Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page revealed why he rejected his first offer to join The Yardbirds in a new Fender video. Page also called a big name ‘punk’ after a freak out onstage.
“I was a studio musician, and I’ve done sessions for this fellow called Giorgio Gomelsky, who actually was a manager of The Yardbirds. He’d asked me to join the Yardbirds at one point. I didn’t feel very comfortable about it because I knew Eric [Clapton, The Yardbirds guitarist at the time] didn’t know, and I said, ‘No.’
And then he came up another time, and by that time I was a producer, I’d worked my way up. Being a studio musician, I took it on board as almost like an apprenticeship because I wanted to learn from the recording engineers certain techniques. I really wanted to learn how things were done.
By this time, I could read music, which meant that I could write it and do arrangements. And then I was producing as well, so I was in a really good sort of zone. When I had this second request to join, I said, ‘Well, I know somebody who’d be really good for this – Jeff Beck.’ And of course, he went in there and did amazing work.”
Ultimate-Guitar transcribed Page’s comments. Page called out a difficult situation he faced at the border in a recent post.
Page also recently posted on Instagram, “On this day in 1967, The Yardbirds travelled from Toronto, Canada over the border to the US to play two shows at the Fifth Dimension Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
I also performed at the same venue in December 1966; here are a few cool photos with the @Fender Telecaster 🐉🎸💫”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0qt5a2DIWw/
