Eternal Summers Glow: Strider!

Mysterious, dark, brooding, smooth and gaunt, an artist with profound talents, an ethereal player with a drug habit, interests in the occult and bizarre fetishes. The archetypal lead guitar player in the biggest drawing rock band in the world that toured virtually non-stop for six years!

Is this the description of a fictional character for a mystery novel, the miss-understood, eccentric man-boy in a comedy? No, but such was the world of one James Patrick Page, born this day, January 9^th, 1944. Jimmy Page defines the essence of the overly used term “Rock Star”. Worshipped at the height of their creative output Led Zeppelin broke records for sales and concert attendance worldwide, they were heathens ripping through the fleshy white underbelly of middleclass society, stealing daughters and corrupting sons, all to the dismay of the music journalists of the time. Thinking of the current musical landscape it is hard to believe that Pagey and his band mates were ever criticized at all for over-exposure, over-indulgence or over-any-thing!

Personally Led Zeppelin was more of a birth-right then a discovery their music was just always there; I would say they were my brother’s favorite band and in my sisters top 5 for sure, so I knew of them before I knew them. Around the time of my enlightenment from Kiss to other bands, Led Zeppelin was a daily staple. And like LZ my journey started with I and II respectively, the blues standards of Willie Dixon, the shadows of things to come in the form of Thank You or Communication Breakdown. This started my ardent (if not un-healthy) relationship with the lads of Led Zeppelin. III offered more acoustic styling along with the anthem that is Immigrants Song! IV with genius of Battle of Evermore, Four Sticks,..Leeve, and yes Stairway…Houses of the Holy ( BTW,the first CD I ever got), I can honestly say I have listen to this recording every week since the age of 14, No Quarter being my favorite among favorites! Physical Graffiti the album on everyone’s “deserted island” list! And of course Presence…the very inspiration for the name of this humble blog! …The Song Remains the Same and the film…I grew up with them… just a few years behind.

Jimmy was on the cover of every magazine, Circus, Hit Parader, Creem, Guitar Player in the 70’s; even after Bonzo’s death the band graced the covers well into the 80’s…why the popularity, the music, the myth, the legend, Jimmy Page, man. I delved into LZ, read every book, knew every date, every track, every sorted tale, I was hardcore, I truly cannot image not having their music in my life.

I saw Page in ’88, the Outrider Tour, it wasn't LZ but it was Jimmy "F'n" Page and I was mesmerized for two hours, my boyhood hero stood and delivered like he was 25, not 44… it was awesome! I could write much more probably do a dissertation or psychological study on the effects of boy hood idols, but this is just my little blog so here are some pics and a video!

Happy Birthday Jimmy! Thank you.

... feels so good feelin' good again!