EVENINGS WITH LED ZEPPELIN:

REVISED, EXPANDED AND ESSENTIAL…

 Announcing the autumn publication from Omnibus Press of…

 Evenings With Led Zeppelin – The Complete Concert Chronicle by Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio

 Revised & Expanded Edition…

 In September 2018, the first edition of the Evenings With Led Zeppelin book was published by Omnibus Press.

Written by Mike Tremaglio and myself, designed by TBL designer Mick Lowe, edited by Chris Charlesworth with a Foreword by former Led Zeppelin Tour Manager Richard Cole.

It was the culmination of years of research – the aim being to produce the most accurate Led Zeppelin concert log and present it in a visually appealing way – taking every reader on the journey they travelled from 1968 to 1980.

As Richard Cole observed in his Forward: “Looking through this book brings it all back to me – city by city, and gig by gig. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world…and anyone reading it can be transported back to those times – and what incredible times they were.’’

The basic premise was as follows:

“When Led Zeppelin played a concert, it wasn’t just a concert – it was an event.” – Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin’s manager, 1993

Evenings With Led Zeppelin chronicles in consummate detail the 500-plus concerts that Led Zeppelin performed throughout their career.

From their earliest gig in a Denmark school gymnasium on September 7, 1968, through to the last gig that Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones ever performed with John Bonham, in Berlin on July 7, 1980, this is the Led Zeppelin story told from where their legend was forged – live on stage.

Deploying impeccable research spread over many years, Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio bring clarity, authority and perspective to their unique story.

Evenings With Led Zeppelin is a show-by-show narrative of every known Led Zeppelin performance that portrays with pinpoint accuracy the group’s rapid ascent from playing to a few hundred at London’s Marquee Club to selling out the 20,000 capacity Madison Square Garden in New York – all in a mere eighteen months.

Supplemented by historical reviews, facts and figures, and expert commentary that capture the spirit of the times, Evenings With Led Zeppelin is illustrated throughout with rarely seen concert adverts, posters, venue images, ticket stubs and photos, all of which offer matchless insight into each and every concert. This is the on-stage heritage of Led Zeppelin as never before chronicled in one volume.

Fifty years on from their formation, Led Zeppelin’s potency as a live band remains unsurpassed – Evenings With Led Zeppelin vividly explains why.

The book was fanatically well received – here are some of the accolades it received…

Amazon Global Customer Reviews – Five Star Rating!

5 out of 5 stars: 83 of 88 Global customers (94%)

4 out of 5 stars: 5 of 88 Global customers (6%)

More satisfied readers:

“Fascinating and thorough study of Zeppelin’s entire concert history. Mandatory reading for all Zep fans ”

Classic Rock

“The colour photos, the layout, and the comprehensive detail is beyond impressive. I can see why this has taken years to produce.- the amount of research that has gone into it is staggering. The book stands as a remarkable piece of rock-music scholarship.’’

Stephen Humphries – Under The Radar magazine

‘’This really, really is THE Led Zeppelin book you need if you are a Zep fan. It’s a book that you will find yourself revisiting time and time again – highly recommended.’’ Jon Kirkman –Classic Rock Radio

‘’This book is an utter triumph, a vast pool of knowledge and amongst the finest publications on any band, let alone those myriad of tomes about Led Zeppelin. Very few books are completely essential. This is…’’

Andy Adams – Celebration Days To Be a Rock blog

‘’Not only the definitive reference book on Led Zeppelin but also one of the most entertaining.’’

Chris Charlesworth – Just Backdated blog

“Meticulously, lovingly compiled, it revisits every date and each set-list over more than 500 appearances, from 1968 to 1980, along with adverts, posters, tickets, photos, historical reviews and press reaction of the era. It’s a stunning piece of work’’.

Dave Ling – Classic Rock

“I love books like this. I admire the obsessive, have-to-know everything nature. I relish the incredible detail. I respect the time it takes and welcome with open arms the finished result.’’

Author and journalist Patrick Humphries

“Historically significant; magnificently researched and presented; packed with new information and a work of art to boot. If you ever wanted to know the entire scope of Led Zeppelin’s career, where they were, what they did, and how they were received this is the last word in that story. I cannot imagine it will ever be surpassed.’’

Rob Godwin –Author and Pioneering Led Zeppelin chronicler

“All in all, a magnificent book, clearly lovingly put together and with a wealth of research to support the content. The selected illustrations help to make it a visual joy too, clearly carefully chosen to support the copious text. This wonderful tome will surely become one of the literary linchpins when it comes to the history of Led Zeppelin.’’

