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 iconic Royal Albert Hall show. They were also pretty amazing at their first of 16 memorable appearances at the LA Forum in March 1970.  Some correspondence from Jukka Viitasaari in Finland also had me searching out the Helsinki show.  Oh yes, 1970 new decade new directions. A fantastic era and for the teenage DL an era of much wonderment. Amazing to think I was coming up to the age Adam is now back then.

Think you know Led Zeppelin?…well so did I, but after reading Mike’s exhaustive TBL January to April 1970 text, I now also know the name of the cinema the boys went to watch the Woodstock movie at after a show in April 70, plus the name of the venue that hosted a Minnesota North Stars hockey play off game on the afternoon and a Zep performance in the evening, and the name of the only band to support Zep at an indoor show that year …all this and so much more coming in TBL 26 – Think you know Led Zeppelin? Tight But Loose will tell you more – subscribe now. This is the last few days of the £5 off the Over Europe book offer so do it by the end of the weekend.       

I should have known better than to get a little over confident at half time during the Spurs v Leeds cup tie. With Spurs 1-0 up I cheekily rang my good friend and Leeds fan Terry Boud to play him a little burst of  ‘’Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur’’.  As he put it ‘’It isn’t over until the fat lady sings’’…alas it wasn’t and that will teach me to get cocky. It just doesn’t pay when you’re a Spurs fan, for once again it was a game of under achievement. Leeds worrying drew level and even when we went 2-1 up it still looked shaky. However a last minute penalty for Leeds to draw the tie was the ultimate irony and we will have to go through the torture of a replay at Elland Road next week where they will be well up for it. Yes Terry you got the last laugh on that one and Mr Wade you’ll be pleased too. At least I got a beer out of  Terry afterwards.

Sticking with the sporting theme,  I’m not a big fan of rugby but when the BBC played a few vintage clips of the rugby commentator Bill McLaren in tribute to his sad passing last week, it took me right back to Dents Road on a Saturday afternoon during the late 60’s early 70’s. My late Dad being a Welshman was a big rugby man and I can recall many a Saturday afternoon watching the Welsh battle for the Triple Crown as it was then, with the likes of Gareth Edwards and Barry John flying through the pack. All eloquently observed by dear Bill. He once described the ball on a particularly wet and muddy pitch as being like ‘’a slippery trout’’. Yes he had a way with words did Bill. A true master of sporting oratory.

It’s funny how a broadcast voice from the past can take you to where you’ve been. The late great DJ Alan ‘’Fluff ‘’ Freeman (of Earls Court May 25th fame ‘’You and I are here tonight because we have great taste’’) inspires similar memories because if I hadn’t been watching the rugby on a Saturday afternoon with my Dad, I’d have been in my bedroom tuned to Fluff’s  Saturday rock show with, as he would put it on any given week ‘’A bit of ELP, some Yes, Groundhogs, Jethro Tull and the mighty Led Zeppelin’’

I’d love to hear some original tapes of those memorable radio shows.

Nice to have Gary Foy drop by yesterday. Aside from the obvious Zep playbacks, we had a nostalgic look at the 1998 Page & Plant TV appearances that back then had us trailing the boys from Elstree to TFI in Hammersmith and at White City for Later with Jools. Oh how we laughed at our younger selves nodding along to the very fine Shining In The Light. Mr Foy is particularly in view to the right behind the amp on the Later appearance as this you tube clip demonstrates: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ZzYpef5kM

The Wallbanger 5 in Islington – Combined Led Zeppelin gigs attended = 29 

Dec (3),DL (15) Tom (9) Phil (2)

I’m London bound tomorrow for the annual Wallbanger get together with  Bedford Earls Court/Knebworth vets Dec, Phil and Tom plus Max (he’s just slightly younger but has clocked Mr Plant twice with us). It’s the day we come away from the daily slog to visit the local hostelries of Islington .Talk will inevitably get around to that second row of seats Dec sorted for us by queuing all night outside Earls Court, I’m sure we will discuss Dec’s new book on New Order he is about to bring to fruition (more on that soon), and there will be photo evidence on the table of how we once stalked Bedford’s green and unpleasant football pitches as the mighty Wallbangers FC 1976-1981. A hangover is pretty much assured but for one day of the year it’s worth it.

Above: Wallbanger 5 in Islington doing what they do best…hangovers beckoning

Shame Zep were not doing an acoustic set in early 1970 as even I might have trouble sustaining a fully fledged How Many More Times from that hallowed era come Saturday morning. In my likely fragile state I think it’ll be strictly acoustic accompaniment on the playlist (Side 2 Zep 3 should fit the bill), for a few hours at least.