I've decided that Jimmy Page is the best...

[docjeffrey]

...guitarist still alive today, especially after watching Celebration Day. He made his Les Paul sound like an acoustic at the beginning of Ramble On and then went into a viscous solo, pummelling his Orange and Marshall amps. As younger guitarists have come on the scene, I always drool over their power and accuracy. But many of them lack one key ingredient. Swagger. Pagey has always had it and still does, and when you watch Celebration Day after The Song Remains the Same, you realize that he's actually a better player now then he was in '77. But both '77 and '11 (well, '13 now I suppose) Jimmy Pages have their place and I love the fact that you just know he's gonna hit a bad note or mess up a pull off. But that's part of his swagger, and the runs, hammer ons, and pull offs that he does mangage to wrangle out of his Lester, are pure magic.  

And then there's that slide. Often flat, never sharp (the good ones always err on the flat end of the spectrum), you can't wait to hear what happens next. So after thinking that Page was number one for 2/3 of my lifetime but then being transfixed by the technical wizzards of today, I am, once again, retruning James Patrick Page to the number one spot on my list of living guitarists. Don't ask me about the dead ones. 

By the way, I was never intending to watch Celebration Day. I've seen too many nostalgia acts that have just been sad (Beach Boys, anyone?), but my son bought me the Blu Ray for Christmas and on a recent visit, he asked me to watch it with him. I was pleasantly surprised. It's a bit polished, but I've seen Plant live at a small venue in Denver, and I can attest to the fact that he can still sing. He's great. The whole set is ferocious and the BAND is into it. Of course the most important thing is that Jimmy Page still the one thing for which Joe Bonamassa would give half of his liver.

 

[P. Hubbs]

I say that you describe his playing quite well, with the words:

"...you just know he's gonna hit a bad note or mess up a pull off..."

"Often flat, never sharp (the good ones always err on the flat end of the spectrum)..."

 

But that description does not fit to your assessment;

"Jimmy Page is the best guitarist still alive today".

 

I say that the man who once was Jimmy Page

[docjeffrey]

He does look a bit like a cartoon character these days, and I think he still gets toasted before gigs, but I like his style.

[kayd_mon]

When I first started listening to Zeppelin, I might have been tempted to say the same thing. I don't think he's the best player alive, but I like your description of him, and think he's great. I'll have to watch Celebration Day to see what the fuss is about.

 

I can name a few guitarists that I think are better than Page, but "who's the best" contests are rarely based on anything more than opinion.

[docjeffrey]

 

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P. Hubbs wrote:

 

I say that you describe his playing quite well, with the words:

"...you just know he's gonna hit a bad note or mess up a pull off..."

"Often flat, never sharp (the good ones always err on the flat end of the spectrum)..."

 

But that description does not fit to your assessment;

"Jimmy Page is the best guitarist still alive today".

 

I say that the man who once was Jimmy Page

[JRicoC]

Zeppelin's my favorite band, and Page is my favorite guitarist, but I thought Celebration Day was dreadful.  Sound was just boomy and sloppy.  I can't listen to Plant any more.  When will vocalists realize that drinking and smoking are NOT going to make you sound better?

[BeanoBoy]

If you ask Robert Plant, he'd probably say Jeff Beck. Not my favorite, ( Page either) but his.

[Bucksstudent]

Not Roger McGuinn??? All of your Rickenbackers are ours, Doc.

 

Jimmy Page from the beginning through Physical Graffiti in on my top thirty, but not near the top. I consider originality a factor of it, and playing the songs you wrote thirty to forty years ago doesn't really add up in that regard. If Page puts out a good solo album, then we'll talk.

 

Richard Thompson is still alive and kicking, and Jimmy probably still wishes he had his mojo. Fairport had a decent amount of influence on early Zeppelin.

 

So, Doc, it's time to venture outside of the norm before you say someone is the best.

[jpnyc]

Meh, I read that a big-shot session musician played all those Led Zepplin solos.

[noisebloom]

In the 80s, when EVH was on the balcony of guitar heroes, presiding over his faithful flock, and I worshipped the ground on which he walked, if we were playing truth or dare and you told me to tell the honest truth, no bull{censored}, who is the greatest rock guitarist alive today, I would have had to answer Jimmy Page. How could I not? Page's repertoire was much deeper, much broader, and he was much more versatile than EVH. As great as EVH was, he still had limits. Page's limits were much further out in space.

 

Same still holds true today, perhaps ever more so. Page was a delight to watch and hear play on Celebration Day, and damn if he didn't still have that swagger. I'm a huge fan of Celebration Day. If that's the last we ever hear of the mighty Led Zeppelin, what a way to go out -- right on a peak, cresting the wave. No doubt about it.

 

I've said before that Page is the player whose style baffles me the most. Try as I might, I can't play a single Zep song and make it sound faithful to Pagey's style. I can hit the notes, but I just don't have the mojo. Probably never will.

 

I'll steal a quote from myself. Whenever there's a thread about the greatness of Jimi Hendrix, it usually devolves into a debate about his relevance today and how he's apparently famous simply because he died. I said once, in response to a thread debating whether Hendrix was "the best," that Hendrix may not have been the best, but he was the greatest.

 

Same applies to Page, among the living. Page may not be the best rock guitarist alive, but he is the greatest.

[HeatherAnnePeel]

Page is a favorite. I don't know about the best.

