Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin is gifted with an extensive knowledge of guitarists, possibly due to his love affair with the studio, his unwavering dedication to the craft, or his invaluable contribution to music. Given the breadth of his skill and his bond with the sacred instrument, there are few, if any, more revered voices in the field than him.
Jimmy Page is a six-string heavyweight that few can match. He began his career as one of the most sought-after session musicians London had to offer. Then he joined The Yardbirds and made history with Led Zeppelin. In the same way that you listen to his colleague Jeff Beck—someone Page claims “everybody respects”—when he speaks.
Becoming a globally recognized star is nearly unattainable in the notoriously competitive music business. Consider that everyone has slightly different tastes, and artistic appreciation is subjective. Furthermore, critical voices emerge like hyenas from the shadows as soon as artists taste success. But Beck was an exception, Page said.
Both individuals were classmates when they were students and grew up in Surrey. Since Eric Clapton had left The Yardbirds, Page gave Beck his first break. The guitarist for Led Zeppelin later recommended his friend for the position after Beck had turned down the gig in favor of his lucrative session work.
Page eventually joined the group, and the lineup featured both him and Beck for a short while before Beck left. It’s still one of the most powerful six-string performers lineups ever put together. It is mind-boggling to imagine the sheer creativity created by the two men. They have stayed close over time and experienced many memorable events together in their professional lives.
Most famously, Page performed live again at the Hammersmith Odeon after Beck’s death on stage with John Bonham. Beck was there for him, even though Led Zeppelin had broken up. One of his best friends had died, and he didn’t know what to do.
In the 2018 documentary Still On The Run: The Jeff Beck Story, Page expressed his admiration for Beck by saying, “Everyone respects Jeff.” He is an incredible musician with a technique so intricate that it is simply stunning to watch, hear, and experience. When he plays, he is conversing with you. He’s simply not singing.
“The nice thing about guitarists is that everyone has a unique style of playing—that’s something we can all relate to,” he said. However, even though we could all talk for hours on end, the most crucial factor remains. The thing that is truly impossible to express is what the music sounds like. And that is the secret to everything—that is, the reason Jeff is so good at playing the guitar—and the reason it must be heard to be believed.
Page was speechless at Beck’s brilliance. The best compliment of all may be that, in their sixty years of friendship, the Led Zeppelin master never managed to pinpoint exactly what makes him so great.
Everyone looked and listened to Page to see how he would respond. The devastating news of Beck’s passing spread throughout the world. “We can no longer admire the spell that the six-stringed warrior could cast over our mortal emotions; he is no longer with us. Page wrote, “Jeff could channel music from the ethereal.” “His method is distinct. His imagination seems to have no bounds. Jeff Together with your millions of fans, I will miss you. Jeff Beck Peace be with you.
It is rare to see Page, a performer who exudes confidence by nature, bend his head in the direction of another guitarist. It illustrates how extraordinarily gifted Beck was.
