MAGE MUSIC

Discussion and analysis of music, magic, and the Works of Jimmy Page

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Monday, October 29, 2012

Jimmy Page NEWS: Remastering back catalog

Peter Mensch, the manager of LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page, told the U.K.'s Sunday Times that the legendary axeman is holed up in a west London studio "remastering every LED ZEPPELIN LP."   More....
Posted by Lif Strand at 9:52 AM No comments:
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Labels: Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, remaster

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Alchemy: Led Into Gold (Part 5) Jimmy Page in the 21st Century


…from a juggernaut to a dragonfly in a moment...
~ Roger Taylor (Queen) UK Hall of Fame Induction of Led Zeppelin

Mage Music 26

Jimmy Page has been criticized for appearing to back off from music after the turn of this century, particularly compared to Led Zeppelin band mate Robert Plant, who was putting out albums and touring. That appearance would, of course, only be true if Mr. Page was simply a rock guitarist - but of course he is so much more than that: Besides the private and personal inner world of Mage, beyond composer and performer of music that is his public face, Jimmy Page has also always been the complete artist. Arranger, producer, engineer, dreamer - Mr. Page’s vision encompasses a complete experience, whether it be song, show, album, band or career.  Jimmy Page's interests are widespread, his passion is for perfection in all areas of his creations; given Mr. Page's well-known compulsion for perfection of detail, anything he produced would have to be hands-on, not just something he signed off on.

Add ingredients and mix well
Jimmy Page continued to keep his performance skills - and his public presence - honed by appearances with other musicians from 2000 on, while simultaneously working on other projects that required his time and attention. He produced the Led Zeppelin DVD of 2003 (choice concert material from over the years) and also in 2003 How the West Was Won (the "ideal" 1972 Led Zeppelin concert complied from the Los Angeles Forum and Long Beach Arena shows of that year). In 2007 Mothership was released, as was the remastered Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same. During this time Jimmy Page also continued his work on behalf of two Brazilian charities dedicated to the welfare of the poverty-stricken children of Brazil, and was involved with more events (including ceremonies in which he received and presented awards) outside of performing music than most people are aware of - all of which required, and benefited from, Jimmy Page’s personal touch.

The biggie of 2007, of course, was the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, better known as the Led Zeppelin O2 reunion. Not quite a reunion without John Bonham, of course, but Bonzo’s son Jason seemed to channel his father, allowing the three surviving members of the band to definitively demonstrate that the Led Zeppelin legacy was not only alive but vitally alive, and the talents of the Mage Musician still as powerful as ever.

Cook until done, serve when ready
It is instructive to note that Jimmy Page has always been committed to "everything in its own time - and only in its own time”.  This may explain why, in January of 2010 when asked about a DVD of the show, Mr. Page said, "I can't give you an answer on that” - yet we now know that just a year later he was involved in production of the movie, surely a task that was not spur of the moment. It has been made quite clear in the 2012 press conferences that prefaced the Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day movie release that Led Zeppelin would not be reuniting to tour as a band again. The full reasons for this will likely be revealed – if ever – well in the future, when the time is considered right and not a moment before.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Page forged on with new projects, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics closing ceremony (Whole Lotta Love with Leona Lewis), the It Might Get Loud documentary, a Genesis Publications limited-edition photo autobiography Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page, and a website at jimmypage.com, the latter two being fully controlled by Mr. Page, focused and concerned, as always, with the details.

Soul food
Ironically, the more Jimmy Page has seemed to open up to the world, the more mysterious he has become. While it is true that he has made his work more accessible and available, and while he has been willing to talk more about the music in terms of how it was done, the life of Jimmy Page as expressed by Jimmy Page remains limited to his life as a musician. Brad Tolinski says in his just published book, Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page, that Mr. Page considers creating music to be a transcendental endeavor.

We know this to be true by the music we hear; by his preference, however, the inner life of the Mage Musician may only be revealed through his work, not through words.  In 2011, Mr. Page released a sweet but fleeting solo piece on his website, called Summer's Day. His comment about it was simply:  "I had a day off."


