Led Zeppelin guitarist was a big fan of his giant instrument colleague, who died at the age of 27 in September 1970
The 1960s offered the world some of rock’s greatest guitarists, on a path that would be duly paved until the 1970s. Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton It is Peter Green are just some of the many names that made history in the period, but it is practically a consensus that the giant of that period – and perhaps the most important name in the history of the instrument – was JimiHendrix.
Died in September 1970, aged 27, Hendrix promoted a true guitar revolution. He showed the world new ways of playing, configuring and even carrying the six-string instrument, in addition to devising different ways of using and regulating equipment and sound effects.
Another genius with a musical career that started in the 1960s, jimmy page always admired his instrument partner. Notorious for having led theLed Zeppelin, the musician certainly learned a lot from the innovations promoted by Jimi Hendrixnot only on the guitar, but also on the equipment part – Page, worth remembering, he was the producer of all the albums of Zeppelin.
Still, it was not possible to Page have the pleasure of watching Hendrix in live action. This is one of his greatest regrets, as he himself expressed in an interview with the book Light and shadow(via Cheat Sheet).
Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and the rush
On the other hand, it is not possible to criticize jimmy page for the reasons that prevented him from honoring Jimi Hendrix live. At the beginning of Led Zeppelinthe guitarist was so focused on developing the band to become one of the biggest in the world – a title that would soon be conquered in the 1970s – that he never had time to attend concerts by his contemporaries.
“The first two years of any band, you just work non-stop. If you want to make an impact, this is what you have to do. We weren’t different. In fact, we probably worked non-stop for three years straight.”
In this way, naturally, Page I always thought I could see Hendrix in action on another occasion. The problem is that the colleague’s career was very short, since he left us with just 27 years old.
“Every time I got back from touring and Hendrix was playing somewhere, I would always say to myself, ‘Oh, I’m so exhausted, I’ll see him next time.’ I always ‘pushed’ forward and, as you know, there was never a next time. He was really, really pissed off at myself for never seeing him. I really wanted to hear it.”
The Early Years of Led Zeppelin
O Led Zeppelin was created in mid-1968, still as The New Yardbirds. The occasion for the foundation of the project was to fulfill concerts in Scandinavia previously scheduled for the The Yardbirds, band that jimmy page until then and which had dissolved earlier that year.
To compose the new project, Page called the bassist Chris Dreja, whom he already knew, as both were part of the recently finished band. Then came the possibility of bringing two musicians from the so-called band of joy: the vocalist Robert Plant and the drummer John Bonham.dreja didn’t stay, because he wanted to pursue a career as a photographer, which made room for john paul jones – another old acquaintance of jimmyas they were both studio musicians.
The shows in Scandinavia took place in September 1968. Between the same month and the following, the band returned to London to record their first album, eponymous, released on January 12, 1969 in the United States – the country they had already toured at the end 1968 – and two months later in the UK. The next three albums came out practically in a row, in 1969, 1970 and 1971.
Amidst the recording sessions, many concerts were performed. And it’s worth remembering: in times without so much technological advancement and where tours weren’t exactly as big a deal as they are today, moving between countries with kilos of equipment was a challenge that consumed many hours. Even so, it is estimated that the group made more than 150 presentations in 1969 alone. They were tireless, but the effort soon paid off.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
