TBL 41 Latest:

There’s been many an hour spent checking and rechecking the text these past few days and the final few pages of design are underway. Mick Lowe at StudioMix has done another fantastic job in bringing it all alive.

Many thanks to all those who have re-subscribed in the past few days. An email has gone out to target all lapsed subscribers to remind them that now is the time to get back on board for issues 41, 42 and 43.

Just to reiterate:

IMPORTANT

Firstly if you have been a previous TBL Subscriber – all subscriptions ended with issue 40. Your subscription has expired

If you have not already done so NOW IS THE TIME TO RE-SUSBCRIBE!

May I offer many thanks for all who re- subscribed in the past few weeks.

The new TBL 2016/17 Subscription covers three issues -issue 41, 42, and 43

By subscribing you will never miss and issue – all issues will be sent out as published.

As a bonus, every subscriber will receive an exclusive 10 x 8 limited edition print – a John Paul Jones on stage shot from the US tour in 1975 taken by Larry Ratner – perfect for framing and yet another reason to subscribe to the TBL 2016/17 magazines…

The subscription order link for the 2016/2017  TBL magazines is below :

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/subscribe-to-the-201617-tbl-magazines-free-10-x-8-print-with-every-subscription-a-subscription-makes-a-great-christmas-gift/

TBL issue 41 single orders:

TBL issue 41 is also available as a single issue purchase on the link below:

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/tbl-41-pre-order-now/

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Here’s the line up for the forthcoming issue of the Tight But Loose magazine – issue 41…

TBL World Exclusive – new interview with John Paul Jones:

JPJ  talks opera, Led Zep reissues, 60s sessions, plans ahead and more in this exclusive new interview with Dave Lewis

A TBL catch up with Mr John Paul Jones has been long overdue so it was delight to hear his dulcet tones down the phone line on a recent spring Thursday morning. This interview can only be found in TBL 41..

Plus John Paul Jones at  70: An Appreciation by Richard Grubb Part 2 & 70 at 70 – the JPJ TBL Playlist:

Jimmy Page –  She Just Satisfies on 45 – Record Store Day Delight:

With originals regularly commanding prices in excess of £500, the 1965 Jimmy Page single reissue was a much welcomed Record Store Day release – Dave Lewis doucuments the history of the track.

Robert Plant: Celtic Connections & Blues… Roots & Hollers:

Stephen Humphries rounds up the latest Robert Plant and SSS activity and speculates on recording options ahead – plus Suzanne McElyea reviews the Shreveport gig.

BP Fallon: The TBL Interview:

The legendary former Led Zeppelin publicist reflects on his time with the band and his remarkable career in the music business.

TBL Collector Focus: The vinyl, the albums, the singles, the memorabilia – the stuff we love…

A new column that focuses on the vinyl, the albums, the singles, the posters, the memorabilia, the collectors, the personalities the stories.

The overall objective of this TBL Collector Focus, is to share our passion for the Led Zep related artefacts we collect, cherish, love and admire.

This issue includes:

Stuart Whitehead on purchasing a rare copy of the Robert Plant solo single Our Song – and entering into correspondence with the singer..

Cliff (the ticket man) Hilliard on his diverse collection.

Collecting Now & Then 1: Dave Lewis The 1996 Collector Feature in Record Collector: Ten Years Gone.

Collecting Now & Then 2: The 1991 Top 100 Led Zeppelin Rarities Record Collector Listing: Dave Lewis and Nick Anderson discuss the merits of the list 25 years on..…

Presence at 40 – The Rare Pressings:

To mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Presence, Nick Anderson presents a variety of highly desirable Presence related promos and collectable items -it’s a vinyl visual feast….

Nick Anderson Collectors Column:

TBL’s resident collector expert rounds up the top ten recently sold Led Zep related items on eBay.

Led Zeppelin: The Tarantura Bootleg CD Label – Part 1: Early Flourish By Paul Sheppard:

Following on from his excellent and thought provoking 40 great Live Led Zeppelin Bootlegs Sets in TBL 40, Paul has turned his attention to the legendary Tarantura bootleg CD label. This two part overview of the label’s discography is an illumining look at some of the most prized Zep bootleg releases.