♪


(Note: Led Zeppelin will be presented with an award for lifetime achievement in the performing arts on December 1, 2012. The 35th Kennedy Center Honors medals will be presented at a dinner at the State Department and will be followed the next day by a reception at the White House and a performance at the Kennedy Center. The event will be taped for a television broadcast on Dec. 26 at 9 p.m. on CBS. It is unknown at this time whether the Led Zeppelin/Jason Bonham band will perform.) 
♫

YouTube Playlist - Alchemy: Led Into Gold (Part 5)
Individual songs


2001 Page & Fred Durst & Les Scantlin, Thank You (live) MTV Europe Video Music Awards

2001 Page & Plant, Baby Let's Play House (live) Montreux Jazz Festival

2002 Jimmy Page, Dazed and Confused (live) with Paul Weller band, Feb 09, 2002 Royal Albert Hall, Children's Cancer Trust benefit

2005 Jimmy Page, Whole Lotta Love (live) NY Stock Exchange

2006  Led Zeppelin UK Hall of Fame Induction by Roger Taylor of Queen  (live)

2007 Led Zeppelin/Jason Bonham, Nobody's Fault But Mine (live) O2 Concert

2008 Jimmy Page, Kashmir (live) Kashmir chords

2008 Page, Jones & Foo Fighters, Rock and Roll (live) Wembley Stadium

2011 Jimmy Page & Donovan, Sunshine Superman (live) Royal Albert Hall

2011 Jimmy Page & Roy Harper, The Same Old Rock (live) Royal Festival Hall Onstage at 2:40

2011 Jimmy Page, Summer's Day (studio) unk - featured on JimmyPage.com 08/12/11


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Labels: It Might Get Loud, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day, light and shade, Mage Music, Robert Plant

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Alchemy: Led Into Gold (Part 4) The 1990s

The colours, the textures, the tones; the blood, the flesh, the bones ...
                    ~ Jimmy Page, jimmypage.com On This Day 14 October 1994

Mage Music 25

Alchemy is not an overnight-wonder kind of Magick. It is a process of methodical experimentation that takes time to not only perform – which is actually the last step in the process - but to think, design, experiment, analyze and rethink, and then reattempt the Work - repeating until the Magick has created the new reality. Alchemy is not a Magick for the weak-willed or undisciplined. It does not provide immediate gratification. It is unforgiving: Either it is performed perfectly or there is no Magick at all. “Almost” is not nearly enough for Alchemy.

Yoda: "Do or do not. There is no try."
Jimmy Page seemed to come out of the 1980s with a renewed enthusiasm for reincarnating himself. Mr. Page appeared onstage with numerous bands during that time, essentially auditioning while having a good time.

He was seeking a combination of musical components that would recreate or reinvent the Magick he had found so successfully with Led Zeppelin. The problem, of course, was that accomplished musicians of the caliber of Mr. Page would be already involved with established bands and not interested or able to experiment outside their comfort zones. These musical egos wouldn't want to have their own music challenged by proximity of a Master Mage who wasn't looking for musicians to musically follow or to be followed by, but to collaboratively engage in the a creative Magickal process that follows the Mage's vision.

It takes 100% to be successful in Magick. Trying doesn't make it – doing is all that counts. Of course, Yoda knew that just any old action – the “do” part – doesn't raise a spaceship out of the swamp; it has to be the perfect action. And the only real way to learn the perfect action is by trying - experimenting, testing, over and over and over until the perfect action is discovered - and then there is no more “try”. Luke had already received training, he knew what to do. He’d fallen into try and Yoda knew that. Believe me; even Yoda didn't raise a spaceship the first time he made the attempt.

And Jimmy Page wouldn't find the perfect components for post-Zeppelin musical Magick right away, either.

You can never go back 
In a 1993 MTV Most Wanted interview, Jimmy Page said of David Coverdale: "…within the creative side.... he's as passionate about the music as I am.” Coverdale had decided to retire, but the invitation to work with Jimmy Page was a rare opportunity not to be ignored and Coverdale tossed thoughts of retirement out the window.

In that same interview, Mr. Page admitted he had been totally uninspired prior to that point. The Whitesnake singer was a mature and accomplished musician whose abilities could help break Mr. Page out of his musical (and Magickal) stasis. Jimmy Page’s need was for artistic co-creators, strong musicians who would contribute to the music and thereby the Magickal process yet who would submit to the Mage’s Magickal vision.  David Coverdale was not only available, but qualified. 

“It was nice to present ideas - some pretty off the wall, chord sequences and things,” Jimmy Page said. “David would get an immediate grasp on them, and come in exactly with the right emotional factor, the right passionate factor.”

