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BONHAM-BULLICK NEW CD EP PRE ORDER DETAILS /LED ZEPPELIN 1- IT WAS 52 YEARS AGO/LZ NEWS/TBL LED ZEP 1975 US TOUR SNAPSHOT/MY 7 NIGHTS WITH ZEP IN 1977/DL DIARY BLOG UPDATE

28 January 2021 1,906 views 2 Comments

Latest Deborah Bonham & Pete Bullick news…an essential purchase for a very good cause…and no doubt more great Bonham-Bullick music…

SEE YOU AGAIN’ CDEP

Pre Order the New CDEP to be Released 7th FEB 2021

From the forthcoming BONHAM-BULLICK Album

On 7th February 2021 Deborah Bonham and Peter Bullick will release a very special CDEP titled ‘See You Again’, in advance of their forthcoming album ‘Bonham-Bullick’. This record will not only be released on Deborah’s birthday, but £1 from the sale of each copy will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust in the name of the John Bonham Memorial, helping to fund Outreach Nurses.

All Pre-orders will receive a personalised signed copy when released.

Thank you so much for all your support.

Pre order at the link below:

www.deborahbonham.com

Also available:

NEW ‘BONHAM-BULLICK’ T-SHIRT

£15 UK, £18 EU, £20 Rest of the World inc postage

Order at the link below:

http://www.deborahbonham.com

 

DEBORAH BONHAM 2021 LIVE DATES

(Circumstances permitting, please check with venue closer to time)

12 June FESTIVAL PEROUGES Printemps de Pérouges (01), France

Bonham-Bullick, Phil Campbell, Chris Slade

www.festival-perouges.org

18 June TBC Chambéry (73) France

21 Aug ASTONBURY FESTIVAL Aston, Oxfordshire UK

www.astonbury-festival.co.uk

9 Oct CARLISLE BLUES FESTIVAL Carlisle UK

More Dates To Be Confirmed


Led Zeppelin 1 – it was 52 years ago this week.. to mark the 52nd anniversary of the debut Led Zeppelin here’s some facts, figures and thoughts on it all…

January 20, 1969 – Led Zeppelin debut album released:

Despite often being attributed to either Sunday, January 12, 1969 or Friday, January 17, 1969, the correct “official” release date of the debut album might well have been Monday, January 20, 1969. As Mike Tremaglio flagged to me – this release date was referenced in an Atlantic Records memo accompanying white label advance LPs issued to radio stations by June Harris on December 30, 1968.

The album debuted on the Billboard charts at #99 on February 15, 1969 and peaked at #10 on May 17, 1969. It managed to stay in the top twenty LPs for 30 consecutive weeks, from March 8, 1969 through September 27, 1969

Many thanks Mike for that info.

Here’s one of the first reviews of the album:

January 25, 1969 – Press Review:

Go magazine (first album review):

Led Zeppelin (Atlantic): This is the new group that Jimmy Page has formed after the demise of The Yardbirds. Their first album is a blockbuster. The sound centers around hard, tough blues. You can’t help getting caught up in its excitement and drive. The one track on the album which really spotlights the group and what it’s going to do is Babe I’m Gonna Leave You. It’s a beautiful hard blues piece which has a mesmerizing quality. Led Zeppelin is something you shouldn’t miss.

 

 

 

On on the player…

…thoughts on listening to Led Zeppelin I:

GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES
At two minutes, 43 seconds, this is a perfectly compact overture to set the scene. Bonham and Jones hold down a powerful and inventive rhythm section, and when the time comes, Jimmy flexes the Telecaster (played through a Leslie speaker to create that soaring effect) in a late Yardbirds-era fashion. From the onset though, it’s Robert Plant’s vocal that strikes home instantly. He executes all manner of vocal somersaults with the lyric but never loses control. Bonham’s intricate bass drum patterns, the rolling bass lines from Jones and Page’s fluttering guitar solo were all applied with a gusto that still completely overwhelms. Memories of the 02…

BABE I’M GONNA LEAVE YOU
Within three minutes of this album playing we have an acoustic guitar – proof that this band were not going to be all about Marshall amplifiers. The tension here is tangible – the first flowering of light and shade – there would be much more to come…

YOU SHOOK ME

Willie Dixon’s’ blues played with what was then a new found dynamism. The expansiveness of the whole sound here is still incredible. An early example of Jimmy’s mastery of the studio. From Jones’ swirling organ through Plant’s harmonica wailing to the point where Jimmy’s solo cascades around Bonzo’s stereo panned tom-tom attack, this is prime vintage Zeppelin. And the final incessant by-play between Page and Plant that leads out of the track is a another masterful production technique, and one that would be further emphasized on stage.

