Email This Post Email This Post
Home » Dave Lewis Diary, Featured, TBL News

A MEMORY FROZEN FOREVER -BERLIN 1980 3 LP REVIEWED/ LED ZEPPELIN OVER EUROPE 1980 – IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO/ /LZ NEWS/BATH 1970/PEOPLES FRONT OF LZ LATEST/BOOK REVIEWS/THE NEW BOB DYLAN ALBUM/ON THE PLAYER/DAVE LEWIS DIARY BLOG UPDATE

26 June 2020 2,825 views 6 Comments

I took receipt of this new 3 LP release of the Berlin July 7 1980 performance on Thursday so… 

My thoughts on…

Led Zeppelin

A Memory Frozen Forever

Casino Records Limited Edition 3 LP 180 gr gold vinyl 350 only.

This is the latest in the Casino Records series of Led Zeppelin vinyl presentations. Previous releases have included This follows their excellent Berkeley Days Second Night package in a limited run of 400, I Told You Baby Long Time Ago – Scandinavia March 1969 limited edition of 450 on clear splatter vinyl and The Night Stalker – LA Forum 1975 issued last October in a run of 400 -1 to 200 on gold vinyl – 201 to 00 on clear vinyl. The first two had excellent content and packaging – the Night Stalker was a little bit underwhelming in the presentation.

By and large this one is much improved in the packaging department.

The cover is a colourful triple fold out affair with mostly relevant 1980 Over Europe tour photos taken from a variety of gigs on the tour and an informative and brief sleeve note. Some of it is based on the text in my Feather In The Wind book.

It also has a facsimile 10 x 8 insert of the look out warden official tour poster (based on a front over of Picture Post magazine). The reverse has an Over Europe ’80 visual with the tour dates – this is not an official poster and it’s shame they did not include a facsimile of the other official tour poster that was sold at the gigs depicting four photos taken from the pre tour rehearsals – this is reproduced on the fold out cover.

The actual labels reproduce the look out warden visual and the outer polythene cover also has a sticker stating the numbered copy in the run –mine is 320 of the 350.

However there is one big clunker. The cover photo of John Bonham is clearly a photo from the 1977 US tour – a real shame as the back cover has a very good Bonzo shot that I know is taken from the Berlin gig. That one surely begged to be on the front cover. On further inspection I’d say one of the inside covers of John Bonham is a 1977 shot. This may be a bit nitpicky but it’s nonetheless an annoying lack of attention to detail.

To the music – and what we have here is an undoubted historical artefact

On Monday July 7 1980, Led Zeppelin took the stage for the final night of the tour – and what would ultimately be the last ever Led Zeppelin performance with John Bonham.

The sound quality is excellent being the soundboard source used for the CD versions. Very pleasingly  and unlike the Night Stalker release, virtually all the in between chat is present and correct. I noticed a slight edit in the intro to Trampled Underfoot. To have lost the in between chat would have been a real shame as Plant’s very upbeat and humorous comments say a lot for the general atmosphere of this last night of the tour. He seems genuinely pleased at to how it has all gone – a fact Peter Grant noticed as on the flight back because he got the nod from Robert that a US tour was now viable. Sadly that was not to be. Aside from Jimmy’s usual intro to Black Dog, he also has a words to say as he tunes up for White Summer – this spiel is also left intact. So it’s full marks for the actual presentation of the concert across these six sides.

Overall, it’s an upbeat and interesting swan song performance. Robert Plant is on excellent form and in a jovial mood. At times they do seem to rush proceedings and there are moments of sloppiness – there is also a bit too much reliance on the vocal harmoniser effect which sometimes clouds the clarity of Plant’s voice. However, there is much to enjoy about this final performance because when it’s good, it’s very good indeed.

Being lucky enough to attend five of the shows (though sadly not this final one) I have much affection for this tour  and I personally love the set list. Highlights here include the opening burst of Train Kept a Rollin and Nobody’s Fault But Mine, the stand alone Rain Song and All My Love with that gorgeous extended outro.

Despite Achilles Last Stand being strangely dropped from the set, this was still the longest performance of the tour notably due to some lengthy extended work outs – Trampled Underfoot is a prime example as Page, Jones and Bonham lock into an incessant groove.

Listening now to what would be there last moments together as a band is a moving experience, not least because of the striking content of the final performances of Stairway To Heaven and Whole Lotta Love -both of which are worth the price of admission alone –  because both are delivered in unique arrangements.

Stairway clocks in at over fourteen minutes, half of which is given over to a rambling and totally mesmerising Page solo. It was easily the longest on the tour. Similarly unusual is the version of Whole Lotta Love, somewhat appropriately the last ever song the original Led Zeppelin quartet performed live as a band.

It begins with Page aping the intro of The Who’s Anyway, Anyhow Anywhere and leads on to a rare, totally medley- less arrangement that clocks in at 17 minutes. A mid-section jam has JPJ beefing up a funk riff over which Page teases with the Theremin and then opens up the wah-wah effects. Plant keeps up the pace with suitable primal screams and Bonzo pounds away relentlessly.

