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Mr. Page book signing NYC Nov 5

Morgan Rudolph

By Morgan Rudolph
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SteveAJones

SteveAJones

Posted
Posted

Thanks for posting this YouTube clip from the NYC book stamping, Deb..!

Was very special to be at the event last night and great to see Jimmy....

(You can see me and my wife Charley up on the front row in the clip - I have the black and silver shirt on)

Mark, Jimmy is always pleased by your presence and you always bring the best date. Enjoy the Letterman taping!

Steve A. Jones (The Charley Bowman Appreciation Society)

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Morgan Rudolph

Morgan Rudolph

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This is my long detailed description of the BnN event in NYC. I have never been to a book signing. Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of a Jimmy Page authors event. When a fellow forum member told me people were lining up at midnight I thought pulling an all nighter outside could not possibly be worth it. I thought I've taken time off work, time away from my husband, flew in from Florida, and spent a God awful amount of money to do this. I couldn't back down at the last minute. I felt ridiculous doing it and vowed never to tell my family and friends, but I got there about 12:30 am. Sitting on the sidewalk all night making new friends and listening to everyone's stories ended up being the best part of the whole experience. Everybody shared their thoughts of what Jimmy Page means to them, why he is so important to them, why they are willing to go through all the effort for just 30 sec. with him. Everyone went over what they were going to say. Many feared they would clam up and fail to express their admiration. The line grew to 250+ by 6AM. I confess a smug amusement at the fallen faces of the ones that arrived at 7AM.

Barnes and Noble is right up there with Disney with expert crowd handling. Doors opened at 10:00am. They had all 243 processed and on our way by 12:00. The wristbands were numbered which corresponded to your seat number. That saved us from the agony of lining up again for the best seat. The event space opened at 4:00. They were quick and efficient checking wristbands and making sure people were in the right seats.

This is the point where everything became surreal. I looked around the room in a sleep deprived trance. There was a staff of people busying around the stage making sure everything was in exactly the right place. There were aging hippies covered in Led Zeppelin memorabilia shouting out Jimmy Page's deified status. I caught a snippet of conversation of someone had named their child Page. There were girls young enough to be Mr. Page's granddaughter nervously checking hair and lipstick desperately hoping to be selected as the evenings entertainment. The crowd stood up and roared when the first glimpse of Mr. Page appeared. At one point someone shouted Mr. Page was the Messiah. I was stunned. Great guitarist, yes. But redeemer of all humanity? This is the point where I experienced an epiphany. I sat quietly while everyone around me was standing, clapping and shouting. I looked up at the stage and saw this man. He wasn't the painfully skinny boy in a sequined suit. He looked so real, so human, so mortal. I saw that he is as handsome in life as he is in photographs. But he's not a god, he's not a messiah, he's just a man. He was pleasant and cordial to every person. He appeared to listen intently to each person. Barnes and Noble staff had an assembly line handling the book. One took the book from the patron, the next opened it to the stamping page, the next set it before Mr. Page, the next laid the blotter paper on the stamp and closed the book, the next handed the book back to the patron. When I was handing my book over to the assembly line I noticed I had forgotten I had bookmarked a page with a tarot card. I grabbed the card out just as he took the book from my hands. I thought what a strange coincidence I am walking up to Mr. Jimmy Page with a Crowley deck "Magician" card in my hand. I doubt he noticed it. When I stood before this fellow mortal human being I just said hello. It seemed that to bestow adoration on him would make him less real, less human. I'm sure he assumed I was an awestruck fan speechless in his presence. He asked my name, which he did for each person. We both said thank you to each other, shook hands and I walked away.

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Pagefan55

Pagefan55

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Posted

This is my long detailed description of the BnN event in NYC. I have never been to a book signing. Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of a Jimmy Page authors event. When a fellow forum member told me people were lining up at midnight I thought pulling an all nighter outside could not possibly be worth it. I thought I've taken time off work, time away from my husband, flew in from Florida, and spent a God awful amount of money to do this. I couldn't back down at the last minute. I felt ridiculous doing it and vowed never to tell my family and friends, but I got there about 12:30 am. Sitting on the sidewalk all night making new friends and listening to everyone's stories ended up being the best part of the whole experience. Everybody shared their thoughts of what Jimmy Page means to them, why he is so important to them, why they are willing to go through all the effort for just 30 sec. with him. Everyone went over what they were going to say. Many feared they would clam up and fail to express their admiration. The line grew to 250+ by 6AM. I confess a smug amusement at the fallen faces of the ones that arrived at 7AM.

Barnes and Noble is right up there with Disney with expert crowd handling. Doors opened at 10:00am. They had all 243 processed and on our way by 12:00. The wristbands were numbered which corresponded to your seat number. That saved us from the agony of lining up again for the best seat. The event space opened at 4:00. They were quick and efficient checking wristbands and making sure people were in the right seats.

