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JIMMY PAGE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 70TH BIRTHDAY -THE TBL POLL RESULTS/ ROBERT PLANT UNCUT INTERVIEW – EUROPEAN & JAPAN DATES/PHIL EVERLY 1939-2014/DL DIARY UDATE

9 January 2014 9,458 views 17 Comments

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On the occasion of his birthday….

Jimmy Page is 70 today (January 9th).

In a career that has spanned over six decades – he has simply written the rule book on the art of rock guitar.

From monolithic riffing to bombastic solos. From simple acoustic beauty to vast guitar instrumental orchestration. Jazz, classical and Eastern influences, Blues, 50s rock’n’roll and psychedelic – he has turned his hand to all these varying styles over the years. At times his playing may seem sloppy and seemingly undisciplined but that is all part of the attraction. Always inventive and with a brilliant ear for production values, Jimmy Page is the epitome of the phrase ‘’Tight But Loose’’ that he coined to describe Led Zeppelin’s music.

‘’Less solos?’’ he once questioned when quizzed about the lack of guitar heroics on the Walking Into Clarksdale album. ‘’I guess it depends whether you think of a song as an excuse to play a solo at some point,  or as a journey you travel on with the guitar’’

He may not have been too active performing wise in recent years (though the forthcoming Led Zeppelin re-issues will be evidence enough that he has not been idle), but for me and countless thousands of fans the world over, he remains (as that flag out in that field near Stevenage once proclaimed) the true Lord of the strings….

Long may he reign.

Happy Birthday Jimmy from all of us to you…

DL

………………….

To celebrate this milestone birthday…over the past few weeks we have been canvassing your votes for the Jimmy Page At 70 TBL Polls to attain your all time favourite Jimmy Page guitar performances across his 50 year career. This took the form of a series of reader polls for which we asked you to list your ten favourite Jimmy Page guitar performances in a series of categories as follows:

Jimmy Page Top Ten Performances with The Yardbirds

Jimmy Page Top Ten Studio Performances with Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page Top Ten Live Performances with Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page Top Ten Performances Post Led Zeppelin   

The response has been fantastic and as promised, today we reveal the results.

On a scoring basis of ten points for a number one choice, nine for a number two etc  –  we have collated your All Time Top Ten  Jimmy Page performances and the results are below.

Each category is followed by a sample of the many top ten listings we received.

So read, listen, debate and celebrate the recorded legacy of a musician who has now graced our planet for 70 glorious years… Jimmy Page at 70 –The TBL Poll…

Top Ten Jimmy Page Performances with The Yardbirds

10: Ten Little Indians (Little Games album )

9: Drinking Muddy Water (Little Games )

8: You’re a Better Man Than I /Heart Full of Soul ( Live Yardbirds with Jimmy Page)

7: Glimpses (Little Games)

6: Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor (Little Games)

5: Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (1966 single)

4: Little Games (1967 single)

3: I’m Confused (Live Yardbirds with Jimmy Page)

2 Think About It (1968 single)

And the winner is….

1: White Summer (Little Games)

Your Top Tens…

1:  Think About It – Little Games – The best Yardbirds example of Page’s winning formula of strident riff followed by incendiary solo, later to be perfected post-Birds in some little band he wound up forming

2.  White Summer (all acoustic version) – Little Games – bonus track on the deluxe release from some years back.  Beautiful.

3.  You’re A Better Man Than I/Heart Full Of Soul – Live Yardbirds – A stunning tour de force by Mr. Page.

4.  Avron Knows – Cumular Limit – in my opinion, one of the more underrated gems of the man’s career…his playing on this is outstanding from start to finish

5.  Little Games – Little Games – one could also go with the version on the BBC Sessions set…tight little song with a good groove

6.  White Summer – Live Yardbirds – the phony cheering in the middle is wince-inducing, but otherwise this is very nice, clean and concise

7.  I’m A Man (live) – Cumular Limit – Some nimble playing and you also get the violin bow…what’s not to love

8.  Smile On Me – Little Games – a nice little shuffle and some tasty soloing in the middle and end of the piece

9.  Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (live) – Cumular Limit – another nice workout by Jimmy

10.  Drinking Muddy Water – Little Games – A little – ahem – muddy, but some nice slide work by James Patrick

Larry Bergmann Jnr

Here are my suggestions regarding Jimmy’s Yardbirds work. I’ve put in a couple of tv versions of songs -Just had a great night listening to all this wonderful music. First time in a while I’ve listened to so much of it in one sitting. Still stands the test of time – no problem.

Dazed and Confused – Bouton Rouge TV Programme – Everything’s in place arrangement wise and the ‘bow-to-lead solo’ link, the glissando and power chord, always thrills!!

White Summer – Little Games LP – Still sounds great today

Think About It – BBC Session/On Air CD – powered by Jim M’s drumming, Mr. Page plays beautifully. I love this version.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor – Little Games – As with a lot of the tracks on ‘Little Games’, the arrangements do feature the ideas that were to be developed over the next 12 months. Great rhythmic work from JP.

Happenings Ten Years Time Ago – A psychedelic masterpiece

Psycho Daisies – Simple but effective

Little Games

Drinking Muddy Water – The Yardbirds still Blueswailing, Very nice guitar work on this.

Glimpses – Very ‘of its time’ but experimental and captures the essence of some aspects of the stage shows of the time.

Train Kept-Rollin’- Bouton Rouge TV. Not only a great version of this track but we also have Jimmy in all his finery. Superb!

Dennis McDonnell

………………………………………..

