Biography for
Jimmy Page (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

9 January 1944, Heston, Middlesex, England, UK

Birth Name

James Patrick Page

Height

5' 11" (1.80 m)

Spouse

Jimena Gomez-Paratcha	(April 1995 - July 2008) (separated) 2 children
Patricia Ecker	(1986 - 16 January 1995) (divorced) 1 child
Charlotte Martin	(14 January 1970 - October 1983) (separated) 1 child

Trade Mark

Uses a wide variety of guitars

Fast riffs

Long Guitar Solos

Frequently used a Gibson EDS-1275

"Stairway to Heaven" Guitar Solo

Frequently uses a Gibson Les Paul

Trivia

Owns much of the property around Loch Ness in Scotland, UK.

As of 1998, he ranks number 15 in the world's 100 richest rock stars with an estimated worth of £55,000,000/$78,000,000 (at the 2009 exchange rate).

Starting out as a studio session hack, his early guitar licks have featured on the recordings of artists such as Donovan, Tom Jones, P.J. Proby, Joe Cocker, Herman's Hermits, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Who, etc. As he was then unable to read music, he was given advice by fellow session guitarist Vic Flick. His work on The Kinks's "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night", along with his indelible licks on early Van Morrison track "Baby Please Don't Go", are legendary.

His guitar solo on Dave Berry's 1964 UK top ten hit "The Crying Game" featured some pioneering use of the wah-wah pedal, later popularized by Jimi Hendrix on his "Electric Ladyland" album.

The Gibson EDS-1275 6/12-string doubleneck that he used on live performances of the classic "Stairway to Heaven", and later on "The Song Remains the Same" and "The Rain Song", had to be especially ordered from the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, because it had only been available in the company catalogue from 1962 to 1966. Needless to say, Page's high-profile use of the instrument must have captured the fancy of many a budding picker, as the guitar is still in production today.

Page's fearsome foursome of guitars have included: a 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard; a 1959 Les Paul Standard; a Sixties Danelectro and the Gibson EDS-1275 6/12-string doubleneck.

Bought the house Aleister Crowley once owned in Scotland on the Loch Ness as a retreat. Sold it to hoteliers in the 1980s.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of The Yardbirds, in 1992. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of Led Zeppelin, in 1995.

Page also produced all of the Led Zeppelin albums, re-masters and some boxed sets.

Voted London's greatest guitarist in Total Guitar Magazine's poll of the greatest 12 British guitarists. [July 2001]

Was originally invited to replace Eric Clapton in The Yardbirds, but refused and reccomended his friend Jeff Beck. He later changed his mind and joined, replacing bassist Paul Samwell-Smith. However, when Chris Dreja switched to bass, he went back to playing guitar.

Son, James, born in 1988.

Daughter Scarlet, born in March 1971 to his long-time girlfriend, Charlotte Martin (a French model), who is a photographer.

Appears on the track "Beck's Bolero" on the first "Jeff Beck Group" album along with fellow Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones and The Who's drummer Keith Moon. Jimmy plays 2nd guitar, John Paul Jones plays organ and Keith Moon plays drums on the track.

He was the first artist to be immortalised in the British Walk of Fame in London, which honours musical artists. The ceremony took place on August 23, 2004.

Played guitar on Tom Jones's hit in 1965 "It's Not Unusual". Chris Slade played drums on that track.

In the early 1980s Robert Plant, of Led Zeppelin, stated that he and Jimmy Page used to listen to Huelyn Duvall's "Three Months To Kill" to gain musical inspiration. Interestingly, legendary Nashville guitarist Hank Garland's guitar work was featured on this recording as well as on Duvall's "Little Boy Blue" and "Juliet".

December 2005: Awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for his charity work in helping street children in Brazil.

He was an only child. His father was an engineer and his mother worked as a secretary for a physician.

Son named Asher born in 1999.

Winner of the 2005 Q Icon Award.

His ex-wife, Charlotte Martin, is an ex-girlfriend of Eric Clapton. Martin introduced Clapton to artist Martin Sharp. The pair co-wrote the popular Cream hit "Tales of Brave Ulysses", as well as "Anyone for Tennis?".

