Page Speaks to Mick Wall

[mstork]

Mick Wall has said that he "burned the bridges" between him and Page by writing and publishing his Zep bio last year. Well apparently the bridge isn't totally burned, this is from Wall's blog after attending the Classic Rock Awards a few days ago:

Spent so much time yacking to people my voice was gone the next day. I even spoke briefly to Jimmy, who it turns out has read my Zeppelin biography. I'm not saying he exactly complimented me on it, nor gave any indictaion that he liked it - why would he, he doesn't exactly come out smelling of roses? - but at least we spoke. I doubt he'll ever get over it. But I don't regret the book, being one of the best things I've done. And yet, and yet, and yet... fuck it. Life is very short and today was very long. And fun.

Mick Wall Blog

[SteveAJones]

Mick Wall has said that he "burned the bridges" between him and Page by writing and publishing his Zep bio last year. Well apparently the bridge isn't totally burned, this is from Wall's blog after attending the Classic Rock Awards a few days ago:

Mick Wall Blog

Frankly, reads like he is name dropping and besides, Mick shouldn't expect Jimmy to forgive and forget.

[glicine]

Frankly, reads like he is name dropping and besides, Mick shouldn't expect Jimmy to forgive and forget.

I don't see he was expecting that. But I do see he was still bitter about the burned bridge.

[moffo]

I only recently finished reading this book and I quite enjoyed it. There were no surprises or shock revelations, but I just like reading about Zep. And then I read the final chapter or so and I've got to admit, i was quite shocked. The way I interpreted it, it came across like Jimmy is a bit of a loner who is living in the past and doesn't want to progress from Led Zep and doesn't favour him at all. That last chapter spoilt the book for me then. Jimmy still has LEGEND status in my book and Mick Wall isn't fit enough to lace his boots.

If I was Jimmy and bumped into him I'd tell him to eff off!!

JIMMY PAGE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mstork]

Frankly, reads like he is name dropping and besides, Mick shouldn't expect Jimmy to forgive and forget.

Agreed, just thought it was worth posting because I was surprised Jimmy would even talk to him at all. Wall seemed to have the slightest regret at harpooning their relationship to cash in.

Then again, if you believe everything you read in Wall's book, perhaps Jimmy will get even by putting a curse on him!

[SteveAJones]

Agreed, just thought it was worth posting because I was surprised Jimmy would even talk to him at all.

I don't know what was said but whatever it was Mick said it was brief, perhaps a chance encounter at best.

[mstork]

Don't be silly. He would never even think of doing somethng like that.

For the record, I don't think he would do that and I was being silly.

Although Mick goes so far in the book as to blame a curse that Kenneth Anger laid on Jimmy for Jimmy's lack of creative output in recent years. Mick is apparently pretty silly himself.

Again, shocked Page would even be civil with him. AS Steve suggested, probably a chance encounter...

[SteveAJones]

Again, shocked Page would even be civil with him. As Steve suggested, probably a chance encounter...

I think Jimmy is more tolerant, if not forgiving of journalists than many might realize. The best example might be from Spring 1988 when Charles M. Young was invited into Jimmy's home for an interview, during the course of which Charles inferred Jimmy was cheap and a heroin addict. He deserved to leave to head first but Jimmy went ahead with doing the

full interview after explaining he was neither.

[ally]

I think Jimmy is more tolerant, if not forgiving of journalists than many might realize. The best example might be from Spring 1988 when Charles M. Young was invited into Jimmy's home for an interview, during the course of which Charles

inferred Jimmy was cheap and a herion addict. He deserved to leave to head first but Jimmy went ahead with doing the

full interview after explaining he was neither.

Probably realized that he was not without fault and understood that others make mistakes and are influenced by what they believe to be the truth. Sign of a strong person

[mstork]

I think Jimmy is more tolerant, if not forgiving of journalists than many might realize. The best example might be from Spring 1988 when Charles M. Young was invited into Jimmy's home for an interview, during the course of which Charles

inferred Jimmy was cheap and a herion addict. He deserved to leave to head first but Jimmy went ahead with doing the

full interview after explaining he was neither.

I still have that issue. I remember how excited I was to read it and how disappointed I was when Young's attitude jumped off the pages. He conducted the interview as if he was a lawyer and Jimmy was an accused criminal on the stand.

