JIMMY PAGE/ LED ZEPPELIN (PT.2): 2012 Rolling Stone Interview and more ... "THE SPIRIT REMAINS THE SAME"

***** ROLLING STONE/ MUSIC: Cover Story Excerpt: Jimmy Page Looks Back on Led Zeppelin's Epic Ride



I didnt even plan this posting, but was inspired because of the recent 10 page interview I was reading at home in my  December 06, 2012 issue of Rolling Stone magazine with the master and composer, Mr. Jimmy Page ... I call Jimmy "master" because I have alwayz looked at him as a master of "string's" in composition. And I'm like a lil kid when it come's to this, and am thrilled to do it! : )

This interview was really a solid read for those who are fan's of Page or just the collective worx of this historic crew, which Jimmy look's at as a fortunate time and journey in his life that cant be continued or reunited but preserved and cherished, for Jimmy, clearly it is only the chemistry and chanelling of this crew in particular that make him whole as far as his contribution's and composition's, it simply cant be replicated, any more than Zeppelin can be Zeppelin without Jones, Bonham, Plant and him, and each individual's outstanding contribution's ... it's a sort of spiritual thing as described by Jimmy ... which also inspired the title of this posting, included with the 1973 performance and video called "The Song Remains The Same" which gave me a simple title to sum this posting up. I am thrilled to see his work today of putting all his energy into the preservation and re- engineering of the classic worx, since it seem's like Plant or whoever cant ... I reckon too busy basically with other project's or whatever. Yes ... Jimmy sayz he still play's daily ... it's just that people dont see him play anymore ... he does alot of acoustic work just sitting at home. I also was fortunate enough to catch Jimmy live when he worked with The Firm as well as the ARMS festival both here in Texas.

Alot of the interview get's down to alot of the nitty gritty as far as association's with childhood and school friend's of course like Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and also his dayz with the Yardbirds with these guy's, their individual journey's, but still staying in contact over the year's, favour's from folk's like Mick Jagger and other well known's in the industry that crossed road's with him, doing session work and back- up's for great's like Pete Townshend of The Who, etc, (even though I also seen an interview once with Pete Townsend where he said he dont like Led Zeppelin or ever did). Alot of stuff concerning the construction of the riff's and pattern's he is so well known for, as well as the method's used to create the composition's and recording. And he sound's somewhat regretful of the fact that he didnt get to see Hendrix perform or work with him, thinking that he will just catch him later ... even one night at a NYC venue where Hendrix was just chilling with friend's and a lil tipsy it seemed to Jimmy, that Jimmy was also at, just blowing it off for a better time.

One of the thing's that caught my atencion most I reckon was Jimmy describing how the industry has changed so much and the restriction's of today on artist's, commercialization, marketing, contractual obligation's, etc, etc ... I even explained this in particular with the outstanding vocalist icon Whitney Houston as example ... a bundle of raw talent who could make anything work, and how she was contractually pressured into covering piece's that were chose for her (corporate selected), long story though, and so many artist's today get caught in this web it seem's. Jimmy describing it like back in the 1950's when you were given what you would play and/ or your material was given to someone else to play, etc. Jimmy credited the Beatles for opening the door to freedom on this, and making the market's then, just look for those to do their own work and stay out of it, thus encouraging the creativity through experimentation of course, but then Jimmy sayz we have went back to doing it like before and became too restricted once again, and shamefully at that considering the abundance of talent these dayz he said that your more likely to catch at the live inde venue's, which is so true, and also why for several year's I have been a strong supporter of inde label's and related. I hear this as well from several young musician's today even, a couple for instance locally like Ian or Justin (musician's working in their teen's and 20's), who bust ass and put everything they have into it (monetary- wise as well). One day Ian (who's 20) is asking me the usual about stuff from the old dayz and related, and I asked Ian ... "you must have a thing for the memorabilia, history and that?", because he smother's me in question's on this ... Ian said to me something like "Not really Tom, it's just that I love hearing the stories from back in the day, my generation never been able to experience the freedom that you guy's had man!" ... that really hit me and made me sad looking at him tell me that, I almost didnt know how to respond, just saying something like ... "I hear ya guy" ... but really made me think, because that's ALL my generation knew. But as Jimmy explain's ... the spirit is still there. And Jimmy is just grateful after all said, that no one can cover Jimmy Page as well as ... well ... Jimmy Page : )

The only part's that were somewhat distasteful to me in this interview, is the snip's here and there, asking Jimmy about thing's like living in Aleister Crowley's house, his book collection, the occult stuff, Kenneth Anger (filmaker), personal drug and alcohol usage, etc, etc ... you know, the crap that it seem's that American journalist's have this need to hammer in some polite way at time's, and keep asking over and over ... and I'm glad to see the way that Jimmy responded to that nonsense ... it hasnt a bloody thing to do with the art is my point, any more than a person's sexual preference or whatever. Enough from me, cause I can rattle on till the cow's come home! So some piece's below that I wanted to include ... Enjoy! : )



***** PD/ RCJ: "JIMMY PAGE/ LED ZEPPELIN" PART 1


***** PD/ RCJ: "LED ZEPPELIN/ LADY GAGA"


***** PD/ RCJ: "RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY" A THRU M


***** PD/ RCJ: "RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY" N THRU Z




Led Zeppelin- Immigrant Song (live video) ... Thanx to RHINOENTERTAINMENT **** an all time fav of mine I wanted to have in here, and a lil unpolished and raw as far as reproduction by our 2012 standard's, but nonetheless intense and explosive! This if I recall correctly, was in San Francisco, it sayz 1972, the info of this set didnt come in the video profile here, so I'm just trying to go on memory.





Led Zeppelin- Communication Breakdown- Royal Albert Hall 1970 ... Thanx to LEDZEPPELIN **** I wanted to add this favourite of mine here, again a lil raw and unpolished on the engineering here, but a memorable and nostalgic piece for fan's indeed!





Led Zeppelin- Black Dog (Live in New York 1973) ... Thanx to LEDZEPPELIN **** this piece of course from the "Song Remains The Same" movie/ video, one of the oldest DVD's I own actually! : )








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