Rejuvenation in Cologne: Wednesday June 18th 1980 -Photo by Tom Locke.
The magnificent city of Cologne, a mixture of hustling German efficiency and enthusiastic tourism, looks dull and hazy as our train rolls into the station on a June, Wednesday morning. It’s in the vicinity of the square that surrounds the impressive Cologne cathedral that the reality of what Tom and I are actually doing here really hits home.  Along a side street adjoining the square are a row of blue and red bill posters, each proclaiming the same message: “Lippman, …

 
Led Zeppelin Feather In the Wind –Over Europe 1980 -Compiled by Dave Lewis
The already much acclaimed new book is the perfect read this summer:
Chronicling the final days of Led Zeppelin in greater detail than ever before – setting the scene with the build up to the tour, combining on the spot reports of the gigs from the time and retrospective views from those that were there both out front and backstage. Includes an in depth gig by gig analysis of the 14 shows, full bootleg, memorabilia and statistic appendix section and illustrated …

John Bonham would have been 63 on Tuesday May 31st – the above photo is one of my favourite of John – not least because I was lucky enough to take it. It captures him receiving one of seven awards presented by Michael Palin (on the right) to three quarters of Led Zeppelin on the afternoon of November 28th 1979 at the Waldorf Hotel in London.
Surprisingly and somewhat ironically, Bonzo lost out to Phil Collins as top drummer. John was somewhat irked by this. Jason told me a story recently …

It’s gearing up to be a TBL summer of mass consumption with an outpouring of new TBL product due. Firstly Tight But Loose issue 29 is ready to go. This first issue of the 2011 subscription is another action packed affair. The magazine will be distributed over the next few days.If you are a 2010 subscriber your subscription ended with issue 28.
Now is the time to re subscribe!
All the details of how to subscribe can be found on the TBL Subscriptions link at the top of the TBL home page.

TBL …

The new issue of the Tight But Loose magazine is OUT NOW.
Here’s a review from the Underground Uprising Zep site
Tight But Loose Issue 29
The issue of every new release of Tight But Loose from the highly elequent pen of Dave Lewis is always an event to be savoured. And this latest release is no exception. In fact I am of the opinion that this is one of the very best ever issues of this venerable organ, as they say in Private Eye! There are so many extremely interesting articles crammed …

Progress on the book I have been compiling titled  Feather In The Wind- Led Zeppelin  Over Europe 1980 is ongoing and we are now commencing the design stage with a view to publication in late May/June.
Here’s what the book is all about:
In the summer of 1980, Led Zeppelin undertook what would be their final tour –a low key 14 date trek across  Germany, Belgium, Holland, Austria and Switzerland.
With a radically streamlined stage presentation and set list, the aim was to get back to being a working band after all the …

40 years ago this evening, 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 historic photo below captures the moment…

The song was Stairway To Heaven
The rest is history….
As TBL contributor Rikky Rooksby observes in the introduction to a major feature on Stairway To Heaven to be published in the next Tight But Loose …

Many thanks for the great response to the TBL Stairway To Heaven 40th Anniversary Poll. Ahead of the March 5th anniversary, there is still time to cast your vote for the all time greatest live versions of the song.
All you need to do is list in order of preference  up to five  favourite LIVE versions of Stairway To Heaven.
The criteria is as follows: Any live version by Led Zeppelin is eligible plus post Zep versions ie Arms or Outrider tour, Live Aid, Page & Plant Japan TV, O2 reunion.
From these …

It is with immense sadness that we have learned of the death of Joan Bonham.
Joan had been unwell in the past few weeks and died in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Joan was the wife of the late John Henry Snr and mother of Deborah and the late John and Michael.  Her zest for life and in particular her family, was admired and loved by so many.
Myself and Gary will personally never forget the enthusiasm and empathy the whole Bonham family brought to the 1992 Led Zeppelin Convention we co …

Vote for the greatest live version of their greatest song
Nearly 40 years ago on the evening of March 5th 1971 at the Ulster Hall Belfast, Led Zeppelin  performed for the first time in public, a new lengthy 12 minute composition due to be released on their next album. It began in tranquil mood and then developed into a soaring climax. It told the tale of a lady who was sure, about a bustle in a hedgerow and advised that if you listened very hard the tune would come to you …