Interview with George in Ultimate Classic Rock about his new LZ book http://ultimateclass...-zeppelin-four/ 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Led Zeppelin ‘IV’ by: Matthew Wilkening 2 weeks ago Led Zeppelin’s fourth album turns forty years old today (Nov. 8), and as part of our celebration we’re counting down 10 things you may not know about this legendary and much discussed album with the help of George Case, the author of ‘Led Zeppelin FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Greatest Hard Rock Band of All Time.’ Far from a typical biography, the book jumps in a dizzying but wonderful way across years and topics to explore the band’s work from every perspective possible. As Case explains, “I started off as a fan, but I wanted to write more than just the traditional fan biography. I wanted to dig a little more into the whole cultural background of what Zeppelin was doing when they were actually an active group.” This is partially done to debunk the sometimes erroneous legends that have surrounded the band over the years: “There seems to have been a mythology put onto them since they broke up, and the fan community has read so much into the music and the album covers and what the band was doing, and when you go back to the actual interviews of what they said they were doing it, they’re actually a lot more off-hand about it than people might suspect.” Which makes a lot of sense, given the band’s schedule at the time. “Those first four albums were made in less than two years, so obviously they were working at a really fast pace, they didn’t have time to think about everything they were doing and try to come up with a reasoning for why they made the songs, or what they put on the album covers. So I was trying to remind the readers about that, that a lot of this was more haphazard than it seems to be in retrospect.” It’s a fantastic read and we highly suggest you check it out. If you scroll down below, you might even win your own free copy. In the meantime, here’s 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Led Zeppelin ‘IV’: 1. They had a good reason for not including their name or faces on the cover. “The cover wasn’t meant to antagonize the record company,” Jimmy Page told reporter Brad Tolinksi in 2001. ‘It was designed as our response to the music critics who maintained that the success of our first three albums was driven by hype and not talent… So we stripped everything away, and let the music do the talking.” 2. The opening sounds of ‘Black Dog’ are a byproduct of studio technology. As Case explains, “Page did a lot of overdubbing, so when you’ve got three separate tracks of guitars to be played together, they have to get synched. It’s the sound of the tape rolling. He could have cut it out, it’s just them getting lined up from the separate takes and all.” Instead, the guitarist left them in, thinking it sounded like “the massing of the guitar armies.” 3. Robert Plant’s the only one moving at normal speed on ‘When the Levee Breaks.’ Much has been made of the Headley Grange stairwell that helped capture that massive ‘Levee’ drum sound: “People wonder how that sounds so planetary, but there was a natural echo there, and then they put more on it. They also slowed it down in the mix so it sounded really booming, had this huge reverb to it, it’s almost physical when you listen to it.” In fact, “The only sound on ‘When the Levee Breaks’ that’s recorded in natural time is Plant’s voice, everything else is slowed down just a little bit to make it really heavy.” 4. If you had to pick the least popular song on the album, it would probably be ‘Four Sticks.’ Although he’s quick to label it “a very tough call,” Case mentions in the book that the rhythmically tricky ‘Four Sticks’ is probably the least essential of all the songs on ‘IV.’ “I don’t think it’s bad at all, but I think of all the songs on the record it’s the least listenable.” Perhaps the band agrees: “Seven of the eight songs from that album are on their 1990 box set, and ‘Four Sticks’ was the one that didn’t make it. Compared to the other tracks on there, it just doesn’t stand out as much.” 5. The album was recorded in several different places. When discussing the recording of ‘IV,’ the reportedly haunted house known as Headley Grange comes up, but big parts of the record were recorded at places like Island Studios and Sunset Sound. “Headley Grange is the one that gets known, because it’s a spooky house and that’s really cool, that’s where ‘When the Levee Breaks’ was recorded, in that echoey stairwell, but they did use a lot of other studios too. Headley was not professional enough. They had Ronnie Lane’s mobile outside, but Page was saying they had to go into a real studio for what they were doing.” 6. The band realized they needed to start crediting their lyrical inspirations. Zeppelin has taken much grief from blues fans for heavily relying on lyrics from other artists in their earlier work, and it seems the degree of this “borrowing” is still being realized. “One thing I didn’t even mention in the book, that I heard just recently, I was listening to Count Basie, and he has a song called ‘Going to Chicago’ — “Sorry that I can’t take you,” so obviously Plant was getting into that at the end of ‘Levee.’ So all the lyrics were taken from Memphis Minnie, except for that little bit of Basie at the end. By that point, by ‘IV,’ I think they knew it was too obvious, that they couldn’t take someone else’s song and all the credit for it, so they snuck her name on it at the end.” 7. Contrary to rumors, there are no backwards messages on ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ “It sounds cool, it’s a great legend, but all that is just something that’s been thrown at it from long after the record was done. It wasn’t until the ’80s, after Zeppelin broke up, that these ideas started getting aired in public. It had to do with the religious backlash that happened in those days, people were reading satanic messages into ‘Dungeons and Dragons,’ this was just one more target for them. The band did use backwards sounds, for the aural effect, but they weren’t trying to put any messages on there.” 8. They weren’t the first to name a song ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ They were beaten to that title, if not by others before him, by none other than pop crooner Neil Sedaka, who included his own song by that exact same name on his 1960 album ‘Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits,’ taking it all the way to No. 9 on the charts. 9. There could have been more than eight songs on ‘IV.’ Zeppelin had a habit of holding onto material until they deemed it ready, for years sometimes. Many of the songs from 1975′s ‘Physical Graffiti’ were actually recorded as far back as the ‘III’ sessions. ‘Boogie with Stu’ from ‘Graffiti’ originally came from the ‘IV’ sessions, as did ‘Black Country Woman.’ 10. The symbols the band chose for themselves on the album art don’t mean as much as you might think. “They were put together pretty hastily, people have read so much into them over the years. When you get down to it, it sounds like John Paul Jones and John Bonham just said, ‘Oh, we’ll pick these, you know, sure, whatever,’ they weren’t that interested. Robert Plant picked the feather in the circle from some mystical account of some lost civilization that probably never existed. It was one of those hippie things that they thought was out there. Page’s “Zoso,” goes way back to the renaissance, really, but basically it’s a representation of Capricorn from a document dating back the 1500s. In those days, the way people drew astrological symbols was a lot more elaborate than just scales or fish, but it does derive from a symbol for Saturn, or for Capricorn. It’s nothing satanic or anything like that.”

