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Jimmy Page Responds to Keith Richards


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Some great points there.With Jimmy he has all these "laser beams"...the violin bow, the theremin, the dbl-neck, dragon suit, etc. Things he took and made spectacular, that many see as iconic. Keith Richards is

iconic as well, but not nearly as intensely, without specific(well maybe his Telecaster)props. Where they

differ mainly is their outlook on playing live, and this I believe is what causes Richards to have his opinions.

Despite Richards legendary drug/alcohol exploits, they have had little effect on his live playing. Richards

sometimes plays "tight but loose" like Page or more often close to tight but never mechanical and rarely

flashy. He expects the rest of the band to do the same. So that's how he judges other bands and Zep

was often flashy and even in the early days not that tight and there were long solos. No one's right or

wrong, The Stones had jams as well but never truly improvised sections like Zep. In certain contexts

Bonzo at times could be said to be "out of control", but live in Zep playing as ferociously as possible

was at the top of the list. Richards is looking thru the wrong end of the telescope , leave the polite

drummers where they shine and let Bonzo shine where he belongs.

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I really thought Jimmy responded with class! I love the Stones music, always will..but I can tell you after seeing both live back in the day all I can say is Bonzo was one of a kind. I have heard people here say they don't like the long drum solos. I totally enjoy them. Bonzo live, nobody can top him. Then put him with the beyond gifted JPJ and that rhythm section...that alone I really do not feel I need to say anything else :drumz:

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Keef is a genius in one aspect, he's got people talking about him ,how fitting with a new solo album out, & upcoming tour.

His remarks about LZ & Bonham were idiotic at best, but what did one agent say a long time ago? "There's no such thing as bad publicity".

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Again I would disregard what Richards has said about other bands/ musicians. He is just slinging mud,

often saying things that are nonsensical. No tact whatsoever. IMO the Beatles, as great and fantastic 

as they were, weren't a furious rock machine like Zep or the Who. I am admittedly biased that if a rock

band can't blow the roof off the venue they're playing, the band to me , just to me, is missing a 

vital element.

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No I agree. But I have never heard one show that John Bonham was out of control.  Not one...Not even in 1980. 

I'll admit I haven't heard everything, but enough to know the man was a human metronome with incredible power and restraint. which = Control...

No-one doubts JHB's talent.I'm being objective about some performances which when combined with over indulgence or illness make for a bad show.

http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?/topic/22292-led-zeppelins-worst-show/

:threadjacked:

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I like your analogy.  Well written, as always. :) 

Well thanks, Walter :). But in case people think I'm completely dogging Reefer Keefer, who's the wisest man in court? The timing is certainly curious what with the new work coming out and RS being the stirrers they are, gave him a low hanging fruit of a question to garner attention and clicks for both of them. Jimmy was smart for not biting the bait. Words aside, seems he's content to let their respective work speak for itself.

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no one but KeIth Richards..

 

KR's quote  "I love Jimmy Page, but as a band, no, with John Bonham thundering down the highway in an uncontrolled 18-wheeler."

 That implies to me that Zep's music and JHB's drumming style was not for KR.

Whether the reader wants to interpret that KR doubted Bonzo's talent is up to the reader.

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 That implies to me that Zep's music and JHB's drumming style was not for KR.

Whether the reader wants to interpret that KR doubted Bonzo's talent is up to the reader.

oh .. Calling his drumming uncontrolled is not exactly a ringing endorsement of his drumming talent either. It's insulting no matter how you slice it...

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I agree ^  Charlie is great. Apples and Oranges.   I don't care if Richards likes John Bonham's drumming either. But, Uncontrolled is an inaccurate description. A poor choice of words.. John Bonham was very much in control.  It'd be like saying Larry Bird couldn't hit free throws.. Not subjective.... just inaccurate... I'm done on this subject.. That's the best I can state my opinion on this.  

