Led Zeppelin Then As it Was – At Knebworth 1979 Book Launch at London Olympia November 16th and 17th – TBL Competition to win 2 pairs of Guest Passes
As previously mentioned my  long awaited new book Led Zeppelin Then As It Was –At Knebworth 1979 will be officially launched at the VIP Musicmania Fair at London’s Olympia on Saturday November 16th /Sunday November 17th.
The good folks at organisers VIP Fairs have provided two pairs of guest free passes for the event for a TBL competition.
All you have to do …

John Paul Jones at the Mandolines de Lunel Festival  –  November 2nd, 2013.
 All photos by Christophe Le Pabic for TBL
This on the spot report from Christophe Le Pabic for TBL:
After being introduced by Olivier Chabrol, the Art director of the Festival, John Paul Jones took to the stage alone. The 500 seated venue included many fans with Led Zep T shirts. John made a brief speech in perfect French, thanking the city of Lunel and the organizers of the Festival . He took to his triple neck guitar to perform …

Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters at Bluesfest – Royal Albert Hall, October 31st, 2013:  
Set List:  Babe I’m Gonna Leave You/Satan Your Kingdom Will Come Down/Spoonful/Black Dog/Another Tribe/Going to California/The Enchanter /Four Sticks/Fixin’ To Die/What Is And What Should Never Be/Whole Lotta Love/Encores/If I Ever Get Lucky /Rock And Roll. Above photo by DL for TBL
To London for the last blast of the Sensational Space Shifters of this particular stage of the saga…and to the always suitably regal Royal Albert Hall.
Travelling down on the train with Tom, our journey was slightly delayed with …

Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters – Manchester Apolllo  -Tuesday October 29th, 2013:
Set List: via Gary Wade – above photo by Dawn Atherton
Intro  Morrocan music.
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You –  Acoustic solo
Satan Your Kingdom Will Come Down
Bron Yr Aur Stomp
Spoonful
Black dog
Another Tribe
Going to California
If I Ever Get Lucky with Enchanter ending
Four Sticks
Friends
Fixin’ To Die
What Is And What Should Never Be
Whole Lotta Love
Encores
Big Log
Rock And Roll

Set list photo via Russell Cherrington
 

Above photo by Josh Wade
TBL Facebook Feedback comments:
The  Apollo this time, bigger than the Palace and pretty full house. Robert was on …

 
TBL issue 36 is in the final stages of completion – there’s about another week of design and final checking and then it should be ready to go to the printers. It’s another packed edition and here is what is in store this time around…
Led Zeppelin 1973 – Jubilant in July: 
Mike Tremaglio tracks gig by gig, the highly acclaimed second leg of the massively successful US tour of spring 1973. This is the moment Led Zeppelin ceased to be a mere rock band and ascended into a global phenomenon. The set lists, …

TBL ARCHIVE SPECIAL -THE REMASTERS RELEASES – 23 YEARS GONE
It’s amazing to think that before October 1990, the only way of hearing Led Zeppelin’s music was via the ten original albums – ie the eight original studio albums, the Song Remains the Same soundtrack and the posthumous collection Coda.
There were no greatest hits albums, no BBC sessions, no 1972 live albums and certainly no i-tunes.
Their albums had been released on CD – alebit not from the original masters and transferred via analogue tapes. The results were mixed. I did a feature …

NEWS UPDATE:
Robert Plant is on Wednesday’s  (October 16th) Radcliffe and Maconie’s BBC 6 music show from 1pm
Joining Mark and Stuart on Wednesday’s show, Led Zeppelin lead singer and all-round legend Robert Plant. He chats live about his new tour and album with The Sensational Space Shifters.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03d5dtf
Here’s the link to the excellent very relaxed Robert Plant interview with the always entertaining Danny Baker…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03cndhl
Above is the very rare flyer from the Cliff Hilliard collection for Led Zeppelin’s  October 12th concert at London’s Lyceum back in 1969…
So this is another milestone anniversary as it’s nigh …

43 years ago this week the Led Zeppelin III album was issued in the US, to be followed by a UK release later in the month. To mark the occasion here’s the first of a two part  TBL archive special focusing on what remains a pivotal part of the Led Zeppelin catalogue.   
Led Zeppelin III was  released in the US on October 5th. It entered the Billboard chart at number three and by the end of the month had toppled Santana’s Abraxas album to take the top spot. In the UK it …

Announcing the forthcoming publication of Led Zeppelin Then As it Was – At Knebworth 1979 – written and compiled by Dave Lewis – the new publication from TBL Publishing.
After many months of coalition and design, I’m very pleased to announce that the above title should be ready for distribution late November. 
The finished book files are now at the printers –designer Mick Lowe and I signed off the last text corrections and updates on Monday September 23rrd.
This completes a project that has stretched back over two years. When the first edition …

John Bonham 33 years Gone…
Along with millions of fans worldwide, today I will have some quiet reflection on the tragic events of September 25th 1980 – but as I always say…so much has gone but so much remains…
In keeping with recent posts,  here’s some further personal DL Reflections – this piece originally appeared in TBL 27.
JOHN BONHAM REMEMBERED 33 YEARS ON –  
The Optimism, the Irony and the Agony
Dave Lewis reflects on the personal impact and aftermath of the events of  Thursday September 25th, 1980 
I was just turned 24 years old …