Jimmy Page at 70 TBL Poll:

Top 25 Studio Performances with Led Zeppelin

(Note –I’ve extended this listing to a 25 such was the response)

25: Black Dog (Led Zeppelin IV)

24: Ramble On (Led Zeppelin II)

23: Nobody’s Fault But Mine (Presence)

22: Communication Breakdown (Led Zeppelin I)

21: When The Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin IV)

20: In The Evening  (In Through The Out Door)

19: The Lemon Song/Killing Floor (Led Zeppelin II)

18: I’m Gonna Crawl (In Through The Out Door)

17: Dazed And Confused (Led Zeppelin I)

16: Over The Hills And Far Away (Houses Of The Holy)

15: Tea For One (Presence)

14: In The Light  (Physical Graffiti)

13: Whole Lotta Love (Led Zepplin II)

12: For Your Life (Presence)

11: The Rover (Physical Graffiti)

10: The Song Remains The Same (Houses Of The Holy)

9: Heartbreaker (Led Zeppelin II)

8: In My Time Of Dying (Physical Graffiti)

7: Bron –Yr- Aur (Physical Graffiti)

6: The Rain Song (Houses Of The Holy)

5: Kashmir (Physical Graffiti)

4: Ten Years Gone (Physical Graffiti)

3: Stairway To Heaven (Led Zeppelin IV)

2: Since I’ve Been Loving You (Led Zeppelin III)

And the winner is…..

1: Achilles Last Stand (Presence)

Your Top Tens:

1.Since I’ve Been Loving You – there’s blues songs and then there is this. Nothing quite like it in my opinion. The feeling from Jimmy’s playing on the original is just exquisite throughout and when it comes together with the rest… well.

2. Achilles Last Stand – no surprise really

3. Down by The Seaside – from my favourite side of an album. So different and so gentle with Jimmy stepping it up to provide such a fitting contrast and then it all comes back down again.

4.Bron-Yr-Aur – what an acoustic player. He’s so good at it and it’s throughout so many songs but often augmenting other parts. This being the only one with only him needs to be recognised for its qualities that take you off somewhere for a short while and so that this talent doesn’t get lost in the wealth of his riffs and tricks on the electric.

5. Bron-Y-Aur – From my equally favourite album. Just feel good with his picking leading you into a smashing song. I could have chosen any of the acoustic on III as they are all so good.

6. Over the Hills and Far Away – was there ever a song that steps up so well: from melodic six string acoustic to twelve string to then hit you with such a raw bang of electric guitar. The sonic contrast he obtains at that point with the electric is just immense. Then it gets into the strangest solo that goes off on its own somewhere before realising it has to some back but is not sure how to. Don’t know how a drummer could create a rhythm to match – well obviously we do.

7.  When the Levee Breaks – renowned for the drumming but the slide guitar, the effects and playing are just as important and equally make this a masterpiece.

8. Hots on For Nowhere – never hear this mentioned, underrated. A song where the riffs and drumming work so well together.

9. Ten Years Gone – multi layered magic.

10. Trampled Underfoot – funked up genius with guitar and keyboards competing and matching all the way

Ray Barlow

…………

1.  Bron-Yr-Aur

2.  Dazed and Confused

3.  That’s the Way

4.  TSRTS

5.  In the Light

6.  When the Levee Breaks

7.  Kashmir

8.  Stairway

9.  How Many More Times

10. Whole Lotta Love

Chris Hager

………………

10.  Fool In The Rain – obviously ITTOD was not his finest moment overall, but on this track he shows once again his imagination and creativity with the wonderful synthesized guitar solo, one of the most interesting of his career

9.  The Song Remains The Same – aka The Overture, and what a great piece of music and playing it is

8.  Kashmir – not a “guitar track” in the classic sense, but it has to be on the list since it is one of the truly great songs

7.  Over The Hills And Far Away – a brilliantly constructed song and one of his finest solos on record

6.  Heartbreaker – now here is the ultimate guitar track!

5.  Since I’ve Been Loving You – pure genius from the entire band (as usual), and Jimmy’s playing is a great match for Plant’s finest moment on record

4.  Whole Lotta Love – The Riff That Ate The World

3.  The Rain Song – the LP that was considered a “disappointment” at the time contributes 3 songs to this list, but the songwriting on the album is simply Page at his peak, and his playing here, particularly on the coda, was never more elegant.  And someone I hold in very high esteem tells me this is the greatest Zeppelin track ever, so there it is.

2.  Achilles Last Stand – another brilliantly constructed epic, and Page’s greatest solo on an LP

1.  Stairway To Heaven – Page’s masterpiece

Larry Bergmann Jnr

…………………

Here are my selections for the all time top 10 studio performances with Led Zeppelin…an almost impossible task to undertake but here we go…

1. Kashmir – Didn’t ‘someone’ once call this the pride of Led Zeppelin? Can’t argue with that can you? A creative pinnacle.

2. Stairway to Heaven – As a song growing from a basic idea built around an A minor arpeggio  to the finished arrangement – the 12 strings, the pedal steel ‘weeping’ refrains etc – I think this shows the full scope and range of J.P.’s musical vision as writer, arranger and producer. Peerless.

3. The Rain Song – The interwoven mix of acoustic guitars, 12-string guitar and strings makes this a true highlight of ‘Houses of the Holy’.

