MAGE MUSIC: Heartbreaker

Showing posts with label Heartbreaker. Show all posts

Thursday, November 26, 2015

On This Day 26 November

Here in the US it's a day of thanksgiving. I thank you, Jimmy Page, for the music you have given the world.

1965 & 2013 26 November On This Day Jimmy Page watched Bob Dylan at the Albert Hall,
with poet Scarlett Sabet in 2013 (posted on this day in 2014, 2015)

2009 26 November On This Day Jimmy Page attended Task Brazil fundraiser in Rio
(posted on this day in 2011, 2012, 2013)

1966 The Yardbirds -Washington DC, at Washington Coliseum
1967 The Yardbirds - Studio Session at Olympic Studios
1988 Jimmy Page Outrider Tour - Manchester, England at Manchester Apollo
1998 Page & Plant - Bordeaux, France at La Patinoire Meriadeck

2009 Task Brazil fundraiser

2009 Task Brazil fundraiser. The kids are obviously in awe of Jimmy Page

♪

I am also thankful for you, my readers

♪

♪ She Just Satisfies (Jimmy Page, 1965) YouTube
♪ Baby Who's Driving Your Car (Jimmy Page, 1970) YouTube
♪ Heartbreaker solo (Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin, Earls Court 1975) YouTube
♪ Communication Breakdown (Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin, Dortmund 1980) YouTube
♪ Absolution Blues (Jimmy Page, David Coverdale, 1993) YouTube
♪ Ramble On (Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Wembley 2008) YouTube

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

On This Day 23 September

JIMMY PAGE - the new boy of the group.

1966 23 September On This DayYardbirds at Royal Albert Hall

1966 Yardbirds - City of Westminster, London, England at Royal Albert Hall
1971 Led Zeppelin - Tokyo, Japan at Budokan Hall (day 1 of 2)
1988 Jimmy Page/Outrider - Dallas, Texas at Starplex Amphitheatre
1995 Page & Plant - Mexico City, Mexico at City El Palacio de Los Deportes Arena (day 1 of 2)
1998 Page & Plant - Las Vegas, Nevada at MGM Grand Garden Arena

1966 Yardbirds at Royal Albert Hall

1966 Yardbirds promo photo

1971:
The Japanese idolized Led Zeppelin and seemed to be a refreshing change from the loud and disruptive US audiences the band had been experiencing. Robert Plant was probably pretty sick and tired of having to ask the crowds to quiet down, to stop throwing firecrackers and other objects, and to back away from the stage so people wouldn't get crushed. Not that Japanese audiences didn't want a piece of the boys - the band had to stop during Communication Breakdown because fans were crawling onto the stage.

1971 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - Tokyo, Japan at Budokan Hall (day 1 of 2)

1998 Page & Plant - Las Vegas, Nevada at MGM Grand Garden Arena

2012 Jimmy Page Artwork for Anthony Nolan 2013 charity auction

2012:
Anthony Nolan is a charity dedicated to saving the lives of people with blood cancer and blood disorders. The organization maintains a registry to match individuals willing to donate their blood stem cells or bone marrow to people with blood cancer and blood disorders who need transplants. In February 2013 Anthony Nolan held the "Bone Idol" auction of celebrities' drawings of bones on eBay to raise funds. Jimmy Page's drawing is in black ink on a blank postcard. It was autographed and dated on the front and came with a note from Jimmy Page's accountant. It sold for £205.00 ($315 today in US dollars).

♪

♪ Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin, Tokyo 23 September 1971) YouTube
♪ Stairway To Heaven (Led Zeppelin, Tokyo 23 September 1971) YouTube
♪ 8mm footage of Led Zeppelin, Tokyo 23 September 1971) YouTube
♪ Heartbreaker (Page & Plant, Mexico City, 23 September 1995) YouTube
♪ Heartbreaker (Page & Plant, Las Vegas 1998) YouTube

Friday, August 28, 2015

On This Day 28 August

Where's Jimmy?

1964 28 August On This Day Jimmy Page Session Man (Brenda Lee, PJ Proby, Lulu)
♪ Is It True (Brenda Lee, feat. Jimmy Page guitar 1964) Soundcloud

1966 The Yardbirds - San Diego, CA at San Diego Convention Hall
1970 Led Zeppelin - Detroit, MI at Olympia Stadium
1971 Led Zeppelin - St. Louis, MO at St. Louis Arena (no info available)
1985 Jimmy Page, Jason Bonham, Chris Squire & Mick Thompson jam with Opus at Ibiza Sun Power Festival
1998 Page & Plant - Reading, Berkshire, England at Reading Festival

1985:

There seems to be some confusion about what Jimmy Page was doing on this day in 1985. The website reports his having performed at the Sun Power Festival in Ibiza with Chris Squire, Jason Bonham and Mick Thompson, however Jason Bonham has said that it was 1986 when he was with Jimmy Page in Ibiza. On the other hand, the band, Virginia Wolf (Jason Bonham, drums) apparently recorded their eponymous first album in Ibiza the summer of 1985.

