1926 Silent Movie Based on Aleister Crowley

Reviewed at Dangerous Minds, the 1926 silent movie, The Magician, was adapted by Rex Ingram from the novel of that name written by W. Somerset Maugham. The main character, Haddo, was based on Aleister Crowley (1875-1947).

One sentence Mage Music review: The Magician is not the Star Wars of the silent movie era, but it has some historical value.

1926 silent movie based on Aleister Crowley

Crowley was not happy with the book. He filed an injunction against the French premier of the movie, holding out for publicity and power after being offered a settlement. Crowley lost.

Irish film director, producer, writer and actor Rex Ingram (1892-1950) made only one "talkie" but he was considered one of the top creative people of his day. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

German actor Paul Wegener as Oliver Haddo, portraying Aleister Crowley

Paul Wegener (1874-1948) was a German actor, writer and film director known for his pioneering role in German expressionist cinema. He started out as a law student, which may have prepared him for his acting career.

This was before Jimmy Page's time, of course.  Now back to your regular musical programming.

♪ Everybody Makes It Through (In The Light) (Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti 2014 remaster) YouTube
♪ Shining in the Light (Page & Plant)YouTube

On This Day 22 May

Awards, accolades and just plain fine music on this day.

2006 22 May On This Day Led Zeppelin receive Polar Music Prize

 

2006 22 May On This Day Led Zeppelin receive Polar Music Prize

The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by Stig ”Stikkan” Anderson, publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA.  The prize was named for Anderson´s record label, Polar Music. The Polar Music Prize is one of the most prestigious and unique music prizes in the world, awarded to individuals, groups and institutions in recognition of exceptional achievements.

Led Zeppelin recorded In Through The Out Door at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden November - December 1978.

• 1967 Yardbirds - London, England at BBC Radio
• 1973 Led Zeppelin - San Antonio, Texas at HemisFair Convention Center Arena
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Fort Worth TX US at Tarrant County Convention Center
• 1985 The Firm – London at Wembley Arena
• 1986 The Firm - Inglewood, California at The Forum
• 1995 Page & Plant (Unledded North American Tour), Landover MD at Air Arena 
• 1998 Page & Plant (North American Tour) - Miami, FL at Miami Arena
• 2006 22 May On This Day Led Zeppelin receive Polar Music Prize
• 2014 Jimmy Page attends the Ivor Novello Awards at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London, England.

♪ 1977 White Summer/Black Mountain Side (Led Zeppelin - Fort Worth 1977) YouTube

1973 Led Zeppelin - San Antonio Photo: Carl Dunn

1973 Led Zeppelin - San Antonio Photo: Carl Dunn

1985 Jimmy Page with The Firm at Wembley 

The Times review of The Firm – 22 May 1985 London at Wembley Arena

2014 Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck at Beck's Ivor Novello Award  Photo: Dave J Hogan

On This Day 21 May

Session man 1965

1965 21 May On This Day Jimmy Page session for Vashti Bunyan

1965 - Other tracks Jimmy Page played on during the week of May 21

Vashti Bunyan is a British singer-songwriter who in 1965 was under contract to Andrew Oldham (manager and producer of The Rolling Stones at that time).  Even having Jimmy Page on guitar didn't help her gain popularity back then.  Over thirty years later her debut 1970 album (which didn't include the song with Jimmy Page) garnered a cult following and Bunyan was able to renew her musical career.

Bunyan talks about recording  'Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind’ in a March 2001 interview 

"I was in heaven during the recording. This was especially so during the recording of my own song, hearing it arranged by David Whittaker and played by 'real' musicians. Nicky Hopkins and Big Jim Sullivan. Jimmy Page was a session musician then and was in there too."

• 1965 21 May On This Day Jimmy Page session for Vashti Bunyan
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Houston, Texas at The Summit
• 1984 The Firm- St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire, England at St. Ives Hotel Ballroom
• 2014 Jimmy Fallon show interview airs (filmed 05/19/14)
• 2014 On stage at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo

♪  Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind (Vashti Bunyan, Jimmy Page guitar 1965) YouTube

♪  No Quarter (Led Zeppelin, Houston 21 May 1977)  YouTube

Record Mirror article published 21 May1977.  Award ceremony was 12 May 1977

2014 Jimmy Fallon show interview aired on NBC (filmed 05/19/14)

2014 Jimmy Fallon show interview aired on NBC (filmed 05/19/14) showing off the remasters

2014 On stage at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo.  Photo Guino Patrice

2014 Poster for Jimmy Page's appearance at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo.

2014 On stage at the Olympia Paris for remasters promo.  Photo Guino Patrice

On This Day 20 May

1967 On This Day 20 May - Yardbirds - Jouy,France at HEC Business School.

• 1967 On This Day 20 May  - Yardbirds - Jouy,France at HEC Business School.  Billed with Joe Dassin, Jimmy James, Jean-Luc Ponty and Dexter Gordon.
• 1984 Jimmy Page with Roy Harper- Norwich, England at Kenley Fayre
• 1985 The Firm - Edinburgh, Scotland at Playhouse Theatre
• 1995 Page & Plant (Unledded North American Tour) San Jose, CA at San Jose Arena
• 1998 Page & Plant (North American Tour) Tampa FL at Tampa Ice Palace

 ♪  Satisfaction Guaranteed (The Firm 1985 20 May) YouTube
♪  Thank You/Bring It On Home (Page & Plant 1995 20 May) YouTube

1967 Yardbirds Paris

1995 Page & Plant (Unledded North American Tour) San Jose, CA at San Jose Arena

2014 Metal XS interview

On This Day 19 May

Page and Plant in Pensicola on this day in 1998 and a few days' break in 1975 for Led Zeppelin before the next three Earls Court shows.

