Led Zeppelin

[midnite_man]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Brother Bobby,so nice to see you back!
I have to agree with Stratcat in that Page doesn't have the chops he once had...Either the drugs from the 80's did it or I remember reading or someone saying something about arthritis.I Love Jimmy Page's stuff he did throughout the Zeppelin years,but stuff he did after that was just pretty lame as far as his lead playing...Live Aid was terrible,The Arms concert was pretty bad playing,his studio album was preety bad also....He just doesn't have the chops or the ability to do what he did early in his career...Again,I love what he has done and the guy is still a studio wizard but his glory days as a great riff master are gone,,Even the stuff he did with the Black Crowes was just ok....Other guitar players that grew up listening to Page's riffs and creativeness would agree that his playing isn't what it was before "In Through The Out Door"......Just my opinion so please don't beat me up on this guys... :burnout:

Thanks John...it's great to be back! I will agree Page doesn't play like he used to as indicated by his performances mentioned in this thread. Perhaps he has met the end of his better-playing days, but it's always interesting to speculate the "what if's."

....Bob

 

[ledzepp29]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Wait, so Page refuses to play "stairway" yet has no qualms jamming with Puff Daddy to a messed up version of "kashmir"?



for the record: i do not like led zeppelin

dude it said PLANT vowed to never play stairway.... :smack:

 

[Mincer]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I dont think Page is most of the problem- the Zep stuff is pretty easy on guitar, and its not like his fans are gonna ask him to break any new ground. Its Plant, whose voice is pretty much gone. Remember their performance for the RnR Hall of Fame? I'd think Plant would have a very difficult time reaching those notes (him screeching during the song remains the same was bad enough, and that was in his prime.)
Plus, these guys are 60+, and will forever be known for what they did 30 years ago. I think there would be nothing but disappointment hearing what a Led Zep 2004 would sound like- they would never, ever be able to capture the feeling of the mid 70s again.
Bands like the Who, Yes, Deep Purple, and Sabbath are still around too, but their members have 'kept it together' in at least producing competant performances.

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I just took a look at Live Aid, Stairway, in the 80's... and I actually think it was pretty damn decent,... 'cept for a few parts.

Bee

 

[strat_master]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Page's playing has become sloppy?!??! when did this happen?!?!?

 

[Ez74]

Re: Led Zeppelin

they are probably my favorite group.... and i like that they arent getting back together, what do they have to prove?

i wish there was more live footage of them back in the day though

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Led Zeppelin

The sad reality is this, Page played his best from 1969-1977. During these years/Led Zeppelins Peak/ he was a heavy drug user, Cocaine, Heroin and Jack Daniels. Now that he is 60 years old and off the drugs, his chops are gone.

 

[texasguitarslinger]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Page, Plant, Jones & Bonham Jr., A pipe dream... :smokin:

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Could it be that if he started playing a tele, that it would make it easier for him to play?

But with all those endorsements...

Bee

Ever play a Tele? It may look extremely simple, but it can be a very unforgiving instrument. If your chops suck, a Tele will make it painfully obvious.....I should know! :laugh2:

I am/was a HUGE Led Zep fan...I think in their prime, they were the baddest rock-n-roll band this world has ever seen & heard.

Page has always been sloppy, but it never detracted from his genius. I just think the years of abuse has taken its toll.

Plant can't scream like he used to......neither can I.

JPJ, from last I heard, isn't interested in trying to relive his past. He's quite content in doing his own thing & producing other acts. He was/is one of the premier bass players in music...a personal favorite & a genuine English gentleman.

As for Bonzo & his son.....did Bonzo play with baseball bats or what??? God d@mn, that guy beat the sh!t out of those skins!!!

I last heard that Jason was playing/touring with UFO....I'm guessing if they all stay clean, he'll be content with that, but there must always be the lure of taking his father's place with Zep.


For me, I prefer to listen to the Zep of my youth. I don't wanna see them stumble thru 30 year old songs. I got enough of that with the "Song Remains The Same" movie!!!

 

[MikeRocker]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I heard a performance from that MTV thing where Page & Plant played "Thank You", and Page's solo was just ridiculous. An echoey sloppy mess. And that was ten years ago. His playing in Zep was always a little sloppy, but in a cool way (the "Fool In The Rain" solo comes to mind), but now it's just atrocious. And whoever mentioned Plant's voice was correct too. He can still sing, but even listening to his 80s stuff he sounds nowhere near how he did in the heyday. I am willing to bet the rent that if they ever did reunite and play live, people would be sorely disappointed. Some things are better left as memories, and I'm sure they would rather be thought of as they were in the past.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Thanks SD, I didn't realize those riffs were Rogers - I thought Page had really taken on a new twist.

Yep....Rodgers stated that he made up the weird riffs for radioactive...Doesn't sound at all Like Page..

John

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I dont think Page is most of the problem- the Zep stuff is pretty easy on guitar, and its not like his fans are gonna ask him to break any new ground. Its Plant, whose voice is pretty much gone. Remember their performance for the RnR Hall of Fame? I'd think Plant would have a very difficult time reaching those notes (him screeching during the song remains the same was bad enough, and that was in his prime.)
Plus, these guys are 60+, and will forever be known for what they did 30 years ago. I think there would be nothing but disappointment hearing what a Led Zep 2004 would sound like- they would never, ever be able to capture the feeling of the mid 70s again.
Bands like the Who, Yes, Deep Purple, and Sabbath are still around too, but their members have 'kept it together' in at least producing competant performances.