The subtext, given the post-Zep work Jimmy Page had done by that point with Robert Plant, was that the Page/Plant collaboration wasn't a viable solution. After David Coverdale took his musical rejuvenation back to Whitesnake, the disharmony of the musical goals of the two former band mates of Led Zeppelin became obvious. This is not surprising - Robert Plant had been going his own way musically for more than a decade. His voice and his musical vision had changed. Performing reworked versions of Zeppelin classics within Jimmy Page’s vision was no longer compelling to Mr. Plant - as the mid-1990s Page/Plant musical product clearly shows.

If nothing else demonstrates the impossibility of recreating successful alchemy with changed components, it is the music of Page and Plant in 1990 and in the subsequent No Quarter years. They couldn't go back. It couldn't be Led Zeppelin, and even if it was good music it wasn't Magickal. As Robert Plant put more of himself into the music, Jimmy Page increasingly seemed to fade. He seemed be in a holding pattern, an accompanist rather than a creator. By 1995 Kashmir had changed so much from the original vision that none of the Magick was left.

Change happens
Whether you want it to or not, nothing stays the same. The alchemist must make constant, if minute, changes in the process to account for every factor that is no longer the same as it was the last time the process was performed. The second round of Page/Plant collaboration that resulted in Walking Into Clarksdale revealed the beginnings of Jimmy Page’s finding his Magickal power again.

Sometimes, however, it pays to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Sometimes it takes radical change to forge ahead.  Jimmy Page had the desire and the will to change and so rather stay with something good musically but not pushing the Magickal envelope enough, the quest continued.

Although many fans decried the Page/Puff Daddy partnership, we know that Jimmy Page has been attracted to working with soundtracks in the past.  And although the musical presence of Mr. Page in this version of Kashmir is not obvious, the chance to play with a visual component adds a new twist to the Work - there is a strange scent of Magick to it. Kashmir and Godzilla? Who could have imagined it, yet it seems to fit its purpose.

Ultimately, even when a Mage is in a place that feels wrong, with sufficient desire and intention he will return to what feels right if he will allow the Magick to lead him. Although Jimmy Page continued to experiment with new partnerships into the next decade, the most Magickally touched of the Work still rested in the Music Mage himself. Behold the Master performing Domino: Rhythm and the Magick through the voice of a guitar. The Force was with him.

♫ 

♪ 


Future posts:

Led Into Gold (Part 5) Jimmy Page in the 2000s
The Chicken/Egg quandary (the neurophysics of music)



♫ 



YouTube Playlist - Alchemy: Led Into Gold (Part 4) Jimmy Page in the 1990s

Individual songs

1990 Page & Plant, Wearing & Tearing (live) Knebworth
1993 Page & Coverdale, Absolution Blues (studio) Album: Coverdale/Page
1994 Page & Plant, Kashmir (live) No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded with the London Metropolitan Orchestra & Hossam Ramzy Ensemble
1995 Page & Plant, Kashmir (live) Irvine Meadows, Irvine California, 3 October 1995
1995 Page & Plant, Thank You (live) Irvine Meadows, Irvine California, 3 October 1995
1996 Page & Plant, Thank You (live) Japan
1998 Page & Puff Daddy, Come With Me (Kashmir) Soundtrack, Godzilla
1998 Page & Plant, Whiskey From The Glass (studio) Album: Walking Into Clarksdale
1999 Page & The Black Crowes, What Is And What Should Never Be (live) US Tour
1999 Jimmy Page, Dazed and Confused (live) NetAid
1999 Jimmy Page, Domino (live) NetAid


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Labels: alchemy, David Coverdale, Godzilla, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, mage, Puff Daddy, Robert Plant

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day & other news updates


Web Results for Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day
 
Led Zeppelin's "Celebration Day" comes to Charlotte | Vibes
In December of 2007, legendary rockers Led Zeppelin came together for a one- night-only ...
clclt.com/.../led-zeppelins-celebration-day-comes-to-charlotte
News Results for "Led Zeppelin"
 
