Above – The way they were : Zep filled window at Our Price Record Shop Bedford October 1990. 
This Saturday April 17th is World Record Store Day. This is the day independent record shops the world over celebrate their importance as key outlets for the distribution and selling of music.  Much has been written in recent times about the diminishing role of record shops (not least Graham Jones book ‘’Last Shop Standing’’) – hundreds of stores have closed their doors in the last few years buckling under the threat of downloading, …

Them Crooked Vultures preview their Coachella set at Club Nokia

Set List;
Elephants
Gunman
Scumbag Blues
Dead End Friends
Nobody Loves Me
Highway 1
New Fang
Bandoliers
Mind Eraser
Interlude With Ludes (shortened due to Keytar problem)
Caligulove
You Can’t Possibly Begin To Imagine (new song featuring JPJ on fiddle)
Daffodils
Reptiles (not played)
Warsaw
“We’re having a good time up here,” a swaggering, smiling Josh Homme announced to cheers at Club Nokia on Wednesday. He was midway through a two-hour set with Them Crooked Vultures, his band with drummer Dave Grohl and bassist John Paul Jones, and together they were demonstrating just how far they’ve come …

The much anticipated pictorial autobiography of Jimmy Page is now available for pre-order from Genesis Publications with an expected shipping date set for June.
The book is being offered in two limited editions, the first, a Deluxe Edition which is numbered  1 to 350 with a price of £695, will be presented on archival art paper, with gilded edging and will be fully bound in a single morocco leather hide with gold-leaf “Zoso” blocking. It will be presented in an archival solander box with traditional felt lining to protect the leather-bound …

Robert Plant and Buddy Miller in 2009

Robert Plant and Buddy Miller 2008
The previous photos of Robert in the studio posted earlier, are not from his new recording sessions -thanks to Steve Sauer and Bill McCue for bringing this to our attention. They were taken before October 2008. As the photos feature Jay Bellerose, Dennis Crouch, Stuart Duncan, Gurf Morlix and Buddy Miller, all apart from Gurf, were part of the Raising Sands touring band but more importantly all featured on the track “What You Gonna Do, Leroy” which featured on Buddy …

Sadly Janet’s Dad passed away just after 5pm on Friday April 9th.
Kenneth Squire (1918 – 2010), was a lovely man who along with wife Betty, has done so much for Janet, myself, Sam and Adam. Ken was a carpenter and a shopkeeper by trade, born to simple values in a bygone age – he was very proud to have served his country in the Army in the second world war. He loved his cricket and football and was never happier than when hearing about Adam’s latest exploits on the pitch. …

Buddy, Gurf, Dennis and Robert. Photo from Gurf Morlix my space site.
Some excellent photos have appeared on the my space social network site with Robert Plant in the studio with Buddy Miller and other musicians recording his forthcoming new album tentatively titled ‘It’s Rude To Say No”. The photos appear on Gurf Morlix’s my space site. Gurf Morlix is a much acclaimed guitar player and producer of Americana music. The photos show a relaxed Robert along with Buddy Miller, Dennis Crouch, Stuart Ducan, Jay Bellerose with Gurf on lap steel guitar. The …

Above: The Who and guests – March 30th 2010   photo Gary Foy.
On Saturday November 3rd 1973, I went into Harlequin Records in Bedford and purchased the just released double album by The Who titled Quadrophenia.
Getting it home and glancing through the bleak sleeve booklet with it’s stark black and white images depicting the life of Jimmy the Mod, I knew this was no ordinary record. The music throughout the four sides captured The Who with power, compassion and intensity. Back then the Quadrophenia themes of adolescent isolation, despair and redemption resonated …

On Easter Monday (April 5th) at 6pm ITV2 are screening an hour long special of highlights from the week of  Teenage Cancer Trust shows.  For backstage snippets and comments on the week of concerts visit   
www.teenagecancertrust.org/what-we-do/royal-albert-hall/2010/.
* It was reported that Jimmy Page was in attendance with his children at the JLS Teenage Cancer Trust concert last Sunday.

Boot Led Zeppelin successfully revived the spirit of Led Zeppelin’s Earls Court 1975 shows with a marathon performance at the Shepherds Bush Empire last Saturday. 
Radio One DJ Fearne Cotton introduced the band on stage to a very enthusiastic crowd. For the next three hours, Boot Led Zep looked the part, sounded the part and even spoke the part –singer Luke Ward adapting Robert Plant’s between song intros and patter from the original Earls Court shows. This added yet more authenticity to a performance that celebrated the 35th anniversary of those …

Robert Plant has announced via his official web site a 12 city tour of North America to commence on July 13th. The tour will include material from his forthcoming new album tentatively titled ‘It’s Rude To Say No” – more dates will follow in the fall.
The press release reads as follows  
July shows to include material from new Rounder album
Burlington, MA – Robert Plant has confirmed a 12 city North American tour. Beginning in July, this 1st leg of shows which will be followed by further dates in the fall will …