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Jimmy and John Pauls Session work


the-ocean87

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Jimmy Page played on about 4000-5000 songs during his session career, and John Paul Jones played on even more. There's no way they remember 10% of the sessions that they played on, let alone all of them.

From late 1963 to early 1966, Jimmy was one of just a few session guitarists who were capable of playing improvised guitar solos. As a result, he was very much in demand -- playing on 5-10 sessions per week. JPJ was even more prolific, especially at the end of his session career when he was doing so many sessions (30+ in a month) that it all became a blur to him.

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Jimmy Page played on about 4000-5000 songs during his session career, and John Paul Jones played on even more. There's no way they remember 10% of the sessions that they played on, let alone all of them.

From late 1963 to early 1966, Jimmy was one of just a few session guitarists who were capable of playing improvised guitar solos. As a result, he was very much in demand -- playing on 5-10 sessions per week. JPJ was even more prolific, especially at the end of his session career when he was doing so many sessions (30+ in a month) that it all became a blur to him.

5000 Songs? I doubt that. I found that list in the internet:

http://members.tripod.com/rant58/id331.htm

What do you think about these session-list? Its not complete i believe. And not everything is correct.

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5000 Songs? I doubt that. I found that list in the internet:

http://members.tripod.com/rant58/id331.htm

What do you think about these session-list? Its not complete i believe. And not everything is correct.

I'd say it's just a drop in the bucket.

3-4 days per week, 2-3 sessions per day, 2-4 songs per session -- that's ~3500 songs just from 1963-66. Add in the sessions in 1962-63 and the sessions while he was with the Yardbirds and Zep and I think you can top 4000 easily.

But I would say that only a couple hundred of those songs feature Jimmy in a prominent role (guitar solo or main rhythm part). The vast majority of his session work consisted of strumming an acoustic guitar anonymously in the background.

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April 3rd 1968

JPJ studio session with Donovan…bass and arrangement on 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' and bass on Teen Angel' (Jimmy Page also present). London, England.

The only problem is that this is the same date as the Yardbirds' "Taking A Hold On Me" session -- in New York City.

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I know that JPJ arranged strings for a few Herman's Hermits songs... I think he did the last three or four songs on their Retrospective album that came out not too long ago... I'm not sure if he did more for them or not, I just remember seeing his name while looking through the liner notes...

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I know that JPJ arranged strings for a few Herman's Hermits songs... I think he did the last three or four songs on their Retrospective album that came out not too long ago... I'm not sure if he did more for them or not, I just remember seeing his name while looking through the liner notes...

Allegedly, he accompanied them on a tour of Germany around 1967. I've never found

a shred of evidence that he did, nor that such a tour occured. If he did go, he may

have gone as part of the entourage and not necessarily as a performer. It's a mystery.

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Allegedly, he accompanied them on a tour of Germany around 1967. I've never found

a shred of evidence that he did, nor that such a tour occured. If he did go, he may

have gone as part of the entourage and not necessarily as a performer. It's a mystery.

There was also a press story that claimed JPJ would be flying to New York in April 1966 to record a film soundtrack with Peter Noone. Problem is, I can find no evidence of such a soundtrack! (Herman's Hermits had done a film earlier in 1966, but that soundtrack album had already been released. And they wouldn't do another movie until mid-1968).

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There was also a press story that claimed JPJ would be flying to New York in April 1966 to record a film soundtrack with Peter Noone. Problem is, I can find no evidence of such a soundtrack! (Herman's Hermits had done a film earlier in 1966, but that soundtrack album had already been released. And they wouldn't do another movie until mid-1968).

I suppose we can take consolation in knowing we are the only ones who care about this stuff. Then again, that means if we don't solve it no one else will.

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  • 4 weeks later...
So what else do we know about Page's sessions? And what about the CD- gues-appearances beetween 1980 and 2006 ??

Man, I tried bringing this subject up on the Newbies' board and got no place. :lol: Instead of trying to figure out ALL of his session songs (which apparently is impossible), I now only want to confirm 2...are those his solos on "Sunshine Superman" and "It's Not Unusual?"

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Man, I tried bringing this subject up on the Newbies' board and got no place. :lol: Instead of trying to figure out ALL of his session songs (which apparently is impossible), I now only want to confirm 2...are those his solos on "Sunshine Superman" and "It's Not Unusual?"

"Sunshine Superman" - Donovan has credited Page with the solo, but JPJ once stated that Jimmy played rhythm guitar on the song. The solo may have been Jim Sullivan or Eric Ford.

"It's Not Unusual" - most sources credit Jim Sullivan with the solo. But Sullivan says that Joe Moretti played the solo while he played rhythm. I'm not certain if Jimmy even played on the song, but if he did it was just in a rhythm capacity.

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"Sunshine Superman" - Donovan has credited Page with the solo, but JPJ once stated that Jimmy played rhythm guitar on the song. The solo may have been Jim Sullivan or Eric Ford.

"It's Not Unusual" - most sources credit Jim Sullivan with the solo. But Sullivan says that Joe Moretti played the solo while he played rhythm. I'm not certain if Jimmy even played on the song, but if he did it was just in a rhythm capacity.

:thanku: For some reason, I just needed those songs to be clarified. I don't even know where I heard he played on "It's Not Unusual," but I'd rather not listen to the song just to hear Jimmy if it ain't Jimmy on the song. :blink:

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What about the CD "Heinz - Just like eddie"

Does Jimmy play guitar there? I once read that somwhere. But i was told that Ritchie Blackmore plays on that LP. Does anyone know?

Blackmore played on most of of the Heinz sessions (including "Just Like Eddie"), although Jimmy played on "Diggin' My Potatoes".

well, i have seen it mentioned that Jimmy Page is estimated to have played on 2/3 of all British studio sessions in the 60s - but it may have been only for a few years like 1960-1965 or something, i forget

There were probably 20,000-30,000 songs recorded in England between 1960-65. It's simply not physically possible for Jimmy to have played on 66% of them, let alone 50%. Plus, you have to consider that there were more than a dozen full-time session guitarists in London during this time period (it wasn't just Page & Jim Sullivan). Yes, Page and Jim Sullivan were the top 2 guys -- but only in the rock/pop genre. And it's quite possible that Page & Sullivan played on 2/3rds of rock & pop sessions, but those recordings were just a drop in the bucket for professional session musicians.

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well, i have seen it mentioned that Jimmy Page is estimated to have played on 2/3 of all British studio sessions in the 60s - but it may have been only for a few years like 1960-1965 or something, i forget

This could be true, but we have to distinguish what he played. Personally, I would like to know what solos he played and on which famous songs. But when I find out he "played" on a particular song, it was just rhythm guitar, or harmonica, or the tambourine...ya know? Man, it's tough work bein' a Jimmy Page fan. :lol:

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  • 4 months later...

I once opend this topic to discuss the session- works. But nothing more happened. So I'll start again.

On englisch wikipedia i read that JPJ played for Dusty Springfield and Cat Stevens. Does anybody know on which recordings we can hear him play??

(more questions to follow.....)

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