Jimmy's dragon suits

[california girl]

Did Jimmy design his dragon suits? Are they one-of-a-kind, or can we order them? I think he designed them.

[Cactus]

Did Jimmy design his dragon suits? Are they one-of-a-kind, or can we order them? I think he designed them.

I'm not sure if he designed them, but they were custom made. The tours themself never had a wardrobe department, however.

[deny_rock]

I don't know, but he looks pretty cool with them!!

Just check it out!

Love the pics! He was so cute!

>> Ny <<

[tyedye]

I could be wrong but I think a seamstress made the dragon suit.

Forgive me, I don't mean to offend anyone by using the g word. But I think she was also a groupie.

I know a seamstress made the beautiful embrodered jacket he used to wear.

[shadowlongerthansoul]

I usually run into people asking me what ever happened to the dragon suits. AFAIK the black one is still in The Rock Hall and Pagey has all the rest.

Cheers,

Shadow

PS Sorry if already posted

[Evster2012]

The dragon and poppy suits were made by a woman in LA called Coco. As far as I know she was a seamstress, not a groupie!

[shadowlongerthansoul]

The dragon and poppy suits were made by a woman in LA called Coco. As far as I know she was a seamstress, not a groupie!

I love how she emroidered the poppys into them. Nowadays you can get about anything embroidered from a simple image. I dunno about back then.

Anyone? My mum might know she used to be a seamstress.

Coco, on one, on one again :-)

Shadow

[walterswalk]

The dragon and poppy suits were made by a woman in LA called Coco. As far as I know she was a seamstress, not a groupie!

Exactly right Ev, the suits were also ultra heavy.

[shadowlongerthansoul]

Well,

I said I would find out

Software

http://www.brother-usa.com/HomeSewing/Soft...igsoftware.aspx

Computerised Machine

http://www.brother-usa.com/HomeSewing/Prod...?cat=embroidery

Grappling With Scanned Graphics/Photos

http://www.madmumbler.net/main/shop/index....products_id=453

Now go make us all some dragon suits...

Shadow

[shadowlongerthansoul]

Believe it or not I ran into a rich kid who had a white dragon suit in 1977, him and his chick came in in a limo. I asked him how much he payed to have it done, he said 2k. This was in 1977, probably be double that to hire somone to do one nowadays. Lookk at the E suits, those are mostly studs and sequins, they are from 2.-4.5k and they look cheap as hell.

I think I will stick to something a bit less dramatic. I dont like real flashy clothes, I think they make you look cheap or retarded Dont get me wrong I can dress to the nines, but theres no need to go overboard. Invest your moolah in something you can use.

Shadow

[california girl]

The dragon and poppy suits were made by a woman in LA called Coco. As far as I know she was a seamstress, not a groupie!

Thanks for the info. That's the answer I was looking for.

[Mountain Hopper]

I wonder if it's even possible to put a monitary value on them. Probably in the priceless catagory.

[Cactus]

I wonder if it's even possible to put a monitary value on them. Probably in the priceless catagory.

Certainly one of the more rare Led Zep collectables if you could get one. Right up there with the Black Beauty Les Paul.

[Dirigible]

California Girl, I've a theory concerning your question about who designed the stage outfits.

A comment made by Rhonda Kiefer reviewing the first Knebworth show got me thinking of dragon suits in a whole new light: "Five years ago I never dreamed I'd see Page dressed any other way than as a magician but he hops out of his limousine wearing a tan suit and looking very sharp." Hmmm.

Then I remembered a Michael Des Barres interview after Swan Song signed Detective. He said he'd brought up the name of the French poet Rimbaud and Jimmy Page had thought that was cool and invited Mike over to his house. He said Page showed him tons of Crowley memorabilia including robes Crowley wore while 'invoking magick' or somesuch. Hmmm.

It's not outside the realm of possibility Page showed the robes to a seamstress, or not.

As a side note I've read Internet hyperbole that Page 'cast spells' with some of his stage moves and 'occultists in the know' could enjoy his performance on two different levels. Sounds like hogwash to me, but my hobby's Led Zep and not the occult. Just disparate observations to add to the (interesting) conversation.

[SteveAJones]

As a side note I've read Internet hyperbole that Page 'cast spells' with some of his stage moves and 'occultists in the know' could enjoy his performance on two different levels. Sounds like hogwash to me, but my hobby's Led Zep and not the occult. Just disparate observations to add to the (interesting) conversation.

Yes, I happen to enjoy his performances on two different levels for this reason. Jimmy is

most definately a musician and a magician. "Spellcasting" sounds a bit pretentious for

what he's actually achieving though.

[SteveAJones]

Jimmy said all of his dragon suits were done by Coco, who lived in Southern California.

...also forwarded here...courtesy of R-O...

