On This Day 14 August

Seems to me it's not loud enough yet.

14 August 2000  On This Day published 2020

2000 14 August On This Day Jimmy Page - The Black Crowes - Burbank, CA on the Tonight Show

• 1966 The Yardbirds - Great Falls, MT at State Fairgrounds,4-H Building
• 1969 Led Zeppelin - Austin, TX at Austin Municipal Auditorium
• 1977 Jimmy Page with Ron Wood and local band, Arms and Legs - Plumpton, England at The Half Moon Pub, charity event for underprivileged children
• 2000 Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes - Burbank, CA onTonight Show
• 2009 14 August - It Might Get Loud opens in select theaters in NY, WA, CA

1977:

There were two Jimmy Page/Ron Wood charity jams in 1977.  The first was on this day at the Half Moon Pub, which was very close to Jimmy Page's Plumpton Place home and studio.  The second was 17 September.  Both acoustic jam events were to benefit the Goaldiggers football charity that provides playing fields in under-privileged areas. Elton John released a single for the charity in 1977, The Goaldiggers Song.

2009 14 August - It Might Get Loud opens in select theaters in NY, WA & CA

2009:
The short description of the movie It Might Get Loud might be stated like this: the individual histories of three generations of rock guitarists are shown and then the guitarists come together and jam. But the 2009 documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim is, for those who know, a movie about an elemental - that is, Jimmy Page - and two younger guitarists who practice the art of music.

Just look at the Edge's and Jack White's faces when Jimmy Page hits the first notes of Whole Lotta Love. Those are the looks of people in the presence of one of their gods manifesting his Power. They don't hide how they feel and we know why.

What? You don't know? Well, this is a blog about music AND magic, isn't it? Who else but Jimmy Page embodies both?

2009 June Guitar World cover (Ross Halfin photo)

Jimmy Page, scene from It Might Get Loud

♪ It Might Get Loud (movie trailer 2009)  YouTube
♪ The Wanton Song (Jimmy Page with The Black Crowes, Tonight Show 2000) YouTube
♪ Desire (The Wanton Song, rough mix) YouTube
♪ The Goaldiggers Song (Elton John, for Goaldiggers charity 1977) YouTube

[edited 14 August 2020]

On This Day 19 June

Led Zeppelin! Outrider! It Might Get Loud! All of it such rude sound!

1969 19 June On This Day Led Zeppelin in Paris at Antenne Culturelle du Kremlin-Bicêtre

1969 Led Zeppelin, Paris at Antenne Culturelle du Kremlin-Bicêtre

• 1969 19 June On This Day Led Zeppelin - Paris, France at Antenne Culturelle du Kremlin-Bicetre
• 1972 Led Zeppelin - Seattle, WA at Seattle Center Coliseum
• 1977 Led Zeppelin - San Diego, CA at San Diego Sports Arena
• 1988 Jimmy Page - Outrider Album Released
• 2009 Premier of It Might Get Loud, Los Angeles

An outrider is someone who goes in front of or beside as an escort or guard, a forerunner, someone who announces or signals the approach of another. In his 1988 album, Outrider, Jimmy Page was saying he was still not part of the herd, was still out there pushing the envelope.

Jimmy Page recorded Outrider with a new label, Geffen Records, and at his own studio, The Sol (where he also recorded the soundtrack for Death Wish II and both of The Firm's albums).  He also used different vocalists, drummers and bassists for the songs, and one third of the tracks are instrumentals (my favorite tracks on the album).  The common thread on the various Outrider tracks, of course, is Jimmy Page's guitar. Jimmy Page is the outrider.

This was an entirely under-appreciated album. I suspect part of the problem was that Jimmy Page was riding out too far for the rest of the herd to keep up.

Side one
1. "Wasting My Time" (John Miles, vocals)
2. "Wanna Make Love" (John Miles, vocals)
3. "Writes of Winter" (Instrumental)
4. "The Only One" (Robert Plant, vocals)
5. "Liquid Mercury" (Instrumental)

Side two
6. "Hummingbird" (Chris Farlowe, vocals)
7. "Emerald Eyes" (Instrumental)
8. "Prison Blues" (Chris Farlowe, vocals)
9. "Blues Anthem (If I Cannot Have Your Love...)" (Chris Farlowe, vocals)
Outrider was to be a two album release but JimmyPage's house was broken into and burgled.  The early tapes for Outrider were stolen along with Led Zeppelin masters.  They have never been recovered.

1988 19 June Outrider released

1988 Promo shot for Jimmy Page's Outrider (Corbis Images)

The movie, It Might Get Loud, premiered in Los Angeles on 19 June 2009. Meant to be a documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians, Jimmy Page steals the show.

2009 June Guitar World cover with Ross Halfin Photo

2009 19 June Beverly Wiltshire Hotel in Beverly Hills
 interview for It Might Get Loud (Photo Ross Halfin)

2009 17 June Jack White and Jimmy Page, LA (Photo: Ross Halfin)

2009 19 June Jack White, Jimmy Page and film director Davis Guggenheim (Photo: Ross Halfin)

♪  Emerald Eyes  (Outrider 1988) YouTube

♪  Liquid Mercury (Outrider 1988) YouTube

♪  Prison Blues (Outrider, Chris Farlowe vocals, 1988) YouTube

♪ "Rude Sound" (Excerpt from It Might Get Loud, 2009) YouTube

>> Note that the excerpt from IMGL doesn't have sound in the last half, but it's just a repeat of the first half. 

