JIMMY PAGE MADE his first public appearance as a live performer in eight years via a surprise performance at the recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. The former Led Zeppelin guitarist delivered a prerecorded induction speech on behalf of late American guitar pioneer Link Wray, before taking to the stage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with his signature double-neck guitar to play Wray’s classic 1958 instrumental Rumble.
Writing on social media, Page later explained: “I was asked to induct Link Wray into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, a guitarist, instrumentalist and songwriter that I’d admired from the very first taste of the Rumble. I first heard it when I was 14, roaring from a jukebox in my hometown of Epsom. As a guitar instrumental the attitude of it was totally unique in its mystery, imagination and execution – it had a profound effect on me.”
He continued: “Link Wray and Rumble stand alone at the pinnacle in the world of instrumentals, and I was thrilled to stand on stage in New York with drummer Anton Fig and bassist Tim Givens at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last night to induct one of my heroes.”
Page’s most recent appearance on stage was in 2015, when he made an impromptu appearance at Seattle’s Experience Music Project (duringto perform the iconic track from Led Zeppelin’s fourth album for the first time in 16, years as part of a benefit concert organised by former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor. Plant’s decision
