BBC article on great rock photos incl Jimmy Page from Oakland 1977

[76229]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/44Yxn1J2lXfbFJZn2NGyZy1/when-music-mattered-the-untold-stories-behind-10-great-rock-photographs?intc_type=promo&intc_location=news&intc_campaign=rockphotos&intc_linkname=bbcarts_fac_article1

 

Went back 8 pages & couldn't find a thread for the Oakland '77 gig in "Photos" so i thought I'd post this here.

 

It's a well enough known pic and certainly shows how much weight JP had lost by the 3rd leg of that ill fated tour. The thing that caught my eye is in the accompanying text

Talking to John Bindon, one of their roadies, I told him, “I’ve heard that Peter has done some time.” Bindon looked at me and said, “Time . . . right.” I asked, “What did he do?” “Well, he did time for manslaughter. It’s what they give you if you’ve murdered some bloke and you’ve got bread.

 

I've literally never heard this before. Presumably it was just Bindon showing off. Grant could be a menacing character for sure, but I'm sure this is nonsense.

 

The book itself looks good, and being based in San Francisco Michael Zagaris had the cream pass through his town, just while rock n roll was in its prime years. Not a bad life!

[JohnOsbourne]

Even by '77 standards he looks awful in that picture.

[FL6]

On 11/16/2016 at 11:19 PM, JohnOsbourne said:

Even by '77 standards he looks awful in that picture.

Does anyone know the duration of Jimmy's smack use? Like 72'-79'?

[Disco Duck]

3 hours ago, FL6 said:

Does anyone know the duration of Jimmy's smack use? Like 72'-79'?

From what I've read, he started using heroin sometime during the 1975 North American tour and didn't stop until either just before or just after the ARMS concert in 1983.  Other posters may know more details about this period of Page's life.

[JohnOsbourne]

4 hours ago, FL6 said:

Does anyone know the duration of Jimmy's smack use? Like 72'-79'?

I seem to recall in Barney Hoskyn's  book, which is a collections of quotes and recollections by both the band and acquaintances, it's suggested that Jimmy dabbled in heroin as early as '73 (an account from the Milwaukee show).  No idea how accurate that particular account is, it's generally accepted that he became fairly recreational during the '75 tour, and presumably got more serious later in the year as the band's first difficulties (Plant's leg injury) began to appear.  As noted above, he was pretty much a gory mess from '77 until '83 or so.  To me, his physical appearance at the rehearsals for the '77 tour in February of that year (Manticore studios?) doesn't look all that bad, I would have to guess he went off the deep end that spring, on the road in America.  The disastrous end to the tour probably was the point of no return.

[IpMan]

1 hour ago, JohnOsbourne said:

I seem to recall in Barney Hoskyn's  book, which is a collections of quotes and recollections by both the band and acquaintances, it's suggested that Jimmy dabbled in heroin as early as '73 (an account from the Milwaukee show).  No idea how accurate that particular account is, it's generally accepted that he became fairly recreational during the '75 tour, and presumably got more serious later in the year as the band's first difficulties (Plant's leg injury) began to appear.  As noted above, he was pretty much a gory mess from '77 until '83 or so.  To me, his physical appearance at the rehearsals for the '77 tour in February of that year (Manticore studios?) doesn't look all that bad, I would have to guess he went off the deep end that spring, on the road in America.  The disastrous end to the tour probably was the point of no return.

Looking at Jimmy in that pic makes one wonder, if Karak had not died and the tour proceeded, would Jimmy have even seen the end of it?

[KellyGirl]

Jimmy through 1977 - 1983 changes in appearance.  He has that skinny noodle frame yes,  but in
many photos his face is captured with a boyish look - especially when he gets that moppy hair.  A
rather youthful appearance.   Then in others like the picture used above,  he has a gang  of
wrinkles around the eyes that suit a man in his 60s.   The impact of weight loss combined with
using hard drugs.   Not attractive on the human body. 

1980 was going to be their final year I believe.  It could have easily been Jimmy or Bonzo.  A
North American 1980 tour easily would have been their last.  Even taking the drugs out of it all,
Robert was ready to explore other avenues and  Bonham needed to regroup and take an
extended break from touring.  A hiatus was needed from ALL the members of band,   but not a
permanent one.   A very sad ending.   

 

[The Rover]

Thanks

[FL6]

On 12/2/2016 at 0:52 PM, KellyGirl said:

Jimmy through 1977 - 1983 changes in appearance.  He has that skinny noodle frame yes,  but in
many photos his face is captured with a boyish look - especially when he gets that moppy hair.  A
rather youthful appearance.   Then in others like the picture used above,  he has a gang  of
wrinkles around the eyes that suit a man in his 60s.   The impact of weight loss combined with
using hard drugs.   Not attractive on the human body. 

1980 was going to be their final year I believe.  It could have easily been Jimmy or Bonzo.  A
North American 1980 tour easily would have been their last.  Even taking the drugs out of it all,
Robert was ready to explore other avenues and  Bonham needed to regroup and take an
extended break from touring.  A hiatus was needed from ALL the members of band,   but not a
permanent one.   A very sad ending.   

 

I think that Jimmy was more sick from inherit health issues rather than sick from heroin abuse alone. I don't have anything solid to back that up as he's so private but we all know Jimmy has always been frail to begin with. I believe he opted out of touring pre-Zep because of stomach/health issues, with the Crusaders? Anyways I think he found heroin to be a medicine for him physically rather than mental or emotional, unlike Bonham who clearly had various mental/emotional issues, like so many of us.

Either way if you're frail to begin with and have a crazy life/work schedule coupled with incessant travel and bugs everywhere, perhaps heroin isn't going to help but rather do more harm. They did have a doctor with them on that 77' tour, mainly for Jimmy and Robert. Perhaps other prescription drugs were involved as well. I can see Jimmy being quite methodical with his medicinal use, as in measuring proper doses. He was never the Death Wish type of person but if he did pass during those years it would've been from heroin or some prescription drug on an already frail and sick body. All kinds of prescription drugs are extremely addictive.