The letter, the witch, and the ring Once upon a time, in a small village nestled deep in the woods, lived a young girl named Lily. Lily was an adventurous and curious soul, always seeking an exciting tale to unfold. One sunny day, as she was exploring an old oak tree, she stumbled upon a hidden door at the base of its trunk. Intrigued, Lily cautiously opened the door, revealing a small room filled with dusty shelves and ancient artifacts. On one of the shelves, she noticed a peculiar letter sealed with wax and adorned with an intricate symbol. Carefully, she broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
Carefully, she broke the seal and unfolded the letter. The letter was handwritten and addressed to the "Finder of Secrets." It spoke of a legendary witch who possessed unimaginable powers and a powerful ring that could control the elements.
Under the spell of Jimmy Page
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ShareSo, I was talking magic with Jimmy Page recently.
"You mean the alchemy of Led Zeppelin," the man himself says, his Middlesex accent precise, his intonation elfishly elegant. "That the four musical elements of the band made a fifth?"
For the purposes of this conversation, sure, that's what I mean. The Led Zeppelin guitarist (and disciple of English occultist Aleister Crowley) was in Toronto recently to promote the expanded reissues of the band's final three albums – Presence, In Through the Out Door and Coda – and to remind us about his coffee-table tome from 2014, Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page.
We're at the Masonic Temple, the Yonge Street building that Page visited in 1969 with the ascending Zeppelin. Back then, the temple housed the Rock Pile concert venue, where the young Robert Plant moaned about clumsy citrus situations (lemon juice running down his leg) and sang songs concerning extended sexual adventures: Train Kept A-Rollin' ("all night long") and You Shook Me ("all night long").
I had requested that our interview take place in the Red Room, the velvety chamber in which Masonic rituals once took place. The request was refused. Furthermore, I was not to ask the 71-year-old Page about his personal life, his drug history or any possible, future, much-hoped-for Led Zeppelin reunion.
When I asked Page about a possible, future, much-hoped-for Led Zeppelin reunion, the maestro remembers being asked the same question in 2008, at a press conference during the Toronto International Film Festival for It Might Get Loud, the documentary starring himself and fellow guitarists Jack White and U2's The Edge. "That was six years ago, and people are still asking. But there hasn't been any communication [within the band]."
Back to the magic, then. Was Page familiar with Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, the 2004 novel by Susanna Clarke that had been adapted for a current BBC television series? Not so much, but he had heard about it. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is set in mid-19th-century England, the premise being that "classical magicians" no longer performed magic – they only studied it. "Great feats of magic are read about in books," one of the show's stuffier characters explains, "not seen in streets."
I suggest to Page that classic rock today is in that same moribund, half-theoretical state. "Ah, I see what you're getting at," he says, taking off his heavy, dark shades. (And thank god for that. With Page's all-black attire and silver hair pulled back tight into a ponytail, for all I knew, the man in front of me was the German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.)
Jimmy Page was in Toronto recently. (Moe Doiron/Globe and Mail)In person, Page is gracious, dignified and interested. He’s not naturally inclined to give a “back in my day things were better” opinion, and so instead offers up modern bands Royal Blood and the Arctic Monkeys as examples of today’s great rock and rollers.
The Blood, the Monkeys – they’re doing a different thing though. Where’s the grand vision of the Who’s Quadrophenia, the widescreen-headphone scope of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, the giant angst and iconic riffs of Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction, the weird scenes inside the goldmine of the Doors, to say nothing of the colossal blues, ominous Kashmir opulence and towering misty-mountain majesty of Zeppelin?
I mean to say: Where’s the magic? Where’s the Gibson double-neck? Give a rock guitarist a violin bow today and he or she will use it only to scratch their back, and not in any Dazed and Confused way.
“Okay, got it,” Page says, catching my drift. “You see, in the 1960s and into the ’70s, everyone in their own way was trying to open up the musical horizon. There shouldn’t be a wall that you’re going toward and bouncing off. Our intent with Led Zeppelin was not to get caught up in the singles’ market, but to make albums where you could really flex your muscles – your musical intellect, if you like – and challenge yourself. And that’s what was happening with all these bands.”
To cite an example of his own boundary-pushing, Page brings up Achilles Last Stand, a guitar-orchestrated marathon in E minor off 1976’s Presence. “I wanted to do something that was really an epic,” says Page, about the 10-and-a-half-minute track. “I had it all in my head. I wanted to get it all onto tape, to show people, ‘This is what I’ve been talking about for so long. This is it.’”
Page’s lavish overdubs were done in one night. “It’s a personal achievement. It’s a guitar milestone, no doubt about it.”
But what about Plant’s words, with lines about “riding the wind, to tread the air above the din, to … ”
“It’s freedom,” says Page, gently interrupting my reading of the lyrics. “Robert is singing about freedom.”
