Stage diving not advised for those in their mid 50’s…

Fifty flippin’ five….

I was 15 years old when I first saw Led Zeppelin live…18 when I saw them play five nights at Earls Court… 23 when I was over Europe …28 when I wrote my first Zep book The Final Acclaim (it wasn’t of course!)…39 when Page & Plant did the Unledded tour…51 when they reunited at the 02…

Is there a pattern developing here? Yes key Zep landmarks have marked much of these nigh on 55 years alongside of course my precious family ones…(Sam being born the same day as I saw Robert at Hammersmith Odeon…Adam arriving 15 days after the Wembley Page & Plant shows). Oops -they even got in on those acts!

So here I am at 55 as of Monday September 5th 2011.

My passion for music remains undimmed – if anything it’s more  consuming than ever. On the occasion of reaching my mid fifties (ooeer that sounds quite an age) I thought it would be an idea to quantify what this passion is all about.

At the centre of it all is of course Led Zeppelin and all its many offshoots. Alongside all that  well there’s a whole host of other bands and artists I crave. I have to admit this mainly centres on heritage rock acts. My tastes were formulated in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s and have remained pretty constant ever since.

I put Zep’s music in a category of its own – way beyond their so called peers.

Looking back the whole heavy metal thing passed me by totally – In fact I’d admit to being something of a heavy metal snob in the 80s and 90s. Led Zeppelin were from the rock era and I had no desire to hear what I felt in the main to be mere copyists – in retrospect a bit of a narrow minded.view. With that in mind, my good friend Terry will site various big namers who’s music has passed me by – notably Rush and Thunder.

For me it’s about songs, vocalists, emotion, composition, dynamics, light and shade… So you won’t’ find any new wave of British heavy metal around these parts… but you will find Led Zeppelin and related artists/The Who/Beatles/Rolling Stones/Rod/Faces/Bob Dylan/Nick Drake/C, S, & N, Jethro Tull/Free/Bad Co/Yes/Fairport Convention/Sandy Denny/Joni Mitchell/ Dusty Springfield/ David Bowie/T Rex/Pete Townshend/Humble Pie/Allman Brothers/Pink Floyd/Cat Stevens/BCC/George Harrison/McCartney/Wings/Traffic/Blind Faith/Derek & The Dominoes/Donovan/Family/Ronnie Wood/Mott The Hoople/ELP/Elvis Presley/Frank Sinatra/Miles Davis/Burt Bacharach/Paul Weller/Jam/ etcetc .

I have to admit to also having very little intent to search out new music – preferring a policy of sticking to ‘’I know what I Like.’ ’My good friend Terry again frowns upon this. A rather glib comment I often throw out that ‘’All the best songs have been written’’ similarly guiles him.

The above statement may not be strictly true (Patience by Take That is a good tune –only joking Terry!), however my justification in my sticking with what I know, is that I always have such a massive back log of CDs and LPs to catch up on be it Zep related or beyond –there is just no time to get into new stuff.

For example in my ‘’To listen to’’ pile currently  there’s a couple of recent Band Of Joy gigs (thank you Billy F), a couple of Bowie outtake collections (thank you John P), a live Faces CD, Zep Earls Court May 23rd 75 Rites Of Manhood, Led Zeppelin Montreal World Tour 1975, Fairport Convention Best Of the BBC Sessions and Heyday, John Lennon alternate Plastic Ono Band, Crosby Stills Nash & Young So It Goes live & studio 74), Rolling Stones All Meat Music Live 73,Traffic -Traffic/Lulu The Mickie Most Years, JBLZE Live Houston/Return To The Dark Side Of The Moon Mojo compilation -not to mention around 30 odd vinyl LP acquisitions of the past few months (the recent purchase of a new vinyl record player I hope will rectify that situation when the shelf it needs to go on gets constructed!).  While we are on the subject: one of the joys of recent years has been my rediscovery of the vinyl LP as the essential carrier  of music – both nostalgically and aesthetically.

So there is a heap of stuff to admire and gain inspiration from- all be it by the tried and trusted bands and artists I’ve loved for all these years.

My working in the music retail sector for 35 years did open my ears to a lot of other music I would not have come into contact with. My appreciation of Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis was nurtured during that era. Selling over the counter all the fads of the 70s ,80s and 90s – everything from the Bay City Rollers through the Police, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet,Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys ,and on to the 90s Britpop Blur, Oasis etc, put me in direct line with all that and I have a quaint affection for a fair bit of that stuff –not that I own much of it but if I hear something on the radio from that time it can prompt a warm memory for sure .

