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Re: In Defense of Jimmy Page



First of all, I never said "I" dislike Jimmy Page.  I don't know
anything about the man.  He's certainly never cast dispersions on my
family, so God Bless him.  What I said was, no one ELSE seems to like
Jimmy (yes, I'm overstating here; the Kinks, Townshend, and Beck hate
him, maybe that's all).  It's just that the Kinks, Townshend and Beck
have all had their share of BS from other performers, managers,
producers, etc. but don't seem to hold any particular grudge against
these other people.  They go out of their way to state their feelings
about Page.  I just found that strange, that's all.  Anyway, Ryan wrote:

>first of all, I think it is pretty well established in rock history that
>Page did play on those Kinks records.

It's well established that Page WAS THERE as a session musician.  It's
equally well established that he never played on "You Really Got Me". 
What I argued was a controversy has been around for years that Page
played the solo in "You Really Got Me".  He didn't.  That can be
verified in any rock book worth it's weight you care to read, by Ray
Davies, Dave Davies and Shel Talmy the producer of the record.  Go back
a few digests and read the l997 Musician magazine article I posted
regarding the YRGM session (my post -"Feedback, Power Chords, Bloated
Ranting"); Page isn't even mentioned in the article (he didn't do
anything).  More to the point, the reason Ray and Dave Davies despised
Page after that session was because he WAS called in to play the solo,
the Kinks refused to let him play the solo, Dave Davies played his own
solo, and Page then proceeded to make fun of Dave's solo and the song
itself.  The Davies boys hated Page BECAUSE he dissed Dave's solo, so
it's pretty obvious that he didn't play it.  To be fair to Jimmy, I have
read that he played rhythm on twelve string electric on "I Can't
Explain" while Pete played a six string electric.  That would explain
the full chord sound.  Someone else (Prof. Brian?) can verify this for
sure.

>Finally, his ability wasn't "destroyed by drugs" Yes, he was a heroin
>addict in the late 70's/ early 80's, like so many other musicians, but
>he kicked it. And anyone who went to a Page/ Plant show knows that he
>is  as brilliant as ever.

Compared to most other guitarists Page is still world class.  Compared
to the younger Page he's a pale shadow of his former greatness.  Anyone
who watched the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert can verify
that.  I was dying to see Led Zep tear it up.  Instead Jimmy blew half
his OWN solos, especially the classic solo in "Heartbreaker" which he
horribly fumbled to the embarrassment of everyone watching.  He simply
couldn't play it, try as he might.  It was painful to see.  Maybe he was
having a bad day, a real bad day (but why was he drooling?).  Also, I'm
not slamming Jimmy for having had a serious drug problem once.  I'd be a
gigantic hypocrite if I did, seeing as I worship Pete and he had his own
serious heroin problems in the early '80s.  It just looks like it took a
bigger toll on Jimmy (anyone who's seen the carcass called Keith
Richards can verify what prolonged heroin use can do to a great
musician.  And NO, I'm not knocking Keith or the Stones either.  I'm a
huge Stones fan (old Stones).  I'm just stating the obvious).

Lastly, don't get me wrong, I love Led Zeppelin.  I shelled out $75 in
'85 on the slim rumour that they would play at Live Aid.  I'll also be
the first to say that Jimmy was brilliant that day.  The applause that
greeted the first notes of "Stairway To Heaven" is still the loudest
I've ever heard; the song was drown out for the first minute by the
deafening roar.  When they broke into "Rock and Roll" Page did some
moves that the TV cameras missed altogether (my friend videotaped it). 
It brought back to mind that old McCartney song, "Rock Show", "What's
That Man Movin' Cross The Stage? / It Looks A Lot Like The One Used By
Jimmy Page".  Led Zeppelin was the climax of the day in Philly and it
made it well worth the trip.  I wasn't making a statement (sorry if it
looked that way because I sometimes don't express myself clearly
enough), I was asking a question.  Why do all these guys have it out for
Page particularly.  Rock and Roll's a tough business with lots of
bastards, so why is HE the big Heavy for these guys.  Regardless, it
never stopped me from listening to Zeppelin.  And you're right, Pete
changes his mind as frequently as I play another Who song.  But man,
Pete blew off the Ronnie Lane Benefit Concert, a concert specifically to
help Ronnie Lane, one of Pete's closest friends, and all because he
refused to work with Page.  That's a pretty damning statement, even for
someone who waffles as much as Pete (I think Pete was childish for not
playing anyway.  Pete owed Ronnie that much, no matter what his feelings
for Page). But it just made me wonder.

"Communication breakdown!  It's always the same!" Page/Plant
"Comma-k-k-comma-k-k-comma-k-k-ca-ca-ca, communicate!" Pete
- --Leo