There was no wardrobe person or seamstress that I remember travelling with the crew on the '77 tour. I assume Richard Cole arranged for cleaning or repairs of the wardrobe. The band arrived at the venues already dressed in their stage outfits and departed after the show without changing. Even though the crew flew almost everywhere on that tour, there were a couple of times when we travelled on a crew bus (ie. to Tampa). I remember once Raymond T. had the dragon suit (there was only one) - it was hanging in the rear of the bus and still damp. I'm pretty sure it was from Jimmy's sweat and not from being cleaned. It may have been rinsed out and hung up to dry occassionally, but not often enough. It was completely soaked with sweat after each show and somewhat smelly. Robert's blue jeans were always cleaned, pressed and creased probably by the hotel. Bonzo was fond of Showco T-shirts.

Laser Operator - Led Zeppelin crew '77-'79

[MadScreamingGallery]

Jimmy said all of his dragon suits were done by Coco, who lived in Southern California.

...also forwarded here...courtesy of R-O...

There was no wardrobe person or seamstress that I remember travelling with the crew on the '77 tour. I assume Richard Cole arranged for cleaning or repairs of the wardrobe. The band arrived at the venues already dressed in their stage outfits and departed after the show without changing. Even though the crew flew almost everywhere on that tour, there were a couple of times when we travelled on a crew bus (ie. to Tampa). I remember once Raymond T. had the dragon suit (there was only one) - it was hanging in the rear of the bus and still damp. I'm pretty sure it was from Jimmy's sweat and not from being cleaned. It may have been rinsed out and hung up to dry occassionally, but not often enough. It was completely soaked with sweat after each show and somewhat smelly. Robert's blue jeans were always cleaned, pressed and creased probably by the hotel. Bonzo was fond of Showco T-shirts.

Laser Operator - Led Zeppelin crew '77-'79

That's very interesting to read! I know people who were around during the early '70's LZ U.S. tours and they have told me that when " Richard Cole arranged for cleaning or repairs of the wardrobe", the arrangements usually consisted of the young women doing mending, ironing, washing out clothes, removing stains, etc. That always reminded me of "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)".

[AMAZONIC]

I remember once Raymond T. had the dragon suit (there was only one) - it was hanging in the rear of the bus and still damp. I'm pretty sure it was from Jimmy's sweat and not from being cleaned. It may have been rinsed out and hung up to dry occassionally, but not often enough. It was completely soaked with sweat after each show and somewhat smelly.

... rinsed out and hung out to dry occasionally, but not often enough????

thanks for providing this curious info, Steve. Who would have thought....

[Dirigible]

Yes, I happen to enjoy his performances on two different levels for this reason. Jimmy is

most definately a musician and a magician. "Spellcasting" sounds a bit pretentious for

what he's actually achieving though.

As far as I'm concerned 'cast spells' conjures a more concrete image in readers' minds than does 'gathering power around him.' As I've mentioned earlier, Steve, my opinions evolve, open to being reshaped by others' opinions. The amount of informed people on this site is staggering.

I don't know if black magick, the devil and Crowley are vaguely related subjects or not, my hobby is music not the occult. It's not a subject I'm interested in. I know it exists, like heroin or, say, deep sea fishing exist, but I'm not into them either.

At any rate I used to think all that Crowley arcana was Marvel Comics Dr. Strange bullshit, even as a teenager. BUT after decades I'm beginning to rethink that long-held opinon. One reason is in videos of Rock and Roll in Australia '72 and NYC '73 I hear a tremendous power that goes beyond the mere performance of the song. My band played R&R everytime we rehearsed for over a quarter century. We played the same guitar and drum notes Zeppelin did through thousands of dollars worth of gear and our soundman made it sound huge. Even though I believe we had the 'power' part down pat I'll admit we never captured the 'magic' (despite note for note renditions.) Zep's magic was more than tight musicianship, Marshall stacks and Showco SuperTroopers, it was indefinable.

No doubt magic is definable to many, but magic is indefinable to me and I intend to leave it that way. Hope that doesn't sound judgmental, not my intent. Do what thou wilt.

[slave to zep]

Yes, I happen to enjoy his performances on two different levels for this reason. Jimmy is

most definately a musician and a magician. "Spellcasting" sounds a bit pretentious for

what he's actually achieving though.

yes! i feel like hes "blessing " the audience, sending out good vibes. is that how you see it, steve?

[SteveAJones]

yes! i feel like hes "blessing " the audience, sending out good vibes. is that how you see it, steve?

Not so much a blessing as a transmutation of energy via ritualistic acts/performances. I do see Jimmy in the center of the pyramid, literally and figuratively speaking. The band's

alchemical qualities are simply undeniable.

Excerpt from an interview in the January 2008 Guitar World magazine:

(Guitar World) Could we talk a little about the meaning behind your Sequence [in The Song Remains The Same movie]?

(Page) To me, the significance is very clear, isn’t it?

(GW) Well, I find it interesting that you were choosing to represent yourself as a hermit at a time when you were really quite a public figure.

