Jimmy Page has explained in a new interview why he gave up drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
Page spoke to the Academy of Achievement in a video interview recorded in October, which has now been transcribed by the Mage Music blog.
The Academy of Achievement asked Page how he takes care of himself.
“I don’t drink alcohol,” Page replied. “I think that makes quite a difference because it got to the point where I was in my fifties and I thought I’m probably … I’ve got a good shot at getting to my seventies here.”
“I wasn’t drinking alcohol to any excess but I thought it was a good idea to stop drinking and so that’s a good number of years ago now,” Page said. “I used to smoke cigarettes, and I stopped drinking, cigarettes … and so that was a bit of a sort of maintenance plan for the future.”
“Yeah. I don’t know what it was. It’s in the early, when you’re a teenager. Well, actually people drink in a totally different way now, certainly do over here anyway, unfortunately, to what we used to drink when we were teenagers and in our twenties.”
“But hangovers were sort of nonexistent … because you didn’t really drink very much and then when maybe you were in your thirties you’d get a hangover which would go into the following morning, and as decades go by you’d go when you had a night of drinking it might even go into a second day. I didn’t enjoy that. I didn’t like the idea of either having a drink or be having a hangover and the effects of it and I just gave up on that idea.”
Page went on to say that he was “totally sober” during Led Zeppelin’s December 10, 2007 O2 reunion performance.
Elsewhere in the interview, Page was asked about plans for Led Zeppelin’s fiftieth anniversary in 2018. “There’ll be Led Zeppelin product coming out, for sure, that people haven’t heard,” Page said, “because I’m working on that. Next year will be the fiftieth year so there’s all manner of surprises coming out.”
And sure enough, Led Zeppelin announced on December 21 that the first confirmed release for 2018 will be an official photo book.
You can watch the full video interview here:
I did the same thing and stopped drinking alcohol but I didn’t smoke to begin with. Always taking care of my voice. Started a new band “Otis Wack”.
Take care my friend !!
Love to hear the stories of how, in my opinion, The Greatest Band of all time came about.
Named my daughter Paige, in honor of Jimmy Page!
I have been following Mr.James Page for 51 yeaers. He is a guitar Master. The music he makes is totally amazing and it’s the new symphonic sound. I thank you. Thank you
Big deal
John bonham quit too.Cold turkey.
Tommy is a ass
I remember distinctly where and when I heard Led Zeppelin 1, I picked up all my Beatle albums and threw them in the trash. That was it for me and I’ve never looked back. The one thing I never completed was seeing them in concert. I wish Mr. Plant would consider Texas on his American tour. My sons would chariot me anywhere in the state. Of course, I’m in one of the three big cities. Texas, as he knows, is a big state, but we do have some blues, Texas blues at that, Stevie Ray Vaughn can attest to that. So, someone relay this message, we will miss him.
Happy 74th Mr. James Patrick Page! You will always be the greatest!
It was such a treat to see and listen to this wonderful man, but I am now in tears, I am crying like a child cause of his last sentence ”I may not be able to top that, you know, I’ve only got a few years left”. It is in moments like this that I hate the mortal nature of man and of all life. May god keep Jimmy with us for may years to come !
The truth is Jimmy had a major dependency on alcohol,and heroin for decades.He was busted at Paddington station in the early ’80’s for possession of cocaine. He managed to clean up before it dragged him down any further – well done Jimmy.
good to hear the oldies are still around, sorry he has issues with his Neighbour about building to the house, who would think that you have all that money and Neighbours cause a nuisance.
James Patrick Page was my all time heart throb. He was not just a pretty face but mega talented and intelligent too. May he live to be 100. Thankfully he ditched the drugs before it was too late. The greatest guitar 🎸 player of our time. Thank you sir x
I don’t smoke but I wish I could give up wine. I only have one glass with dinner. However, it’s most days. I am really stressed and my husband is very ill so the glass of savingon is calming. I so love Jimmy. He is the master of the guitar. I just wish he would collaborate with Jonsey and Rob again. The guy is a genius. May he live to be 100
An amazing and eloquent master of his craft. I’d love to spend an hour with JP more than any other human being.
Danny Goldberg mentioned me if my passion for your artistry in a book Ked Zeppelin FAQ Thanks JP!!!
I saw Zep at last U.S. show in 77. Was my first concert. Bit of advise, if you’re going to try to enjoy a lifetime of rock concert going as I’ve tried to do, “DON’T SEE LED ZEPPELIN FOR YOUR FIRST CONCERT”!!!!! It’s just not fair to all the rest of the artists or yourself. Sorry Eddie. We love you and we”ll always miss you. Saw you 4 times, but nothing else in the whole world is a Led Zeppelin concert. “NOTHING”!!!! NOT EVEN CLOSE.