Guitar Lessons With Jimmy Page Part 3
Itās been a fat minuteā¦ But if youāre reading this after part 1 and 2, thank you. And if youāre new here please go and read part 1 and 2 and then come back here and (hopefully) enjoy part 3.
I love writing these, and I hope you love reading it as much as I loved creating it.
āShitā I murmured to myself after I messed up my eyeliner for what felt like the hundredth time.
I never was one to spend too much time on my appearance even when my mother used to constantly badger me about how āa lady should always look put togetherā. I never did find myself listening to her advice, until now.
Finally my hand decided to stay steady as I drew the last wing, completing my eye makeup.
As I reached over to grab the Yardley lip stick sitting patiently on my vanity table I remembered the half-kiss I shared with Jimmy the other day.
The sweet, innocent, and sadly interrupted kiss.
The more I thought about it the more I wondered how far that seemingly innocent almost-kiss would have gone if not for Robert barging through the door and yelling at the top of his lungs.
I let out a giggle as I remembered the almost comical scene from last week.
I was pulled out from my thoughts in a second as my eyes made their way to the clock hanging on my wall. I gasped and hurriedly applied the coral pink lipstick that was in my hand.
Realising I had around 25 minutes to call a taxi and make my way to the gig, I leaped across my bed for the telephone which sat on my bedside table.
A telephone girl with a shrill voice answered the phone. āHello, where from and where to will you be travelling this evening?ā She said in a professional manner.
āFrom 87 Doverās Green road to uhā¦ā I grabbed the piece of paper that sat next to the telephone and squinted at the address that I had written down on to it during a phone call I received from Robert the other day.
āā¦To Ewell college, please!ā I replied after making out the words from my messily rushed handwriting.
āAlright dear, your taxi will be arriving shortly, thank you for calling!ā
And with that I could hear the click on the other end of the line that signalled the telephone girl had hung up.
I tapped my foot on the soft rug beneath me, already impatient.
āWhat did she mean by shortly? How shortly is shortly?ā I wondered to myself, scared I might miss even a second of the gig.
However I was not let down by the taxi service when I saw the vehicle pull up to the sidewalk outside my window within the span of 7 minutes from the time of the initial phone call.
I grabbed my bag and struggled into my boots before racing out the door, on to the street, and into the taxi.
I stared out the window as the car passed Woodhatch park, then the local diner and then we were on the motorway. I felt my nerves grow the closer the taxi got to Ewell college.
Then they almost went out of control when the taxi driver turned to me and told me in his tired voice āthis is your stop maāamā.
I thanked and payed the man then I hopped out the car.
My heels clicked against the cold hard pavement that lead to the entrance of the college.
With the entrance of the college in view I only realised just how many people were entering, initially I thought that a good chunk of them could just be students but when I heard murmurs of the two names that were familiar to me I realised just how popular Jimmy and Roberts little band was.
With the crowd of college students and teenagers just like me, I made my way into the college, letting the bustling crowd that shifted around me guide me to the location of the gig.
Once inside I was met with a cramped looking stage that had a drum kit and a microphone stand set up atop its hard wooden flooring.
As I looked at the ever growing number of girls and boys in the auditorium, I realised just how many people came to watch the band, far more than I had anticipated.
At this point I couldnāt move an inch within the large crowd, but with strong determination and countless shoulder-shoves followed by apologies, I made my way to the front of the crowd with an up-close view of the small stage in front of me.
To pass the short amount of time before the band came on, some groups in the audience conversed with each other. Another small chunk of the audience gathered around in a corner.
At first I wondered why this group of long haired gals and guys were all huddled around.
That was until I saw the light from a small orange flame protruding from a lighter.
From there it donāt leave much to the imagination.
I leaned against the front of the stage, resting my arms atop the wooden flooring. It didnāt take long for a man that seemed to be the MC to walk onto the stage.
āGood evening everybody!ā The man enthusiastically boomed out, his voice filling the rowdy and crowded room.
āIt is my great honour to announce tonightās performance, here in Ewell College, will you all please welcome to the stage, The New Yardbirds!ā
Instead of the anticipated applause the crowd mostly went quiet, I looked around the crowd to see what the big deal was and heard murmurs of confusion around me.
āNew yardbirds?ā A man with a questioning look on his face behind me whispered to his friend to which returned the same confused expression.
āHang onā¦. Err, my apologies.ā The MC said apologetically as his eyes averted from the audience and to the queue card in his hand.
āWill you please welcome, Led Zeppelinā The man said which, this time round was met with the applause he was looking for.
After the crowds reaction the MC seemed satisfied and with that he walked off stage, and in his replacement three tall, long haired, and rather fashionable men made their way onto the stage.
The three were met with an applause that displayed the crowds excitement.
I spotted Robert instantly just by his golden lion-like mane of hair that tussled around with every movement he made.
Then my eyes met with a man adorning brunette hair that was fairly long but not as long as Robertsās.
And lastly a man with hair of similar length except a lighter shade walked across the stage.
I looked around the stage for Jimmy, but to no avail.
I stared at the right side of the stage where the three members had walked out of in hopes Jimmy would come out.
And to my delight he did, protruding from the darkness came a tall pencil thin figure adorning a slightly oversized cream button up of crepe fabric and a lengthy satin scarf tied around his neck.
Once the crowd noticed his arrival, they welcomed him on just like they had done for the other three, in a loud and exciting manner.
Among the noises the crowd made for Jimmy, I could hear his name being cheered from all around the audience. I didnāt realise just how big of a name heād made for himself in the area, he was treated just like any rockstar at a concert.