[Otto Masson]

That 1988 interview was awful. Jimmy in the usual run of things indeed seems to be a polite and tolerant man, which Mick Wall's story now only confirms. I still haven't read Wall's book, although I no doubt will pick it up at some point. I was never excited about it, because having read Wall's blog he struck me as, frankly, a silly and entirely uninteresting writer - hence, hardly insightful. Before publication he was also talking about it in terms of superseding Hammer of the Gods, as if that was an important standard work for those seriously interested in the band!

[djzoso]

I only recently finished reading this book and I quite enjoyed it. There were no surprises or shock revelations, but I just like reading about Zep. And then I read the final chapter or so and I've got to admit, i was quite shocked. The way I interpreted it, it came across like Jimmy is a bit of a loner who is living in the past and doesn't want to progress from Led Zep and doesn't favour him at all. That last chapter spoilt the book for me then. Jimmy still has LEGEND status in my book and Mick Wall isn't fit enough to lace his boots.

If I was Jimmy and bumped into him I'd tell him to eff off!!

JIMMY PAGE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

not the way i've would of put it but you got the point across and i agree

[aen27]

I loved the book other than how he depects Jimmy in the last chapter. I still like to think of Mick's interview with him on Sky TV from 1988, that I have on DVD where Jimmy is adorable and Mick is funny and fun. It's interesting they spoke, espically if Jimmy was so angry with him.

[SteveAJones]

I still like to think of Mick's interview with him on Sky TV from 1988, that I have on DVD where Jimmy is adorable and Mick is funny and fun.

That was the 'Monsters of Rock' music and interview program Mick hosted which originally aired June 30th 1988.

In fact, it was the last broadcast and Jimmy was the last guest, which is why Mick offered him one of the stage

props (a tombstone) at the end.

[bigstickbonzo]

The way I interpreted it, it came across like Jimmy is a bit of a loner who is living in the past and doesn't want to progress from Led Zep and doesn't favour him at all.

That alone puts it off for me.

I find it ironic how some jump on Page for not moving on from Zeppelin while others jump on Plant for moving on from Zeppelin.

[mstork]

That alone puts it off for me.

I find it ironic how some jump on Page for not moving on from Zeppelin while others jump on Plant for moving on from Zeppelin.

So true!

[aen27]

That was the 'Monsters of Rock' music and interview program Mick hosted which originally aired June 30th 1988.

In fact, it was the last broadcast and Jimmy was the last guest, which is why Mick offered him one of the stage

props (a tombstone) at the end.

Yes. They were both so much fun in that interview.

[kaiser]

I didn't like Hammer Of The Gods because Stephen Davis writes like a combo of a second year college student & Danielle Steele. I didn't like Stairway To Heaven because Richard Cole writes like a how a drunk in a bar speaks, self mythologizing & inaccurate. I haven't read Mick Wall's book but I want to. I've always liked his articles on Zeppelin in Mojo magazine. He has written about subjects that the band, particularly Jimmy, doesn't like but not in a sensationalist way. Jimmy Page doesn't like anything written about him in a personal way & if asked a personal question he normally deflects it, so I'm not going to take his word that the book is garbage. There's no smoke without fire. I'll read the book & go over past interviews with the band members to form my opinion on how accurate the book is.

Also, haven't the band members dismissed Richard Cole as a traitor/liar/addict only to be in his presence several times over the years, some I believe by invitation. If I felt that way about someone who I felt really wronged me through lies & distortions then I certainly wouldn't acknowledge their presence if I bumped into them, much less invite them to an event.

[SteveAJones]

Also, haven't the band members dismissed Richard Cole as a traitor/liar/addict

No. Jimmy (and perhaps JPJ & Robert as well) understands Richard was down and out when he collaborated with author Stephen Davis on that book.

[kaiser]

No. Jimmy (and perhaps JPJ & Robert as well) understands Richard was down and out when he collaborated with author Stephen Davis on that book.

Jimmy was pissed off with Cole for writing in Stairway To Heaven that Plant showed Page the arrangement of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" on guitar, which Page fumed about because Robert didn't even play guitar at that time. Page said he considered sueing Cole & threw the book in the river without reading the rest of it because he was sure it was distorted. That was in a Guitar World interview promoting the first or second box set. Cole was sober by the time he wrote his own book.

Plant in an MTV interview from 85' he said Cole's recollections were fabrications & that he had very little to do with Cole after Cole commanded Plant to get sandwiches for him on an early tour & it remained that way at least up until that interview.

