Led Zeppelin guitarist would not even have returned calls; The repercussion of the denial was such that he had to speak out
In recent years, Jimmy Page He became quite reclusive when it came to working in music. The 81-year-old guitarist made a rare appearance in the 2023 edition of Rock and Roll Hall of Fameplaying in a tribute to Link Wraybut it stopped there. A decade earlier, he even announced that he would form a new band and perform material from his entire career — including Led Zeppelin —, which didn’t happen.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the Englishman turned down an invitation made by another rock icon to participate in his album. It is about Ozzy Osbournewho tried to bring him to participate in Patient Number 9 (2022), without success.
The singer’s idea of Black Sabbath was to bring together what is called the “holy trinity” of British guitarists who were part of the iconic group Yardbirds in the 1960s. In addition to Page, they made up the group Eric Clapton and Jeff Beckwho passed away in early 2023.
Clapton and Beck accepted the proposal, but the eternal member of Led Zeppelin preferred not to get involved. The revelation was made by Chad Smithdrummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers who also participated in the album.
The repercussion of the news was such that Jimmy Page himself, averse to interviews in recent times, had to come out of the shadows to speak out in public. Classic Rock (via Igor Miranda website). At the time, he explained why he didn’t agree to collaborate with Madman. Initially, he said:
“There are several things I am working on. It’s not just one and I don’t even want to give any hints, because if I do, speculation will start and I will end up being misunderstood.”
Furthermore, there were restrictions caused by the covid-19 pandemic at the time the work was recorded. Page is not the type who likes to work remotely, so he preferred to pass up the opportunity.
“I will never be one of those people who records themselves and sends a file to someone online. I got into music to interact, play together.”
Jimmy Page left Ozzy Osbourne in a vacuum
The fact is that, according to Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Page He didn’t even bother to refuse the invitation. The vocalist told Metal Hammer (via Igor Miranda website), also in 2022, that the guitarist of Led Zeppelin did not return his calls.
“I don’t even know if he still plays, but I thought that getting Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page it means having the greatest guitarists on the planet. But I never got a response. Maybe he lost his phone or something!”
The team that participated
Despite the refusal to Jimmy Page, Ozzy Osbourne had a strong team in Patient Number 9. Those already mentioned Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck collaborated with “One of Those Days” and the title track, respectively.
Guitarists also participated Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Zakk Wylde, Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), the bassists Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica) and Chris Chaney (AC/DCformerJane’s Addiction) and the late drummer Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), in addition to the previously mentioned Chad Smith also with drumsticks in hand. Andrew Watt takes over production and also plays guitar, bass, keyboards, piano and drums.
Patient Number 9 won the Best Rock Album in the 65th edition of Grammy Awards. The work was promoted with the singles “Degradation Rules”, “Nothing Feels Right”, “One of Those Days”, “A Thousand Shades” and the title track.
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.