One Fan’s Coda:

Larry Bergmann Jr compiles the best of the material from Led Zep reissue Companion Discs to draw up five CD’s worth of rare material – this is one fan’s Coda..

From the Underground:

Scott Heck focuses on the previously uncirculated Fort Worth March 3 1975 soundboard release and Dave Lewis admires the new Eat A Peach label’s release of the Performed Live In Seattle bootleg album.

Please Read The Letter That I Wrote – TBL Feedback:

By letter, via E-mail, Facebook and blogs -TBL readers have their say…

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 That is what is on offer in another packed TBL edition.

If you are reading this you must love Led Zeppelin – and you will love this magazine…

Remember – websites are for browsing – the TBL magazine is for reading time and time again…

Many thanks in advance for your support.

Dave Lewis

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Led Zeppelin News Update:

Led Zeppelin

• The “Stairway To Heaven” trial that was due to start on May 10 has been delayed until June 14. It’s expected to last up to five days.

• A new issue of Tight But Loose is coming either later this month or in early June. Dave Lewis interviewed John Paul Jones for the cover story. You can find out how to order the issue or subscribe here.

• Jason Bonham gave a new interview in which he was asked whether Led Zeppelin will ever play together again. He responded by saying that he has invited Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones to his birthday party in July. Obviously that doesn’t mean they’re all going to be there, but they did all perform for Jason Bonham’s wedding, so who knows!

Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page and Chris Cornell backstage at the Royal Albert Hall in London on May 3 (Instagram/chriscornellofficial)

• Jimmy Page and his girlfriend were in the audience for Chris Cornell’s acoustic show at the Royal Albert Hall on May 3. Cornell mentioned Page on stage before “Call Me A Dog” and he received a standing ovation. Watch a video of the moment here, and you can see a photo of Page being greeted by the crowd here.

Robert Plant

We now have multiple videos of the two songs that Robert Plant performed with Deborah Bonham’s band on April 30. He joined Bonham and her band for a curry that night too. Read a review of the performance at Herefordshire Live.

Here’s the first source:
When The Levee Breaks
Shakin’ All Over

And here’s the second source:
When The Levee Breaks
​Shakin’ All Over (Part 1)
​Shakin’ All Over (Part 2)

John Paul Jones

• John Paul Jones will talk about his opera and his upcoming projects in the new issue of Tight But Loose magazine. Find out how to order it here.

Upcoming events:

June 14 – The delayed “Stairway To Heaven” trial will start in Los Angeles.
June 19 – Robert Plant will perform at the Royal Festival Hall in London with Guy Garvey, Nick Mulvey, Nadine Shah and Josephine Oniyama.
July 1 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at the Rock Werchter music festival in Belgium.
July 2 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at the Beauregard Music Festival in France.
July 4 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at Le festival des Nuits d’Istres in France.
July 7 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at the NOS Alive Music Festival in Portugal.
July 14 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at Festival Noches del Botánico in Spain.
July 20 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at the Street Music Art Festival in Italy.
July 22 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Italy.
July 24 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Italy.
July 27 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in the Czech Republic.
July 28 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Austria.
July 30 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Croatia.
August 2 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Germany.
August 4/5/6/7 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at the Wilderness Festival in the UK.

The Led Zeppelin News email goes out every weekend. To receive it each week sign up here: https://t.co/yp9fGJMSGH

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Celebrates the 41st Anniversary of Led Zeppelin at Earls Court:

It’s that time of year again …with just a few days to countdown to the 41st anniversary of the first two Led Zeppelin appearances at Earls Court – to get you right in the zone, here is a feature that first ran in TBL issue 15. It focuses on some of the key performances on the US tour of early 1975 that provided something of an indicator to the five glorious nights that would follow in May 1975…

PRELUDE TO EARLS COURT:

Led Zeppelin’s tenth American tour kicked off in Minnesota on January 18 1975 and initially their performances were hampered due to Plant’s bout of flu and Page’s injury to his finger. The situation began to improve when they reached New York some ten gigs into the tour. For the Feb 3 Madison Square Garden date Page felt sufficiently recovered to re instate Dazed And Confused to the set. Just over a week later, Plant’s relief at finally shrugging off his flu bug was evident in a very loose and informal Valentine’s Day performance at the Nassau Coliseum. As their newly released double set Physical Graffiti hit the stores they moved up another gear. March saw they really hit their stride with outstanding performances at Long Beach,Vancouver and Seattle -eventually culminating in a memorable three day stint at the LA Forum.

