Tag Archives: Jimmy Page

How big of a Jimmy Page fan I am?

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

Thought: Could this be Jimmy Page’s next musical project? Supergroup with Jack White and the Edge???

So let me get this straight. Jack White split up the White Stripes. The Edge is just getting done with the tour with U2, and Jimmy Page is announcing something huge on his website. Does this mean that Jimmy Page just made a new album with Jack and the Edge? I’m hoping that’s what this is, but I doubt it. Would be cool though. We’ll wait and see.

Kev

Report: Is Jimmy Page teasing musical comeback finally???

Jimmy Page hasn’t done anything new musically since the Led Zeppelin reunion at O2 in England, 4 years ago. After the reunion show, Jimmy tried to make a full time Led Zeppelin tour. Jimmy, Jonesy and Jason were down with the tour but Robert wasn’t. Robert was being a pain in the ass about it and vowed not to do it since he claimed he’s getting too old for the rock n’ roll thing. So the guys in Led Zep ended up scraping the tour. Jonesy collaborated with Them Crooked Vultures super group and Jason moved on to other musical projects. So now, everyone is asking, what’s next for Jimmy Page?

Is Jimmy finally out of his musical hiatus and making a comeback?

Jimmy Page just launched his official website: here….

Not much on there, it’s just a countdown thing. 8 days left with the Roman Numerals and the Hourglass, which means the full website will be unveiled next Thursday, July 14th.

What will Jimmy unveil on that website? Will he announce a new solo album? That’s what it’s looking like to me. I’m hoping a new album and tour. We need new music from Jimmy Page. He’s one of my favorite guitarists, my no. 1 guitar hero. He’s the reason I play.

I just hope he won’t be announcing Led Zeppelin re-issues or boxed sets. I hope a new solo album with new original music by Jimmy Page!!! Will Jimmy’s new solo album will be all instrumental or will he be working with different singers?

We’ll have to wait until next week. Can’t wait. It’s about time he’s coming back to music. I think he’s ready to rock out again!!!

Kev

Happy Birthday: Jimmy Page

There’s another huge birthday to celebrate in the world of music today. Today is Jimmy Page’s 67’th birthday! Happy Birthday, Jimmy! This is the man that inspired me to pick up the guitar. I like a lot of guitarists out there but Jimmy Page is my no. 1. I too hope he comes out with a new music project soon. It’s been a long time since he’s done something since the Led Zeppelin reunion at the O2.

Kev

Thought: Why Led Zeppelin refuses to release their music for Guitar Hero or Rock Band…

Everybody wants the mighty Led Zeppelin to release their own Guitar Hero or Rock Band video game, but it will never happen. They never released their music to any of these games in the past. Why is this? Is it ego? Money? No, it’s neither. Led Zeppelin not releasing their old music to video games is nothing personal against the fans. The reason Jimmy Page wouldn’t allow it is because he wants kids to pick up a real guitar and learn Led Zep songs on a real guitar. Not on a video game.

That is why, Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White made that movie, “It Might Get Loud”. The movie was made in hopes of inspiring more people to pick up the electric guitar.

I have no respect for Guitar Hero or Rock Band anymore. I used to think they were cool, but they are no longer interesting. I have a couple of Guitar Hero video games in my collection but I don’t play ’em anymore. I feel more comfortable playing the real guitar myself.

I’ve been playing a lot more electric guitar, and I’m just loving it too much. Trying to get better at guitar solos, that’s my main focus. Maybe someday I’ll video tape myself playing the electric guitar to just noodle around and show off a bit. Playing the electric is amazing. I feel like home playing it. I suddenly lost interest in acoustic guitar and want to get used to electric now.

I’m glad Led Zeppelin will never release their music to video games. It’s a good decision.

Kev

Report: Jimmy Page accused of stealing “Dazed and Confused” riff from folk singer…

Jimmy Page just got sued by legendary folk singer, Jake Holmes, claiming that Page stole the main riff for the Led Zeppelin hit song.

More on it here:

http://www.tmz.com/2010/06/29/led-zeppelin-dazed-and-confused-jimmy-page-lawsuit-jake-holmes/

In order for something to be considered, “copyright infrigement” both things needs to be exactly the same. After listening to both songs in their entirety, are y’all sure they both sound similar? The Led Zeppelin version is in the key of G and the Jake Holmes version is in the key of C#, Holmes tuned the song way down.

In the old days, it was originally the “Yardbirds” that first played the song. Holmes was in favor of the Yardbirds remaking the song ’cause Holmes was the opening act of the Yardbirds at the Village Theatre concert in 1967. Holmes let the Yardbirds play the song ’cause the band credited his name.

Read for yourself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dazed_and_Confused_(song)

So why is Holmes suing Page now? Is it because Page is more of a rock god and Holmes isn’t? Even if Page may have ripped off the song, there are tons of other Led Zeppelin songs where Page took the riff from other bands. Look at how many bands that plays the same fuckin’ “Rock and Roll” riff all over. What about the main riff to “Black Dog”, look at how many old bands that sound like that. Look at how many old bands that sounds like the riff from “Communication Breakdown”, and hell, Zep probably took the riff of “Kashmir” from another band as well.

