A number of Zep items went under the hammer at WH Peacock Auctioneers in Bedford on Saturday 14th March. Some of the stand-out items included Led Zeppelin – Guitar signed by Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page which sold for £1,200, Led Zeppelin US RIAA 6 x Platinum Award sold for £550, Jimmy Page limited edition print by Ross Halfin (£250) and aLed Zeppelin ‘Stairway to Heaven’ 1990 promotional single (only 150 pressed) plus explanatory record company memo which sold for £130.

We were concerned to hear that renowned Zep author Howard Mylett has been in hospital with heart problems. Howard has been in touch to say he’s now back home and would like to thank wife Anita and the staff at Brighton Sussex County Hospital. We all wish Howard a speedy recovery – he can be contacted at howardz1@hotmail.co.uk

Well March is here and the first two week of life after Zavvi have nearly passed. Predictably two week of ups and downs.
The uppers have been the wealth of encouraging emails that have come in from all corners of the world acknowledging support for my predicament. For all those that took time to do that, let me say that every one of them has been an inspiration. The good lady Janet has been amazing as has Sam and Adam – so too JL, Sally and Martyn. Elsewhere there’s been grateful …

A number of items including many Zeppelin pieces, will be sold by auction at the Bedford Auction Centre, 26 Newnham Street, Bedford, MK40 3JR on Saturday March 14th 2009. The sale commences at 10.30 am.
The auction will include everything from singles, albums, posters, concert and sporting programmes, rock and sporting memorabilia, autographs, etc.
Highlights of the auction will include a Led Zeppelin Collection including a guitar signed by Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page plus Led Zeppelin 6 disc Platinum Award for the album ‘Remastered’ framed & glazed, Jimmy …

Rolling Stone reports that Robert and Alison are in the studio working on the follow up to the five times Grammy winning Raising Sand album. It was reported that Raising Sand had a 700% sales increase following the Grammy success climbing back to number two on the Billboard US chart. In the UK the album is set to resurge on the UK chart following a national TV advertising campaign.

Sara Watkins new album produced by John Paul Jones is due for release on April 7 – See www.nickelcreek.com

Well the doors have finally shut on Zavvi Milton Keynes signifying the end of an era. In the end it was a slow death – eight weeks of rumour,counter rumour and many ups and downs. Even on the morning of the announcement last Wednesday, I felt there might be a last reprieve. A few stores were snapped up by HMV and word has it a deal was nearly inked for the Milton Keynes store to be part of the new Head Entertainment chain set up by the former Zavvi MD. …

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss scooped a total of five Grammy awards at the 51st ceremony in Los Angeles.
Their album Raising Sand was voted Album of the Year and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana album, the track Please Read The Letter was Record of the Year, Killing The Blues Best Country Collaboration with vocals and Rich Woman was voted Best Pop Collaboration with vocals.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow …as Francis Albert Sinatra once said and boy has it done so this week. And as I write it’s still falling heavily.
I’ve had a few days out so have not had to face the journey to MK this week…and let’s get this one out of the way early: with another 17 store closures yesterday, Zavvi are down to 31 stores and the deep uncertainty continues of how much longer I’ll be making that journey in the future.
Coupled with a few other …

It has been reported that guitarist Jeff Beck’s is to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on April 4, 2009 and Jimmy Page is to present the award on the night. He was inducted along with Jimmy and Eric Clapton for his place within The Yardbirds in 1992 and continues to reap the benefits of a long career as one of the world’s most innovative and unique rock guitarists.