What I believe is that although there are many gossip and falsehoods about it, there are absolutely valid theories too, worthy of being taken seriously. So, I think the healthiest thing to do is... to doubt everything and not take anything for granted, whether it is something socially accepted or considered crazy. I mean, who has the absolute truth about things in life? My answer is: nobody. No one has or had in the history of mankind - at least in the official versions - the absolute truth in any particular field, be it in politics, religion, philosophy, finances, economics, science, art, technology, spirituality, whatever the fuck. One point of view says: this may be because absolute truth has always been systematically hidden and / or suppressed throughout history to prevent humanity from evolve and, therefore, stop living in this beautiful but corrupt, decadent, deceptive and sick world that we all know and call reality, a reality in which we live locked up. In other words, this implies recognizing that we are nothing more than slaves, of what? of a System in wich we live locked only in one reality map, but there are many more maps out there, or so the mystics and magicians says. And who or what would be interested in preventing humanity from moving forward? Do you stubbornly believe that we live alone in the vastness of this Universe, or even of this planet, or even in this dimension? Even more, do you think that life, planet earth, this universe and the gods pass through our navel? In other words, do you think we are the center of Existence? Even more, do you think that what we feel and think, what we see and touch, hear, smell and taste with our senses is the absolute and unique and possible reality? Even more, don't you think that behind this reality, that in wich we as human beings interpret with what we perceive through our senses - that behind the magnificence of existence lies a vast Intelligence that exceeds our limited understanding? One or many more Intelligences maybe? So, I think the worst thing we can do is to sit on our ass over the throne of some I-don't-know-what-God-and-or-Judge, put ourselves in a cloud and start to sentence from out there what is right or wrong, with our very limited and often miserable humanity. I mean, science is not capable of revealing the truths of Existence - it's only capable of exploring this physically measurable world. What is beyond the physical world does not work with the same rules of the physical world, mystics says. But mysticism, and even magic, recognizes physical phenomena as much as spiritual phenomena (paranormal, supernatural phenomena, whatever), but not science... conventional scientists are so arrogant and closed-minded people that they often seem complete idiots... but, their words are accepted and revered in modern societies as those of priests and politicians, and that is because of established dogmas and dominant paradigms in our societies... You see, to believe in the existence of an absolute truth has proved to be one of the most horrific plagues in the history of mankind. A monster that has spawned blind fanaticism, intolerances, bloody and repressive dictatorships, violence, mass killings, catastrophic wars, etc. Very few people are able to break down those paradigms and dogmas established all over the place in our societies, because it's something dangerous. Who wants to be treated as insane, evil, or be mocked, and therefore be condemned to marginality? Who wants to get out of his or her comfort zone? The answer is: very few people, because most of the time fear wins ... I would like to give you some thoughts that came from an american writer and occultist, Robert Anton Wilson. This is from a 1976 interview for Science Fiction Review. You can find the entire interview here: https://rawilsonfans.org/1976/05/ "I will venture, however, that the idea that there are no conspiracies has been popularized by historians working for universities and institutes funded by the principle conspirators of our time – the Rockefeller-Morgan banking interests, the Council on Foreign Relations Crowd. This is not astonishing or depressing. Conspiracy