Above aged 43 -the glory retail years Our Price Bedford 1999

I also grew up in the glory era of soul and Motown and anything from that period resonates ie Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Supremes, Jackson Five – in fact only last week we attended a hugely enjoyable soul night disco in one of the nearby pubs with our good friends Max and Julie.

Way back in the late 70s I did enjoy the punk onslaught of which the good stuff ie Sex Pistols/Clash still sounds strong. Through my good friend Dec I was also exposed to a lot of the new wave/electronic early 80s movement such as Joy Division/New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes etc.  My collection is also littered with quirky oddities – I have a fair few speech based albums (Kennedy, Churchill,Hancock,That was the Week That Was ) and TV and film collections and soundtracks. I also love those sampler albums from the late 70s such as Island Records You Can All Join In, Nice Enough to eat,Bumpers etc.

So music remains all encompassing. Playing it,writing about it,reading about it- Absolutely so –it’s my DNA –simple as that.

There are a few other passions of course –football –and following the erratic fortunes of Tottenham Hotspur and England , a good old bike ride (my favoured mode of transport) and socialising in the pub with friends – of which I am blessed with having many I have known for decades -and of course catching up with Janet, Adam and Sam -and Janet’s Mum Betty- Their love and inspiration I am eternally grateful for…

Thene there’s the passion of writing about music –more important than ever now as it’s my means of putting food on the table and paying the bills. That of course revolves around chronicling the music of Led Zeppelin of which this past year has seen the publication of three TBL magazines (with a fourth nearly ready to roll) plus the creation of the Feather In The Wind –Led Zeppelin Over Europe 1980 book (and may I once again thank Mick Lowe, Mike Tremaglio and Gary Foy for their unflagging support) and recently The Who feature for Record Collector.

Ahead is the completion of the new TBL – the revamping of the Knebworth book ,ongoing efforts to spread the TBL word and various other projects to kickstart… So it’s ever onward…

Anyway -to mark my coming of mid 50s age…I present ‘’All The Fives At 55’’ – eleven categories of faves –representing 55 at 55. The following are choices were made as I reflected on the many musical highs I’ve been lucky enough to experience. They are the favourite choices of this week – and of course they could change somewhat if I sit down and conduct the same exercise next week. But this will do for today – commencing with…

5 Favourite Led Zeppelin Albums

1: Physical Graffiti

2: Presence

3: Led Zeppelin 3

4: Led Zeppelin 4

5: Led Zeppelin 2

The top two are fairly constant –the remaining three reflecting a current craving for early Zep. All these LP’s have one common denominator. They sound like they were recorded last week – ie fresh and vital…

Below -aged 23 on August 20th 1979 with 6 copies of the newly purchased In Through The Out Door album in the bag…

5: Favourite Led Zeppelin Tracks

1:  Achilles Last Stand

2:  All My Love (extended ending outtake)

3:  In The Light

4:  Ramble On

5:  Out On The Tiles

Again the top two are rooted in the DL Zep pleasure psyche. No Kashmir or Stairway?…Try me again next week…

Aged 18 DL far left in row Block AA row B – Earls Court  May 24th 1975

5 Favourite Led Zeppelin Gigs Attended

1: Earls Court – May 24th 1975

2: Cologne – June 18th 1980

3: Empire Pool Wembley – November 21st 1971

4: Knebworth – August 4th 1979

5: 02 Arena – December 10th 2007

Now that is some line up – defining concerts from the defining band.

5 Favourite Led Zeppelin Bootlegs

1: To Be A Rock & Not To Roll – Earls Court May 24th 1975

2: Live On Blueberry Hill

3: Going To California

4: Listen To This Eddie

5: Live In Japan 1971 -A Cellarful Of Noise

The recorded moments to back up the above statement. More defining performances that offer many examples of the Zep in concert craft.