4. In the Light – One of the most adventurous tracks on ‘Physical Graffiti’. Still sounds great today.

5. Since I’ve Been Loving You – Classic Blues, classic performance and classic solo.

6. Ten Years Gone – The ‘Guitar Army’ in full flight.

7. When the Levee Breaks – One of Rock’s monolithic tracks – the drums, the slide guitar, the build-up.

8. Achilles Last Stand – Stand-out track from ‘Presence’. Visceral intensity and a solo packed with emotion. A mid-career highlight. Who else would have thought of this?

9. Tangerine – Simply a beautiful song with a wonderful arrangement. Clearly, a forerunner of ‘Stairway’ and has all the same elements in the mix.

10. In My Time Of Dying – Probably my most played track – and side one of this album probably rates as the most played – by any artist over the last 38 years. This is more of a ‘captured-live-in-the moment’ track as opposed to a studio ‘creation’ but it shows the band at it’s best.

It’s live, it’s exciting, it’s dynamic it has one of the most powerful drum tracks ever committed to tape and Jimmy’s slide playing is off the cuff, wild yet structured…dare I say ‘Tight But Loose?’ (Sorry, couldn’t resist that).

Dennis Mcdonnell

…………………

1. Achilles Last Stand – layer upon layer upon layer of ascending scales and that aching solo, unbeatable

2. Stairway To Heaven – still the perfect guitar solo, those first two or three notes do it for me everytime

3. The Rover – my favourite JPP solo, perfectly understated and perfect for the song

4. I’m Gonna Crawl – it’s almost what he doesn’t play that makes this song so special

5. Since I’ve Been Loving You – had to be there really, it’s blues, but not constrained by any normal rules

6. In My Time Of Dying – another blues transformation that they made their own, the whole band are on fire on this one, with Jimmy’s slide taking things into the stratosphere

7. Tea For One – hard to have both SIBLY and TFO in this list as they are cut from a similar cloth, but Tea is the quiet gem that closes my favourite Zep album so I can’t choose between them!

8. The Rain Song – Complex but never overplayed, with the light and shade that was their trademark, my standout from Houses of the Holy

9. Ten Years Gone – Achingly beautiful, with that laid back, easy west coast solo that is lyrical in itself – more perfection

10. Black Dog – pure filth! ’nuff said!

Richard Grubb

…………………

Since I’ve Been Loving You

2. Dazed and Confused

3. Kashmir

4. Ten Years Gone

5. In the Evening

6. Achilles Last Stand

7. Heartbreaker

8. I’m Gonna Crawl

9. Bron A Yur

10. Stairway to Heaven

Alexandra  Nolletti

…………………..

Wearing and Tearing

Ramble On

Custard Pie

Nobody’ Fault But Mine

Heartbreaker

Since I’ve Been Loving You

For Your Life

Going To California

The Song Remains The Same

Andrew Ricci

…………………..

1.       Heartbreaker

2.       The Ocean

3.       I Can’t Quit You babe

4.       The Rover

5.       In my time of dying

6.       Since I’ve Been Loving You

7.       Communication Breakdown

8.       Whole Lotta Love

9.       Babe I’m Gonna Leave You

10.   Tea For One

Richard Ingram

………………..

First of all I must say I think your own selection is great – actually pretty close to my own, and it certainly includes his best solos, apart from perhaps Tea For One.

ITTOD was inspired and led by Jimmy less than the earlier albums, and while it’s still a good album, I don’t think it would be unfair to say that it was noticeably weaker on the whole. That may be why people often don’t remember I’m Gonna Crawl. But even if Jimmy’s role was different on that album, his work there is often brilliant, and the solo on I’m Gonna Crawl is one of these moments where his unique imagination really comes through. Astonishingly beautiful.

Again, while Ramble On isn’t a personal favorite and I wouldn’t rate For Your Life quite this high on a list of this type (I’d still rank it pretty high), my selections are pretty similar to yours. However, I feel the list understates his acoustic work a little. The simplicity and beauty of Bron Yr Aur seems worth including to me – the live Blueberry Hill version is great, but doesn’t better the exquisite studio version. As for Black Mountain Side, although the studio version has a quality of its own, it just seems more interesting within the context of the live combination with White Summer, where it sounded less Indian and took on a bit of a frantic aspect.

So, I came up with something like this:

1: Achilles Last Stand

2: The Song Remains The Same

3: Ten Years Gone

4: In The Light

5: I’m Gonna Crawl

6: Kashmir

7: Since I’ve Been Loving You

8: Bron Yr Aur

9: The Rover

10: Stairway To Heaven

Otto Masson

………

1) Achilles Last Stand

A masterpiece in guitar orchestration

2) Stairway to Heaven

A quite obvious choice, but a great performance

3) Ten Years Gone

Another  masterpiece in guitar orchestration (and dynamics)

4) In the light

Another highlight from Physical Graffiti

5) Since I’ve been Loving you

His best blues performance

6) Ramble on

Great work on electric and acoustic

7) Rain Song

No solo, but great chord voicings

8) When the levee breaks

Great slide work

9) The Ocean

One of the greatest riffs ever, although it is in 15/8, great stuff at the end

10) Hots on for nowhere

An overlooked gem from Presence, very powerful

Wolfgang Seidel.

………

Whole Lotta Love – The first Zep song I ever heard and life has never been the same since somewhere around the early 70’s. Peerless riff.

Gallows Pole – Maybe a less than obvious choice, but seriously, seriously original. The guitar army is out in force on this one.

In The Evening – The revelation of August 4th 1979. Has continually grown in stature ever since. The intro is as uniquely Page as it is remarkable. No question one of his finest moments.

