Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Whenever I am about to criticize somebody on a musical level, I try (emphasize try...) to step back and ask myself if I could do what they have done.
It’s easy to listen to a recording of somebody playing and convince yourself that it’s crap or that it’s “basic” playing etc....it’s absolutely a different beast to BE the person that created and played it.
I’m sure there are many people on the forum that have never recorded music on a professional level. By that I mean write, arrange, record multiple tracks/instruments, creating and editing a drum track, mixing, mastering etc....not necessarily in a pro studio. Even recording into your own laptop with actual recording software. Yes, I realize that most pros have a studio engineer that takes care of a lot of these things but that still doesn’t negate their contribution to the recording.

Once you do these things, it quickly becomes apparent that it’s a sh*t-ton of work.
Being a musician is HARD.
Criticizing is easy.

Page (mostly) wrote, arranged and produced the Zep catalog.
What he and Zep accomplished is nothing short of amazing. Those recordings are staples of today’s radio and the production still holds up some 40+ years later.

Pure genius....nothing less.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Whenever I am about to criticize somebody on a musical level, I try (emphasize try...) to step back and ask myself if I could do what they have done.
It’s easy to listen to a recording of somebody playing and convince yourself that it’s crap or that it’s “basic” playing etc....it’s absolutely a different beast to BE the person that created and played it.
I’m sure there are many people on the forum that have never recorded music on a professional level. By that I mean write, arrange, record multiple tracks/instruments, creating and editing a drum track, mixing, mastering etc....not necessarily in a pro studio. Even recording into your own laptop with actual recording software. Yes, I realize that most pros have a studio engineer that takes care of a lot of these things but that still doesn’t negate their contribution to the recording.

Once you do these things, it quickly becomes apparent that it’s a sh*t-ton of work.
Being a musician is HARD.
Criticizing is easy.

Page (mostly) wrote, arranged and produced the Zep catalog.
What he and Zep accomplished is nothing short of amazing. Those recordings are staples of today’s radio and the production still holds up some 40+ years later.

Pure genius....nothing less.

Same with people janking on The Edge.

The Edge created a Fripp inspired new wave guitar tone/sound that ultimately culminated in Eno and Lilywhite and the Edge making some of the most powerful and incredible guitar tone tracks and songs EVER.

People on here are insane taking shots at the great creators -because they think nauseating masterbatorial pentatonic blues riff shredding is all that equates to greatness on a guitar.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Chuck Schuldner

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[Ben1962]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Chuck Schuldner

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Hmmm. Didnt he begin death metal? I thought you would be a fan

 

[Demanic]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Hmmm. Didnt he begin death metal? I thought you would be a fan

Oh, I am. I am simply offering him up as an example of a guitarist who is not overrated.

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[ItsaBass]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Stuff like this is what makes Jimmy Page great, IMO: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...ongs-151465/p-j-proby-jims-blues-1969-225938/.

And that list only scratches the surface of what he played on.

I'm not so into his output once he had his own near-total creative control. I like Led Zeppelin OK (especially the first album), but they aren't some sort of pinnacle of rock-n-roll to me.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Beck is the one I never really got. Picked up a few of his solo albums, it just seems well, innovative but... Too spacey. I enjoy his work most with Rod Stewart, but I think it doesn't really stand out too much either in all honesty, unless he's getting spacey. Clapton is probably my favorite of that trio, but I guess I prefer Hendrix overall.

I like Beck *because* he was so spacey. He was chasing John McLaughlin for most of the 70s (and now, too). I like John better than anyone mentioned here, though.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

I like Beck for two albums, then cut him off hard. Truth is top notch, and Beck-Ola is not too far behind.

IMO, he is a significantly more capable technician than Page (but not that Page is any slouch), as well as being a "tastier" player.

All based on personal opinion, of course.

 

[Swampy]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

I’ve got this kind of theory as to why Page may have been a little on the sloppy side live at times. Him being a studio musician for years, and one of the top ones at the BBC, he had to learn so much material spit it out on a recording, then probably never play the tune again.....ever. So when writing the Zeppelin stuff, he may have had the same mindset in a way. Of course he played these songs many more times, his brain was kind of wired (no pun intended) in a way that it wasn’t normal for him to have the passages or solos remembered to a “T”. The Whole Lotta Love solo at MSG is a good example, where he plays a couple of the licks swapped. But again, being a great musician, he always comes around to where he should be.
I could be way off in this.


