By: Brady Lavin
Jimmy Page Photo: Wikipedia
Jimmy Page is one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most influential guitarists, and over the years has become a household name even in households without music fans. He has earned countless accolades and awards throughout his monumental career with Led Zeppelin, his time with the Yardbirds and The Firm, and as a session musician, but has maintained his humility and dedication to the music above all else.
Born in 1944 to James Page, an industrial personnel manager, and Patricia Page, a doctor’s secretary, in Heston, a London suburb, Jimmy Page didn’t take long to get into music. By the age of twelve, he was already plucking away at the six strings.
Like many guitar heroes, Page’s introduction to the guitar was serendipitous. When his family moved from Feltham to Epsom in Surrey, there was mysteriously a guitar in the house. They didn’t know if the previous occupants left it or if it was a family friend’s, but either way, Page attacked it.
Jimmy was mostly self-taught, learning how to play by imitating records, although he did take a few lessons, and a friend at school taught him a couple of chords when he was first starting out. His main influences at this early stage were James Burton and Scotty Moore, who were rockabilly guitarists he heard when they were backing up Elvis Presley on recordings.
In only three years, Jimmy abandoned school plans of biological research in favor of a future in music, joining singer Neil Christian’s band The Crusaders. Page stayed with that band for two years, appearing on several records, including the single, “The Road to Love” in 1962. The Crusaders also toured constantly, and that took a toll on his health.
Eventually, Jimmy got tired of getting glandular fever “every three months,” so he quit The Crusaders and decided to go to Sutton Art College in Surrey for painting. The idea was to give his body a rest from the rigors of touring for eighteen months or so, but he continued to play guitar. Page would go to the Marquee Club and jam with various bands and talented musicians, including future guitar icons Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. Page was spotted on stage at the Marquee one night and was asked by to record a couple of singles for the Columbian Graphophone Company, a gig which led to his first steady work as a session musician for Mike Leander of Decca Records.
As a session player, Jimmy Page ended up contributing to a huge number of very successful singles, from Johnny Hallyday to the Who. Nicknamed “Little Jim” because the other popular session guitarist in the area was “Big” Jim Sullivan, he contributed guitar work to The Kinks’ first album, The Who’s “I Can’t Explain,” Rolling Stone’s “Heart of Stone,” Van Morrison & Them’s “Baby Please Don’t Go,” and five songs from Joe Cocker’s sensational debut album With a Little Help from My Friends.
Page has said that his time as a session player was incredibly valuable. “At one point I was playing at least three sessions a day, six days a week!” he said in an interview with Guitar Player magazine. “The studio discipline was great. They’d just count the song off, and you couldn’t make any mistakes.”
Members of the Yardbirds had to ask Jimmy Page to join three times before he accepted. The first time he declined because he would have been supplanting his friend Eric Clapton, and the second time, Jimmy was making too much money as a session player to give that up, so he suggested they try Jeff Beck. The third time, however, bassist Paul Samewll-Smith quit the band and Page volunteered to fill in on bass.
Eventually, Chris Dreja moved to bass and Jimmy picked up his guitar, playing lead with Beck. This premature “supergroup” only lasted a few months, however, as Jeff Beck left the group in late 1966. Page stayed with the Yardbirds for their next album, Little Games, which sounded a bit tame and commercial and didn’t break past No. 80 on the the Billboard Charts.
Despite the limited success of Little Games, The Yardbirds’ live shows were picking up steam and going some interesting places, drifting away from the commerciality of their recordings. Fueled by a heavier sound and some improvisational elements, Jimmy honed a variety of musical and sonic ideas that would eventually become staples of that signature Led Zeppelin/Jimmy Page sound.
Led Zeppelin came from a very specific idea in Page’s mind. “I wanted Zeppelin to be a marriage of blues, hard rock and acoustic music, topped with heavy choruses,” Jimmy once said in an interview, “a combination that had never been done before. Lots of light and shade in the music.”
A crucial element needed for this idea was a group of virtuosic musicians that gelled well as a group. He knew from his time with the Yardbirds and other groups that groups could be filled with talented musicians but never really click, so Page set about recruiting a group that he thought would work well as a unit. “The New Yardbirds,” as they were first called, consisted of vocalist Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones, with Jimmy on guitar. This now-legendary lineup of Led Zeppelin never changed, unlike the lineups of so many other classic rock ‘n’ roll bands.