is the standard mammalian politics for reasons to be found in ethology and Von Neumann’s and Morgenstern’s Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. Vertebrate competition depends on knowing more than the opposition, monopolizing information along with territory, hoarding signals. Entropy, in a word. Science is based on transmitting the signal accurately, accelerating the process of information transfer. Negative entropy. The final war may be between Pavlov’s Dog and Schroedinger’s Cat (...) "However, I am profoundly suspicious about all conspiracy theories, including my own, because conspiracy buss tend to forget the difference between a plausible argument and a real proof. Or between a legal proof, a proof in the behavioral sciences, a proof in physics, a mathematical or logical proof, or a parody of any of the above. My advice to all is Buddha’s last words, “Doubt, and find your own light.” Or, as Crowley wrote, “I slept with Faith and found her a corpse in the morning. I drank and danced all night with Doubt and found her a virgin in the morning.” Doubt suffereth long, but is kind; doubt covereth a multitude of sins’ (but) doubt puffeth not itself up into dogma. For now abideth doubt, hope, and charity, these three and the greatest of these is doubt. With doubt all tings are possible. Every other entity in the universe, including Goddess Herself, may be trying to con you. It’s all Show Biz (...) "The most advanced shamanic techniques – such as Tibetan Tantra or Crowley’s system in the West – work by alternating faith and skepticisim until you get beyond the ordinary limits of both. With such systems, one learns how arbitrary are the reality-maps that can be coded into laryngeal grunts by hominids or visualized by a mammalian nervous system. We can’t even visualize the size of the local galaxy except in special High states. Most people are trapped in one static reality-map imprinted on their neurons when they were naïve children, as Dr. Leary keeps reminding us. Alas, most so-called “Adepts” or “Gurus” are similarly trapped in the first post-rapture reality-map imprinted after their initial Illumination, as Leary also realizes. The point of systems like Tantra, Crowleyanity and Leary’s Neurologic is to detach from all maps – which gives you the freedom to use any map where it works and drop it where it doesn’t work." Finally, these other thoughts comes from a 1976 interview for Conspiracy Digest. Again, you can find the entire interview here: http://www.rawilson.com/papers.html "I see the power game resting on three levels of force and fraud. First, earliest and still most powerful is the government racket itself, the monopoly on force (military power, police power, etc.) which allows the governing group to take tribute (taxation) from the enslaved or deluded masses. Second, derivative from this primordial conquest, is the landlord racket, the mammalian monopoly on territory which allow's the king's relations (lords-of-the-land) or their successors, today's "land-lords," to take tribute (rent) from those who live within the territory. Rent is the daughter of taxation; the second degree of the same racket. Third, the latest in historical time, is the usury racket, the monopoly on the issue of currency which allows the money lords to take tribute (interest) on the creation of money or credit, and on the continuous circulation of the money or credit every step of the way. Interest is the son of rent, the rent of money. Since most people engaged in nefarious practices are, in my opinion, very loathe to acknowledge what they are doing, and are addicted to the same hypocrisies as the rest of humanity, I think all power groups quite sincerely believe that what they are doing is proper, and that anybody who attacks them is a revolutionary nut. Outside of the Klingons on Star Trek, I have never encountered a real predator who justifies himself on Stirnerite or Machiavellian grounds. I really think Saroyan was right, naive as it sounds, in saying that "every man is a good man in his own eyes." For those interested: https://archive.org/details/IsraelRegardie-TheEyeInTheTriangle-1986