Favourite Zep Related Solo Albums:

1: Fate Of Nations –Robert Plant

2: Band of Joy –Robert Plant

3: No Quarter Unledded –Jimmy Page & Robert Plant

4: Coverdale –Page –Coverdale Page

5: Zooma –John Paul Jones

Fate is the album I go back to most from the solo output -I think it paved the way for a real purity in his vocal delivery that led to his recent ongoing achievements

Favourite Zep Related Solo Gigs Attended

1: Jimmy Page /Robert Plant Unledded London Studios August 1994

2: Jimmy Page/Robert Plant –Meadowlands Arena April 1995

3:Robert Plant & The Band of Joy –Roundhouse October 2010

4: Jimmy Page –Arms Concert – Royal Albert Hall September 1983

5: Julie Felix &John Paul Jones – Borders April 2002

Below aged 46 with JPJ in Borders book shop Oxford Street April 2002

Some amazing nights in their company…

5 Favourite Non Related Zep Gigs Attended

1: The Who Shepperton Studios – May 1978

2: Pete Townshend – Rainbow Theatre July 1979

3: The Rolling Stones Empire Pool – Wembley Sept 1973

4: Bob Dylan Blackbushe – July 1978

5: Midnight Blue – Civic Theatre Bedford – August 1989

The Who have been the second best live act I’ve seen – By the way Midnight Blue  were a melodic rock band in the Thunder mode who looked set to break through in the late 80s. Sadly it didn’t happen. Shame as they were a great band. Tom and I promoted that gig in aid of Great Ormond Street hospital.

Stage diving was no problem when I was aged 21…below with The Who – Shepperton May 1978

5 Favourite Non Zep Related Albums

1: Who’s Next – The Who

2: Let it Bleed –The Rolling Stones

3: Ooh La La –The Faces

4: All Things Must Pass – George Harrison

5: Crosby Stills & Nash – Crosby Stills & Nash

Sheer perfection on these lasting pleasures.

Favourite Non Zep Related Acts of all time

1: The Rolling Stones

2: The Who

3: The Beatles

4: Nick Drake

5: Bob Dylan

This could also change a bit if I sat down next week and thought about it again ..

5 Favourite Singles of all time

1: You Can Make Me Dance Sing or Anything – Rod Stewart/Faces

2: Brown Sugar –The Rolling Stones

3: Theme From Shaft –Isaac Hayes

4: Speak Like A Child –Style Council

5: Stay Young – Oasis (B side)

Each of these classic 45s ignite instant memories of where I was and where I was at when they were first hits.

5  Favourite Vocalists:

1: Robert Plant

2: John Lennon

3: Elvis Presley

4: Rod Stewart

5: Frank Sinatra

Voices of passion, strength and dignity

So there it is – a snapshot of some of my raving favourites – many of which will be reverberating around the walls here today and the rest of the week.

Ahmet said it best – ”It is a great life -this life of music”.

………

Last Friday I watched the excellent BBC4 documentary When Rock Goes Acoustic –narrated by Mark Radcliffe.Tthere was plenty of Zep input honing in on the importance of Led Zep 3 and they showed that clip of a young Jimmy Page playing in a skiffle band. It also showed Manic Street Preachers James Dean Bradfield running through Over The Hills And Far Away as he noted how Zep’s acoustic work carried a certain majestic quality.

The weekend’s Bedford Free Festival was an okay affair but did not quite deliver what was expected. We pitched up early evening on Saturday and caught local Bedford singer songwriter Amy Leeder – her album is due for release on Jerry Bloom’s Wymer label in the autumn.  Lionsex A band in the grand tradition of 80’s metal bands such as Dogs D’amour and LA Guns went down pretty well.

The good lady was somewhat disappionted to hear that the Abba tribute band Abba Gold would not be topping the bill having for some reason pulled out… I myself was a bit off form all night -there’s a lot going on here next few days and I had some things on my mind that I couldn’t shake off and we called it a night before the end. We also heard the the Sunday bill toppers Are You Experienced the Jimi Hendrix tribute had also been pulled which was a shame as Michaela and her gang were coming over from MK.

Along with a  lunchtime downpour that would have made the site a mudbath – we decided to give it a miss on Sunday. I was down to referee Adam’s afternoon match – this task was made a little more difficult when it turned out there was no whistle for me to use -oh yes a referee with no whistle -you could not make it up…I got by by bellowing decisions as required in a 4-4 draw. Bet the famous football referee Jack Taylor from Wolverhampton (as mentioned by Robert Plant on stage at Earls Court on May 18th 1875) never had to resort to that tactic.

Aged nearly 55 with the very lovely good lady Janet who has been right beside me through it all since I was 26….she is a saint!

Today will be something of a mellow affair as Sam will be going to London very early on the first day of her journalist collage course, Adam and Janet will be prepararing for school tomorrow and I am on a tie up week of signing off the last text for TBL 30 . The good lady and I plan to have a bite to eat lunchtime and later tonight we will hook up with our good friends Marian and Terry for a Birthday drink or two. All that shouting at yesterday’s match has made the old throat a bit dry and a little bit of lager lubrication looks likely to be required.