Dave...Regardless of whether the Zeppelin stuff is easier to play,Page struggles with trying to play the riffs he played in the 70s...I have alot of videos of Zeppelin both old and new and stuff after that...It's a shame to watch Page try to pull off the solos for "Heartbreaker" and many other riff/solo tunes...And yes....Plant's highend is shot...Age does have it's way of taking it's toll,unless you're Paul Rodgers... :dance:

John

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Brother Bobby,so nice to see you back!
I have to agree with Stratcat in that Page doesn't have the chops he once had...Either the drugs from the 80's did it or I remember reading or someone saying something about arthritis.I Love Jimmy Page's stuff he did throughout the Zeppelin years,but stuff he did after that was just pretty lame as far as his lead playing...Live Aid was terrible,The Arms concert was pretty bad playing,his studio album was preety bad also....He just doesn't have the chops or the ability to do what he did early in his career...Again,I love what he has done and the guy is still a studio wizard but his glory days as a great riff master are gone,,Even the stuff he did with the Black Crowes was just ok....Other guitar players that grew up listening to Page's riffs and creativeness would agree that his playing isn't what it was before "In Through The Out Door"......Just my opinion so please don't beat me up on this guys... :burnout:

Jimmy Page has always been a bit of a fumble finger...even when he played with the Yardbirds. Great, great feel though and obviously a tremendous talent...and sometimes a great player. I guess he really has to be on....because sometime he sounds great and sometimes sloppy as all get out. I don't think Led Zepplin would be Led Zepplin without John Bonham.

Just like the Who needed Keith Moon to sound like the Who.

I remember the first time I heard Led Zeppelin even more clearly than the first time I heard Hendrix and Clapton.

It would've been about '68 and the first Led Zepplin album hadn't been released yet. But WABX, which was an "underground" radio station in Detroit, had an advance copy and my buddy Terry and I were tripping when this amazing music came on the radio and they played the whole album uninteruppted...so we had no idea who we were hearing.

I remember us wondering who the heck this was! We were going: "sounds a little like Jeff Beck...sounds a little like Hendrix...sounds a little like the Yardbirds...who the heck is this?" :smack:

I loved that first album and learned almost every song on it when I was 19.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Dave...Regardless of whether the Zeppelin stuff is easier to play,Page struggles with trying to play the riffs he played in the 70s...I have alot of videos of Zeppelin both old and new and stuff after that...It's a shame to watch Page try to pull off the solos for "Heartbreaker" and many other riff/solo tunes...And yes....Plant's highend is shot...Age does have it's way of taking it's toll,unless you're Paul Rodgers... :dance:

John

Oh I agree..I was saying its probably a toss-up as to who would sound worse. I think most people would notice how bad the vocals are above the sloppy guitar. I think Zep stuff sells enough that they don't have to get back together, and thats a good thing.

 

[adrian]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I´ve heard that Page is also suffering from arthritis in his hands, a quite common disease which doesn´t make so much trouble. That will say; if you´re not a guitarist.

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Ever play a Tele? It may look extremely simple, but it can be a very unforgiving instrument. If your chops suck, a Tele will make it painfully obvious.....I should know! :laugh2:

Haha na I haven't played one but my mate's dad has a American Deluxe Tele, which is just so beautiful - only his dad's allowed to play it!

What I meant by the whole playing a tele thing is that I've heard from this board that whenever he played a Tele (during the first album), he played fantastically, but as soon as he switched to the Paul, he wasn't so precise.

Bee

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I seem to recall he injured his left hand in an accident or something.....pile that on top of all the drugs/booze/overall hard living & it's a wonder he can even play at all.

If your friends Dad will let ya' try it, give the Tele a shot...it'll humble ya' !

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I always feel that it's snobbing me!! :laugh2:

Bee

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page has always been a bit of a fumble finger...even when he played with the Yardbirds. Great, great feel though and obviously a tremendous talent...and sometimes a great player. I guess he really has to be on....because sometime he sounds great and sometimes sloppy as all get out. I don't think Led Zepplin would be Led Zepplin without John Bonham.

Just like the Who needed Keith Moon to sound like the Who.

I remember the first time I heard Led Zeppelin even more clearly than the first time I heard Hendrix and Clapton.

It would've been about '68 and the first Led Zepplin album hadn't been released yet. But WABX, which was an "underground" radio station in Detroit, had an advance copy and my buddy Terry and I were tripping when this amazing music came on the radio and they played the whole album uninteruppted...so we had no idea who we were hearing.

I remember us wondering who the heck this was! We were going: "sounds a little like Jeff Beck...sounds a little like Hendrix...sounds a little like the Yardbirds...who the heck is this?" :smack:

I loved that first album and learned almost every song on it when I was 19.

Lew...Here's another spin on this...At one point I felt Page,Beck,and Clapton were all great and pretty close in talent,though Clapton leaned towards strict blues..

Today...Nobody can touch Jeff beck..Clapton's playing has evolved,but Page can't even be on the same stage with these guys today..Beck and Clapton are still great players and Page's playing just got worse over the years?

Listen to Page's "Outrider" album...Talk about un-inspiring...I Love Jimmy Page's work that he did with Zeppelin,but I feel Jimmy should produce music and let the players play these days...Another Zeppelin reunion is something we don't need.... :32: :wink:

 

[tone4days]

Re: Led Zeppelin

I'd have to agree with the chops piece with one exception - I thought the stuff he did with The Firm was interesting - but than again, Paul Rogers was a lot of that band. It wasn't his Led Zep days but it was interesting stuff - remember Radio Active.

i actually thought that pino pallidino made that band ... the fretless bass was very interesting and the riffs were bass grooves moreso than guitar .. i saw them on that tour (mid 80's) and Page was a shell of himself .. almost like a charicature of himself .. hard rock vegas style .. was sad