This is the point where everything became surreal. I looked around the room in a sleep deprived trance. There was a staff of people busying around the stage making sure everything was in exactly the right place. There were aging hippies covered in Led Zeppelin memorabilia shouting out Jimmy Page's deified status. I caught a snippet of conversation of someone had named their child Page. There were girls young enough to be Mr. Page's granddaughter nervously checking hair and lipstick desperately hoping to be selected as the evenings entertainment. The crowd stood up and roared when the first glimpse of Mr. Page appeared. At one point someone shouted Mr. Page was the Messiah. I was stunned. Great guitarist, yes. But redeemer of all humanity? This is the point where I experienced an epiphany. I sat quietly while everyone around me was standing, clapping and shouting. I looked up at the stage and saw this man. He wasn't the painfully skinny boy in a sequined suit. He looked so real, so human, so mortal. I saw that he is as handsome in life as he is in photographs. But he's not a god, he's not a messiah, he's just a man. He was pleasant and cordial to every person. He appeared to listen intently to each person. Barnes and Noble staff had an assembly line handling the book. One took the book from the patron, the next opened it to the stamping page, the next set it before Mr. Page, the next laid the blotter paper on the stamp and closed the book, the next handed the book back to the patron. When I was handing my book over to the assembly line I noticed I had forgotten a bookmarked a page with a tarot card. I grabbed the card out just as he took the book from my hands. I thought what a strange coincidence I am walking up to Mr. Jimmy Page with a Crowley deck "Magician" card in my hand. I doubt he noticed it. When I stood before this fellow mortal human being I just said hello. It seemed that to bestow adoration on him would make him less real, less human. I'm sure he assumed I was an awestruck fan speechless in his presence. He asked my name, which he did for each person. We both said thank you to each other, shook hands and I walked away.

Nice post, Morgan -- you made me feel like I was there in the room with you.

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AleisterPage

AleisterPage

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I had the astounding pleasure of being able to go on Wednesday. It was an absolutely amazing, perfect time. Mr Page was so down-to-earth and just the sweetest guy with the most beautiful personality. Meeting him was so surreal, I couldn't believe that I was not only meeting him, my biggest inspiration, but that he really was such an incredible man. This experience really couldn't have been any more perfect, and I know that I will never forget it. A massive thank you to Mr Page, Mr Halfin, and the rest of the crew present at Barnes & Noble for making all of this possible.

10423962_514454858690841_480607942131997

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ScarletMacaw

ScarletMacaw

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So sorry that I could not go; ironic as I live here. Work has to come first! Thanks for the great description Morgan...not sure if I would have said what i would have wanted to--"you saved my life"-- I wonder if it would have made him uncomfortable...but maybe not after being deified by others...

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Maaike Roeleveld

Maaike Roeleveld

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This is my long detailed description of the BnN event in NYC. I have never been to a book signing. Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of a Jimmy Page authors event. When a fellow forum member told me people were lining up at midnight I thought pulling an all nighter outside could not possibly be worth it. I thought I've taken time off work, time away from my husband, flew in from Florida, and spent a God awful amount of money to do this. I couldn't back down at the last minute. I felt ridiculous doing it and vowed never to tell my family and friends, but I got there about 12:30 am. Sitting on the sidewalk all night making new friends and listening to everyone's stories ended up being the best part of the whole experience. Everybody shared their thoughts of what Jimmy Page means to them, why he is so important to them, why they are willing to go through all the effort for just 30 sec. with him. Everyone went over what they were going to say. Many feared they would clam up and fail to express their admiration. The line grew to 250+ by 6AM. I confess a smug amusement at the fallen faces of the ones that arrived at 7AM.

Barnes and Noble is right up there with Disney with expert crowd handling. Doors opened at 10:00am. They had all 243 processed and on our way by 12:00. The wristbands were numbered which corresponded to your seat number. That saved us from the agony of lining up again for the best seat. The event space opened at 4:00. They were quick and efficient checking wristbands and making sure people were in the right seats.