Led Zeppelin, who got their name from a Kieth Moon joke about a former group of Jimmy’s going over like a “lead zeppelin,” released eight studio albums during their twelve-year career (1968-1980) and one after their break-up. Taking full responsibility for the sound of Led Zeppelin’s records, Jimmy Page produced every single one of these albums.
This period is another where Page’s earlier session work really came in handy. While he was recording three sessions a day, he learned a lot about how recordings should NOT be made. Many of the guitar amplifiers were recorded with microphones right in front, resulting in a less-than-desirable sound quality. Jimmy also learned that recording drums in tight rooms made them sound like “cardboard boxes.”
Taking these experiences, Page experimented constantly with mic placement and different room shapes for recording. He would often mic an amp up close, but also place one as far as twenty feet away to capture the ambient sound, which helped give Zeppelin recordings a quality of depth lacking in other bands’ records. A famous example of Page’s experimentation are the drums on “When the Levee Breaks” from Led Zeppelin IV. The drum set was infamously placed at the bottom of a staircase, and were recorded by placing microphones at the top of the stairs to create a unique echo effect.
Jimmy Page’s career with Led Zeppelin was cut short in 1980 when drummer John Bonham passed away at Jimmy’s house in Berkshire. Page was so traumatized by the event he couldn’t touch a guitar for months after his close friend’s death. The remaining members refused to work on any musical project called “Led Zeppelin” since then, except in 2007 where they reunited for one concert, the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert, which raised money for the Ahmet Ertegün Education Fund. John Bonham’s son, Jason Bonham, played drums for that performance.
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Photo Wikipedia
Page, never one to sit on his hands, has kept them busy in the years following. He has appeared in various charity concerts and events, including the Action Research for Multiple Sclerosis series of charity concerts in 1983, Live Aid (with the remaining Zeppelin members) in 1985, and a Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre concert with Robert Plant in 1990.
In the mid-1980’s, Jimmy played with Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company), Chris Slad (Uriah Heep, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band) and Tony Franklin (Roy Harper) in the supergroup The Firm. That project lasted for two studio albums, 1985’s The Firm and 1986’s Mean Business.
Page has also performed with many other musicians throughout the years after Zeppelin. He added guitar work to albums by Steve Winwood, Roy Harper, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, and the Rolling Stones, and also worked on the soundtracks to Charles Bronson films Deathwish II and Deathwish 3.
Lately, Page appeared in the documentary It Might Get Loud, which featured the aging rocker dispensing wisdom and heavy riffs while jamming with guitar icons Jack White and The Edge. He also represented Britain for the closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, performing “Whole Lotta Love” with Leona Lewis to symbolize the change of location for the 2012 Olympics to London.
Page is at or near the top of nearly every “Greatest Guitarist” list, including lists by Rolling Stone (#2), Mojo Magazine (#7), Classic Rock Magazine (#4), Total Guitar (#2), Time Magazine (#6) and Gibson Guitars (#2), and his solo in the famous “Stairway to Heaven” has been consistently voted “Best Guitar Solo Of All Time,” but those rankings can’t quantify the incredible influence he had on the direction of rock music.
Jimmy Page has the unique distinction of being almost universally lauded as one of rock music’s greatest guitarists, producers, and composers. His work with the Yardbirds and especially Led Zeppelin has made him one of the most influential guitarists and songwriters in the history of rock music, with Angus Young, Slash, Alex Lifeson, Ace Frehley, Joe Satriani, John Frusciante, Tony Iommi, Joe Perry, and many other now-iconic guitarists counting him as a major influence.
As anyone can see, these players, who count Jimmy as a key influence, are now themselves legends in the world of rock music, spreading Page’s music from what began as a mysterious old guitar in the corner of a new house in Surrey to fans of almost every genre of music out there. And we can only hope he’ll make some more.
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Led Zeppelin Chicago 1975 Photo Wikipedia
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Carlos @ Learn guitar chords (13 years ago)
Great profile! I wish I could have a similar equipment portfolio…
mick (13 years ago)
Those rankings aren’t high enough. He is much more innovative than Clapton, covers more types of music than Hendrix, and plays with more feeling than anyone. People criticized him in the 80’s for not playing those lousy supposedly non-mistake free scale like sounding solos that is no longer the fad (luckily), but his music still stands strong. He also is a genious producer, something the other guitar players on those lists are not.
Not to mention he is just cooler than all those others as well.
