Mick Wall Interview

[caroselambra~]

So Mick Wall, Richard Cole, and Stephen Davis, among others, all wrote books that were deemed innacurate and sleazy according to most Zeppelin fans. Are we sure that most fans would even recognize the truth about these gentlemen if it smacked them in the eyes with a two x four ?

fans are biased and will leap to defend their heroes when they feel they're being shown in a bad light

yes - the truth sometimes hurts

[Knebby]

Actually, Hull City.

If that's the case he's fickle. Typical Londoner.

[eternal light]

Quite honestly., I don't care about their personal lives. Society has become too voyeuristic about everything. Let them have their personal lives. Let the music do the talking...

5, 10, 20, 100 or 3000 years from now, the books won't even be a footnote in history.

The music will be the only thing remembered...

... so why spend so much time focusing on anything else???

R

[Nech]

If that's the case he's fickle. Typical Londoner.

I think it's been pretty well established that they are indeed fickle.

I always bet on whoever's winning too fwiw.

[ledded1]

If that's the case he's fickle. Typical Londoner.

If he was atypical Londoner he would be supporting Man Utd

I share some of reid's views in that depsite all the books, mag/newspaper articles etc I have or have seen, the thing I have always been most interested in is the music of Led Zeppelin. Thats what hooked me in the first place not the Hello type approach which happens today where the celebrity status far outweighs peoples talent.

I take lot of the written stuff with a pinch of salt but accept that there probably are elements of truth in the collective writings down the years.

I know very little of any of the bands personal lives and to be honest thats how I want it to be.

It won't stop me buying stuff or listening to their music just because they ain't perfect human beings. I know there will be some not so nice incidents and aspects of all of their lives. Look at Bonzo, two very different sides to him but he was and still is the greatest drummer in the world to me. Jekyll and Hyde reported shit doesn't matter, its his drumming and influence that is important.

In the work I do people are not that interested in me as a person or my life but want and need to know that I am good at my job. Its no different with rock stars for me.

If they have interesting lives or boring ones so what?

Its the music of Led Zeppelin and the music post Led Zeppelin that keeps me hooked and being here.

I haven't read too much of MW's book yet but will and as many of us can't really corroborate anything sometimes the suspension of disbelief can be useful or as I said there may well be truths in there.

[Chicago]

I’ve had 20 years of talking to him and I don’t really need to talk to him again. - Mick ' Judas' Wall

Only enough talking with Jimmy to fill your book huh Backstabber boy? So Page is a joyless grump and Robert's the spirit-filled and inspired artist. Is it any mystery Mick the Prick is no longer conversant with Jimmy?

The quote's from Wall's interview aren't too far from the Kenneth Anger diatribes about Jimmy back in the 1970's. Desperate dickheads using their time with Jimmy while they're in his fucking house to turn around and level some bullshit about Page. Another fine chap with a dripping knife.

[Moonmaid]

"has squandered his immense talent and now rarely plays guitar."

This is the line that baffles me. In about a year's time he's played the 02, played with the Foo Fighters, filmed a movie about playing guitar (while playing guitar in the movie) and played the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. And when he's not playing, he's doing interview after interview discussing his wanting to play the guitar. At what point is he sitting with "a remote in his hand?"

[Aquamarine]

"has squandered his immense talent and now rarely plays guitar."

This is the line that baffles me. In about a year's time he's played the 02, played with the Foo Fighters, filmed a movie about playing guitar (while playing guitar in the movie) and played the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. And when he's not playing, he's doing interview after interview discussing his wanting to play the guitar. At what point is he sitting with "a remote in his hand?"

Well, he played precisely two gigs; he mimed playing the guitar once (having originally played the track, of course); he played guitar in a movie (haven't seen it, can't comment on the extent). Plus he talked a lot about playing the guitar (which doesn't really count, since that's not actually playing it). That's hardly a huge output in a year!

[glicine]

I'd say, it's not what Mick Wall said, but the way he said it made me feel a bit uneasy.

Even the friendship is no longer there, it's hard for me to understand how he could talk about Jimmy like this publicly.

I hope, and I believe probably the book is not written in this bold (even a bit rude for my taste) way. He is a journalist and a writer in the rock scene for a long time and should know how to put it in a more fitting way.

