Jimmy Page delays autobiography to incorporate more content

The release of Jimmy Page's pictorial autobiography is being postponed three months so as to include additional, newly discovered photographs, along with personal recollections about them supplied by the former Led Zeppelin guitarist.

Genesis Publications, the U.K.-based publisher of collectable luxury books, sent an alert on June 30 advising customers of the reasons behind the new September publication date.

"We know that you are waiting patiently, and originally we anticipated to have copies finished this month ready for delivery," Catherine and Jim Roylance of Genesis Publications explained in their message to customers distributed Wednesday.

Page's book comprises many photos from throughout the duration of his professional career and his own personal reflections on his life and times. Prior to forming Led Zeppelin in 1968, Page spent parts of the decade as an art school student, a touring musician, an in-demand studio session guitarist, and a member of the Yardbirds. Since the Led Zeppelin days, Page has been known as one of the world's most highly respected guitarists.



"During the process of putting the book together Jimmy has been closely involved, reviewing the layouts on a weekly basis, and we have continued to expand on his written captions and find new and never before published images from Jimmy's own archive and by other photographers," Genesis told customers. "We have felt that it is very important to include these recent additions and, that in doing so, we have created an even more comprehensive book."

When reservations for Page's book were made available to paying customers in April, the page count was listed as higher than 500, with more than 600 photographs set for inclusion.

Within two days of going on pre-sale, all 350 copies of the deluxe edition were reported as sold out. "We have had an unprecedented response," the Roylance letter says, "and both Genesis and Jimmy are thrilled."

The run of this book is also to consist of 2,150 other copies. All are to be signed by Page and individually numbered.

While Page has turned down offers to write a more complete memoir, this limited edition is to be the first book to offer his own written insights on the whole of his career.

"I've seen Genesis books before and I've really got a lot of time for the way they produce their books, they're really quality items," Page said in the February issue of Mojo magazine. "As someone who's always been interested in having a library themselves, I appreciate fine bookbinding and their whole ethic of what they do and what they're trying to do with a whole catalogue of books."

Earlier this year, Page participated in a press conference in China to announce his support of an international concert called the Show of Peace that was to take place in April. That, too, was delayed. The show in Beijing, which may see a performance from Page, has since been rescheduled for Oct. 10.

Page, who was sued in California on Monday afternoon over alleged copyright infringement for the 41-year-old "Dazed and Confused" on Led Zeppelin's first album, has said he would have new music out by year end. It was in last December that Page first promised new music in 2010, and he reiterated the promise last month.