Paul Sheppard – TBL contributor and Led Zeppelin expert

“This book is a monument to painstaking research. One of the many great joys of this book is looking at a tour, reading the entry and press reviews, and then being inspired to dig out the recording and listen to it.’’

Julian Walker – Underground Uprising website

“An utterly brilliant work of art, packed with tons of information from every angle. Well done to Dave, Mike and everyone else involved.’’

Gary Davies renowned led Zeppelin and radio film archivist

“The contents, layout and production is stunning. This book will be a “must have’’ for every Led Zeppelin fan.’’

Cliff Hilliard – renowned Led Zeppelin collector

“I have over 100 Led Zep books, this is the best Zep book I have ever seen – simple as that.’’

Scott Martin –Australia

“Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio have produced this absolutely stunning book. The work that has gone into putting this together is quite phenomenal and between them, they have left no stone unturned in creating an essential read.’’

Steve Livesley

“The final word on live Zeppelin. I can’t recommend this highly enough. If you had to buy one Zeppelin book – this is the top of the heap.”

James James – Popular YouTube guitar instructor

……………….

The first print run of the book sold out and it’s been unavailable for some time – I constantly get requests for it.

 Over the past year, Mike and I have been coaxing Omnibus Press to consider a second newly updated and extended edition.

To that end, Mike has been beavering away researching new tour itinerary information, concert press reviews, discovering previously unpublished photos and extending the appendix sections. I am constantly amazed at the depth of research Mike undertakes.

I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank Mike for his incredible passion and enthusiasm in making this updated version possible. It’s been his relentless pursuit and diligence that has driven this idea to fruition. It’s a pleasure and privilege to work with him.

During the past few months I have been liaising extensively with Mike on all this and it became very evident that we had at our disposal a substantial amount of additional material to put to very good use.

 So fanfare at the ready….

We are both very pleased to announce that Omnibus Press have sanctioned a new edition so get ready for…

Evenings With Led Zeppelin – Revised & Updated Edition

So what has been improved upon from the first edition?        

Firstly, Mike has overseen every single page and made significant updates to the first edition. All gig entries have been re-checked – many of them have been greatly expanded upon with additional text and images. Some of the previous images have been enhanced and enlarged within the text.

New gig discoveries via Mike’s extensive research have been identified and added.

Dozens of additional concert ads, handbills, ticket stubs, press reviews, venue photos have been added.

Over 20 on stage photos have been added, including many never published before.

The Appendix sections have been updated and there is also an additional Appendix.

The new Appendix is a comprehensive 10-page concert bootleg CD discography.

The book cover design has been slightly modified as to differentiate it from the first edition including a “Revised & Expanded Edition” front cover banner

All this has led to the book being extended by 48 pages bringing the total number of pages from 576 to 624 – here’s a couple of sample pages from the updated edition we are working on:

Here’s the final statistics on this new work:

624 pages

300,000 word text

3,100+ images

200 rarely seen colour and black and white photos

Large format hardback size 267 x 204mm

The overall objective is to provide the reader with an even more in-depth study of Led Zeppelin’s entire concert history…

It all adds up to what we feel is a much improved new edition – even more complete and more visually appealing than before.

If you have yet to indulge in the book, this new revised and expanded version is as Classic Rock declared: “Mandatory for Zep fans’’ – don’t miss out…

Even if you purchased the first edition, we feel this new edition is another essential purchase – you will find much to enjoy and revel in with this new revised and expanded edition.

It’s a book you will want to at your disposal as the complete and accurate chronicle of the Led Zeppelin in concert story.

So when is it being published?

Omnibus Press are aiming for an autumn publication likely to be September.

Mike and I are now overseeing the new revised text – I cannot tell you how incredibly diligent Mike has been in his research  – this really is an awesome update.

We will be regularly updating on the progress so keep an eye on the TBL website for more details as they unfold – including pre-order instructions.

Note pre order details will follow nearer publication date -we will announce pre order instructions as soon as they are ready to go…

Mike and I are very excited to be bringing this new work to fruition – the depth of detail in presenting this updated complete concert chronicle that unfolds the story of Led Zeppelin from the place they functioned best – live on stage, is absolutely immense…

Revised, Expanded and Essential…

Get ready to be transported back to those incredible Evenings With Led Zeppelin …

More details to follow….

Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio – February  25,2021

LZ News:

Led Zeppelin News Update:

Physical Graffiti it was 46 years ago…

It’s been a week of here of  celebrating the 46th anniversary of  Physical Graffiti  and I’ve been playing various versions of the album and rounded up the reviews and wallowed in the sheer nostalgia of such a great period so here’s various snapshots of what I have felt and still feel about my favourite album of all time – and maybe yours too…

First to back track 6 years to the 40th anniversary and the 2015 reissue…

So some DL thoughts:

To  backtrack 46 years: My Physical Graffiti:

Physical Graffiti. The very title indicated something mysterious and special when I first saw it announced in the NME in late ’74. Then there was the waiting. Ah yes the waiting. Initially it was set for November 29th 1974. That date passed and nothing. Then it was going to be January 10th 1975 and so it went on until finally on a grey February morning, I took receipt of the record boxes delivered that day at WH Smith where I worked. And there in a parcel marked WEA/CBS Distribution was a box full of that beautiful double album. Had it out of the box immediately –took it down the pub lunchtime to show Dec, Phil, Tom and co…oh yes this was the big one – a massive outpouring of new Zeppelin music.

It ushered in a memorable year that would peak with those five glorious days in May. Since then Physical Graffiti has been a constant in my life. Not long after its release, the WEA rep kindly gave me the original sleeve artwork mock up which still takes pride of place in my collection. On holiday in Spain that year I could not resist handing over a pocket full of pesetas for the Spanish pressing. I have it on cassette and 8 track cartridge. When I first got a CD player in 1988 it was the first CD I purchased.  The emergence of the Tangible Vandalism rehearsals bootleg in the early 80’s was a shot in the arm in a less than vibrant Zep period, and the first time I heard the 33 minutes of outtakes that surfaced in 1997 remains one of my most memorable listening experiences.

Then there have been the numerous live Graffiti moments -selections from Physical Graffiti played live over the years have also provided some of my all time fave gig going moments.

Ten Years Gone and Sick Again at Knebworth, Trampled Underfoot at Leicester University in ’88, Kashmir at MTV Unledded, The Wanton Song at Later With Jools, Night Flight at the ULU in ’98 , In My Time of Dying at the 02 Reunion.

On Saturday February 22nd 1975  Alan Freeman previewed five tracks from the album. The previous night I’d had the Old Grey Whistle Test taped on a cassette to hear the previews of Houses Of The Holy and Trampled Underfoot. I was out at the Rainbow grooving to Black Oak Arkansas at the time.

On that Saturday Alan aired Custard Pie, Night Flight, The Wanton Song, Down By The Seaside and Sick Again in that sequence with no break. As Robert uttered the opening line ‘’I received a message from my brother across the water he sat laughin’ as he wrote the ends in sight’’ I remember exclaiming ‘’Oh that voice!’’ in excited wonderment.

In today’s internet driven world of instantly accessible everything, it’s easy to forget the impact a mere record could have.

A mere record? Physical Graffiti was and could never be a mere anything.

It’s a living breathing masterpiece.

So happy 46th birthday Custard Pie, The Rover, In My Time Of Dying, Houses Of The Holy, Trampled  Underfoot, Kashmir, In The Light, Bron Yr Aur, Down By The Seaside, Ten Years Gone, Night Flight, The Wanton Song, Boogie With Stu, Black Country Woman and Sick Again.

These 15 performances continue to enrich my life and thousands of others across the globe.

To backtrack 46 years: Their Physical Graffiti:

In the scheme of things the timing on the recording of this album was just so right.

There was nothing like the pressure they had in following Zep IV with Houses Of The Holy. The lukewarm press reaction to Houses would only spur the four  to greater on stage heights. The touring period from March in Europe through to the lengthy US jaunt in the summer of ’73 saw Led Zeppelin perform to overflowing audiences with increasing confidence.

There may have been a period of burn out following the US tour – the initial sixth album sessions were scrapped due to John Paul Jones illness/reticence – but it can be clear that the vigour and vitality they displayed during that US tour was more than in evidence when they came to park Ronnie Lane’s mobile studio outside Headley Grange in early 1974.

The decision to work at their own space with no pressure of a tour to prepare was a crucial one. Jimmy’s wry comment that ‘’1974 didn’t really happen’’ was a something of a smokescreen – as creatively it very much did happen and it would set the seal on a six month period in 1975 that would see them conquer America yet again and present five shows at London’s Earls Court that really did capture them at the peak of their powers.

All this and Physical Graffiti too. A double album idea that Page had been eying for some time  as he commented recently:‘’ I hoped it was going to be a double album because other people had put out double albums and I thought it would be good to do that. I knew that we already had material left over the material was coming out and it was clear that we were working towards a double. I did want to do a double album that would really show a working band at a really creative process”.

The eight recordings honed at Headley Grange were merged within seven older tracks held over from previous albums. We now know that had been the clear intention with Houses Of The Holy as Page recently revealed ‘’ It was left off the Houses Of The Holy album on purpose. It was saved for whatever the next album was going to be which turned out to be Physical Graffiti’’. The rest…they were never mere leftovers as such a thing did not exist. These were quality ideas ready to be unleashed

All that was required was a final mix and a song selection and sequencing. This is where Physical Graffiti really triumphs

You could just never envisage Physical Graffiti not being played in the sequence that Jimmy Page prepared back in 1974. .

