Jump to content

Flares

Members
  • Posts

    173
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Flares

  1. Thanks for the heads up. I hadn't seen that presser before. There's lots of laughter between the two of them, which is in contrast to the Australian press conference and other ones from that tour when the relationship seems to be a bit strained again. I'm still convinced that Plant only got back with Page because his solo career had stalled: in 1993 he was supporting Lenny Kravitz. I wonder if demos of the other 4 or five new songs ended up on WITC or if they are gathering dust in a vault somewhere.
  2. I don't think it's just the odd poor live performance, it's the decline in his playing since 1973 that he never recovered from that bamboozles fans. Clapton and Beck have, if anything, got better with age, but Page has struggled to refind the magic he had from 1968-73. The biggest thing that has deserted him is his fluency in his solos. Lots of sticky notes, etc. I liked his playing in the Firm, but not the songs and music.
  3. You make some good points Mithril46. Jimmy likes to float over a rock-solid rhythm section and be "tight but loose." When the bass is a bit loose as well, it can end up sounding messy. I think the Firm was partly a vehicle to get Jimmy out playing again. Maybe without that, he wouldn't have had the confidence to do Outrider. The fact that Jimmy has never even done a guest spot on one of Rodgers solo tours suggests that the musical partnership is pretty much dead.
  4. The Firm was essentially Bad Company with some outre guitar and less commercial material. Rodgers was the wrong foil for Page.
  5. There's no doubting Rodgers has a great voice, but it's a kind of old fashioned Tom Jones-style blues voice. And I think his song writing abilities are pretty rote and don't suit Page's guitar style. Jimmy elevated the Firm above AOR by playing some interesting chord voicings, throwing in the odd time-signature and syncopation, and the use of the b-string bender. Without him it would have been a really dull middle-aged rock album. They didn't sell well for a reason, and that wasn't just because it was the mid-80s, it's because the material was pretty average. The production was crap too. Jimmy put a raw demo of Closer on his website one day and it was much better than the slickly produced version on the album. Much like when Lennon did "I'm Losing you" with Cheap Trick. So, would I be up for a Firm reunion? No. I'd rather see Page hook up with some new folk and try something different. But he better hurry up. He's not getting any younger...
  6. I like Cleveland (Detroyer) 27/4, because the mix and sound is so good. Not a top notch performance, though. Bit of nostalgia as well, as it was the first boot of the '77 tour I bought on bootleg back in the early 90s at a record fair.
  7. I don't know who the guitarist was in question, but if his comment was meant to be slightly pejorative, then screw him. He should be more respectful of Jimmy's talents and what he achieved. Mate, you might be technically better than Page, but you have nowhere near the vision or unique "voice" that Page had. Outside, Robbie Blunt, who was superb, and had his own distinctive voice, Plant's guitarists in the 80s and early 90s were inter-changeable session robots.
  8. Plant's tour finished last month. Maybe him and Jimbo have agreed to book a studio and see what happens. Ha ha. That was funny.
  9. There's a really interesting interview with Plant on Swedish radio from 1985. He's promoting Shaken ''n' Stirred. Anyway, he's very open about Jimmy when the interviewer asks him about collaborating again. Plant basically says that his music was very precise and he didn't think it would suit Page's Wagnerian, cavalier approach. He also talks about how he went to see Page play with the Firm and cried, because it was the first time he had watched him as a punter. He said he didn't really like The Firm and preferred the stuff Page did for Death Wish 2. He seemed genuinely happy that Page was out playing and in a band again. here it is if you wanna listen:
  10. Yeah, it is reminiscent of The Edge. The first two minutes are better than anything Page did with The Firm.
  11. I'm pretty sure it was a rehearsal at Clearwell Castle before they flew out to Sweden.
  12. I love everything about Fire. Page's new wave guitar tone, the thunderous drums, and the ascending guitar figure. Plus it wasn't recorded in ABBA'S state of the art studio which made everything sound like it was recorded under a duvet. So much better than a lot of the stuff on ITTOD. I mean, would you rather have Fire or friggin Hot Dog.