In My Time of Dying – For me, this was the big highlight of 02, along with Kashmir, but for this exercise we are looking at the absolutely blistering Physical Graffiti original. I seem to play this more and more as the years roll by. It has everything and, like so much of Jimmy’s material, is unlike anything you’ve ever heard.

Communication Breakdown – Riffmeistership at its most economical and devastating. The blueprint for so much that followed in the rock genre.

Since I’ve Been Loving You – His bluesiest outing and some of his very best playing.

Kashmir – Perhaps more original, inventive and devastating than any other guitar performance in history.

Stairway to Heaven – The Lionel Messi of this list – the first player on the sheet.

I’m Gonna Crawl – What a way to finish their last studio album. His playing on this track is right at the summit.

Achilles Last Stand – It doesn’t get better, because it can’t.

Chris Wright

…………..

Jimmy Page at 70: The TBL Poll

jimmy page 77

Top Ten Jimmy Page Live Performances with Led Zeppelin

10: Thank You (Three Days After bootleg LA Forum June 3 1973)

9: Whole Lotta Love (Knebworth August 1979 from the official DVD)

8: The Ocean (Madison Sqaure Garden July 1973 from the official DVD)

7: As Long As I Have You (Winterland April 26 1969)

6: Dazed And Confused (Earls Court May 24 1975)

5:Achilles Last Stand (Cleveland April 28  1977 from The Destroyer bootleg)

4: No Quarter (Madison Square Garden July 1973 from the original Song Remains The Same soundtrack album)

3: In My Time of Dying (Earls Court May 1975 from the official DVD)

2:Since I’ve Been Loving You  (Madison Square Garden July 1973 from the original Song Remains The Same soundtrack album)

And the winner is….

1: Stairway To Heaven (Earls Court May 1975 from the official DVD)

……………

Your Top Tens:

10.  For Your Life – Celebration Day – the perfect example of why I wish he were still out on the tiles doing his thing…his heavy and bold delivery of this piece, never before played live, at the O2 show with all of the attendant pressure, just illustrates how he has always sought to push the boundaries of his playing…and his flourishes on the coda are absolutely mind-boggling

9.  Whole Lotta Love – Knebworth, Led Zeppelin DVD – another instance of always moving forward…in another high-pressure setting, Page revamps the old war horse with a thrilling mid-song riffathon…one of the great moments

8.  Since I’ve Been Loving You – The Song Remains The Same film – several of the most perfect minutes of Led Zeppelin ever.  Period.

7.  Dazed and Confused – How The West Was Won – stunning and expertly delivered…the Walter’s Walk bit is a personal fave…a close runner-up would be the epic rendering at the Seattle Center Coliseum, March 21, 1975

6.  C’Mon Everybody/Something Else – Royal Albert Hall, Led Zeppelin DVD – a bit of a cheat, yes, and it won’t be the last!  Thrilling encores, and with the muscle and crunch of the sadly lost Les Paul Black Beauty

5.  Communication Breakdown – Osaka, September 29, 1971 – rarely did a Zeppelin concert feature more incredible improvisation than this one, and Jimmy leads the band into a long, careening roller coaster ride as the song barrels out of control toward the finish.  Incredible!

4.  Killing Floor – Winterland, San Francisco, April 26, 1969 – one can only imagine the shock and devastation of the pulverized Deadhead hippies in the crowd at the end of THIS!!!!

3.  Over The Hills And Far Away – The Forum, Los Angeles, June 22, 1977 – not as celebrated as the versions from 6/21 and 6/23 (also both outstanding) only because, in my opinion, the recording isn’t as good…but this version is the real mind-bender!  Tossed in off the cuff late in the set (the lucky audience also got the wildest ever In My Time of Dying that night!), Page simply blasts off during the solo and soars into the stratosphere, demolishing the audience with spectacular, thrilling runs up and down the fretboard at brain-searing volume in what to these ears is the highlight of the entire 1977 tour.  Superb

2.  Immigrant Song/Heartbreaker – Berkeley, September 14, 1971 – another cheat, but I can’t help it, this is one and the same…Page at the peak of his powers from possibly the greatest Zeppelin bootleg LP…and it always sounds fresh!

1  Stairway To Heaven – The Song Remains The Same, original 1976 LP – I realize this is patched together from all 3 nights at MSG 1973, but the beautiful solo is all from the first show on July 27, 1973, and this may well be the most beautiful thing Page ever played

Honorable mentions:  They are numerous, but two in particular that almost made the cut were No Quarter from LA 6/21/77 (Page is unbelievably heavy on the main riff and the jam is unreal), and the wild version of Trampled Underfoot from Earl’s Court 5/24/75 (best ever Trampled by a mile and why it wasn’t on the official DVD I will never know)

Larry Bergman Jnr

………………

1. Dazed and confused incl. Woodstock (Earls Court May 24 1975)

2. Immigrant song (Long Beach Arena June 27 1972)

3. Since I’ve been loving you (Long Beach Arena June 27 1972)

4. Over the hills and far away (Madison Square Garden July 1973)

5. Trampled underfoot (Earls Court

May 1975 – DVD)

6. Stairway to heaven (Madison Square Garden July 1973)

7. Achilles last stand (Knebworth 1979 – DVD)

8. I can’t quit you baby (Royal Albert Hall Jan 9 1970 – DVD)

9. In my time of dying (Earls Court

May 1975 – DVD)

10. Whole lotta love (LA Forum June 25 1972).

Tziana Lancia

……………………..

Here’s my choice for ten great live performances from Jimmy with Zeppelin. So many others missed off but I think this is a pretty good overall selection.