1998 19 May On This Day Page & Plant - Pensacola, Florida at Pensacola Civic Center

There were two days of soundchecks and rehearsals at the venue prior to opening night in Pensicola.  The year-long tour took Page & Plant back and forth across the Atlantic several times.

• 1967 Yardbirds - Elizabethville, Paris, France at L'Hermitage
• 1968 Yardbirds - Santa Barbara, California at Francisco Torres
• 1973 Led Zeppelin - Fort Worth,TX US/ Tarrant County Convention Center
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Baton Rouge, LA US/LSU Assembly Center
• 1986 The Firm (Mean Business Tour)- Houston, Texas at The Summit
• 1995 Page & Plant (Unledded North American Tour) - Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA. 
• 1998 19 May On This Day Page & Plant (North American Tour) - Pensacola, Florida at Pensacola Civic Center 
• 2011 Jimmy Page at Ivor Novello Awards where Paul Rogers receives award for songwriting 

1986 The Firm (Mean Business Tour)- Houston, Texas at The Summit

1998 Jimmy Page & Robert Plant promo photo for US Tour.  Mick Hutson photo

  

2011 19 May Jimmy Page, Cynthia Rodgers, Paul Rodgers - Ivor Novello Songwriting Award

2011 May Les Inrocks Magazine

2014 Jimmy Page and Jack White backstage of the Jimmy Fallon Show (episode aired May 21) - Photo Ross Halfin 

On This Day 18 May

In 1977 on this day Led Zeppelin played in Birmingham and in 1985 The Firm played in Birmingham - different countries on different continents, though. And of course, on this day in 1975 Led Zeppelin played the second of five sold-out nights to 17,000 fans at Earls Court Arena, London England.

In 1977 On This Day Jimmy Page was in one Birmingham or another

• 1967 Yardbirds- Versailles, France
• 1968 Yardbirds - Lewiston, Idaho at Casey's
• 1969 Led Zeppelin - Minneapolis, Minnesota at Tyrone Guthrie Theatre
• 1973 Led Zeppelin - Dallas, Texas at Dallas Memorial Auditorium
• 1975 Led Zeppelin - London, England at Earls Court Exhibition Centre
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - Birmingham, Alabama at Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Arena
• 1985 The Firm - Birmingham, West Midlands, England at NEC Arena 
• 2006 Scarlet Page photo exhibition opening, "Your Child", at the Proud Gallery in Camden

♪  Since I've Been Loving You - Led Zeppelin 1977, Birmingham AL  YouTube

Jimmy Page - 1975 May Led Zeppelin at Earls Court

John Paul Jones & Jimmy Page 1975 May Led Zeppelin at Earls Court

Robert Plant & Jimmy Page - 1975 May Led Zeppelin at Earls Court

Jimmy Page 1975 May Led Zeppelin at Earls Court

Jimmy Page on Theremin - 1975 May Led Zeppelin at Earls Court

Jimmy Page 1975 May Led Zeppelin at Earls Court

On This Day 17 May

"Robert Plant... a jester at the wheel of some fearsome juggernaut, offering sly asides and poetic ruminations between moments of terrible power."

~ Chris Welch

1975 17 May On This Day Earls Court Day One

Interestingly, the photo for the On This Day image for Earls Court (above) is from Knebworth, not Earls Court. The band had transported their whole 40-ton stage and light show from the US and a huge screen was installed above the stage for Earls Court. While there were laser effects it wasn't until 1977 that the pyramid effect was used and 1979 that the the bow itself had a laser as in this photo [read more on Led Zeppelin use of lasers].   

Earl's Court, 1975: Three shows sold out in just a few hours (May 23, 24 and 25) before two additional shows were added (May 17 and 18).

1975 19 April NME announcement of two additional shows

Five nights of Led Zeppelin, with each show clocking in at over three hours. Talk about endurance. Many still consider these shows to be Led Zeppelin's best ever performances.

♪ Bron-Y-Aur Stomp YouTube

• 1968 Yardbirds,Tacoma, Washington at University of Puget Sound, Memorial Fieldhouse
• 1969 Led Zeppelin, Athens, Ohio at O. U. Convocation Center
• 1975 Led Zeppelin, London, England - Day 1 of 5 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre
• 1986 The Firm Dallas, Texas at Reunion Arena'
• 1995 Page & Plant - Inglewood, California at The Forum
• 2003 the double DVD set ‘Led Zeppelin’ was released with six tracks from Earls Court May 24 and 25 shows.

1975 May Earls Court stage set

1975 May Earls Court stage set

1975 May Earls Court - Jimmy Page playing Black Dog

1975 May Earls Court Jimmy Page acoustical set

1975 Earls Court

1975 May Earls Court "...moments of terrible power" (Chris Welch quote)