  13. If that's true, it's a measure of how far the Page-Plant relationship had swung from 1968-1995. Page, once the leader of the band and musical visionary, was slapped by the lead singer. It's hard to take.
  14. I agree that Jimmy sitting in on a few blues numbers at Crossroads would be a great way of him easing back into playing live. It would also get him networking with musicians and open up a few possibilities for collaborations. That's how The Firm came about when he played with Rodgers on the ARMS tour. I guess the question is, has Clapton ever asked him to sit on a few numbers or play at the festival? He's asked virtually every over guitarist of note. I'm sure Clappers would love to see a clean Page play along with him and Beck. Ticket and DVD sales would go through the roof. Come on Jimbo, play at Crossroads!!!!
  15. The difference between Page and Clapton was clear at ARMS. Page was playing Chopin on a b-string bender, trying to push the boundaries. Clapton did Layla and Tulsa Time, without breaking a sweat. For me, Clapton, is a fine guitar player, but post-Cream he never really pushed the boundaries that much. For better or worse, most of the time, Page has ploughed forward and taken some risks. Could Clapton have written something as innovative as TSRTS, 10 years gone or Achilles Last Stand. I doubt it. That all aside, I would love to have seen Beck, Clapton and Page trade solos on a standard 12-bar blues at the Crossroads festival. That would have been awesome. They're all legends in their own field.
  16. If there was any level of friendship at all, surely Clapton would have invited Page to perform at one of his Crossroads festivals. Clapton's had bloody every other guitarist on there. I'm sure Page would have been happy to sit in on a few blues numbers and it would have boosted ticket sales. I think it's a mixture of they don't get on and Clapton doesn't rate Jimbo's playing anymore.
  17. I just remembered seeing Clapton on Wogan with Townsend in the mid-80s, and also Clapton playing with Roger Waters on one of his albums and live. So, yeah, he's not closed to collaborating with his 70s peer group. And then Clapton was on the same bill as Page at Knebworth 90 and played with Dire Straits and Elton John, but Page was nowhere to be seen! Only a set earlier in the day with Plant. Hmm. I would love to know the inside line on their relationship.
  18. What's the relationship like between Clapton and Page these days? I know the famous story about Clapton going back to Jimmy's house in the 60s, or vice versa, and they jammed a few blues songs which eventually came out on vinyl. I bought it and it's pretty good. But aside from ARMS in 1983, I don't think they have played again together.They never seem to talk about each other either, although Page rarely name-checks anyone! Being a blues purist, I wonder if Clapton thinks Zep bastardised the blues and didn't credit their sources enough. I know post-Cream he wasn't into the whole extended imrpov thing anymore. Anyway, just curios as to the state of the relationship if there is one at all. You think two guitar titans from the same era, who both played in the Yardbirds, would respect each other. Clapton always speaks highly of Beck and played at his Ronnie Scott's gigs. But Jimbo never gets a mention!
  19. I never claimed it was a fact, that's why I said "I think what hampered..." Just an opinion. It was based on Jimmy wanting to work for Robert for years, and Robert being the stumbling block. So when Robert finally committed, after 13 years, I think that Jimmy wouldn't want to rock the apple cart and scare Robert off again.
  20. I think with the passage of time and reduced expectation it fares better, but it is still a bit of a disappointment. It's a good late night, atmospheric sort of album. I think what hampered the Page/Plant reunion was that Plant was holding all the cards and basically held Jimmy to ransom to do things his way. Page was so desperate to work with Plant again so he went along with him, including working with Albini. The album's got artistic merit but it's just not that much fun to listen to. A bit of a dirge at times and I don't like Plants voice for most of it. Frustrating because some of the material was good and with the right production it could have been sensational. A low key footnote to their songwriting partnership.