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I agree ^  Charlie is great. Apples and Oranges.   I don't care if Richards likes John Bonham's drumming either. But, Uncontrolled is an inaccurate description. A poor choice of words.. John Bonham was very much in control.  It'd be like saying Larry Bird couldn't hit free throws.. Not subjective.... just inaccurate... I'm done on this subject.. That's the best I can state my opinion on this.  

Keith Richards is one of rock's great "characters".  He has built an enduring public persona out of his wastrel behavior and off-the-cuff comments.  A more thoughtful, measured response would have been something like this: "John Bonham? Powerful drummer but not the type of drumming I prefer in a band.  Give me drumming that underpins the music rather than drives it."   IMO, writers who ask Richards these types of questions are rarely angling for a thoughtful, measured response.  They want the off-of-the-cuff comments and Richard is usually happy to oblige them.  

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oh .. Calling his drumming uncontrolled is not exactly a ringing endorsement of his drumming talent either. It's insulting no matter how you slice it...

KR gave a visually descriptive comment,nowhere did he say JHB's drumming was uncontrolled.Keith now falls into the same category as Townsend,Bruce,Baker etc. which have Zep fans all too ready to martyr themselves over a comment in an interview which really should be taken with a grain of the proverbial.

Keith Richards is one of rock's great "characters".  He has built an enduring public persona out of his wastrel behavior and off-the-cuff comments.  A more thoughtful, measured response would have been something like this: "John Bonham? Powerful drummer but not the type of drumming I prefer in a band.  Give me drumming that underpins the music rather than drives it."   IMO, writers who ask Richards these types of questions are rarely angling for a thoughtful, measured response.  They want the off-of-the-cuff comments and Richard is usually happy to oblige them.  

Well put,Madame Duck :)  

“It's playing together that is the important thing about bands, and so many bands are manufactured. I mean, even Zeppelin was manufactured by Peter Grant.”

When the interviewer responded “I was never a big Zeppelin guy,”Richards replied,

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^ Indeed, John Bonham and Charlie Watts are probably my two favourite drummers but they both have a very distinct style which is hard to compare.

Agreed, Watts plays it pretty much straight laced, at times hardly noticeable. Bonham was more aggressive, I think that's what he meant, but as mentioned earlier he's got us talking about him, perfect timing for a new album & tour.

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Can't believe all the apologies for Keith Richards in this thread. The guy is a hack, he can barely play guitar. 

If you want "manufactured" just check out any of the post-Brian Jones music from the Stones.

Id bet Jimmy Page and Zeppelin will be remembered for hundreds of years, like Beethoven or Mozart, meanwhile the Stones will fade away into history. 

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Id bet Jimmy Page and Zeppelin will be remembered for hundreds of years, like Beethoven or Mozart, meanwhile the Stones will fade away into history. 

I severely doubt that. I imagine that in the history books The Beatles, and then The Stones will be the two post-war bands of the 20th century that are always referenced. Led Zep will, as always, be wrongly labelled as the band that launched the heavy metal movement.

I think Keef is a better songwriting of traditional verse-chorus stuff, while Jimmy is better at soundscapes and more progressive material. Each brilliant in their own fields.

Jimmy missed a beat when he didn't go into the soundtrack world post Zep. His eerie synth guitar on Death Wish 2 was great. He should have tried to carve a niche out in that field. Although, I suspect, it wasn't rock 'n' roll enough for him.

Keef always makes me chuckle. He's a rancorous old gem and the put-downs are always with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Keef and the barbarians supported Zep at Knebworth and Jimmy played on One hit to the body. Page and Keef have always had a good rapport and healthy respect for each other. Now, Clapton and Page, that is another subject...

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Can't believe all the apologies for Keith Richards in this thread. The guy is a hack, he can barely play guitar. 

If you want "manufactured" just check out any of the post-Brian Jones music from the Stones.

Id bet Jimmy Page and Zeppelin will be remembered for hundreds of years, like Beethoven or Mozart, meanwhile the Stones will fade away into history. 

I'm with you.

Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd were ahead of their time, there is a visionary dimension in their work. Not the case with the Rolling Stones which were a byproduct of their era.  

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