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Good article on this^^

It was earlier that year (1992) that Jorge was involved in one of his most notable accomplishments. After returning from the long Into The Light world tour, Jorge was asked to play Bass for a rock project in its final stages at Criteria Recording Studios. He almost turned it down from being exhausted as a result of touring but when he was told that it was for Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Witesnake lead singer David Coverdale, Jorge almost fell off his chair. Apparently the Coverdale/Page album was 2 songs away from completion and they needed a local bassist to replace the sequenced bass tracks that were laid down on 2 last minute songs. Knowing that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, Jorge accepted the offer. After Coverdale heard Jorges playing, he easily convinced Jimmy to let Jorge play on all the tracks already finished, thus replacing the original bass tracks by Ricky Phillips of Bad English. Together with Heart drummer Deny Carmassi, David Coverdale and Jimmy Page, Jorge became the bass player for the soon to be million seller Coverdale/Page CD. Playing alongside and taking direction from one of rocks most renowned and influential guitarists was one of the most incredible and rewarding experiences in Jorges illustrious career thus far. He went to England to officially audition for the upcoming live appearances and after playing songs like Whole Lot Of Love, Black Dog and a few of the Whitesnake hits in a London rehearsal space, Jorge was asked to join the band. Unfortunately, the Coverdale/Page band never quite got off the ground as Jimmy Page soon aborted the project as he ventured into the Un-Leded project with long time Led Zeppelin singer and friend, Robert Plant. There was a funny anecdote as to how Jorge was told that he was selected for the band. After the 3rd day of auditions, Jorge was sitting in the bar of the Mayfair Hotel where they were staying in London. It was around 11PM and Jorge along with drummer Carmassi and Coverdales personal manager Mike McIntyre were conversing and wondering who was going to get the bass player job. With a feeling of anxiety and apprehension from the long wait, Jorge looked over his shoulder and saw David Coverdale approaching them from the lobby. After what seemed like hours, although only a couple of minutes later, Coverdale turned to Jorge with his arm on Jorges shoulder and replied in his most exaggerated English accent, About that blonde wig, mate. You have to realize that Jorges look was somewhat Latin, with a moustache and curly dark hair. (Coverdale was obviously implying a Rock n Roll image).

Full article:

http://www.jorgecasas.com/about/

Edited by Deborah J
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Jorge was asked to join the band. Unfortunately, the 'Coverdale/Page' band never quite got off the ground as Jimmy Page soon aborted the project as he ventured into the 'Un-Leded' project with long time 'Led Zeppelin' singer and friend, Robert Plant.

It seems Jorge auditoned for their summer 1993 North American tour, which was ultimately cancelled. By the time they decided to tour Japan in December 1993, Jorge may have already been committed to producing an album for Gloria Estefan. Guy Pratt played bass for Coverdale/Page on that tour. David Gilmour recently said of Pratt "Bass players are ten a penny but a good wit is hard to find, so we hired him".

Edited by SteveAJones
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Perhaps if anyone saved Jimmy from anything during that period, it was David Coverdale, who got Jimmy off his ass and fired him up.

Anyone ever look at it that way?

Without David's encouragement, Jimmy might have just as easily stayed home and those songs may have never been written. Rather than simply waiting for Robert Plant to come around again, Jimmy forged ahead and kept the creative fires burning.

David was exactly the right partner at the right time for Jimmy, IMHO, just as Paul Rodgers had been in the 1980s. These projects kept him actively engaged in music. Left to his own devices, Page may well have drifted away into a hermit's life, releasing no music at all.

Jimmy would probably be the first to admit that he needs a collaborator to kick him up the ass and get him going now & Zen.;)

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Perhaps if anyone saved Jimmy from anything during that period, it was David Coverdale, who got Jimmy off his ass and fired him up.

Anyone ever look at it that way?

Without David's encouragement, Jimmy might have just as easily stayed home and those songs may have never been written. Rather than simply waiting for Robert Plant to come around again, Jimmy forged ahead and kept the creative fires burning.

David was exactly the right partner at the right time for Jimmy, IMHO, just as Paul Rodgers had been in the 1980s. These projects kept him actively engaged in music. Left to his own devices, Page may well have drifted away into a hermit's life, releasing no music at all.

Jimmy would probably be the first to admit that he needs a collaborator to kick him up the ass and get him going now & Zen.;)

It was good for him to do something, but I can think of many better collaborators than hair metal Coverdale, in my opinion. Much as people think his guitar on that is the best since Zeppelin, what was going on guitar wise in the Alternative/Seattle/Grunge /Brit Pop scene dwarfed Coverdale Page for guitar ideas and tones (and song writing, production, and coolness. Page never used to be short on coolness). I remember an article at the time where they were asked if they were aware of that scene, then current. The answer was yes, but that it didn't affect what they did. Why be influenced by something vibrant and new when you can produce something tired, generic, and over produced, I guess.

