Jimmy Page and the Legend of Death Wish
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The Missing Link: Who remembers this story?
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Cyrus Hiruma 
Between 1974 and 1995, the actor Charles Bronson starred in a movie series that sparked huge controversy: Death Wish (Death Wish). Blockbuster, the original film earned four sequels and raised an ethical question: take justice into their own hands.
Throughout the film, the character of Bronson (Paul Kersey) lost relatives and friends of victims of urban violence. Tormented soul for revenge, eliminate all who have wronged him, returns the same dose of hatred, death and destruction that caused the ruin of his life.
Leaving aside the moral concept of these plots, Death Wish II (Death Wish II, 1982) has a good point: the soundtrack of guitarist Jimmy Page, who at the time had ended the activities of his band, Led Zeppelin.
But to comment on the compositions of the musician in this movie, you need to go back in time, more precisely to the year 1972, when the story begins.
Lucifer Rising: lisergia and experimentalism
The director Kenneth Anger got repercussions producing films that stood out in bold themes, filming techniques and editing fleeing totally conventional and experimental soundtracks. It happened with Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969), which took the collaboration of the Rolling Stones, which appear in some scenes, and soundtrack by Mick Jagger, created from synthesizers.
Despite all the extravagance and subjects allegedly linked to Satanism, Anger was considered an innovative director using film techniques that influenced the aesthetics of clips from the early MTV era.
In Lucifer Rising (1972) ideas of the director reaches the apex. The singer and actress Marianne Faithfull, known for her affairs with the Stones (Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones) makes an appearance and the soundtrack is the responsibility of Jimmy Page.
However, this year's Led Zeppelin was intense activity in the studio and on tour. Anger held that the guitarist was not dedicated to the work as it should. After a discussion, Page abandoned the project.
The choice fell on the new composer Bobby Beausoleil. One option at least gloomy because he participated in the cult of Charles Manson, charged with the death of Sharon Tate, wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski, among other crimes. Beasouleil compositions were written in a jail cell. Who wants to know more about this tragedy can access this site in English .
What happened to the trail of Jimmy Page?
Part of the compositions of Page was terminated when the musician left the film's production. There are unofficial copies circulate among collectors. It is one suite with a little over 20 minutes. The main curiosity is that the songs are based synthesizers. Well unusual for a guitarist.
Some segments were subsequently used in the album In Through the Out Door by Led Zeppelin. The introduction of obscure "In the Evening" was completely removed from Lucifer Rising. However, it is in Death Wish which focuses much of the unused material 1972.
Death Wish II: the soundtrack
The producers wanted the track was composed by veteran Isaac Hayes. But the director Michael Winner Jimmy Page decided that his friend would be the best option.
"Who's the Blame," with vocals of Chris Farlowe , gives the timbre synthesizer typical Lucifer Rising. The influence is also clear in "Hotel Rats and Photostats" with its electronic sounds grim, allied with dueling strings and woodwinds of an orchestra. And the eerie atmosphere of "The Shadow in the City" features keyboards that simulate whispers and moans, which could adapt perfectly to a horror movie. Jimmy Page also uses a Roland synthesized guitar on several occasions.
The trail features numerous references to Led Zeppelin. "City Sirens" has the voice of Gordon Edwards, who closely resembles the style of Robert Plant. "Prelude" is one of the great moments of Page on guitar, one of the best solos of his career. In just two minutes long, the musician creates a perfect composition in the style rhythm 'n' blues that express the sadness of the scene in which it is used.
"Jam Sandwich" is another highlight of the trail. Page used his characteristic guitar phrasing in a funk base, which focuses on the teen gang that carries out criminal acts.
The orchestra is open and dynamic epic "The Release", which appears during the end credits, and soon gives way to a remarkable hard rock. There are two guitar lines that sometimes oppose and sometimes join forces, according to the particular vision of Jimmy Page. A perfect finale.
The story continues ...
Parts of the soundtrack for Death Wish II were used in the third film in the series, but Page did not want to create new music. Short deadlines for writing and recording cost a lot of dedication in the first film. It was a complex, recorded at Sun Studios, owned by the guitarist.
The musician was invited in 1984 to compose the soundtrack Scream for Help , also directed by Michael Winner, and did not accept the job, which was her former colleague of Led Zeppelin, John Paul Jones. But Page has contributed two tracks from the track, as a composer and musician. 
Death Wish II was one of the last works edited by Swansong label, owned by Led Zeppelin, which ended its activities in 1983. The illustration of Icarus flying toward the sun went down in history.
Some songs from the movie were played live Durantes the touring band The Firm that Page formed with Paul Rodgers (vocals), Tony Franklin (bass) and Chris Slade (drums, ex-Uriah Heep and future member of AC \ DC). Other compositions were part of the setlist of the tour of the guitarist's solo album, Outrider, 1988.
The soundtrack was released on vinyl in Brazil, you can still find it in bookstores discs. Edited on CD only in Japan, is an understated work in the career of Jimmy Page. But it is an event unique, original and daring.
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