Led Zeppelin's reunion was 'really tense'
AZ Central.com
Led Zeppelin's reunion was 'really tense'. Oct. 15, 2012 03:37 PM Bang Showbiz. Led Zeppelin were ''really tense'' when they reunited for a one-off gig in 2007. The surviving members of the group, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant, performed ...
See all stories on this topic »
Led Zeppelin's 2007 reunion concert at 5 Utah movie theaters this week
Salt Lake Tribune (blog)
Many rock concerts are history-making, but the most notable of the past decade has to be Led Zeppelin's reunion in 2007. The British juggernaut took the stage at London's O2 Arena on December 10, 2007 to headline a tribute concert for Atlantic Records ...
See all stories on this topic »
Mid America Talent Presents: “Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day”
Minnesota Daily
Mid America Talent Presents: “Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day” A LIVE re-creation of Led Zeppelin's London O2 Arena reunion concert featuring some of the Twin Cities most talented musicians: Billy Thommes, Al Bergstrom, Troy Norton, Wain McFarlane, and ...
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Led Zeppelin Celebration Day Press Conference
YouTube
Alert icon. Loading... There is no Interactive Transcript. Published on Oct 11, 2012 by UnitedStationsRadio. October 9, 2012 - Museum of Modern Art, New York City Led Zeppelin Celebration Day Press Conference courtesy of United Stations Radio Networks ...
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Led Zeppelin comes to the silver screen this week in Cape
kzim-am
Oct 15, 2012 -- 12:36pm. You can enjoy Led Zeppelin in concert on the silver screen for two shows only this week in Cape! Wehrenberg Theaters is bringing their two-hour long, December 2007 concert in London to the movies Wednesday at 7 PM and 9:40.
See all stories on this topic »
DVD Review: Led Zeppelin, 'Celebration Day'
New York Daily News
When the three surviving members of Led Zeppelin took the stage at London's O2 Arena in December of 2007 — 27 years after playing their last show under their sainted name — they had to live up to a legacy of muscle and finesse barely matched in the ...
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New York Daily News
Zeppelin film gives fans something to celebrate
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Maybe you were stuck with tickets to canceled shows in 1977 and 1980, or maybe you weren't even born then but discovered Led Zeppelin through the radio or mom and dad. Whatever the case, when three-fourths of the band reunited at London's O2 Arena ...
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News Results for "Jimmy Page"
 
Jimmy Page on another Led Zeppelin reunion: 'I don't see it'
CNN
(Rolling Stone) -- At one point in "Celebration Day," the new film of Led Zeppelin's 2007 reunion concert in London, the camera stays long and tight on Jimmy Page's hands as they execute the introduction to "Stairway to Heaven" on the six-string neck ...
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Jimmy Page: “L.A. Was Like Sodom And Gomorrah!” « 98.7 KLUV
By mreal197
In stores next week is "Light And Shade: Conversations With Jimmy Page," a book taken from several interviews that Led Zeppelin's leader did with Guitar World's Editorial Director Brad Tolinski over the years. It's not "Hammer Of The Gods" ...
98.7 KLUV
Jimmy Page Says Led Zeppelin Took Two Years To Watch Celebration Day ...
411mania.com
Jimmy Page told NME that he and the rest of Led Zeppelin took two years to watch the footage of their 2007 reunion show, and three years to get it ready for release. At the London premiere of the Celebration Day, Page said: "It was important that if we ...
See all stories on this topic »
Jimmy Page: 'It took two years for us to watch reunion gig footage' – watch
NME.com
Jimmy Page says it took two years before he and the rest of Led Zeppelin sat down to watch the footage of their 2007 reunion show, and another three years before it was ready for release. Speaking to NME at the London premiere of Celebration Day, Page ...
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News Results for "Robert Plant"
 
LED ZEPPELIN ROBERT PLANT RIGHTFULLY TESTY AT CELEBRATION DAY ...
Artisan News Service
Last week many outlets focused on the Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant being testy at the press conference for Celebration Day, which hits theaters tomorrow, and aside from calling an Associated Press reporter a schmuck, many haven't had first hand ...
See all stories on this topic »
Robert Plant Snaps On Journalists: 'Stop Asking About Led Zeppelin ...
Robert Plant is sick and tired of fielding questions about a potential Led Zeppelin reunion. During a press conference to promote their newest concert.
www.inquisitr.com/.../robert-plant-snaps-on-journalists-stop-as...


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Labels: Celebration Day, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, movie, news, Robert Plant

Monday, October 15, 2012

Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day news updates

Not much news at all now! This will probably be the last post until something actually *new* comes up to link to.

