The first time I remember discussing the new band being formed by Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and John Paul Jones, was in the back of the car as we travelled to the Lytton Arms for the Knebworth book launch last August. My good friend Tom commented it could be a band worth ‘’pitching up for’’ to use one of his expressions.
Indeed it has been.
These past few months tracking the progress of Them Crooked Vultures has been an absolute  joy – and in a parallel perhaps to that of Robert’s Priory …

Them Crooked Vultures appearance on the Zane Lowe Radio 1 show live from the Maida Vale Studios on Wednesday night included live performances of New Fang, Dead End Friends, Mind Eraser, No Chaser and the hugely popular Spinning In Daffodils. The set was interspersed with interviews with Zane sitting at John Paul’s keyboards. John remembered the sessions with Led Zeppelin at the same studios, commenting with typical dry wit that  “There’s still no where to park”. After touring the album for nearly eight months now the band  looked to be having …

Them Crooked Vultures feature on a Radio 1 session tonight (Weds 24/03/10). Fresh from the bands success at the Teenage Cancer Trust show at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday night, the group will guest on the Zane Lowe show from the BBC studios at Maida Vale on BBC Radio 1 tonight between 19:00 – 21:00 hrs.

John Paul Jones made a triumphant return to the scene of one of Led Zeppelin’s greatest performances as Them Crooked Vultures stormed the Royal Albert Hall in London last night.
Patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust Roger Daltrey set the tone for this tenth series of admirable shows with an impassioned speech regarding the charity’s achievements over the past decade. Acknowledging the musical feast ahead he commented ‘’I know Them Crooked Vultures are going to be great with somebody who was once in Nirvana and John Paul Jones who everyone knows …

Setlist
No One Loves Me & Neither Do I
Dead End Friends
Scumbag Blues
Elephants
Highway 1
New Fang
Gunman
Bandoliers
Mind Eraser, No Chaser
Caligulove
Interlude with Ludes
Spinning In Daffodils
Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up
Them Crooked Vultures photos Gary Foy/TBL2010

Then and Now

40 year ago this weekend, Led Zeppelin flew out for the first date of their fifth US tour.
I was well aware of all this because I’d purchased a copy of Record Mirror that week. Under the front page headline of ‘Goldrush’ and a wonderful colour photo from the previous December’s awards bash, it revealed the bands current plans. Interestingly enough it reported that a film crew would be on hand to capture the tour.
The story read as follow:
‘’Off to America on Saturday go Led Zeppelin. And with the group will be …

 Next Monday night Them Crooked Vultures will be performing  the opening show of the 2010  Teenage Cancer Trust series of  concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. The  TBL Crew plan to be  in attendance for a pre gig meet. We will be in The Queens Arms pub in Queens Gate Mews, (the same venue as the pre gig meets for Roberts Teenage Cancer Trust show in 2005 and the Page/Plant/Weller Teenage Cancer Trust show in 2002)  from around 5pm onwards and look forward to seeing all those that can make it along. This excellent …

Latest news on the Boot Led Zeppelin Earls Court 35th anniversary gig taking place this Saturday March 27th at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire is that Radio One DJ and big Zep fan Fearne  Cotton will be in attendance to introduce the band on stage.
On the night Boot Led Zeppelin will be recreating the magic of Zep in ’75 with a special Earls Court set list and the TBL crew will be in attendance with various Zep at Earls Court memorabilia on display. All in all this is a great way of …

The previously announced Show Of Peace Concert  due to be staged in Beijing next month has been postponed until October 10th 2010. A statement has been issued by the promoters that states that; “With the agreement of Ministry of Culture, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the organizers of the International Show of Peace Concert have discussed and decided to change the date of the concert to October 10, 2010 – 10/10/10.
“The concert, originally planned for April 17, will be held at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium. The …

It’s one of those periods where the best strategy of attack is, as my old boss used to say to J.F.D.I (that stands for Just F***ing Do It!), with much to get sorted in the next few weeks.
The Who Live At Leeds feature has been dominating a fair few waking hours here and it’s been enlightening to investigate in the nooks and crannies of The Who’s career circa ‘69/’70. It’s led me to search out some great Who live stuff which aside from the obvious Leeds recordings, has included a …