Throughout those February /March dates they began to further develop the set clearly displaying points of reference in their playing that would be further explored when they returned to London to play the Earls Court shows.

So having evaluated the ’75 tour tapes, I’ve highlighted the key moments from seven performances that in hindsight, clearly provided a prelude to those five glorious nights that would follow in May 1975…

Date: FEBRUARY 14, 1975:

Venue: NASSAU COLISEUM UNIONDALE NEW YORK

Performances: KASHMIR/TANGERINE (snippet)

Bootleg Reference: NASSAU ’75 (TDOLZ)

”This is one that regulars that come here know quite well…but you’ve still yet to hear the recorded version…this is a track about another of life’s journeys that never end..this time in Kashmir”

Kashmir was a new number that they were obviously itching to play live and with Plant’s voice suitably recovered they turned in a majestic Valentines’ Day performance in Nassau. Page strumming down relentlessly on the Gibson behind Bonham’s castinet like drumming.

Plant showing renewed confidence to throw in the echoed vocal naunces that became such an Earls Court trademark. Listening to this delivery re -emphasis my opinion that the best live versions of Kashmir  were all played in the year it was released on record.

Tangerine was of course a surprise inclusion at the Earls Court shows performed as a four part harmony. However perhaps they were already toying with the idea of bringing it back during the American tour. For on this night prior to Stairway To Heaven Plant let out a few lines from the long deleted Zep III stage fave. ”Measuring a summers day”…adding ”I’ve forgotten the words”. It was a brief teaser for a song that would again light up those memorable May days.

Date: FEBRUARY 28 ,1975

Venue: LOUISANA STATE UNIVERSITY BATON ROUGE

Performance: NO QUARTER

Bootleg Reference: FREEZE (TARANTURA) LED ASTRAY (SILVER RARITIES)

The May 18 and 24 Earls Court versions of the JPJ opus are amongst the very best they performed. The highlight being JP’s lengthy piano concerto that led to the loose jamming amalgamation with Page and Bonham. During the ’75 US that arrangement underwent much construction as it expanded in length. On this night in Baton Rouge Jonesy began applying for the first time that pleasing neo classical solo before Jimmy waded in with a long rambling solo. The improvisation of No Quarter would further develop later in the tour when Page and Bonham introduced an uptempo jazz tempo to the piece. This Feb 28 delivery was an early example of how the track would evolve to such huge effect a little under two months hence in London.

Date: MARCH 12,1975

Venue: CIVIC ARENA LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA

Perfomance: THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (false start)/THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME

Bootleg Reference: TRAMPLED UNDER JIMMY’S FOOT (SILVER RARITIES)

Just to illustrate that not all went according to plan every night…. on this cooking performance in Long Beach their sheer enthusiasm got the better of them as they opened The Song Remains The Same….. only to bring it to a close some one minute in.

”Just a minute that’s it ….see you again Long Beach! Yes it happened for the first time in six and a half years…does anybody remember laugher?…. the first time we came here ..er we never seem to  get things together in Los Angeles.

OK, as I was saying. Nevertheless The Song Remains …..nevertheless,ad infinitum to the power of three re occuring..The Same!’’

They did not get it wrong a second time.

What happened next was simply the business. A speed ride through the opening track of Houses and  as Plant might put it a reoccurring anthem. It sounded great here ,it sounded great in Earls Court and it still sounded great 20 years later when Page and Plant deployed it so effectively on their 95/96 world tour. This is a Zeppelin anthem that gets less acclaim than the more overplayed Whole Lotta Love, Stairway and Kashmir -but on stage it always burnt and smouldered its way into the set. Pull it out and try it for yourselves on any night…the effect as those Houses ads read is still shattering.

Date: MARCH 19, 1975

Venue: PACIFIC ARENA VANCOUVER

Performance: WOODSTOCK (insert)

Bootleg Reference: PLEEASE (SILVER RARITIES)

”By the end of the tour I felt I could sing anything”.

