Pun Salad

A documentary about an old guitarist (Jimmy Page, 66), a middle-aged guitarist (U2's The Edge, 48), and a young guitarist (Jack White of The White Stripes, 34). They meet, they talk guitars, the do a short jam session at the end, playing Robbie Robertson's "The Weight".

I really wanted to like it better. It's at its best when the musicians relate their life stories: where they got their first guitar, what they did before fame struck, how they put together their distinctive sounds. The common thread is (as you might expect) their fanatic devotion to their craft, their 24x7 obsession in pursuit of their vision, making things ever more right.

Where it gets (unintentionally) amusing: it's really easy for musicians to get inarticulate and/or pretentious, and these guys are no exception. Then things start sounding like a Spinal Tap parody. At one point, when asked about his inspiration, Jimmy Page meanders on about "the creative spark". Gee, really?

Still if the guys had been guitarists I really liked… say Clapton as the old guy, Mark Knopfler representing middle age, and… um… Brad Paisley for the young guy. That would have been great. I would have put up with much more bullshit to hear those guys jam.