Note the sign behind Jimmy Page and Jason Bonham in the photo below. Opus is an Austrian band that was formed in 1973 and is still active today. The are best known for their single, Live is Life, released in 1984. The song was a European hit in the summer of 1985 and the band's fan page mentions performing in Ibiza around then. The Opus news clipping does confirm the Jimmy Page connection, the location (Ibiza) and puts it in late August. Perhaps someone can check through the page the clipping was from [PDF] and let us know if there is anything more specific about this show there.

1985 Jimmy Page, Jason Bonham, Ibiza

1985 Jimmy Page, Ibiza

1985 Opus news clipping

1998, Page & Plant, Reading Festival

♪

♪ Is It True (Brenda Lee, feat. Jimmy Page guitar 1964) YouTube

♪ Sweet and Tender Romance (PJ Proby, feat. Jimmy Page guitar 1964) YouTube

♪ Can't Hear You No More (Lulu, feat. Jimmy Page guitar 1964) YouTube

♪ Bring It On Home (Led Zeppelin, Detroit, 1970) YouTube

♪ Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin, Detroit 1970) YouTube

♪ Heartbreaker (Page & Plant, Reading Festival, 1998) YouTube

♪ Full show ((Page & Plant, Reading Festival, 1998) YouTube

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

On This Day 29 July

Dum de dum dum...

1973 29 July On This Day Led Zeppelin - New York, NY at Madison Square Garden
♪ Drake Hotel (Dragnet radio & TV theme song) (Soundcloud)

1967 The Yardbirds - Danville, CA at San Ramon High School
1969 Led Zeppelin - Edmonton, Alberta, at Kinsmen Field House
1973 Led Zeppelin - New York, NY at Madison Square Garden
1984 Jimmy Page with Roy Harper at Battersea Park, London

1973:
This was the third performance in a row at Madison Square Garden. At the end of Whole Lotta Love, East Indian fire-eater Mike Quashie came dancing out on the stage with a couple of torches. He lit John Bonham's gong and one drumstick, but Bonzo just kept on playing.

This is the show where the robbery occurred of MSG receipts from the safety deposit box at the Drake Hotel. Originally reported as $203,000, the amount was $180,000 and no one was ever arrested for the theft. The band later sued the hotel and received a settlement.

After the show, the band went to a party held by Ahmet Ertegun to present gold records for Houses of the Holy.

This final night was also the final performance in this 1973 North American tour.

1973 29 July Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin - New York, NY at Madison Square Garden

1973 Led Zeppelin at MSG - Mike Quashie lights Bonzo's fire

Led Zeppelin - New York 1973 - Houses of the Holy Gold Album Award.

1984:
GLC Free Festival Battersea Park in London was put on by the Greater London Council, the city's local authority from 1964 to 1986. It was one of two music festivals used to highlight what the GLC was doing to fight unemployment, boost the London economy and help create and fund new jobs.

1984 Jimmy Page at Battersea with Roy Harper

♪ Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin, MSG 29 July 1973) YouTube

♪ Dazed and Confused excerpt 8mm film (Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin, MSG 29 July 1973) YouTube

♪ The Ocean (Led Zeppelin, MSG 29 July 1973) YouTube

♪ Heartbreaker (Led Zeppelin, MSG 29 July 1973) YouTube

Friday, July 10, 2015

On This Day 10 July

Like guitar heaven.

2000 10 July On This Day Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes, Wantagh, NY at Jones Beach Amphitheater video

1966 The Yardbirds - Hastings, East Sussex, England - Pavilion Ballroom
1967 The Yardbirds - Theinville, WI at Teensville
1973 Led Zeppelin - Milwaukee, WI at Milwaukee Arena
1998 Page & Plant - Philadelphia, PA at Core States Arena
2000 Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes - Wantagh, NY at Jones Beach Amphitheater

"The Crowes are really known for jamming and ad-libbing. And that's what I've been doing ever since I've been playing. So it's complementary. And I know people respect the fact that there are musicians trying every night to put themselves right on the edge."
~ Jimmy Page, Guitar World July 2000

The Black Crowes provided a springboard for Jimmy Page's magic, but it wouldn't have come about if Mr. Page hadn't been asked to be music director for the 1999 benefit concert for the charities SCREAM (Supporting Children through Re-Education and Music) and ABC (Action for Brazil's Children) Trust (see previous Mage Music post).

