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List Price: $25.00 | | Publisher: Hal Leonard
Salesrank: 356226
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| Our Price: $15.67 |
| Used Price: $9.95 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
Jimmy Page - Magus, Musician, Man is a meticulously researched life story of Led Zeppelin's legendary guitarist and producer. From his childhood in war-torn Britain and his pivotal role in the recording studios that launched the British Invasion of the '60s to his milestone achievements, his dark, nefarious excesses with Led Zeppelin, and his emergence as a revered cultural icon and honored philanthropist, this biography - the first ever written about Jimmy Page - portrays all his spiritual, artistic, and personal dimensions. Swinging London, the Sunset Strip, Bron-yr-Aur, Kashmir, and Clarksdale: Magus, Musician, Man traverses through all of Page's hallowed stomping grounds and tells, at last, the complete story of one of rock 'n' roll's most enigmatic and influential talents.
Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man: An Unauthorized Biography Reviews:
A Great Music-Centered Biography 
2008-03-01 - I came to this book not expecting much. I was very pleasantly surprised. The book is well written and informative, especially about Jimmy Page's musical influences. It has helped me understand Led Zeppelin's music much better, while gaining an appreciation for Page as a person. The author did a great job, particularly given the lack of cooperation from Page himself. I really liked this book.
skip it 
2008-02-03 - George Case tries, in the space of only 250 pages, to get inside the larger than life persona of Jimmy Page, and make it a three-dimensional portrait ("magus, musician, man") at that. Done without personal access to the man or his representatives, the result must be considered a failure.
Jimmy's bio is presented chronologically, mostly based on interviews or magazine articles from the now quite distant past. If one wants to read about the music scene in early-60's England, or life on the road with Zeppelin, you may as well read those articles yourself, or better yet read "Hammer of the Gods." There are more, and better stories most anywhere than this recycled work includes. It's very sketchy. Case is an amateur musician, I emphasize 'amateur,' and his commentary on much of the music is pretty lightweight as well.
Less, or worse, is yet to come, in that Case is also trying to address Page the person and 'the magus.' The person might be handled by discussion on musical control over the band, his various moves, his relationship with his families and children and ex-bandmates; there is no insight or discussion of motivations, or anything that goes on inside the head of Page (besides the swishing around of cocaine). As regards 'magus,' Case notes Page's interest in Crowley and the occult without ever mounting a serious inquiry into just what it was that Page was trying to accomplish, the role of yoga or meditation or ritual or anything else in bringing this off, or even whether Page considered this aspect of his life successful or rewarding (or even maintains an interest today). In other words, Case just doesn't know enough to venture an opinion.
The book is a very fast read; there's basically nothing to it but a bare-bones outline of Page's march through life. Just what makes him such an important figure at all is hardly even addressed. Maybe the most interesting part of the book is a segment where he actually discusses the guitarists of other, competing, bands, everyone from Ace Frehley to Eddie Van Halen to Angus Young. Save your money to buy "How the West Was Won" and you will see and hear for yourself what made Led Zeppelin the quintessential 70's band.
Pagey still alive and rockin' 
2007-12-28 - This book was obviously written by a Jimmy Page fan wich i am too. Anyway this is a great reading for any Pagey addict. When you open the book of spells it's really hard to close it even if the clock reminds you it's time to sleep!
Different than expected
2007-12-24 - As Jimmy Page has always been a lightingrod for 70's rock excessiveness, most stories have focused on that part. However, this book focused on what is more relavant which is the origins an evolution of a great musician/business man.
As someone who's interest in guitar went into hyper drive when I discovered Led Zeppelin, it is great to read a book written by someone who understands what Jimmy Page contributed to rock guitar being sandwiched between Hendrix and Van Halen. Jimmy Page is such a diverse player with great depth that one has to appreciate the aptitude, creativity and ability that he displayed when starting Zep.
The author treads lightly on the excessiveness, groupie hyperbole and spiritual exaggerations to concentrate on the musician, which is what I really wanted to read at this point. I always wondered how Jimmy Page knew so much about the business and evolved a guitarist and producer and this book goes there. It is also refreshing to read this subject from an author who is clearly a musician and understands guitar as opposed to anything else.
Now if some one could get Page to talk about this that would be an acomplishment.
Get The Led Out 
2007-12-11 - Mr. Case's unauthorized bio of Led Zep's chief apostate Jimmy Page is admirable, however, in Mr. Case's retelling; he underestimates one crucial element of the Lep's mystique: yes, Page is/was a very enthusiastic adept of satanist/Child Ritual Killer/MI-6 Intelligence/Golden Dawn/OTO/drug addict A. Crowley. Even children know this! Mr. Case downplays this and incorrectly states that "Crowley was no satanist". This is not true as most people know. It's hard to accept this fact because it seems so gothic and campy but Led Zep as directed by Page was to become the premier black occult/magus bands in the world, even surpassing the cartoonish Black Sabbath Band,Ozzy Osborne and Marilyn Manson, just to name a few. Understanding this is the KEY to the mystique & motive of this legendary artist. I can understand why Mr. Case would not want to dwell on the more sensationalist aspects of J. Page's life and this is unavoidable...Page's life is still interesting without the ghoulish undertones, seeing his childhood, teenage years and the advent of Led Zep is fasinating. Mr. Case's writing style is bit vain but nevertheless the book is worth the reading.
