Phil Collins and Led Zeppelin starkly contrast one another in regards to music. Collins is certainly light and a bit more poppy, whereas Zeppelin, well, Zeppelin is Zeppelin. However, despite their differences, Phil Collins and Jimmy Page once shared the stage together at Live Aid in 1985. The same Live Aid where Freddie Mercury and Queen made history, but Page and Collins’ performance did not even come close to touching Queen’s greatness.
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Regarding the last comment, Page and Collins weren’t able to reach Queen’s mark given the utter disaster the performance and the rehearsals leading up to it were. Furthermore, Collins left that collaboration with a rather sour taste in his mouth. A sour taste, all thanks to Jimmy Page and, well sort of Collins as well.
Why Jimmy Page and Phil Collins Didn’t Exactly Work Well Together
In an interview with MetalHead Zone, Collins recalled when Robert Plant approached him about him and Page joining Collins at the event. Collins stated, “I’d played on Robert Plant’s solo records and he said: ‘Are you doing this Live Aid thing?’ And I said: ‘Yeah.’” Plant replied, “Can you get me on it? [US promoter] Bill Graham doesn’t like me and he doesn’t like Zeppelin. Maybe you, me and Jimmy can do something?”
Per Plant’s wishes, Collins made it happen, however, it would turn into a bad decision, as Jimmy Page wasn’t necessarily easygoing. “So I didn’t rehearse when I got there, but I listened to ‘Stairway to Heaven’…I arrived and went to the caravans, and Robert said: ‘Jimmy Page is belligerent,’” recalled Collins.
Given that Collins hadn’t rehearsed, Page was furious. Consequently, Page made Collins play all of the drum fills to “Stairway To Heaven” right in front of him. According to Collins, Page was not satisfied with his rendition of the song. Since Collins was not well received by Page and that there was another drummer present, he stated, “And if I could have walked off, I would have done, ’cause I wasn’t needed and I felt like a spare part.”
Phil Collins of course, did not do this, as Page, Plant, and Collins all took the stage at Live Aid on July 13, 1985. If you watch footage from the show, it is quite apparent that none of the musicians on stage had great chemistry. Though, regardless, after that performance, Page and Collins weren’t allegedly the best of friends.
Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images
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