There aren’t many bands that genuinely mean it when they call it quits. They can hate each other at the moment, but given time, the need to create music or the need for a paycheque takes over. “Farewell Tour” is possibly the two most disingenuous words in the musical industry.

When Led Zeppelin called it a career in 1980, following the death of drummer John Bonham, they meant it. Outside of a few one-off performances, including a pitiful showing at Live Aid in 1985 and The O2 Arena in 2007, Led Zeppelin has stuck to their word. Page & Plant was a thing for a while but calling that “Led Zeppelin” is like calling Derek Trucks and Warren Hayes “The Allman Brothers.”Earlier today, I read that Jimmy Page is working on new material with several projects. He offered no details other than indicating he is staying busy these days, and it has to do with music.

An excellent excuse for my thoughts on Jimmy Page.

There will be no new music, and there will undoubtedly be no Led Zeppelin reunion. For one reason or another, the band’s remaining members have let that opportunity slip away. They are well into their seventies now, and today’s reunion will hail compared to what it could have been even just ten years ago. The biggest problem is Jimmy himself because I don’t think he has anything left in the tank.

Before you call me a hater

There are three truths about the three guitarists who began their careers in the Yardbirds. Jeff Beck was the best guitarist, Eric Clapton was the biggest star, but Jimmy was the best musician by a wide margin. As a guitarist, he is legendary. Iconic riffs, solos, and arrangements that we still celebrate today. As a writer, in a hard-rock context, he is without

equal because he had a willingness to experiment that his blues contemporaries never did. In my mind, Jimmy Page peaked in 1975 with the release of “Physical Graffiti.” With his guitar playing, production techniques, and songwriting,

Jimmy Page with his Gibson EDS-1275 double neck.

Jimmy had redefined what a four-piece rock act achieve. Led Zeppelin was at their best because Jimmy was at his best.Unfortunately, Jimmy began to decline sharply shortly after. He developed a severe heroin addiction that was especially evident in live performances. While still a principal songwriter, in my opinion, the songs following “Physical Graffiti” are just not the same. Compare Jimmy’s guitar playing in 1971 to a performance in 1979. His dexterity, improvisation, and confidence in playing lead guitar fell off a cliff. Instead of bringing a song new energy in a live performance, he struggled to keep up. Page was rail thin at this point, and it’s a wonder how he held a guitar as heavy as the Les Paul. In the studio, his playing didn’t have the same sense of purpose. On the album “Presence” in 1976, it feels like Page is filling space with his guitar rather than driving the song in a particular direction. The songs themselves are just not as good, period. Without Jimmy, at 100% Led Zeppelin would never reach their creative peak again.

So while on the surface, Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 because of the death of John Bonham, I think it had a lot more to do with where Jimmy was musically than anything else.

He would get sober shortly after the breakup, but I believe his creative stores were depleted at that point. Page has not aged well as a guitarist. Eric Clapton, no stranger to drug abuse, is as smooth with his hands as ever. Jeff Beck, while he may hate playing live, has not lost an ounce of his technique or dexterity. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that Led Zeppelin will ever reunite, nor do I think Jimmy Page will release new music. He went as high as one can musically, but he seems to have left all of his steam (as a guitarist and musician) in Led Zeppelin’s heyday.