Saving Grace featuring Robert Plant –Saturday February 16, 2019
The Forum, Bath
TBL on the spot report by Rob Whitmarsh:
Less than a month ago an unknown band called Saving Grace performed their debut gig at a very low-key show at Bishop’s Castle on January 25th 2019. Their line-up sounded very promising though, as the band consisted of: Suzi Dian (vocals), Tony Kelsey (guitar and mandolin), Matt Worley (banjo), Oli Jefferson (percussion), and Robert Plant (vocals).
I’ve heard of that male singer before and have been following his musical reinventions for decades, so when …

 
TIGHT BUT LOOSE ISSUE 44 – HOT OFF THE PRESS …AND OUT ON THE STREETS:
TBL issue 44 is hot off the press and out on the streets…
I’ve been extremely busy in the TBL distribution centre (our dining room actually!) sticking on stamps and labels and packing the pre -orders ready to leave here.
TBL distribution update:

All UK pre-orders left here on Tuesday and are now in transit – they should begin to arrive over the next two or three days. A bulk of the overseas copies are also now in transit – I hope to have all …

TIGHT BUT LOOSE ISSUE 44 – ON THE WAY SOON:
40 years ago in January 1979, I was busy handwriting the first Led Zeppelin TBL magazine in my bedroom. I had already run a couple of adverts in Sounds and NME and the initial orders were filtering in. It was scheduled to be published on February 10,1979.
40 years on, here I am in early 2019 – just as I was in early 1979, ready to publish another issue of the magazine I created to form a platform of communication between Led Zeppelin fans across the …

Led Zeppelin 1 – it was 50 years ago this week.. to mark the 50th anniversary of the debut Led Zeppelin here’s some facts, figures and thoughts on it all…
January 20, 1969 – Led Zeppelin debut album released:
Despite often being attributed to either Sunday, January 12, 1969 or Friday, January 17, 1969, the correct “official” release date of the debut album might well have been Monday, January 20, 1969. As Mike Tremaglio flagged to me – this release date was referenced in an Atlantic Records memo accompanying white label advance LPs …

The new issue of Classic Rock:
As mentioned last week, on the occasion of Jimmy Page’s Birthday last Wednesday – how fitting it was to see this new issue of Classic Rock on the newsagent shelves.
This new issue of Classic Rock has a supplement Led Zeppelin The Birth of A Legend 50th Anniversary Special. This includes a feature on their early days and the making of Led Zeppelin 1 by Mick Wall and an introduction piece that sets the scene about their impact on the US by Mike Tremaglio and… myself …

 
Jimmy Page on the occasion of his birthday….
Jimmy Page is 75 today (January 9th)
In a career that has spanned over six decades, he has more than made his mark when it comes to the art of rock guitar playing.
From monolithic riffing to bombastic solos. From simple acoustic beauty to vast guitar instrumental orchestration. Jazz, classical and Eastern influences, blues, 50s rock’n’roll and psychedelic – he has turned his hand to all these varying styles over the years.  Always inventive and with a brilliant ear for production values, Jimmy Page is the epitome of …

John Paul Jones on the occasion of his 73rd Birthday:
John Paul Jones is 73 today (January 3)…
John’s activity over the past 12 months included attending the Festival of Writing and Ideas at Borris House in Ireland on June 8 and 9, performing with Julie Felix at her 80th birthday concert in London on June 17 and with his a new line up Snoweye at the Varangerfestivalen in Norway on August 11. Commenting on his long awaited opera The Ghost Sonata John said “My background has been in classic and in …

 
So that was the year that was….2018…
It was the 50th Anniversary of the formation of Led Zeppelin and there has plenty to celebrate – reissues for How The West Was Won and the Soundtrack From The Song Remains The Same, the Record Store Day Rock And Roll single, and the publication of the official Led Zeppelin By Led Zeppelin book
There was no shortage of other Zep related books with Chris Salewicz’ Jimmy Page The Definitive Biography and Mark Blake’s  truly excellent Peter Grant biography garnering much press coverage.
As for me, well it’s …

So this is Christmas…so here’s some Zep related Christmas memories….
TBL Retro Christmas Reflection:
 Christmas always bringing with it that air of nostalgia, so here’s a seasonal TBL retro reflection from 1972:
ALLY PALLY 46 YEARS GONE:
46 years ago on Saturday December 23rd  1972, I was lucky enough to be in attendance at the closest gig Led Zeppelin ever played to Christmas in the UK. It was a cold  dank day and the walk up Muswell Hill to the Alexandra Palace was a bit of a trek. All worth it of course, as this very …

Led Zeppelin Reunion for Ahmet Ertegun at the 02 Arena – eleven years gone…
Pic by Dave Linwood.
Eleven  years ago today on Monday December 10, 2007, thousands of lucky fans converged on the O2 Arena in London to witness the live return of Led Zeppelin for one night only – in memory of Ahmet Ertegun. Millions more across the world tracked the unfolding events via texts and online reports.
It remains perhaps the most significant night in their history, as fans young and old were able to see and understand – either …