Jen Andalou (13 years ago)
WTF? Are you REALLY including bootlegs as part of his discography? Jimmy Page HAS sat on his hands and his ass since 1999. You really can’t count the Black Crowes album because it didn’t include a single new song. Jimmy Page WAS an innovator, but his career has stalled out after the 98 tour with Robert Plant. I wouldn’t exactly call It Might Get Loud as anything new either. Any true Zeppelin fan knows that BOTH songs titled Embryo were just reworkings of a song he called Domino during his 88 solo tour. The bigger question is, Why Can’t Jimmy play anymore. If he truly loved the guitar, we’d see him everywhere. There isn’t an artist that wouldn’t be honored to play with him.
Charlotte (13 years ago)
The greatest guitar wizard ever.
Dave (13 years ago)
Hmm, I’d have to agree with Jen. The list is filled with bootleg cd’s, and in checking the facts, Jimmy Page hasn’t written a new since 1998. That is a heck of a long time. Robert Plant has proven that he was the true workhorse of Led Zeppelin. Robert has made more albums than Led Zeppelin. I suspect if we do hear anything from Jimmy, it’ll be sometime next year, OH WAIT, we’ve heard that every year since 98! – lol
eric (13 years ago)
ok first of all jimmy hasnt made an album since 98 because everytime he gets a band together plant goes and screws it up, lets see coverdale-page plant screwed it up and made two decent albums with pagey no complaints there but the debacle after the O2 show in which plant completely nixed a zep reunion was total bullshit he nixed a LED ZEPPELIN reunion to make an album with allison krauss and in the process insulted bonzos kid saying quote “it isnt led zeppelin without john” while that may be true jason bonham is an amazing drummer just listen to black country communion, robert plant is not a work horse just because he releases more albums go ahead and listen to plant solo albums there is maybe 1 or 2 good ones the rest are shit especially the new one and the krauss collaboration, with that said Jimmy Page is my number inspiration for playing guitar and worthy of every award he receives and more he was and is a musical genius and his music will live on forever.
Ron Negri (13 years ago)
Jimmy Page is GOD! The best guitar player ever, no one comes even close! And the greatest producer as well as songwriter!
nicky10lbs (12 years ago)
Jimmy Page hasn’t done a thing in decades . Robert Plant is at least ambitious. What a shameful waste Jimmy Page was after Zep. Learn to write some song’s you putz
Brad Conroy (12 years ago)
After hearing “White Summer Black Mountainside” I decided I needed to learn how to play the guitar.. Thank you Jimmy Page!
george (11 years ago)
THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER PAGE,NOT IN OUR LIFETIME- UNIQUE,SENSITIVE,POWERFULL,DEEP. IN THE LATE SEVENTIES THE DISCO AND PUNK ROCK WAS ABSOLUTLY DREADFULL AND BANDS LIKE TOTO AND FORIENER WERE CONSIDERED ROCK..THE GENERAL FEEL IN THE AIR SEEMED EMPTY AND CHEAP. I WAITED DESPERATLY FOR THE NEW LED ZEPPELIN ALBUM TO COME OUT AND BLOW EVERYTHIMG AWAY. WHEN IN THROUGH THE OUTDOOR CAME OUT I KNEW THE KIND OF MUSIC I LOVED WAS OVER. I KNEW LED ZEPPELIN WAS OVER. THE MUSE WAS GONE,AND I THINK ALL 4 ZEPP KNEW. THE ONLY THING THAT CAME AFTER WAS GRUNGE AND THAT WAS THE SWAN SONG OF ROCK. ROCK IS DEAD -REAL ROCK MUSIC…..
rob romero (10 years ago)
I have been playing drums since age 9…I am 55 now …my 7 uncles and father and older and younger brother ALL played the guitar and sang…being left handed naturally …I took to the drums instead…I finally got to meet Jimmy Page before the 1983 Albert Hall ARMS concert…being a musician and knowing guitar players…I fully respect and love what jimmy page has done…he plays what he has to play and if he can’t and doesn’t…he often wishes he could on that particular moment. Jimmy has done marvelous things thanks to his session playing and time with the Yardbirds…and of course the Led Zeppelin…and he seems to be a very kind man who commands privacy when he needs it. I sometimes can’t play what I want to play or execute due to muscle spasms or a sprain or what have you…if you witness a bad performance…oh well …come again and witness a good or marvelous night. Jimmy Page is still a marvelous guitarist. Hands down!