Due September 27, the book - printed and hand-bound in Milan - is limited to 2,500 copies and available only through Genesis, for £445 (about $685).
In a new interview with the New York Times, the reclusive Page talked about the difference between a traditional autobiography versus the photo-essay approach of his new book.
“I’ve been approached to do an autobiography, but I thought that was the least attractive way of doing a book,” said Page. “So I thought it would be quite interesting to do a photographic autobiography. It’s the story of a kid who’s involved with music, but really the music involved itself with him. It’s this conjoining of music and a teenager, and off it goes.”
“I thought that a career in pictures was really the best way to do it at this stage, but I wouldn’t discount the idea of an autobiography,” continued Page. “This is usually my defense: When publishing people say, “How about writing a book?,” I say, “Yes, I’ve thought about it, but I’d like a book that came out posthumously.” That’s probably as good as it’s going to get: this visual documentary, and then possibly, if I ever get around to it, doing a book that comes out posthumously.”
Page maintained the book’s focus of presenting the professional, rather than personal, side of his career. “It’s purely about the music, and nothing else,” Jimmy noted. “It would have been incongruous to have family photos or pictures on the beach.”
Working with both The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin was always intense, as demonstrated visually by the tour itineraries included in the presentation.
“I was very keen to show what the workload was with these bands,” said Page. “With the Yardbirds, our tour itineraries were pretty dense. But I particularly wanted to show what Led Zeppelin was doing in 1969, just how much work we were doing. We were recording “Led Zeppelin II” during that tour of America, at studios in the States, and I wanted to show the way it was approached as a work-in-progress album while we were on the road.”
Full details are available at Genesis Publications – click here for more information.
Train Kept A-Rollin' - Shapes of Things - The Very Best of the Yardbirds The Yardbirds – Train Kept A Rollin’
Bouton Rouge (TV) - Paris France – March 9, 1968
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin II (Remastered) Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love
Royal Albert Hall, London, UK – January 9, 1970
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (Live) - The Song Remains the Same (Live) [Remastered] Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven
From “The Song Remains The Same”
Madison Square Garden, NYC – 1973
