The Firm Should’ve Worked… But Didn’t. Jimmy Was Afraid of Something

Jimmy Page disappears after Zeppelin… then Hit Parader (Aug 1985) catches him finally talking. In this episode, we crack open a vintage interview that digs into Page’s post-Zeppelin headspace, why he went quiet for years, and how the ARMS benefit shows for Ronnie Lane helped pull him back onto a stage (and back into purpose).

From there, it’s the origin story of The Firm—how Page and Paul Rodgers linked up, why Page didn’t want to walk into the spotlight alone, and what surprised him most about Rodgers in the studio. We also get into the all-star lineup (Tony Franklin, Chris Slade), the “this should’ve been bigger than it was” reality of the band, and Page’s honest take on something fans still debate: Did he “disregard” Zeppelin fans… or was he just painfully shy?

Big thanks to DigiTech for supporting the channel—if you play guitar, check out their latest gear at digitech.com and tell ’em Audiomover sent you.

Timestamps

0:00 Vintage Jimmy Page / The Firm deep dive begins
0:08 Hit Parader Aug 1985: Page finally opens up
0:49 Sponsor shoutout: DigiTech
1:06 Remember the hype? “Page + Paul Rodgers” announcement
1:25 “Radioactive” single reaction + first impressions
1:42 Buying the album on release + why it felt underwhelming
2:02 “Satisfaction Guaranteed” — the track that hits
2:23 Album packaging nerd-out: the cyan/one-color print vibe
3:09 The all-star lineup: Slade / Franklin / Rodgers / Page
3:41 Where’s the real Paul Rodgers power in “Radioactive”?
4:21 Why The Firm “should’ve worked better than it did”
4:56 Page quote: “I hadn’t played guitar in three years”
5:20 Page as a recluse after Zeppelin—why it mattered
6:02 Being 15 in 1985: discovering Zeppelin + waiting on Page
6:46 Interview begins: “I was lost musically and personally”
7:23 The fear of returning after the world changed around him
9:09 What ARMS was + why it reignited Page
11:37 How Page and Rodgers actually connected
12:16 “I didn’t want to go on stage alone” — the nerves
13:00 Audiomover digitizing plug + 15% discount mention
13:54 Page compares Rodgers vs Plant (and why Rodgers amazed him)
15:33 How Slade and Franklin were chosen (and the drummer detours)
17:37 Tony Franklin + that fretless bass vibe
18:03 Could The Firm have been long-term? Page’s answer
19:14 “The value of having a band” — why groups beat solo
22:38 Videos + singles: Page addresses the “hypocrite” criticism
25:11 Why “Satisfaction Guaranteed” video works so well
26:08 “Did you disregard the fans?” Page answers (shy vs aloof)
27:05 The fans gave him purpose again—surprisingly emotional
30:40 Wrap-up + questions: Firm opinions / best Page vocalist pairing
32:45 More DigiTech + upcoming Johnny Lightfoot videos
33:03 Outro

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