http://www.guitarplayer.com/Portals/0/StandardImage/jimmy-page-responds-to-keith-richards.jpg


Jimmy Page Fires Back at Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards

BY  CHRISTOPHER SCAPELLITI
December 2, 2015



Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page has responded to the disparaging comments Keith Richards made about Led Zeppelin in his recent Rolling Stone interview.

Speaking with Classic Rock magazine, Page said he thinks Richards was being sensational for the sake of getting some press for his new album, Crosseyed Heart, which came out this past September.

“Keith can say what he wants,” says the Zeppelin guitar icon, who recently announced his plans for a new solo album in 2016. “He’s Keith Richards. I think he’s done some amazing work. I respect his playing. And he has a solo album out.

“But if I was promoting a new album, would I be more caustic? The answer is… no. I’m not sure what he means by calling Led Zeppelin ‘hollow.’ I think he’s got his tongue in his cheek. What we did was really cool.”

Richards comment came in response to interviewer Patrick Doyle’s statement, “I was never a big Zeppelin guy.”

“Me neither,” Richards replied. “I love Jimmy Page, but as a band, no, with John Bonham thundering down the highway in an uncontrolled 18-wheeler. He had cornered the market there. Jimmy is a brilliant player. But I always felt there was something a little hollow about it, you know?”

Led Zeppelin weren’t the only band that the Stones legend has called in recent months. He shrugged off Metallica and Black Sabbath as “great jokes,” and dubbed the Beatles’ 1967 masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band “rubbish,” claiming its influence was responsible for the Stones’ disastrous Their Satanic Majesties Request album.

“The Beatles sounded great when they were the Beatles,” Richards said. “But there’s not a lot of roots in that music. I think they got carried away.

“Some people think it’s a genius album, but I think it’s a mishmash of rubbish, kind of like Satanic Majesties.”

You can read more from the Page interview at: http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-12-02/page-laughs-off-keef-s-hollow-led-zep-comments


http://www.guitarplayer.com/artists/1013/jimmy-page-fires-back-at-rolling-stones-keith-richards/55334

Personally, I don't think Keith said anything outrageous or even off-base.  I agree with most of it.

I love rock and roll fights.

Steel Wheels wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2015 at 6:53pm:

I love rock and roll fights.

Yeah I guess I do too.  Jimmy has always been a bit of a doughnut.

I don't know about "hollow;" I always thought Page was a decent guitar player, though I've never understood why some people carry on about him like he's the white Hendrix or something.

But I haven't been able to stand Zeppelin since I learned the history of the "Lemon Song." I used to like that song exactly because I thought it was basically a cover of "Killin' Floor." Then I found out that Led Zeppelin stole it. Like most people who recognized it, I guess I assumed that they had permission but it turns out that they didn't. Now why the hell did an influential, mega-popular band like them need to steal outright from Howlin' Wolf?

The Wolf isn't the only person they stole from either. I don't know about anyone else but I can't feel anything but contempt for artists who steal so much and never admit it until they're forced to. If you can't come up with original material then just call yourself a cover band and leave it at that. Don't fucking steal.

Sorry for the rant. Not a Zeppelin fan, as I'm sure you noticed.

Never been a LZ fan...first time I ever listened to one of their albums was in 92...
I dont even know what it means to play "hollow"...

But I do know this...seeing Page & Plant in 96(?) in DC...well THAT was rock n Roll!!

I'm a huge Pagey Fan, and yes I love a lot of LZ.  I saw Page and Plant several times, saw John Paul Jones solo, but the best was Jimmy Page and the Black Crows.

Not exactly "Firing" back. Pagey took it all in good stride. Has nothing but props for Keith and didn't mention his many faults. Good on him.

keef's getting a bit grumpy, isn't he..

Egon wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2015 at 10:58am:

keef's getting a bit grumpy, isn't he..