This is the point where everything became surreal. I looked around the room in a sleep deprived trance. There was a staff of people busying around the stage making sure everything was in exactly the right place. There were aging hippies covered in Led Zeppelin memorabilia shouting out Jimmy Page's deified status. I caught a snippet of conversation of someone had named their child Page. There were girls young enough to be Mr. Page's granddaughter nervously checking hair and lipstick desperately hoping to be selected as the evenings entertainment. The crowd stood up and roared when the first glimpse of Mr. Page appeared. At one point someone shouted Mr. Page was the Messiah. I was stunned. Great guitarist, yes. But redeemer of all humanity? This is the point where I experienced an epiphany. I sat quietly while everyone around me was standing, clapping and shouting. I looked up at the stage and saw this man. He wasn't the painfully skinny boy in a sequined suit. He looked so real, so human, so mortal. I saw that he is as handsome in life as he is in photographs. But he's not a god, he's not a messiah, he's just a man. He was pleasant and cordial to every person. He appeared to listen intently to each person. Barnes and Noble staff had an assembly line handling the book. One took the book from the patron, the next opened it to the stamping page, the next set it before Mr. Page, the next laid the blotter paper on the stamp and closed the book, the next handed the book back to the patron. When I was handing my book over to the assembly line I noticed I had forgotten I had bookmarked a page with a tarot card. I grabbed the card out just as he took the book from my hands. I thought what a strange coincidence I am walking up to Mr. Jimmy Page with a Crowley deck "Magician" card in my hand. I doubt he noticed it. When I stood before this fellow mortal human being I just said hello. It seemed that to bestow adoration on him would make him less real, less human. I'm sure he assumed I was an awestruck fan speechless in his presence. He asked my name, which he did for each person. We both said thank you to each other, shook hands and I walked away.

Such a great story, thanks for sharing!

Maaike

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markbowmanimages

markbowmanimages

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Deb- Thanks so much for posting this...... It was so great to be there..... If that wasn't enough, your video post (at the 4:38 min point in the video) - it shows Mr. Page saying "Well Hello Mark Bowman!" with a big smile as I stand up on the front row..... This YouTube video truly shows the cool vibe in the building and I am so glad Jimmy was able to make it to America for the book events.... Just "magick"......!

;-)

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hellyesadiva

hellyesadiva

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I was there too. I got there at 7:30 am, and was No. 177 in line so I don't know what Morgan is talking about - there were plenty of people behind me. But it wasn't mobbed.

I met him - and I gave him a key: a skeleton key from maybe the '20s that is stamped "British-Made". He was startled when I dropped it in front of him - it wasn't part of the choreography - he really did seem in a daze. His assistant picked up the key - Page was smart enough not to - which shows you how long he's been in the business. When they both realized it was harmless, Jimmy relaxed and laughed and they were looking at it as I started to walk away. Jimmy looked up and said "Thank you for the key" and I said, "It says 'British Made' and he said "Symbolic!". I just smiled and walked away. Indeed, Mr. Page, indeed.

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ANONYMOUS

ANONYMOUS

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I was there too. I got there at 7:30 am, and was No. 177 in line so I don't know what Morgan is talking about - there were plenty of people behind me. But it wasn't mobbed.

Indeed, Mr. Page, indeed.

Indeed, this is by far the best review of the evening.

Friends who were there after 7am were well ahead of the 250 count. Their late arrival resulted in a brief encounter with JP, a stamped book, and bearing witness to the loads of trash the "all-nighters" left in their wake despite the abundance of refuse bins in the area.

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SteveAJones

SteveAJones

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Thanks for posting this YouTube clip from the NYC book stamping, Deb..!

Was very special to be at the event last night and great to see Jimmy....

(You can see me and my wife Charley up on the front row in the clip - I have the black and silver shirt on)

Mark, here's a video clip of Jimmy greeting you as the book stamping begins:

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SuperDave

SuperDave

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This is my long detailed description of the BnN event in NYC. I have never been to a book signing. Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of a Jimmy Page authors event. When a fellow forum member told me people were lining up at midnight I thought pulling an all nighter outside could not possibly be worth it. I thought I've taken time off work, time away from my husband, flew in from Florida, and spent a God awful amount of money to do this. I couldn't back down at the last minute. I felt ridiculous doing it and vowed never to tell my family and friends, but I got there about 12:30 am. Sitting on the sidewalk all night making new friends and listening to everyone's stories ended up being the best part of the whole experience. Everybody shared their thoughts of what Jimmy Page means to them, why he is so important to them, why they are willing to go through all the effort for just 30 sec. with him. Everyone went over what they were going to say. Many feared they would clam up and fail to express their admiration. The line grew to 250+ by 6AM. I confess a smug amusement at the fallen faces of the ones that arrived at 7AM.

Barnes and Noble is right up there with Disney with expert crowd handling. Doors opened at 10:00am. They had all 243 processed and on our way by 12:00. The wristbands were numbered which corresponded to your seat number. That saved us from the agony of lining up again for the best seat. The event space opened at 4:00. They were quick and efficient checking wristbands and making sure people were in the right seats.