[Moonmaid]

Well, he played precisely two gigs; he mimed playing the guitar once (having originally played the track, of course); he played guitar in a movie (haven't seen it, can't comment on the extent). Plus he talked a lot about playing the guitar (which doesn't really count, since that's not actually playing it). That's hardly a huge output in a year!

Right, but he did those things without a band or vehicle. He's looking for anything to play. Are you suggesting that because it's not a "huge output" (which I never said ) that he's being lazy and apathetic like Wall is saying? My point was that playing a couple of gigs and playing the ceremony (it's still his recent playing, whether it was live or not is irrelevant) and talking about wanting to play, is a lot different than apathy which is what Wall was accusing him of.

[widget]

If you believe the press reports, Jimmy has also been writing new material with JPJ and Jason, as well as rehearsing with various singers.

Meg

[Aquamarine]

Right, but he did those things without a band or vehicle. He's looking for anything to play. Are you suggesting that because it's not a "huge output" (which I never said ) that he's being lazy and apathetic like Wall is saying? My point was that playing a couple of gigs and playing the ceremony (it's still his recent playing, whether it was live or not is irrelevant) and talking about wanting to play, is a lot different than apathy which is what Wall was accusing him of.

"Huge output" was indeed my phrase, and at no point attributed to you.

And no, I wasn't saying he was being lazy etc., I was just saying--well, exactly what I said. That when you look at what he's produced in the last year in terms of music, it's not a lot. I didn't say what the reason for it might be, or what else he might have been doing, or suggesting anything else. Just saying that it wasn't a huge output. Which it wasn't. I wish it had been.

[Dzldoc]

If you believe the press reports, Jimmy has also been writing new material with JPJ and Jason, as well as rehearsing with various singers.

Meg

I think this is one of the coolest sounding screen names

"Reporting from Sydney"

"This is Meg Ireland"

[Moonmaid]

"Huge output" was indeed my phrase, and at no point attributed to you.

And no, I wasn't saying he was being lazy etc., I was just saying--well, exactly what I said. That when you look at what he's produced in the last year in terms of music, it's not a lot. I didn't say what the reason for it might be, or what else he might have been doing, or suggesting anything else. Just saying that it wasn't a huge output. Which it wasn't. I wish it had been.

Yeah, I hear ya. But I'm just trying to drive home that he too would have like to have played more. And I hope that he's doing all he can to play more in the following year. But to suggest, as Wall did, that he hasn't touched a guitar lately and sits around watching TV is silly.

[Aquamarine]

Yeah, I hear ya. But I'm just trying to drive home that he too would have like to have played more. And I hope that he's doing all he can to play more in the following year. But to suggest, as Wall did, that he hasn't touched a guitar lately and sits around watching TV is silly.

Yes, I'm sure he would have liked to have played more. The point I was picking up on was that you had asked when he would have had time to sit there with the remote control, and I was just saying that (unfortunately) he would have had plenty of time--but NOT that I assumed that's what he was in fact doing.

Hope that's all clear now!

[Rorer714]

I think this is one of the coolest sounding screen names

"Reporting from Sydney"

"This is Meg Ireland"

...and Steve A. Jones sitting in as your color analyst.

[Moonmaid]

Yes, I'm sure he would have liked to have played more. The point I was picking up on was that you had asked when he would have had time to sit there with the remote control, and I was just saying that (unfortunately) he would have had plenty of time--but NOT that I assumed that's what he was in fact doing.

Hope that's all clear now!

Man, I was hoping for my first LedZeppelin.com knock-down, drag-out argument, and all I got was a civil misunderstanding with you. Next time, then

Just kidding guys. I wasn't really looking for a fight. You gonna make something of it? C'mon, I'm right here.

Okay, I'll stop now.

Back to Meg Ireland with the weather...

[Alice75]

If you believe the press reports, Jimmy has also been writing new material with JPJ and Jason, as well as rehearsing with various singers.

Meg

I do think Wall doesn't know it. Wall's complaint is heard somewhat emotionally to me.

I wonder if Jimmy will state an opposing argument about this.