Aen27, Thanks for your kind comments. The photograph with the tapestry looks to me like it was taken in the early 80's when Jimmy was suffering the effects of substance abuse - that would explain why he looks so gaunt.

Found these two photographs on Facebook on the 'Jimmy Page' page which is linked on www.JimmyPage.com. They are the copyright of a gentleman called Michael Malone. One is of Mr Malone and JImmy in front of the tapestry which JPP put up for auction. The other is a card which was signed and sent by Jimmy. I have copied Mr Malone's text giving the background to the card. Obviously, I don't know if these photos or text have been printed here before. "... Jimmy Page wrote this inside a card he sent to the then international supreme head of Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis, Caliph H.A.777 (Lt.Maj. Grady L. McMurtry, U.S. Army, ret.). With the one exception of Page speaking over the telephone with Helen Parsons Smith shortly after acquiring Crowley's Boleskine Manor, the O.T.O. never heard another word from Jimmy Page. (He asked Helen (widow of AEROJET CORP. Co-Founder Jack Parsons) if she knew of any of the manor's decorative details when Aleister resided there.For her attention, assistance, & time Page sent her autographed copies of all Led Zeppelin's releases at the time. Helen didn't like rock music & the gifts from Page went unplayed into an attic trunk.) This card is indisputible physical hard evidence linking rock music with magick. Grady let me borrow it for almost a year before wanting it back. It now sleeps, buried in the O.T.O.'s Caliph Archives Rock music & magick...it was & still is fun..a celebration, a holiday..but I've only one question for Mr. Page sending this to Grady... ...to what end?"

