The Song Remains Exactly The Same

Akio Sakurai with director Peter Dowd at Mr Jimmy’s LA premiere. Photo: Kevin Winter

here are many rock gods out there who will happily tell you that they grew up trying to become their childhood rock gods.

Whether it’s Dylan channelling Woody Guthrie or Oasis wishing they were Dave Dee, Dozey, Mick & Tich, reaching for those stars can sometimes lead to some surprising and new cosmic creations.

For Akio Sakurai, his rock god first appeared larger than life in his local Niigata cinema, when he caught a screening of the 1975 documentary film The Song Remains The Same, which captured Led Zeppelin live in concert over three 1973 nights at Madison Square Garden.

From that moment on, the Japanese teenager became obsessed with lead guitarist Jimmy Page. Really, really, really obsessed. To the point of recreating his costumes down to the very last stitch, and recreating every guitar solo, note for note, valve for valve, on every Led Zeppelin bootleg he could find.

It’s an obsession that saw Akio playing in front of his idol for a two-hour show, and heading to Los Angeles to find the fame and fortune that surely awaited there. A journey captured beautifully by Irish-American director Peter Michael Dowd in Mr. Jimmy (US Japan G 113mins), which is about to have its Ireland premiere at The Whale this Thursday, September 19th.

And given that Peter is an old buddy of local lad Adam Calihman, sure, weren’t we able to get a few questions to the lad…

How did you first hear about Akio Sakurai, and was he a difficult man to get under your spotlight?
So, I was searching for a documentary subject, and late one night I stumbled across a rather obscure clip on YouTube titled Rain Song (1979 version) – immediately from the title my curiosity was piqued. This was so specific. And the moment I clicked my eyes widened. As a self-described Zeppelin maniac, I instantly recognised all the details: the blue-button down shirt, the yellow guitar strap, and most importantly, the style of playing. It was simply a stunning evocation of Mr. Page’s performance at Knebworth in August of 1979.

I clicked through a remarkable series of Mr. Jimmy cips – from 1970 L.A. Forum to ’77 U.S. Tour, to Earls Court – and in each clip, he had recreated the exact costume details, the style of play, the stage moves and charisma of Mr. Page. I was so inspired and fascinated that I immediately searched out his website – which was entirely in Japanese – and wrote an email asking if perhaps I could film him. His wife wrote back that I must be a lucky guy as Akio had just moved to L.A. to join Led Zepagain, so it absolutely felt like fate.

For Akio, the song remains very, very, very much the same. His strongest card, or his Achilles’ Heel…?
Well, I think this dichotomy is certainly at the heart of the film. Can something spontaneous, organic, evanescent be re-created through meticulous study and what are the merits and limitations? I do think that recently Akio has tried to find bandmates who can truly improvise ‘in the key of Zeppelin’, so to speak, and that is an incredible homage, and certainly in line with the spirit of the band. Ultimately, I think Akio’s homage is that, a tribute, and a reminder of how extraordinary Led Zeppelin was – on a musical level, on a stage presence level, and simply as a transcendent force. Musically, they were four world-class players who pushed the music further each and every night, and therefore the live work of the band is akin to another universe of discovery for the fans. I think the point is that Led Zeppelin is worthy of Akio’s lifelong study because the work was simply that good and in the live space it was so remarkably varied and dynamic. Nobody was in their class in that regard in rock and roll.

Such dedication to a dream is both beautiful and concerning – did you see Akio Sakurai as dreamer or madman, and did your diagnosis change over the course of the documentary…?
I wouldn’t want to be so reductive as to answer this question in a couple sentences. If I could do that I don’t think the film would be worth asking an audience to commit nearly two hours to. Instead I’ll say that the film clearly poses some existential questions, and that’s why I found it a piece of work I wanted to dedicate a great deal of my time to. I will say no one chirps at Yo-Yo Ma for spending so much time studying Bach. I think Led Zeppelin is music of that level – that is to say that it will be around as long as the world is turning round and that I think audiences connect with Akio for the simple fact that he is doing exactly what he loves and is chasing that thing he fell in love with as a teenager. And I can’t think of many things more pure than that.

Being in the moment when it’s someone else’s moment isn’t easy – did you ever witness true doubt from Akio about his chosen path?
Amazingly, no. Even when I was approaching my wits end, wondering if this film might never end, or if it would end rather sadly with him returning to Japan having failed in his quest, Akio’s faith never wavered. Or, at least, he kept up a remarkable exterior. Deeper than that, I filmed him play these songs for years, and I thought at least one time, at one tiny pub gig, with a disinterested crowd, I might catch him phoning it in or going through the motions, or even just not being 100% present. And that never happened, not for one instant. Every time he played Stairway to Heaven, he was in a heightened state, fully committed to the music, and playing his heart out.

Where there’s classic rock, you’ll always find some long-haired Irish rocker – was Swan Montgomery typical of those who fell in and out of love with playing with Akio…?
Well, I think those conflicts are ripe for discussion as well. I mean, I think we fall in love with movie characters who are relentlessly driven perfectionists, but would you want to work with one for years, share a tiny touring van with them, etc.? I think many of the points Swan was making are perfectly valid. Ultimately, it’s an interesting debate. Art versus commerce. Ideals versus reality.

Recreating the spontaneous is always tricky – it means Akio might be forever stuck in Christmas Eve, never quite making it to Christmas Day…
The question is a bit dismissive. If I could near perfectly recreate Jimmy Page’s guitar playing from MSG 1973, I would be remarkably proud. As would any music lover, as would plenty of world class guitarists.

Did he ever express any doubts about his Groundhog Day scenario, forever stuck in a moment he can’t get out of…? Even Jason Bonham laughs off the idea of being asked, “Which version of Whole Lotta Love?”…
You need to remember that you’re talking about someone who worked as a “salary man” until age 50. For the first time in his life now he’s playing music full-time, and playing it around the world with Mr. Jason Bonham. That is a remarkable journey. A journey that is based on his deep love of Led Zeppelin’s music that makes it worthwhile to recreate the various live eras because it’s worth doing. Now has Akio ever attempted to make original music? I believe that’s what you’re getting at – he has, and to no one’s surprise it sounds like Led Zeppelin outtakes.

The personal demons are in the meticulous details – nonetheless, I’m hoping Mr Jimmy has made Akio a very happy man?
To be honest, it’s more complicated than that. At first he wasn’t too thrilled that I showed his struggles in the States. But that was the story and that ultimately is what makes the audience root for him. He’s not just a rich guy buying dragon suits, he’s a working class guy who’s 50 years old and now he’s moved to the States without speaking English to pursue his dream. And things don’t go his way – until they do. But that journey is what connects people; that sacrifice.

Now that the film has played all over – and we’re thrilled to be screening in Ireland finally — and audiences around the world have appreciated his dedication to this music and his beautiful playing of Mr. Page’s parts. He’s definitely grateful for his journey and for this document of it.

And has Mr Jimmy made you a very happy man? Your first feature, and I’m assuming it’s opened a few doors?
The happiness comes from the work. I made exactly the film I wanted to make and getting the blessing of Led Zeppelin to use their compositions in it is really the only affirmation I need. The door it opened is deeper than career opportunities, it’s about celebrating the music that I have loved all my life and honouring someone’s dedication to their path. Thanks kindly for screening the film. Honoured and wish I could be there…

The Irish premiere of Mr Jimmy is at The Whale on Thursday, September 19th at 8pm – tickets here. You can find out more about Akio Sakurai here, and about Peter Michael Dowd on Instagram here.