Honestly, I think its his worst playing since Zeppelin. The Firm buries that CD. A 72 track facility for such music? Geez. The playing is technically fine, but the ideas sound contrived. I think he may have gottten the point by the time he used Steve Albini for WIC.

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  • 3 weeks later...

It was good for him to do something, but I can think of many better collaborators than hair metal Coverdale, in my opinion. Much as people think his guitar on that is the best since Zeppelin, what was going on guitar wise in the Alternative/Seattle/Grunge /Brit Pop scene dwarfed Coverdale Page for guitar ideas and tones (and song writing, production, and coolness. Page never used to be short on coolness). I remember an article at the time where they were asked if they were aware of that scene, then current. The answer was yes, but that it didn't affect what they did. Why be influenced by something vibrant and new when you can produce something tired, generic, and over produced, I guess.

Honestly, I think its his worst playing since Zeppelin. The Firm buries that CD. A 72 track facility for such music? Geez. The playing is technically fine, but the ideas sound contrived. I think he may have gottten the point by the time he used Steve Albini for WIC.

I'm forced to totally disagree with every word of this post. C/P is easily Pages best playing post Zep. The music is completely natural and uncontrived. I really have to laugh to even have to try and convince anyone that the guitar on C/P absolutely blows away any Alternative/Britpop/Seattle and all that disgusting Grunge crap. The only good music that ever come out of the Seattle area was Heart which were Zep worshipers. Also Albini is a total piece of shit producer that doesn't even deserve to be in the same room with Jimmy Page. And as to Plant rescuing Page from this style of music that is such a freaking joke. Zeppelin did 10 albums of this kind of music! The real reason was that Plant heard the C/P record and got worried that Page and Coverdale might be on to something and just had to break that up. Thats why WIC is, except for a couple tracks, a watered down pretty uninspired effort.

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I'm forced to totally disagree with every word of this post. C/P is easily Pages best playing post Zep. The music is completely natural and uncontrived. I really have to laugh to even have to try and convince anyone that the guitar on C/P absolutely blows away any Alternative/Britpop/Seattle and all that disgusting Grunge crap. The only good music that ever come out of the Seattle area was Heart which were Zep worshipers. Also Albini is a total piece of shit producer that doesn't even deserve to be in the same room with Jimmy Page. And as to Plant rescuing Page from this style of music that is such a freaking joke. Zeppelin did 10 albums of this kind of music! The real reason was that Plant heard the C/P record and got worried that Page and Coverdale might be on to something and just had to break that up. Thats why WIC is, except for a couple tracks, a watered down pretty uninspired effort.

I Totally agree with everything you said!! :D

also the Firm really did nothing for me IMO Paul Rogers didn't cut the mustard on vocals.

Edited by RolandDeschain
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Don't think DC was the best choice for vocalists on this album. Not sure who he should have gone with, but I'm sure many of you can make a few suggestions outside of RP. Jimmy does some of his very best work and playing on this album, developing some many and unique sounds that we've never heard before. It probably just needed some tweaking to really make it exceptional.

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Don't think DC was the best choice for vocalists on this album. Not sure who he should have gone with, but I'm sure many of you can make a few suggestions outside of RP. Jimmy does some of his very best work and playing on this album, developing some many and unique sounds that we've never heard before. It probably just needed some tweaking to really make it exceptional.

I'd Love to hear him play with the Ladies from heart

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Seems that a lot of the folks that champion the Coverdale/Page record are the same ones that would like to see Page work with the likes of Sammy Hagar. While the Coverdale • Page album had it's moments I enjoy Whatever Happened to Jugula? much more when it comes to Page's post-Zep output.

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Seems that a lot of the folks that champion the Coverdale/Page record are the same ones that would like to see Page work with the likes of Sammy Hagar. While the Coverdale • Page album had it's moments I enjoy Whatever Happened to Jugula? much more when it comes to Page's post-Zep output.

Page doesn't reference the Coverdale collaboration, not that I've seen anyway. I think he is not very proud of it. I've seen him make it very clear that Coverdale had 50% input on that CD, as if to say he only has limited responsibility for it.

I agree with Roland about Paul Rodgers, although I prefer him to DC. People write about Page's sounds on CP, the Firm is much more interesting for that. Radioactive and Satisfaction Guaranteed have guitar sounds that are just ridiculous, completely in space. CP has its moments, I agree with Jahfin, but for me, the adherence to the commercial rock/metal approach on that CD cripples a lot of Page's work there.

