template:Guitarist infobox James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE (born January 9, 1944) is an English guitarist and producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds, from late 1966 to 1968, before founding English rock band Led Zeppelin.
Page is credited as a forefather of heavy metal by not only turning up the accepted volume of the electric guitar but also with his anthemic riffs and meticulous studio production. Page is widely considered to be the first producer to truly create the "heavy" sound of rock music with the combination of new drum recording methods and revolutionary room. [citation needed]
Guitar historian Robert Lynch made this comment about Jimmy Page: "In the relatively short history of the electric guitar in rock music, there have been few who can be labeled as 'Iconic'. Mr. Page is one of those select few. His eclectic stylings, his compositional prowess, his studio mastery and innovation, and his stage presentation were all areas where he excelled like no other and foreshadowed many who have followed in his wake." [This quote needs a citation]
In 2003,
Formative years
Page was born in the west London suburb of
Page left school at age 15 to pursue music, and after brief stints backing Beat poet Royston Ellis and singer Red E. Lewis, Page was asked by singer Neil Christian to join his band The Crusaders. Page toured with Christian for approximately two years and later played on several of Christian's records, including the November 1962 single, "The Road to Love".
During his stint with Christian, Page fell seriously ill with glandular fever and couldn't continue touring. While recovering, Page decided to put his musical career on the shelf and concentrate on his other love, painting. He enrolled at Sutton Art College in Surrey.
Session player
While still a student, Page would often jam on stage at The Marquee with bands such as the Cyril Davis All Stars, Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated and with guitarists Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. He was spotted one night by John Gibb of The Silhouettes, who asked him to help record a number of singles for EMI, including "The Worrying Kind". It wasn't until an offer from Mike Leander of Decca Records that Page was to receive regular studio work. His first session for the label was the recording "Diamonds" by Jet Harris & Tony Meehan which went to Number 1 on the singles chart in early 1963.
After brief stints with Carter-Lewis and the Southerners, Mike Hurst's group, and Mickey Finn and the Blue Men, Page committed himself to full-time session work. As a
Although Jimmy Page has recorded with many now famous musicians, many of his early recordings are unfortunately only available through
The Yardbirds
In late 1964 Page was approached about the possibility of replacing Eric Clapton in The Yardbirds, but Page declined the offer out of loyalty to his friend, Clapton. In February 1965 Clapton quit the Yardbirds, and Page was formally offered Clapton's spot, but because he was unwilling to give up his lucrative career as a session musician, and because he was still worried about his health under touring conditions, he suggested his friend, Jeff Beck, fill the position. On May 16, 1966, drummer Keith Moon, bass player John Paul Jones, keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, Jeff Beck and Page recorded "Beck's Bolero" in London's IBC Studios. The experience gave Page an idea to form a new supergroup featuring Beck, along with The Who's John Entwistle on bass and Keith Moon on drums, however the lack of a quality vocalist and contractual problems brought the project to a halt.
Within weeks, Page was again offered a spot in the Yardbirds and at first played bass guitar with the group after the departure of Paul Samwell-Smith, before finally switching to twin lead guitar with Beck when Chris Dreja moved to bass. The musical potential of the line-up however was scuttled by interpersonal conflicts caused by constant touring and a lack of commercial success, although they released one single, "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago". (While Page and Jeff Beck played together in The Yardbirds, the trio of Page, Beck and Eric Clapton never played in the original group all at the same time. The three guitarists did appear on stage together at the ARMS charity concerts in 1983.)
After Beck's departure, the Yardbirds remained a quartet. They recorded one album with Page on lead guitar,
Despite the departure of Keith Relf and Jim McCarty in 1968, Page wished to continue the group with a new line-up to fulfill unfinished tour dates in Scandinavia. He recruited vocalist Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham, and was contacted by John Paul Jones who asked to join, to which Page agreed. During the Scandinavian tour the new group appeared as "The New Yardbirds", but Peter Grant, the band's eventual manager, later modified the name to "Led Zeppelin"
Led Zeppelin
Page's past experiences both in the studio and with the Yardbirds were very influential in the success of Led Zeppelin in the
Page is also widely credited for the innovations in sound recording he brought to the studio. Up until the late 1960s, most music producers placed microphones directly in front of the amplifiers. For the recording of the band's debut album, Page developed the idea of placing an additional microphone some distance from the amplifier (as much as twenty feet) and then recording the balance between the two - a method he called 'distance in depth'. By adopting this technique, Page became one of the first producers to record a band's "ambient sound" - the distance of a note's time-lag from one end of the room to the other.