Or it was the drugs.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

I am definitely a fan, to say the least.

My #1 guitar guy is right here...along with my #1 drummer:

View attachment 94771

Is that MacLaughlin with Tony Williams? Cause I've been listening to a lot of electric Miles lately.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Is that MacLaughlin with Tony Williams? Cause I've been listening to a lot of electric Miles lately.

Looks like him. His famous albums with miles include *****es Brew, and A Tribute to Jack Johnson.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Beck is the one I never really got. Picked up a few of his solo albums, it just seems well, innovative but... Too spacey. I enjoy his work most with Rod Stewart, but I think it doesn't really stand out too much either in all honesty, unless he's getting spacey. Clapton is probably my favorite of that trio, but I guess I prefer Hendrix overall.

I feel the same. Beck is no doubt a great player but I just can’t seem to “get” what he is laying down.
A while back Mark had me learn the solos to “People get Ready” with Rod Stewart. And I completely understand how his approach is unique and creative but like you said...a bit spacey.... at least his solo work.
I prefer most music a little more mainstream (for lack of a better word).

 

[justFred]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Beck just pulls everything possible out of a guitar with precision and soul...listen, it is simply beautiful...watch, he works very hard to pull it off...

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Beck just pulls everything possible out of a guitar with precision and soul...listen, it is simply beautiful...watch, he works very hard to pull it off...

The Master of the Stratocaster. Nobody has a Strat down quite like J.B.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

I’m sure there are many people on the forum that have never recorded music on a professional level. By that I mean write, arrange, record multiple tracks/instruments, creating and editing a drum track, mixing, mastering etc....not necessarily in a pro studio. Even recording into your own laptop with actual recording software. Yes, I realize that most pros have a studio engineer that takes care of a lot of these things but that still doesn’t negate their contribution to the recording.

Once you do these things, it quickly becomes apparent that it’s a sh*t-ton of work.
Being a musician is HARD.
Criticizing is easy.

Page (mostly) wrote, arranged and produced the Zep catalog.
What he and Zep accomplished is nothing short of amazing. Those recordings are staples of today’s radio and the production still holds up some 40+ years later.

Pure genius....nothing less.

Don't be too sensitive/ overthinking it.

I am sure almost nobody has ever run a country on a professional level, but public bash their president the whole time. Being the head of a state is HARD. And I am sure those bashing Windows for example, has never written a small 'Hello World' program or understood any programming language even the most primitive one for that matter.

My point is, you don't have to be able to be on the same level as those you criticize, in order to be able to criticize. It's just life. I'll just stand on the consumer/ audience/ listener/ general public side.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

(Headphones! Loud!)

Jeff Beck – Rod Stewart – Ron Wood – Mick Waller – 1968

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

Don't be too sensitive/ overthinking it.

I am sure almost nobody has ever run a country on a professional level, but public bash their president the whole time. Being the head of a state is HARD. And I am sure those bashing Windows for example, has never written a small 'Hello World' program or understood any programming language even the most primitive one for that matter.

My point is, you don't have to be able to be on the same level as those you criticize, in order to be able to criticize. It's just life. I'll just stand on the consumer/ audience/ listener/ general public side.

No offense but if that’s your stance then that criticism means very little.
As far as your examples of the public criticizing political officials, the average person has no idea what the job of president entails and therefore has no legitimate foot to stand on when criticizing.
The old saying “walk a mile in another man’s moccasins” rings pretty true here.
Just because a person “can” say something doesn’t mean they should, or that they know what they are taking about.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Is Jimmy Page the most overrated guitarist?

I recall several years ago when a young musician I knew first discovered LZ. He kept going on about this best of Led Zepp album he bought. I asked; "what album is that?" He showed it to me. It was Led Zeppelin IV. I told him that it was just a standard Led Zep album, it wasn't a greatest hits compilation. He exclaimed; "but every single song on it is great." Most LZ albums are like that.

I saw Page and Plant live during the 90s (fantastic drummer on that tour too). Not sloppy at all. Page played great with the Black Crows. In a band context he can be great. He usually pushes everyone to be better. He is not a selfish player.