This is the point where everything became surreal. I looked around the room in a sleep deprived trance. There was a staff of people busying around the stage making sure everything was in exactly the right place. There were aging hippies covered in Led Zeppelin memorabilia shouting out Jimmy Page's deified status. I caught a snippet of conversation of someone had named their child Page. There were girls young enough to be Mr. Page's granddaughter nervously checking hair and lipstick desperately hoping to be selected as the evenings entertainment. The crowd stood up and roared when the first glimpse of Mr. Page appeared. At one point someone shouted Mr. Page was the Messiah. I was stunned. Great guitarist, yes. But redeemer of all humanity? This is the point where I experienced an epiphany. I sat quietly while everyone around me was standing, clapping and shouting. I looked up at the stage and saw this man. He wasn't the painfully skinny boy in a sequined suit. He looked so real, so human, so mortal. I saw that he is as handsome in life as he is in photographs. But he's not a god, he's not a messiah, he's just a man. He was pleasant and cordial to every person. He appeared to listen intently to each person. Barnes and Noble staff had an assembly line handling the book. One took the book from the patron, the next opened it to the stamping page, the next set it before Mr. Page, the next laid the blotter paper on the stamp and closed the book, the next handed the book back to the patron. When I was handing my book over to the assembly line I noticed I had forgotten I had bookmarked a page with a tarot card. I grabbed the card out just as he took the book from my hands. I thought what a strange coincidence I am walking up to Mr. Jimmy Page with a Crowley deck "Magician" card in my hand. I doubt he noticed it. When I stood before this fellow mortal human being I just said hello. It seemed that to bestow adoration on him would make him less real, less human. I'm sure he assumed I was an awestruck fan speechless in his presence. He asked my name, which he did for each person. We both said thank you to each other, shook hands and I walked away.

What a great experience you had and meeting Jimmy must of been quite an honor. Nice coverage of the event.

It was nice to meet you after the 92Y event on Monday night!

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Hans Rosenschwein

Hans Rosenschwein

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I was first in line at the New York book signing. I travelled from South Carolina on Monday, getting to New York at around noon. I went to the speaking event at the 92nd Street Y, which was awesome. On Tuesday, since I was staying near the Barnes & Noble in Union Sq. I walked over there around 2:00 to scope it out. Nobody was in line so I strolled around for a while and came back around 3:30. Still nobody in line, but it was a beautiful day and I had my stuff for the night with me, so I thought I might as well start the line. I mean I wasn't going to keep running back and forth to the square all afternoon and evening to see what the line was doing. I was there less than hour when the next people came and after that people started coming pretty regularly. By the time the store closed at 10:00 the line was nearly to the corner and the employees put up the police barricades.

The experience of camping out overnight I would not have missed for anything. I live amongst people who do not understand my Zeppelin obsession so to be around people who do get it was wonderful. The night was beautiful, it never got below 55 degrees with no wind or rain. Contrary to what someone above said, the people who camped overnight did not leave any trash behind, at least not those who were at the beginning of the line, in front of the store. Our group of #1-10 became close through the night and after getting our wristbands departed for our various lodging places agreeing to meet up again at 6:00. I was so amped up I had to take a sleeping pill to get about 4 hours of sleep before getting cleaned up for the actual book signing.

We got back to the store and were admitted to the 4th floor to take our seats. By now my anxiety had reached such an extreme level that I was literally shaking. When I caught sight of Jimmy I really thought I was going to pass out. Thank god there were a couple rows of employees and other people ahead of me because I do not think I would have been capable of actually being the first one to approach him. I was still shaking when it was my turn to approach him and even though I had practiced what I was going to say, I was doubting that I was going to get a single word out. But when I stepped up to the table Jimmy spoke to me first. He said, "It's so lovely to see you," and reached for my hand. In that second, my nerves melted away and a calm came over me. I said my thing which was a simple statement of how much he had meant to me over the last 45 years (I haven't told anyone exactly what I said to preserve the magic). He said, "What a lovely thing to say." Then he let go of my hand to stamp my book. Then he looked up at me again and said, "Are you wearing one of the Paul Smith scarves?" I said, "Yes, I am" and he said, "Wow, one of the rare few." Then he shook my hand and said, "Congratulations on your scarf. It was so lovely to meet you." And I said thank you, took my book and walked away.

Jimmy looked directly into my eyes when he spoke to me, and each of the other people I spoke to afterwards said the same thing. It is incredible to me that he is able to make this such a personal, meaningful experience for each person. It really shows that he understands just how much he means to his fans. I think that is a rare thing. This was truly one of the most extraordinary weeks of my life.

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Ddladner

Ddladner

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What a great story, Hans, thank you for sharing! And thank you for getting the book signing off to what sounds like a fantastic start, one that I imagine is just what Jimmy had hoped for. He seems truly awed and humbled by the love that everyone has shown during the recent publicity events.

Welcome to the forum!

:)

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