Jimmy Page, the legendary guitarist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin, has long been associated with the occult. Throughout his career, Page displayed a strong interest in mysticism, magic, and esoteric knowledge. This fascination with the occult had a significant influence on his music, imagery, and overall aesthetic. One of the most prominent examples of Page's interest in the occult can be seen in Led Zeppelin's iconic album, "Led Zeppelin IV." The album cover features several symbols, including a triquetra, an ancient symbol associated with Celtic paganism and often linked to concepts of the triple goddess and the power of three. Page has stated in interviews that this symbol represented the band's unity and was deliberately chosen for its occult connotations.
According to Shady Old Lady, Jimmy Page opened an occult bookshop and publishing called “The Equinox Booksellers and Publishers. “The shop was never designed to make money but just to tick over so it could publish books.”
Besides his recordings with the Hard Rock band he also was a member of The Yarbirds and was a respected session musician that played in many famous songs from other artists. Pretty much everything you know about satanism and the occult has some connection to Aleister Crowley, although he rarely went by that name, preferring the pseudonym of The Beast.
Page has stated in interviews that this symbol represented the band's unity and was deliberately chosen for its occult connotations. Page's interest in the occult extended beyond symbolism and imagery. He was heavily influenced by the works of occultist Aleister Crowley and even purchased Crowley's former home, Boleskine House, in Scotland.
Jimmy Page on the true story behind ‘Stairway To Heaven’
Jimmy Page: the defining figure of a thousand heavy metal tropes, pioneer of stage and studio and the visionary who conjured rock’s greatest ever album sequence. What’s more, he’s been his own archivist since the day he first picked up a guitar. From the creation of Led Zeppelin’s modern mythology to the true story of ‘Stairway To Heaven’, here, in his own words, is the undisputed lord of the riffs
16 January 2021UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 17: EARLS COURT Photo of Jimmy PAGE and LED ZEPPELIN, Jimmy Page performing live onstage (Photo by Ian Dickson/Redferns) Ian Dickson
Led Zeppelin remain rock’s great colossus, the perennial soundtrack to mayhem and carnage, a band that have, over the years, been yoked to all manner of imaginary rampaging hordes. In their heyday – in the 1970s, when they were fully operational – they were the hard rock equivalent of the thunderous blitzkrieg, a gang of marauding Viking warriors, the template of pre-punk orthodoxy and the bar by which every other rock group was judged.
Few managed it, as Zeppelin’s high-concept, high-octane mix of light and shade, of push and pull and loud and quiet – all of it determined by the group’s leader, Jimmy Page – was nigh on impossible to top.
Of course, it couldn’t last. When punk rock consumed the music industry towards the end of the 1970s, Zeppelin were suddenly regarded as unnecessary behemoths, the veritable dinosaurs of rock. But in the last 30 years or so, there has been something of gradual volte-face, through which the band have been promoted back to the industry premiership, where they now reside as permanent fixtures – inviolate, immaculate and beyond reproach.
They remain an incubator of heroic fantasies and it is now impossible to listen to the likes of “Trampled Under Foot”, “Kashmir”, “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” or any of their other Wagnerian classics, complete with their wailing and their titanic rock riffs, without imagining yourself as the invading conqueror of something or other – even if you’re just overtaking someone on the M40.
Jimmy Page knows this, and he knew it at the time, when he was masterminding all of the band’s momentous records: their 1969 debut, Led Zeppelin, which invented the 1970s in the space of 44 minutes and 54 seconds, and at a cost of just £1,782 (one of Page’s original names for the group was the more prosaic Mad Dogs; they had only been together for two-and-a-half weeks before they recorded it); Led Zeppelin II, also from 1969, the heaviest rock album ever made; 1970’s Led Zeppelin III, in which the band showed their acoustic side; Led Zeppelin IV, from 1971, which contained “Stairway To Heaven” (unceasingly voted the greatest rock song ever recorded, for a while this became the most played track on US radio; it was so beloved by aspiring guitarists that it was actually banned from being played in some guitar shops); 1973’s relatively lacklustre Houses Of The Holy; 1975’s monumental double album Physical Graffiti, which continued their acknowledgement of what would soon become known as world music; their 1976 pre-punk showpiece Presence; and their 1979 swan song In Through The Out Door. Page produced each and every one of them, alone. The band were Page’s vision and he crafted them according to what he thought a modern rock band should be: explosive, dynamic, all-conquering, the last word in savagery.
‘What we were selling was the music and nothing else. The record label didn’t understand that’
When you listen to Zeppelin you can imagine the four of them – bare-chested singer Robert Plant, bulldozer drummer John Bonham and the inevitably quiet bassist, John Paul Jones, all lending support to Page’s vision – standing tall, standing proud, putting their hands on their hips (perhaps under the mighty brow of a prophetic mountain) and surveying the skyline, almost as though their music was being made without them. In a sense that wouldn’t have been so surprising, because as Zeppelin’s extraordinary sound started to become so otherworldly – it was on Led Zeppelin II that the futuristic brutality of their noise began to take shape – it became easy to assume that this really was the music of the gods, with Page and co acting as mere conduits.
