Before Jimmy Page became the mythic riff-slinger of Led Zeppelin, he was the hardest-working man in London’s studio scene. Seriously—if you dropped a needle on any British rock, pop, or blues single from the mid-’60s, odds are Page was somewhere in the mix, quietly shredding while someone else got the glory. He wasn’t just playing guitar—he was inventing futures. These 10 tracks are the secret history of a guitar god in the making, the songs where Page wrote his origin story in six-string ink, long before he carved Zoso into the rock ‘n’ roll Mount Rushmore.

Before Jimmy Page became the mythic riff-slinger and sonic architect of Led Zeppelin, he was London’s most in-demand session guitarist, quietly shaping the sound of an era from behind the scenes. In the bustling mid-1960s British music scene, if you dropped a needle on a rock, pop, or blues single, chances were high that Page’s fingerprints were all over it—even if his name wasn’t.

Far from the limelight, Page was the ultimate secret weapon. His versatility, speed, and imagination made him a go-to for producers looking to add a little magic to their records. He wasn’t just laying down chords—he was inventing futures. His style blended raw blues, experimental textures, and a technical finesse that seemed almost futuristic at the time.

From backing The Who on early sessions to riffing behind Donovan, Petula Clark, and even Shirley Bassey, Page’s guitar work was the invisible thread weaving through the British Invasion. He even lent his aggressive attack to the Kinks’ legendary “You Really Got Me,” although that claim remains debated among rock historians. Regardless, his presence was undeniable on countless hits, often uncredited but absolutely essential.

These 10 tracks—an underground greatest-hits collection of Page’s early career—tell the story of a guitarist destined for greatness. Each session was a stepping stone, a sketch toward the masterpiece he would eventually paint with Led Zeppelin. You can hear the seeds of Zeppelin’s explosive energy in the swagger of early blues tracks, the psychedelic shimmer he brought to pop arrangements, and the crushing force of his fuzz-drenched solos.

Listening to these recordings today feels like decoding a secret message from rock’s past. Page’s inventiveness, his sense of drama, and his total commitment to the song—not just the solo—were already clear. It’s no wonder that when it came time for him to assemble his own band, he didn’t just join a movement—he defined it.

Before he carved Zoso into the rock ‘n’ roll Mount Rushmore, before the dragon suits and double-neck guitars, Jimmy Page was already writing his legend, six strings at a time. This is the hidden foundation of a guitar god—the ghost in the grooves, the master builder preparing to change music forever.