Proof of that statement came nightly within Dazed And Confused. The San Francisco excerpt had long been a feature of the early part of the piece, but on this tour they began experimenting even further. Plant introducing another hippie anthem to proceedings -the Joni Mitchell pean to Max Yasgur’s farm and a hit for Crosby Stills, Nash & Young. The Zep arrangement was still built loosely on the melody employed for San Francisco-Plant bending the words to fit the structure. Against Page’s eerie minor chord strumming it became one of the most atmospheric parts of their performance. Plant’s repeated ”Back to the garden” refrain merging into the violin bow episode amongst the dry ice. The Vancouver performance was a blueprint for the equally dramatic versions performed at Earls Court run. During this part of the tour Plant also took to singing The Eagles Take It Easy and during the final LA stint he crooned a 50’s like To Be Loving  before moving into Bob Marley’s I Shot The Sheriff. As he put it -he could sing anything…

Date: MARCH 21, 1975

Venue: SEATTLE CENTER COLISEUM

Performances:ROCK AND ROLL/SICK AGAIN/OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY

Bootleg Reference:SEATTLE SUPERSONIC (GEMA) 207.19 & 214 (COBLA STANDARD)

This Seattle show was simply one of the best gigs of their latter era.

Proximity editor Hugh Jones was there and relayed the events in a superb feature titled ”At The top of their game” in issue Vol 6 no17.

If proof was needed then this opening segment brings it all alive – as it epitomises what a potent three pronged entrance these songs really were. Rock And Roll segueing into the new sheer brutality of Sick Again with Plant teasing ”Do I look the same”, and then the opening speech followed by the ”Beginning of a dream and it starts here (R.Plant -Earls Court May*17) or on this occasion .”What we intend to do is to relive our pent uppedness on stage, and then to relieve it later on after the gig elsewhere. Now the thing is what we intend to do is to give you a cross section of what we’ve been trying to produce and write over the last six and a half years.

As you know the material varies greatly and so you will appreciate that we take it from one extreme to the other….and what better way to start than to gaze out onto the horizon and see what tomorrow may bring”

To quote Hugh Jones ”in those last few sentences Robert Plant may well have encapsulated Led Zeppelin as well as anyone ever has. The physical, the musical, the pretension and the arrogance-all backed up with music as varied and as good as his word for the next four hours”.

So the the regal intro of  Over The Hills And Far Away -the Page solo as always flickering and twisting into previously un investigated territory. Then a swirling finale with Plant crying out ”Samantha Samantha” perhaps a reference to the fun they were about to enjoy offstage as he put it And on this night in Seattle it all just burst forth with that knowing arrogance .To use that old Zep’75 maxim it all underlined the fact that it wasn’t just a case of them being the number one band on the planet…the real point in question was just how far whoever was at number two lagged behind.

Date: MARCH 25 1975

Venue: THE FORUM INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES

Performance: TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT

Bootleg Reference: THE SEX MACHINE (LEMON SONG)

The May 24 ’75 delivery of Trampled was an incredible Page tour de force and again one of the most potent performances of their latter era. All through the US tour though, they were stretching the limits of the improvisational possibilities of this piece rendering the album version almost redundant. On this penultimate night of the tour Page, Jones and Bonham locked horns to produce a frightening barrage of noise over which Plant ad-libbed in required style. ”Give it to me, give it to me”

Nobody described the live delivery of this track better than noted US scribe Lisa Robinson when she astutely observed that ”Trampled with its Come Together like rhythm sounds as if The Beatles battled the Stones in a parking lot – and Led Zeppelin won”

Date: MARCH 27 1975

Venue: THE FORUM INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES

Peformances: IN MY TIME OF DYING/SINCE IV’E BEEN LOVING YOU/STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN/WHOLE LOTTA LOVE/BLACK DOG

Bootleg Reference: TOUR DE FORCE (RABBITT)

The final riot night of the US tour was a mass celebratory affair with the band fully aware that with this tour they had turned adversity into triumph. From the moment Linda Lovelace cutely introduced them onstage to Plant’s parting ”We’re coming back baby” comment, this was a true prelude to what the UK was about to be served.

