Suddenly it’s’ February and there’s a lot to do. To get it moving I’ll take inspiration from this piece of advice I read somewhere.
 ‘’January is a 31 day hangover but February brings lambs, daffodils and the air fills with a magical quickening that tells you spring is on the way.
”February is short so whatever you’re trying to stretch, whether it’s your salary, your calorie intake or your booze units, February’s unique compactness helps you spread it just that little bit thicker. A good enough reason to raise a glass”.
Reason enough …

Led Zeppelin on stage in Helsinki,February 23rd 1970 – Photo Dan Tigerstedt  /TBL Archives 
The walls have been resounding to the sounds of Led Zeppelin early 1970 around these parts these last few days as I got down to assessing the text for the next magazine. Issue 26 kicks off a special three part 40 Years Gone feature on Led Zeppelin Flying High in 1970.
 
Reading through ace TBL contributor Mike Tremaglio’s log of the early dates of Led Zeppelin in a new decade had me reaching for gems such as the …

Led Zeppelin (on film) at the Granada Bedford January 1977. No prizes for guessing where this poster was llikely to end up!
 
33 years ago today I was about to commence a seven night stint in the company of Led Zeppelin….or to be more specific their film The Song Remains The Same.
The newly released celluloid masterpiece was on general release and doing the rounds nationally and cue fanfare…had rolled into my home town of Bedford.
Yes Led Zeppelin alive on film in the quaint market town of Bedford for seven nights only and …

DL back at Earls Court 30 years to the day -May 18th 2005. For non badgeholders only.
After last week’s flurry of Zep related activity it’s been down to work with a ton of planning to do for this year’s TBL schedule.  Not that the news input has slowed too much with Jimmy’s appearance at the Show of Peace press conference bringing official word that he will be one of the main attractions  at the event on April 17th – and the presenting of his United Nations  Pathways To Peace award. 
 
It’s …

The young DL looks to the East-  Cologne June 18 1980 -pic Tom Locke
 It hadn’t occurred to me until Steve A. Jones noted it in the comments of the last Diary entry, that this is the commencement of my fifth decade of chronicling the world of Led Zeppelin.
The fifth decade has duly got off to a great start. The arrival of the new Mojo magazine with its inspiring Jimmy Page interview had me rushing to get some of that old Page magic back on the deck.
Cue everything from The …

DL, the visiting Larry Bergmann Jnr and the good lady Janet- Knebworth book launch weekend in the TBL HQ kitchen, Totnes Close Bedford August 9th 2009
 
On the late morning of January 1st 2000, ten years back, my good friend Terry Boud and I mulled over the previous night’s festivities with a new year’s day pint (or two). We were both nursing massive hangovers and hair of the dog was required.
iPods, podcasts, Blu-ray, Wi –Fi, digital downloads, e commerce, HD, iPhones You tube and Facebook were not on the agenda that …

Well that was the week that was -‘’It’s over let it go’’ as Millicent Martin used to sing on the iconic 60’s show of the same name. It may be over, but this one will be difficult to let go as it was a quite remarkable week.
 
After all it’s not every week one find’s oneself in close proximity to two of the ex members of Led Zeppelin. On Tuesday the It Might Get Loud film premiere was everything and more than we expected. Jimmy looked very relaxed and full of …

Photo copyright Thinkfarm
Two years gone and it still seems like a dream. Watching the DVD and playing the vinyl and CD’s today reminded me of the surreal feel that surrounded the whole event. Of course I’m taking about Led Zeppelin at the 02 Arena on the second anniversary of what for me will ever be etched on my brain as the experience of a lifetime.  There are some lovely comments on the 02 show by Robert Plant in this months Q magazine. Asked what went though his mind at the …

John Paul Jones in Borders Oxford Street  April 12th 2002 holding up an essential  magazine 
Pretty hectic right now what with TBL 25 to wrap and proof, plus lots of news incoming with Jimmy in Rio, the It Might Get Loud UK screening details and premiere, Robert in the Delta and TCV out and very much about.
 
In between his hectic schedule, John Paul Jones very kindly made some time on Tuesday to conduct an interview on the phone with me for the new TBL magazine. He was on great form and …

November 22nd is a date that is already famous in the annals of history being the day in 1963 that President John F Kennedy was assassinated.
Forty six years on November 22nd will also go down as the date of another assassination – a sporting one.
Oh yes poor Wigan Athletic. Shot down by Defoe, Lennon, Crouch and co as the mighty Tottenham Hotspur ran rampant at White Hart Lane. So where were you as the goals rained in on a Sunday afternoon? Me and the boy Adam were just back from …