(Page) Well, I was hermetic. I was involved in the hermetic arts, but I wasn’t a recluse. Or maybe I was… The image of the hermit that was used for the [inside cover] art-work on Led Zeppelin IV and in the movie actually has it’s origins in a painting of Christ called The Light of the World by the pre-Raphaelite artist William Holman Hunt. The imagery was later transferred to the Waite tarot deck [the most popular tarot deck in use in the English-speaking world]. My segment was supposed to be the aspirant going to the beacon of truth, which is represented by the hermit and his journey toward it. What I was trying to say through the transformation was that enlightenment can be achieved at any point in time; it just depends on when you want to access it. In other words you can always see the truth, but do you recognize it when you see it or do you have to reflect back on it later?

(GW) There was always a certain amount of speculation about your occult studies. It may have been subtle, but you weren’t really hiding it.

(Page) I was living it. That’s all there is to it. It was my life - that fusion of magick and music.

(GW) Your use of symbols was very advanced. The sigil [symbols of occult powers] on Led Zeppelin IV and the embroidery on your stage clothes from that time period are good examples on how you left your mark on popular culture. It’s something that major corporations are aggressively pursuing these days: using symbols as a from of branding.

(Page) You mean talismanic magick? Yes, I knew what I was doing. There’s no point in saying more about it, because the more you discuss it, the more eccentric you appear to be. But the fact is - as far as I was concerned - it was working, so I used it. But it’s really no different then people who wear ribbons around their wrists: it’s a talismanic approach to something. Well let me amend that: it’s not exactly the same thing, but it is in the same realm. I’ll leave this subject by saying the four musical elements of Led Zeppelin making a fifth is magick into itself. That’s the alchemical process.

[docron]

Jesus SteveA... do you study Zeppelin every waking moment you have!? Whenever something cool is brought up you come with crazy articles and factoids that I'd have never even knew about!

I always thought I knew alot about them, but man, you are un-real.

If only I wouldn't have spent 4 years of my life getting that Mechanical Engineering degree

[slave to zep]

i just wish people could realize his interests were in "good" not "evil". i dunno maybe jimmy doesnt care, but i would really like people to stop talking about his interest being negative. cos they arent and neither is he.....far from it.

[tyedye]

Not so much a blessing as a transmutation of energy via ritualistic acts/performances. I do see Jimmy in the center of the pyramid, literally and figuratively speaking. The band's

alchemical qualities are simply undeniable.

Excerpt from an interview in the January 2008 Guitar World magazine:

(Guitar World) Could we talk a little about the meaning behind your Sequence [in The Song Remains The Same movie]?

(Page) To me, the significance is very clear, isn't it?

(GW) Well, I find it interesting that you were choosing to represent yourself as a hermit at a time when you were really quite a public figure.

(Page) Well, I was hermetic. I was involved in the hermetic arts, but I wasn't a recluse. Or maybe I was… The image of the hermit that was used for the [inside cover] art-work on Led Zeppelin IV and in the movie actually has it's origins in a painting of Christ called The Light of the World by the pre-Raphaelite artist William Holman Hunt. The imagery was later transferred to the Waite tarot deck [the most popular tarot deck in use in the English-speaking world]. My segment was supposed to be the aspirant going to the beacon of truth, which is represented by the hermit and his journey toward it. What I was trying to say through the transformation was that enlightenment can be achieved at any point in time; it just depends on when you want to access it. In other words you can always see the truth, but do you recognize it when you see it or do you have to reflect back on it later?

(GW) There was always a certain amount of speculation about your occult studies. It may have been subtle, but you weren't really hiding it.

(Page) I was living it. That's all there is to it. It was my life - that fusion of magick and music.

(GW) Your use of symbols was very advanced. The sigil [symbols of occult powers] on Led Zeppelin IV and the embroidery on your stage clothes from that time period are good examples on how you left your mark on popular culture. It's something that major corporations are aggressively pursuing these days: using symbols as a from of branding.

(Page) You mean talismanic magick? Yes, I knew what I was doing. There's no point in saying more about it, because the more you discuss it, the more eccentric you appear to be. But the fact is - as far as I was concerned - it was working, so I used it. But it's really no different then people who wear ribbons around their wrists: it's a talismanic approach to something. Well let me amend that: it's not exactly the same thing, but it is in the same realm. I'll leave this subject by saying the four musical elements of Led Zeppelin making a fifth is magick into itself. That's the alchemical process.

Mr. Jones, I always enjoy your posts. You are a treasure trove of interesting stuff.

Now: can you tell me why whenever I watch the 02 show, this incredibly strong lightening storm starts, started at about the time the Robert acknowledges the guy with the Hammer of the Gods (banner or something?) and ends about the time the concert ends?

Coincidence?

I'm inclined to think not and I don't feel it's necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it's rather exciting.

Or maybe it's just me seeing something that really isn't there.