Jimmy Page was looking for a band to back his guitar for that concert and his buddy, Ross Halfin, suggested The Black Crowes. Jimmy Page was familiar with the band because he had jammed with them in February of 1995.

The SCREAM performance of 10 songs was successful enough that Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes put together a tour that allowed Page to get back to his hard rock and blues guitar work and leave the Egyptian orchestra behind.

"When we did 'Ten Years Gone' it was the first time I'd ever heard all the guitar parts from the record played live. It was like being in guitar heaven."
~ Jimmy Page, Guitar World July 2000

July 2000 Guitar World

♪ Celebration Day (Led Zeppelin, Milwaukee 1973) YouTube
♪ Celebration Day (Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes, 10 July 2000) YouTube
♪ Shape of Things (Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes, 10 July 2000) YouTube
♪ Heartbreaker (Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes, 10 July 2000) YouTube
♪ Whole Lotta Love (Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes, 10 July 2000) YouTube

Thursday, July 2, 2015

On This Day 02 July

1988 02 July On This Day Outrider hits the Billboard charts

1966 The Yardbirds - Brixton, London, at Ram Jam Club
1980 Led Zeppelin - Mannheim, Germany at Eisstadion am Friedrichspark
1988 02 July On This Day Outrider hits the Billboard charts
1995 Page & Plant - Unledded Tour - Munich, Germany at Munich Festival
2000 Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes - Mansfield, MA at Tweeter Center

1980 Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin Mannheim (Photo Affendaddy)

1980 Led Zeppelin Mannheim

1988:
Released on 19 June 1988, within two weeks Outrider reached #26 on Billboard's Billboard 200 chart and #27 on the UK Album Chart. This album is highly underrated, even by Jimmy Page himself, who said, "Outrider's all right. It's demo-like compared with those overproduced albums that came out at the time. It didn't do very well - doesn't matter..." (Uncut Magazine, January 2009, p. 47).

But there's more to the story, of course.

It's no surprise that Rolling Stone didn't like the album much. Reviewer David Fricke apparently didn't do any homework at all. The album was recorded at Jimmy Page's personal studio The Sol so there was no need for demo tracks. What was recorded could be used directly for the album. Fricke didn't bother mentioning that the tracks that appear on Outrider were all that was left after the theft of tapes from Jimmy Page's home.

In a Guitar World interview in 1988, Jimmy Page said that the stolen tracks were very different from what ended up on the Outrider album. He also talks about the recording process.

Interviewer: One of the more unorthodox aspects of your process was the fact that -- on the rock tracks, at least -- the vocals are part of the overlay rather than part of the nucleus of the song. In your work, the guitar is the primary element, and everything else is subordinate to it.

"John Miles was the first vocalist to come in, and I had the tracks actually done when he came in. So it was quite easy, really, to hear it, to gauge the feel of what everything was about. And then we just discussed the lyrical content and such. And away we went. 'Cause I don't sing, so I think if a guy's doing the lyrics, he's gonna sing them with more conviction than if he's doing yours, so to speak. That was the concept there, anyway, with two rock 'n' roll tracks and rock 'n' roll lyrics. Whereas you 've got the other end of the scale, where Chris Farlow just made up the lyrics as he went along on the blues, just as I'll make it up when I'm playing, at the same time. That's totally spontaneous, and it's great."
~ Jimmy Page, Guitar World 1988

1988 Jimmy Page; Outrider promo photo shoot

1988 Lid Magazine #11 cover (Photo Peter Ashworth)

♪ Kashmir (Led Zeppelin Mannheim 02 July 1980) YouTube
♪ Liquid Mercury (Jimmy Page, Outrider 1988) YouTube
♪ Light My Fire/Break On Through (Page & Plant Unledded Tour 1995) YouTube
♪ Heartbreaker (Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes 2000) YouTube

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

On This Day 02 June

Remasters finally released on this day in 2014 - and they're still coming!

2014 On This Day First of the Led Zeppelin remasters released

1998 On This Day Page & Plant - Nashville TN at Nashville Arena

Remasters promo graffiti

1973 Led Zeppelin - San Francisco, CA at Kezar Stadium
1998 On This Day Page & Plant - Nashville TN at Nashville Arena
2014 On This Day First of the Led Zeppelin remasters released

Kezar: Not only a great show, but some great photographers were there to capture the moments. There were mixed reviews, with Rolling Stone continuing its vendetta against the band, stating "Led Zeppelin - a limp blimp" and wasting too much good paper and ink reporting on the volume of the music and the amount of money taken in rather than the concert itself. On the other hand, Charles Shaar Murray of New Musical Express (NME) said "...one of the finest musical events I've ever had the privilege to attend."

You had to be there.