Jimmy's Greatest Misses

[Nutrocker]

Inspired by Tripmender's "Nobody's Fault But Mine" discussion, for shits and giggles I thought it might be interesting to try and list Jimmy Page's biggest live performance whoopsies. Be it wrong chords, wrong keys, tuning issues, utterly fumble fingered solos and all the rest, lets see how comprehensive/specific a list we can come up with.

Disclaimer: this is not intended as an insult or critique of Jimmy's playing. After all, he is justifiably one of the greatest guitar players EVER. His 'sloppiness', as it were, has always been part of his charm IMO, as well as a byproduct of the abandon with which he plays. Gotta love the guy!

I'll cast the first stone:

- Seattle '77, "Over The Hills And Far Away". What kind of a solo was that? Out of tune, wrong key and compelling John Paul Jones to bust out some very jazz-fusion sounding backing. Ouch!

[Yupter]

1973 Salt Lake City - Celebration Day

At the beginning of the solo he most definitely hits a couple of sour notes, it's quite funny.

1975 Long Beach (11th) - TSRTS

Halfway through, Jimmy's 12 string goes out of whack; one of the strings gets loose (?) and it sounds hilarious.

1977 Los Angeles (23rd) - Trampled Under Foot

About a minute into the song Jimmy goes missing for about forty-five seconds <--- does that count?

My Disclaimer: I find the band's most obvious mistakes humorously enjoyable, oops moments caught on tape

[Quix]

The expressions on the other two's faces pretty much sum it up.

[Nutrocker]

I find the band's most obvious mistakes humorously enjoyable, oops moments caught on tape

Yes, 'cos with those mistakes it makes it real. You know you're listening to living breathing human beings and not backing tapes or whatever (not that they really used that kind of thing in the 70's) As Jonesy said at least once, "On our worst night we were still better than most." I'd agree...even really messy shows like Tempe '77 or Hannover '80 have at least one decent thing going for them. You could do a lot worse, by a lot of other 'classic' bands.

I've said it before: what amazes me is that in the mid 70's Keith Richards was just as much -if not more- of a junkie than Page was, yet it seems to me on any given night Keith seemed to be much more on the ball than Jimmy was. I mean, I've heard all the available 1975 Rolling Stones shows, and I don't recall Keith ever blowing it the way Jimmy did a few nights in '77 and '80. Hell, on those Stones shows, Jagger comes across a hell of a lot worse than Keith (or Ron Wood, for that matter) most nights.

Here's one more...a good arguement for why this tune should have been put out to pasture in '73 or so(or, arguably replaced with "Tea For One")...SIBLY from the Berlin '80 show:

[Yupter]

I've said it before: what amazes me is that in the mid 70's Keith Richards was just as much -if not more- of a junkie than Page was, yet it seems to me on any given night Keith seemed to be much more on the ball than Jimmy was. I mean, I've heard all the available 1975 Rolling Stones shows, and I don't recall Keith ever blowing it the way Jimmy did a few nights in '77 and '80. Hell, on those Stones shows, Jagger comes across a hell of a lot worse than Keith (or Ron Wood, for that matter) most nights.

In all honesty neither Ronnie Wood nor Keith Richards shreds like we've heard Jimmy can

NO! Not that one! I mean like OTHAFA in '77.

1979 Knebworth (11th) - OTHAFA

Some serious clunkity-clunk closing the solo and a broken string at the very end

NO! I said '77!

[3hrsoflunacy]

1. Falling into the orchestra pit while playing with someone (I think Poison but don't feel like looking it up).

2. Heartbreaker and STH solos at Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary.

[The Rover]

Miss Pamela was one Jimmy's Greatest Misses

[tom kid]

I've said it before: what amazes me is that in the mid 70's Keith Richards was just as much -if not more- of a junkie than Page was, yet it seems to me on any given night Keith seemed to be much more on the ball than Jimmy was. I mean, I've heard all the available 1975 Rolling Stones shows, and I don't recall Keith ever blowing it the way Jimmy did a few nights in '77 and '80. Hell, on those Stones shows, Jagger comes across a hell of a lot worse than Keith (or Ron Wood, for that matter) most nights.

Keith wasn't playing stuff that was as complex as what Jimmy was playing though. He also had Ronnie Wood, Jimmy had to do all of the guitar parts himself live.

[Coda.S]

The expressions on the other two's faces pretty much sum it up.

This is one of my LEAST favourite moments of Jimmy along with the whole '77 tour!!!

[Tripmender]

What about HMMT at the Fillmore East on 1.2.69? About 9 mins in, at the end of JP's bowed section, all three instrumentalists appear to forget which song they're playing, and they slam into the fast bit of Dazed for about 30 seconds!