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Seems that a lot of the folks that champion the Coverdale/Page record are the same ones that would like to see Page work with the likes of Sammy Hagar. While the Coverdale • Page album had it's moments I enjoy Whatever Happened to Jugula? much more when it comes to Page's post-Zep output.

It's not my intent to champion the C/P project, I'm just stating that the guitar work on the C/P record is IMO outstanding and I've been a guitarist for 45 yrs. As most diehard Zep fans I own everything that Page has ever produced and none of it is bad. Both of the Firm recordings had some real gems as well as the DW2 sountrack and Outrider project. Whatever Happened to Jugula is also awesome work. I certainly don't want to be percieved as a Plant basher on this forum as RP is the best hard rock vocalist ever. I respect Plant for doing what he wishes but I just don't care that much for the music he is producing now. In fact IMO Pictures at Eleven and Principles are the best music he's made post Zep. Robbie Blunt is a most talented player and composer and the best collaborator Plant has had besides Page. As to Page and Hagar I would have no problem with it. Hell, I would purchase a Jimmy Page/Wayne Newton collaboration if it happened.

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Page doesn't reference the Coverdale collaboration, not that I've seen anyway. I think he is not very proud of it. I've seen him make it very clear that Coverdale had 50% input on that CD, as if to say he only has limited responsibility for it.

Well, it was a one-off album released nearly 20 years ago so what possible references could he make to it now? They both promoted the hell out of it at the time and he was ready and willing to tour more extensively than the seven dates that were ultimately performed. The intent in calling this Coverdale/Page and making clear DC had 50% input on the album was to emphasize it was a genuine collaboration as opposed to a second solo album or an offshoot of Whitesnake.

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Grecko1,

Could not have said it better myself. "Pictures at Eleven" and "Coverdale/Page" are my two favorite post-Zep albums. I listen to both all the time. As a guitar player too, I LOVE Robbie Blunt's strat tone on PaE. I don't understand all the hate towards Coverdale, obviously Page thinks enough of him to not only collaborate with him for that one album, but also go to his shows. And I thought he was a much better fit than the singers Page used on "Outrider". I much prefer Page's guitar work on CP than to the stuff he did with The Firm. There's even some pretty mean harmonica playing on the album. Not Whitesnake, not Zep - just a great amalgam of two great artists.

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I don't hate the Coverdale/Page record but I definitely prefer Whatever Happened To Jugula? to most everything he's done post-Zep. As for Plant's solo stuff, I like the early records too but some of it sounds very dated. Even though it's largely covers, I think he truly came into his own circa Dreamland, he's only stepped up his game from there with The Mighty Rearranger, Raising Sand and the Band of Joy. Buddy Miller is a very formidable guitarist and makes the perfect foil for Plant circa 2011.

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Well, it was a one-off album released nearly 20 years ago so what possible references could he make to it now? They both promoted the hell out of it at the time and he was ready and willing to tour more extensively than the seven dates that were ultimately performed. The intent in calling this Coverdale/Page and making clear DC had 50% input on the album was to emphasize it was a genuine collaboration as opposed to a second solo album or an offshoot of Whitesnake.

Hi Steve! I meant he doesn't talk about it, its a past work, he's talked of other past works. The interview I saw (I don't recall the details, sorry, I didn't keep any, didn't want them) the interviewer was adressing the controversy around it (Plant issue probably). Page made it clear he only had half the project. I think he's a bit embarrased by the project. He enthuses about Zeppelin, the Yarbirds, and has talked of remastering The Firm. Artisits reference past works they are proud of.

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Hi Steve! I meant he doesn't talk about it, its a past work, he's talked of other past works. The interview I saw (I don't recall the details, sorry, I didn't keep any, didn't want them) the interviewer was adressing the controversy around it (Plant issue probably). Page made it clear he only had half the project. I think he's a bit embarrased by the project. He enthuses about Zeppelin, the Yarbirds, and has talked of remastering The Firm. Artisits reference past works they are proud of.

Well again, they wanted to emphasize it was a genuine collaboration. Perhaps this interview among many will clear things up:

1993_07HitParader1.jpg

Hit Parader July 1993

Scan courtesy Steve A. Jones Archive

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Well again, they wanted to emphasize it was a genuine collaboration. Perhaps this interview among many will clear things up:

1993_07HitParader1.jpg

Hit Parader July 1993

Scan courtesy Steve A. Jones Archive

Very insightful interview SteveAJones. Thanks for posting this.

