“Is my Jimmy there?”: Jimmy Page’s formative years at Immediate Records
From young skiffle devotee to hard rock harbinger, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page was always destined for musical greatness. Most listeners first became aware of the guitarist’s distinctive shredding in 1968, when Led Zeppelin unveiled their trailblazing debut album. In actuality, though, Page’s musical journey stretches much further back than his hard rock outfit. Even before he became a pivotal member of The Yardbirds, he spent years as a sought-after session musician, recording for countless legendary artists, and was often employed at the pioneering independent record label Immediate.
Founded in 1965 by Tony Calder and Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, Immediate Records was the living embodiment of London’s swinging sixties period. Between 1965 and 1970, the fiercely independent label released a plethora of incredible records, nurturing artists like The Small Faces, Rod Stewart, Vashti Bunyan, and even an early incarnation of Fleetwood Mac.
Although the label did not last very long, owing to an almost impressive degree of financial mismanagement and corruption, it certainly set the standard of youthful and exciting music during its 1960s heyday. Particularly during its early years, the label largely relied on its connections with The Rolling Stones and artists like Marianne Faithfull, but pretty quickly, there came a need to recruit some young talent to the label to aid in the day-to-day productions at Immediate. So, Oldham and the gang called upon a young man named Jimmy Page.
When he first signed for Immediate, Page was in his early 20s and already boasted a reputation as one of the most in-demand sessions artists in the United Kingdom. He had lent his guitar stylings to everybody from The Kinks to Shirley Bassey. Recognising his clear potential, Calder and Oldham recruited Page to aid in the production of multiple Immediate recordings, the very first being ‘The Bells of Rhymney’, a Pete Seeger cover recorded by Fifth Avenue.
Not only did Page produce and arrange the song, which became the second-ever release on Immediate, he also wrote the B-side, ‘Just Like Anyone Would Do’, earning him a slice of royalties on any records sold. “It’s got a fantastic sound on it,” Page told Trouser Press years later. “I used a double pick-up on the acoustic guitar; it had nice Beach Boys-type harmonies. The band was just session musicians that happened to be around.”
‘The Bells of Rhymney’ was not quite the groundbreaking hit single Immediate had envisioned, but its release signalled a long and prosperous relationship between the label and Jimmy Page. During his time at the label, the guitarist worked tirelessly as a songwriter, session guitarist, producer, and sound engineer, giving him invaluable experience, which has since followed him throughout his illustrious career in rock and roll.
As Tony Calder once shared, “Everything Jimmy Page wanted to do for Immediate, we let him. He was a lovely fella. His mum used to ring up our office and say, ‘Is my Jimmy there?’ She would be at home waiting up for him.” After all, Page was still a young man when he joined the ranks of Immediate – although, in fairness, there weren’t many people at the label above the age of 25 – and he was still very new to the music industry.
Ultimately, Page would move on from the independent label in 1966, joining The Yardbirds as a bassist, before replacing Jeff Beck as lead guitarist. Two years later, the guitarist formed Led Zeppelin and the rest, as they say, is history.
With all the success and acclaim garnered by Zeppelin during their reign, it is easy to forget that Page was once a young session musician offering his skills to anybody with the ability to write a cheque, but these experiences were vital in influencing his later career. Without the stunning influence of Immediate Records, the world might never have known the true extent of Jimmy Page’s talents.
