A grumpy Jimmy Page has taken aim at everyone from Ginger Baker to Robert Plant in a bad-tempered interview, reports Classic Rock.
The Led Zeppelin guitarist was speaking about the recent reissues when he snapped at questions about his former bandmate and Cream drummer Ginger Baker.
And he refused to answer questions about his work with David Coverdale, his supposed fascination with the occult and his alleged drug-fuelled past.
However, he spoke warmly about the genius of late Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and the impact Elvis Presley had on his life.
Page tells GQ he was disappointed by Ginger Baker’s comments about Bonham in the documentary Beware Of Mr Baker.
He says, “That’s an interesting film, because of the way the film starts. Doesn’t it start with Ginger hitting the director with a cane? I was a bit disappointed by that. His criticism was that Bonham didn’t swing. I was like, ‘Oh, Ginger. That’s the only thing that’s undeniable about Bonham.’ I thought that was stupid. That was a really silly thing of him to say.”
Asked about Robert Plant’s steadfast refusal to entertain a Zeppelin reunion, Page says, “Sometimes I raise my eyebrows at the things he says, but that’s all I can say about it. I don’t make a point to read what he says about Zeppelin. But people will read me things he has said, and I will usually say, ‘Are you sure you’re quoting him correctly?’ It’s always a little surprising. But I can’t answer for him. I have a respect for the work of everyone in the band. I can’t be dismissive of the work we did together. I sort of know what he’s doing. But I don’t fully understand it.”
As for the questions about drugs, the occult, his insecurities and the Coverdale/Page album, Page says he may one day reveal all in an autobiography – but for now he refuses to be drawn on those issues.
On Bonham, Page says, “I was very keen on making the most of John Bonham’s drum sound, because he was such a technician in terms of tuning his drums for projection. You don’t want a microphone right in front of the drum kit. Sonically, distance makes depth. So employing that ambience was very important, because drums are acoustic instruments. The only time John Bonham ever got to be John Bonham was when he was in Led Zeppelin. You know, he plays on some Paul McCartney solo tracks. But you’d never know it was him, because of the way it was recorded. It’s all closed down.”
Explaining his need for privacy, Page says he was fascinated by Elvis but never felt the need to know anything about his private life. He says, “I don’t know what other people need to know, really. I don’t see the necessity of that, and I’m not going to start now. What’s important about Elvis was that he changed absolutely everything for youth and that he came in right under the radar. But that’s all I need to know about his life.”
Page recently hinted at a solo tour that could take place next year and see him perform music from throughout his career. He also spoke of his admiration for young British two-piece Royal Blood.
additional source: classicrock.teamrock.com
17 Responses
I have mixed feelings on the Coverdale/Page CD. It had potential, and there are few good songs on it, but it sounded hollow to me. It did sound like Page was trying to recreate some kind of Zeppelin vibe, but I don’t think Coverdale was up to the task. Great singer, don’t get me wrong, but very much a one dimensional rock singer, whereas Plant really did it all. Plant is the mold from which all golden haired copies sprang forth. There is no following him.
Plant seems to like to play a few Zep songs in his sets, so I’m not sure why he’s so negative on banging out a tour. Get some special guests to come in and play, filling out the band, since Bonham is gone. I haven’t seen him in concert recently, but the youtube clips of him playing at Sonisphere sound great, considering none of these guys are spring chickens.
Michael,
I agree with you about the Page/Coverdale album, however, i dont agree with your view of Coverdale being a one dimensional vocalist , in my opinion and i dont think i’m in the minority , he has one of the finest voices , on any given song his voice conveys emotion, passion, and power and tenderness . he is an original- Plant has just moved on there is really nothing left to say about Plant and Zep they created something amazing and people dont want to let that go-
I think he doesn’t want to do a tour because he is happy with what he is doing now. The O2 thing was incredible but it seems Plant has already moved on. He is doing what he wants to do.
Anyone who calls Coverdale a “one dimensional rock singer” has not heard his entire catalogue. Much of the early Whitesnake is far more blues based than typical “rock” based, and he aquits himself very well. Beyond that, the live “Starkers in Tokyo” (I think it is under the “Whitesnake” banner) is an album of acoustic duets between Coverdale and Adrian Vandenberg and is STELLAR. I mean, criminally overlooked, must-have listening.
Seriously, if you are at all a fan of Coverdale, you need to hear that album at least once.
Page doesn’t sound so grumpy to me, just sounds like he’s tired of hearing the same old questions, can’t blame him for that.
i agree , why did they say “grumpy” ?? not one bit of grumpy in that interview?? and speaking about John Bonham, i think he was one of the greatest drummers ever , i actually laughed when Ginger Baker says that in his doc., i learned how to play drums as a kid listening to zep songs with my headphones on, i would play for hours day after day trying to get it right , that guy could SWING!
IMO Bobby, John Bonham is absolutely the greatest drummer ever! He was a magician behind the kit. And as far as Page goes, I didn’t detect any “grumpiness” or a “bad temper” whatsoever from that interview, just sounds like that “critic” has something against MR. Page, maybe he just can’t handle the truth, some critics are like that.
Eddie, please get Jimmy on TMS next season!
Doug R.
Spot on !!! thank you for that perception and view!! I feel the same way about Sammy Hagar, Plant, Angus, DLR etc. I think all of them get asked the same damn question all the time and how are they going to react? Sooner or later it spits out crap and the media cannot find anything new or positive so they try to get a reaction.
Sorry for venting but it just appears we have no new rock stars to have new stories so everything is rehashed over and over again. Like most on this site if something Kiss comes up everybody jumps in
with the same ole rehashed crap.
You know who the new Rock Stars are? Freaking Chefs
I agree Mark, how many times can these guys be asked the same questions without occasionally expressing some kind of frustration about it? I guess to some critics that means you’re being grumpy or bad tempered, they have no idea what it’s like on the other side, all they care about it selling stories, even if they are the same old ones. And if there is something new, most critics usually get it wrong and twist it anyway! But it’s like I said to Bobby, Page didn’t sound grumpy or bad tempered at all to me, but that “critic” sure did!
Where in this interview is Jimmy Page “grumpy”?
As for Ginger Baker’s assessment of John Bonham, (I haven’t seen the documentary yet) consider the source – a very bitter, eccentric, old man who – for as good as he was – was eclipsed by a younger monster of a drummer in a band that achieved far more success than Cream. John Bonham is undeniably the single greatest rock drummer ever.