Jimmy Page's drug use during his time with Led Zeppelin has, over the years, been a controversial subject. Page himself has admitted to heavy use of drugs throughout the 1970s. In an interview he gave with Guitar World magazine in 2003, he stated that:
"I can't speak for the [other members of the band], but for me drugs were an integral part of the whole thing, right from the beginning, right to the end.[5]
From 1976, Page was beginning to dabble in heroin, a fact attributed to tour manager Richard Cole, who stated that Page (as well as himself) were taking the drug during the recording sessions of the album Presence in that year, and that Page admitted to him shortly afterwards that he was addicted to the drug.[6]
It is considered by many that, by
Post-Led Zeppelin career
Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 following the death of drummer
Page next linked up with
.The surviving members of Led Zeppelin re-formed in 1985 for the Live Aid concert with both Phil Collins and Tony Thompson filling drum duties. However, the band considered their performance to be sub-standard, and were one of the few Live Aid acts to refuse permission for their segment to be included in the 20th anniversary DVD release of the concert. In 1986, Page reunited temporarily with his Yardbirds bandmates to play on several tracks of the Box of Frogs album Strange Land. The band also re-formed for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary show on 14 May, 1988. Page, Plant and Jones, as well as John Bonham's son Jason Bonham closed the 12-hour show. The band have also played together at various private family functions.
In 1990, a Knebworth Concert to aid the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre and the British School for Performing Arts and Technology. saw Plant unexpectedly joined by Page to perform
In
Famed producer Glyn Johns, who was bitter over the limited credit he thought he deserved for producing an album with Page, once went to a Page concert just so he could go backstage before it began and tell Page what an insufferable jerk everyone thought he was. In typical Page fashion, it has been rumoured that Jimmy forgave Johns for the insult and immediately tried to patch things up. Johns refused and threw a tantrum. Jimmy called security and had Johns escorted out of the building. The two have a very difficult relationship to this day.
Since
In 2005, Page was awarded the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his Brazilian charity work[10], made an honourary citizen of Rio de Janeiro later that year, and was awarded a Grammy award.[11]
On
's The Ultimate Hellraiser, a countdown of music's top 25 who "lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle". The show's reason for featuring Page was almost exclusively attributed to the groupies who toured with Led Zeppelin, however there was not one mention of Jimmy's heroin use in the late '70s to early '80s, which could be considered related to the show's subject. In addition, many of John Bonham's antics (for example driving a motorcycle down a hotel corridor) were blamed on Page.New Album
In 2006, Page attended the induction of Led Zeppelin to the UK Music Hall of Fame. During an interview for the BBC for said event, he expressed plans to record new material in 2007, saying "It's an album that I really need to get out of my system... there's a good album in there and it's ready to come out" and "Also there will be some Zeppelin things on the horizon". [1].
Personal life
Jimmy Page is a respected expert on the life and work of
From the mid 1970s to 2004 Jimmy owned 'The Mill House', Mill Lane, Windsor, UK - formerly the home of actor Michael Caine. Fellow Led Zeppelin band member John Bonham died at the house in 1980.
Page has dated a number of famous
Page appreciates "Weird Al" Yankovic. Although refusing to let Yankovic create a polka with all Led Zeppelin songs in it, he did allow Weird Al to use the riff of "Black Dog" in his song Trapped in the Drive-Thru. Weird Al has also performed a straight cover of "Whole Lotta Love" at many live shows.