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They really seem to have fun together:-)

Coverdale Page Mtv News 15th April 1993 - By Ari

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrX-7zljtis

Coverdale Page Headbangers Ball 14th March 1993 - By Ari...(about 7 minutes in Jimmy talks about this being a 50/50 partnership)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdGPPIsEwLE&feature=related

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They really seem to have fun together:-)

Coverdale Page Mtv News 15th April 1993 - By Ari

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrX-7zljtis

Coverdale Page Headbangers Ball 14th March 1993 - By Ari...(about 7 minutes in Jimmy talks about this being a 50/50 partnership)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdGPPIsEwLE&feature=related

Hi Deborah, I think the 50/50 partnership took on a different meaning for Jimmy years later. From what I gathered, it was used initially, as Steve says, to show a partnership. Later, I think it was used as a way to distance himself from the results of the collaboration. This was in later years.

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Hi BMV:-)

I can appreciate your thoughts. For me, I loved the collaboration. I also agree with Jahfin about Jugula...but then again I am a bigger fan of Jimmy with Paul Rodgers, always have been :peace:

Me too! Page was a real space cadet in The Firm. To be fair, I also have to say, I liked the track Saccharine from Coverdale Page. I'm with Charles on Easy Does It, great guitar there. Page is really in your face on that one.

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Bassist Ricky Phillips talks about doing the Coverdale/Page project

Snippets from an interview, Phillips is now the bassist for Styx

by Ruben Mosqueda on July 27, 2011

Ricky Phillips is known for his role as songwriter and bassist in bands such as Bad English, The Babys, and the Coverdale/Page project with singer David Coverdale and guitarist Jimmy Page. Phillips has performed and recorded with the likes of Joe Cocker, Roger Daltrey, Mick Jagger, Sammy Hagar, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Julian Lennon, Ted Nugent, Eddie Money, Steve Stevens, Glenn Hughes, Joe Lynn Turner, and Steve Lukather.

He joined Styx in 2003 and hasn't looked back.

You took part in the writing and recording of one of the most underrated rock albums of the past 20 years, Coverdale/Page. At the time of its release in 1993, the industry considered it a commercial failure, but it sold 500,000 copies. How did you get involved with that project?

Bad English had opened for Whitesnake and I got to know David Coverdale very well. Toward the end of Bad English I recieved a call from David asking if I wanted to be involved in a project with him and Jimmy Page. He didn't know at that time if it was going to be a band or simply he and Jimmy, with a band around them. David invited me up to his place in Lake Tahoe to work on songs with David and Jimmy Page. I'd fly in and we'd work on songs and then fly back home. We really hit it off and continued this process for about 4-5 months. I wrote all the bass parts and the majority of the keyboard parts for the album. We started recording the album at Little Mountain Sound in Vancouver, B.C., but then the recording was moved to Florida. People were getting sick so it was moved. They selected Florida because Jimmy was buying a house there at the time. A year passed before the album was completed after that. During that time Jimmy had started to replace guitar tracks, which were different than the ones we recorded initially in Vancouver. Since things didn't match up with my bass tracks and they couldn't put me up in Florida for a year so they brought in Jorge Casas (Miami Sound Machine) to cut those tracks. If you read the credits it doesn't read correctly--nevertheless it was a very cool experience and it was so much fun putting that together.

It was a great time that I can look back at now with fond memories. Denny Carmassi (Montrose, Heart) was the drummer on that album. He's such a great guy, and working with David and Jimmy was wonderful. I hung out with Jimmy the most. Growing up I was a huge fan of The Yardbirds, we'd go out to clubs at night and I would drive him crazy with questions about The Yardbirds and of course, Led Zeppelin.

Coverdale/Page didn't tour much as a result of the lack of sales of the album. You explained what happened during the recording of the album but why were you not part of the touring line-up? You were featured in the video clip for "Pride & Joy."

Jimmy called me up one day and said, "Hey we are getting ready to make a video, are you available?" I went ahead and did the "Pride & Joy" video clip with them and I can't for the life of me remember what I had going on at that time, but I wasn't able to do the tour. At that time I was doing a lot of studio work and all I recall is that I wasn't around. I can't recall if I played on the final version that made the album. They headed out to Japan and played a couple of weeks worth of shows, I believe, and a few others and that was it. I remember Jimmy pulling me aside during the video shoot for "Pride & Joy" and he said, "Hey I just got together with Robert (Plant) and we're going to work together again." He was very excited. It was then that I knew it was over.

http://oregonmusicne...lue-collar-man/

Ricky Phillips interview July 20th, 2011. He talks a little about the Coverdale/Page project at 10:56 into the interview. Edited by luvlz2
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