Did anyone catch Jimmy Page playing a Gibson A on VH1C

[pfox14]

I was fascinated by the program "It's Going to Get Loud" which recently aired on VH-1 Classic. I am a huge Jimmy Page fan and it was so cool seeing him play "The Battle of Evermore" on a vintage Gibson A-style mandolin. Looked to be a pre-WW1 instrument. Anyone else get a chance to see it? Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xfy9..._order&list=UL

[MikeEdgerton]

A few past Jimmy Page threads can be found here.

[MikeEdgerton]

It was in a little better shape here.

[PseudoCelt]

It was in a little better shape here.

I don't think that's Jimmy Page. It's a member of a Japanese Led Zep tribute band. The same clip had been posted on Youtube before with further info in the comments, but it appears to have been taken down. It has come up before on the Cafe (link).

Patrick

[MikeEdgerton]

OK then, never mind.

[Paul Kotapish]

I saw--and enjoyed--that film, including Jimmy's little mandolin section. Mr. Page had a wonderful, elder-stateman presence throughout, and I found his musings on his early musical career particularly interesting.

I was struck, though, by how limited--and seemingly ossified--both he and The Edge seemed to be in the scope of their playing. They both appeared comfortable only when playing their own creations, and the few attempts at jamming were lackluster--to my ear, anyway.

I'm haven't been a big Jack White fan, but he seemed to be the only one of the three to be nimble enough on the guitar--and in his musical imagination--to make the leap into something outside his comfort range. In fact, he seems to be constantly striving to challenge himself and grow, and--whether I like the result or not--I found that impressive.

He took a lot of flack for his musical contributions as the mandolin-plucking itinerant in Cold Mountain because he was so rough and simple in his approach, but I found him quite compelling--and convincing--in that, too.

[Ed Goist]

I really enjoyed this documentary also.
Moreover, I completely agree with Paul about how good it made Jack White look (though I am probably not the most objective critic, being an unabashed Jack White fan).
I once heard a wonderful quote that great musicians make music, they don't play it...
Jack White makes music.
Oh, and many of us love rough and simple...One need not play like Thile to be relevant.
Rock on!

[MikeEdgerton]

...Oh, and many of us love rough and simple...One need not play like Thile to be relevant.
Rock on!

Dast I say it? Probably the most famous mandolin player that ever walked the planet epitomized rough and simple even though some of it wasn't so rough or simple.

[Ed Goist]

Dast I say it? Probably the most famous mandolin player that ever walked the planet epitomized rough and simple even though some of it wasn't so rough or simple.

Very well said Mike!
This is quite possibly the best summary of the core element of Monroe's genius that I have read. Bravo!

[Denny Gies]

Yea, that was a good show. As an old Led Zeppelin fan it was fun to hear Jimmy play and discuss his career. Of course the mandolin segment was the most interesting.

[pfox14]

I would love to know the back story on that mandolin. Where did Jimmy get it and when? Was it the same mandolin he used to play on the original recording from Zep IV? Anyone know?

[RayMan7]

I would love to know the back story on that mandolin. Where did Jimmy get it and when? Was it the same mandolin he used to play on the original recording from Zep IV? Anyone know?

"Battle of Evermore" was made up on the spot by Robert Plant and myself. I just picked up John Paul Jones's mandolin, never having played a mandolin before, and just wrote up the chords and the whole thing in one sitting. - Jimmy Page

[pfox14]

That's an amazing story. I know Jimmy did something similar when he decided to add banjo on Zep III. Just picked one up and started playing it. Man, I wish I could do that.