Well I survived  the Wallbanager day out – my good friend Phil lasted until 5pm before he asked the customary question ‘’Where’s my Earls Court tapes? ( Haven’t found them yet but the search is on)

It was back in Bedford at midnight and then (rather foolishly) a curry to finish – bed at 2am, up at 5am work at 7. Don’t ask me how. Then it was back to reality the next afternoon with Spurs dismal result at Man United. Then we were a minute off giving them a scare on Saturday.

Maybe Bonzo had it right after all… football is a load of old bollocks….no on second thoughts, the jury’s out on that until the Carling Cup Final!

Elsewhere there’s been Jimmy’s activity in Japan to check out,Robert at MSG and Jonesy’s Grammy news and a mountain of CD’s and stuff to catch up on including Zep’s Paris ‘69 radio broadcast, Vashti Bunyan’s excellent 60’s compilation Some Thing’s Just Stick In Your Mind, and the David Crosby /Graham Nash 1972 album re- issue lovingly packaged on Atlantic with a sleeve note from Ahmet (there’s just no getting away from the late great man), the latter was a purchase made after 3 pints of fosters around 3pm in London last Friday. A wise if not entirely sober choice.   

Which brings us to February. I can’t let the welcome arrival of February 2008 pass (January’s: don’t you just hate ‘em), without mentioning another milestone. For it’s 20 years ago on February 3 1988 that Gary Foy uttered the immortal words to me “Are You Dave Lewis?”

The place was the famous Marquee Club when it was at 90 Wardour Street. The occasion Robert Plant’s Now And Zen press gig . Had I lied and said ”No that’s not me mate”‘, well fate would have dictated many things. Not least the fact that our respective bank balances would have been more intact over the years. As it was the result of that first meet led on to many things, not least GF’s marriage to the good lady Carol (and indeed a lovely son in Jimmy) a relationship borne out of a subsequent TBL meet up before a Plant gig in 1993. The celebrated boy Foy has been a constant companion and inspiration on many a Zep related sketch since that day in 1988. His duties and crimes as integral member of the TBL crew have included everything from clearing up the vomit of a renowned Led Zep roadie, buying three fan belts to fix his car on our way back from a Plant gig in Warwick, wearing a silly Turkish hat at a time of particular stress for the TBL editor in Istanbul, giving me a rib crunching bear hug when Jimmy and Robert struck up Wearing And Tearing at Knebworth in 1990 – to name but a few of many hilarious/perilous encounters we have shared all in the name of Led Zep.

In all seriousness, his contribution to keeping this web site and the TBL magazine on track is and has been immense. The fact that I answered ‘’Yes that’s me’’ to his question on that fateful evening in the Marquee has led to a friendship graced with immeasurable generosity and loyalty on his part that has considerably enriched my life and enjoyment of this thing that first bound us together.

20 years gone…..to paraphrase Robert’s words at Earls Court “It’s been a lifetime and yet a second”

Mate…. Happy anniversary – Eye thank yew. You are a diamond geezer. I’m sure everyone who knows him will be of the same opinion