Outrider opinions

[JaredR59]

I personally like Outrider I think has more of Jimmy's hard rock and bluesy feel. Unlike some of Robert's later projects. (I enjoy Robert's solo career as well)

[ScarletMacaw]

I also am a fan of Outrider. I've always loved the blues. I like the two other singers on the album, in addition to Plant. The album has a pure feel to it; there's no overproduction. I haven't been a big fan of Robert's solo career because I'm not crazy about the types of music he's decided to focus on. I wouldn't call Outrider "hard rock." I think it is a good display of Jimmy playing guitar, and he got together a few other good people to play with.

[JaredR59]

I think "Wastin My Time" has that bluesy hard rock feel.

[bluecongo]

Outrider just needed some better material. The playing was there, the tone was there, it was conceptually good, but not executed well.

Still, I love and still listen to several cuts from the album, which I can't say about Plants work from the 80's. Writes of Winter, Emerald Eyes, Hummingbird, there's some real gems on there.

[JaredR59]

I also heard that some Outrider demo tapes were stolen from Page. I wonder if there were some hidden gems on those tapes.

[Disco Duck]

Outrider just needed some better material. The playing was there, the tone was there, it was conceptually good, but not executed well.

Still, I love and still listen to several cuts from the album, which I can't say about Plants work from the 80's. Writes of Winter, Emerald Eyes, Hummingbird, there's some real gems on there.

I'm not sure what the above poster means? Outrider needed better songs? Or better production?

[bluecongo]

A little bit of both.

[ScarletMacaw]

I think "Wastin My Time" has that bluesy hard rock feel.

Listening to the video, I guess you're right that it could be called "hard rock."

I do think the album could have used a couple more good tunes. I've never known what to think about the stolen demo tapes story. If you've written and rehearsed something, presumably you remember it well enough to more or less re-create it. Something about the story seems strange to me. Maybe Page decided to just release the single album and when it didn't sell that well, decided not to go ahead with re-creating the other tunes. I think it must have been very hard for him in the 80s, to deal with the expectations and change of identity as a solo artist.

[Melcórë]

I think that the Outrider tour was better than the album. The material...it just wasn't there, at least, not in my opinion. There's nothing particularly memorable about it, unfortunately.

Like I said, though, the 1988 tour was fabulous.

[Wolfman]

I believe it was supposed to be a double album before the tapes were stolen. Curious if anyone knows if Jimmy sued that woman who stole all his stuff?

[Melcórë]

Curious if anyone knows if Jimmy sued that woman who stole all his stuff?

I've never heard before that it was a woman...

[Wolfman]

Wasn't it his housekeeper (so I thought)?

[zeppy668]

I'm not sure what the above poster means? Outrider needed better songs? Or better production?

Outrider was a missed opportunity for him. The production hasn't survived the 1980s (not as bad as Plant's 80s efforts) and the material is largely forgettable. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. I can listen to Hummingbird, Emerald Eyes and Prison Blues and they still sound great.

I agree with Mel. The Outrider tour was more relevant and important than the album it followed because while the album contained mostly underwhelming songs, the refocus and precision he brought into the studio erupted on that tour.

[Melcórë]

Wasn't it his housekeeper (so I thought)?

Honestly, I can't remember -- I read something (years ago?) where I thought he mentioned a male friend as having used him and stolen from his house...but I could be totally off-base.

The Outrider tour was more relevant and important than the album it followed because while the album contained mostly underwhelming songs, the refocus and precision he brought into the studio erupted on that tour.

I think that tour has some of his best post-Zeppelin playing.

[JaredR59]

Jimmy's Stairway to Heaven performances on the Outrider tour were the best up to that point. Definitely better than for example the ARMS stairway rendition.

[Disco Duck]

Honestly, I can't remember -- I read something (years ago?) where I thought he mentioned a male friend as having used him and stolen from his house...but I could be totally off-base...

Are you referring to film maker Kenneth Anger? They fell out over Page's work on a score for one of Anger's films in 1976. Anger shared Page's interest in all things Aleister Crowley. The two men met at an auction of Crowley memorabilia. Page agreed to compose the score for one of Anger's films and allowed Anger to use space in his home to work on the project. Anger complained that Page didn't deliver the agreed upon amount of music in time. Page argued that he did. Words were exchanged. Charlotte Martin (Page's partner at the time and mother of his eldest child) changed the locks to Page's house before Anger removed all of his belongings he had stored there. A furious Anger accused Page of being an unreliable junkie during an interview. IIRC, he also opined that Page was a mere dabbler in the occult while he (Anger) was a fully fledged warlock who could turn Page into a frog if he wished. At least, this is the version of events I've read.

P.S. The fact that I can quote all of the above from memory is proof positive that I really need to get a life!

Edited May 20, 2013 by Disco Duck

[Knebby]

Wasn't it his housekeeper (so I thought)?

It was a couple, and they were acting as babysitters.

[walterswalk]

No he never sued them. The male has now passed away.

[Sagittarius Rising]

Jesus Christ! How many times and how much stuff has been stolen from Jimmy over the years? He has got to either be the most absent minded bloke in history or he let's any Tom, Dick, or Kenneth into his home no questions asked.

"Oh, and there are the master tapes and video from the 77' Pontiac show, and, uh, these are all live recordings from 69' - 71' right over here, and, um, let's see, here are my newly mastered, unreleased material for my new album...what did you say your name was again???"

[LedZebedee]

Jesus Christ! How many times and how much stuff has been stolen from Jimmy over the years? He has got to either be the most absent minded bloke in history or he let's any Tom, Dick, or Kenneth into his home no questions asked.

"Oh, and there are the master tapes and video from the 77' Pontiac show, and, uh, these are all live recordings from 69' - 71' right over here, and, um, let's see, here are my newly mastered, unreleased material for my new album...what did you say your name was again???"

Did'nt he leave loads of soundboard tapes for the 1980 tour in the boot of his car and they got nicked? Doh! Hence nearly every show available.

[walterswalk]

Did'nt he leave loads of soundboard tapes for the 1980 tour in the boot of his car and they got nicked? Doh! Hence nearly every show available.

Nope

[Melcórë]

It was a couple, and they were acting as babysitters.

No he never sued them. The male has now passed away.

That's depressing.

I'd love to know the real extent of the theft...I imagine we'll get a better sense of it when the remastered sets come out.

[Disco Duck]

Did'nt he leave loads of soundboard tapes for the 1980 tour in the boot of his car and they got nicked? Doh!Hence nearly every show available.

Are you serious? Wouldn't they be vulnerable to damage from temperature extremes?

[truth and beauty]

I think it has lots in its favour.

And Writes of Winter got me through a tricky phase when I ran a half marathon !

[SteveAJones]

I'd love to know the real extent of the theft.

Essentially several 1980 soundboard recordings and assorted outtakes, most if not all of which has long since been released time and time again on bootlegs. Personally, I do not believe the theft explains in any way why Outrider was a lackluster solo album for if anything of note intended for that project was stolen why has it yet to surface?