1. No Quarter – From the original vinyl album ‘ The Song Remains the Same’. Perfect. The build-up from nothing to solo climax linked to the wonderful drumming of John Bonham is a great example of JP at his live best.

2. Thank You – L.A. Forum 3rd June 1973 from ‘Three Days After’ cd. Magnificent. The power and Glory of 1973.

3. Dazed and Confused – Earl’s Court, May 24th 1975. It never got better than this. Compare this to the next night’s version. This is slower in tempo, darker, more ominous and menacing…the Sunday night version was the opposite – more vibrant, full of energy ‘lighter’ as was the whole gig – but equally as good. I could have chosen either but this version has it all.

4. As Long as I Have You – Filmore West April 27th 1969. Perfect embodiment of the improvisational Zeppelin in their early days. Page’s playing is ferocious.

5. Nobody’s Fault But Mine – Knebworth, August 4th 1979. Back on form. To me, this is one of the first peaks of this show. It was a stunning version and JP’s guitar sound is vicious!!! Great energy from all of them but the rhythm guitar is magnificent. Great solo too.

6. Whole Lotta Love – Berlin July 7th 1980. Proof, if it were ever to be needed, that this band still had places to go. The instrumental work out in this is fantastic. Reminds me of May 25th 1975 in that it seems they didn’t want to stop playing at this point. Fresh, vibrant and clearly, great fun for the band.

7. In My Time of Dying – Earl’s Court, May 24th 1975. DVD. Hard to choose any specific version of this song – Madison Square Garden, June 7th 1977 or Vancouver 19th March 1975 have to be contenders but Earl’s Court wins out.

8. White Summer/Black Mountain Side/Kashmir –  Knebworth Festival August 4th 1979. Memory, Audio/visual bootleg(s) Probably my personal highlight from this gig. To be actually a part of the audience listening to this being played was – and still is – amazing. I always loved ‘White Summer’ but this was the first time I saw and heard it played live and when the band kicked-in with Kashmir it was a moment to remember.

9. Over the Hills and Far Away – Earl’s Court, Sunday May 26th 1975. What a guitar solo!

10. Whole Lotta Love and full Rock’n’Roll medley – BBC Paris Theatre 1971. I’d have to acknowledge the Rock’n’Roll medleys that were so great to hear at this time. This one is a firm favourite – Honey Bee, Mess of Blues, For What it’s Worth, Fixin’ to Die, etc. Wonderful.

Dennis McDonnell

………………..

1.- Stairway to Heaven (Earls Court – DVD)

2.- Heartbreaker ( How The West Was Won)

3.- How Many More Times (Danish TV – DVD)

4.- Achilles Last Stand (Cleveland 1977)

5.- In My Time of Dying (Earls Court – DVD)

6.- The Ocean (How The West Was Won)

7.- Whole Lotta Love (Knebworth – DVD)

8.- The Song Remains The Same (Eddie June 21st 1977)

9.- Sick Again (Knebworth – DVD)

10.- Bring It On Home (Blueberry Hill)

Jose Manuel Parada

………………….

Here are my votes for the best moments of Jimmy Page’s live legacy with Zep

1) Heartbreaker Vienna 73

Probably their greatest live performance ever

2) Stairway to Heaven  Earls Court 75 from the official DVD

Absolutely marvellous

3) Dazed & Confused Earls Court 75

A list without D&C? No way, this is absolutely brilliant

4) As long as I have you Early 69

It’s a shame that it is not available in any official way

5) No Quarter  NYC 73 TSRTS

The highlight from that CD

6) Black Dog BBC Sessions

Another powerful performance

7) Whole Lotta Love HTWWW

I like those WLL performances with the medley, although I also enjoy the later ones

8) Bring it on Home Blueberry Hill 70

Great interplay between Page and the other guys in the band

9) How many more times from the official DVD

The highlight from that concert

10) Achilles last stand LA 77

Achilles must be included

Wolfgang  Seidal

………………

Jimmy Page At 70 –The TBL Poll

Top Ten Jimmy Page Post Led Zeppelin Performances

10:  Take Me For A Little While (Coverdale –Page)

9:  Thank You (Unledded)

8: Wonderful One (Unledded)

7: Midnight Moonlight (The Firm)

6: Blue Train (Walking Into Clarksdale)

5: Hummingbird (Outrider)

4: Blue Train  (Walking Into Clarksdale)

3: Who’s To Blame (Death Wish 2 soundtrack)

2: Wasting My Time (Outrider)

And the winner is…

1: Shake My Tree (Coverdale – Page)

……….

Your Top Tens

1. Who’s to Blame (DW II soundtrack)

2. Prelude (Madison Square Garden Arms Concert 12/3/83)

3. Wasting My Time (Outrider)

4. Same Old Rock (Stormcock 1971 with Roy Harper)

5. Absolution Blues (Coverdale/Page)

6. Stairway to Heaven (Raving Arizona Mesa 9/17/88)

7. Walking into Clarksdale (Walking Into Clarksdale)

8. Elizabeth (Whatever Happened to Jugula – w/Roy Harper 1984)

9. Pride and Joy (Coverdale Page)

10. Wonderful One (No Quarter Unledded)

Alexandra Nolletti

………………….

1.Shake My Tree  (Coverdale / Page)

2.Emerald Eyes  (Outrider)

3.Blue Train  (Walking Into Clarksdale)

4.Satisfaction Guaranteed (Firm)

5.Midnight Moonlight  (Firm)

6.Yallah  (Unledded)

7.Damask (Lucifer Rising)

8.Stairway To Heaven  (“live” Worcester 29th October 1988)

9.Celebration Day (Black Crowes – Live at The Greek)

10.Burning Up (Walking Into Clarksdale)

……………….

