Legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist turns 80 this Tuesday (9); To celebrate, we rescued an excerpt from a book that details the relationship of affection for Brazil
Jimmy Page turns 80 this Tuesday (9). The legendary British guitarist is recognized as one of the most influential guitarists of all time, as well as one of rock’s most important composers. Third place on the list of 250 most influential guitarists of all the times of Rolling Stone UShe got to play with The Who, The Kinks, Donovan It is Marianne Faithfulleven before bursting in front of the Led Zeppelin beside Robert Plant, John Paul Jones It is John Bonham.
His impact, celebrated in addition to hits such as “Achilles Last Stand”, “Kashmir” and “No Quarter”, earned him awards such as the Grammy, as well as honors such as the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, the UN’s first global peace prize. and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – twice (!). But, among all the recognitions, there is one that points to a good (and unusual) relationship between the musician and Brazil: Jimmy Page is Honorary Citizen of Rio de Janeiro.
“Page’s relationship with Brazil is old,” he writes Leandro Souto Maiorbook author Jimmy Page in Brazil (Garota FM Books, 2021). According to him, the musician spends seasons in Bahia, in addition to opening a Jimmy House to shelter homeless young people in the capital of Rio de Janeiro – an action that has recently earned him official recognition from Rio de Janeiro.
“Jimmy Page loves Brazil and especially Rio de Janeiro. During interviews to promote new Led Zeppelin releases in 2003, he told his record company that he made a point of speaking to journalists in Rio, and that his groupmate, singer Robert Plant, talk to the other journalists”, says Souto Maior.
In addition to the “great memories of Rio”, as Jimmy himself once described about his relationship with Brazil, Leandro’s book scrutinizes other passages of the guitarist here – including his infamous vacation in 1979, the supposed beginning of contact with more than three decades with the country, which would include friendships with Rita Lee It is Margareth Menezesin addition to three houses in Lençóis, Bahia, and countless stories.
Check out an excerpt below Jimmy Page in Brazilby Leandro Souto Maior.
Brazilian holidays in 1979
In August 1979, Led Zeppelin played two big shows in Knebworth, on the outskirts of London, and shortly afterwards released ‘In Through the Out Door’. The new album features ‘All my love’, a romantic ballad far from the band’s typical heavy sound and which became a hit on Brazilian FM stations. A partnership between Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, the song is curiously one of the group’s rare songs without Jimmy Page’s signature. The song ‘Fool in the rain’, by Page, Plant and Jones, in the middle becomes a carnival thing, a type of samba that Led Zeppelin tries to emulate, complete with timbales and agogô played by John Bonham.
The flirtation with Latin rhythms took place during the World Cup in Argentina in 1978. At the time, the popularity of Pelé and Brazilian football was enormous. Plant, who loves football and is a famous supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers (second division team in England), watches the games on television, including those in Brazil, and gets involved in the drumming: this is where the idea of the whistle in the music comes from. In May 1980, during rehearsals for a tour of Europe at the Victoria Theater in London, Plant appears wearing a yellow shirt with “Brazil” written on it. Jimmy Page also likes football, is a fan of the Brazilian team and supports Chelsea in England.
Two months later, a young photographer colleague of the guitarist dies of an overdose in his home. Following this, Page is the only member of the band who does not appear to receive several awards, including Best Album of the Year, at a ceremony held by the English music newspaper Melody Maker. The word is that he is on vacation in Barbados, in the Caribbean.
It was in the wake of these events that Jimmy finally arrived in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro, at the end of 1979, spending the New Year here and staying until the beginning of 1980. He was accompanied by his wife, the French model Charlotte Martin, and his their daughter Scarlet, then nine years old.
Singer-songwriter Rita Lee, in her autobiography released in 2016, writes that she met Jimmy Page in Bahia in 1972 and gave him a Brazilian guitar called a craviola. It’s true that memories are difficult, a period of a lot of rock and roll… “…but I don’t remember going to Brazil before our trip in 1979”, recalls Charlotte Martin in 2019, 40 years later*.
*Author’s note: From the research for this book, this is Jimmy Page’s first visit to Brazil, in 1979. It’s possible he came in 1972, but he probably would have said that in an interview at some point.
The excerpt above is a reproduction of the book Jimmy Page no Brasil, by Leandro Souto Maior, made with authorization from the author.
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.
