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Is Jimmy Page done making music?


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I watched the 1992 RRHOF Jam on "All Along The Watchtower" the other night.

Page was there because The Yardbirds had been inducted that night.

Neil Young handled the lead vocals, and, at one point, Jimmy was given the slot to take the lead. It was okay. But I did not come away, "Wow! Jimmy really nailed it!!! He showed them some awesomeness!!"

There's a real mercurial aspect to Jimmy's performing post Zeppelin.

Either he's got it, or, he doesn't. As great as Jimmy was in the 70's, the times when he really has had it post Zeppelin are rare, especially for big live events. Why?? I don't know or care.

Jimmy gave me more than I could ever hope for in the 70's, and that, is good enough.

As great as EVH is now, he's performing with a dude that can't won't sing right, so that's a sum clusterfuck.

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  • 7 months later...

A part of me believes Jimmy has been recording music since Walking Into Clarksdale and is waiting to release it in one giant compilation. I refuse to believe that Page, one of the most creative musicians ever, has just sat around watching Friends reruns for twenty years. I know he's been busy with the remasters, but there's gotta be some creativity left in the tank.

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On 10/16/2017 at 12:10 AM, The Rover said:

Either he's got it, or, he doesn't. As great as Jimmy was in the 70's, the times when he really has had it post Zeppelin are rare, especially for big live events

Respectfully disagree. Great with the Crowes. Awesome playing in ‘98 in particular. I was too young to see him in ‘88  but by all accounts he was pretty fluid. 

In terms of current or future music, he’s definitely done. Fair enough I say. He’s in his 70’s for God’s sake. His back catalogue gives me so much happiness. That’s more than I could ever ask for 

 

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On 6/4/2018 at 11:47 AM, gibsonfan159 said:

I refuse to believe that Page, one of the most creative musicians ever, has just sat around watching Friends reruns for twenty years.

Believe it, and note also it can be argued his genuinely creative period only lasted from 1968 to 1975. Anyway, just a vast lunar landscape for 20 years now.

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1 hour ago, SteveAJones said:

Believe it, and note also it can be argued his genuinely creative period only lasted from 1968 to 1975. Anyway, just a vast lunar landscape for 20 years now.

You could argue that most musicians in rock have a creative well that runs dry after about 10-12 years. Beck is an exception but how many others are there? Has Clapton written a great new song in the last 25 years? Jagger or Keef? The Who? The vast majority of that 60s / 70s era of bands have been "back catalogue acts" since the late 80s now so Jimmy's not exactly alone in this is he.

He's not helped himself by constantly promising a new album that doesn't arrive, but in every other sense, he's only same as most of his contemporaries.

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13 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

Believe it, and note also it can be argued his genuinely creative period only lasted from 1968 to 1975.

Great point.
The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long.
Kashmir was the last great song the band wrote. 
People will argue Achilles, but that is a track that is really only known to hard core fans.

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15 hours ago, 76229 said:

You could argue that most musicians in rock have a creative well that runs dry after about 10-12 years. Beck is an exception but how many others are there? Has Clapton written a great new song in the last 25 years? Jagger or Keef? The Who? The vast majority of that 60s / 70s era of bands have been "back catalogue acts" since the late 80s now so Jimmy's not exactly alone in this is he.

He's not helped himself by constantly promising a new album that doesn't arrive, but in every other sense, he's only same as most of his contemporaries.

I don't disagree. No less than Bob Dylan once said something to the effect of even the greatest musicians only have about six great songs in them, and inevitably they'll spend most of their lives reworking those same six songs into other songs. That said, Jimmy Page finishes last among contemporaries when it comes to activity. He is markedly different in that respect. 

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15 hours ago, 76229 said:

You could argue that most musicians in rock have a creative well that runs dry after about 10-12 years. Beck is an exception but how many others are there? Has Clapton written a great new song in the last 25 years? Jagger or Keef? The Who? The vast majority of that 60s / 70s era of bands have been "back catalogue acts" since the late 80s now so Jimmy's not exactly alone in this is he.

He's not helped himself by constantly promising a new album that doesn't arrive, but in every other sense, he's only same as most of his contemporaries.

At least Clapton and Beck still have their guitar technique.

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On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 3:47 AM, gibsonfan159 said:

A part of me believes Jimmy has been recording music since Walking Into Clarksdale and is waiting to release it in one giant compilation. I refuse to believe that Page, one of the most creative musicians ever, has just sat around watching Friends reruns for twenty years. I know he's been busy with the remasters, but there's gotta be some creativity left in the tank.

JP watching "Friends" reruns !..I'd bet he's never even seen it. As for Jim's creative well it appears to have long dried up..

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I think there's a lot to be said about how drugs affect the brain. I'm not talking about "Here's your brain on drugs", but more like how they can transform your entire mindset. After Jimmy had his initial stint with heroin and pills he admitted that he put his guitar away and didn't pick it up for a long time. It's very possible that the dope may have warped his creative spark.

