The aura of Led Zeppelin was established almost entirely through its enigmatic guitarist. Now, in JIMMY PAGE: The Definitive Biography (Da Capo Press, an imprint of Hachette Books; OSD: 4/16/19; ISBN: 9780306845383; $30), acclaimed biographer Chris Salewicz penetrates the shadows that surround Page to fully reveal the fascinating man who dwells within the rock legend.
"His is an extraordinary story that has taken him to the very darkest of areas - but always driven by the search for his art," writes Salewicz. "You might not approve of the methods employed to unleash and liberate his creativity; and you can't avoid the impression that Jimmy Page was vain, arrogant, fanatical and power-hungry, and indulged in a scandalous private life...but the demonic caricature of evil is mostly an elaborate myth."
Combining numerous interviews with Page and sustained access to his inner circle, along with pain-staking research, Salewicz covers everything from his birth at the far fringes of London's western suburbs (not exactly "on a full moon" as the myth goes) to his first BBC performance; his rise as a session guitarist and touring with The Yardbirds to stratospheric fame with Led Zeppelin; and through his rock star afterlife. Here Jimmy Page emerges as the most revered and respected of all classic rock artists.