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

Mage Music: Imagine This

Mage Music: Imagine This

Aubrey Beardsley
Frontispiece to The Wonderful History of
Vergilius the Sorcerer1893 

What exactly makes a mage powerful?  Unlike what is portrayed in fiction, a mage doesn’t have to be a person in black robes, and isn’t a person who has a lot of magic stored up in amulets or who is born with magical power.  A mage doesn’t “have” magic any more than a computer “has” the internet.  Magic is like Yoda’s Force – it is the energy source of life.  Like a Jedi who masters the Force, a true mage is one who has the skill, talent and will to open to that energy and to use it to make changes in the world. 

Think of the relationship of a mage to magic the same way you do of the device you use to access the internet to the internet itself.  The internet is gigantic, so big it is for all practical purposes infinite – there’s no way your device can access it all.  Still, the more powerful the device the better it can access the internet and the more data it can process, providing it isn’t hampered by malware, poor programming or by just not having sufficient capacity.

It’s the same with a mage.  All of us access the energy of the universe without even thinking about it – it’s called being alive.  A mage, however, accesses that energy on purpose, using clarity of mind to visualize the desired outcome, and then ritual of some sort to focus the mind on the desired outcome.

The clarity both comes from and results in enlightenment – literally aligning with the energy of the universe.  The most proficient use of the energy comes through focus.  The actual process is not truly important – alignment with the energy of the universe can be equally achieved through magick, meditation, the sciences, art or, in the case of Jimmy Page, through music.  The product of true enlightenment is readily apparent to anyone who sees experiences it. 

It can be easily seen why Jimmy Page is considered a mage:  He engages purposeful clarity of vision, and focuses through the ritual of the music on a desired outcome.  Music is the ritual of his magic.

Jimmy Page is well known for his attention to detail and his control of all aspects of his vision.  Thus when comparing the John Lennon/Yoko Ono 1972 film, Imagine,  to the Jimmy Page acoustic segment deleted from the 2008 video It Might Get Loud, we must wonder what Mr. Page’s choices meant in the context of the music he was playing.

It would be very hard to believe that Jimmy Page had never seen the Lennon/Ono film, if not when it first came out then sometime over the next thirty-something years, when Mr. Page makes a video of himself playing an unnamed acoustic guitar piece in a room so identical to the one in the Lennon/Ono film that one might only tell the difference by checking out the scenery through the windows and details of the rooms.

A white empty room; a white chair for Jimmy Page, a white piano for John Lennon:  We must believe Jimmy Page didn’t just “happen” to choose that room to be filmed in or that his chair placement, in basically the same location as John Lennon’s piano, was accidental.  We must believe that the video starts and ends with visual focus on a reflection in the floor rather than the guitarist for a reason.  We must believe that there is purpose for everything in this video because control of detail has always been in Jimmy Page’s nature.  He is, after all, a master mage – he is performing ritual - but it is for his own purposes and it is up to us to take meaning from it.

The music

John Lennon’s song is very different from Jimmy Page’s.  Lennon’s is finished and polished.  It has lyrics that carry the meaning; the music is support for the lyrics.  Jimmy Page’s song sounds raw and unfinished.  It doesn’t even seem like it was meant for an acoustic guitar; it sounds very much like he was hearing an electric guitar in his head along with support instruments.  It has no need for lyrics because the music itself carries the meaning.

The visuals

While each song is being played, the music is the focus.  But before and after each song, the visuals are the focus. 

At the beginning of Imagine, Yoko Ono and John Lennon walk together to the room where the music will take place.  At the end they look at each other, then kiss – excluding the viewer and, in making the video be about the two of them, leaving the message of the song behind.  The song is over.

At the beginning of the Jimmy Page acoustic video the camera focuses on the reflective floor before panning to the musician.  At the end, Jimmy Page sits back and looks out the window, redirecting focus out to the world before turning to look at the camera, which then pans to the reflective floor.  The music has been given to the world, and then to the viewer, and then… the reflection.  Has the song, or more importantly the message, actually ended?

This brings us to the message, the intent of the work of the ritual.

The message

No one can read the mind of the artist or the mage, or presume to know what the meaning of a work is.  The inner vision is the artist’s alone and each person brings to a work his or her own life experience, which acts as a filter and framework for interpretation.

Nevertheless, we can make some statements about the message of Jimmy Page’s video.  The setting is meant to evoke another setting.  The beginning and end focus on a reflective surface:  This video is meant to reflect something else.  There are no lyrics, so the music and the video itself convey the message.  Jimmy Page’s song and video have no name, but reflects the Lennon/Ono film and song:  Imagine.  To me the message is just that:  Imagine what this song of Jimmy Page’s - still in process, still more in his head than in the world – will be.  Imagine, because there is so much more than what is seen and heard there.

Of course there is no way to know if any of this interpretation was meant by Jimmy Page. Sometimes, perhaps often, the creator doesn't actually know what the work means - he or she only knows that it must be created.  Still... keep in mind what Albert Einstein said:  “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”  Technology can come in many forms, can't it?  Science or art, video or music - whatever it is, advanced enough and it is indistinguishable from magic.