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Jimmy Page's photographic autobiography to be re-released October 2014


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GENESIS PUBLICATIONS ANNOUNCES THE OCTOBER 2014 RELEASE OF JIMMY PAGE’S OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC AUTOBIOGRAPHY TITLED SIMPLY
JIMMY PAGE

CURATED AND CAPTIONED BY JIMMY PAGE, THIS IS THE FIRST EVER BOOK BY A MEMBER OF LED ZEPPELIN


Jimmy Page is one of music’s greatest guitarists, innovators and legends. JIMMY PAGE is his official autobiography, a photographic essay he personally created to tell his story for the first time. Jimmy's own words, combined with his handpicked selection of over 600 photographs, make this book the definitive visual and historical record of a remarkable life. JIMMY PAGE will be available in all major bookstores from October 2014.

I’ve been asked on a number of occasions to do a written book and I thought of the other side of the coin. I thought it would be unique to have an autobiography in photographs, charting my whole musical journey. – JIMMY PAGE

The chronicle of a life in music, by one of the world’s most iconic guitar players, JIMMY PAGE is testament to the author’s vision – a work he describes as a photographic autobiography. Jimmy has chosen every one of the 650 photographs, written the accompanying text, arranged the content into its narrative order and overseen the design of his book.

It was important to include every milestone along the way, so people who were fans of the music have got a real testament of the times. – JIMMY PAGE

In the form of captions, the intensely private Jimmy has narrated the story of his legendary career for the first time.

Delving into his personal archives, Jimmy has revealed unseen photographs, memorabilia and every one of his passports, saved throughout his life. Jimmy’s passport stamps were used to verify all tour dates, making JIMMY PAGE an authoritative historical account.

The tour schedules, passport stamps, working visas and memorabilia really make up a complete picture, which just keeps unfolding as you turn each page of the book. – JIMMY PAGE

In addition to Jimmy’s own photos, and those chosen from various sources including fans and magazines, his book showcases a collection of iconic portraits and rare images by over 70 of the greatest names in rock photography, including: Ross Halfin, Kate Simon, Gered Mankowitz, Dominique Tarlé, Pennie Smith and Jim Marshall. Jimmy chose one of his favourite portrait shots for the book cover: a 1977 passport photo, shot by Neal Preston on board Led Zeppelin’s private tour plane.

There are many rare finds throughout, such as Led Zeppelin playing an impromptu gig in a nightclub in Jersey, or double-exposure shots of Jimmy and Brian Jones by Ian Stewart.

I wanted to make it as thorough as possible, so that meant trawling through all the thousands of files that photographers had taken, and pulling from my personal collection as well. There’s a photo of me playing the guitar by the fire at Bron-Yr-Aur cottage. It’s the most complete document that there’s ever going to be because of the amount of time that I’ve put into every aspect. – JIMMY PAGE

Over two years in the making, this 512-page volume documents Page’s musical journey, from 13-year-old choirboy to Sixties session musician, through The Yardbirds to Led Zeppelin and beyond.

You see this young man growing, from when I’m a choirboy – and took my guitar along to see if I could tune it up from the organ – right through to almost yesterday. – JIMMY PAGE

Today, Led Zeppelin remain arguably one of the biggest rock bands of all time, with the demand for tickets to their recent 2007 reunion breaking world records and the hugely anticipated re-issues of their entire catalogue coming on Rhino Records later this year.

Jimmy Page continues to make history. He has performed at events including ARMS, Live Aid and the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony; collaborated with artists including The Black Crowes, Leona Lewis, Shirley Bassey and the Foo Fighters; and received awards including an OBE, a Kennedy Center Honor and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On 10th May 2014 he will receive an honorary doctorate from the prestigious university of Berklee, joining previous honourees The Eagles, B.B. King, Steve Winwood, Dizzy Gillespie, George Martin and David Bowie.

‘JIMMY PAGE conveys in photographs what a typical written autobiography never could. The passion and energy of his life and career are crystal clear throughout.’ – Steve Gorman, The Black Crowes

Originally conceived as a limited edition of only 2,500 copies worldwide, the first printing of JIMMY PAGE by Jimmy Page sold out within weeks of release. In the spring of 2010, it became the fastest-selling book in Genesis Publications’ 40-year history. Now Jimmy Page and Genesis Publications announce a more accessible and affordable printing of the book, to be released this October 2014.

The perfect purchase for Led Zeppelin fans, guitar players and music lovers of any age, JIMMY PAGE is widely available in bookstores from October 2014.