  21. Jsj you are bang on the money: "The other thing with this round of rereleased is that for all the interviews and promotion that Page has done, what have we learned that is new really? Not a lot, he trots out the same old stories he has done for decades and gets very defensive when probed on anything that isn't standard fare Q&A stuff. His refusal to concede in anyway that his playing suffered through his heroin years is laughable. I don't want him to get all confessional and contrite about that time, like many rock stars later do, but to be in denial of any effect on his playing at all wins him no new friends. I noted that in the edition of Mojo magazine after their Physical Graffitin special a reader wrote in to complain that the lack of probing questions and acceptance of Page being allowed to use his standard party line speech rendered the article pretty much just a promotional item for the album rather than any aspect of journalism which even to a fan like myself also seemed the case." Page got so defensive and indignant when journalists dare ask a question that wasn't a pat on the back or a glowing compliment. He just whitewashed everything and wanted to talk about how brilliant the band were all the time. I suspect journalists did want to ask more probing questions, but they were told that if you do you will be barred from the next round of interviews. That's how the PR game works these days. This journo from The Guardian got sick of his evasion and put footnotes to his interview with him: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jul/24/jimmy-page-interview-robert-plant-led-zeppelin-remasters Another thing that is annoying is Page's lack of transparency with fans. It's not the 70s anymore, this veil of mystique and non-communication doesn't float in the era of social media. Since the demise of P&P, he says every year or so, I'm putting a new band together and it's going to be dynamite but that's all I can say. It's just smoke and mirrors. He hasn't done anything and just stringed along fans for years. Pick up the guitar Jiimmy and be more honest and open with your fans, who clearly love you.
  22. I'll leave it. 90 per cent karaoke versions and mixes where the difference is negligible. There is much better stuff on Studio Magik that could have been presented in pristine sound quality. That would have been much more of a "portal" into the creative process than a louder tambourine here or there.
  23. Walter, I didn't buy them, because 90 per cent of it was virtually the same as the studio mix. Tmtomh, was right, one or two discs with the best bits plus Paris would have been great. If Page wanted to exclude the bootleg stuff already out there, a decision should have been made that there wasn't enough to release a companion disc for each album. But then he would have had no hook to get people to buy the re-issues...again. It was a commercial decision to get people to buy the remasters of the remasters. That's why I feel that Page short-changed the fans. It was all about shifting units. And I forgot all about Fire, the bootleg rehearsal I heard of that was stunning. Bonham's drums were monster. Another gem missed. The "portal" ended up being more of a rabbit-hole.
  24. "Some other acts, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel" Unlike Zeppelin, who are releasing remasters of the remasters of the remasters. Basically the same material again and again. At least these bands are putting out "new" stuff. It's up to the fan to make the decision if he wants to buy it and feels the quality is acceptable. Page said he didn't wanted to replicate the bootleg stuff, but what about your average fan who doesn't have that, or the fan who wants it in the best quality possible. He needed to put the best stuff on there he had. I would rather have a slightly inferior sound-wise rehearsal, that could be EQ'd and sound good, rather than The Battle of Evermore with a slightly louder mandolin. That would have been far more of a "portal" into the creative process, than a near-final different mix. Page got it wrong.
  25. I've been extremely disappointed with all the companion discs. 90 per cent of the songs on them have been slightly different mixes with a louder tambourine, etc. Fans wanted early work in progress versions or unreleased stuff. A total swizz. Page got it all wrong. I'm guessing that he didn't want to release stuff that was a bit rough playing-wise, or sound quality wise, but it was a huge mistake and a massive missed opportunity. There's even omissions like the brilliant Swan Song. No wait, we'll put a mix of a song with slightly more reverb instead. I mean, what's more interesting? Other 70s rock bands are so generous with the amount of content they provide their fans. Zep are miserly in comparison. Same with the live stuff. Aside from the Led Zeppelin DVD, post 73 live is not even represented on audio. That's three tours plus the Copenhage/Knebworth shows (the first Copenhagen warm-up is killer). I'm sure it will be down to Page frowning at his sloppy playing and perhaps the availability of multi-tracks, but surely they can get one show, or a compilation show, from each tour to put on CD. The time delays and inertia, make being a Zep fan very frustrating!
×
×
  • Create New...