Dude's old.  :wtf1

sweetcharmedlife wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2015 at 8:51am:

Not exactly "Firing" back. Pagey took it all in good stride. Has nothing but props for Keith and didn't mention his many faults. Good on him.

Exactly!

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Edith Grove wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2015 at 4:15pm:

http://www.guitarplayer.com/Portals/0/StandardImage/jimmy-page-responds-to-keith-richards.jpg Jimmy Page Fires Back at Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards BY  CHRISTOPHER SCAPELLITI December 2, 2015 Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page has responded to the disparaging comments Keith Richards made about Led Zeppelin in his recent Rolling Stone interview. Speaking with Classic Rock magazine, Page said he thinks Richards was being sensational for the sake of getting some press for his new album, Crosseyed Heart, which came out this past September. “Keith can say what he wants,” says the Zeppelin guitar icon, who recently announced his plans for a new solo album in 2016. “He’s Keith Richards. I think he’s done some amazing work. I respect his playing. And he has a solo album out. “But if I was promoting a new album, would I be more caustic? The answer is… no. I’m not sure what he means by calling Led Zeppelin ‘hollow.’ I think he’s got his tongue in his cheek. What we did was really cool.” Richards comment came in response to interviewer Patrick Doyle’s statement, “I was never a big Zeppelin guy.” “Me neither,” Richards replied. “I love Jimmy Page, but as a band, no, with John Bonham thundering down the highway in an uncontrolled 18-wheeler. He had cornered the market there. Jimmy is a brilliant player. But I always felt there was something a little hollow about it, you know?” Led Zeppelin weren’t the only band that the Stones legend has called in recent months. He shrugged off Metallica and Black Sabbath as “great jokes,” and dubbed the Beatles’ 1967 masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band “rubbish,” claiming its influence was responsible for the Stones’ disastrous Their Satanic Majesties Request album. “The Beatles sounded great when they were the Beatles,” Richards said. “But there’s not a lot of roots in that music. I think they got carried away. “Some people think it’s a genius album, but I think it’s a mishmash of rubbish, kind of like Satanic Majesties.” You can read more from the Page interview at: http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-12-02/page-laughs-off-keef-s-hollow-led-zep-comments http://www.guitarplayer.com/artists/1013/jimmy-page-fires-back-at-rolling-stones-keith-richards/55334

Yes! Agree with Pagey. I love Keith but, he can be terribly chidish, and churlish at times. As a band Zep' were obviously superior in every way.

I love Zeppelin. I saw Page/Plant in DC in 1998 at the then-named MCI Center. Hearing the Wanton Song & How Many More Times, amongst other songs, coming from the fingers of the man himself was fantastic. Won't get into song thievery here - many, including the Stones (I think), have had to go back and giving writing credit after the fact.

Jimmy Page is a gentleman and indeed handled the statement from Keith with much more aplomb than Keith himself could've mustered. The cranky Keith thing is getting old - if anything, Page could've given him plenty for praising, amongst others, Ed fucking Sheerhan.

BUT, the real culprit is this pant load sycophantic piece of shit 'journalist' Patrick Doyle. What a complete asshole. A music writer who was "never much of a Zeppelin guy?" Really?? Gee, dick head, who do you like? And why are you introducing your opinions into an interview? Did they teach you that in scribbler school? That, and the leading question itself, designed to get a good quote by taking advantage of a near 72 year old guy to please his editors and drive traffic to a disgraced Rolling Stone magazine website. Remember, Rolling Stone was an early champion of the Eagles . . .

