Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page

Being a dedicated Led Zeppelin Fan and Yardbirds fan before that, means I have a continued interest in all things Zeppelin, including the individual members and the music long after the end of the "golden era" of their albums. I bought the first single Atlantic vinyl 45 of Communication Breakdown b/w Good Times, Bad Times, then bought all their albums, then the first CDs, then remastered CDs, DVDs, and live recordings. I saw them 3 times in concert, including the great Long Beach Concert in the early 70's now on CD. I stood above Jimmy Page in the second tier and don't think my ears recovered for three hours after the concert was over. Wow. Great performance I obviously will never forget (the other two concerts I attended were the earlier Los Angeles Forum after III came out and Kezar Stadium Golden Gate Park San Francisco Houses of the Holy album tour).Of course I had to have this book and I think any fan will have to have it. I am not trying to talk anyone out of reading it, it's not bad but not great either. A bit of a disappointment to me overall. I read the inside jacket information before purchase, much of which I now think is "hype" (excuse the term - early reviews said Led Zeppelin was all "hype" with little talent, then there is the Superhype Music name). The positive of the book is that you hear the actual words from Mr. Page rather than a writer who may be prejudiced for or against him and the group. However, out of the 300 pages, less than 100 pages is actual interviews of Page, the rest is the author's writings about Page, Led Zeppelin, later projects and "musical interludes" which are sometimes interesting but are not Page. The "oral autobiography" I expected is not that but an incomplete look into the group and other projects. So much has not been covered.One thing as a musician that I had expected more of and was talked about on the jacket was that the book "encompasses Page's entire career beginning with his early days as England's top session guitarist", but in my opinion there is little detailed information about that time, there are references to much of that work but not specifics, it says for example that he worked on Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" which is true but by not spelling out exactly what he did implies he was lead guitar, he was not. And from other readings I have done, he was not lead guitar for many of the records he is credited to as being on, like the early Kinks, yes he played on their records also with The Who, but did not play lead, same for the recording of the movie Goldfinger theme. I don't need him to be lead, it would just be nice to have more exact information instead of vague references that imply the wrong information.Next, the cover says the book does this: "Examining every major Led Zeppelin track" - it depends on your definition of "major." There are maybe five or six tracks that are talked about in some detail but not enough information for anyone wishing to know how songs got created, the inspiration, how chords changes and other musical phrases were worked out, things like that. There is a little about alternate tunings for guitar which I liked to know and I did find it fascinating that Page would purposely play every concert solo differently at different times so that it would be a new challenge for him and so it would not get boring for him or the audience. He talks about lyrics and how Plant evolved into a major lyricist for the band. But what do certain lyrics mean? Not there. Some information about album artwork. There is an interesting interlude about the equipment Page used: primary guitars, amps, and effects. (Recommended: It Might Get Loud, a DVD with Page, The Edge, and Jack White.)Some of the book's other "musical interludes" seem unnecessary, maybe put in due to lack of interview material (not only is there less than 100 pages of interviews, the book uses a not so small type size giving the impression that it is a larger book than it is, also when the first question of a chapter is posed, does it really take a whole page to do that? Very dramatic, black page with white lettering, but a waste of space.) The interlude on "fashion" was not something I felt I had to read, I thought this book would be about the musical genius of Jimmy Page (is he known for fashion? I think he is mostly known for playing guitar, songwriting and producing.) Some of the other interludes might appeal to others, but not to me. The interview with Jeff Beck with Jimmy Page seemed to be from separate interviews and put together, were they in the same room at the time? I have no idea. The interlude with Yardbird Chris Dreja went on too long, I stopped caring and skipped over the end of it. Interview with Eric Clapton? Not here. A chapter on "The Astrology of Jimmy Page", huh? A long interlude with Paul Rodgers, who I have enjoyed in his many groups, but why here? An interlude with Led Zeppelin publicist I also found unnecessary. I need books that inspire me, that make me want to read throughout the night to finish it, books I HAVE to read. This wasn't one.I know that I have read much of this material before, not sure where - I suspect from a small sized book about the album IV (my personal favorite and I'm sure for many fans, it has everything, every song is well done. I still listen to it regularly after 40 years). I found at least some of the interviews have been published before and this is not unique material.Having read other books about the group which go into detail about the legendary nightlife of the group and was not something I wished to rehash, I was looking for something new, something with more in depth material about Page's early works and the creation of the Led Zeppelin music, how and why he played what he did. I was frankly disappointed in this book. Oh well, as a fan I guess I might be disappointed in anything less than the full picture. This is not bad book and is fine if you don't expect too much.Really 3.5 stars.