They even gave a hint of Earls Court fashion by introducing his Miss Selfridge cut off shirt and Page wearing the Dragon suit trousers that would become such a visual imprint of May ’75.

Their confidence was subsequently overflowing as they attacked the new In My Time Of Dying, Plant throwing in a few lines of You Shook Me.

”Anybody remember?” he asks at the end as he would a month later in SW5.

The version of Since I’ve Been Loving You was a real bonus and something sadly that Earls Court did not receive.

”A change in the programme- we were gonna do…..but this is a blues and I think this is where we first came in”. An impromptu set revision that delighted the LA audience.

A rare latter day stand alone delivery (in 1972/73 it had been segued with Misty Mountain)) recalling the majesty of Blueberry Hill at this very venue five years back. Rarely played in ’75 they ached their way through the old Zep III standard -Page’s solo as precise and inventive as that night back in September ’70.

On the home straight it was nothing less than a victory stomp. Stairway played as was the case as Earls Court as though Plant believed every word, and the final incendiary Whole Lotta Love/Black Dog medley with the added visual spectacle of that neon lit sign. Images and sounds that London would soon delight in.

Acknowledging their enthusiasm,  Plant told the final LA audience ”It’s really nice to know that we’re giving you what you are giving us because after tonight I think we’ve got three gigs in England. I don’t believe well work again for quite a long time, so this has got to be good”.

That last night in  LA  was indeed good…very good ….and Earls Court would be even better.

Dave Lewis – first published in TBL issue 15

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Five Glorious Nights – Led Zeppelin at Earls Court May 1975:

With the 41st anniversary upon us, may I take this opportunity to mention that this limited edition deluxe book published by Rufus Stone Limited Editions is still available.

If you have yet to invest…now is the perfect time..

30 x 30 album size de-luxe hardback book

288 pages  – including approximately 62 colour photos, 155 black & white photos – 229 in all – plus 165 colour memorabilia images including Earls Court bootleg LP, CD and DVD sleeves etc.

Drawn from over 350 images sourced from various contact sheets provided by publisher Mark Smith, and with the assistance of Ross Halfin as associate picture editor, the best photos possible have been selected.

Much more than a mere book of photos, the intention is to capture the atmosphere of the five Earls Court shows through these startling images – sequenced and presented in a way that unfolds the whole saga of this remarkable series of concerts – to be viewed and enjoyed time and time again.

Visit the Rufus Stone Limited Editions site at

http://www.rufuspublications.com/rufusbooks/Led-Zeppelin/Led-Zeppelin-Earls-Court

Five Glorious Nights at Earls Court in May 1975 is a superbly presented unique visual record of Led Zeppelin in their absolute prime. 

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Dave Lewis Diary Blog Update:

Friday vinyl treats at the Vinyl Barn Bedford – the pickings last Friday included the expansive three LP Golden Superstars 1977 compilation from the Warner, Elektra and Atlantic labels – you gotta love triple gatefold sleeves. Thanks Darren.

On the player, Led Zeppelin performed Live In Seattle, Blind Faith and Traffic Best Of marking Steve Winwood’s birthday today  – and The Faces Ooh La La album marking what would have been the late great Ian McLagen’s birthday too.

A tricky week here – Janet’s mum Bet is back in hospital with a chest infection and is quite poorly. This is of course a big worry for us here.

Can’t say I’ve been feeling anything like 100% in the last couple of days  – which is not a good thing to be when I am trying to wrap TBL 41. On top of that, there’s been some irritating tech problems with my email and Skype which has made it very difficult to keep on top of things. If I have been slow to reply to an email or confirm an order many apologies.

Anyway, I need to keep in the positive zone as it has needs to be ever onward as there’s a magazine to wrap and then distribute.

Thanks again for all your support with re- subscriptions which I appreciate very much. I aim to repay that support by bringing you the best quality magazine possible.

Dave Lewis – May 12, 2016 

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YouTube Clip:

Five Glorious Nights – Led Zeppelin at Earls Court May 1975 – book presentation video:

Until next time…

Have a great weekend,

Dave Lewis/Gary Foy – May 12, 2016.

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