Tower House

[Riverside Bluesman]

Hello all.

Really nice article today in the Guardian about Tower House, Jimmy Page's home in London.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jul/08/stairway-to-heaven-jimmy-page-castle-is-his-home-led-zeppelin?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

 

[gibsonfan159]

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jul/08/stairway-to-heaven-jimmy-page-castle-is-his-home-led-zeppelin?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Fixed link

[NealR2000]

He appears to have made this his primary home in recent years, unlike in the past, where he would use it only for when he needed to spend time in London.

It seems pretty clear that Jimmy engineered this article for the purposes of getting some positive publicity over his ongoing dispute with Robbie Williams.  Jimmy is not the kind of person who would do an article like this out of the goodness of his heart.  By that, I mean he is a highly private person who typically shuns this kind of personal publicity.  

 

Edited July 8, 2018 by NealR2000

[gibsonfan159]

2 hours ago, NealR2000 said:

It seems pretty clear that Jimmy engineered this article for the purposes of getting some positive publicity over his ongoing dispute with Robbie Williams.  Jimmy is not the kind of person who would do an article like this out of the goodness of his heart.  By that, I mean he is a highly private person who typically shuns this kind of personal publicity.  

 

The constant mentioning of the historical rating for the house and the link to the other article about the dispute is a dead giveaway. This wasn't just an appreciation of the house and it's history, it was done to raise awareness about the neighbor situation. Which is fine considering the house is certainly historically significant. Page is just trying to protect something he feels is culturally important.

[Riverside Bluesman]

Thanks for fixing the link gf. Originally sent this from my temperamental iPad !

Agree with you both about Jimmy doing this largely to flag up the neighbour problem. And it is a house that he feels a huge level of commitment to, so I understand his position.

I do like the point about Jimmy only playing acoustic guitar in there because of the possible effect of vibrations !

[Bozoso73]

Wow what a place. . Too bad there isn't more pics. . 

[EaglesOfOneNest]

The interior is incredible!!! Thanks for sharing. Agree with Bozoso73; wish there were more photos!

[Tremelo]

There seems to be some indication that the house is a landmark and protected? In the US if that happens even the person who buys the house is responsible for preserving it and cannot make changes to it. Jimmy should have no problem if his house is historic and Williams construction will destroy/damage it but I understand the laws in England may be different

Other than that I don't think I would want to live someplace where I constantly have to walk on egg shells. Him being a musician makes it strange he can only bring out an acoustic. But hey maybe that's Jimmy's excuse for not doing any new music lol!!!

[sam.e138]

There was another article in the Daily Mail a couple of weeks ago which in the print version ran to 3 pages of mostly photos. Online version;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5849983/Jimmy-Page-reveals-treasures-works-art-says-Robbie-Williams-putting-risk.html

[The Only Way To Fly]

Noticed a nice McIntosh Amp on the floor, a speaker and some LP's.

The place looked like a medieval museum and wondered if the candelabra was used in TSRTS.... 

Thanks for the peak inside Jimmy! 

[chef free]

16 hours ago, The Only Way To Fly said:

Noticed a nice McIntosh Amp on the floor, a speaker and some LP's.

The place looked like a medieval museum and wondered if the candelabra was used in TSRTS.... 

Thanks for the peak inside Jimmy! 

Good eye! Looks like an MC2105 and a Luxman C-1000 pre amp.  Can't ID the speakers. I'll bet that's a turntable under the cloth judging by all the albums on the floor.  Jimmy was using a Thorens 145 in the It Might Get Loud movie...

Edited July 9, 2018 by chef free

[mysticman560]

Here's a new interview with Jimmy Page about Tower House:

https://www.channel4.com/news/basement-battle-jimmy-page-and-robbie-williams-planning-clash

[Realperson]

1 hour ago, mysticman560 said:

Here's a new interview with Jimmy Page about Tower House:

https://www.channel4.com/news/basement-battle-jimmy-page-and-robbie-williams-planning-clash

 

Most notable for the incredible revelation that Jimmy has other clothing in his wardrobe than all black with a scarf

 

[woz70]

Jimmy's not looking terribly steady on his legs, especially going up the stairs.  This is not a man who is going to be appearing onstage again, I feel.

[NealR2000]

9 hours ago, woz70 said:

Jimmy's not looking terribly steady on his legs, especially going up the stairs.  This is not a man who is going to be appearing onstage again, I feel.

Yes, but he will definitely tell you that we can expect some big surprises next year!

[IpMan]

59 minutes ago, NealR2000 said:

Yes, but he will definitely tell you that we can expect some big surprises next year!

I guess Jimmy's idea of a surprise is hip replacement surgery.