News 1 new result for Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day
Led Zeppelin's NYC Celebration Day Premiere Set 2 Pictures
Monsters and Critics.com
By M&C Oct 12, 2012, 19:09 GMT. Jimmy Page arriving at Celebration Day Led Zeppelins New York City Premiere.Picture copyright by. Jimmy Page arriving at "Celebration Day" Led Zeppelin's New York City Premiere.Picture copyright by Marco Sagliocco ...
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Monsters and Critics.com

News 1 new result for "Led Zeppelin"
'Celebration' week for Led Zeppelin fans
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Musicians Jason Bonham, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones attend the "Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day" premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 in New York. Photo: Dario Cantatore, Associated Press. Camera Star Tribune ...
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Blogs 1 new result for "Jimmy Page"
High Art, Low Blues, Brad Tolinski interviews Jack White and Jimmy ...
By michelle
Jimmy Page: The key is you don't want to copy the blues; you want to capture the mood. On III, we knew we wanted to allude to the country blues but, in the tradition of the style, we felt it had to be spontaneous and immediate. I had this old Vox ...
Guernica / A Magazine of Art...


Web 1 new result for "Robert Plant"
Robert Plant Snaps On Journalists: 'Stop Asking About Led Zeppelin ...
Robert Plant is sick and tired of fielding questions about a potential Led Zeppelin reunion. During a press conference to promote their newest concert.
www.inquisitr.com/.../robert-plant-snaps-on-journalists-stop-as...

Posted by Lif Strand at 10:11 AM No comments:
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Labels: Celebration Day, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, movie, news, Robert Plant

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day news updates

News reports are slowing down now that the initial premiers are over - but we'll keep the updates coming for a while longer.

News 3 new results for Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day
 
Led Zeppelin regroups for one last 'Celebration Day'
Metromix New York
LONDON — Thirty years ago, they were part of one of the greatest, loudest and most outrageous rock bands in history. Today, the three surviving members of Led Zeppelin qualify for senior passes on London buses. Their faces are lined, their hair grizzled.
See all stories on this topic »
Led Zeppelin Celebration Day premiere at the Hammersmith Apollo
The Upcoming
Arguably the most famous hard rock outfit in the world, Led Zeppelin are set to release their film Celebration Day worldwide on 17th October. We anticipate great success for the film that captures the band's legendary performance at London's O2 Arena ...
See all stories on this topic »

The Upcoming
Celebration Day
The Arts Desk
At the end of 2007 Led Zep's reunion concert took “hottest ticket in town” to melting point. Everyone now knows 20 ... Zeppelin's strategy for the night was to scare nerves away with sheer volumeIt's the other Zeppelin concert film, The Song Remains ...
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The Arts Desk
News 4 new results for "Led Zeppelin"
 
Led Zeppelin concert film to land in Southland cinemas Wednesday
Los Angeles Times
Speaking to the news media this week in New York after a screening of a new Led Zeppelin concert film, guitarist Jimmy Page effectively quashed fans' hopes for additional shows, according to an item at Entertainment Weekly. "It's disappointing for ...
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LED ZEPPELIN Interviewed At London Premiere Of 'Celebration Day' (Video ...
BLABBERMOUTH.NET
LED ZEPPELIN's Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones spoke to Absolute Radio reporter Lisa O'Sullivan at last night's (Friday, October 12) London, England premiere of the band's new concert film , "Celebration Day". Check out the footage below.
See all stories on this topic »

BLABBERMOUTH.NET
Led Zeppelin star Robert Plant and Serge Pizzorno meet
The Sun
The LED ZEPPELIN legend and KASABIAN guitarist Serge propped up the bar at the UK premiere of the band's new concert movie Celebration Day at London's Hammersmith Apollo. Serge said: “I listened to Led Zeppelin when I was growing up. Everyone ...
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The Sun
Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones talks to Absolute Radio about 'Celebration Day'
YouTube
... 2012 by ABSOLUTERADIO. Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones talks to Absolute Radio reporter Lisa O'Sullivan at the London premiere of new concert film 'Celebration Day,' - out on October 17th - which documents their historic gig at the O2 Arena in 2007.
See all stories on this topic »

Blogs 1 new result for "Led Zeppelin"
 
Led Zeppelin Movie Premiere Red Carpet
By Mary
Americana songwriter Mary Gauthier found herself walking the red carpet in London for the premiere of the Led Zeppelin movie.
Mary Gauthier

Web 1 new result for "Led Zeppelin"
 
Led Zeppelin regroups for one last 'Celebration Day'
The band decided to release its reunion concert film, DVD because 'there wasn't going to be anything else, any other shows.'
www.usatoday.com/.../1628503/?...

