Jimmy Page on the “very special” skills of Brian Jones
In addition to being the definitive guitar hero, Jimmy Page has collaborated with some of the finest musicians in the industry. While his work with The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin remains the most iconic aspect of his career, Page’s influence and collaborations extend far beyond these two legendary bands. Over the years, he has worked with a diverse array of artists, contributing his signature style and expertise to numerous projects that have shaped the course of rock and roll.
Despite being the driving force behind Led Zeppelin and a crucial part in The Yardbirds putting a heavy spin on psychedelia, Page has always been a creative wanderer, open to new ideas and experiences that bolster the quality of his craft.
His creatively absorbing mind and unfettered dedication to his craft made for a potent pairing. This idealistic coalition saw him start his career as a session musician, a chapter of his life that would not only see him broaden his horizons by working with a variety of artists but also refine his approach to the fretboard. The young Page quickly became one of the country’s most sought-after and respected guitarists.
As the favoured session axeman of producer du jour Shel Talmy, many doors were opened for Page, and before he’d joined The Yardbirds in 1966, he worked with The Kinks, The Who, Marianne Faithfull, and The Rolling Stones. He even veered into the realm of film by contributing to Shirley Bassey’s iconic theme tune for the James Bond outing Goldfinger, and the incidental music for The Beatles’ iconic outing, A Hard Day’s Night.
During this formative chapter, Page resoundingly asserted his talent, which set the scene for him to join The Yardbirds and form ‘The New Yardbirds’ in 1968 after they split, who became Led Zeppelin. Yet, even before he founded Led Zeppelin out of the ashes of the influential London band, he had achieved things that many musicians would have dreamed of.
During this fertile period, Page became acquainted with The Rolling Stones after being hired by their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, to serve as house producer and A&R man for the newly established Immediate Records. This role followed his work on the Stones’ 1964 tracks ‘Heart of Stone’ and ‘We’re Wastin’ Time’. Being in the creative orbit of such a pioneering band was undoubtedly a transformative experience for Page, but it was his relationship with their founding member, Brian Jones, that proved most significant for him. This connection with Jones offered Page deeper insights into the musical and cultural innovations of the time, further shaping his own artistic path.
In 1967, Page would even work with Jones on the soundtrack for the West German film Degree of Murder, starring Jones’ then-girlfriend, Anita Pallenberg. Retrospectively, he has maintained that even before that moment, he knew that Jones was a kindred spirit in his open-minded approach to music, with the late rocker helping him add a pivotal weapon to his arsenal: the slide guitar.
How did Jimmy Page and Brian Jones meet?
Speaking to Classic Rock in 2020, Page said, “Brian Jones was very special”. He recalled that he knew a blues collector called Dave Williams, and it was with him that he first heard the sounds of Howlin’ Wolf and his iconic use of the slide or bottleneck guitar. He was then informed that the blues pioneers would break the end off a bottle to get the equipment. Put off by the dangerous means of getting the slide, Page later heard of a man in London using one and went to the Ealing Jazz Club to see him.
There Brian Jones was. Likening it to listening to Elmore James, Page was blown away by the performance and chatted to him afterwards. When Page asked him what he was using, he told him it was a bush from a mechanic and suggested he go and ask for one.
Page continued: “So I went down and asked, and there it was, the first slide steel for me to play. But this guy was so generous. He would tell you how things were done. Other people would keep their tricks to themselves, but he was very much like that, and he was somebody who was super eclectic.”
Setting aside his complex character and notorious hellraising, it’s evident that without Brian Jones, Led Zeppelin might not have had some of their most iconic moments, including tracks like ‘When the Levee Breaks’ and ‘In My Time of Dying’. The deeply interconnected spirit of the 1960s, where musicians influenced and inspired one another across bands and genres, never ceases to amaze. Jones’ influence on Page and his contributions to the broader musical landscape of the era played a crucial role in shaping the sound and success of Led Zeppelin.
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