John Paul Jones was 65 on Monday January 3rd. His involvement in the forthcoming Anna Nicole opera is further testament to his unquenching thirst for musical invention. Here’s a round up of some inspired moments from a career that continues to suprise, innovate and delight.
Happy (slightly belated)birthday John from us to you…..
Diamanda Galás – Do You Take This Man (1994)

John Paul Jones – The Smile Of Your Shadow

Going To California

Lenny Kravitz “Are You Gonna Go My Way?”

Them Crooked Vultures – 02 Dead End Friends (pro-shot, Reading 2009)

And finally JPJ with …

After all the Christmas and new year festivities, it’s been good to catch up on everything in the past couple of days and get some focus on a new year.
We duly saw the new year in at our local The White Horse. The rock band on offer was proficient enough but their set list hardly pampered to a new year’s eve crowd. The Door’s LA Woman is a fine album track but not one for dancing consumption after a round of Auld Lang Syne. No matter – we got through …

The new issue of the Tight But Loose magazine is out now – here’s some initial reaction from satisfied readers:
Absolutely knocked out by the new TBL – superb issue! Keep up the brilliant work’’ Colin Sheil – UK
‘’Just got the latest edition of TBL, fantastic read once again’’ Andrew Pittam – UK
’’Just a quick email to say well done on another fantastic magazine. I’ve only dipped into it so far but what I’ve read up to now has been nothing short of superb’’ Tom Cory – UK
’’I just wanted to email …

DL outside the TBL distribution  centre. If only! I packed them all in our kitchen!
Old Bing has been singing about dreaming of a white Christmas for all those years, finally we got one. I cannot remember snow being all around us on a Christmas Day and Boxing Day for many a long year. When the good lady and I went for a Boxing Day walk it was quite amazing to be wading through the snow eying up the many houses around our way that were lit with Christmas lights.
After seeing …

Mr D.Lewis: Author, publisher,TBL editor and occasional Father Christmas…
‘Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!’’ as Dean and Frank both sang way back when, and well it did – and it isn’t going away too quickly. The old white stuff has hung around all week and consequently made the distribution of the new TBL magazine somewhat problematic. A fair few have gone out now with more to follow in the next few days. The postal delivery times are well erratic at the moment and here we had no …

The largest ever Led Zeppelin fan gathering is taking place over the Memorial Day Weekend 2011.
Zep Fest 2011 will run over three days – May 27th, 28th and 29th –
The venue is the National Harbour in Washington DC USA.
The organizers have an ambitious line up of attractions. They include:
*Over 50 bands, DJs and entertainers performing throughout the three days over five stages. Acts are being announced in “Waves”
Included in the ’50+ Musical Acts’ will be what Zep Fest 2011 is describing as  “Descendants, Disciples & Influences”
Performing will be some of …

If you still haven’t sorted that Christmas present idea – or need to add something to your own Christmas wants list, there are plenty of TBL goodies on offer – here’s a guide to the last minute TBL Christmas gift ideas:
GIFT IDEA 1: TIGHT BUT LOOSE 2011 MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION
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 in a TBL 2011 Subscription –the …

Photo image copyright Thinkfarm
Three years ago today I awoke with the prospect of Led Zeppelin retuning to the stage just a matter of hours away. The previous night I’d spent the evening in the Pilot Inn toasting that fact with fans from all corners of the world. It would be a similar scene a few hours later.
The day itself went by in something of a blur – walking on that cold concourse leading to the O2 complex, conducting various interviews, bumping into countless fans I knew. After a communal hug …

Bonham’s the auctioneers are staging their latest  Entertainment Memorabilia sale  in Knightsbridge on December 15th and have a variety of Led Zeppelin related items on offer.  The lead item is a rare  acetate of  Memory Lane- an original composition recorded by The Band Of Joy. This was one of  four songs recorded at IBC Studios in Portland Place in London in early 1968 .The session  included  covers of Billy Roberts’ ‘Hey Joe’, Buffalo Springfield’s ‘For What It’s Worth’ and two original compositions, ‘Adriatic Sea View’ and ‘Memory Lane’. These were …

It may be winter outside….but in here it’s been flaming June courtesy of the recently surfaced soundboard tape of Led Zeppelin’s opening night at Madison Square Garden on the evening of June 7th 1977.  I know exactly what I was doing that day as it was the celebration of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and I was toasting Her Majesty in several Bedfordshire public houses. Over in America, Led Zeppelin were barnstorming their way though the first of six nights at the legendary New York venue.
On this new CD set (released …