My thoughts on Us And Them – The Authorised Story of Hipgnosis 
The visionary artists behind Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney and more..
by Mark Blake 
I’ve had a fair bit of association with the Hipgnosis design team over the years.
Back in early 2005, I was at a meeting at the Virgin Megastore where I worked when I saw a voice mail come up on my mobile. When I checked it later I saw that it was from Aubrey Powell who I knew to be Po of Hipgnosis. He wanted to …

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN AT 52 –  TBL  52nd ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL:

52 years ago this month on March 5 1971 Jimmy Page strapped on a newly acquired Gibson double neck guitar and played the first chords of a new lengthy composition in front of an audience for the first time.
The occasion was Led Zeppelin’s opening date on their UK tour at the Ulster Hall Belfast.
The song was Stairway To Heaven…
So here’s a celebration of this 52nd anniversary of a special song.
TBL Archive Special Part 1:

Belfast and Stairway To Heaven -it was 52 …

Rock is Lit Podcast:
Here’s all the gen on an interview I contributed to for the Rock is Lit podcast. It’s a 30 minute segment in conversation with Christy Alexander Hallberg -author of the book Searching For Jimmy Page. My segment kicks off at 00.33 minutes.
New Episode of the Rock is Lit Podcast, Featuring Dave Lewis
Episode 20 of Rock is Lit celebrates the release of the audiobook of host Christy Alexander Hallberg’s novel, ‘Searching for Jimmy Page’, with special guests Melissa Connell and Dave Lewis.
In the episode, you’ll hear a chapter of the …

Physical Graffiti it was 48 years ago…
It’s been a week of here of celebrating the 48th anniversary of  Physical Graffiti  and I’ve been playing various versions of the album and rounded up the reviews and wallowed in the sheer nostalgia of such a great period so here’s various snapshots of what I have felt and still feel about my favourite album of all time – and maybe yours too…
First to back track seven years to the 40th anniversary and the 2015 reissue…
So some DL thoughts:
To  backtrack 48 years: My Physical Graffiti:
Physical …

Alastair Chorlton 1958 – 2023:

Yesterday Steve Livesley and I travelled down from Bedford to say goodbye to our dear friend and record collecting comrade Alastair Chorlton on an appropriately sunny afternoon in South London – as he lit up the lives of all who knew him.

Inside the beautiful St John The Evangelist church, the service unfolded in a mass of music, love, gratitude and celebration. Steve and I were privileged to be asked to be part of the four pallbearers for Alastair’s final journey along with Guy and Cyril. We …

John Bonham Celebration III Event Latest:

Here’s the latest news on the May 27 event in Redditch…

WELCOME TO THE INTERNATIONAL

JOHN BONHAM A CELEBRATION III FESTIVAL 2023
 
Celebrating the 75th Birthday of John Henry Bonham in Redditch town centre on Saturday 27th May 2023 with a day/evening of live blues/rock music from top artists and bands.

We can announce the first four bands confirmed for John Bonham A Celebration III are :

CODA – a Tribute to Led Zeppelin, Vincent Flatts Final Drive, Ceri Justice and the Jury, and Taxi for Jesus.

More to be announced shortly.

Earlybird tickets …

Jez Firth RIP:

Janet and I are deeply saddened to hear the passing of Jez Firth last Thursday – a wonderfully enthusiastic Led Zeppelin fan and much more.
Jez was such a loyal supporter of all my Zep work and over the years we enjoyed his company on many a TBL event and Zep tribute band gig.

Our hearts go out to all family and friends.

He will be so sorely missed by all who knew him.

RIP Jez…

Dave and Janet xx

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LZ News

Led Zeppelin News Update:
Here’s the latest round up from LZ News:
Robert Plant accepted …

VIP Victoria Record Fair Saturday January 28 2023 – Five Glorious Nights Led Zeppelin at Earls Court May 1975 book launch…
 

I will be in attendance at the VIP Victoria Record Fair this Saturday January 28 signing copies of my new book Five Glorious Nights Led Zeppelin at Earls Court 1975 at the TBL/Rufus publishing stall.
Here’s all the info:
Led Zep author Dave Lewis will be in attendance at the VIP Victoria Fair launching his new Led Zeppelin book and copies will be on sale on the day.
Full details below:
Five Glorious Nights …

Alastair Chorlton – RIP: 

We are all deeply saddened by the passing on January 12 of our great friend Alastair Chorlton.

Alastair has been a long time Led Zep TBL mag reader and in recent years has become an integral part of the TBL record collecting crew that includes Steve Livesley, Ian Saikia, Ian Avey, Paul Sheppard, Julian Walker, Cliff Hilliard, Krys Jantzen, Graeme Hutchinson and James Bevis.

Alastair’s record collecting enthusiasm was infectious as was his passion for the Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd bootleg collecting world – we had so many fun …

Jeff Beck – 1944 – 2023…

Like us all, I was so shocked and incredibly saddened on Wednesday night to hear the news of the sudden passing of Jeff Beck aged 78.
Jeff Beck has been a part of my musical heritage for over 50 years.
Initially I discovered his genius lighting up the charts with The Yardbirds – hits such as For Your Love, Shapes Of Things and Over Under Sideways Down were way ahead of their time.
He was of course intrinsically linked with his lifelong friend Jimmy Page and my interest …