Jimmy Page, the iconic figure behind Led Zeppelin, seemed destined to form the legendary band when he met Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. Yet, this wasn’t always his envisioned path.
Flashback to 1963. A young Page, then serving the music scene as a session guitarist, was questioned about his experiences.
Having played with some big names in music, one might expect tales of awe and inspiration. But Page’s response was a terse: “Disappointing”
Probing further, the interviewer inquired why. Page remarked, “They aren’t as you’d expect them to be. It’s mostly a letdown.”
When asked about his future plans, whether solo or forming a band, Jimmy Page, almost contemplatively, shared, “Not really on my radar. I lean more towards art. Maybe I’ll head towards country music. The guitar? It’s just to fund my art pursuits.”
This 1963 interview paints a picture of a guitarist for whom the strings were merely a means to an end. His candid disappointment in being a supporting player hints at an unfulfilled desire.
However, destiny had other plans. By 1966, Page had joined The Yardbirds. Not long after, his earlier sentiments served as a catalyst to establish Led Zeppelin. From merely funding his art, the guitar placed him on the world stage. It seems Jimmy Page did, after all, find his artistic calling with those six strings.