SuperDave, I have made a similar reply to this to 'Stairway'. I enquired with the UK Cabinet Office. They say non-UK citizens may nominate UK citizens for an award. The reply I received is printed below:- Dear xyz Thank you for your e-mail of 13 November about the honours process. I can confirm that non-UK citizens can nominate UK citizens for honours. I attach a nomination form and guidance notes for your information and use. Yours Sincerely Lesley Watling Honours and Appointments Secretariat Admiralty Arch London SSW1A 2WH 0207 2776 2775

I have enquired with the British Cabinet Office who deals with Honours Nominations, and they say that non-UK citizens may nominate using the form referred to in my initial post. I am printing the reply I received here: Dear xyz Thank you for your e-mail of 13 November about the honours process. I can confirm that non-UK citizens can nominate UK citizens for honours. I attach a nomination form and guidance notes for your information and use. Yours Sincerely Lesley Watling Honours and Appointments Secretariat Admiralty Arch London SSW1A 2WH 0207 2776 2775

Hi 'TheStairwayRemainsTheSame', I see what you mean. Both links look like they have the some form - same information requirements'. So, I suppose one or other. I put the MP's contact details on my posting as perhaps her office would be kind enough to give advice to anyone completing the form, as she is spearheading the campaign.

You may have seen in the 'News' forum details of UK MP Louise Mensch's attempt to have Jimmy awarded a Knighthood. I have copied and pasted here the relevant page from the UK government's website detailing how members of the public can nominate someone for an honour. The system of nomination has been open to the public since 1993, and that means that Zeppelin fans can download the form, fill it in and help to get Jimmy the top award which he so richly deserves. Apart from his charity work over the years, think of LZ record sales worldwide and the resulting employment in the record industry. Led Zeppelin were the biggest band in the world, outselling the Rolling Stones in both record and concert ticket sales - consider the prestige for the UK. Here are the contact details for Louise Mensch who is requesting the knighthood:- Louise Mensch MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA louise.mensch.mp@parliament.uk Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2060859/Tory-MP-leads-fight-Knighthood-Led-Zeppelins-Jimmy-Page.html#ixzz1dbnntaKD McCartney, Jagger and Elton John have all been given knighthoods - why not Jimmy? David Bowie publicly stated years ago that he (Bowie) had been offered a knighthood, but turned it down. Why has Jimmy not been offered this award? It surely cannot be because of his colourful past personal life, because none of the aforementioned artists has had a pristine past. With the number of LZ fans on this site, and other LZ fansites, if we all downloaded and completed the form, we might be able to achieve something. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Honoursawardsandmedals/DG_067917 Nominating someone for an honour The honours system recognises people of outstanding merit, and those who have committed themselves to service to the nation. It's been around for centuries, but it was a closed system for many years. Only since 1993 has everybody been free to nominate. Who can be nominated? Anyone can be nominated, but only exceptional people are honoured. If you want to see your candidate on the honours list, make sure your nomination has what it takes to make it all the way to Buckingham Palace. Achievement comes in many forms but honours committees are looking for someone who has made a difference in their field of work or community. Honours can be awarded for all sorts of work - paid or unpaid - but your nominee must still be involved in the activity for which they are nominated. Before you make your nomination, ask yourself the following questions. Has your nominee: made a difference to their community or field of work? brought distinction to British life and enhanced its reputation? exemplified the best sustained and selfless voluntary service? demonstrated innovation and entrepreneurship? carried the respect of their peers? changed things, with an emphasis on achievement? improved the lot of those less able to help themselves? displayed moral courage and vision in making and delivering tough choices? Nomination forms To get started, you'll need a copy of the nominations form and the guidance notes, these are linked below. Alternatively, you can write or telephone the Cabinet Office and ask for a paper version to be sent to you. You can return the form by post, fax or email. If you need a copy of the guidance notes in Braille, you can ask for one using the contact information below. Cabinet Office Honours and Appointments Secretariat Ground Floor Admiralty Arch London SW1A 2WH Fax: +44 (0)20 7276 2766 Telephone: +44 (0)20 7276 2777 Email: honours@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk Download the nomination pack (English) (PDF, 149K) Download the honours nomination form (Word version) Opens new window Download the nomination pack (English) (RTF, 255K) Download the nomination pack (Welsh) (RTF, 1821K) Writing a letter of support for a nomination If you are writing a letter of support, you may find the booklet linked below useful. Download How to Write Citations (PDF, 390K) Help with PDF files What happens to a nomination Nominations are collated and then segregated according to the nominee's area of expertise. Expert committees can then compare like with like - for instance, teacher with teacher - and the best candidates are put forward to the Prime Minister, who then presents the list to The Queen. Which order? The committee considers the appropriate order and level. There is no need to specify this in any nomination. Note that: senior civil servants and military officers may be considered for the Order of the Bath diplomats and others serving the UK abroad may be considered for the Order of St Michael and St George anyone may be considered for awards in the Order of the British Empire anyone may be considered for the award of Companion of Honour Which level? Once the Order has been identified the criteria below are used by committees for deciding the level of award. The assessment committees also use precedent to aid their consideration. Companion of Honour A pre-eminent and sustained contribution in the arts, science, medicine, or government. Knight/Dame Awarded for a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity, through: achievement or service to the community usually, but not exclusively, at national level in a capacity which will be recognised by peer groups as inspirational and significant nationally and which demonstrates sustained commitment CBE Awarded for: a prominent national role of a lesser degree or a conspicuous leading role in regional affairs, through achievement or service to the community or making a highly distinguished, innovative contribution in his or her area of activity OBE Awarded for: a distinguished regional or country-wide role in any field through achievement or service to the community including notable practitioners known nationally MBE Awarded for: achievement or service in and to the community of a responsible kind which is outstanding in its field or local 'hands-on' service which stands out as an example to others In all cases awards illuminate areas of dedicated service which merit public recognition. In terms of service the difference is determined by the extent of the person's influence. In terms of achievement the difference is determined by the significance of the person's impact in their chosen profession. Checking progress As you can imagine, verifying a large number of nominations takes time. The nominee should not expect to hear anything for at least 12-18 months. You can contact the Honours and Appointments Secretariat if you would like to check on progress. The decision If selected, candidates are sent a letter asking them whether they would be willing to accept an Honour. Almost everyone does and their names will appear in The London Gazette at the New Year or on The Queen's official birthday in June. In this section... The honours process explained Emblem for honours Honours lists Case studies of people awarded honours Types of honours and award Contact the Honours and Appointments Secretariat Honours committees

