The two things Jimmy Page regrets “in retrospect” about Led Zeppelin
From a musical standpoint, Led Zeppelin left behind an almost flawless catalogue, something that remains a deep source of pride for lead guitarist Jimmy Page. While there’s no specific album in their collection that he regrets, if given the chance to revisit their history, there are a few moments he would choose to rewrite.
For bands of the modern era, the level of mystery surrounding acts has largely dissipated because fans know far too much about their existence and don’t need to use their minds to fill in the blanks. This overexposure to the personal lives of superstars offers a reminder that they are humans like the rest of us rather than some extraterrestrial creature from a far-flung universe.
It’s difficult for artists to keep a mystique around them if they share updates on what they’ve had for breakfast and the latest series they binge-watched on Netflix. Furthermore, every moment of spontaneity at concerts is now documented in some shape or form rather than merely enjoyed by those in the room.
While Led Zeppelin were active, this wasn’t an issue they had to overcome. With the benefit of hindsight, Page’s issue lies on the other end of the spectrum, and the guitarist regrets not archiving more of their adventure.
Led Zeppelin focused purely on trying to source the next great song would come from rather than taking stock of their current location. They were forward-thinking almost to a fault and never considered taking a moment to reflect on their current situation, even at the top of the mountain.
For example, even though The Beatles preceded Led Zeppelin, they were more considerate in terms of capturing their story with film. Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary provides eight hours of invaluable insight into how the biggest band of all time operated and provides a nuanced look at the dynamics between members.
Sadly, there’s no such extensive documentary about Led Zeppelin. In 2010, Page expressed his regret that the band didn’t consider making one during their tenure or sanctioning an author to tell their story from the inside.
Speaking to The Arts Desk, he shared: “It’s a real shame that there are a couple of things that, in retrospect, there isn’t enough of: one is live footage of us, in some sort of form, apart from The Song Remains the Same [a feature film released in 1976], that was actually done at that point. I’m not talking about something that’s put together now. And at the time, maybe, I think if someone had written a book about the romance of the time, on the road…”
Admittedly, Page did immediately caveat these regrets by conceding that they “probably” wouldn’t have accepted either opportunity if one had come calling, but re-affirmed that “in retrospect”, the mindset was a mistake.
Led Zeppelin don’t have their own version of Get Back in the pipeline, but after many years of deliberation in the editing suites, their documentary, Being Led Zeppelin, has been acquired by Sony Classics Pictures ahead of a forthcoming cinematic release. The film combines live footage of the band from 1969 with interviews and charts of how four boys from the Midlands took over the world.
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