After all it’s not every day you hit all the fives….

Stop Press Update- Sept 5 – 9.06 Am -We took Sam early to get the trian to  London just after  7am – had Tom round with a card not long after (”you know the rest” as he says! So far this mid 50s lark has been pretty cool! Already had a load of facebook/text/comments -Eye thank yew all – it’s a priviledge to have so many wonderful friends and indeed I am blessed. Just spoke to Mr Gary Foy who had come through with the following post below – I am now even more blessed and humbled…thank you sincerely mate!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DL:
Without a friend, there’s no denyin’ you’re incomplete…

I count myself lucky to be able to call Dave Lewis my friend, he’s actually more than that, he is like the brother I never had, someone who is always there for me in times of need, always ready to listen to my inane problems, opinions or just strange rambling.
For over 24 years now we have shared a passion for the music that we all love and more, we have travelled the world in search of that very same passion, we have travelled the whole length of the British Isles in search of that passion. We have shared many highs and quite a few lows over the years and have always come out smiling, laughing at some of the improbable situations that we have found ourselves in. Beers have been shared and many a curry has been consummed.
I have been lucky enough to meet my heroes and even luckier to have met some incredibly kind and genuine people who share the same passion for the music of Led Zeppelin. These fellow Tight But Loose people have all been brought together because of Dave Lewis and his passion and love of Led Zeppelin and his willingness to share that passion.
Led Zeppelin

It all started in the early 1988 with a chance meeting at the Marquee Club at a press only Plant show that I’d blagged my way in, I had often brought my Zeppelin related releases from Dave’s record store and used to enter all his competitions, never actually winning, always runner up, but I’d never actually ever talked to him until that fateful February evening in the Marquee Club. Positioned down the front of stage we chatted about all things Zeppelin as we awaited the arrival of Mr Plant and afterwards we travelled back to Bedford together swapping tales and adventures in equal measure. We got on famously and he invited me to a Plant show in Warwick Uni a couple of weeks later, I liked to think it was because of my enthusiasm and passion for the music but I’d also just past my driving test and had a car, that my have been a major part of it. The fact is Dave is one of this world’s great passengers.”Why be a driver when you can be a passenger ? ”is one of his mottos.Inn the 24 years I have known Dave, he has driven me a mere 22 miles – and I am still on medication for those 22 miles. He is far better suited to a push bike and he knows it!
As the years came rolling on we did more and more gigs and started working together on TBL. I have watched as his children grow up and he has watched mine grow. The friendship has grown and the reliance and trust has grown. Our daily phones calls are peppered with facts remembered and stories retold and for plans the future. He’s passionate about his football, which for me means nothing, as does his enthusiasm for Dylan, Sinatra and Miles Davies. But we agree on The Who, Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell.
The Who

Together we have shared some truly memorial moments, Robert Plant at the Kings Head, Jimmy and Robert reunited again at Buxton, the MTV filming, Page and Plant at Meadowlands in New Jersey, wild taxi rides in Istanbul, Page and Plant at St Austell, the Priory Of Brion at the Red Lion in Kings Heath, the first Band Of Joy show at Mayfair one, two major Zeppelin Conventions (that weren’t cancelled), 02 reunion, Black Country Communion at John Henrys and probably the most memorable , Jimmy joining Robert Plant at Knebworth for Wearing And Tearing, boy did we get excited that night. There are loads more I could mention but that’s for another day. Needless to say it’s all been a blast and none of it would have been half as much fun without Dave Lewis.
I met my wife through Dave and he was my best man at our wedding, delivering a participle rousing speech in a way only Dave Lewis could with the obliquity “Good Evening” at the beginning.
Together we have seen TBL grow to what it is now and I have watched as his writing style has grown in confidence to the mature style of writing he now processes. I was honoured to be asked to take a greater role within the TBL web site and will continue, work permitting, to keep the high standards Dave lives by. I have always been happy to take a back seat in all things and to remain in the shadows but Dave’s is always quick to bring me forward and to share in the credit unselfishly.
Dave is a true friend and been so supportive in all I do, even if he doesn’t always agree with it. Yes he can be a bit of a pain and high maintenance sometimes (cheeky sod!DL) but aren’t we all? And he does seem to endlessly bang on about Led Zeppelin at Earls Court – he went five times you know! But that aside ….he is the greatest friend anyone could wish for and I wouldn’t change a thing, well not much……
Happy Birthday  mate….thanks for everything…….this ones for you……
Robert Plant & Jimmy Page