It’s akin to a whole symphony greater than the sum of its parts – take any song away and it loses its thread.

So let’s be under no illusion, the arrival of this new remastered reissue is principally all about those 15 tracks – the Companion Disc is of course a very  welcomed dessert but the main course kicks right off with track one side with a chew of the Custard Pie and closes with the brutal last gasp salute of Sick Again.

And that my friends, is the way to listen to Physical Graffiti – there’s no cherry picking required. It’s the whole first course in one sitting and no messing. That is the way it should be.

This is no mere 46 year nostalgia trip. Physical Graffiti could be no mere anything. It’s a living breathing beautiful sounding testament to the sheer greatness of Led Zeppelin.

Every facet of the spectrum beautifully detailed – every moment wonderfully sequenced.

Moments to marvel at ….

Custard Pie

Just so much raunch to the riff and John Bonham’s jigging hi hat driving it all the way through… and the solo cuts in across the speakers with so much verve and swagger.

The Rover

Utterly fucking sensational. The drum sound – on first play it took my breath away simple as that.

In My Time Of Dying

The forcefulness of that opening drum part…it has to be heard to be believed. The clarity of the bottleneck parts – we are right there in that hall in Headley. The echo on the first solo…glorious.

Houses Of The Holy

So much brightness and colour in the lyrics and performance.

Trampled Under Foot

Jones’s clavinet all the way through – pure musical arranging brilliance.

Kashmir

The moment they come out of the middle sequence and that elongated Plant howl…oh yes!

In The Light

We now know how much work went itto n this with varying tempo changes. The closing two minutes with Page’s multi overdubbing cascading around Bonzo’s drumming might be the best two minutes of their recorded career – here it sounds utterly sensational. As does the opening drone.

Bron Yr Aur

Acoustic perfection…

 Down By The Seaside

Love the keyboard sound from JPJ, now even more accented.

 Ten Years Gone

The intro – totally stunning…

 Night Flight

”Oh mama well it must be time….”  what a vocal.

 The Wanton Song

The way they come back from the Leslied guitar effect solo back into the riff.. masterful.

 Boogie With Stu

The percussion at the beginning now more powerful than ever.

 Black Country Woman

The mandolin so precise.

Sick Again

The final onslaught from John Bonham ..oh yes!

The Companion Audio Disc:  

Brandy & Coke (Trampled Under Foot – Initial Rough Mix) 5.39:

To me this has the feel of of a radio friendly single mix – and hearing Brandy & Coke aka Trampled Underfoot in this way makes  Zep sound like the greatest singles band ever. Imperious funk meets revved up riffing with refreshing clarity…

Sick Again (Early Version) 2.22:

There’s a also a delightful ‘’wooshing’’ effect on the riff at 0.55. Overall this flexing of the riff foundation brings out the melodic tendencies of Page’s plangent riffing. You really want this to go on for another ten minues. Wonderful work in progress riff exercise for a sometimes underrated part of the Graffiti wall..not anymore..

In My Time Of Dying (Initial Rough Mix) 10.48:

A cleaner intro – the vocal coming in with added clarity to the version we know. Double tracked at times. The delicacy of the bottleneck parts are more evident. Jonesy’s bass accentuated behind the bottleneck riff parts is also high in the mix. As it moves into it’s stride, Robert’s vocal are striking clear and crisper providing a real live in the studio atmosphere. Mesmerisingly spacey mix of a towering performance…

Houses Of The Holy (Rough Mix With Overdubs) 3.51:

What we have here is a rough mix with overdubs and it’s a fascinating listen – Robert’s initial vocals have less echo and are pleasingly upfront and clear. Bonzo’s cowbell is much more pronounced in this mix.  The backing vocal ”oooh oooh” is also higher in the mix and you can clearly hear a tambourine as additional percussion towards the close. Jimmy had yet to layer on his solo and it fades at 3.51. Bright and breezy mix of one of their most commercial outings…

Everybody Makes It Through (In The Light Early Version/In Transit) 6.29:

The complete alternate version that was previously bootlegged on the Physical Graffiti outtakes that surfaced in 1997.

