When it comes to music, and guitar playing, some people might wonder who are my biggest influences & inspiration. I’m such a huge Jimmy Page fan. How big? VERY! I have studied and listened to his guitar playing for years. I’ve followed his music throughout his career, even all the projects he did outside of Zeppelin, before & after. Everything from The Yardbirds, The Firm, Coverdale/Page, The Black Crowes, his solo album “Outrider”, his duo career with Robert Plant, etc. I”ve followed everything he has done over the years.

I read almost every magazine interview he has done and I try to learn his secrets about recording. Even though he is well known as a guitar player, he is underrated for the work he does in recording and producing albums. As some of you know, he has recorded and produced most Led Zeppelin albums himself. This guy is a genius in the studio. I believe he was the one who discovered “backward echo’.

Also, not everyone thinks Jimmy Page is a good guitar player. Some people accuse him of playing really “sloppy” a lot of times. You know what? I kind of actually agree with that, he is kind of a sloppy player, but the way I look at him though, that he is not worried about being a “perfectionist”. When you want to be a great guitar player, I wouldn’t worry about being “perfect”. Just play whatever’s in your heart and soul, play whatever feels good to you. Guitar playing don’t have to be perfect, right? No.

Jimmy Page is an improvising guitar player. He has a really great ear, and everything he plays, is never really written down, he just wings everything. He’s a great rhythm player, he’s good at making rock riffs and most importantly, he’s one of the best lead guitar soloists out there. He picked up the guitar at age 12, never really took lessons, he was a self taught player.

Jimmy Page inspired me so much, that I wanted to be a guitar player just like him. I love so many guitar players (like Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani, Dimebag, etc.), but Pagey is my no. 1. If you’ve noticed a lot of my songwriting has been inspired from Page’s guitar playing a little bit. I’ll admit that I borrowed a little bit from him.

I so can’t wait for his website Thursday and can’t wait to see what he has in store for us. I hope it’s something big like a new music project like everyone else is hoping. I have a feeling it maybe something huge. That’s why he did countdown thing early, to hype it up. Get everyone excited and it’s working. Most guitarists and Led Zeppelin fans are getting excited about it. It is probably a new album, whether a solo album or a collaboration. We’ll find out Thursday.

Kev