Not sure whether this was a mistake, but Percy doesn't sound like he knew it was coming!

[greenman]

I've said it before: what amazes me is that in the mid 70's Keith Richards was just as much -if not more- of a junkie than Page was, yet it seems to me on any given night Keith seemed to be much more on the ball than Jimmy was. I mean, I've heard all the available 1975 Rolling Stones shows, and I don't recall Keith ever blowing it the way Jimmy did a few nights in '77 and '80. Hell, on those Stones shows, Jagger comes across a hell of a lot worse than Keith (or Ron Wood, for that matter) most nights.

I'v not heard masses of live Stones stuff but I'd say the difference was likely what they were trying to play, if a junkie Keith had been trying to play Mick Taylors solo's I doubt the results would have been pretty.

[Tripmender]

I'v not heard masses of live Stones stuff but I'd say the difference was likely what they were trying to play, if a junkie Keith had been trying to play Mick Taylors solo's I doubt the results would have been pretty.

Off topic, but my favourite Keef live blooper story is when he nodded out during a quiet passage of Fool To Cry, with his foot on his volume-swell pedal

[Tripmender]

Off topic again, but this stuff's infectious!

At the height (or depths, depending on how you look at it) of their Toxic Phase, Aerosmith used to encore with Lightning Strikes. At one gig, they decided to open with it. At the end of the song, to the crowd's bemusement, Steven Tyler yelled 'Goodnight, Cleveland!' (or wherever it was), and the band ran offstage

[Nutrocker]

Off topic again, but this stuff's infectious!

At the height (or depths, depending on how you look at it) of their Toxic Phase, Aerosmith used to encore with Lightning Strikes. At one gig, they decided to open with it. At the end of the song, to the crowd's bemusement, Steven Tyler yelled 'Goodnight, Cleveland!' (or wherever it was), and the band ran offstage

No worries...I'm the one who brought up the Stones. No, Keith's parts aren't as complex as Jimmy's- I just find it interesting they were both playing in the same condition (more or less) but with very different results. Bear in mind Ronnie Wood and Mick Taylor liked their booze and drugs as well. Aerosmith too for that matter ...Steven Tyler has done the "Good evening, Wrong City!" a few times...they put on some bloody awful shows in the Toxic Twins days.

[zdr]

[@Tripmender's post] That was hilarious!

My favorite is the Zep story (IDK if it's true and I don't remember details) about how, when they embarqued for an USA tour, they had to stop first on some airport in UK, to refill the bar. And they all go out, take a bus, go downtown at some disco venue to "play the gig", play the gig in front of an audience gathered for another show and go back, not realizing that they are on the wrong side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Sorry for the detour

Edited June 27, 2010 by zdr

[greenman]

No worries...I'm the one who brought up the Stones. No, Keith's parts aren't as complex as Jimmy's- I just find it interesting they were both playing in the same condition (more or less) but with very different results.

I'v not heard them but the rep of a few of Keefs performances on the euro 73 tour sound like there not far off Page's worse.

Not just Page's parts but the whole style of the band was somewhat different aswell, The Stones hardly just played the hits note for note but there was clearly a desire to put on a tighter show than Zep. The famous "tight but loose" style Zep used on the other hand ment there was really no hiding place if someone was off form.

I think alot of the reason why Page "recovered" in the late 80's wasnt just because he cleaned himself up but because he changed his mentality to playing away from the ragged edge he'd preffered for so many years.

[Yupter]

What about HMMT at the Fillmore East on 1.2.69? About 9 mins in, at the end of JP's bowed section, all three instrumentalists appear to forget which song they're playing, and they slam into the fast bit of Dazed for about 30 seconds!

Not sure whether this was a mistake, but Percy doesn't sound like he knew it was coming!

Very intentional, but funny enough that's the same night where Robert talks about how the band forgot JPJ's Bass , now that's very hilarious .

Similar topic: Bonham's timing was really off that San Diego night in '77 :P

[Nutrocker]

Similar topic: Bonham's timing was really off that San Diego night in '77 :P

Yeah- that's one gig they should have cancelled and rescheduled IMO. San Diego gets my vote as the worst '77 show...Bonham was way too out of it (too many rhinestones), the band clearly knew it and as a result the San Diego audience really got screwed that night. Again, they're not booing on the tapes of the show, but a fucked up guitarist is one thing; a fucked up drummer is even worse...Bonzo gave it the old college try, but you couldn't really fault the man if he'd said, "Sorry, guys- I can't do it tonight." He couldn't.