Page is a fan of
Page's daughter, Scarlet Page, is a respected photographer. Her mother, Charlotte Martin, is an ex-girlfriend of Eric Clapton. Martin introduced Clapton to artist Martin Sharp, and the pair wrote the popular Cream hit "Tales of Brave Ulysses," as well as "Anyone For Tennis?."
Occult Connections
Page had a fascination with the poet, novelist, artist, occultist and founder of Thelema, Aleister Crowley. He bought Crowley's rural retreat, Boleskine House, which is on the banks of Loch Ness in Scotland, though he no longer owns the property having sold it to hoteliers in the late 1980s. Page's collection of Crowleyana is considered to be the most significant in private hands: paintings by Crowley from Page's collection were displayed at a critically acclaimed exhibition at the October Gallery, London, in 1998.
In the early 1970s, Jimmy Page owned an occult bookshop and publishing house, "The Equinox Booksellers and Publishers" in Kensington High Street, London, eventually closing it as the increasing success of Led Zeppelin resulted in his having insufficient time to devote to it. The company published a facsimile of Crowley's 1904 edition of "The
What made people particularly curious about Page's connection with the occult was the appearance of four symbols on the jacket of Led Zeppelin's fourth album. It was generally accepted that the four symbols represented each member of the band. During tours and performances after the release of
The artwork inside the album cover of Led Zeppelin IV is from the traditional Rider/Waite Tarot card design for the card called "The Hermit". Page transforms into this character during his segment of the movie "The Song Remains the Same".
Original pressings of Led Zeppelin III included the phrases "Do What Thou Wilt" and "So Mote It Be", inscribed on the record itself. The first phrase is derived from an important tenet of Crowley's philosophy of Thelema: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. Love is the law, love under will."
The artwork for the
During the time of the
Page was commissioned to write the soundtrack music for the film Lucifer Rising by another occultist and Crowley admirer, underground movie director Kenneth Anger. Page even allowed Anger to film a portion of this movie in the basement of Tower House (Page's London residence). In the end Page only produced 23 minutes of music which Anger felt were useless. Anger claimed Page took three years to deliver the music, and the final product was only 23 minutes of droning. On top of that, the director slammed the guitarist in the press by calling him a "dabbler" in the occult and an addict. Anger accused Page of "having an affair with the White Lady" and being too strung out on drugs to complete the project. Page countered claiming he had fulfilled all his obligations, even going so far as to lend Anger his own film editing equipment to help him finish the project. Page's music was dumped eventually and replaced by a version completed in 1980 from prison by Bobby Beausoleil, a Charles Manson family member and convicted murderer. Bootlegs of Page's soundtrack for the project exist and were highly prized by Page's fans until an album also titled "Lucifer Rising" was released by Boleskine House Records on June 19, 1987. The blue vinyl disc contains all 23 minutes of the soundtrack music that Page provided for the movie. The introduction to Led Zeppelin's song "In the Evening" is said to be taken from the unfinished soundtrack, most of which was recorded by running a guitar through a synthesiser.
Tributes
- He was voted London's greatest guitarist in Total Guitar magazine's poll of the greatest 12 British guitarists.[14]
- In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named him number nine on their list of the "100 greatest guitarists of all time".[15]
- Page's solo in Stairway To Heaven was voted the greatest guitar solo of all time in a Guitar World magazine readers' poll.[16]
- Clive Winston, a character in the PS2 game Guitar Hero II, wears clothes resembling Page's "Dragon Suit" as well as playing guitar solos with a violin bow when Star Power is activated, in a tribute to Jimmy Page.
- Page is mentioned in the Paul McCartney and Wings' song "Rock Show" with the line: "What's that man movin' 'cross the stage? It looks a lot like the one used by Jimmy Page. It's like a relic from a different age. Could be...Oo-Ee..."
Post Zeppelin discography
- Death Wish II Soundtrack (1982), US #50
- The Honeydrippers: Volume One (1984), with Robert Plant
- The Firm (1985)
- Mean Business (1986)
- Strange Land (1986), with Box of Frogs
- Lucifer Rising (1987)
- Outrider (1988), US #26
- Coverdale-Page(1993)
- No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded (1994)
- Walking into Clarksdale (1998), with Robert Plant
- Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes - Live at the Greek (2000), US #64
- Guitar Boogie Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton blues album
- Last Man Standing (2006) - Jimmy Page featured on the first track, 'Rock and Roll' of this album by Jerry Lee Lewis.
