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Page's drugged-out playing


heymisterk

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Hi All,

 

I am definitely a Zeppelin fan, and out of curiosity more than anything else, I want to find some of Page's "sloppy playing" that I hear about. I have looked on YouTube during the period of '77-'80 when he was supposedly whacked out on heroin, but I couldn't find anything THAT bad. The way some people have talked about it makes it sound like he was absolutely awful during this time.

 

So, odd question of the day: Do you know where there is a clip of Page's most awful playing? :)

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There was one clip I saw (cant remember specifics) where Page was playing with Jeff Beck & Clapton.

You could see Jeff & Eric were both amused and disgusted by Pages sloppy performance...it was embarrassing

to watch.

 

Yes, i saw that as well. They were playing Stairway as JP had the doubleneck on.

It was as funny as one of those "shreds" videos on youtube, but sad because it was real.

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I've never rated Page. He could write good music. But as a player not very good.

Poor sound as well. I think people get mixed up with groups and solo musicians.

Led Zep were a great band. My last band were good because we played as a BAND. We could never replace the singer after he left though (Tony Martin (Black Sabbath)).

Lots of groups are made of great musicians but can't get it right as a band. Led Zep were good musicians that became a great band. But page wasn't a brilliant guitarist by a long shot.

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Wow that Stairway video was horrible. I actually watched the whole thing it was pretty sad. The crowd seemed to be loving it too. Maybe it didn't sound so bad live?? Either way Page was bad. Beck and Clapton rocked at the end. It sounded sweet at the end but they needed to turn Beck up he was on fire.

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I think Page is a brilliant player and songwriter. And in terms of live performances, I think the "How the West Was Won" CDs recorded in 1972 or 73 - can't remember - were absolutely stunning.

 

I like when performers take some risks when they play live, and Zeppelin did.

 

What frustrates me is that Page hasn't done anything meaningful in a very long time. Come on: If McCartney and Dylan can still do it, he should too!

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that could possibly be the worst solo Ive heard from Page' date=' some of his life stuff has been sloppy but this one take it for me :-s [/quote']

 

[biggrin] Yeah - when I heard it I flashed back to the last time I walked into Guitar Center on a Saturday afternoon.

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Anyone can be a 'god' in the studio. It's live where the talent comes out.

The charts are full of 'produced' rubbish now that the artists can't produce live.

Page must have had done so many takes in the studio.

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Not excusing his trek through Heroine Land, but I read a long time ago that Page would get very nervous when he knew they were being filmed. That's one of the reasons "How the West Was Won" sounds so much better than "Song Remains the Same". Same Time, no filming pressure.

 

Of course that 80's Stairway is all Drug Induced Crap. I doubt he even knew there was camera rolling or that it was actually Eric Clapton and Jeff beck on a stage. He was probably thinking, "I could have swore the Yardbirds broke up before I wrote this. What are you guys doing in my trip?"

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Thats pretty damn funny there.... I know a few people at Gibson that either worked with JP or know him personally and not one person has said anything nice about him. The interviews he does usually the author will state the same; he is a pompous _ _ _

 

When The Black Crowes were done touring with Page (Page threw his back out, I think), Chris Robinson said that Page was all about the money. He said that he definitely respected him as a musician, but as a person, not so much.

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Thats pretty damn funny there.... I know a few people at Gibson that either worked with JP or know him personally and not one person has said anything nice about him. The interviews he does usually the author will state the same; he is a pompous _ _ _

I've heard that. He certainly doesn't like to share credit, on a few occasion I've heard him NOT give John Paul Jones credit for arranging and writing some of the Mandolin Parts. He's all Ego, and personally, I find his solo stuff and the stuff he did with David Coverdale to be lacking decent Arrangements. He needs JPJ to give his stuff some presentation.

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I think Page is a brilliant player and songwriter. And in terms of live performances' date=' I think the "How the West Was Won" CDs recorded in 1972 or 73 - can't remember - were absolutely stunning.

 

I like when performers take some risks when they play live, and Zeppelin did.

 

What frustrates me is that Page hasn't done anything meaningful in a very long time. Come on: If McCartney and Dylan can still do it, he should too![/quote']

Nothing meaningful?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWeAtLr8bX4

 

In all seriousness heroin is such a horrible drug, destroys so many lives I'm glad he kicked that habit.

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If you want to go on the dark side, check out a bootleg called Destroyer recorded in Cleveland around 77. It's painfull to listen to.

Page has always been my favorite guitar player. A huge list of fantastic guitar solos and riffs. Anything after 1975, is another story. I wonder if he played with his guitar up higher instead of down to his knees would he be better live. I wonder if he sacrificed musicianship for image. He's still a mofo of a guitarist though.

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Thats my fav Godzilla movie' date=' I have almost everything released for that movie to include the Taco Bell dog and Happy meal toys...[/quote']

I really liked it, too. The French Guy really helped the movie along. The monster really cool, too.

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Page is a studio artist. He couldn't lick the boots of Neil schon. For a 15 year old to join Santana and be asked to join clapton at the same time shows he's special. I never liked Eric Clapton until I saw him live. He's better live than on record. You can feel the emotion in his playing. I like zep music but page's only an average player. As I said before. They worked as a 'band'.

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I think this is it:

 

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]

 

I think this was the ARMS concert. A benefit for Ronnie Lane I think [biggrin] Anyway' date=' I remember reading in "Hammer of the Gods" that JP wasn't even initially invited to this concert but when he found out about it he complained to either clapton or Beck and they invited him at the last minute. He supposedly just kicked heroin before the show, so maybe he was going through withdrawals.

 

Also, after Bonham died he apparently didn't pick up a guitar for more than a year.

 

On another note, do you notice how Page never is invited to play Clapton's Crossroads Festivals? [biggrin

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