Web 1 new result for Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day
 
Win tickets to see Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day - The Sun
ONE hundred tickets up for grabs to see the premiere of film of legendary 2007 gig which 20million applied to see.
www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/fun/competitions/.../.html
News 1 new result for "Jimmy Page"
 
Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page talks to Absolute Radio about 'Celebration Day'
YouTube
... 13, 2012 by ABSOLUTERADIO. Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page talks to Absolute Radio reporter Lisa O'Sullivan at the London premiere of new concert film 'Celebration Day,' - out on October 17th - which documents their historic gig at the O2 Arena in 2007.
See all stories on this topic »
Jimmy Page says 'no' to Led Zeppelin reunion : The Ticket
Daily Herald
Led Zeppelin will not be reuniting any time soon. That message came through loud and clear Tuesday with sarcasm, stoic silence, and even the occasional barb at reporters that dared to ask. Just the mere mention of the topic set lead singer Robert Plant ...
See all stories on this topic »
News - Robert Plant
  1. "The kind of attitude that went with some of those songs is something I can remember," ... "But it's a different place. To jump back in there and have that attitude : was a tough equation."
    1 day ago USA TODAY
    Robert Plant
  2. Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant: 'I once lied about working for NME'

    NME.com-5 hours ago
    Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant has revealed that he once lied about working for NME to gain access to a festival in Marrakech. The singer ...
    Robert Plant Unfulfilled By Zep FemaleFirst.co.uk
    Led Zeppelin regroups for one last 'Celebration Day' USA TODAY
    Boston Globe - Hindustan Times - TV3.ie - The Upcoming
    all 34 news articles »
    NME.com


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Labels: Celebration Day, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, news, Robert Plant

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Alchemy: Led Into Gold (Part 3) Jimmy Page in the 1980s

The important parts of alchemy are invisible

Mage Music 24

Mage Music 24 - Alchemy: Led Into Gold (part 3) Jimmy Page in the 1980s

Very little that anyone has or creates is original. Almost all "innovation" is built on the work of others, even when the work is the artist's own. Nevertheless, to take one step beyond, to go where no one has gone before, is by definition original - and few have ever knowingly taken such a step.  Forging on, no matter how broad the shoulders of those whose work you have stood on, is hard work with no guides, few clues, and no guarantees of success.

Alchemy limits as well as enables
Contrary to popular belief, Magick doesn't actually require any specific rituals to work.  Rituals simply provide focus and boundaries for the Mage.  Whatever ritual works best for the Mage is the best ritual to use, although some ritual may call to or be easier to use than other ritual for any given Mage.

Alchemy however, as it is more like a science than an art, does require specific formulas to work - formulas that can be repeated by the alchemist or apprentices or, theoretically, anyone else with sufficient desire and will.  In its fixed approach, alchemy both makes the search for the Philosopher's Stone both easier and extraordinarily limiting at the same time.  Alchemy applied to music makes it difficult to create Magick outside of the established formulas and rituals.

The post-Zeppelin challenge
With Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page was more of an alchemist than pure Mage. He combined the unique ingredients of sound of his bandmates with his own musical abilities using formulas he had developed over time and rituals he invested tremendous desire and will in; the resulting alchemical mix infused the music with Magick. 

On his own after Led Zeppelin, however, the framework and ritually harmonious input provided by the other musicians that had stood Jimmy Page so well was no longer there.  In a new era of experimentation, in a renewed search for the musical Philosopher’s Stone, Mr. Page’s search for the unique ingredients of sound produced mixed results and his Magick could not be routinely evoked. The technique was still there, the music still as extraordinary as one had come to expect from a master musician, but the reliable formula was lost when the ritual circle was broken with John Bonham's death.

The songs in this week's playlist, chosen by Dave Lewis in his book, Led Zeppelin: A Celebration (Omnibus Press, 1991), are all from the 1980s and all represent a new epoch for Jimmy Page, a time when he was perhaps not quite as certain as he had been, when he was unable to wield his powers as Mage or musician as easily as he had.

The Death Wish II pieces pick up themes that Jimmy Page had explored 10 years before and carry them forward. The ARMS version of Stairway is an extraordinary demonstration of willingness to forge on, a statement that he could - and would - stand alone in his own powerful Magick. Midnight Moonlight and Radioactive push the musical envelope with eerie chords and soaring guitar sequences, and the use of tonal light and shade ( for instance, soft, acoustic classical guitar melodies flowing into heavy fuzz metal electric guitar tones). Emerald Eyes is a gem in truth – a deceptively simple melodic song in which, like the ARMS version of Stairway, there are no vocals; Jimmy Page does not need a human voice to carry the message that has always been in his own hands and soul. In Blues Anthem, once again, we are given the softer acoustic guitar sound when Mr. Page accompanies the vocals, and then his own solo, a lovely but brief interjection of his own instrumental voice in a pretty song.