In their time, these conduits certainly attracted their own disciples, because in the first half of the 1970s most young men between the ages of 15 and 25 tried to look like Page or Plant: shoulder-length locks, billowing flares (covered perhaps in one of the band’s rune-like symbols), maybe a velvet jacket and a pair of platform boots. It was during the cooler months when their disciples could be mistaken for a real army, however, as they would wander around in old army great coats, the type with big fat belts, possibly holding a Zeppelin album under their arm, to show their allegiance. For some reason – probably because of its extremely recognisable cover, which was based on a photo of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, and his “Flying Circus” Jagdstaffel 11 squadron during the First World War from 1917 – this was usually a copy of Led Zeppelin II. So not only did Jimmy Page’s band sound like nothing on earth, but they managed to co-opt an entire generation of decidedly earthbound devotees.
The band always felt that too much explanation of their work or the examination of its origins was unnecessary, yet at their heart they were a modern blues band, a heavy one at that. If you aspired to be a member of the rock fraternity in the early 1970s, you were judged on how “heavy” you were, how loud, how showy, how dynamic. If your power chords were riotous and barbarous and “authentic” enough (whatever that meant and, actually, no one ever really knew) then you were allowed into the fold. Zeppelin were universally considered to be the heaviest group of them all – Page’s riffs and power chords had monumental strength – and so consequently they were often deemed to be the coolest.
The band also became a byword for debauchery and excess, and everything they did was on a grand scale: comestible-covered groupies seemed to be readily available, Bonham could be seen riding motorcycles down hotel corridors, while rented rooms were regularly trashed and “redecorated”. Once, when a hotel receptionist said it must feel great to throw a television through a window, the band’s legendary manager, Peter Grant, took $200 out of his wallet and said, “Here, be our guest.” One story has Page being delivered to a waiting throng of girls on a room service trolley. Their sexual extravagance was mirrored in some of their songs: during “Communication Breakdown”, for instance, Robert Plant can be heard to scream, “Suck it,” just before Page delivers a ferocious guitar solo. While this seems unconscionable now, it was symptomatic of the age. More menacingly, Page had a fascination for the occult, especially the work of the author and magician Aleister Crowley. This allowed the increasingly copious number of Zeppelin fantasists to paint ever-more colourful narratives of the band’s so-called “deal with the devil”. Of course, none of it was true, but it was great for business.
The purpose of this ritual is to invoke one’s Guardian Angel.
Page was drawn to Crowley's teachings and philosophy, incorporating elements of Crowley's belief system, Thelema, into his own life and music. The connection between Jimmy Page and the occult also manifested in his stage performances. Page often incorporated mystical and occult-themed elements into Led Zeppelin's live shows, creating an otherworldly atmosphere for the audience. From his use of symbolism, such as the Zoso symbol on his guitar strap, to his innovative use of the theremin, Page's performances took on a mystical and magical quality. Despite his fascination with the occult, Page has been open about the fact that his interest was not rooted in evil or sinister intentions. Instead, he saw the occult as a source of inspiration and a doorway to explore different realms of human consciousness. In interviews, Page has emphasized that his interest in the occult was personal and did not reflect any specific religious or spiritual affiliation. In conclusion, Jimmy Page's affiliation with the occult is a significant aspect of his persona and has had a lasting impact on his music and artistic expression. His fascination with symbols, mysticism, and the esoteric has cemented his status as a rock and roll legend and continues to captivate audiences around the world..
Reviews for "The Occult and the Guitar: Jimmy Page's Magical Techniques"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I found "Jimmy Page Occult" to be quite disappointing. While I was initially intrigued by the concept of exploring Jimmy Page's involvement in the occult, the execution fell short. The documentary lacked substantial evidence and seemed more like a superficial overview rather than a deep dive into the topic. The pacing was also a major issue, with the narrative feeling disjointed and rushed. Overall, I was left unsatisfied and wishing for a more comprehensive exploration of the subject matter.
2. David - 1 star
"Jimmy Page Occult" was a complete letdown for me. As a fan of Led Zeppelin and interested in the occult, I was excited to watch this documentary. However, it felt like a missed opportunity. The film barely scratched the surface of the connection between Jimmy Page and the occult, and most of the information presented was already widely known. Additionally, the editing and production quality were quite poor, making it difficult to stay engaged. I expected a more in-depth exploration, but instead, I got a shallow and poorly executed documentary.
3. Amanda - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Jimmy Page Occult," but unfortunately, I was left underwhelmed. The documentary lacked coherent storytelling and failed to provide any substantial evidence or insight into Jimmy Page's involvement in the occult. It felt like a missed opportunity to truly delve into an intriguing aspect of Jimmy Page's life and career. The pacing was off, with the film jumping from one topic to another without proper context or depth. Overall, it felt like a rushed and poorly researched documentary that left me with more questions than answers.
4. Mark - 1 star
"Jimmy Page Occult" was a complete waste of time. The documentary promised to shed light on Jimmy Page's involvement in the occult, but it barely scratched the surface. The information presented was vague and lacked any substantial evidence or analysis. It felt like the filmmakers were simply capitalizing on Jimmy Page's reputation to attract viewers without delivering on the actual concept. I was left unimpressed and frustrated with the lack of depth in this documentary.