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On 6/10/2018 at 11:18 PM, Boleskinner said:

Great point.
The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long.
Kashmir was the last great song the band wrote. 
People will argue Achilles, but that is a track that is really only known to hard core fans.

I put NFBM as a great LZ track. It was the last greatest track released in their studio albums.

I never 'got' the studio version of Kashmir. But after experiencing it live, especially in 1977, I came away thinking that Kashmir is one of the greatest LZ songs I've ever heard performed live. And after experiencing it live, I just don't /can't return to the comparably 'weak' version I hear on the LP. The Symphonic LZ version comes away as more powerful than the studio version. But whatever was on that studio version was sure 'radio friendly', and hit the 'sweet spot' for the programmers, because Album Rock stations couldn't play it enough.

 

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1 hour ago, The Rover said:

I put NFBM as a great LZ track. It was the last greatest track released in their studio albums.

I never 'got' the studio version of Kashmir. But after experiencing it live, especially in 1977, I came away thinking that Kashmir is one of the greatest LZ songs I've ever heard performed live. And after experiencing it live, I just don't /can't return to the comparably 'weak' version I hear on the LP. The Symphonic LZ version comes away as more powerful than the studio version. But whatever was on that studio version was sure 'radio friendly', and hit the 'sweet spot' for the programmers, because Album Rock stations couldn't play it enough.

 

Yeah, I'll always go for a live version of Kashmir as opposed to the studio version as well.

My goto is the Knebworth version on the DVD.

I love the sheer power of it and the knowing look Page gives Plant at the start. It's like - "We're back".

I also like the O2 version on the DVD as well. Gives me goosebumps when Plant summons that howl during the first bridge.

Anyway, sorry, meandering off topic. 

As for NFBM. I do like it and the rhythm section is dynamite, but in terms of songwriting, it's quite derivative.  

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21 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

I think there's a lot to be said about how drugs affect the brain. I'm not talking about "Here's your brain on drugs", but more like how they can transform your entire mindset. After Jimmy had his initial stint with heroin and pills he admitted that he put his guitar away and didn't pick it up for a long time. It's very possible that the dope may have warped his creative spark.

I strongly agree with this.

However he really brought the goods on ITTOD, moreso I'd even say than on Presence. 

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I have posted on this thread before and it keeps coming back up...I think the time has passed for Jimmy to play new music or for him to tour extensively.  It kills me to say it, but I have come to accept it in the years since the O2.  

I tried to get tickets to the O2 using so many friends email addresses (like 20 different emails), but apparently Paris Hilton was a bigger fan than I, so she was able to secure a ticket through the lottery just like everyone else ;)  while I waited at the computer for poor quality youtube vids the night of the show.  You can tell I am not bitter at all...

Back to Jimmy playing live again or recording; I would say "but if...," or "he should have recorded with Roy Harper," but it has all been said before and he will not go out again there unless it is some version of what he created in 1968.....and we all know the chances of that panning out. 

I held out for 10 years for my old bandmates because I was so comfortable with what we had...I also wasted 10 years of the artistic part of my life during this pathetic vigil, reinforced by a jam session with my old mates every three to six months or so and with me only playing acoustic open mic nights in local bars and coffehouses.  I finally got completely disgusted after our last time playing a few months back.  Now I am playing with some people 10 years younger than myself; it was hard at first, but now it fits like a glove.  We are primarily a cover band and have yet to play out, but I can relate to Jimmy's inactivity in some small way I suppose...as far as the longing for what was once so comfortable goes.

Jimmy has had so many opportunities to play with whomever he wants but held out for his true love in the Zeppelin...such a classically tragic and romantic story. 

Aging is a real bitch.

 

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On 6/11/2018 at 3:05 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

I think there's a lot to be said about how drugs affect the brain. I'm not talking about "Here's your brain on drugs", but more like how they can transform your entire mindset. After Jimmy had his initial stint with heroin and pills he admitted that he put his guitar away and didn't pick it up for a long time. It's very possible that the dope may have warped his creative spark.

I believe Jimmy said somewhere that he felt the high made him more creative.   If true, then he relied on it for inspiration and if you're not inspired playing is useless.

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1 hour ago, hummingbird69 said:

I believe Jimmy said somewhere that he felt the high made him more creative.   If true, then he relied on it for inspiration and if you're not inspired playing is useless.

Then where's the material? Presence?

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, bluecongo said:

He’s such a great acoustic player, I’d go insane for an album of acoustic instrumentals.

I've always thought his acoustic playing, and really Zeppelins acoustic side is a huge element that sets them apart from all other rock bands. It makes them so much deeper than any other band under the umbrella of rock.

But yeah this is what I've always hoped for. Maybe even an album with like 2-3 electric instrumental songs. He could have JPJ and Jason play on them if they wanted or something. The rest could be all acoustic. Either way I think the acoustic album idea would be the best route for him to go because he doesn't have to really worry about playing with anyone else. It's something he could do within the comfort of his home at his own pace.