We know that Jimmy Page had other challenges in his life during the 1980s, and that he did not need to generate more music or Magick to keep his title of Master Mage.  Still, throughout those ten years he did keep searching for the perfect mixture of components that would enable him to manifest his personal musical vision.  Like a phoenix rising from ashes but not yet ready to fly, Jimmy Page had yet to find his musical self in new ritual, new Magick.  His quest, begun in the 1960s, taken up again in the 1980s, was to continue into the next decade.

♪
 
Future posts:

Led Into Gold (Part 4), 1990s.  Or maybe I won't.  Depends on what I feel like writing!

The Chicken/Egg quandary (the neurophysics of music)

 
♫
 
Playlist for Alchemy: Led Into Gold (Part 3)
 
Individual songs

1982 Who's To Blame (Main Title) (studio) Japanese issued single/Swan Song. Dave says of Who's To Blame: "...the use of a Roland synthesiser guitar, a curious device with a rod linking the body and fretboard, which adds yet more colour to the canvas." Note: The two Death Wish II excerpts recommended by Dave are not on the soundtrack album; the links provided here are outtakes.

1982  Carole's Theme (Dave bundles this with Who's To Blame) (studio) Japanese issued single/Swan Song. Dave says: "..a poignant instrumental over which Jimmy stretches and slides a guitar solo of immense purity."  The guitar part of Carole's Theme begins at 1:06

1984 Stairway To Heaven (live) ARMS concert video soundtrack. Dave says: "...one quarter of Led Zeppelin alone in the spotlight for the first time, paying homage to their most famous song..."

1984 Sea Of Love (studio) Album: The Honeydrippers.  Dave says:  "The solo which graces this Fifties do-wop cover is a lovely string-bending affair..."  Solo at 1:39

1985 Midnight Moonlight (studio) Album: The Firm.  Dave says:  "...originally conceived on the ARMS tour when it was known as 'Bird On  A Wing'... [it] harks back to the adventurous spirit of his previous quartet."

1985 Radioactive (studio) Album: The Firm. Dave says: "...a total off-the-wall descending chord sequence that swivels across the speakers with delightful regularity. Pure James Patrick..."

1988 Emerald Eyes (studio) Album: Outrider. Dave says: "...differing approaches and textures of his playing... signaled a return to the guitar diversity of the Zeppelin era."

1988 BluesAnthem (If I Cannot Have Your Love) (live) Arizona 1988 (Note: Dave recommends the studio version from the album: Outrider, which I could not find on YouTube, so if you have Outrider listen to that version like I have!).  Dave says: "A reassuring example of the emotional quality Jimmy Page can still attain in terms of both performance and composition."

♫

Bonus:  I'm Down (live) Jimmy Page joins Yes, June 24, 1984. Dortmund, Germany.  Just for fun!

Posted by Lif Strand at 5:30 PM No comments:
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Labels: ARMS, Death Wish II, Jimmy Page, Outrider, The Firm, The Honeydrippers

Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day news updates

News 3 new results for Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day
Led Zeppelin fans find cause for celebration: Projections
Toronto Star
LED ZEPPELIN'S CELEBRATION DAY: Five years after Led Zeppelin's reunion concert at London's O2 arena, fans are still pining for a full-fledged tour by the mightiest of '70s rock gods. And who can blame them? Those original tour T-shirts are looking ...
See all stories on this topic »

Toronto Star
LED ZEPPELIN MEMBERS SEE CELEBRATION DAY FOR FIRST TIME AT ...
Artisan News Service
... by ArtisanNewsService. Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page worked on the sound for Celebration Day and helped pick shots for the film, but bandmates John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham said they were seeing it for the first time at the premiere earlier this week.
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Rock legends on the big screen
This is Bristol
Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day is the band's reunion show at London's O2 Arena in 2007 which earned a place in the record books as the most over-subscribed concert in history when 20 million people applied for just 20,000 tickets. You can catch it ...
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This is Bristol