A totally different work in progress arrangement with John Paul Jones’ Elizabethan harpsichord keyboard sequence being later replaced by the drone links.  The closing moments from 5.42 to 6.29  with John Bonham’s relentless drum fills are some of the very best applied to any Led Zeppelin track. Those that have heard it before already will know this is a phenomenal piece – those that haven’t… well the pleasure will be all yours -it’s just sensational. An unabashed joy from start to finish – this pleasingly inventive initial arrangement adds new colour to the canvas of one of their finest achievements …

Boogie With Stu (Sunset Sound Mix) 3.39:

The mandolin is well to the fore in this mix – you can hear the precise plucking right from the off while the piano and vocals are both further back in the mix. A barrelhouse of mandolin and piano led fun…

Driving Through Kashmir (Kashmir Rough Orchestra Mix) 8.41:

That intro is immediately grandiose -the vocal remains in the centre of the mix while in the riff parts and the  strings are more prominent. From 4.06 to .25 it sounds altogether crisper and chunkier and all beautifully dramatic and the closing orchestral overdubs are clearer going into the fade. Progressive rock in the true sense of the word and this mix is further confirmation of the fact that this composition remains the pride of Led Zeppelin…

Summary:

Put simply – the paintwork on this particular piece of graffiti remains as fresh as ever… 46 years on it sounds magnificent…

Dave Lewis -February 25,2021

………………………..

Physical Graffiti Covers City! New Led Zeppelin album released!

Physical Graffiti 46th Anniversary…

 TBL ’75 Snapshot Retro Review:

Jaan Uhelszki, Creem, 1975

ROCK’S BIGGEST bruisers, Led Zeppelin, have got another album. In rock chronology this is an Event, since the defending champions of the world’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll draw have released only six albums in the past seven years. In fact, we’ve spent eighteen excruciating months between products, pacifying ourselves with heavy rock’s second prizes – Deep Purple, Blue Oyster Cult, and BTO. And these heavy metal hitmen couldn’t begin to plug up the leaks Led Zep left when they took on an extended, self-imposed exile to some musicians’ netherworld.

Now, just as cold turkey has begun to lose its chill. Zep are back with a package deal: a double album and an American tour. The announcement provoked unchecked carnage in the under-eighteen age group, primarily directed at long black limousines, uniformed adults, and popcorn sellers. Throngs of potential ticket-buyers foamed with anticipation, their palms growing sweaty, their eyes glassy.

Days passed without the appearance of Physical Graffiti. Then the first shipment arrived late one Thursday. The fans descended on Marty’s Records downstairs from CREEM like dragonflies, clustered around the cash register, furtively clutching the album to their heaving bosoms, slobbering and drooling down the shrinkwrap. Worried parents contemplated a vaccine, but once Physical Graffiti touched the turntables the mysterious malady subsided. The stricken nodules were lulled into a state of tympanic euphoria.

Physical Graffiti can stand on its own historically without the support of Zep’s five other million sellers, but inevitably the cuts on this album will be scrutinized with Nancy Drew-like precision in search of a successor to ‘Stairway’ or an equal to ‘Rock and Roll.’ Graffiti is, in fact, a better album than the other five offerings, the band being more confident, more arrogant in fact, and more consistent. The choice of material is varied, giving the audience a chance to see all sides of the band. Equal time is given to the cosmic and the terrestrial, the subtle and the passionate.

The exotic and musky ‘Kashmir’ is intriguing in its otherworldliness. Jimmy Page’s grinding, staccato guitar work sounds like a cosmic travelog to spiritual regeneration, swelling around the lyrics, which are heavily laden with mystical allusions and Hessean imagery. Although ‘Kashmir’ is certainly the best cut on the album, it could be trimmed without losing any of its mesmeric effect, because at some point the incense grows a little murky, and the slow burning guitar degenerates into opulent cliches, causing the instrumental interludes to echo an Exodus soundtrack.

Not all of the cuts are exercises in advanced audial basketweaving, but trace a musical cycle running from Page’s grandiose productions to basic drunken boogie. ‘Trampled Underfoot’ is seemingly effortless funk that is rescued from mediocrity by the elaborate punctuation of Page’s guitar. His fingers traverse the neck of his instrument with a velocity so violent that only a machine could improve upon it. Each batch of notes he pulls from his guitar is uniquely his own, personal as a thumbprint. Just as unique are Plant’s laments and his sexual heaves and sighs that turn the lyrics of a simplistic rocker like ‘Wanton Song’ into an introspective, personal statement. ‘Custard Pie’ and ‘Boogie With Stu’ are macho masterpieces in the tradition of the strutting, swaggering English flash blues formula pioneered on Zeppelin’s early albums. ‘Night Flight’, ‘Sick Again’ and ‘Ten Years Gone’ smack of pop picaresque, much in the manner of Rod Stewart’s ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’ – vignettes and transient insights, slices of a popstar’s life.

