Saturday, September 12, 2009

It might get loud

Hello www,
May you always find God with you, leading you to a greater understanding of Him, and a greater Love of Him. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Last year, on Jan. 23rd, four days before my brother's birthday, a documentary was made about two of my all-time favorite guitarists: Jimmy Page and The Edge. Jack White, the guitarist of White Stripes, claims he wanted to make this documentary so can learn secrets from the legends. I don't know if White learns those secrets but it is an excellent excuse to get Page and Edge together on one stage. We are a more than willing audience. Page has transformed into the white-haired wizard from Lord of the Rings. Edge looks the same, even if he has less hair and a skull cap. His eyes are ever piercing. It is a pleasure to have Page show us where the song, "When the Levee Breaks," was recorded. He lovingly reveals to us where John Bonham's drum kit sat. He claps to uncover the acoustics of the charming house. Actual black and white footage fills in the rest of the story: we see the band horsing around on the lawn and the huge bus packed with recording equipment sitting next to the house. Edge was the most serious of the three. We're shown parts of Ireland and car bombs. We're taken to the high school where the band rehearsed. Edge is brutally honest about the bands lack of talent in it's early stages. He wants a better world and was thrust into the political realm at an early age. His guitar is his political wand. White is the 'let's tear this mother down,' component in this rock and roll puzzle of three. His music is a struggle, and if there isn't a struggle, he creates one. He dissects the guitar, takes it to the barest essentials and then builds it up again. It's him vs his guitar and he is going to conquer it. Everytime. The film opens with White hammering out, literally, a 'guitar' from wire, an amplifier, a few nails. The cows in the scene are a bonus. Page has such a gentle, easy going demeanor that when the Edge asks him to play a different note when the three are jamming together, he does so gracefully. And Page's smile doesn't ever fully disappear from his face. Pure pleasure and glee are apparent as he shows the viewer one of his favorite songs, on a beautiful turn-table; he playfully air guitars with the music. I like the way the film only shows the guitar and the fingers of the player, teasing the viewer to guess who is playing. I was right everytime. Page has his style of playing that is easily distinguishable. He hasn't lost the sound of Zep in all that he plays; it reverberates in his very essence. Edge is always pushing his edge - finding his sound and expanding on it - pushing it until it pushes it back - and pulling it around him like a comfortable armor. There is one memorable scene where Edge plays something complicated and then asks, "Want to hear what notes I was playing?" With a mischievous grin he plays the piece again, without the effects this time, and reveals three notes. White is angry, passionate and loving, sometimes all at once. Other times just playing around and seeing what the guitar is going to spit at him, so he can spit back. See the film...be warned though: it might get loud. Thank you Lord for blessing us with music. We aren't worthy. God bless us!

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