Web 1 new result for Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day
New concert documentary offers 'Celebration Day' for Led Zeppelin ...
When I first saw Led Zeppelin, they were the middle act at the Bath Festival of Blues in England in 1969 behind headliners Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, and ...
www.boston.com/ae/movies/2012/10/12/.../story.html

News 5 new results for "Led Zeppelin"
Sleeve notes: Celebrating Led Zeppelin
The Guardian (blog)
Led Zeppelin · Read: 'There was a swagger – we knew we were good.' Led Zeppelin interviewed · Watch: Black Dog performed live at the O2 · See: The band in pictures · Discover: a beginner's guide to Led Zeppelin in 10 songs ...
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The Guardian (blog)
"Traveling Riverside Blues" and the Roots of Led Zeppelin
KPLU News for Seattle and the Northwest
Robert Johnson has become a mythical figure of the blues, who acquired his prodigious skills in a deal with the devil at the crossroads. The truth is he was a man who worked very hard to turn himself into a musician. His early attempts at music ...
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Win tickets to see Led Zep movie at the Vue!
Eastleigh News
Celebration Day, the film of rock legend Led Zeppelin's first live show in 27 years, is said to be the closest thing to actually seeing the band play live, and we've got three tickets for lucky Eastleigh News readers to attend the film's launch at the ...
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Eastleigh News
Led zep tribute band comes to fox theatre
Burnaby Now
The real deal being Led Zepagain, the Led Zeppelin tribute band here for one night only at the Michael J. Fox Theatre on Oct. 14. If your Led Zeppelin IV vinyl is scratched and worn, maybe it's time to hear Stairway to Heaven live one more time. Rock.
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Art and Culture3
Arirang News
You can see where the film will be screening by going to the Led Zeppelin website. That's good to know. And now, to wrap things up, you have the events bulletin for us[Reporter : ] I do. Today's bulletin features three concerts that will be held in ...
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Blogs 1 new result for "Led Zeppelin"
Modern Art Collective 'Led Zeppelin' Opens At MoMA | The Awl
By Ken Layne
Earlier that day, a press preview was held at the Museum of Modern Art, followed by a tense and at times bizarre press conference with the band. Throughout the.
The Awl

Web 1 new result for "Led Zeppelin"
Jimmy Page says 'no' to Led Zeppelin reunion - Yahoo! Music
From Yahoo! Music: Led Zeppelin will not be reuniting any time soon.
music.yahoo.com/.../jimmy-page-says-no-led-zeppelin-reunio...

News 2 new results for "Jimmy Page"
Led Zeppelin's intense reunion
Contactmusic.com
The surviving members of the group, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant, performed at London's The O2 - for which they were joined by late bandmate John Bonham's son Jason - in tribute to late music executive Ahmet Ertegun, and though they ...
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Contactmusic.com
Led Zeppelin gets tense with reunion questions
San Jose Mercury News
He then referred to the reporter by the pejorative term "schmuck." Throughout the news conference, the band fielded questions about a possible reunion, often responding with stoic silence. At one point, guitarist Jimmy Page mentioned that the reunion ...
See all stories on this topic »Jimmy Page says 'no' to Led Zeppelin reunion - MSN Entertainment ...
Jimmy Page says 'no' to Led Zeppelin reunion, but leaves door open at NY premiere of new film.
entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=765789
John Squire and Jimmy Page share the love at Led Zeppelin premiere
NME.com
Asked if he looked up to Jimmy Page as a teenager, Squire said: "No, it was later on, in the '80s. I believed all that punk rock bullshit that you shouldn't listen to rock dinosaurs. But I know now that all the punk rockers I was listening to were ...
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NME.com
Led Zeppelin's Intense Reunion
FemaleFirst.co.uk
Jimmy Page "doesn't see" any more Led Zeppelin concerts happening as they'd already be talking about them if there were to be any more shows. No Led Zepplin Reunion say Jimmy Page. Jimmy Page. 09 Oct 2012. Rocker Jimmy Page has reiterated there ...
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Robert Plant Unfulfilled By Zep
FemaleFirst.co.uk
Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant insists the band's 2007 reunion concert was "very rewarding" for the entire group and especially the late John Bonham's son Jason Bonham. PREVIOUS; |; NEXT. 12th October 2012. Comments | Comment on this Article ...
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FemaleFirst.co.uk

FemaleFirst.co.uk
Posted by Lif Strand at 9:06 AM No comments:
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Labels: Celebration Day, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, movie, news, Robert Plant
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