Okay, but let’s apply the lyrics to you in 2015 – the bits about sleeping now, to rise again.
“I’m leading the charge,” Page responds, speaking proudly of the massive Zeppelin reissue project he’s helmed. “I’m riding the stallion.”
Yes, but you’ve put out your book, and the reissue campaign is complete. What’s next for Jimmy Page? Will it get loud again?
“It will get loud again,” he says, “but it will be a quiet whisper at the same time. The whisper will be deafening.”
Makes sense – Page and Zeppelin basically invented the loud-soft dynamic of classic rock. The guitarist has new music written; the next step will be to work out the arrangements and to figure in what way he will present it. “I haven’t got an answer to that at the moment. But I tell you what, I’ll have one by the end of the year.”
With that, Page’s assistant gives the wrap-this-thing-up sign, and I hear the bluesy languor of In My Time of Dying in my head. One wonders, after working through the complete studio catalogue of the band, what feelings is Page left with, when it comes to the Led Zeppelin legacy.
“It’s good to be in a position to know that I’ve inspired musicians, from what I’ve learned to lay down personally, and collectively with Led Zeppelin,” he says. “If you listen to our work, from Led Zeppelin I to Coda, it’s just a fantastic textbook.”
A textbook, or an artifact.
Biographies on Zeppelin are titled Hammer of the Gods and When Giants Walked the Earth. Rock stars no longer throw televisions from their rooms at the Hyatt (a.k.a. the Riot House) on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, for the windows are now sealed. Heavy dust is on the era – we will never see the Zeppelin kind again.
For the purposes of this conversation, sure, that's what I mean. The Led Zeppelin guitarist (and disciple of English occultist Aleister Crowley) was in Toronto recently to promote the expanded reissues of the band's final three albums – Presence, In Through the Out Door and Coda – and to remind us about his coffee-table tome from 2014, Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page.
It also warned of the dangers that lie ahead and the responsibility that came with such power. Excitement coursed through Lily's veins as she began her quest to find the witch and the fabled ring. She followed the clues and ventured deep into the heart of the mysterious forest. Night fell, and the moonlight guided her path. Suddenly, a thick fog surrounded Lily, making it impossible to see ahead. She felt a presence lurking nearby, and her heart raced with anticipation. Just as she was about to turn back, a cackling voice echoed through the fog. "Who dares to seek the witch's power?" the voice boomed, sending shivers down Lily's spine. "Show yourself!" she mustered the courage to respond. The fog cleared, revealing a witch with long, silver hair and piercing green eyes. She wore a tattered black cloak that billowed around her as she floated in the air. In one withered hand, she held a ring that emitted an ethereal glow. "I am Lily, the Finder of Secrets," she proclaimed, standing tall against the witch's intimidating presence. "I have come to learn from your power and understand the responsibility that comes with it." The witch regarded Lily with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. She recognized the genuine desire for knowledge in the young girl's eyes. Slowly, she descended to the ground and extended her hand, offering the ring. "This ring holds immense power, capable of shaping the world as we know it," the witch warned gravely. "With great power comes great responsibility. Are you prepared to accept this burden?" Lily hesitated for a moment, contemplating the weight of the witch's words. She understood the implications and consequences that lay ahead, but her thirst for knowledge and adventure burned fiercely within her. With unyielding determination, Lily reached out and grasped the ring, feeling its power course through her veins. The witch smiled approvingly, recognizing the fire within Lily's spirit. From that day forward, Lily and the witch formed an unlikely bond. The witch became her mentor, teaching her the ancient arts and guiding her on the path of wisdom and responsibility. Together, they used the ring's power to bring harmony and balance to the world. The story of Lily, the witch, and the ring spread far and wide, inspiring generations to seek knowledge, power, and responsibility. Their legacy continued to live on in the hearts and minds of those who dared to dream and embark on their own quests for greatness..
Reviews for "A Narrative of Transformation: Character Development in "The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring"
1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I absolutely did not enjoy reading "The Letter, The Witch, and The Ring". The plot was confusing and scattered, jumping from one storyline to another without any clear direction. The characters lacked depth and were difficult to connect with. The writing style felt amateurish and the dialogue was forced. Overall, it was a disappointing read that I wouldn't recommend to others.
2. Mark - 2/5 stars - "The Letter, The Witch, and The Ring" had an interesting premise but failed to deliver on its potential. The story had too many subplots that were poorly developed and left unresolved. The pacing was slow, making it hard to stay engaged. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any real growth. I found myself struggling to finish the book and was ultimately disappointed by the lackluster ending.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "The Letter, The Witch, and The Ring," but it fell short of my expectations. The writing was convoluted and overly descriptive, which made it difficult to follow the story. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of boredom interrupted by rushed action sequences. The characters felt flat and lacked depth. Overall, it was a forgettable read that I wouldn't recommend.