Led Zeppelin moves in strange ways. Sure they’re gutsy, ballsy, and flamboyantly aggressive, always spiked with a lot of eroticism, but they’re also cerebral…by way of the glands. They have this unique ability to wind you up and prime you for a full-throttled tilt. You rocked, you rolled, and oh mama those juices flowed – but you also listened to the words.

Surprisingly, in an era where disposable bands and itinerant musicians constantly play a game of musical chairs, Led Zeppelin is a unit – the same four members for the past seven years. Their longevity is due to a kind of magnetism, magic if you will. That rare chemistry was evident even at their first rehearsal, where they fit together like jigsaw pieces, transcending their common R&B backgrounds to achieve a gut-wrenching new synthesis. Lisa Robinson describes it as a case in which “the Beatles battled the Stones in a parking lot and Led Zeppelin won.” Zeppelin make more noise, has more guitar gimmickry, more sexuality, more flash, and generates more violence than any of their competitors, so that they are more than mere musicians, simple superstars. They have become the longest-lasting model for those culturally bankrupt ‘trendies’ to follow. Underage masses walk, talk, dress and dope like Zep. They have become a necessary trapping for the terminally hip, as well as providing the audial backdrop for any social gathering.

A Led Zeppelin album is like a select invitation to a key club of rock ‘n’ roll, where the kohl eyed gypsy Jimmy Page is finally accessible through his smoky guitar solos. Robert Plant preens and moans, lusts and longs for lost memories…and takes you along. Like a sonic vortex, Zeppelin draws you into their private caprice, spiraling, coaxing your willing psyche into a suprasensory haven where you can taste and savor this dream stuff that superstars thrive on. This is not pop music, but a harder stuff, more heady and potent, like a round of whiskeys and coke. Zeppelin are avatars in a cultural vacuum.

© Jaan Uhelszki, 1975

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Physical Graffiti Week – my Facebook posts:

Monday February 22:

Kicking off a week here of celebrating the 46th anniversary of the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti – my all time favourite album.

So on the player the Tangible Vandalism double album bootleg which has various rehearsals from the recording sessions at Headley Grange in early 1974.

When I first got this in the early 1980s it opened up a new level of appreciation for Physical Graffiti. You can clearly hear the seeds of greatness being planted…what a creative Zep period it was….more celebrations of Physical Graffiti to follow…

Monday February 22:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week…

On the player – Mojo proudly presents Physical Graffiti Redrawn…

The excellent various artists album made available to mark the 40th anniversary and reissue of Physical Graffiti in the April 2015 issue of Mojo as a cover mount CD or mail order 2 LP set – the vinyl version is superbly packaged and includes a repro Zep Earls Court 1975 poster.

The entire double album is re- presented in full with performances from White Denim, Blackberry Smoke, The Temperance Movement and Laura Marling and more …all adding to the celebration of my favourite album of all time…

Monday February 22:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week… retro advert – ‘’Zeppelin Crazy’’ – what a headline – I vividly remember buying this issue of Melody Maker – the anticipation was building….

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week…

Tuesday February 23:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week…

On the player –the brilliant Companion Audio LP from the Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti 40th anniversary super deluxe box set. This includes Everybody Makes It Through the fantastic early version of In The Light…

Tuesday February 23:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week…

It was 6 years ago today – the release of the fantastic Physical Graffiti 40th anniversary reissue on Monday February 23 ,2015 and I spent the day in London reveling in it all…

Here’s the scene in HMV in Oxford Street with my very good friend Dec.

It was fitting he should be there on the day of this reissue appearing as 40 years back in 1975 almost to the day, I was with Dec when the Physical Graffiti album was released.

It was also our last meet in London before Dec moved to Ireland…a day of high emotion all round…

Tuesday February 23:

TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week… it was 6 years ago today – the release of the fantastic Physical Graffiti 40th anniversary reissue Monday February 23 2015.

Part of the record company promotion for the reissues was to create strategic stencils advertising the albums on random pavements around central London.

6 years ago today it took a fair bit of walking before I came across the Physical Graffiti stencil just off Wardour Street – fittingly really as it was not far from the old Marquee club where Zep played some of their earliest gigs in 1968…

Tuesday February 23:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week…

It was 6 years ago today – the release of the fantastic Physical Graffiti 40th anniversary reissue Monday February 23, 2015.

I spent the day in London reveling in it – I decided to take in a couple of Zep London landmarks – this is in Gerrard Street where the four members who would become Led Zeppelin convened at number 39 in August 1968 to conduct their first rehearsal…

Tuesday February 23:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week…

It was 6 years ago today – the release of the fantastic Physical Graffiti 40th anniversary reissue Monday February 23 2015.