Yes Steve, I remember those interviews very well. I used to like Chris, he had managed to get some very interesting comments from the usually elusive Jimmy about his many interests other than music (Gig Magazine 1977 and NME 1979). And I remembered him for his interesting NME article about the Page-Anger combat back in 1976 (“Anger Rising”, I think that was called). Part of his stuff had helped me, many years ago, to know things about Jimmy when I was searching very passionately in my pre-internet days. So, when I became aware of his "definitive bio" I thought it would be interesting, despite the reviews I had read in the English newspapers, which of course were sensationalistic promotional crap. I was curious to know more about what new things he has to offer, like every time a new book, mag, and whatever about or in connection with the band is published. So you can bet how mad I was when I read some of his stuff. He sometimes speaks as if he had access to Jimmy's private world. One can clearly understand why Jimmy and the other Zepp lads hated the press so much, even know, no matter how polite the game is. By the way Steve, how accurately is that information about that divorce of Jimmy's parents? I think you know about it. Salewicz claims that happened in the mid sixties and blah, blah, but I think you said it actually was in the seventies.

Well, I'll try to do my best English, and my point of view is like this: Evidently, this book reveals more about the author than his subject. Salewicz and his partners in business makes the reader believe they produced “The Definitive Biography” about Jimmy Page, but they fails miserably. I think this is often the case when these so called professional and experienced journos attempts to decipher those elusive and hermetic keys that leads to revelations exposing the enigma that lay behind and upfront Page's figure - and by extention his rock band. The mediocrity of Salewicz work doesn’t do justice to the complete and visionary artist Page was, especially at the height of his possibilities, when he pulled out all his tricks leading up the Zeppelin through the seventies for the sake of art and power - working VERY hard, in focus, from within the recording industry and, of course, kicking some serious asses in this conspiracy process. Despite interesting sources who provide access to the more intimate aspects of the artist’s life (especially his early years) and some balanced judgements, the author often sinks into a mud of boring writing, common places, speculations and useless details that make his work look more like girly hairdressing gossip than a really serious “definitive” biography, particularly when dear old Chris does his better to deal with Page’s studies about occult sciences, Aleister Crowley and magick (proving one more time this isn't a subject everybody can understand). So, the book's title is a lame commercial hook and his content a highly subjective interpretation. In justice, it would have been more appropriate to call it “Jimmy Page, a Biography”. If you are looking for a point of view to study the history of this man in comparison to other biographical works about Jimmy, this book may be useful… but hardly definitive.

Well said, Mr. I wasn´t there in the seventies (I was born in 1978 in another country), but knowing about those times and being a fan, I really think it was exactly as you said.

Without a doubt, one of the best Page interviews ever. I read a reprint while back in the past. Finally, I can see how it looked like in his original print. Awesome cover picture! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Well, I read somewhere that kind of story when the "black book" Hammer of The Gods came out in 1985. Jimmy got a copy and, after reading a few bits, he throwed it in disgust through the window of his house by the Thames, so the book went sailing down the river waters. It seems to be a Jimmy's habit when he lays his hands on some Zeppelin-related artifact that he doesn't like. Maybe digging the deeps of river Thames we can find some damned Zeppelin treasures!, probably an entire collection of Zeppelin books

Personally, I think 'Pictures at Eleven' is a great album; in fact, one of the very best of Plant solo journey. His voice here sounds a lot like the latter years of Zeppelin, probably '79 and '80. In fact, the album lean a bit on the Zeppelin sound while at the same time shows the new facet of Plant as a solo artist. I think that was a good move or strategy for him when it came to start a solo career. Obviously, the more-related Zeppelin tracks on the album are 'Burning Down One Side' and 'Slow Dancer'. I believe that first song sounds reminiscent to 'In The Evening', that opening track on Zeppelin's 'In Through The Out Door' album; a very catchy song. The way Robert sings here is very unusal and original, I think... and charming!. 'Slow Dancer' sounds to me like some sister of 'Kashmir'; you know... the drum beat, the dramatic 'oriental' atmosphere and such. Cozy Powell really beat the shit out of his drums here. That sound is amazing. He really evokes the Bonham thunder here. I like the melancholy and finesse on 'Moonlight in Samosa' and 'Like I've Never Been Gone'. LINBG is one of his best ballads. Reminds me some of the 'drama atmosphere' characteristic on 'Since I've Been Loving You'. Robbie Blunt was great on this album, I love his guitar sounds and arrangements. I don't have any problems with that evil 'eighties soundalike' kind of thing on this album. I think here, overall, the production techniques and arrangements sounds tasty. In my opinion, 'Now and Zen' sounds more excessively eighties than any other album he made in that decade. But, I have to say, I don't really listened 'The Principle of The Moments' and 'Shaken'n Stirred' too much yet to have a proper perspective. Maybe his 1985 album is more eighties than any other. I used to listen 'Pictures at Eleven' with my mp3 player and phones when I was working as a paper-boy early in the morning a couple of years ago, in the little town where I lived. I was riding a bike while the town was still quiet and with the very firsts lights of dawn. So the energy of the album helped me a lot to recharge my batteries after a 'not-sleeping-all-night-long' kind of thing on a sunday morning, as you can imagine, and people would get his morning papers on time. But I still listen to it and I still think is great. (I like 'Mighty Rearranger' a lot, too). I went to see Robert and his Sensational Space Shifters when he came to Cordoba, Argentina, in november 2012. What a great show and band that was! I had never seen him live before, so - you can imagine, hearing his voice rumbling through the building from the first song ('Tin Pan Valley') was kind of surreal. I immediately felt something like: "Holy shit!, here is a man with 64 years old and thousands of battles on his back, and he still manages to sound strong!" He's a truly Chief Viking

