Iconic Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine recently shared his thoughts on Led Zeppelin and their legendary guitarist Jimmy Page during an interview with AXS TV. Mustaine revealed that he never really came to like Page as a person, while criticizing the quality of the group’s performances towards the end of their career.
Declining performance?
In 1976, Led Zeppelin released the concert film The Song Remains the Sameaccompanied by a live soundtrack. However, in hindsight, the band members themselves expressed disappointment, feeling that the live album did not represent their best level. Four years later, the tragic death of John Bonham marked the end of the group.
In his interview, Mustaine looked back on this period, noting that the group’s level of performance was no longer up to its glory days. According to him, The Song Remains the Same showed a Led Zeppelin that “no longer played as well”. This observation had a profound impact on him at the time, when he was a young guitarist on the rise.
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A failed relationship with Jimmy Page
Despite the immense respect he has for Jimmy Page’s career, Mustaine admits he was never able to form a bond with him. “I never really managed to connect with Jimmy”he confided, explaining that they had spoken several times, but that something always seemed to be missing in their exchanges.
He recalls that, although he was still a young musician at the time, he was unimpressed by Page’s performances towards the end of Led Zeppelin. “He didn’t play well, so I couldn’t say I loved this album or this band”he said, while acknowledging Page’s status as a rock legend.
A candid take on the end of Led Zeppelin
Mustaine never minced his words and his criticisms of Led Zeppelin at the end of their career are unequivocal. He observed a notable decline in the group’s level, particularly in the years before Bonham’s death. Despite this, he remains an admirer of many classic rock artists while continuing to make his mark on the Metal scene with Megadeth.