I spent the day in London reveling in it all and I decided to take in a couple of Zep London landmarks.

This is in Windmill Street off Tottenham Court Road where in early December 1968, the four members of Led Zeppelin convened for a photo session at the offices of the Impact Agency.

The photographer Dick Barnatt also took a photo of them leaning against a Jaguar car. When I interviewed Dick for the TBL mag in 2013, he thought the car may have belonged to John Bonham but he wasn’t sure.

It’s an iconic group photo and it was great to be in such an historic Zep landmark on the day of the 40th anniversary reissue of Physical Graffiti 6 years ago today…

Wednesday February 24:

On the player loud and proud ..what else…Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti as released 45 years ago today. I purchased it from WH Smith’s where I worked on the record department – and got to keep the press release we had sent to the shop as well

This is the original copy I purchased back in 1975 and It still sounds amazing – as it would – it’s my favourite album of all time. A few pops and crackles only adding to its authenticity

Over the 15 tracks this double album contains every aspect that made Led Zeppelin so special…then, when I was 18 years old and now when I am 64… for me they are, were and always will be the best…

Wednesday February 24:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago this week…

Loading up the 2 CD edition of Physical Graffiti in the double jewel box. This was one of the first Zep CD transfers by Barry Diament at Atlantic Studios.

I have a bit of an affinity for this version as it was one of the first CDs I ever purchased after I got a CD player in 1988.

Back then I was very excited to be playing my fave album of all time on this new compact disc format.

However, it was not the greatest quality transfer and I was a bit disappointed to say the least to find the studio dialogue segment after In My Time of Dying (‘’Cough’’) completely omitted – it’s been reported that Diament has claimed he was not responsible for the edit and worked from the tapes Atlantic supplied at the time.

These early transfers were done without any band involvement and Jimmy would take control again in May 1990 when he began a remastering project at Sterling Sound with George Marino engineering – the initial results being the Remasters and 54 track box set issued in October of that year.

I did a feature on the Led Zeppelin catalogue on CD published in July of that year for Record Collector, unbeknown that Jimmy was working on the remastering – my review of Physical Graffiti was quite kind to the 1987 version awarding an eight rating for CD sound quality.

There would be better versions on CD ahead but back in 1988 it was a thrilling novelty to hear Physical Graffiti on the new digital format…

Wednesday February 24:

DL/TBL Physical Graffiti throwback…celebrating the release of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti 46 years ago today…

You can never have too many copies of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti …and I have a few…

TBL Led Zep ’75 Snapshot: 

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27 ,1975

HOUSTON, TEXAS

SAM HOUSTON COLISEUM

Set: Rock And Roll/Sick Again/Over The Hills And Far Away/In My Time Of Dying/The Song Remains The Same/The Rain Song/Kashmir/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog.

This one from our TBL friend and associate Mark Bowman – he also took the pics here from that night.

Background Details; After Robert and Jimmy spent a holiday in Dominica for 10 days, while Jonesy and Bonzo flew home to their families, a well rested Led Zeppelin, Peter Grant and the crew reconvened in Houston, Texas to start the second leg of the 1975 USA tour on February 27th, 1975.

This night was special as it was the first live show after the US release of the eagerly anticipated double LP, Physical Graffiti.  By all accounts, they played a ferocious show that night that clocked in at nearly 3 hours and 45 minutes.  Reporters mentioned in the newspaper the next day that the “kids went crazy”, and the crowd definitely spurred the band to greater heights that night…   One concertgoer mentioned – “This was the FIRST concert I have ever been to where the live sound in the arena was equal to greater than the sound on the Led Zeppelin studio recordings that were recorded so well…”

Robert mentioned to the crowd that “we were off for a few days, but we’re back, well rested and in our glory.!”  Very prophetic, looking back 40 years later….  Unfortunately, no bootleg recordings have ever surfaced of this particular show to document the power they were playing with that night, so it just will remain a very special evening for the ones who were there….

First Hand View from Mark Bowman:

The beauty of this show – there was none of the violence and aggression from the fans that had marred some of the earlier dates in the Eastern US gigs on the 1st leg.  Robert specifically commented about how the crowd had a “very happy and a good feeling vibe” that night for the band, which kept them focused on the task at hand….which was to rip the roof off the arena that evening.  I only had a little Kodak 110 Instamatic camera with me at the time, so all my photos are grainy and low resolution.  You still get the general idea by looking at them – but what I would have given to have my 35mm with me that night to truly capture this incredible evening.  It turns out to be the only time I ever saw the mighty Led Zeppelin perform live…  As fantastic as it was to attend the reunion O2 show in London in 2007, this gig was the COMPLETE package….  It is burned into my memory banks for life. Mark Bowman

Led Zeppelin – Live in Auckland, New Zealand February 25th, 1972 – 8mm film (NEW FOOTAGE) –

This is yet another incredible find presented by Ledzepfilm..the close ups are amazing…

Here’s the info:

On the eve of the 49th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s concert at Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, I am proud to partner with Lloyd Godman in premiering this never before seen 8mm footage of Led Zeppelin in Auckland, 1972! He found it in a shed back in 2019 and had it transferred locally and synced up by me.