Laughably maligned by critics for most of its active career, a revision of Greek mythology may now include a 13th slot for the band on Mount Olympus as they are arguably the Zeus of rock and roll music (sorry Elvis, you had the mojo and the hip-swing, but didn't bring the lightning and thunder). While Zeppelin's career may have been relatively short-lived, it still managed to burn an indelible, mysterious mark in modern music history that is largely kept alive by its introverted, immensely talented and equally mysterious mastermind, Jimmy Page. Tabloid-like tell-alls aside, LIGHT AND SHADE gives Page a platform to speak somewhat openly about his musical life before, during and after Zeppelin ... a satisfyingly light meal for fans, but few others.Guitar World magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Brad Tolinski, provides a book's worth of material that mainly includes transcriptions of his interviews with Page over the years. Straight-forward and somewhat narrow in scope, Page doesn't reveal too much more that is already known or widely speculated. LIGHT AND SHADE is organized in chronological chapters that chart significant periods in the musician's life. The chapters open with the author's summary of the period being discussed and are supported with Q and A transcriptions that allow Page to elaborate. The interviews are fairly safe and it appears clear that Tolinski took great care in avoiding issues that may have irritated Page or made him defensive. LIGHT AND SHADE is obviously a book written by a fan, for fans. But, considering Jimmy Page's reclusive/guarded nature, I can't fault Tolinski as he got the man to speak rather openly about his musical career (not to mention Tolinski surely wants to ensure future Page interviews). So, the Q and A involves a lot of softball questions that are safely aimed in the direction Page wants them to go. The only "out-of-bounds" topic approached was the discussion of Page's interest in the occult, but the manner in which the interview is conducted appears quite contrived and more of a platform for Page to put the "stories" to rest under his own direction (as it consumes a complete chapter). Page's mysterious aura is obviously enhanced by his speculated association/interest in the occult and while many could care less about this part of the man's life (like me); there are those who do take interest, thus covering the topic is probably needed to validate the book.Most of LIGHT AND SHADE is dedicated to music and while Page yearns to be known for his entire body of work (from Yardbirds to the Firm and even his collaboration with David Coverdale) it is hard to avoid the elephant in the room ... Led Zeppelin. The conversations about Zeppelin obviously dominate the conversations and Tolinski effectively puts his musical knowledge to use and gets Page to openly delve into the mechanics of the band's sound and production. The interviews convey the enormous sense of pride Jimmy Page has for the band, the quality of music it generated and it's place in history. This is an aspect of the book that should shine for those who are musicians and not just casual fans of the band's catalogue of songs. While I enjoyed these parts of the book the most, many of the Zeppelin-themed discussions are more back-and-forth "technobabble" (specific chords, effects, production techniques, etc.) between two knowledgeable people that might not be too interesting (or understandable) to others. Page does not elaborate too much on his drug use, nor does he gush about (or refute) the raucous tales of touring that have contributed to the band's legacy ... it's mostly about the music. Some chapters are enhanced with interviews of others who have collaborated with Page over the years (Jeff Beck, Paul Rogers of Bad Company and the White Stripes' Jack White) and there are sections that specifically address the guitarist's equipment (a plus for fans who are musicians), his ten "best" songs and even his style (elaborate discussion on the astrological symbolism of Page's stage attire).I found LIGHT AND SHADE to be relevant from the perspective that I am a guitar player and Jimmy Page's music has shaped that way I approach the guitar, from playing technique to effects. While the book sheds some light on the man behind the music and his years after Zeppelin, it is best served to others like me or rabid fans eager to consume any product associated with Led Zeppelin.

Tolinski provides much to like in this history of Page as a musician. He foregoes all but a passing mention of debaucheries and destroyed hotel rooms. He includes info and conversation about Page's occult interest only to the extent that it explains the inspiration and texture of some of the music. Mostly, and rightly, Tolinski focuses on Page's intense drive to create and record exceptional music. The book includes more insight into music and recording than I could ever make use of, but I enjoy reading how Page made history with relatively straightforward technology, the use of which he often pioneered.Tolinski mixes things up by interviewing others with whom Page worked (Rodgers, Coverdale, etc.), and by including greater historical context in key places, whether provided by Page or sourced elsewhere, about other artists, the clubs of the period, and the like.Finally though, what really stuck with me is that the book emphasizes a critical and essential element in Page's success as a musician and recording artist: a daunting yet inspirational commitment to hard work and high standards. I could tell from the start that Tolinski was serious, that there would be no idol-worship and no superstitious conjecture about Page's "secret recipe." I found it encouraging to read that Page didn't magically pick up every chord, that even Clapton spent a week learning how to bend a string in a particular song (at least in the beginning). Undoubtedly, talent and artistic imagination are in Page's possession. If you love Page's music and you play a guitar, this book definitely will get you thinking about what you might be capable of.

I'm a bit disappointed. My main complaint is that it doesn't go into the songwriting process a lot. There's the occasional mention here and there about it but it's not enough. Why not ask a ton of questions about how Page and Plant worked together? It's one of the coolest and most successful songwriting collaborations in history and it's not touched upon much. Did he employ certain techniques and tricks for writing, like using theory and stuff like that and how hard did he have to work at it to get results etc? Such a shame, those things are a zillion times more interesting than anything else, to me.Engineers and such will love it though as there's a lot of info about mic placement and other things like that, that generally put me to sleep. But like other people have said, it's not all bad, lots of interesting things here, but it could have been a lot better if the author had run his list of questions by me before meeting Page

This book covers Page the producer which is exactly what I was looking for. In my opinion he's THE producer of the 70s but gets very little respect in that quarter due to his obvious talents elsewhere. That said the studio gear lists are kept to a minimum in an effort to make the book work for a wider audience, and it very much works in this regard. For me it doesn't hurt to know what compressor he used on his acoustic or the fact that it was a bog standard guitar but the real enjoyment was getting it direct from the man himself.

I enjoyed the book and it's a good read, up to a point.I'm not old enough to remember LZ at their peak so I wanted a warts and all, true representation of JP. The technical stuff and details of how the songs came about were all fascinating but I still really don't know who JP really is or what he got up to off stage. I admire people more if they open up and talk about the less appealing side of their characters or past errors. JP says it himself: why start the LZ reunion thing and only do one gig. So why agree to be interviewed for a 'biography' and only tell half the story?

As in the title for Page and Zeppelin fans only but well researched and although I have read tons on this subject and even spoken to Jimmy in person there is quite a bit I never new before.Well worth a read if this is your thing.

started reading it wasn't quite what i expected was a excellent book on the man in pretty much his own words couldn't put it down.