Sure David had went on and on about his talent, but witnessing the crowds reaction makes him seem more like a celebrity than a local talent.
I watched him as he made adjustments to the strap of his telecaster.
The bright stage lights illuminated his jet black curls and his ivory skin which made it seem almost iridescent.
He looked godly. There was no other description for it.
By now the other members had made their way to their respective spots on stage.
The dark brunette haired man was on the drums, which I thought was quite fitting as he seemed to be the tough type, the light brunette haired man stood on the left side of the stage tuning his bass, and lastly Robert, front and centre, wrapped his hand around the metal microphone stand making adjustments to it to cater to his towering height.
That was as figured. A man as exuberant as Robert just had to be the frontman I thought.
And especially with that loud booming voice I became acquainted with when I had first met him.
The crowd and I waited in anticipation for the four to begin their set, I didnāt know what to expect as a first timer but I knew they had to be good since they had the locally famous guitarist, Jimmy in the band.
Suddenly an explosion erupted from the speakers, except it wasnāt an explosion of noise but an explosion of strategically composed and intricate sounds that were nothing short of electrifying.
The sounds that came from the speakers were from Jimmy and the bassist. Both sounds from their instruments intertwined into one which lead to the crowds eruption of cheers and screams.
Suddenly Roberts vocals came in, just as powerful and loud as the instruments.
Then before I got a chance to breathe it all in, the drums boomed throughout the auditorium. I could feel the vibrations within my own body and Iām sure everyone in the audience could as well.
The four managed to be just as powerful as each other, not anymore and not any less. It was an insane sight to witness.
The set carried on, impressing me song after song and never failing to keep every single individual in the crowd screaming and moving around.
I couldnāt help myself but stare at Jimmy through most of the songs, his face, focused and expressive with every note and chord and yet just as I had imagined it was peaceful. Despite the songs being heavy and upbeat, he had that peaceful expression across his face that I noticed during my previous guitar lesson with him.
I smiled as I reminisced on this.
Then my smile was returned.
While in my thoughts, Jimmy had noticed me in the crowd, gazing at him with wide eyes and with a smile strewn across my face.
Upon realising this my expression turned into a look of surprise to which jimmy chuckle at. With that, his face averted from me and back down to his guitar.
I stood their giggling at myself taking into consideration that I probably looked like an idiot in the eyes of Jimmy.
Unfortunately for both the audience and myself the show seemed to be coming to a close. and once Robert thanked the crowd and went on to bid them all farewell, it was official.
I wasnāt sure how I was going to meet up with Jimmy and Robert for the drinks I was promised, so for now I decided on hanging around the auditorium.
I watched most of the audience members walk out the exit of the room. Chatting about the events they just witnessed with wide smiles as they soon disappeared from my sight.
Like myself, other individuals seemed to be hanging around as-well. Perhaps to meet the band when they eventually come out or to collect themselves after the heavy concert.
I found a place to sit and waited patiently.
I stared at the wooden floor, still in shock, recounting the performance that I had just witnessed.
I had never experienced anything like it despite frequenting many rock and roll concerts.
I felt a subtle ringing in my ears but I didnāt care, it was definitely worth it.
Suddenly a shadow appeared on the spot of floor I was fixed on.
I looked up and there, in all his glory, was a smiley Jimmy, glistening with sweat.
āWhat did you think about that?ā Jimmy said, a smile spread across his face.
I could not find the words to reply, to be honest I donāt even think there are words to describe what I had just witnessed.
I spontaneously stood up from my seat and leaped onto Jimmy, putting both my arms around his neck in a hug.
āOh Jimmy! It was incredibleā I replied finally.
The realisation that I had only ever met Jimmy once before this had set in and attacking him with a hug like I was an old friend probably wasnāt the best thing to do, so I decided to release him, until I felt his warm hands on my lower back, pulling me towards him, returning the hug.
āIm so glad you think so, Y/Nā he whispered to me.
It felt like my legs were about to give out at any second after hearing his voice in my ear while he held me in his arms.
I had never grown such a liking to someone like this before. A single, seemingly innocent guitar lesson which lasted around an hour was to blame for everything.
We released each other from our holds which left me with an instant feeling of emptiness, I could see his lips part, about to speak, but instead he was interrupted.
āGet back here Jim! Weāre leavingā Robert bellowed in a very Robert fashion.
The two of us turned to where the voice had come from and there, along with the bassist and drummer he stood near the stage.
Robert shifted his face from Jimmy to me.
āAhh, Y/N, You came! You enjoy the show?ā
I was about to respond but before I could Robert spoke again.
āJimmy bring Y/N along, letās go!ā
Jimmy turned to me and smiled, it was a sort of what-can-ya-do? Smile, I grinned at him and we walked towards the group.
I found myself in a crowded van filled with equipment. Not only was the band and myself here, but what I assumed to be the girlfriends of the two members of the band as well, to which I finally learnt the names of, John Paul Jones - the bassist, and John Bonham - the drummer.
A few roadies who I presume were friends of the band as well also came along for the trip.
The van was filled with conversation and laughter from every individual as the vehicle driven by one of the roadies made its way to a pub the band frequented.
I had never had this much fun in a while, I loved taking peaks at Jimmyās face every now and then, just to see his eyes wrinkle with laughter and hear his memorable laugh, I did not want this moment to end.
Wow this took a while to postā¦ Iām so sorry for the delay if you happened to be waiting on part 3! Thank you so much for reading I appreciate it so much. I love you.