DAZED AND CONFUSED
Straight into Dazed…based on Jake Holmes original composition. As we all know Jimmy and co were not adverse to borrowing a few licks here and there as much as they were often derivative it always came out sounding completely fresh. Again the interplay amongst them all is just breathtakingly….flippin heck they were good….

Turn over…side two…

YOUR TIME IS GONNA COME

Electric guitars, acoustic guitars and then church like Hammond organ and what an intro…

This showcases how important John Paul Jones was going to be – beautiful acoustic guitar overtones, incredible vocal, John Bonham so inventive in his playing…and that heavy chorus – not to mention some sublime pedal steel guitar – they just had everything….

BLACK MOUNTAIN SIDE

The fade into this is another stunning moment. The melody on this Page virtuoso acoustic guitar instrumental owes more than a passing nod to a traditional folk song sung in the folk clubs by Anne Briggs. It was recorded by both John Renbourn, and Bert Jansch, The piece also featured a rare cameo appearance from tabla player Viram Jasani.

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
Bang….Communication Breakdown – the energy is just phenomenal – come on! Punk Rock before it was invented..
I will never ever forget them performing this in front of my very eyes as a surprise encore on the final night at Earls Court….

I CAN’T QUIT YOU BABY
Crystal clear ambient sound here – John Bonham right upfront in the mix… Jimmy is just incredible …

HOW MANY MORE TIMES

That jazz intro is another moment as is Jimmy’s slashing wah wah – and then it’s off into all manner of fun…Oh Rosie ,The Hunter..phew!.

SUMMARY:

52 years on this album has lost none of its unique power. Led Zeppelin would go on to make more inventive and adventurous records but this first recorded statement is a blueprint for what would follow.

 

You can never have too much of a great thing:

Some of the Led Zeppelin I pressings I’ve accumulated over the years.

A truly iconic sleeve design and a truly iconic album – now all of 52 years old and sounding as fresh as ever…go and play it now and I think you will agree….

Dave Lewis – January  28,2021


 

 

 

 


Led Zeppelin News Update:

In conjunction with the Led Zep news site, each week I will be re- producing highlights from their email update news summary. This goes out periodically. Sign up details are below. Many thanks to James Cook.

Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page

Robert Plant

  • Robert Plant was photographed at the Wolverhampton Wanderers versus West Bromwich Albion football match on January 16. See the photo here.

Upcoming events:

April 17 – Ross Halfin’s book “Led Zeppelin Vinyl: The Essential Collection” will be released by Reel Art Press.
June 18-20 – Robert Plant will perform as part of Saving Grace at the Black Deer festival in Kent.
September 25 – The 2021 John Bonham celebration event will be held in Redditch.

Led Zeppelin News Update:

For all the latest Zep and related news check out the Led Zeppelin news website at:

http://ledzepnews.com/


TBL Archive Special: 

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Number Three & Four

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot Three:

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 29 1975

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

THE 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/How Many More Times/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Black Dog/Communication Breakdown.

Something of lacklustre performance. The strain was showing with Jimmy, John Paul and Bonzo having risen very early and flown coast to coast (against the time changes) from Los Angeles to reach Greensboro in time. Robert, who flew in from Chicago, would probably have benefited from another day in bed. The show is now condensed even further by the removal of ‘The Wanton Song’ from the set list. Levee has also been dropped.