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7 hours ago, Urozep said:

It puzzling to know exactly why he has hit a creativity wall. Perhaps it just laziness - not hungry to do it!!! No matter what think of Plants stuff— you have to admire the passion 

I personally wouldn't assume he hit a creativity wall, it could be as simple as being comfortable making music for himself on his own time, you know? He could very well be coming up with new ideas and entire songs frequently, or from time to time but just doesn't see any reason to put it out there because he feels comfortable in his past accomplishments and where he is in his life. I mean  he might feel that there is little need to show off new material until he feels the time is right (if ever). He might also feel that he would only release it under certain circumstances,  such as a reunion with the other members of Led Zeppelin so it gets its proper representation; yet not under the band name Led Zeppelin, maybe something like "The Led Zeppelin Experience." Who really knows though, I'm just speculating. But I'm sure he has at LEAST ten different song ideas from the last 20 years.

Myles Kennedy mentioned the group having new material at the time after the 2007 reunion. Steven Tyler even reportedly said that there were no "hits" in their collection of songs, which shows exactly why Aerosmith went from the band they were in the 70's to a band that focuses on getting hits at almost any cost.

So there has to be a good amount of unreleased material from around the time Page and Plant disbanded.  I know that I personally would be totally fine with not releasing material to the masses in his position. It might be beneficial for him to stop mentioning getting out and playing live all the time though unless he really is going to do it. I mean he must have the intention to at some point before hitting 75-80 years old because there's really no reason to constantly put that out in the media.

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15 minutes ago, nemophilist said:

I personally wouldn't assume he hit a creativity wall, it could be as simple as being comfortable making music for himself on his own time, you know? He could very well be coming up with new ideas and entire songs frequently, or from time to time but just doesn't see any reason to put it out there because he feels comfortable in his past accomplishments and where he is in his life. I mean  he might feel that there is little need to show off new material until he feels the time is right (if ever). He might also feel that he would only release it under certain circumstances,  such as a reunion with the other members of Led Zeppelin so it gets its proper representation; yet not under the band name Led Zeppelin, maybe something like "The Led Zeppelin Experience." Who really knows though, I'm just speculating. But I'm sure he has at LEAST ten different song ideas from the last 20 years.

Myles Kennedy mentioned the group having new material at the time after the 2007 reunion. Steven Tyler even reportedly said that there were no "hits" in their collection of songs, which shows exactly why Aerosmith went from the band they were in the 70's to a band that focuses on getting hits at almost any cost.

So there has to be a good amount of unreleased material from around the time Page and Plant disbanded.  I know that I personally would be totally fine with not releasing material to the masses in his position. It might be beneficial for him to stop mentioning getting out and playing live all the time though unless he really is going to do it. I mean he must have the intention to at some point before hitting 75-80 years old because there's really no reason to constantly put that out in the media.

I don't think he has any intention of playing live or recording. I think he keeps insinuating it so it doesn't look like he's "done" or retired IMO. I am fine if he is - he owes us nothing, but I'm tired of him saying he "should be out playing" etc. 

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1 hour ago, tenyearsgone21 said:

I don't think he has any intention of playing live or recording. I think he keeps insinuating it so it doesn't look like he's "done" or retired IMO. I am fine if he is - he owes us nothing, but I'm tired of him saying he "should be out playing" etc. 

Yeah I understand where you're coming from and I pretty much agree, I just have a feeling (personally; obviously I think most would disagree and understandably so) that he does intend to, I just don't know if he actually will. I'm fine either way too because I believe the same that you do; that he doesn't owe us anything and should just do whatever he likes.

I just feel that he intends to play because there is literally nothing to lose for him to say otherwise unless he has such strong pride and their is some underlying reason health wise that is holding him back from doing so. Like what harm would it do if he just came out and said "for the foreseeable future I don't plan on releasing anything as a solo artist or playing any live concerts as a solo performer; but we'll see. For the meantime I'm working on adding some final touches to the Led Zeppelin legacy by working on the release of some unreleased live performances of Led Zeppelin when we were in our prime." I mean it's not like we're not going to buy Led Zeppelin live at Bath 1970 just because he doesn't plan on going on tour or releasing some of his own material.

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Remember how great George Harrison's album Brainwashed was?  With this in mind, I hope we don't have to finally hear Jimmy's last 10 or so unfinished songs under the same circumstances!...and Jimmy doesn't have Dahni and Jeffy Lynne to finish them up like George did!   Sorry to be so dark, but thinking again about how Jimmy is totally waiting for that zep train that will never come. 

And Stephen Tyler says there are no hits in the bunch of original material... this was him trying to publicly downplay what he knew he f'd up at the not-zep rehearsal I am sure just to save his giant ego.  I remember reading that he was not able to remember lyrics to any zep tunes and generally sucked at singing zep during this try-out or whatever it was.  Aerosmith should have hung it up after 1977; pandora's box pretty much sums up everything worthwhile they ever did...songs like Pink; yeah Stephen Tyler knows what a good song sounds like...and I haven't even mentioned his disgusting foray into country music!   However Brad Whitford is the man in my book and one of the unsung heroes...

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