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Jimmy Page - Yksinoikeudella (2013)

by Brad Tolinski(Favorite Author)

4.04 of 5 Votes: 3

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Minerva

review 1: Probably the best book I read about a musician. The author interviewed Page on his entire life and career. As the author is Editor in Chief of Guitar World, the focus here is really on Page's music (and away from the more standard focus on Zeppelin's infamous rock n roll lifestyle in other books...). This musical gravitas probably gave the author the unprecedented access to interview Page for must have been long sit downs. The book is then structured as direct interviews, each focusing on a particular phase in Jimmy Page's life, beginning with how he learned to play guitar, through his days as studio musician, a Yardbird, the founding of Led Zeppelin, its rise to being the biggest band in the world and its break up and Page's solo projects. What comes across is a uniq... moreuely gifted and focused musician. Even as Page was working as a studio musician and playing music for ads, he seemed to know he would want to put together a band focused on heavy blues and after getting his chops in the Yardbirds, he went in search of other musicians to do this. Even during these early days, Page knew he wanted to have total creative control and was able to negotiate this with the record label. The result was that Page was not simply the musician behind Led Zeppelin, but also the producer of all its albums. This and Page's keen sense on finding three fellow musicians (then unknown) who he sensed would make his musical visions whole allowed Zeppelin to become what it was. He picked winners.There are many excellent insights into Page's musical development and impact. One is his being the first to move the drums into a primary role in recording rock. Previously the drums played rhythm and were faded into background. Page understood that drums were an acoustic instrument and "needed room to breathe." Hence, his decision to mike the drums in a much ore focused manner and to occasionally center melodies around them (see intro to "When the Levee Breaks"). From here to the thumping primacy of the beat in rap music is a long, but direct line which many don't see, but which is traced back to Page.Other musical insights show how easily Page and Zeppelin moved across styles from folk music to classic blues, heavy blues and on to bone crushing (but always melodic) rock. Page was interested in and mastered all these styles in a way no other musician has been able to. Technically, there is insight into the melodic and instrumental complexities of Page and Zeppelin's music (how about bending a C to a natural D note, the flat 9 of a D flat major 7 chord on the solo in "Since I've Been Loving You," and making it sound right..). As the author writes "its something few besides Miles Davis would be able to do."While this surely required massive effort, Page seems to focus on letting songs develop naturally and not forcing or over working the music: "We were never a band that did ninety-six takes of the same thing...if a track isn't happening and it starts creating a psychological barrier, even after an hour or two, then you should stop and do something else. Go out: go to the pub or to a restaurant or do something else. Or play another song." Indeed...There are lots of other great insights on the musical vision and output of Zeppelin and some unexpectedly interesting info on Page's solo efforts.And for those who just need a fix of the Zeppelin road excesses, the author does manage to dovetail a nugget or two, always related to the music and its live manifestations. Here's Page on drugs on the road: "...I remember one night climbing out of a nine-story window in New York and sitting on one of those air conditioning units, and just looking over the city. I was just out on my own and I thought it might be an interesting thing to do. It was totally reckless behavior...but when you are performing at a standard that is so incredible and intense, it cant help but change your psyche...and sometimes you're having nights that you just can't believe - you just can't believe it...its going to affect you somewhat..." Still, the book is a focus on Page's music and its a wonderful story.
review 2: This was an enjoyable book. There are many interviews with Page revealing his history, musical genius, and views on life. There are also interviews with those who knew him including Jeff Beck as some of Led Zeppelin. This book filled in a lot of my knowledge about Led Zeppelin as well as the relationship between Page, Beck and Clapton as well as their relationship to the Yardbirds. I have revisited Led Zeppelin's albums as well as DVDs. They were the ultimate performing rock group and I saw them in 1969 in Vancouver at the Agrodome and was blown away. less

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