These things happen all the time in music. In my opinion, it’s not called, “stealing”, it’s called “borrowing”.

I think this lawsuit is gonna get Holmes no where and to me it’s pretty silly. I think Holmes sued Page out of pure jealous rage. Btw, I didn’t even know Holmes is still alive and the guy is like 70 now I think.

Kev

Not A Cool Video: Mary J. Blige, Steve Vai, and Orianthi butchers “Stairway to Heaven”…

I like Steve Vai and Orianthi, and all. Both are amazing guitarists, but why would they go on Idol to cover “Stairway” with Mary J. Blige? I know they’re trying to be cool by covering Led Zeppelin, but this cover version is such an embarrassment, it makes me want to vomit all over the place. Did Simon Cowell actually enjoy this? This is such a nightmare performance. I know Mary J. Blige is trying to be rock n’ roll, but she doesn’t fit the genre. Sorry, Mary J., go back to R&B where you belong. She’s getting a pretty big backlash for covering this song too. What were Jimmy Page and Robert Plant thinking when they gave her the permission to cover it? Wow, this is terrible.

Kev

Finally saw, “It Might Get Loud”…

So today, I was shopping for music in Itunes, so I decided to rent “It Might Get Loud”. I had to watch it right away tonight since you only get to keep the rented film for 24 hours. I really was blown away with the film and I think it’s definitely one of the best music documentary’s I’ve ever seen. It was really powerful stuff.

I loved seeing the Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White in a room together, talking about music and playing guitars. It really shows their passion and obsession with music and guitar playing. So many great scenes in the film. One of my favorite scenes was when the Edge took a cheap Tascam 4 track and was listening to his old demos of U2 songs that weren’t even finished back then. I also loved the scene when the Edge was playing the song “Elevation”, he explains that the hit U2 song “Elevation” is actually a simple song to play, it’s the sounds effects on the pedals that’s making the song sound challenging. “Elevation” is just a simple two chord riff in the verses. I also loved the Edge, Jimmy and Jack teaching each other how to plays songs of the bands they play in.

I respect Jack White in so many ways ’cause him and I are very similar. On the documentary, they showed how Jack wrote songs for the White Stripes. They showed footage of Jack sitting alone in a room with a guitar and a cheap tape recorder. He’ll just write the lyrics first, hit record and start playing. Not worrying the sound quality or how high tech the recording equipment is. That’s the way I always wrote and recorded music too. I never cared to get all high tech and get fancy with recording, I just wanted to record songs and just play no matter the sound quality. It can be a shitty sound or whatever. Nothing really have to be profesional when it comes to recording music and Jack White proves that.

Most profesional musicians would use all kinds of fancy and very expensive instruments and recording equipment, that they are all about perfection…but not with these guys. These guys will play with any guitar and record with any equipment, whatever they can get their hands on. They just want to play guitar and make music, that’s all they care about, period. This film gets very deep about playing the electric guitar.

It makes me want to concentrate on playing the electric guitar more than anything else. It makes me want to form myself a band and get myself out there, rockin’ in front of audiences. Just today, I played with my new electric guitar for a little while, and I had the BOSS Super Overdrive pedal on. I felt like I was in a different world and made me feel like home. The Super Overdrive pedal is a great guitar sound, kind of like a distortion pedal but not too heavy. Just a good enough pedal that I needed to get that rock n’ roll sound I want. Most of my acoustic songs that I wrote in the  past were originally intended to be electric guitar rock songs, so when I get a band, I will make them guitar rock versions.

“It Might Get Loud” is a great movie that will make you want to become a musician yourself. Do yourself a favor for all you music lovers out there, see the film and be inspired.

Kev

Report: Jimmy Page ready to rock again…but not revealing what he’s doing yet…

Robert Plant is busy making music with Alison Krauss, John Paul Jones is busy with Dave Grohl for the band, Them Crooked Vultures. Jimmy Page is the only Led Zeppelin member, not doing anything musically at this point and this guy is not waiting any longer!!! He’s dying to make new music and get back on the road again!

Jimmy Page admits he hasn’t done anything since the 02 Led Zeppelin reunion show two years ago and he feels it’s about time to do something new again. He has new music up his sleeve and ready to share it with us.

While he won’t reveal what he has planned for us, he definitely plans on coming back to the music industry in 2010.

Jimmy Page has been well known to collaborate with other artists for years and I wonder what artists will he work with next? It wouldn’t surprise me if he is collaborating with Jack White and the Edge, for an album and tour. Probably is. If I’m wrong, can’t wait to see what Jimmy has got planned. Sounds exciting!

More on it here:

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/12/18/led-zeppelins-jimmy-page-plans-return-to-stage-in-2010/

Kev

“It Might Get Loud” music movie that stars Jimmy Page, Jack White, and the Edge…

Ok kids, put down your plastic Guitar Hero toys and get ready to focus on playing some real guitar by getting ready for another new music documentary coming soon in theaters on Aug. 14th. A film titled, “It Might Get Loud” that stars the guitar greats: Jimmy Page, Jack White, and The Edge.

The film looks great. This film totally focuses on nothing but guitar playing throughout most of it.

Check out some videos about the film below including the trailer.

Kev