[bigstickbonzo]

I think people expect so much from Pagey because he was the brightest star that shined for so long..his roots, his connections, his talent. After Hendrix died, he became the next guitar God for several years. The Zeppelin catalog was a juggernaut of sex filled, good time rock and roll that showcased innovative guitar work and some of the best hard rock soloing of all time. So when tragedy began to hit them after the 1975 tour..and hard drugs took hold of Page's private life and soon began to hinder his once nearly flawless nightly playing to a sheer mockery of his 1970ish capabilities, it was as if the "promise" of what Page was to be "wasn't" being fulfilled. I don't have an answer for what he was suppose to be other than Jimmy Page...but I think some view him as a casualty in that sense. The first act of Zeppelin was such a powerhouse entity, it was beyond legendary. The second act was overshadowed by tragedy (obviously, some unavoidable) and too much excess; to which leads some restless mouths to ponder "what could have been."

I also think his weak solo career post-Zeppelin, Robert Plant's highly successful solo career, his continuous battles with substance abuse and his playing not being nearly as good as it was before he became smacked out have brought him down a notch. There's no taking away his "Legend" status in the eyes of any Zeppelin fan or guitar player, but I think all those elements have in one way or another again contributed to this image of "what could have been."

So Mick Wall, Richard Cole, and Stephen Davis, among others, all wrote books that were deemed innacurate and sleazy according to most Zeppelin fans. Are we sure that most fans would even recognize the truth about these gentlemen if it smacked them in the eyes with a two x four ?

I've read both Cole and Davis' books and I've said the same thing about both writings that Plant famously said when asked, 'If all that stuff really happened. (ie the looning).' "It might have, but I can't remember." I think that's the best way of putting into context what is accurate and what isn't. I agree, alot of what is written probably did happen, to some extent. I think there are other realities that some fans have a hard time swallowing; like Page's drug addiction and how that seriously changed him. While some like to think he was still the same Jimmy, a junkie is a junkie- and I think the ugliness that tends to be shown in such gossip books just pisses alot of people off who only want to remember him for being 'wholesome.' And there's nothing wrong with that. I particularly don't care for the gossip shit myself. But again, it's fairly obvious alot of what has been written is pretty accurate..or aleast has been based on elements of truth. Led Zeppelin has been called a great band that became "too bloated and eventually burst." It may be hard to swallow, but it's quite accurate.

[eternal light]

I wonder if Jimmy will state an opposing argument about this.

I doubt that he will lower himself to that point. He will probably seek new sources of inspiration instead.

[Aquamarine]

Man, I was hoping for my first LedZeppelin.com knock-down, drag-out argument, and all I got was a civil misunderstanding with you. Next time, then

We'll just have to try harder.

[aen27]

"has squandered his immense talent and now rarely plays guitar."

This is the line that baffles me. In about a year's time he's played the 02, played with the Foo Fighters, filmed a movie about playing guitar (while playing guitar in the movie) and played the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. And when he's not playing, he's doing interview after interview discussing his wanting to play the guitar. At what point is he sitting with "a remote in his hand?"

That really worried me, as I can't picture Jimmy just sitting around doing nothing!

I don't understand why he is saying these things in public about Jimmy.

I also don't understand what is sleazy about the book. It's actually classier than the other two.

[ninelives]

Seems to me Mick Wall is viewing the fact that Jimmy hasn't been recording or touring for the last few years and perhaps interpreted that to mean he's doing nothing. He has been doing things - other things. Jimena's charity for one, various reissues, the dvd as well as what others have mentioned above. Bottom line is as long as Jimmy is happy and healthy, that's the main thing though I would very very much love to see him back out on stage again soon!!!

[SteveAJones]

Seems to me Mick Wall is viewing the fact that Jimmy hasn't been recording or touring for the last few years and perhaps interpreted that to mean he's doing nothing. He has been doing things - other things.

...raising his family, primarily. Jimmy Page - the early riser! Eric's got nothin' on him

[BUCK'EYE' DOC]

I totally agree with you Ninelives. Robert and Jimmy have radically different personalities: Robert is more outgoing and friendly, Jimmy more reserved and quiet. Their post-Zeppelin lives reflect their personalities. As long as they have been healthy and happy, who cares if one has been more prolific in thier music production than the other. It is the quality not the quantity that is important. And we all know that Jimmy is a perfectionist and will not put out just anything unless it meets his high standards.