Jimmy Page: The Definitive Biography
Product ID: 109388586
Founder of one of the most influential and successful rock bands of all time, legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has nevertheless remained an enigma. In this definitive and comprehensive biography of his life so far, Chris Salewicz draws on his own interviews with Page and those closest around him to unravel the man behind the mystery. Having sold over 300 million copies worldwide, Led Zeppelin was the biggest band of the ’70s and has been loved by the legions ever since. From his own conversations with Jimmy, the rest of Led Zeppelin, old girlfriends, tour managers and session musicians to name but a few, Salewicz reveals the many trials and tribulations which transformed the middle class boy from the Surrey suburbs into one of rock’s most enigmatic frontmen. Detailed, thrilling and expertly researched, Salewicz discovers a man who was prepared to die for his art; who justified heroin use so he could harness its narcotic focus whilst making albums, and who overcame numerous death threats during this time. A warrior magician, Salewicz delves into the many skeletons and eccentricities in Page’s closet, contextualising him against a background of London gangsters, deaths, and power struggles which Page has continued to rail against to this day, even within his own band. As entertaining as it is insightful, and from a writer who experienced first-hand the Led Zeppelin furore, this promises to be as close to a Jimmy Page autobiography as fans can get. Review: Sigh .. - I was sorry to get to the last page of this book. That’s always the best sign of a story enjoyed. I’ve discovered Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin later in life. As a teenager in the late 70s I was more into pop - David Cassidy, Marc Bolan, The Monkees and chart music. (Ironically I’d have been the right age for JP then!) All the boys I knew - and it was mainly boys - loved not just Led Zeppelin but were obsessed with Aleister Crowley. Now I think about it - my two best girlfriends were pretty obsessed too. But the music went over my head and I hated the way we’d all huddle round listening to the albums in someone’s bedroom - passing round a bottle of cough medicine which was the nearest thing to drugs in the 1970s in ‘troubled’ Northern Ireland. It was useful as the joss sticks burning used to set off my asthma. I do recall liking Stairway though. This all changed a few months ago when I read ‘Hammer of the Gods’ and I started re listening to the music. I was blown away as I suddenly ‘got’ Led Zeppelin - sexy, loud and exciting. Supremely talented and led by this beautiful man who always seemed to turn his guitar out to the audience so they could see just how clever he was. And I wanted to know more about him. This book has a huge amount of detail about his career - touching on his private life - but I suppose I probably want to know more of the private stuff. His eyes still twinkle and he is still a good -looking man. Does he still play the guitar as well as he did? Does it diminish with age? But I do know he loves cats, likes the name Scarlet(t) and refers to his old friend Robert Plant as a c word. He believes or believed in the occult and keeps himself to himself on tour. He’s also very clever and sadly was addicted to heroin - but luckily got off it before tragedy. This book takes you through his early life, his slightly precocious beginnings and the way he put the band together. Incredible really as who’d have known that 4 brilliant men could make such a sound!? Poor old John Paul Jones - slightly rejected by his band mates ‘after’ - while Plant and Page battled for top dog status, after the band had split. I think Plant is right to want to move on. Only the Stones can successfully still strut their stuff on stage at their ages - and that’s because they never stopped. I just can’t see Robert Plant in those skin tight jeans making those incredible sounds again. And do we really want to see LZ performing whilst sitting on stools - are you reading this The Eagles?) - but an acoustic LZ? Maybe. Anyway the book has it all - detail, (lots of it) insight and a degree of speculation. I think if I want more information on this fascinating man, I’d have to meet him! One correction - Plant’s birthday is referred to as 19th August - it’s the 20th same as mine! All in all the definitive documentary - oh hang on - one last thing to say. There was almost nothing said about watching Ann and Nancy Wilson play Stairway to Heaven? During their amazing performance - Jimmy Page looked absolutely delighted and all but nudged Robert Plant throughout. Was Plant crying with relief he wasn’t singing it? Was Jimmy Page wanting to leap up and rock out? What exactly was going through their heads at that stellar performance - of their song!? All this and more - I’d like to know! All I need now is to assemble those old friends, crack open the cough bottle and admire the candlewick bedspread (I have some flared jeans). Review: A real page turner - Book in very good condition, delivered on time, and so full of great content and well written. Great purchase
| Best Sellers Rank | 4,860,411 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 94 in Guitars 260 in Rock & Pop Musician Biographies 297 in Rock Music |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 413 Reviews |
C**N
Sigh ..