Alessandro Borri

…………..

* I tried to refrain from selecting Zep tunes in their post-Zep incarnations, but one can only resist for so long!

1. Hummingbird (from Outrider):  Simply amazing to me. When Jimmy’s second lead passage launches — deep, full and rich — it is such a fulfilling antithesis to the earlier sharp, treble, cutting phrasing as to resonate deep down in one’s soul!

2. Tulsa Time (Live at the ARMS Concert 1983, Royal Albert Hall, London, with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and entire crew):  Far outshining the obligatory “Layla”, Tulsa Time lets the three guitar greats swap improv solos. Jimmy is afforded a huge circle on the stage as he swaggers and staggers about, wrenching amazing, edge of the precipice leads. After one of his passes, Claptin seems to look on in amazement, and just shakes his head at Page. It’s clear Jimmy is pouring all he has into this performance.

3. Wonderful One (No Quarter/Unledded): We were all hungry for new music from Page and Plant in the 1990s, and this song is every but as worthy as some of the finest Zeppelin moments. Shimmering, ethereal, haunting guitar work…

4. When I Was A Child (Walking Into Clarksdale): an amazingly subtle electric performance from Jimmy; spare, nuanced, opened up in the chord phrasings to allow the spirit b.ow through this eloquent song.

5 Who’s to Blame (DW2): A hint of where Zeppelin’s sound might have gone in the 1990s: driving, synthesized guitar riff

6. Jam Sandwich (DW2): Loved this rock-jazz number and the classic Page lead.

7. Prelude (DW2): A heart-rending electric adaptation of Chopin by Jimmy. Often overlooked, but really quite effective. Very dramatically done at the ARMS Concert 1983.

8. Wanton Song (from the Page-Plant tours): Much quicker tempo than the Physical Graffiti version, and really muscled up for the tours. Always amazing on all the YouTube versions and TV appearances I’ve seen.

9. Ramble On (Foo Fighters Live at Wembley, with Jimmy & JPJ): Wow.

10. Ramble On (from It Might Get Loud documentary film): The surprising intimacy and gentleness of the opening chords in this extemporaneous rendition, seem to convey better perhaps than any of the previous forty years’ versions Jimmy’s approach of chiaroscuro, balancing light and shade, bright and heavy. The whole film is a marvel, but this stood out to me as the chords happily washed over us.

Hunt Sidway, Louisville KY, USA

…………………..

Here are my choices for 10 of my favourite tracks across the range of work Jimmy has undertaken since 1980.

Once again, this proves almost impossible to choose so little from so much. An example of this is the ‘Coverdale Page’ album. I’ve chosen three tracks from that but still missed-off ‘Whisper a Prayer for the Dying’. What a great track that is and with Jimmy’s Acoustic/electric dynamics at full pelt too…ho-hum…never mind, here we go…

1. Wasting My Time – Outrider; Strident, powerful and loud. Love the mix of guitars on this. Maybe a bit ‘under produced’ but has a great raw quality to it.

2. Who’s To Blame – Death Wish 2 Soundtrack; Great opener for the film and the album. Nice twists and turns in this. Love the live versions too – ARMS gigs etc.

3. Burning Up – Walking into Clarksdale; I think it was Nick Kent who once used the description ‘…a full throttle rocker…’ and I’d say that’s a fitting description. Great version of this on ‘Later’ too – with you bopping away on Jimmy’s left as I recall.

4. Midnight Moonlight – The Firm; I’m sure we’d all have loved this had it been completed and released in its original form with Zeppelin but I still love this version and the subsequent live performances from 1984 onwards.

5. Take Me For a Little While – Coverdale Page; A great album with both of them back on form. I think this shows Jimmy’s influence in the superb arrangement.

6. Shake My Tree -Coverdale Page; Great opener from the same album. What a riff.

7. Prelude – Death Wish 2 Soundtrack – Short but sweet. I think I first heard this on Tommy Vance’s ‘Friday Night Rock Show’. Again, loved this live on the ’88 solo tour. Haunting.

8. Absolution Blues – Great use of the Transperformance guitar on the opening of this. Loved the way it was incorporated into the live ‘Shake My Tree/theremin solos’ on subsequent tours. Really great.

9. Prison Blues –  Outrider; Great Blues, great playing, great solo. Again, a bit raw but suits Chris Farlowe’s vocal approach perfectly.

10. Thank You – Unledded and subsequent tours. This song, to me, became one of the great highlights of the live tours with Page and Plant. Special mention must be made for Milwaukee and Albuquerque versions – unbelievable solos. Could have chosen anything from Unledded as it was – and remains – a magnificent testament to the legacy of Led Zeppelin in all its forms.

Dennis Mcdonnell

…………………………

1. Hummingbird – Outrider – That jump off into the short solo at 1:53 – that’s pure Jimmy and a highlight in a song filled with highlights.

2. Thank You – No Quarter – The new solo at the end gives the song a whole new personality which even manages to enhance the original.

3. Cadillac – The Firm Mean Business – The guitar sound is absolutely filthy and shouldn’t work with a voice as pure as Paul Rodgers’, but it does!

4. Walking Into Clarksdale – Walking Into Clarksdale – Superb riffing – an under appreciated record I think and this was my favourite track from it.

5. Live In Peace – The Firm Mean Business – A bit predictable in song structure, but I’m a sucker for tracks that start with a solo piano and end with a massive guitar solo!