Chris Charlesworth remembers the aftermath:  “About five hundred fans attempted to storm the rear of the building, throwing broken bottles, stones and pieces of scaffolding. Three of the group’s five limousines were severely damaged, and the drivers of the other two – which were parked inside the building – wanted to take their cars away. Peter Grant wasn’t having that… oh no! He actually offered to buy them on the spot for cash, but after a ‘discussion’ the drivers had no alternative but to let him have them.

“The group and entourage had to make a very quick getaway within seconds of the final encore. Grant took the wheel of the first limo with the band and Richard Cole inside, and everybody else piled into the second. With a Police escort, sirens blazing, at speeds of up to 70 mph in a heavily built-up area, Grant led the way, driving through red lights and on the wrong side of the road.

“It was incredible to be involved in scenes like that… Peter was just unflappable. When we got to the plane he got out and kicked the car really hard. ‘Fucking useless pile of junk!’ he shouted. ‘Way off tune… my old Bently goes twice as fast!’ We all just stood there laughing… totally exhilerated by it all. Then we flew back to New York and the band checked in the Plaza. It was a very tiring day. Unforgettable!”

Snapshot Listen – how it sounds now: 

I have this recording on the Footstomping Graffiti double CD (No label). Noisy but fairly clear audience tape.

Lacklustre at times but still some inspired moments. Robert is clearly struggling which is evident in his between song patter -his voice is straining even when talking.  Jimmy takes a while to get in the swing but is well on it by No Quarter which now running at 16 minutes and heading for greatness (Jimmy’s finger is cool” says Plant defiantly at one point).

The new material goes down well with Trampled particularly vibrant. At 18 minutes, Moby Dick provides a rest for Page and Plant (”John Bonham Moby Dick – Mr Physical Graffiti!” How Many More Times has a few elements of Dazed creeping in. Stairway again proves it’s worth and is something of a saving grace. Whole Lotta Love/Black Dog and Communication Breakdown ( the latter with Jimmy thrashing the hell out of the wah wah pedal) provide a valiant encore finale…and valiant is a good description overall for another challenging performance, given the physical drawbacks they were experiencing.

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot Four:

FRIDAY JANUARY 31 1975

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

OLYMPIA STADIUM

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/How Many More Times (inc. The Hunter – The Lemon Song)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Black Dog.

“Good evening! It’s our great pleasure to be just about back!” Plant’s opening comment sums up the gig quite accurately. The band were slowly returning to form.

”Tonight we intend to cover the spectrum of a lot of the varying music that we’ve been doing for the last seven years. As we go though this spectrum we want to include some of the new stuff from Physical Graffiti, the LP that comes out soon” (love Robert’s use of the word LP – so quaint).

Plant explains the problem with Jimmy’s finger and joked that… “The bone on his wedding ring finger is bust and that’s a real drag because if he was to get married now, he couldn’t get a ring on”. Bonzo was introduced tonight, as he would be many times on the tour, as “Mr Ultraviolence!”, a reference to the Clockwork Orange style suits that both he and his assistant Mick Hinton wore throughout the tour. This is preceded by Plant’s claim that John is ”The man who made Led Zeppelin a legend.”

Snapshot Listen – how it sounds now: 

From the double CD Just About Back – a slightly muffled audience tape but good for the time. The title deriving from Plant’s opening comments ”It’s our great pleasure to be just about back”. Just about back they are with the similar problems from Greensboro in evidence. This though is an altogether livelier showing – Page is particularly inventive on Over The Hills and despite the vocal range shortcomings, Plant attacks In My Time Of Dying and Kashmir with much verve. How Many More Times has it’s final delivery and it’s a solid free flowing performance. All roads would now lead back to the Garden as New York was the next stop off – and when it came to New York, well they were all no doubt aware that they had a reputation to maintain…

DL

Summary: I’m with TBL contributor Andy Crofts view that the January 1975  Zep shows, though far from perfect, offer some quirky unusual set lists and performances. Here’s what Andy said in his piece on the tour in TBL 36- plus his ten notable moments listing from this period:

In my opinion Led Zeppelin’s  January 1975 performances have had a lot if unfair bad press. Musically the band  are fine, and they show us the kind of gig the band had in mind before the reality of touring the US in 1975 got the better of them. If they are rusty, they are also working hard, to put on a professional show each night. To my ear, these shows ‘cut the crap’ in the same way that they band would do – and stick to – in 1980. It makes for a refreshing listen and a fine contrast to the grandstanding that begins to take over once they reach Madison Square Garden in February….of which more next time.