[Realperson]

I feel badly for him. He’s spent the last 10+ years of relatively good health puttering around waiting on Robert, and now it’s likely too late.  His posthumously entitled autobiography: “Waiting for Robert: a tragedy in the third act”*

 

inspired by Samuel Beckett

 

[tenyearsgone21]

11 hours ago, Realperson said:

I feel badly for him. He’s spent the last 10+ years of relatively good health puttering around waiting on Robert, and now it’s likely too late.  His posthumously entitled autobiography: “Waiting for Robert: a tragedy in the third act”*

 

inspired by Samuel Beckett

 

But that was his choice. He knew Robert wasn't interested in a reunion. He could have worked with any number of musicians and done his own thing. 

[NealR2000]

2 hours ago, tenyearsgone21 said:

But that was his choice. He knew Robert wasn't interested in a reunion. He could have worked with any number of musicians and done his own thing. 

True, but I guess he believed that Robert would cave, just like he had done in the past.  Jimmy and Led Zeppelin is where the massive amounts of money are.  Doing anything else doesn't even come remotely close.  It's easy for us mere mortals to think that Jimmy is a multi-millionaire and shouldn't "need" the money, but it has always been a thing for Jimmy.  I tend to think he wants to go out with one final huge bang, a record-breaking tour that eclipses anything done by the Stones/U2, etc.  A way of putting one final chapter in the book of who really was the biggest. 

[Realperson]

3 hours ago, tenyearsgone21 said:

But that was his choice. He knew Robert wasn't interested in a reunion. He could have worked with any number of musicians and done his own thing. 

 

Of course, but it seems to me he’s been paralyzed in his career by the staggering success of LZ...for good reason. But I don’t think he’s secure going out there with anyone else, especially sober, and with whatever music he’s created since. And now he probably can’t do it physically, not just mentally....there’s a little—no, a lot— of Nora Desmond here. I have a lot of empathy. It’s hard and takes a lot of courage to overcome your insecurities and weight of expectations. He can’t do it without Robert. A Greek tragedy of the first order...

 

[IpMan]

3 hours ago, NealR2000 said:

True, but I guess he believed that Robert would cave, just like he had done in the past.  Jimmy and Led Zeppelin is where the massive amounts of money are.  Doing anything else doesn't even come remotely close.  It's easy for us mere mortals to think that Jimmy is a multi-millionaire and shouldn't "need" the money, but it has always been a thing for Jimmy.  I tend to think he wants to go out with one final huge bang, a record-breaking tour that eclipses anything done by the Stones/U2, etc.  A way of putting one final chapter in the book of who really was the biggest. 

However, just like Mick sang, "You can't always get what you want..." applies to even the great Jimmy Page.

If you sit around waiting for other people, you are going to be sitting for an awfully long time experience proves.

Jimmy has free will and is entitled to his own choices in life. However it is a real shame he chose wait at the alter like some jilted bride rather than move on and work with new people. Personally, I would, if in his position, move on and play to 500 seat theaters doing what I love, damn the torpedoes. With his success and past glories he has nothing to prove, he should just get out there, play, and have fun. Then again we are simply on the outside looking in. There may be factors we are not aware of such as health issues, anxiety to live up to a certain creative and technical capability, or maybe he simply lost his desire but does not want to let the fans down by officially retiring.

Your guess is as good as mine

[anniemouse]

Has he produced other bands/artists since LZ split.

[tenyearsgone21]

6 hours ago, Realperson said:

 

Of course, but it seems to me he’s been paralyzed in his career by the staggering success of LZ...for good reason. But I don’t think he’s secure going out there with anyone else, especially sober, and with whatever music he’s created since. And now he probably can’t do it physically, not just mentally....there’s a little—no, a lot— of Nora Desmond here. I have a lot of empathy. It’s hard and takes a lot of courage to overcome your insecurities and weight of expectations. He can’t do it without Robert. A Greek tragedy of the first order...

 

Agree with all of this.

[IpMan]

12 hours ago, Realperson said:

 

Of course, but it seems to me he’s been paralyzed in his career by the staggering success of LZ...for good reason. But I don’t think he’s secure going out there with anyone else, especially sober, and with whatever music he’s created since. And now he probably can’t do it physically, not just mentally....there’s a little—no, a lot— of Nora Desmond here. I have a lot of empathy. It’s hard and takes a lot of courage to overcome your insecurities and weight of expectations. He can’t do it without Robert. A Greek tragedy of the first order...

 

So, is Jimmy ready for his close-up Mr. DeMille?

Sorry, but talk about hyperbole. 

[Realperson]

1 hour ago, IpMan said:

So, is Jimmy ready for his close-up Mr. DeMille?

Sorry, but talk about hyperbole. 

 

Maybe.

You’re getting bogged down in the details...broader perspective...Sunset Boulevard: a former star fixated on past glories wants to get back in the game with a new piece of art for which they’ll be a part for her/him and so sends it to her/his old director. But the director just pretends to be interested because he wants to use the former star for his own ends—a different artistic creation in which the former star will not play a part but will just be used for a prop....I dunno...sounds familiar to me