There has recently been a 'rock star cookbook' published, the proceeds of which aid The Teenage Cancer Trust. I have printed the details below. It is available for purchase on Amazon's UK site (sorry, don't know about the US site). I have seen it - it is a fantastic book - the photographs alone are brilliant. The recipes are within everyone's reach. I for one have it on my list for giving as a Christmas present - you should too. This is a truly wonderful cause and let's applaud Roger, Pete and everyone else who is giving their support. http://www.amazon.co...=266239&s=books Love Music Love Food: The Rock Star Cookbook Product Description This collection of portraits has been created in the name of Teenage Cancer Trust and predominantly features those artists who have supported the charity over the years, whether taking part in the annual Royal Albert Hall shows, visiting wards, donating a multitude of gifts from signed amps to signed sunglasses or getting involved in projects such as Love Music Love Food. Artists new to the charity have become involved with the project and their relationship with Teenage Cancer Trust started here at Love Music Love Food. It's a great testament to Teenage Cancer Trust that these artists feel passionately about supporting the charity to the point that they'll be smothered in Marmite, have their knees nibbled by sheep, cuddle chickens or get pelted with Dayglo cupcakes to help make a difference. We salute and thank you for being a part of this project. Dig in to the food that makes the stars shine - starring Brett Anderson, Johnny Borrell, Buzzcocks, Biffy Clyro, Roger Daltrey CBE, Brandon Flowers, Noel Gallagher, Ellie Goulding, Professor Green, Mick Hucknall, Kelly Jones, Alex Kapranos, Kasabian, Juliette Lewis, Madness, Mani, Brian May, Paul Oakenfold, Sir Cliff Richard, Francis Rossi OBE, Siouxsie Sioux, Sugababes, Tinie Tempah, Bullet For My Valentine, White Lies, We Are Scientists, Paul Weller, Rob Zombie & many more.

Her name is Ashley Hamm. She is a freelance photographer who now lives in Nashville. The photograph was taken in Knoxville. Her professional Facebook page gives a contact email address as ahammphotography@yahoo.com, so if you want to know when it was taken, and perhaps get the story as to how she met Jimmy etc, you could email her.

I read elsewhere that she was a photographer. If I can find my original source, I'll report back.

'rumour has it'? Is this a rumour being spread by the gallery owners themselves in the hope that people from this site turn up expecting to meet Jimmy Page?

