On the occasion of his birthday….
Jimmy Page is 73 today (January 9th).
In a career that has spanned over six decades – he has simply written the rule book on the art of rock guitar.
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. At times his playing may seem sloppy and seemingly undisciplined but that is all part of the attraction. Always …

The year ends with yet more sad passings:
George Michael 1963 – 2016: 
George Michael…such a massive talent – he dominated the 1980s, first with the pure pop delight of Wham! and then onto worldwide solo success with total class and credibility …so many memorable songs – Freedom, Faith, Careless Whisper, Everything She Wants, I’m Your Man, I Knew You Were Waiting, Fastlove, Amazing, etc.and Last Christmas…one of the all-time seasonal greats – we all must have heard it countless times in recent days. In my record retail years, George Michael album …

So this is Christmas…
Christmas Eve is nigh on upon us – and it’s that final rush to get everything sorted for the next couple of  days.
As is customary on Christmas Eve here – I’ll be wearing my Led Zeppelin Winterland 1969 tie bought for me by Larry Ratner in 1993 (hi Larry!).
After all the intense work on the forthcoming TBL issue 42 of recent weeks, it will be great to unwind  inthe company of visiting friends and along the way a beer or two may be drunk in one or …

TBL ISSUE 42 PREVIEW: 
TBL issue 42 – what’s in store…
TBL issue 42 is nearing completion – it’s another packed edition and here is what is in store …
News round up:
Jimmy at Classic Rock Awards/Stairway Court case wrap/JPJ latest/ Detective Reissues
Robert Plant at Bill Wyman’s 80th Birthday gig:
On the spot report by Kryz Jantzen
TBL Photo Special: Lost & Found – Led Zeppelin Sound checking at the Subiaco Oval, Perth 1972:
Nick Shaw recounts the story of how he came to shoot some remarkable photos of Led Zeppelin sound checking for their appearance at …

TBL CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS:
Fed up with receiving the same old tired gifts for Christmas each year? Why not give your loved ones a nudge in the direction of the TBL ordering page and get them to invest on your behalf –let them really know what you want for Christmas or you may well end up with novelty socks and boxers yet again. Alternatively just treat yourself!
Here is a round up of TBL Product on offer this Christmas –all orders will be processed and dispatched as received.
TBL CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA 1:
Led Zeppelin …

ELECTRIC MAGIC 45 YEARS GONE:
November 21st is always a bit of a special date in my calander year – as it was on this day back in 1971 that I was lucky enough to witness Led Zeppelin live at the Empire Pool Wembley –and as you will read, nothing was ever the same in our house after that. Over the next few days  I’ll be wading through the Empire Strikes Back Tarantura CD box set to recall the night the Wembley Empire Pool was, as the Melody Maker headline ran  ‘Zapped …

TBL Archive Special:
Led Zeppelin IV – 45 years gone…
November 1971 /Led Zeppelin IV 
45 years ago this month the fourth Led Zeppelin album emerged in a slightly mysterious manner with that enigmatic sleeve. I vividly remember the excitement and anticipation of the album in the music press that month. In fact the November 6 1971 issue of Melody Maker was something of an historic issue because it contained the first UK sighting the four individual symbols that would make up the title of Led Zeppelin’s fourth album. Each symbol was featured …

Led Zeppelin II at 47…TBL Archive Special
On the occasion of its 47th Birthday…
A Kind Of Rock…. Still Flying
In the same way Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue defined the jazz genre, the second Zep album well and truly encapsulated rock music as we know it.
Here’s a re appraisal of Led Zeppelin II on the occasion of its 47th anniversary.
In reappraising the second Led Zeppelin album forty seven years on, it occurred to me that a parallel with the jazz giant Miles Davis is evident.
In the same way that Miles Davis …

The Song Remains The Same Soundtrack at 40:
40 years ago,On the afternoon of Thursday October 21 1976, I anxiously tore open the box marked Warner/ Elektra/ Atlantic Records at the WH Smith record shop where I worked to reveal for the first time the gatefold sleeve of, as the label spine gloriously put it ‘’The Soundtrack To The Film The Song Remains The Same‘’.
Yes the only official live album released during the band’s life time is 40 years old.
I have much affection for that original double live album – it captures …

TBL Magazine Update:
Here’s a round up of the current state of paly with the TBL magazine.
A fair few very regular subscribers to the TBL magazine have yet to come back on board. I would say around 100 subscribers who have previously been very loyal to buying the magazine for some years, have yet to sign up for the 2016/17 subscription.
To reiterate:
ALL current subscriptions to the TBL magazine expired with issue 40. If you received issue 40 and have not re subscribed – now is the time.
As ever, I will be doing my utmost to deliver the …