I always like to do something different – if you’re inspired by an idea, really make something of that inspiration. That goes for music, as well as anything else – even putting a book together! To have a photographic autobiography is a totally different way of looking at things, but it does the job very well and I think it will bring a lot of pleasure to people. – JIMMY PAGE

ABOUT GENESIS PUBLICATIONS

‘As someone who’s always been interested in having a library themselves, I appreciate fine bookbinding and their whole ethic of what they do.’ – Jimmy Page

Founded in 1974, Genesis Publications is a family-owned independent publishing house true to the arts of printing and bookbinding. Genesis creates signed limited edition books and prints for collectors in over 50 countries. Recent authors include musicians such as Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and David Bowie; visual artists such as Shepard Fairey, Storm Thorgerson and Sir Peter Blake; and contributing writers such as Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

For More Information Visit:
http://www.JimmyPageBook.com
http://www.genesis-publications.com/

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This is fantastic! Am I right in thinking it's an unlimited print run this time...?

Genesis is a British company, right? I can't find anything that says what it's going to cost in sterling, just a link to Amazon US where it's priced in dollars. (Searching Amazon UK yields nothing or I'd preorder now). Still, only $54, no perhaps about £30 or £35 in real money? For such a huge book in hardcover, that'd be cheap.

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This is fantastic! Am I right in thinking it's an unlimited print run this time...?

That's certainly the impression I got. If it's on Amazon, I think it's safe to assume that this is a general release.

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I'm glad it will be avaliable again to those who didn't get one the first time round. I am so happy I have the orginal. It is my most precious book.

You don't regret paying so much now that it's available in a much cheaper format? I was wondering if some of the people with the original might feel a bit ripped off, if they thought they were getting something that they would never be able to see or read any other way and now anyone can have it... I wonder if that was the plan all along or if they just decided to re-release it after the original became their fastest-ever seller and so on. I'm very happy about the reissue; I always thought it was a bit rough on the devoted fans to put out something that most of them would never be able to have.

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Sign me up!!! :yay:

You don't regret paying so much now that it's available in a much cheaper format? I was wondering if some of the people with the original might feel a bit ripped off, if they thought they were getting something that they would never be able to see or read any other way and now anyone can have it... I wonder if that was the plan all along or if they just decided to re-release it after the original became their fastest-ever seller and so on. I'm very happy about the reissue; I always thought it was a bit rough on the devoted fans to put out something that most of them would never be able to have.

Why would she regret it? It still retains its value and because it was a special binding limited to a small number, the quality and uniqueness of those first editions still remains the same.

When you're dealing with books or even records, the first edition or pressing is always going to be desirable. A first edition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is still mint no matter how many times it's been republished over the years.

I doubt a single owner of the first run of Genesis' Jimmy Page book regrets their purchase. Ten or twenty years from now it could be worth $100,000.

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Sign me up as well and no, I don't think that those who have the first edition will begrudge those who own a subsequent edition now that it's available...it's like those who possess original Warhols; I don't think they are upset that other have copies of work they proudly own.

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Sign me up!!! :yay:

Why would she regret it? It still retains its value and because it was a special binding limited to a small number, the quality and uniqueness of those first editions still remains the same.

When you're dealing with books or even records, the first edition or pressing is always going to be desirable. A first edition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is still mint no matter how many times it's been republished over the years.

I doubt a single owner of the first run of Genesis' Jimmy Page book regrets their purchase. Ten or twenty years from now it could be worth $100,000.

Depends what you want it for, I suppose - just to have it for your own use and read it, or as an investment. If the latter, I can absolutely see how it's a good one. I really hope no-one who has an original regrets it; but I also really hope that none of the originals went to people who were buying for that reason - with only 2,500 out there, I really hope they all went to dedicated fans. And if you're that dedicated a fan, surely you'd never contemplate selling it anyway, no matter what it was worth.

I've long wanted it, but only so I could read it. If I'd had the original I think either I would have been intimidated by how rare and precious it was and kept it in a special box wrapped in acid-free tissue paper (or whatever) and been scared to breathe near the thing, and never taken it out, worried that I was somehow desecrating it with every fingerprint; or I'd have said "sod it, I bought it to read it, I'm going to do what I want" and handled it as much as I liked... and then heard there was a cheap version coming out and thought, well, there's £500 I needn't have forked out, and now I can't recoup as much as I otherwise could have done because it's less than pristine... so I'm very pleased on my own account that things have turned out as they have. I'm going to buy it, handle it until it falls apart, and then buy another. :)

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You don't regret paying so much now that it's available in a much cheaper format? I was wondering if some of the people with the original might feel a bit ripped off, if they thought they were getting something that they would never be able to see or read any other way and now anyone can have it... I wonder if that was the plan all along or if they just decided to re-release it after the original became their fastest-ever seller and so on. I'm very happy about the reissue; I always thought it was a bit rough on the devoted fans to put out something that most of them would never be able to have.

