It Might Get Load - documentary

He is semi talented and calls himself "The Edge" and expects to be called that by the world, it would be pretty easy to blow a guy like that off. Does anyone really think he is so special?

I saw U2 at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1980. They had just released "War" and were about to break through internationally. The Edge sat behind a grand piano and would rotate between a pedal steel and piano; the whole time banging an electric guitar strapped to his chest with tons of echo. He would be the first to admit that he compensates for lack of fundamental skill with effects and feedback. More than anything, I admire originality in artists. There were plenty of guitar thrashers in hair bands in the 80's who could pick a million miles a minute, but had no soul to their music. The early U2 albums cut through the BS music of the time and created an exciting new sound. I like Jack White as well, but Clapton and maybe Neil Young are probably the only living guitar players whose body of works compare to Jimmy Page. In 20 years or so, we will see how U2 and Jack White's legacies survive the test of time. You could see the admiration and humility in both White and the Edge's eyes when Page played "Whole Lotta Love" in the documentary.

The expression I saw on Jack White's face when Jimmy was playing was that of, "am I really here seeing this with my own eyes" pure AWE.

White is the ultimate R&R fan club and whatever his personal talent, his modesty carries the film. Page is the ultimate narcissist, and whatever his talent, his self-embracing tales obviously bore and amuse the Edge. Over a longer run U2 is as "big" as Zep-- Edge handles himself well without the need to burnish his legend.

I think the three were well chosen. Page representing the early "big rock", THe Edge as part of the middle and White as representing the latest rebirth. Notice how there is a rebirth every few years? At the end of the day you gotta make music no matter what your guitar chops are and I think thats why these 3 were chosen. Hard to think of too many alternatives (angus, sambora?, ummm?) FUnny thing was when Page explains DADGAD tuning like its some mystery of the ages. Oh well, a little respect for our elders is not a bad thing and Page did help change the landscape of guitar music. WHites great, rough and brash rock. U2 may well have created the best/biggest body of work of all.