The combined might of the xyz boys and their spouses enjoyed something of a rare night out last Saturday – after all the trials and tribulations of getting TBL19 on the streets we felt we owed ourselves at least that. Stories were told, beers drunk, fine wine and food was consumed and the toast to paraphrase dear Ahmet was “It’s a great life this life of music” which it certainly has been in recent months. To top it all, the xyz boys presented me with a framed award depicting the …

So now we find ourselves in ’08.
10 years since Page & Plant Walking Into Everywhere … 20 years since Plant Now and Zen. Both of which seem like they happened only yesterday …
After the mayhem and aftermath of the O2, Christmas and the New Year went by in something of a blur. Still way behind in responding to e-mails and the like – I will endeavor to catch up with it all this month.
There’s also been the new Tight But Loose magazine to sign off which we’re pretty pleased with …

It was straight into a six day run of retail frenzy after coming back down from Planet Zeppelin. Apologies if I haven’t replied to the many informative emails I’ve received over the past week. Thanks to everyone who sent in O2 feedback and reviews … look out for the full TBL O2 review in the forthcoming issue.
Having now seen a few of the video clips and heard recordings of the show – well it just gets better. It really was an unbelievable performance – For Your Life, No Quarter and …

Back From Planet Zeppelin in seventh heaven
Just got back from Planet Zeppelin. That’s the only appropriate phrase to describe the incredible vibe that has prevailed at the Millennium Dome / O2 over the past two days.
Where to start?
The wonderful camaraderie of fans that extended from the queues for tickets / merchandise /gig entry over to the Pilot Inn pub which really was pure TBL come a live Sunday night and yesterday afternoon and early evening. So many people that came so far on another blind date.
And yes seeing was believing. Again.
The …

Ten thousand days…ten thousand three hundred and forty eight to be precise as Mr Foy informed me this week. That’s the exact amount of days that will have passed between Led Zeppelin walking off stage in the early hours of August 12 1979 at Knebworth and returning back into the glare of the spotlight at the 02 Arena London on Monday December 10 2007.
 28 years…a zillion memories.
 And it will be those memories that flash across my mind in the moments leading up to their arrival. I’m sure at one …

28 years ago today on a late cold November afternoon,I walked into the plush surroundings of the Waldorf Hotel in London and ordered a vodka and lime at the bar just behind Richard Cole who was organising drinks for three quarters of Led Zeppelin.
The occasion was the annual Melody Maker Poll Awards for which Peter Grant had rounded up Robert, Bonzo and Jonesy to accept a remarkable seven awards.
I was there reporting it all for what would become Tight But Loose issue number 4. Some of the text of that …

“Wally with a brolly” is one of the more blatant back page headlines after England’s dismal failure last night. It’s a description of Steve McLaren holding off the rain as he watched his England team fall  apart. It’s another bitter pill to swallow but I guess we should be used to it. Oh well at least they’ll be no England Euro 08 games to juggle with if Zep should tour next summer …
 
The word Wally is actually a timely one to see for me as it was 36 years ago …

I think I know how Jimmy felt during those Madison gigs with no sleep.
From last weekend it’s been a no stop juggling act with work and the ever time consuming extra curricular projects. The exciting opportunity to provide 50 TBL prize winners with tickets for Wednesday’s London DVD launch brought with it the usual non stop checking of e-mails to determine the winners – quite a deluge as expected – thanks to all those who entered. Then there was all the logistics of escaping work and the not inconsiderable task …

So another compilation lands – this one though arrives at a time of great significance and is very welcome in the Lewis household and I‘m sure yours too.
It’s timely reminder of just what all the fuss is about.
At work, I’ll be enjoying racking up yet another milestone Zep release for retail consumption – by my reckoning it’s about the14th official Zeppelin album I’ve enjoyed ripping out the box and putting on the shelves in my 33 year retail career stretching back to the magnificently packaged Physical Graffiti.
 It throws …

31 years ago this week was another golden period to be a Led Zeppelin fan.
For this then 20 year old it was an incredibly exciting time. On the afternoon of Thursday October 21 1976, I anxiously tore open the box marked Warner/ Elektra/ Atlantic Records at the WH Smith record shop where I worked to reveal for the first time the gatefold sleeve of, as the label spine gloriously put it ‘’The Soundtrack To The Film The Song Remains The Same‘’. All that and the prospect of attending the premier …