Guitars
Electric Guitars
- 1959 Fender Telecaster Given to him by Jeff Beck
- 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard (No. 1)
- 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (No. 2) Bought from Joe Walsh for £500
- Danelectro 3021
- 12-String
- Gibson Les Paul Custom - stolen in 1970
- Rickenbacker 12 String
- Gibson EDS-1275 (used for playing Stairway to Heaven and The Song Remains the Same live)
- 1973 Gibson Les Paul Standard
- 1964 Lake Placid Blue Fender Stratocaster
- 1966 Cream Fender Stratocaster
- 1959 Fender Telecaster
- Fender Electric XII (12-String)
- Gibson RD Artist
- Gibson SG.( Very seldom used, 80s tour)
Acoustic Guitars
- Gibson J-200
- MartinD28 Acoustic
- Gibson Everly Brothers Acoustic
- Giannini 12-String Acoustic
- Harmony Acoustic
- Washburn 12 String Acoustic
- Ovation 1994 Double Neck Acoustic
- Andy Manson custom Triple Neck Mandolin, 12 string & 6 string acoustic
Other Instruments
Collection
Jimmy Page is reputed to own in excess of fifteen hundred different guitars. Page revealed this rough estimate to
Due to the fact the guitar was too heavy for him, one of Jimmy Page's Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" is now owned by Dan Hawkins of The Darkness. [2] It is not the same Black Beauty that was stolen from him in 1970.
References
- ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time.
- ^ http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=141
- ^ http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=216
- ^ "Interviews - Guitar Player magazine - July 1977". Achilles Last Stand. 2006-01-26. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
there was a lot of busking ...
- ^ Tolinski, Brad, "The Greatest Show On Earth", Guitar World, July 2003.
- ^ Cole, Richard (1992) Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored, New York: HarperCollins, ISBN 0-06-018323-3, pp. 322-326.
- ^ Aizelwood, John, "Closing Time", Q Magazine Special Led Zeppelin edition, 2003, p. 94.
- ^ Stephen Davis (1995). Hammer of the Gods (LPC). pp. 316-317 ISBN 033043859-X.
- ^ "Led Zep's Page Joins Limp Bizkit's Durst And Puddle Of Mudd's Scantlin On Stage". Yahoo. 2001-10-11. Retrieved 2007-02-17.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page made a surprise appearance on stage with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst and Puddle Of Mudd leader Wes Scantlin at the MTV Europe Video Music Awards in Frankfurt, Germany on Thursday (November 8). The trio performed a version of Zeppelin's classic tune, "Thank You."
- ^ "Jimmy Page given OBE for charity work". CBC.ca Arts. CBC. 2005-12-14. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, but not for his music.... The Queen bestowed the OBE on the 61-year-old rocker at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to recognise his work with poor children in Brazil.
- ^ "Zeppelin's Page made Rio citizen". BBC News. BBC. 2006-09-22. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has been made an honourary citizen of Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro for his work helping its street children.
- ^ "Rock legend's pilgrimage to castle". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 2007-02-17.
A fan of the Victorian architect's work, Page lives in the house which Burges designed for himself in London and allowed it to be featured in a new book on Burges.
- ^ "Celebs". Your Chelsea. Chelsea Football Club. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
Jimmy Page ... Led Zepplin [sic]
- ^ "Page wins popular vote in Brit guitar poll". Top40-Charts.com. Rolling Stone. 2001-06-20. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
Page won the Greater London spot ... topped all vote-getters for the mythic Prime Minister position.
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
- ^ "100 Greatest Guitar Solos". About:Guitar. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
1. song: Stairway to Heaven / guitarist: Jimmy Page
Further reading
- Carson, Annette (2002). Jeff Beck: Crazy Fingers. Backbeat books. ISBN 0-87930-632-7.