Whether by design, shyness or just a a general disdain for the media Jimmy Page is, and has remained throughout his extensive career, one of the most mysterious and hard to decipher public figures out there. Over the years many people have tried to breakthrough his hard veneer and get him to open up to no avail. Page for his part has gone on record as stating that he has no intention of ever writing a classic narrative autobiography in his lifetime which is what makes Brad Tolinksi's latest book Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page such a valuable new resource for Page's many fans and admirers.
Brad Tolinksi is the Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World, Guitar Afficianado, and Revolver magazines and in this capacity has had the opportunity to interview Jimmy Page many times over the years; indeed, Tolinski has conducted more extensive interviews with Page than any other journalist out there. It is these interviews (nearly fifty hours worth) that make up a majority of the content of this latest book. Light and Shade tells the story of the iconic guitarist using his own words and thoughts. In between the excerpted interviews is a sustaining narrative written by Tolinski that provides the reader with context and background, as well as interludes with other figures such as Page's bandmate John Paul Jones and fashion icon John Varvtos to name a few.
Light and Shade is quite an apt title for this effort; on one hand the reader comes away with a greater knowledge, appreciation and understanding of the iconic music that Jimmy Page created and performed over his career. On the the other hand the man himself remains a mystery, a shadowy figure who remains both frustrating elusive and inexplicably magnetic. If you want to know about the creative process of a true genius of rock and roll music and the evolution of one of the most talented guitar players of all time, Light and Shade will prove to be an invaluable resource that will keep you enthralled throughout its 300 pages. If you are looking for inside stories of mud sharks, drugs, groupies, and destroyed hotel rooms, look elsewhere.
Ultimately this book offers readers something that no other book, or for that matter, no other author is capable of delivering, an examination of the life and career of James Patrick Page through his own words. If for no other reason than that, you should definitely give it a read, but in the capable hands of Brad Tolinski, we are afforded the rare chance to accompany Jimmy Page through his long and illustrative musical journey and gain an as-before unattainable fresh insight into this elusive figure.
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