Meanwhile, my advice is that you search out some of these January 1975 performances and prepare to be surprised that far from being overly sick again…Led Zeppelin were often on a very favourable night flight

Ten Notable Moments from January 1975:

Here are ten notable performances from January 1975 that demonstrate the band striving to give it their all after a lengthy period away from the stage……and despite some physical restrictions.

greens one

January 12th (Brussels): When The Levee Breaks.

Ok, it doesn’t quite work, but this is by far the best chance to hear this song live.

January 12th (Brussels): The Song Remains The Same

The drums are off at the beginning, but it soon settles down into a fast-paced and well-controlled version.

January 12th (Brussels): The Wanton Song

Another rare one. It’s a shame they dropped it. This version is strongly played and sung, and the solo – while varying from the album version – gets better the more I listen.

January 22nd (Chicago): How Many More Times

Probably the best version of this for 1975, and certainly the best sounding. Jimmy and Robert work together well here, just like the old days, a fact acknowledged by Robert at the end.

January 22nd (Chicago): Stairway To Heaven

The recording has a few glitches, but this is a fine version, with Plant making a big effort and a scorching guitar solo.

January 22nd (Chicago): Communication Breakdown

They didn’t play this much after January, replacing it with the more complex Heartbreaker. This is a strong, fun version with a funky Crunge-like middle section.

January 24th (Cleveland): No Quarter

I’ve picked this one because I really like the guitar solo; inventive and in places quite Floyd-like. The shorter versions of this song always pack more punch for me.

January 29th (Greesnboro): Whole Lotta Love/Black Dog

I couldn’t resist one from Greensboro. Whole Lotta Love is still a mere intro, but Black Dog is well sung, and Jimmy’s guitar is spot on.

January 31st (Detroit): Over The Hills And Far Away

Any version of this from 1975 is on the money, to be honest. I like this one for the solo; Jimmy isn’t flawless but he is energetic and inventive.

January 31st (Detroit): The Rain Song

A beautifully clear version, well played and sung.

Sources: these are the underground titles used as sources – note there are a fair few variations and differing versions of these dates on CD.

January 12th (Brussels) :  Belgian Triple

January 22nd (Chicago): Windy City Tapes Vol.3

January 24th (Cleveland): Ultravilence

January 29th (Greesnboro):. A Quick Getaway

January 31st (Detroit): Tune Up

Compiled by Andy Crofts – extract from TBL 36.

TBL Led Zep ’75 Snapshot – To be continued…


TBL Archive Special:

My Seven nights with Led Zep in 1977

Led-Zep-Bedford02

Led Zeppelin (on film) at the Granada Bedford January 1977.

The young DL gazes adoringly at the poster outside the Granada Cinema Bedford January 1977 – no prizes for guessing where this poster ended up – you got it – on my bedroom wall…

44 years ago this week  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 I needed to be there every night. Simple as that.

Now this event in the life of this then 20 year old Zep fanatic was big news. I’d already seen the film six times before Christmas, the first three nights in London including the premiere plus screenings in Cambridge.

Now I had the luxury of walking from my home in Dents Road to Bedford High Street every night for seven days to view it at the local Granada cinema. This long since knocked down theatre was a grand old building that alongside its cinema presentations was a stop off for the many pop group package shows of the 1960s. It played host to The Beatles twice and Jimi Hendrix. In April 1964 the seven year old DL witnessed his first ever gig there featuring The Dave Clark Five.

The whole week was a total blast as various friends and relations joined my then girlfriend Fiona (who I have kept in contact with over the years and met up with twice in the past year) and me in seeing just what all this Zeppelin film fuss was about. My good friends (and past Earls Court and future Knebworth companions) Tom Locke and Dec came along on the opening Sunday where we stayed for the 4pm and 7pm shows. Luckily there was no Wallbangers football match that day to get in the way.