[3hrsoflunacy]

I've said it before: what amazes me is that in the mid 70's Keith Richards was just as much -if not more- of a junkie than Page was, yet it seems to me on any given night Keith seemed to be much more on the ball than Jimmy was. I mean, I've heard all the available 1975 Rolling Stones shows, and I don't recall Keith ever blowing it the way Jimmy did a few nights in '77 and '80. Hell, on those Stones shows, Jagger comes across a hell of a lot worse than Keith (or Ron Wood, for that matter) most nights.

Not to be argumentative, but I am listening to a Stones show in Paris 1976 - pure noise! Every bit as sloppy as some of Zep's 77 shows.

Maybe they escaped some of the criticism Zep receives because the attitude of the band was a little different and they weren't trying to bring the hammer of the gods like Zep.

Edited June 28, 2010 by 3hrsoflunacy

[tom kid]

Yeah- that's one gig they should have cancelled and rescheduled IMO. San Diego gets my vote as the worst '77 show...Bonham was way too out of it (too many rhinestones), the band clearly knew it and as a result the San Diego audience really got screwed that night. Again, they're not booing on the tapes of the show, but a fucked up guitarist is one thing; a fucked up drummer is even worse...Bonzo gave it the old college try, but you couldn't really fault the man if he'd said, "Sorry, guys- I can't do it tonight." He couldn't.

San Diego would have been a decent show if it wasn't for Bonham. Page was actually playing quite decently.

Edited June 28, 2010 by tom kid

[greenman]

San Diego would have been a decent show if it wasn't for Bonham. Page was actually playing quite decently.

I actually think thats perhaps Page's best show of 77.

[Yupter]

I actually think thats perhaps Page's best show of 77.

What'chu talkin' 'bout, Willis? (too soon?)

That night is reserved for the 23rd at the LA Forum

1980 Zurich - Kashmir

Jimmy flubs on what part to play two minutes in, sometimes it's JPJ's fault but this one is on Jimmy I believe.

[Nutrocker]

1980 Zurich - Kashmir

Jimmy flubs on what part to play two minutes in, sometimes it's JPJ's fault but this one is on Jimmy I believe.

Yep, Jimmy fucked up that one for sure- not like the Badgeholders gig where Jonesy's Mellotron decided to misbehave. I love how when they finally get back on track in Zurich, and Plant more or less snarls, "That's better!" It's probably times like that where Robert was undoubtedly thinking, "Why am I doing this again? We just made asses of ourselves in front of fifteen thousand people!"

I shudder to think of what the 1980 American tour would have been like: Sloppy City, here we come!

Regarding San Diego '77...sure Page and Plant (and to a lesser extent, Jonesy what with his bad back) may have been on the ball but Bonham was in no fucking shape to perform that night. If Page can call off the April 9 Chicago show after seven tunes due to 'gastroentritis' Surely Bonzo could have said "No way, mate" like he did in Nuremburg in 1980 (I have always wondered about the 'bananas story' btw). Considering how badly he was playing in San Diego,I'm sure the audience would have understood. Page not firing on all cylinders is arguably one thing; when the drummer is missing the beat all over the place and turning every song into a potential trainwreck, it's time to cancel and reschedule IMO.

[Nutrocker]

Not to be argumentative, but I am listening to a Stones show in Paris 1976 - pure noise! Every bit as sloppy as some of Zep's 77 shows.

Maybe they escaped some of the criticism Zep receives because the attitude of the band was a little different and they weren't trying to bring the hammer of the gods like Zep.

Not argumentative at all, 3hrs, you're right...for some reason the '76 European shows were much, much worse than the '75 TOTA. And yet, they put together most of three sides of "Love You Live" from those Paris '76 shows! I want to say it was before the June 6/76 Paris show that Keith found out his newborn son had died (crib death) and went through with the gig anyway...though apparently that was one of the better nights! I still say Jagger sounds a lot worse than either of the stoned out guitarists, though!

I admit I've heard quite a few of the '76 Stones shows, but only actually possess a handful. I prefer the '75 setlist, and Billy Preston seemed to take more of a backseat in '75. And, of course, on the whole the 75 shows are better performances. Their '76 Knebworth show is...interesting to say the least.

[Tripmender]

I prefer the '75 setlist, and Billy Preston seemed to take more of a backseat in '75. And, of course, on the whole the 75 shows are better performances.

Agreed. I can't remember - was Woody an official Stone by then? If not, perhaps the better performances in 75 are down to him not yet having his 'feet under the desk', as it were, and therefore not yet in a secure enough position to join the Keef Recreational Club full-time.

I think it's a tragedy that Mick T quit, and all over a few songwriting credits. I'd kill to hear live versions of 'Time Waits For No One', although I suspect that Keef would have rendered them unlistenable