The new issue of the Tight But Loose magazine is due for publication in September and as you can see by the cover –it’s another packed affair. Mike Tremaglio’s extensive tour logs capture Led Zeppelin on tour in 1971 from Montreux to Honolulu with more illuminating text and rare visuals. Part two of Rikky Rooksby’s intensive study of Stairway To Heaven looks at the performance and lyrical and musicology of the much maligned classic – all guaranteed to take you back to the song with fresh perspective. The return to the …

It was an indictment of the recent unsavoury state of affairs in the UK that when I appeared on the Californian based rock station Used Bin Pure Rock Radio last Wednesday at the unearthly hour of 5am,the first topic was not Led Zeppelin, but the situation with the riots that had spread over the UK –images of which had shocked the world. We did soon settle in for a lengthy early morning ramble on the Led Zeppelin Feather In The Wind Over Europe 1980 book, the state of play with …

Mr Foy’s wry observations on the rock t-shirt culture at the High Voltage Festival was a good prompt to remind you that the coolest Led Zeppelin  t–shirt to be seen in this summer (and beyond) is the exclusive limited edition Led Zeppelin  Feather In the Wind Over Europe 1980 design. A smart Fruit of the Loom black t –shirt already much in demand –guaranteed not to languish in the back of your wardrobe. You will want to wear this one with pride as I am above next to Mr Foy …

Jimmy Page on stage with The Black Crowes July 13th 2011 – photo copyright Ross Halfin  http://www.rosshalfin.com/
The launch of the official Jimmy Page web site is a cause for much celebration. It’s fantastic to see so much content of the man’s illustrious history in one place. Aside from the obvious Zeppelin input, it’s also a  joy to wade through so many other parts of his career from the Yardbirds through to the Firm, Arms etc. There’s some simply amazing photos and the discography covering The Yardbirds to now, is well …

We said goodbye to Howard Mylett and celebrated his life on a lovely summer’s day in Brighton. I went down on the train with Mark Harrison and we met with Gary Foy and Graeme Hutchinson. The service was a very moving affair – there were memorable photos of Howard placed by the coffin. His niece Emma read a lovely tribute to Howard from his wife Anita. I represented the many Led Zeppelin fans worldwide who have been saddened by his passing in paying tribute to a man who’s …

John Bonham would have been 63 on Tuesday May 31st – the above photo is one of my favourite of John – not least because I was lucky enough to take it. It captures him receiving one of seven awards presented by Michael Palin (on the right) to three quarters of Led Zeppelin on the afternoon of November 28th 1979 at the Waldorf Hotel in London.
Surprisingly and somewhat ironically, Bonzo lost out to Phil Collins as top drummer. John was somewhat irked by this. Jason told me a story recently …

Firstly an update on the state of play with the TBL Product frenzy distribution.
TBL 29 has been distributed over the past few days and subscriber UK copies should be arriving now – Overseas copies should also be well on the way. Initial orders for the Led Zeppelin Feather In The Wind – Over Europe 1980 are now on the way out – again UK orders should be arriving in the next few days with overseas orders following over the next two to three weeks. Orders for T-shirts will begin to …

It’s gearing up to be a TBL summer of mass consumption with an outpouring of new TBL product due. Firstly Tight But Loose issue 29 is ready to go. This first issue of the 2011 subscription is another action packed affair. The magazine will be distributed over the next few days.If you are a 2010 subscriber your subscription ended with issue 28.
Now is the time to re subscribe!
All the details of how to subscribe can be found on the TBL Subscriptions link at the top of the TBL home page.

TBL …

Until last night I hadn’t seen Paul Rodgers perform a Bad Company song for over 30 years – or a Free song since that night for Ahmet at the 02 in 2007. That was all put to right when I witnessed an utterly splendid performance at the Royal Albert Hall.
Paul took to the stage with a band line up featuring Jason Bonham on drums and immediately set the tone of the evening with a great version of Free’s Walk In My Shadow. From then on it was a definite case …

It was great to be back in the vacinity of those May daze of 1975 this week when a visit to the London Trade Book Fair took me back to Earls Court. Coming out of the tube and seeing that grand old building come into view is like catching up on some much missed distant relation. It will be a shame of this monument to so many historic occasions is allowed to disappear under the bulldozer in the name of so called progress.
I was at the fair with my good …