No Monday morning feeling that week either. Absolutely not. A day in the WH Smith shop selling the records and tapes of choice to the Bedford public and then the nightly prospect of 137 minutes of Zep up on the big screen. It was pure heaven. Bedford Earls Court/Knebworth crew member Phil Harris was with us on the Tuesday night and another Bedford Zep fan and Wallbanger player Nick Crawley  came along as well. Dec was back on Wednesday and again on the Friday where we sat through the afternoon and evening screenings.

Dec was also with me a year later when we made two bus rides in driving snow to see the film at Western Favell in Northampton. Now that’s what I call comradeship!

Here’s the line up on the local cinema circuit for that memorable week of January 23,1977. With all the Zep screenings, there was no time to check out the double X sex bill!

On the Thursday my late Mum and late sister came along to find out just exactly what it was that so inspired the junior one of the family. A lovely touch. This week of weeks ended on the Saturday and not even a family marriage could get in the way. My cousin was getting married that day but we still managed to sneak out of the reception for two hours to attend the final showing (viewing number nine for the week!) By then the manager of the Granada had seen our many visits and gave us free tickets. We even made the local press putting the record straight about some errors in the local review.

It was an incredible week looking back and it set the year up a treat. I did actually go down with glandular fever not long afterwards which is another story for another day. What we all wanted of course, was to see Led Zeppelin back onstage –the nearest I got to them was the hour I spent at Heathrow Airport on May 17 as they flew out for the second leg of the US tour.

It was to be another two years before the glory of Knebworth.

In between all that I went on to see The Song Remains film around 30 times in UK cinemas from 1976 to 1979. It was the next best thing during their enforced absence. These excursions to see the film included the aforementioned bus ride out with Dec to Western Favell shopping centre near  Northampton on a snowy January night in 1978 and a late night showing in Luton when it followed a porn film – I kid you not!  I also saw it a fair few times at a small cinema near Wardour Street in London called The Essential. This was an art house cinema that regularly aired rock films of the day.

The arrival of the video age of course would soon make it much easier to view. I  invested in a bootleg copy in early 1981 – not of brilliant quality but it had to be had!

It can now be viewed at the click of a YouTube link – the thought that one day the footage would be easily accessible on a mobile phone would have seen astonishingly futuristic back in that memorable week of January 1977.

As much as it’s great to have such easy access to it – it will never be quite as rewarding or exciting as those seven trips I made into Bedford St Peters Street  during that week way back in 1977. It was like having the band live down the road available at will for a nightly fix. Seven nights in 1977…what a week that was…

Dave Lewis – January 28,2021


DL Diary Blog Update:

Friday January 22:

It was 48 years ago today…

On the player…

The rather brilliant bootleg double album One More Night -Live at Southampton. As recorded on this day at Southampton University.

It includes a rare for the era live performance of How Many More Times…my they were good that night –this is one I would have loved to have been at…

Thankfully it was all captured on this superb soundboard recording and it’s right up there in my all time fave Zep concerts listing…

Saturday Janaury 23:

Saturday is platterday:

On the player Cream Disraeli Gears – after watching the excellent Classic albums documentary on Sky Arts last night had to pull this one out..Eric, Jack and Ginger – what a band they were…

Saturday is platterday:

On the player the recent Black Friday Record Store Day 12 inch single release of Fleetwood Mac’s Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) this 12 inch single has Mick Fleetwood And Friends live version from the concert at the London Palladium last February staged to celebrate the music of Peter Green and the early years of Fleetwood Mac –a gig I would have loved to have been at.

Side B has the original 1970 studio version released as a single which I purchased at the time plus a live version. All fantastic versions…

Saturday is platterday:

My second vinyl record purchase of the year and it’s a nostalgic one:

A new repackage of the Fireball XL5 theme tune sung by Don Spencer and The XL5..

The original of this released on the HMV label was the first single I owned aged 6 in 1963 -I still have it of course….

Fireball XL5 was one of the early UK TV puppet series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and a forerunner to the legendary Thunderbirds series.