6. Since I’ve Been Loving You – No Quarter – True to the original, whilst adding something that acknowledges the past but refuses to be confined by it.

7. Writes of Winter – Outrider – Another standout from Outrider, clever, inventive and enough twists and turns to constantly surprise.

8. When The World Was Young – Walking Into Clarksdale – Similar to Blue Train from the same album but just edges that one out for me.  Jimmy’s laid back filling around the main melody has his signature all over it and is something no-one else can pull off in the same way.  Instantly recognisable Page – brilliant!

9. Take Me For A Little While – Coverdale Page – A rare moment of reflection on an album filled with bombastic “rawk” numbers (it’s not my favourite, can you tell??!)

10. Damask – Lucifer Rising – Proper scary stuff!  Listen to this as a soundtrack to some of the biblical weather we’ve been having in the UK recently and it’ll feel like the end of the world is nigh!

Richard Grubb

…………………

So there you have it – the results of the all time favourite Jimmy Page performances as voted by you….many thanks to all who contributed to the lists and for all your feedback. I will try and print more of these top tens in due course and in the next TBL magazine – DL

………………

Robert Plant and Sensational Space Shifters Japan dates:

RobertPlantSensationalSpaceShifters-thumb-560x409

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters are set for appearances at the Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo and Osaka, August 16 and 17. This will be Robert’s first appearances in Japan for 18 years.

http://www.summersonic.com/2014/

Robert Plant Uncut Interview:

There’s an excellent interview with Robert Plant in the new issue of Uncut previewing the forthcoming new album with the Sensational Space Shifters – love this quote…’’I’m into the idea of taking the voice into the performance, rather than just being a vocalist…’’

Here’s another revealing quote:‘’Our tour will go right through Europe starting June 8, through Russia, Japan and the USA.I think we will go through Glastonbury once or twice, and disappoint everyone who thought I might be bringing other people with me’’…

And a quote about the forthcoming Led Zeppelin re issues: ‘’There’s lots of bits and pieces but most importantly Led Zeppelin vinyl availability was minimal and at such a premium… so yeah we’ve put stuff onto vinyl. Slowly. Only Jack Lemmon and Water Matthau could be speedier than us!’’

See more at

http://www.uncut.co.uk/

………..

Stop Press:

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters European tour dates:

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters have just announced their initial 2014 European tour dates – this includes a prestigious date at Glastonbury Abbey on August 9th.

More dates are to be announced.

Ticket details –see

http://www.robertplant.com/#news

JUNE

10 SWEDEN, Gothenburg TRAGARN

12 NORWAY, Bergen BERGEN FEST

14 SWEDEN, Rattvik DALHALLA

16 ESTONIA, Tallin SAKU ARENA

18 RUSSIA, St. Petersburg NEW ARENA

20 RUSSIA, Moscow CROCUS HALL

25 IRELAND, Cork LIVE AT THE MARQUEE

JULY

5 FRANCE, Cognac COGNAC BLUES PASSION

16 GERMANY, Berlin ZITADELLE

17 GERMANY, Dresden JUNGE GARDE

19 CZECH REP., Ostrava COLURS OF OSTRAVA

AUGUST

9 ENGLAND, Glastonbury GLASTONBURY ABBEY

16 & 17 JAPAN SUMMER SONIC

………………….

 Phil Everly 1939 – 2014 RIP:

It was sad to hear the news of the passing of Don Everly. As part of the Everly brothers, he was a huge influence on so many musicians during the 1960s and beyond – and the Everly Brothers were responsible for some of the best vocal harmonising of all time…

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss covered the Everly’s Stick With Me Baby and Gone, Gone, Gone for the mega selling Rasing Sand album – as Robert commented:.”I’d like to thank Don and Phil Everly for getting me through my teenage years, and I’d like to thank Alison for helping me get through my late 50s.”

Jimmy and JPJ reputedly contributed to the Everly Brothers Two Yanks in England album released in 1966 with backing by The Hollies. It was also sad to hear the passing of football legend Eusebio age 71

………………………….

DL Diary:

Not the best of starts to the year here with one or two domestic problems to sort and other things that have caused some stress…however I aim to get positive pretty quickly as it needs to be ever onward with a big workload ahead …and there is a lot of planning to be done re the TBL 2014 schedule.

TBL 37 needs to get under way and I’ve also carved out a tentative plan for the next book I will be writing and collating throughout the coming year…and perhaps unsurprisingly this will be…..

Led Zeppelin Physical Rocket – At Earls Court 1975 –written and compiled by Dave Lewis

Already much requested and a logical subject matter given next year’s 40th anniversary of these epic shows – I will be turning my attention to producing a detailed chronicle of this era in the same style as the Knebworth and Feather In The Wind titles.  This is all a long way off yet and publication is planned for mid 2015. I’ll be revealing more on this soon.

Playlist wise – some much needed reflective inspiration from the likes of Miles Davis, Nick Drake and David Crosby (great features on the Coz in the new issues of both Mojo and Uncut). From today I will be clearing the decks for a Jimmy Page 70th birthday celebration with many of the tracks and performances from the TBL Jimmy at 70 polls sure to find their way onto the deck. I’ll be particular looking forward to wading through the new James Patrick Page Session Man box set just out that very timely turned up this week. I also came across a cassette compilation that I produced 20 years ago for his 50th birthday….my… that only seems a second ago…

I am sure you will be doing the same as we celebrate the 70th birthday of the one and only Lord Of The Strings…..

