Greetings again from the darkness. Obsession. Commitment. Dedication. Devotion. Pursuit of perfection. Whatever this is, it goes deeper than imitation. Akio Sakurai has spent thirty-plus years trying to become ... well, let's use his quote: "I want to be Jimmy Page." Yes, Akio is not paying tribute to his guitar hero, and he zooms past the definition of fanboy. Director Peter Michael David chronicles Akio's dream (over 8 years), and the film left me with conflicting emotions. Should I be in awe of Akio's guitar-playing, or should I be worried about the mental state of someone so focused on being someone else?
Akio tells us it happened when he was about 19 years old. He watched the 1976 documentary, THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME, a concert film showcasing Led Zeppelin's famed 1973 shows at Madison Square Garden. He along with many of us, were enthralled by the band, and especially by their ferocious guitarist, Jimmy Page. But it's only Akio, a resident of Japan, and the son of a Kimono designer, who decided to 'become' Jimmy Page.
We are along for the ride as Akio meets with his costume designer, the technician who creates his pickups, the factory where his guitars are made, and the tuner of his amps. These are steps most guitarists take, but Akio's difference is that everything must exactly match what Jimmy Page used ... right down to the vintage amps and painstakingly matching stitching on the infamous Black Dragon suit.
Akio played clubs in Japan for years ... matching note for note the way Jimmy Page a particular song in a particular year at a particular concert. It was 2012 when things changed. While on tour in Japan, Jimmy Page (yes, THE Jimmy Page) attended one of Akio's shows and gave him an enthusiastic reception, truly appreciating the attention to craft on display. This 'dream-like' moment inspired Akio's wife to encourage him to follow his dream to America, specifically California.
From this point on, the film follows Akio as he joins a club fand, Led Zepagain. As you can imagine, Akio's obsession over every note played didn't always sit well with bandmembers who just wanted to be a tribute band. We see clips of the band performing, and we go behind the scenes for some uncomfortable debates. Akio continues to hone his Page-ness by obsessing over bootleg recordings of Zeppelin concerts through the years. When the band dissolves, Akio forms another band and books a gig at Hollywood's iconic Whisky A Go Go (opened in 1964), a standout performance that we see, yet one that cost Akio a great deal of money.
We are treated to clips from many of Mr. Jimmy's performances, and his guitar skills are obvious. Bouncing back and forth from Japan to the United States allowed him to do what he loved, but we can't help but wonder at what cost. Akio's need to control details and unwillingness to compromise cost him his bandmates. We are told these traits are 'very Japanese', so it's excused as a cultural thing We do see Akio's joy at being selected to join Jason Bonham's (son of the late John Bonham), but we can't help wonder what drives one man to inhabit the style of another for so many years. As impressive as Akio is, it's also kind of sad.
*Note: the film made the festival circuit in 2019, but only now being distributed.
Abramorama will release the film in theaters beginning September 1st.