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patioaintdry wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2015 at 5:21pm:

I love Zeppelin. I saw Page/Plant in DC in 1998 at the then-named MCI Center. Hearing the Wanton Song & How Many More Times, amongst other songs, coming from the fingers of the man himself was fantastic. Won't get into song thievery here - many, including the Stones (I think), have had to go back and giving writing credit after the fact. Jimmy Page is a gentleman and indeed handled the statement from Keith with much more aplomb than Keith himself could've mustered. The cranky Keith thing is getting old - if anything, Page could've given him plenty for praising, amongst others, Ed fucking Sheerhan. BUT, the real culprit is this pant load sycophantic piece of shit 'journalist' Patrick Doyle. What a complete asshole. A music writer who was "never much of a Zeppelin guy?" Really?? Gee, dick head, who do you like? And why are you introducing your opinions into an interview? Did they teach you that in scribbler school? That, and the leading question itself, designed to get a good quote by taking advantage of a near 72 year old guy to please his editors and drive traffic to a disgraced Rolling Stone magazine website. Remember, Rolling Stone was an early champion of the Eagles . . .

Yeah! There usually is some toe-rag journo trying to make a name for himself by winding some other contempory(for wont of a better word), how's the the band Patio?

Love Jimmy Page and Robert Plant ~they are AMAZING! Love Led Zep all the way.

KEEF could be a bit jealous, Page can play the guitar way better than KEEF ever did, and he is still doing it well. They had a show not very long ago and I was blown away by Page's ability to play as good now as he played when he was younger. I honestly cannot say the same for KEEF. But I must go on record saying that I love KEEF more, because he is not just a guitar player, he is the coolest dude on the planet.

"Firing back" ?

Ludicrous click bait headline considering the content. His response was more courteous than Keith's infantile barbs deserved.

Gazza wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2015 at 7:33pm:

"Firing back" ? Ludicrous click bait headline considering the content. His response was more courteous than Keith's infantile barbs deserved.

I Agree
And I somewhat Agree with some of what of what Keith says
About others. Not so sure I can agree with the Sgt Peppers statement.
But If anyone is allowed or has the "right to say it"
it's Keith!
Mr Rock N Roll!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f167/t56g13h9/Rocks%20Off/MarsLandscapekeithmaro.jpg

Edith Grove wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2015 at 12:25pm:

Egon wrote on Dec 3rd, 2015 at 10:58am: keef's getting a bit grumpy, isn't he.. Dude's old.  :wtf1

keith and ginger baker grumpy old men!!

I'm not convinced any infant would refer to a particular musical style as hollow, or at least I've never heard one do so. As for 'getting a bit grumpy', didn't Jogger refer to Teef many years ago as 'not a happy person' and similarly-ish Charles referenced having to deal with Jogger's silly-sausage depressions. It may all be grist to the mill, or even mill to the grist, because Stoonz music has abounded with grooves and flavours which heartily counteract such feelings.
And what defines one guitarist as being better than another? For me it's one who allows space, has humour, isn't too showy or seriously fanciful, wears good trousers, and basically has Charles sitting behind him.

Hoppy days.

Keith richards is a disaster since 20 years !! thats really sad.

riffkeither wrote on Dec 4^th, 2015 at 5:08am:

Keith richards is a disaster since 20 years !! thats really sad.

put on his new CD and chill out.....Seen how much press the old guy has had? If he said everyone was great there'd be no story! all tongue in cheek and yet some of it I agree 100%

riffkeither wrote on Dec 4^th, 2015 at 5:08am:

Keith richards is a disaster since 20 years !! thats really sad.

Very sad to say that I have to agree.
Keith was my hero from the late sixties to the mid seventies.
Back then to me he was really the coolest guy who ever walked this planet.
I even dressed like he did and I cut my hair like he did
(thank god, in opposite to him I never lost any hair or gathered any weight 'til today.
Of course this has nothing to do with his playing)

But that's a million miles away now. He's a grumpy old man for so many years now.
Same as Ginger Baker is or Jack Bruce was.

Money Money Money !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gazza wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2015 at 7:33pm:

"Firing back" ? Ludicrous click bait headline considering the content. His response was more courteous than Keith's infantile barbs deserved.

Totally agreed. This is the Keith that's been pissing me off for like, the last ten years--essentially, it happened sometime just before a Bigger Bang maybe? He started playing to the crowd--saying obnoxious shit just for the reaction. Okay, okay, sometimes I still do that too--but only if I've been provoked first by someone saying something stupidly stodgy or to culture-fuck some straight/vanilla person.