This new repackage on the Silva screen label adds Zero G by Barry Gray and his Spacemakers – a fast paced suitably futuristic sax led instrumental.

The single comes pressed on a limited edition transparent orange vinyl version and is housed in a full colour sleeve.

Both sides are credited as being composed and arranged by Barry Gray and recorded at Olympic Studios in London. This is of course the studio Jimmy Page selected for the then newly formed Led Zeppelin to record their first album in September and October of 1968

All wonderfully nostalgic – I only have to hear Don Spencer’s opening line ‘I wish I was a spaceman, fastest guy alive’ and I am right back in front of the black and white TV screen staring in wonderment at the space age antics of Steve Zodiac ,his glamorous assistant Venus and Robert The Robot…

Thanks to my fellow record collecting enthusiast Lee Abrahams for informing me of this superb re-release…

Sunday January 24:

Sunday Sounds on CD:

Loading up the Free Live in Stockholm December 1970 CD – a great line up on this and many thanks to Paul Sheppard for this one…

………………..

42 years on from the TBL issue 1 advert – some thoughts and reflections…here’s a longer version of my thoughts and reflections piece that was featured here last week –  I put this on my Facebook page last Saturday…

It was 42 years ago this week …

42 years on from the TBL issue 1 advert – some thoughts and reflections…

42 years ago this week, I placed a series of adverts in the UK music press for the first issue of Tight But Loose, a Led Zeppelin fanzine/magazine I had created out of pure love and enthusiasm for the group’s music and world.

This one here was in the January 20 1979 issue of Sounds music paper. The TBL ad appears right at the bottom of the page under Special Notices.

From a 13 word three line advert, small acorns were planted…I am pleased to say the response was excellent and TBL was up and running.

I am not sure if The Three Degrees fan club is still going but I am still out there…

42 years on, that enthusiasm for my musical passion is there every morning I wake up. Those that follow my Facebook page will know, my day will commence with me posting acknowledgments of relevant musician’s Birthdays and passing’s plus seeking inspiring tracks to post via YouTube clips.

Reproducing retro charts and adverts from my archive, presenting what’s on my player here (Saturday is platterday etc.), recounting my thoughts on my record and CD acquisitions- advising on screenings of rock programmes on BBC 4/Sky Arts , the regular updating of my Led Zep TBL website, the TBL archive pieces I present and my book projects and written work.

All these declarations of my passion are lifelines to me, particularly now in this very difficult time where face to face social contact is not possible.

Though the motivation to do so is sometimes disappointingly side-lined by the arrival of the black dog of depression I encounter, it’s never about the lack of intention. I need to do these things.

There’s always music in our world with the good lady Janet here and lots of it and no doubt if you are reading this – yours too. With the increasingly perilous Covid situation, it’s something to hang on to – some much needed salvation in the face of adversity.

As Nick Hornby once said ”record stores can’t save your life but they can give you a better one” and even though under the current restrictions, we cannot visit record stores, music is still hugely accessible – be it by click and collect, online ordering, via YouTube, downloads and more.

I of course, love the tangible aspect of records and CDs of which I am lucky to be surrounded by a fair few. There’s no shortage of choice and as we all know, music can transport us back to past times and I revel in that constantly.

It’s the soundtrack to my life and every record in my collection tells a story.

Reading about music has been another lifelong indulgence and for me that soaking up the monthly publishing fixes of Record Collector. Mojo, Uncut, Shindig and Classic Rock is always a tonic. .

There’s further inspiration to be had by the fact that some of my favourite veteran artists are making some of their best records of recent times – witness the recent Dylan, Springsteen and McCartney albums. Others are choosing this time for reflect and revive some of their past triumphs – Robert Plant ,The Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens and Elton John to name but a few.

For a man prone to deep anxiety and depression, my musical obsession helps in no small way to preserve my mental wellbeing. I am sure I am not the only one.

Given that we can no longer indulge in the face to face activity that we once took for granted – and for me that would involve my weekly visits to the Vinyl Barn, record fairs, Pete’s record club, the Esquires music quiz, live gigs, London meets at The Spice of Life, socialising in the pub etc.