I forget exactly where & when the interview took place, I have to dig it out, but JPJ said he felt betrayed by Cole not so much for his potrayal of the surviving three members but by the way Cole had portrayed Bonzo, which he found unforgiveable & that he wanted nothing to do with him ever again. Like I said I can't remember off hand when that interview exactly took place but it was some time after Hammer Of The Gods if not Stairway To Heaven.

Regardless, all pretty strong anti-Cole vibes yet he's at the 02 show. Go figure.

.

[glicine]

Regardless, all pretty strong anti-Cole vibes yet he's at the 02 show. Go figure.

.

Not only was he at the O2 show, he also sat at the same table with the Zeppelin members at last year's GQ Awards.

[kaiser]

Exactly Glicine. I don't think it's peculiar for Page to speak to Mick Wall at some function when when he's buddying up with Richard Cole. Let's face it, Richard Cole is the ultimate source of all the infamous Zeppelin stories, no one even comes close. Richard Cole has done more, lack of a better word, "damage" to Led Zeppelin as far as the written word than Mick Wall could hope to accomplish. Stephen Davis's book is nothing without Cole. Cole then writes his own book. I mean, come on. From what I've heard the worst Mick Wall has to say is that Jimmy sits around watching soccer doing nothing else but wishing for Zeppelin reunions. Scandalous lol. Oh well, now I just want to read the book more.

[glicine]

From what I've heard the worst Mick Wall has to say is that Jimmy sits around watching soccer doing nothing else but wishing for Zeppelin reunions. Scandalous lol. Oh well, now I just want to read the book more.

I have Mick Wall's book, I think it's ok, at least it was not written in a sensentionalist way. The things troubled me in the book are the "second person" POVs(I mean, it is a bit like badly written fanfics) and the generally very gloomy and negative tone, not only about Jimmy's solo career but during the Zeppelin days too. Where are the glorious days and the fun they had?

But there are also some interesting information bits in that book, but I guess I'll let you to find them by yourself.

[SteveAJones]

Jimmy was pissed off with Cole for writing in Stairway To Heaven that Plant showed Page the arrangement of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" on guitar, which Page fumed about because Robert didn't even play guitar at that time. Page said he considered sueing Cole & threw the book in the river without reading the rest of it because he was sure it was distorted. That was in a Guitar World interview promoting the first or second box set. Cole was sober by the time he wrote his own book.

Plant in an MTV interview from 85' he said Cole's recollections were fabrications & that he had very little to do with Cole after Cole commanded Plant to get sandwiches for him on an early tour & it remained that way at least up until that interview.

I forget exactly where & when the interview took place, I have to dig it out, but JPJ said he felt betrayed by Cole not so much for his potrayal of the surviving three members but by the way Cole had portrayed Bonzo, which he found unforgiveable & that he wanted nothing to do with him ever again. Like I said I can't remember off hand when that interview exactly took place but it was some time after Hammer Of The Gods if not Stairway To Heaven.

Regardless, all pretty strong anti-Cole vibes yet he's at the 02 show. Go figure.

It was actually Hammer of the Gods which Jimmy claimed to have thrown into the Thames, not Cole's 'Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin Uncensored'. The "sandwich incident" with Plant is in Cole's book.' Anyway, I'm not saying any of them were thrilled with Richard having been involved in either book, just that his motivaion for doing so is understood. Unlike Mick Wall he's no longer exiled from Jimmy and hasn't been for years and years.

[kaiser]

It was actually Hammer of the Gods which Jimmy claimed to have thrown into the Thames, not Cole's 'Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin Uncensored'. The "sandwich incident" with Plant is in Cole's book.' Anyway, I'm not saying any of them were thrilled with Richard having been involved in either book, just that his motivaion for doing so is understood. Unlike Mick Wall he's no longer exiled from Jimmy and hasn't been for years and years.

You're right about the The Thames thing. I didn't have all my interviews over the years in front of me, memories of the interviews combined. The sandwich incident is in Hammer Of The Gods as well, that's why Plant mentioned it during that MTV interview in 85'.

I saw Mick Wall's book for the first time today. Read a bit of it. It does seem a bit nasty in places, but I only thumbed through it so I can't really give an honest opinion on it yet. Im buying it friday & I'm going to give it a chance.