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Jimmy Page’s opinion on Soundgarden
By the time Grunge took over the music scene, Led Zeppelin had come to an end more than a decade earlier and Jimmy Page was recording an album with David Coverdale. The musical landscape had changed dramatically and rock artists were being surprised by the music of bands like Soundgarden, which became some of the most influential acts of that movement. Over the years, Page has shared his thoughts on many of these bands, including the Seattle group fronted by Chris Cornell.
What is Jimmy Page’s opinion on Soundgarden
Jimmy Page has been a huge fan of Soundgarden since their first album, saying he got hooked on their music from the start. The Led Zeppelin guitarist and producer praised Soundgarden in a video message that was played at Chris Cornell’s tribute show. “Hello, I’m Jimmy Page and I’m actually over here in London sending this video link to Matt, Kim, Ben. I’m sorry I can’t be with you there this evening, But believe me, I’m there in spirit.”
“I want to congratulate you for having got this event together to celebrate Chris’ music. I also want to say that the input that you put into Soundgarden, from the records. Because I got hooked on your music from the first album. But I also came to hear you play, you guys. I was always astonished at the way you all glued together.”
He continued:
“I mean, it was just really what, for me, bands are all about.. Yeah, have a great evening, have a wonderful evening, this celebration of Chris’ music,” Jimmy Page said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). The British guitarist became a good friend of the band over the decades and had the chance to see them play live a couple of times. In fact, he can be seen on the side of the stage during their 2012 show at Hyde Park in London.
They were the headliners on one of the days of the Calling Festival. One of the first times he praised the band was during a press conference in the early 90s, when he was with Robert Plant promoting their tour. “I think Beck is good, I mean, the new one, not the Jeff one (laughs). The Jeff one is good too but we are talking about new bands. I think his material on this new album is really imaginative. Soundgarden (I like too), you know, that will do for the moment wouldn’t it?”
Jimmy Page said Chris Cornell was incredibly talented
Besides admiring the band’s instrumentalists, Jimmy Page was also a big fan of the late singer Chris Cornell. When the musician tragically passed away in 2017 at the age of 52, Page posted a tribute, saying: “R.I.P. Chris Cornell, incredibly talented, incredibly young, incredibly missed.” Two years before, Cornell, who loved Led Zeppelin, interviewed Jimmy Page during a special made by Guitar World. On that occasion, the vocalist thanked Page in that conversation saying that he was the one who allowed him to have a career.
He believed Page showed record companies that there was another market besides hit singles and tracks meant to be played on the radio. “You touched on the idea that there was something besides hit radio, for example The Yardbirds. All music and especially British music at the time. It was chart driven and hit driven. Right at this time when maybe there is a format to do something that it isn’t hit driven, you seem to kind of walk right into it.”
Jimmy Page continued:
“Me as a fan, for example, I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know that you were actually doing something that would allow someone like me years later to have a career doing what I want. Not having to have hit driven Rock and Roll music. It appears to me, kind of been going through your story, that you did it. So thank you” Chris Cornell said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage).
He had the chance to pay tribute to Zeppelin when he re-recorded “Whole Lotta Love” with Carlos Santana. The track was part of Santana’s studio album “Guitar Heaven” and Cornell use to play live during his solo shows. On other occasions he also performed songs like “Immigrant Song” and “Thank You”.
Cornell said he would love to tour with Led Zeppelin as their singer if he was invited by Jimmy Page
After Led Zeppelin reunited for the last time in 2007 to honor the late record executive Ahmet Ertegun, Robert Plant did not want to continue and tour. However, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones considered hitting the road with another frontman. Besides Steven Tyler, another vocalist rumored to tour with them was Chris Cornell. When asked if he would have accepted the invitation, the musician said yes. “He never did that (ask me to tour with them. But if he did, yeah, I would have to entertain it.”
One of the rumors that appeared at the time was that Chris Cornell was one of the singers they were interested. In an interview with Tampa Bay back in 2016, Cornell recalled that once Jimmy Page came to see him live in concert in London and he was asked by the interviewer if he was invited to join Zeppelin. He replied, saying: “He never did that. But if he did, yeah. I would have to entertain it.”
Soundgarden was active from 1984 to 1997, returning from 2010 until Cornell’s death in 2017. They are currently working on a new album with vocals which were left recorded by the late singer.
During his career, the singer recorded six albums with Soundgarden and three with Audioslave. As a solo artist, he made four studio records and the famous 007 theme song “You Know My Name”.