[kayd_mon]

Very good point about having appeal from non-guitarists as well. Someone else mentioned Clapton, and EVH and Hendrix have to be there, too on the same grounds. Personally, I probably like Page the best of the guitarists that non-guitarists think are awesome.

[Morganbich]

You decided so it is final!

Jimmy Page has the call/ response element of the blues brought to rock that so many guitarist miss, although hiphop rap and pop all catch, that leads to excitement.

[kayd_mon]

@bernardo gui

 

Well I can't definitively say he's the only guitarist to get better, but certainly the only one I can think of. He is amazing, and he's near the top of the heap of guitarists all-time.

 

That said, I would rather listen to Houses of the Holy (my fave Zep record) than a Jeff Beck record, if I had to choose. Page's phrasing, layering, jangle, soloing, monster riffing, etc really get me. Beck does too, but not as much.

[PaulLesFetish]

Page is why I started playing guitar.

[kayd_mon]

The Zep plagiarism is much more on Plant's side. Stealing lyrics and stealing riffs are not the same thing. Page played some blues riffs that were similar to ones heard before, but come on. They're blues riffs. Plant sang other people's lyrics and didn't give them credit. IMO, Page gets a pass on plagiarism. Plant does not.

[beach bum]

I have a great deal of repect for page but he's not in my top 10 for me the best is paul kossoff and nobody will ever convince me otherwise.

[HeatherAnnePeel]

Keith Richards for me. :-)

[Sheraton]

I have a problem with the whole "Best" thing.  I think the need to label something "Best" reflects more on the person doing the labeling than the one being labeled.  Like a sense of inadequacy that you need to overcome by picking the "Best".

It isn't a competitive Olympic type thing where there is precise measurement.  Why can't we say "he is my favorite guitar player alive today".  Or qualify it with IMHO?

I like Page.  Lot's of good points were made here.  Personally, just as a guitar player, I prefer Bill Nelson.

[Mo' Cowbell]

Page is probably the best at developing a riff or hook. His use of different time signatures, alternate tunings, and syncopated rhythm is phenomenal. His only downside is that his technique is not always there. There are certainly prog rock guitarists who best him in that department; I'm thinking John Petrucci, Steve Morse and Alex Lifeson. These guys play incredible stuff and hit it night after night. This doesn't diminish Page in my book, just keeps it all in perspective.

[jpnyc]

Page

[billybilly]

 

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Mo' Cowbell wrote:

 

Page is probably the best at developing a riff or hook. His use of different time signatures, alternate tunings, and syncopated rhythm is phenomenal. His only downside is that his technique is not always there. There are certainly prog rock guitarists who best him in that department; I'm thinking John Petrucci, Steve Morse and Alex Lifeson. These guys play incredible stuff and hit it night after night. This doesn't diminish Page in my book, just keeps it all in perspective.

---

 

I agree, Page was never known for his technique, however, I'd rather listen to what he brings to the table that someone who is deadly accurate, which for some reason, seems to make them sound so stale.  Perhaps all they have is technique?

[SpiritOfTheAge!]

Well ive just had a listen to Celebration Day thing on youtube, not the best quality I know, but wow Jimmys tone was horrible on good time bad times and his playing was anemic, just appeared to be wanking on a scale with no regard to feeling or timing, I hate to say it but that stunk.

 

Jimmy has played some amazing guitar in his time, but for me that is not a great example to be pointing out for that.

 

THIS is tone and playing with feeling

 

 

 

 

[kayd_mon]

Which one is Led Zeppelin? Haha.

 

What I think is funny is that you assume casual listeners know the names of band members from King Crimson (most people can only name one song from 1969 at best, let alone one band member), the Beach Boys (I can sing you all their hits, but can't tell you the guitarist's name), The Dead Kennedys (I've seen tshirts, and that's about it), The Clash (there's Strummer, and who else?), and countless others I would imagine.

 

Passionate argument, but flawed in its execution. Of course, you do acknowledge that it's all opinion, but your couterpoints are not very strong. Maybe if you only argued Hendrix, EVH, and Clapton. Those are guitar gods to non-players (oh, and probably Slash, too, lol)

[Bucksstudent]

 

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kayd_mon wrote:

 

Which one is Led Zeppelin? Haha.

 

 

 

What I think is funny is that you assume casual listeners know the names of band members from King Crimson (most people can only name one song from 1969 at best, let alone one band member), the Beach Boys (I can sing you all their hits, but can't tell you the guitarist's name), The Dead Kennedys (I've seen tshirts, and that's about it), The Clash (there's Strummer, and who else?), and countless others I would imagine.

 

 

 

Passionate argument, but flawed in its execution. Of course, you do acknowledge that it's all opinion, but your couterpoints are not very strong. Maybe if you only argued Hendrix, EVH, and Clapton. Those are guitar gods to non-players (oh, and probably Slash, too, lol)

---

 

Casual listeners are not people who just recognize songs from the radio, but people who own at least one album, IMO. Everyone should know Crimson = Fripp, Beach Boys = Carl Wilson and Al Jardine (They sang those hits too), DK = East Bay Ray, Clash = Mick Jones. By your definition of casual listener, no one will know even Robert Plant's name.

But, if you read the entire "passionate" argument, you would have noticed that the entire post wasn't centered around people knowing who those bands or the members are.

Again, DocJefferies is getting up in age. I've seen his Youtube clips; he's old. I'd classify him as a "casual" musician.