“HIS TIMING IS SO GOOD”
JIMMY PAGE on his Keef encounters
OUR paths first crossed when the first American Folk Blues tour came through Manchester [October 21, 1962]. To the true and faithful, it was a clarion call for all blues collectors and enthusiasts. There was an Epsom contingent that travelled up there, and that’s where I first met Keith and Mick. Then I’d see the Stones play various venues around London. Later I’d bump into them at Immediate Records, when I did a few bits and pieces. The first time I actually played with Keith was on the Chris Farlowe sessions that Mick was producing. “Yesterday’s Papers” [1967] was a really good one, I’m playing acoustic on that. Keith and I were sitting next to each other and got on really well, because there was a great mutual respect.
Then we jump to 1974, when Ronnie [Wood] had the Wick [in Richmond] and the studio underneath. He said, “Do you want to come round? I think Keith wants to do something.” That was the time when I really had a chance to play with him, because that became “Scarlet”, with Keith playing rhythm and me doing a counterpoint riff. The following day, I added a couple of solo overdubs at Island. The thing I remember most is that Keith was solid and driving and didn’t make mistakes. He kept going all the way through. And I realised just what a powerful force he is behind those Rolling Stones records. Of course, everybody made a vital contribution, but Keith was really driving it.
You can hear from “Scarlet” that I’m really on the crest of a wave with Zeppelin, so it would’ve been nice to have done more with Keith around that time, before we moved on to other pastures. But the next time I got a chance to play with him was when I was invited to the studio in New York during Dirty Work [1986]. We had a couple of days to have a bit of a jam, then I did the soloing over “One Hit (To The Body)”. Keith sent me a magnum of champagne afterwards, which was very sporting of him.
What’s special about Keith? His timing is so good and he has the imagination to be able to construct these wonderful riffs. Not only that, but he could also turn his attention towards the acoustic 12-string, with “Angie” and things like that. So he’s extremely versatile. And super creative. If you’ve got somebody who can keep coming up with really good riffs decade after decade, that’s pretty serious. And to be respected.
He’s given us decades of wonderful, creative music with an attitude and character which could only be Keith Richards. Let’s hope he lives for another 80 years. Who knows, I might be able to jam with him again in another 50!