When I think about that june 21st 1977 L.A. Forum show, I always remember that amazing begining with "The Song Remains The Same", when Bonham basically goes like a fuckin' rocket with the snare and kick drum. And that was just the start of the concert! What a night, my goodness! Luckily, this version of "Song Remains" is included in the official DVD as an extra - the version of the audio bootleg "Listen To This Eddie" synched up with amateur footage in 8mm. I wasn't at the show itself, obviously, but I wish I had the opportunity! I know about the show via Eddie bootleg. "Sick Again" was a kick ass, and I remember the great jam in "No Quarter" too; again, with Bonzo hammering the drums like a machine gun in combat with Page. Robert strong vocals too... and of course, Mr. Page was really ON FIRE that night. An historic one. Epic, indeed.

When I think about that june 21st 1977 L.A. Forum show, I always remember that amazing begining with "The Song Remains The Same", when Bonham basically goes like a fuckin' rocket with the snare and kick drum. And that was just the start of the concert! What a night, my goodness! Luckily, this version of "Song Remains" is included in the official DVD as an extra - the version of the audio bootleg "Listen To This Eddie" synched up with amateur footage in 8mm. I wasn't at the show itself, obviously, but I wish I had the opportunity! I know about the show via Eddie bootleg. "Sick Again" was a kick ass, and I remember the great jam in "No Quarter" too; again, with Bonzo hammering the drums like a machine gun in combat with Page. Robert strong vocals too... and of course, Mr. Page was really ON FIRE that night. An historic one. Epic, indeed.

When I think about that june 21st 1977 L.A. Forum show, I always remember that amazing begining with "The Song Remains The Same", when Bonham basically goes like a fuckin' rocket with the snare and kick drum. And that was just the start of the concert! What a night, my goodness! Luckily, this version of "Song Remains" is included in the official DVD as an extra - the version of the audio bootleg "Listen To This Eddie" synched up with amateur footage in 8mm. I wasn't at the show itself, obviously, but I wish I had the opportunity! I know about the show via Eddie bootleg. "Sick Again" was a kick ass, and I remember the great jam in "No Quarter" too; again, with Bonzo hammering the drums like a machine gun in combat with Page. Robert strong vocals too... and of course, Mr. Page was really ON FIRE that night. An historic one. Epic, indeed.

I'm from Argentina and even today I still cursing myself for not attend that concert (i had not discovered Led Zeppelin yet). I friend of mine -not a Zeppelin fan like me- told me that was the best concert he attended. To redeem myself, i have the bootleg copy of both, audio an video. The video was professionally filmed... God exists Robert Plant played here in january 1994 and Page & Plant played in a FM radio station in november 1994 for promotional purposes. As a surprise, Jimmy played with Aerosmith the night before. Alfredo Rosso, an Argentine journalist, told us that the Page & Plant press conference in Buenos Aires was not being very enthusiastic, until he told Page that he was a very big fan of The Incredible String Band too (you know, like Jimmy). I know that's true because i had read his writings and listened his radio show, where he played Incredible String Band many times. In that point, Page was brightened and replied with a smile: "Any fan of The Incredible String Band is my friend." Peace

Exactly. I think that's one of the reasons why he has maintained an aura of secrecy about their interest in the occult. Mysticism is a very complex thing, and Page is a cautious guy.

And yes, Lucifer means, "Light Bearer", not Satan. The concept of light & shadow.

A true student of the occult does not run out so easily. I remember an interview in a magazine, 2008 a think, where he still talked about the occult in concepts of magick/Thelema. The hermetic philosophy is all about Life. His London home, Tower House, was a freemason's design.

Fantastic performance of "In My Time Of Dying" posted on the october 29 segment, even on that eighties sound .