I think Keith thinks it's expected of him and he thinks he's playing to the crowd--when what we LOVED about Keith before was that he wasn't even considering the crowd, he was just playing.

I blame Johnny Depp. As is well-documented.

"And what defines one guitarist as being better than another? For me it's one who allows space, has humour, isn't too showy or seriously fanciful, wears good trousers, and basically has Charles sitting behind him."

May have your permission to use this sentence (with minor mods) in my new ad for a guitar player?

Edith Grove wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2015 at 12:25pm:

Egon wrote on Dec 3rd, 2015 at 10:58am: keef's getting a bit grumpy, isn't he.. Dude's old.  :wtf1

Lol, if grumpy=old then Keith has been old since the '60s.

SheRat wrote on Dec 4^th, 2015 at 2:16pm:

May have your permission to use this sentence (with minor mods) in my new ad for a guitar player?

Certain'y SheR.
Keep us up-to-date in re. any additions you post in the classified ads.  'With own ashtray'?
"Able to urinate from a moving Volkswagen mini-van'? 'Reasonably Beiberesque'?

I happen to agree with everything that Keith says, but it's pathetic and it's the same thing that he does with Mick but on a less frequent scale. It's cheap and unnecessary, but he knows how to create a fuss to sell an album. It's all about the music, it's all about the blues . . . sorry I mean green.

Rather than say and do stupid things, Keith better get moving ass to bring down the price of concert tickets !!!

riffkeither wrote on Dec 5^th, 2015 at 4:42am:

Rather than say and do stupid things, Keith better get moving ass to bring down the price of concert tickets !!!

Keith is an enabler of high priced tickets.....When shows keep selling out as prices go up why would he give a shit. Ticketbastard takes a huge profit off shows merely by web hosting (and selling to select scalping agencies despite their claims to the contrary).

gimmekeef wrote on Dec 6^th, 2015 at 10:35am:

riffkeither wrote on Dec 5th, 2015 at 4:42am: Rather than say and do stupid things, Keith better get moving ass to bring down the price of concert tickets !!! Keith is an enabler of high priced tickets.....When shows keep selling out as prices go up why would he give a shit. Ticketbastard takes a huge profit off shows merely by web hosting (and selling to select scalping agencies despite their claims to the contrary).

Yes , Ok but he keeps the money !!

SheRat wrote on Dec 4^th, 2015 at 2:15pm:

Gazza wrote on Dec 3rd, 2015 at 7:33pm: "Firing back" ? Ludicrous click bait headline considering the content. His response was more courteous than Keith's infantile barbs deserved. Totally agreed. This is the Keith that's been pissing me off for like, the last ten years--essentially, it happened sometime just before a Bigger Bang maybe? He started playing to the crowd--saying obnoxious shit just for the reaction. Okay, okay, sometimes I still do that too--but only if I've been provoked first by someone saying something stupidly stodgy or to culture-fuck some straight/vanilla person. I think Keith thinks it's expected of him and he thinks he's playing to the crowd--when what we LOVED about Keith before was that he wasn't even considering the crowd, he was just playing. I blame Johnny Depp. As is well-documented.

The saddest part of it all where Mr. Richard's is concerned, is he doesn't need to make public arrows for his contemporaries to generate a great story, or a memorable court quip M'lud. Alas; we are NOW old men, and thus we must stoop to penis size jokes, never funny in my book anyway, not even at 16. It's how ya work the t'ing mon.
Or take snipey little pokes at Zep. That subject always rattled his cage, he is not great at hiding his age old insecurities about the Zep Boys.  "Flashy Guitar "? Yeah Keith me old cock, but it fucking rocks, ya can't deny Zep. One of the greatest guitar players ever. One of the greatest Musicians full stop JPJ, fabulous vocalist, GREATEST EVER drummer. SNAP!