I was sorry to get to the last page of this book. That’s always the best sign of a story enjoyed. I’ve discovered Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin later in life. As a teenager in the late 70s I was more into pop - David Cassidy, Marc Bolan, The Monkees and chart music. (Ironically I’d have been the right age for JP then!) All the boys I knew - and it was mainly boys - loved not just Led Zeppelin but were obsessed with Aleister Crowley. Now I think about it - my two best girlfriends were pretty obsessed too. But the music went over my head and I hated the way we’d all huddle round listening to the albums in someone’s bedroom - passing round a bottle of cough medicine which was the nearest thing to drugs in the 1970s in ‘troubled’ Northern Ireland. It was useful as the joss sticks burning used to set off my asthma. I do recall liking Stairway though. This all changed a few months ago when I read ‘Hammer of the Gods’ and I started re listening to the music. I was blown away as I suddenly ‘got’ Led Zeppelin - sexy, loud and exciting. Supremely talented and led by this beautiful man who always seemed to turn his guitar out to the audience so they could see just how clever he was. And I wanted to know more about him. This book has a huge amount of detail about his career - touching on his private life - but I suppose I probably want to know more of the private stuff. His eyes still twinkle and he is still a good -looking man. Does he still play the guitar as well as he did? Does it diminish with age? But I do know he loves cats, likes the name Scarlet(t) and refers to his old friend Robert Plant as a c word. He believes or believed in the occult and keeps himself to himself on tour. He’s also very clever and sadly was addicted to heroin - but luckily got off it before tragedy. This book takes you through his early life, his slightly precocious beginnings and the way he put the band together. Incredible really as who’d have known that 4 brilliant men could make such a sound!? Poor old John Paul Jones - slightly rejected by his band mates ‘after’ - while Plant and Page battled for top dog status, after the band had split. I think Plant is right to want to move on. Only the Stones can successfully still strut their stuff on stage at their ages - and that’s because they never stopped. I just can’t see Robert Plant in those skin tight jeans making those incredible sounds again. And do we really want to see LZ performing whilst sitting on stools - are you reading this The Eagles?) - but an acoustic LZ? Maybe. Anyway the book has it all - detail, (lots of it) insight and a degree of speculation. I think if I want more information on this fascinating man, I’d have to meet him! One correction - Plant’s birthday is referred to as 19th August - it’s the 20th same as mine! All in all the definitive documentary - oh hang on - one last thing to say. There was almost nothing said about watching Ann and Nancy Wilson play Stairway to Heaven? During their amazing performance - Jimmy Page looked absolutely delighted and all but nudged Robert Plant throughout. Was Plant crying with relief he wasn’t singing it? Was Jimmy Page wanting to leap up and rock out? What exactly was going through their heads at that stellar performance - of their song!? All this and more - I’d like to know! All I need now is to assemble those old friends, crack open the cough bottle and admire the candlewick bedspread (I have some flared jeans).
T**P
A real page turner
Book in very good condition, delivered on time, and so full of great content and well written. Great purchase
M**.
Informative and saucy
A bit of a tome of a book but full of the musical backdrop and also the groupies too. It's a great book and one for the bookcase.
Z**.
Excellent.
Great book.
D**M
For Led Zep completists and badge-holder only
I enjoy the tales of Zep debauchery, it's part of the legend. But I'd give this book - and I've read most of them - at best 3/5. It got weaker as it went on. Pre-Zep era, pretty good and a lot of stuff I hadn't read before. Zep era, OK-ish - the David Bowie rivalry episodes were new to me. Post-Zep, poor and very rushed. The 2012 Kennedy Centre Honours, for example, don't even get a mention. A mixed bag of a book. For Led Zep completists and badge-holders only...
D**R
Good but a bit long winded at times
A good biography on the whole but there are so many names and references to other bands and people doing other things in the intial few chapters that it definitely requires a bit of dedication so that one doesn't lose the plot so to speak.
P**O
but a good read all the same with some photos I'd not ...
Very enjoyable and doesn't stint on conveying some of Jimmy's not so admirable traits. Not a huge amount of new info or insight for me, but a good read all the same with some photos I'd not seen before
S**W
Very readable
Great book about a guitar icon. Comprehensive and well researched.
A**.
Good book. Interesting read.
One of the better bios of Page. I found it interesting.
K**N
Must read for Zep fans
This was a pretty informative book all in all. It didn't sugar coat Page nor trash him, good reporting.
S**A
Very detailed biography
Great book about genius guitarist and man
J**Y
Jimmy Page
Great stuff!
R**A
Why Jimmy Page is a Rock g
I've read a couple of books on Led Zeppelin and on Jimmy Page, but I found this book very interesting and well-written! It flows so well that I have trouble putting it down. The author's portrayal of Page seems even-handed. He mentions many of Page's drug problems, fascination with Alistair Crowley & the occult, as well as his dalliance with/predation of an underage girl, and doesn't attempt to excuse his behavior. Musically, the real secret of Jimmy's success is above-average twenty combined with a indefatigable work ethic. If anyone willed himself to success it was Jimmy Page. The stories are legendary and wildly entertaining--no wonder we wanted to be him! Did he make a deal with the Devil? It's incredible that he survived the drugs and the stress of the music industry when so many around him died, but he's still rocking! Maybe he is the product of hard work, absolute dedication, and a special set of skills. Confidence can take you a long way.
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