LED ZEPPELIN - The Second Trick

23. October 2014

Led Zeppelin

LED ZEPPELIN - The Second Trick

Jimmy Page is in a good mood. No wonder: after the success of the first part of the Remasters, the pressure and uncertainty have vanished, the media interest has shrunk to a healthy level and - even more importantly - he is sure that in interviews he will experience exactly the respect he always wanted from the writing guild. That's why he really drops all his masks at the eclipsed appointment at London's Hotel Gore and offers deep insights into a complex inner life between pride, a sense of prestige, but also deep interpersonal disappointment - in reference to ex-Buddy Robert Plant, to whom the 70-year-old exceptional guitarist now clearly distances himself and shows unusually strong emotional impulses.

eclipsed: Jimmy, how do you feel about the success of the previous Remasters and how do you deal with the overwhelming media interest?

Jimmy Page: It's wonderful. Wonderful! I thought the reaction of the press was fantastic. She finally went to a lot of trouble with Led Zeppelin. She was interested, researched cleanly, and was honestly and sincerely excited about the bonus tracks and their history. I hadn't expected that. I thought she'd ignore us like in the past and write what she wants. Some bullshit that just brings back the old stories. It was the first time that the press really listened to me and didn't try to twist every word in my mouth. And as for the sales, I always told the guys from the record company: Never underestimate the Led Zeppelin fanbase, it's incredibly loyal. And it was exactly the same this time: People bought the vinyl and the deluxe editions, even though they've had the originals in the closet for forty years. It is a wonderful experience to realize that for them Led Zep is something as special as for me. In this respect, I will always keep this Remasters project in good memory. It was a lot of fun.

eclipsed: Is it true that there was a petition to get you to make a guest appearance at this year's Glastonbury Festival?

Page: They really existed - but it wasn't about me alone, but about Led Zeppelin, of course. Michael Eavis, the organizer, also asked Robert personally if he could give himself a jolt. He was booked for Glastonbury with his band anyway. So you could have combined it wonderfully or even changed it. But all that came as a reaction was, "Absolutely not!" (laughs loudly) Seriously: That's exactly what happened, and that's why I tell it that way.

eclipsed: What do you think of his reaction?

Page: I think it's ridiculous. I really don't know why he's so reluctant. After all, it's great when people are so keen to see you. That's every musician's dream. But obviously not his, which is really a shame.

eclipsed: How do you feel about Robert feeling made a scapegoat by you regarding the failed Led-Zep-Reunion?

Page: (laughs) What was that like? He feels made a scapegoat, did I get that right?

eclipsed: Yes, because you always emphasize in interviews that it wasn't your fault that it never happened, but his alone.

Page: That's bullshit. It's different with him every time. He keeps reformulating it the way he wants. If you ask me, he should be a politician - they do the same thing. But I'm really surprised he gives such a thing. That's got a bit of a ring to it: Why take responsibility when it's much easier to blame everything on others? I must say, this makes me really speechless and also a little sad.

Lesen Sie mehr im eclipsed Nr. 165 (November 2014).