Dave Lewis – January 9th 2014 

Finally ….Here’s a selection of some awesome Jimmy Page performances……

Yardbirds: Train Kept A Rollin’, Dazed And Confused, Goodnight Sweet Josephine – March 1968

How Many More Times – Royal Albert Hall 1970

Led Zeppelin – Achilles Last Stand (Live Knebworth 1979)

Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers-Who’s To Blame-US ARMS show – New York

The Firm – Radioactive – Promo

Jimmy Page – Emerald Eyes – Live

Coverdale/Page – Take Me For A Little While

Jimmy Page & Robert Plant – Tea For One (live in Tokyo)

Led Zeppelin – Kashmir – 2007

Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven – 1973

Happy Birthday – Jimmy Page

Until next time…Keep listening, keep reading…

Have a great weekend…

Dave Lewis/Gary Foy – January 9th, 2014.

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17 Comments »

  • Barbara said:

    70 and massively hot!!!!! Jimmy is still beautiful and so sexy. I’d like to listen to Kashmir whilst canoodling with the man himself x

  • Ian in NZ said:

    Happy birthday Jimmy.

    CW says it nicely below “magical, mystical guitar wizard” Yep!

    The zoso tattoo on my shoulder still looks as fresh as it did 23 years ago – definitely some magic going on there! It starts conversations with other Page fans too, which is the really magic part.

  • Tim C. said:

    Hearing “Achilles Last Stand” changed the course of my life and made me want to play guitar. I specifically wanted to learn how to play that song.

    But the thing playing Jimmy’s songs is you can play the same notes but never come close to capturing his feel. He plays so freely and by the seat of his pants, never knowing where he’s going next. That’s something you can’t capture even if you play 10 hours a day for a year.

    Happy Birthday, Jimmy. You’re the best.

  • Tony Butler said:

    Dave a great montage and fitting tribute to the guvnor…..Thanks

  • Mark Williams said:

    Having just read the ‘Uncut’ comments from Mr.Plant, I really cannot believe he really means what he says ie : ” We’ve been all around the world, setting places on fire,” says Plant, “and it’s so much better to do that than to bathe in the tepid bathtub of old hits.

    And to post his 2014 Tour co-incidentially on the occasion of Jimmy’s 70th birthday.

    Shame on you Robert.

  • Hiroshi said:

    When Robert commented, “Japan…wonderful place” at the Festival Hall, Osaka, 29 September, 1971, the last date of their sensational first Japanese tour, it sounded like he meant it. He seemed to embrace all things Japanese then.
    But lately, he looked like he was disenchanted with them all, especially since he had pulled out of the proposed June 1999 Japanese leg of Page/Plant’s Walking Into (not-)Everywhere tour. Japan, for a long time, became an irrelevant place to play for him.
    So, this announcement of his forthcoming return to Japan, seemingly out of the blue, is a pleasant surprise for many loyal fans over there. I hope it will rekindle his old affection and lead to more visits to play.
    The only snag is that it is unlikely for me to be in my country around that time…sigh.

  • Janie said:

    Happy birthday fascinating genius!

  • Dr Mark said:

    Best happy birthday wishes to undoubtedly the coolest septugenarian on the planet. Aging gracefully has never been done with with more style and elan. Thanks for keeping the dream alive and always staying true to yourself and your fans. I will always cherish the memories of your music and fantastic playing.

  • Ed-Washington DC said:

    I raise my glass to Jimmy Page. Many happy returns. God bless.

  • Paulo Alm said:

    It’s great to see Jimmy alive and well at 70. At some point back then it didn’t seem likely… I just hope he finally manages to put some ‘new’ stuff out whether it’s a fresh recording or something from his vast archives. It’s more than about time to let people hear more of what it’s been locked away for so long!

  • MARK WILLIAMS said:

    Forget Clapton – Page is God !

    Happy 70th Mr.Page.

  • Richard Grubb said:

    It all begins and ends with Jimmy…Happy Birthday and THANK YOU for providing the soundtrack to my life!

    This global community of Tight But Loosers have superb taste – I’m off to make some compilation discs to celebrate JPP’s milestone birthday…

    Best Wishes to all!

  • Andrew R said:

    Oh jimmy! Happy birthday!What an excuse! Still relevant as can be heard at the O2 Where he was still pushing the boundaries sonically.The further i get from the first time i heard Led Zeppelin’s records the more amazed i am by what we all took for granted,an almost perfect run of records, effortless cool and a sound that hasn’t dated one iota.All the best Jim from this grateful fan.

  • SWIN said:

    Happy Birthday Jimmy ! Time to assemble the guitar army for one last battle !

  • John Copeland said:

    If John Lennon’s quote of “Before Elvis there was nothing” rings true for the birth of the sixties, then we should all be reminded – “No Jimmy Page, no Led Zeppelin = no Sabbath, Queen, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Rush, Van Halen, GNR, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard ETC, ETC”.. He fused the greatest band ever, played wonderful guitar, and is a top class producer (underrated in my opinion).

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES!

  • Lif Strand said:

    “Lord of the strings…” so right on! Thanks for the tight but loose birthday tribute to Jimmy Page, Dave.

  • Chris Wright said:

    Still trying to get my mind around the fact that the Riffmaster General is a septuagenarian. It ages us all really. In so many ways he’s still the magical, mystical guitar wizard in a dragon suit – that’s obviously his most lasting image from those halcyon days when giants literally bestrode the rock world. For sure it’s a major milestone for Heston’s most famous and celebrated son. Outside of my family, the single most important person in my life, and I know I’m not alone in saying that!

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