Sadly as we are all experiencing, these things cannot happen as they did and there has to be an acceptance to that.

Therefore, the outlet of my Facebook page and the TBL website is increasingly important to me.

Writing about music, sharing my experiences with it, feeding off the experiences and opinions of others – as I do with many of you here (notably this past week with Steve Livesley, Paul Sheppard, Guy Dangelo and Patrick Humphries – thank you folks.)

All this has defined who I am for decades and continues to do so. Once it was from behind the counter of the record shops I worked in for 35 years –now it’s mainly online but just as important.

In short, it’s in my DNA. Of course chronicling the world of Led Zeppelin and all that revolves around it, has been central to my musical obsession for over 50 years and continues to be – indeed I hope to be announcing my latest Zep/TBL project soon.

In these incredibly difficult times all this acts as a diversion and hopefully an inspiration to other like-minded souls.

Looking at that quaint TBL issue 1 advert today, reminded me of the original TBL remit: to present my thoughts on their music and in doing so, develop a platform of communication between fellow enthusiasts.

In a constantly challenging and fearful world, it’s a source of much wonder and gratitude that those aspirations still prevail….

Thanks for listening

Dave Lewis – January 23, 2021

Update here:

Like countless others, I was deeply saddened on Tuesday  when it was revealed the UK death toll due to the Coronavirus pandemic had reached over 100,000. It’s been hard to comprehend and the aftermath of that news has been distressing – my mood dipped considerably and it’s been an effort to get motivated. I often find myself crying quietly for a bit in the early mornings – a combination of emotions that wash over me – sadness, regret, hope and gratitude…

As the opening track on Deja Vu states – we have to carry on and there’s a lot going on here as I research a few ongoing projects. Janet has been full on at the pre school. She has a call from the physio next week and will be looking for some advice with her leg ongoing as it’s been a troublesome in the past month. I have a visit to the hospital next Thursday to have a 24 hour ECG recording device fitted to monitor my heart rate. I am anxious about that but it has to be done.

As ever there has been some musical salvation – here’s some particular tracks that have been getting us through…

Robert Plant – Colour of A Shade

Jefferson Airplane – Wooden Ships

Sandy Denny – Full Moon

John Lennon  – Hold On

Bruce Springsteen – Night Of A Thousand Guitars

Cat Stevens – Moon shadow

Robert Wyatt – Shipbuilding

Fleetwood Mac – Oh Well Parts 1 and 2

Led Zeppelin – Ramble On

Cream – White Room

Fireball XL5 Theme – Don Spencer

Some particular inspirations this past week…

Reading David Stark’s book It’s All Too Much – Adventures of a Teenage Beatles fan in the 60s and beyond…

Watching the excellent It’s A Sin on Channel 4…

Watching the brilliant Classic Albums Cram Disraeli Gears on Sky Arts…

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

Dave  Lewis – January 28, 2021

Until next time, stay safe and stay well…

Website updates written and compiled by Dave Lewis

Follow TBL/DL on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/tightbutloose.loose

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2 Comments »

  • Chris Cook said:

    Hi Dave
    thanks as ever for your writings.

    Have you seen this? i think it’s ‘up there’ in the pantheon of Led Zep covers!

    The Louisville Leopard Percussionists with their great tribute to Led Zeppelin

    https://www.themusicman.uk/the-leopards/?fbclid=IwAR2Tz6iyhaisi6nOARxEONOQ8IWds-lwxLN6HFcE2N2-KQNIUIr8wLagL9g

    bon courage from France

    Chris

  • Charles Tattersall said:

    Dave I certainly agree about the raw power of the first Zeppelin album, I feel the same about the first Santana album which is also fairly ferocious! One thing that puzzles me a bit is why Robert’s vocals are a bit buried on the albums from Physical Graffiti onwards. I was listening to ‘In the Evening’ and realised that I can only really make out the lyrics in the choruses. When I checked the full lyrics on the internet I realised that they are really worth hearing! Of course his voice also works great as an instrument in itself, but I would be tempted to do a bit of remixing.

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