In a recent interview with Matt Pinfield of 95.5 KLOS’s ‘New & Approved,’ Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy shared his initial meeting with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones.
Myles Kennedy was already a part of a touring band when he got the call to work on some songs in a studio. He had met Zeppelin’s drummer Jason Bonham, and out of nowhere, he called to ask whether he would be interested in jamming with some people in London.
The jamming sessions were held after Led Zeppelin’s successful December 2007 comeback show at the O2 Arena in London. The band wanted to keep moving forward without frontman Robert Plant who had refused to be a part of any additional shows. He was fortunate to meet Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones in one of those sessions.
Myles Kennedy recalled the story of how he met Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones in a rehearsal studio. He heard someone playing the piano extraordinarily well, so he walked in, and it was John Paul Jones. They chatted for a bit, and Jimmy Page walked into the studio. Kennedy felt very nervous at this point because Jimmy’s entrance felt like a ‘deity had come from the heavens.’
A few hours went by, they decided to take a break, and Kennedy did something he still finds cringing today. He looked at the iconic duo and thanked them for what they have created for his generation and generations to come. Kennedy added that they were pretty sweet and understanding. However, afterward, he thought he probably should have kept it cool and swallowed his words, but overall he had the best few hours.
Myles Kennedy’s thoughts about when he first met Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones:
“So I walk into the studio. It was just a little rehearsal studio. But I heard the piano playing, and it was a great piano. I was, like, ‘Man, is somebody listening to Bill Evans or something?’ It was excellent stuff — legit. And then I walk into the room, and it’s John Paul Jones playing piano. He’s just so talented. And he was so sweet; he was just so lovely and welcoming. I’m very nervous. And then in comes Jimmy. And he has such a presence. He walked into the room, and it was as if a deity had come from the heavens. It was pretty amazing.’
He added:
“But there was one moment where I had a bit of a Chris Farley moment. You know when Chris Farley is interviewing Paul McCartney [on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1993]. There’s that moment when he smacks himself on the head, like, ‘How could I have been so stupid and said that?’ I had one of those moments. I’d been in the room for a few hours, and we took a little break. And I just had to say it because I’m such a fan.
I just looked at them both and thanked them, and I was, like, ‘You guys wrote the blueprint for everything that guys like us.’ I just had to get it out. And they just looked at me. They were charming about it. But it was one of those things where I was, like, ‘I probably shouldn’t have said that.’ But it was great.”
You can watch the interview below.