I don't regret it in the least. I preordered it the day it was anncounced and got one of the first books. I think I may have paid $ 200-300 for it. I have seen over $ 1,000 now. Its very delicate but very beautiful. I love having it. The wait was exciting and very much like the wait for these first boxsets. I don't begrudge anyone, though I hope one day Jimmy will write a real book. I don't think he will, but this and the On this Days are the closest thing we may get unless he changes his mind.

Why would she regret it? It still retains its value and because it was a special binding limited to a small number, the quality and uniqueness of those first editions still remains the same.

When you're dealing with books or even records, the first edition or pressing is always going to be desirable. A first edition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is still mint no matter how many times it's been republished over the years.

I doubt a single owner of the first run of Genesis' Jimmy Page book regrets their purchase. Ten or twenty years from now it could be worth $100,000.

I agree with you 100%.
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I don't regret it in the least. I preordered it the day it was anncounced and got one of the first books. I think I may have paid $ 200-300 for it. I have seen over $ 1,000 now. Its very delicate but very beautiful. I love having it. The wait was exciting and very much like the wait for these first boxsets. I don't begrudge anyone, though I hope one day Jimmy will write a real book. I don't think he will, but this and the On this Days are the closest thing we may get unless he changes his mind.

I agree with you 100%.

Oh, that's nice to hear - enjoy! It does look very beautiful in pictures - that lovely midnight blue. Clearly it wasn't produced to make money - it's something that was done the way it was because Jimmy appreciates really top-level craftsmanship and beautiful, unique things. Do you handle it much, or do you ration yourself? And could you ever envisage yourself selling it, if it actually did end up being worth $100,000 or something insane like that?

I reckon "Light and Shade" is the closest we'll get... but it's pretty damn good.

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. Clearly it wasn't produced to make money .

You don't think Genesis Publications are some kind of non profit charitable organisation do you. They surely make vast profits on everything they put out, after all it's only paper and ink.

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Soooooo happy to hear this news, each day we are getting something new to be excited about!!! I often wondered why such an important book would be limited, and I understand why there was a special initial release but super excited that now we all have an opportunity to own a copy. THANK YOU, JIMMY!!!!!! :)

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You don't think Genesis Publications are some kind of non profit charitable organisation do you. They surely make vast profits on everything they put out, after all it's only paper and ink.

Well no, I meant more from Jimmy's point of view; he could have made more if he'd gone for a more conventional book with lower production costs and an unlimited print run in the first place.

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There are several precendents for Genesis doing this with their esteemed catalogue. Notably, George Harrison's I Me Mine which was originally published 1980 in ltd. ed. Moroccan leatherbound slurp slurp drool lovely. Here's a link to one. Reprinted a few times since, in hardback too. Meanwhile the first editions still go for quite a penny. I consider Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page #444 to be my first true art investment. Oh, the aspiring classes.

Frankly though, a cheaper copy would be more practical to have around the house and baby.

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Just ordered mine through Amazon. I really wanted the original, but I felt it was too pricey even though it was unique and a lot of care and detail went into it's production. I also had a lot of other more important expenses to attend too at the time.

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Interesting that there's nothing on Jimmy's website about the re-release. You'd think that there'd be a news item.

That is intersting unless this being done without his involvement. He was involved in every way on the orginal. I loved the cover but the cover on the orginal is the same but clear black with the picture.

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Nothing will ever diminish for me the memories of the manner in which I received my signed copy (#664) of the original. For those who already own an original, this edition provides a more practical format for continued reading in the years ahead. For everyone else, it provides an affordable alternative to the original.

Interesting that there's nothing on Jimmy's website about the re-release. You'd think that there'd be a news item.

That site has always been so well run. :slapface:

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Nothing will ever diminish for me the memories of the manner in which I received my signed copy (#664) of the original. For those who already own an original, this edition provides a more practical format for continued reading in the years ahead. For everyone else, it provides an affordable alternative to the original.

Mine is also signed with a special.card and is # 554.

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