Special thanks to Lloyd Godman for filming this wonderful footage, as well as goldenretriever157 from The Dogs of Doom for helping facilitate contact with Lloyd!

Here’s the link to view it -watch and be amazed…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEga4tJGZko

Here’s a story about how it was discovered:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/437114/fan-finds-led-zeppelin-auckland-concert-film-in-shed

DL Diary Blog Update:

Friday February 19:

Always a welcome sound –the new issue of Uncut dropping through the door…and with The Who on the cover plus the Dylan/Harrison story and more it looks a very good one …

Friday February 19:

It was 50 years ago today:

A gig at the Addison Centre Kempston, Bedford featuring ex Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig blues based guitarist Mick Abrahams in one of the Friars presentations -as advertised in the Beds and Bucks Recorder.

Mick was born in Luton and is now 77 – up until 2015 he was still playing and recording but announced on his website last November that sadly, arthritis now prevents him from playing.

Mick has made some great records through the years – I still regularly play This Was, the first Jethro Tull album he is on and the excellent Blodwyn Pig albums Ahead Rings Out and Getting To This.

I was too young to go to this 1971 gig –bet it was a great night and all for 50 new pence as it was back then as the UK had gone decimal on the Monday of that week…

Many thanks to the Paul Cox archive.

Saturday February 20:

Saturday is platterday…

On the player Crosby, Stills, Nash by Crosby, Stills & Nash – a constant musical companion to me for nigh on 50 years and sounding mighty fine ….

Sunday February 21:

Sunday sounds on CD…

Loading up the excellent Essential Simon & Garfunkel 2 CD compilation. Perfect for a Sunday morning…

Sunday February 21:

Sunday Sounds On CD – loading up the excellent Love Da Capo 2002 CD reissue – a very fine Sunday morning sound…

Sunday February 21:

It was 51 years ago today…

One of the rare occasions Nick Drake performed live…wish I had been there…

Winterlude Playlist:

Some more winterlude record selections providing much needed inspiration…

Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti 2LP

Led Zeppelin – Companion Audio Disc LP

Led Zeppelin – Tangible Vandalism  bootleg 2LP

Led Zeppelin – Swan Song – Tarantura bootleg CD

Carole King – Tapestry LP

Steve Marriott – Afterglow Rare! Live! Unreleased! – Mojo CD

Dusty Springfield – A Band New Me – The Complete Philadelphia Sessions CD

Some particular inspirations this past week:

Some immense kindness from our very good friends Michaela and Bob…

Catch ups on the phone with long time TBL supporters Pete Gozzard and Andrew Ricci…

The Auckland 1972 footage surfacing – simply amazing…

Update here:

I had my heart Echocardiogram stress test on Friday. Due to the screen not reading well I had to have an injection of dye film to assist it – of which they said there would be no after effects. My results for this and the 24 hour monitor I had are to follow.

Early on Saturday I went along for my first vaccine jab. When it came to my turn the nurse was worried when I told her I’d had the heart scan jab the previous day – she said they normally have to wait 72 hours before giving another type of jab. I was of course a little alarmed by this. However, a very nice doctor was called and I explained what I had done at the hospital and she was all ok with it – the doctor informed me I had not a vaccine treatment of any sort  but a contrast dye for the scan – so thankfully I was able to have the vaccine jab.

All this did make me a bit anxious and  I was then told to wait half an hour instead of 15 minutes as most people after the jab -just to make sure I was all ok. I biked home much relived. The actual vaccine process was superbly organised and it makes me well up thinking of all the kindness that was shown by the nurses and all the amazing volunteers. My arm has been a bit sore but I have felt fine. Again, may I say a massive thank you to the wonderful NHS, staff , doctors and volunteers.

The road map out of Lockdown announced on Monday for England is encouraging although much caution needs to exercised. It wont change too much here for a good while – Janet is back at pre school and I am as busy as ever with a fair bit of plate spinning going on to manage a few ongoing projects.

Not least of which is the updated expanded and revised Evenings With Led Zeppelin book. Mike and I are incredible excited and privileged to be bringing this substantial new work to fruition. More on all this as it unfolds…

Thanks for listening – stay safe and well you very lovely people…