Back in June, I reported that Rimowa was developing a guitar case in conjunction with Jimmy. I wanted to update my post of 9 June, and contacted Rimowa direct to ask if the product would be available soon. Here is the reply I received from Rimowa:- Dear xyz, Thank you for your interest in our Logo Case developed together with Jimmy Page. The Rimowa version Fender Startocaster and Gibson Les Paul guitars (aluminium case in silver colour with fabric interiors and Rimowa logo) will be available on the homepage of the Music Store www.musicstore.de from November this year. Product pictures will be available on that webpage as from November as well. Please kindly contact us if you had any further questions. Best regards, Alexandra Wittenburg International Sales

PoorTom, Doubtlessly, when Jimmy turns up at the 2011 Classic Rock Awards, he will be asked about any plans. I'll bet he gives the same old answer like "i'll have to do something in 2012. Get out there and manifest some music".

Focus On: John Lennon's tooth by Jamie Breese, Sunday Mirror 23/10/2011 In one of the most bizarre pop memorabilia sales ever, one of Beatle John Lennon’s teeth will be sold at auction next month. ­ Lennon gave the tooth to his housekeeper Dot Jarlett, who worked for him at his Surrey mansion in the Sixties. Thanks to the fame and popularity of its late owner it is likely to fetch far more than the Tooth Fairy would ever leave under your ­pillow. The Beatle pulled out the tooth himself and told Mrs Jarlett to give it to her daughter. Dot’s son Barry said: “He was in the kitchen and he had this tooth which he had wrapped in a piece of paper. He said, ‘Dot will you dispose of this?’. And then he said, ‘Or as your ­daughter’s a Beatles fan you can give to her as a souvenir’.” It comes with paperwork Mrs Jarlett signed confirming its history. The tooth is being auctioned in Stockport, Greater Manchester, on November 5 and is likely to sell for at least a five-figure sum but could hit six. Any memorabilia ­related to John Lennon, who was shot dead in New York on December 8, 1980, aged 40, is hugely popular – and valuable. For ­example, last June his handwritten lyrics for the Beatles song A Day in the Life sold in New York for a ­staggering $1,202,500 (about £810,000). The track, from the ground-breaking 1967 Sgt. ­Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album, is one of the most ­scrutinised of all the band’s songs. The double-sided sheet of paper in Lennon’s hand has crossing-outs, ­corrections and ­reworkings, ­showing how the masterpiece evolved. Commenting on the tooth sale, Karen Fairweather, of Omega ­Auctions, said: “This is the most ­wonderful and weird item that we have ever had for sale. It is a truly unique item and it is really difficult to put a value on it. "We are expecting it to achieve at least £10,000 but it is not unknown for items as rare as this to reach six figures.”

All of the children in the clip are so impressive . I've voted - the Led Zeppelin girl is amazing. I wonder if anyone has brought this clip to the attention of the remaining band members?

Andrzej Thanks for posting this item - it answers the question I asked.

Sam, Would you clarify whether or not this is an 'authorised' biography. Thanks.

More photos from the auction in 2011

Strider, Thanks so much for sharing your photos and experience with us - it makes me want to pay a visit there. From this photo, it looks as though your hands are larger than Jimmy's.

Source: www.gibson.com 3. JIMMY PAGE Fans who revere Jimmy Page for his breathtaking solos and extraordinary riff-making should add Page’s rhythm playing to that list. Few guitarists have moved more nimbly between earth-shaking power chords and subtle triads and tasteful arpeggios. Much of Page’s magic emanated from the range of dynamics he achieved with various strumming techniques, which he often employed in acoustic settings. Punk guitar maestro Johnny Ramone once revealed he improved his down-stroke picking style by listening over and over to Page’s playing on “Communication Breakdown.”

Here are photos of Jimmy from The Pattaya Mail of the Jesters Gala Night Charity Drive on 24 September 2011. www.pattayamail.com

These are photos taken on 3 Feb. 2008 during a visit Jimmy made to Pattaya.

SAJ, If they are waitresses at the HRC, I wonder what they were serving him up for dessert.

More photos of Jimmy taken on his visit to Pattaya Hard Rock Cafe Legendary Rock Star, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin Spotted at Hard Rock Cafe Pattaya by Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 7:40pm On 23 September 2011, JIMMY PAGE, a legendary double-neck guitar player, producer, songwriter, guitarist of the world-famous rock band, LED ZEPPELIN came to dine at our old Rock 'n' Roll House, Hard Rock Cafe Pattaya.