Led Zeppelin were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for their outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. [14 November 2006]

Reverse echo or reverb is a slightly unusual sound effect created as the result of recording an echo or delayed signal of an audio recording whilst being played backwards. The original recording is then played forwards accompanied by the recording of the echo or delayed signal which is now in reverse. The effect is also commonly used in film, often on the vocal recordings especially in Horror movies. The swelling effect is often used to create tension and intensity, but can also be used for more subtle atmospheric effect. Guitarist Jimmy Page lays claim to the invention of this effect, stating that he originally developed the method when recording the single "Ten Little Indians" with The Yardbirds in 1967.

Prior to forming Led Zeppelin, Page played with John Paul Jones and John Bonham on Donovan Leitch's recording of "Hurdy Gurdy Man".

According to Page, the spelling of "lead" was changed for the band name Led Zeppelin because he didn't want the pronunciation to be confused with the word "lead" (as in lead singer.).

When Zeppelin first played in Denmark, the Countess Zeppelin (relative of the designer of the famous dirigibles) angrily protested about the use of her family name. To defuse the situation, the band played the Danish shows under the name "The Knobs".

Played rhythm guitar on the Who classic "I Can't Explain".

Led Zeppelin is the second bestselling group in American history with, according the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), more than 111,500,000 records sold. 11.5 million more records sold than third bestselling group in US history, the Eagles. (2009).

Led Zeppelin's name came from a quip by the late Who bassist John Entwistle. When discussing the new band's prospects with Keith Moon, Entwistle said, according to [a Zeppelin roadie], "Yeah. We'll call it Lead Zeppelin. Because it'll fucking go over like a lead balloon".

After Led Zeppelin broke up, Page would not allow anybody to sing "Stairway to Heaven" during live performances; he would instead play the song as an instrumental. He felt that no one could do the song justice except Robert Plant.

He and Vic Flick played guitar on Lulu's hit recording of "Shout" in 1964.

Invited Robert Plant to become the new lead singer for Led Zeppelin, after he heard of him playing in another rock band.

Resides in Berkshire, UK.

Performed the soundtrack for the film Death Wish II.

Although best known for his role in Led Zeppelin, he also played in The Firm (with Paul Rodgers) and the short-lived XYZ (with Chris Squire and Alan White, both of Yes).

Initially formed Led Zeppelin as a way of filling Yardbirds touring obligations after that band broke up. As such, the group was initially called The New Yardbirds.

Page, along with the other future members of Led Zeppelin (with the exception of Robert Plant), appeared as the backing band on the Donovan recording Hurdy Gurdy Man.

Teamed up with Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale in the early '90s for the short-lived Coverdale/Page project.

According to Stephen Smith's "Hammer of the Gods," Page changed the spelling of "Lead" to "Led" because he didn't want, as Page put it, "thick Americans" pronouncing it like "leed".

Personal Quotes

My finger picking is sort of a cross between Pete Seeger, Earl Scruggs, and total incompetence.

Let me explain something about guitar playing. Everyone's got their own character, and that's the thing that's amazed me about guitar playing since the day I first picked it up. Everyone's approach to what can come out of six strings is different from another person, but it's all valid.

I believe every guitar player inherently has something unique about their playing. They just have to identify what makes them different and develop it.

Live Aid (1985) (TV) was pretty shambolic. We came together and rehearsed with a drummer we'd never met before and then we were joined by Phil Collins, who we'd never played with before, on this great Live Aid (1985) (TV) stage. We went there with the spirit of it, but actually it was pretty shambolic.

Right from the first time we went to America in 1968, Led Zeppelin was a word-of-mouth thing. You can't really compare it to how it is today.

Every musician wants to do something which will hold up for a long time, and I guess we did it with 'Stairway to Heaven.'

Where Are They Now

(Curr) Active in the ABC Trust, a charity benefiting the street children of Brazil, home of his wife Jimena. His daughter Scarlet is a photographer in the rock 'n roll world and is frequently published in Kerrang!, Q, Revolver, and Guitar World.

(December 2005) He went to pick up his O.B.E. (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) at Buckingham Palace in London, England for his services to charity.

(2007) Release of the book, "Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man: An Unauthorized Biography" by George Case.

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