These final moments sees them drifting off into their own little world, almost oblivious of the audience. It was as if some sixth sense intuition was telling them that this would be the very last chance to play together and they didn’t want it to end. The camaraderie of recent weeks seems to will them to keep the flame burning for as long as they can on this tour. It triggers a nostalgic throwback to the experimental Zeppelin of the early 70s.

These impromptu performances are clear indications that far from being washed up, the 1980 Led Zeppelin still had that unique creative spark to improvise at will -and to make that improvisation a development rather than an indulgence  –  something that had been in their make up right from the start.

Sadly it all had to end.

“Eye thank yew. Thank you very much Berlin. Thank you very much everyone who’s worked for us and put up with us and all those sort of things, and er… goodnight!”

Summary: It strikes me had they have had the energy for it (and they clearly didn’t) this would have made a very welcome final live official album perhaps for release on the first anniversary in 1981.

As it stands, this is an equally welcome unofficial release that captures on record for the first time a very significant and historic performance. This final night in Berlin is a timely reminder on this 40th anniversary that Led Zeppelin still had new ground to cover and places to go…

Dave Lewis – June 25,2020.


It was 40 years ago – Led Zeppelin Over Europe 1980: 

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the first dates of the final Led Zeppelin tour – a low key 14 date trek taking in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Austria and Switzerland. I was lucky enough to attend five of those gigs. This is all chronicled in my Led Zeppelin Feather In The Wind Over Europe 1980 book

Here’s is a further extract – my on the road account written at the time and first featured in TBL issue 5…

Led Zeppelin Over Europe 1980:

Frankfurt Festhalle – It was 40 years ago …

Flashback to the Frankfurt Festhalle, Germany – on the evening of June 30th, 1980 around 8pm:

I am in the confines of the grand Festhalle venue in the heart of Frankfurt and I am standing no more than ten feet away from the four members of Led Zeppelin. The occasion is the tenth gig on the current tour of the band who have reigned supreme as the world’s greatest live rock attraction for much of the past decade. However the 1980s are upon us, and many things have happened since Led Zeppelin undertook their last full scale tour some three years ago.

The musical landscape they one stood over like a colossus, has changed radically. The onset of punk rock and new wave has challenged the status quo of the mega-bands – the so called dinosaur acts.
In fact, Robert Plant will make reference to the dinosaur tag on more than one occasion on this tour. Aside from the new wave of bands who rely on sharp, incisive three minute blasts of power pop, a new movement of rock outfits, spawned on the hard and heavy riffs that powered Zeppelin to the top, are in the wings ready to take dislodge their crown.
Within the next twelve months, the likes of Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Diamond Head, etc., will begin to dominate the music press in a similar manner in which Zeppelin were once courted, ushering in a movement that will be termed ‘’The new wave of British heavy metal.’’

Led Zeppelin are performing in Europe in an attempt to thwart such challenges and re-establish themselves as a working band. That aforementioned last tour, a gargantuous trek across America in the summer of 1977, attracted a combined audience of nearly one million. Last August over 200,000 came to pay homage to them over two Saturday gigs at Knebworth.
Things, though, have moved on considerably, even since then. This tour has garnered little publicity back home, and though a hardcore of UK followers have made the trip over, by their standard this is a very low key affair.

Tonight, though, they are playing one of the larger venues on the tour. The 13,500 capacity Festhalle . Ten years ago, Zeppelin became the first band ever to play this venue and their return is much anticipated by the German audience. Tonight’s crowd is also boosted by the presence of a number of US servicemen based at the nearby US Army base where Elvis Presley did some of his time for Uncle Sam way back when.

Understandably, the four members look a little apprehensive as they mill around the short stairway that will soon usher them on to the stage. This is the second show of the tour that my friend Tom and I are taking in. Twelve days ago, we witnessed their vibrant second night in Cologne. Since then the tour has not been without it’s problems. Last Friday, John Bonham collapsed on stage in Nuremberg after just 16 minutes and the show was cancelled.
When we met with security man Dave Moulder earlier in the day, he was keen to play down the events saying John had merely suffered from nervous exhaustion. A show in Zurich last night appears to have gone well. The heavily bearded drummer seems his boisterous self as he banters with Robert Plant. Plant is again wearing the green cap sleeve top and jeans attire that has been his ever present uniform for the tour. He too looks upbeat, if a little bit nervous. John Paul Jones, with suave short hair and smart shirt, is interacting with them. Jimmy Page is dressed in a white suit with a green top and matching green sneakers. He looks slightly sweaty, but is smiling warmly as the imposing frame of manager Peter Grant points out the all important presence of Atlantic Records Ahmet Ertegun – the man who has guided their career at the label from the very beginning.

The lights are dimmed, and road manager Phil Carlo shines a torch through the dark and leads them up to the stage. Bonzo climbs the rostrum to the drums, Jonesy turns right where his tech assistant Andy Ledbetter straps on the Alembic bass, and Jimmy Page walks onto the stage to the left, followed by Robert Plant.

As they walk into the glare of the spotlights, those assembled in the Frankfurt Festhalle finally view all four members of Led Zeppelin and the place erupts.

Guitar tech Ray Thomas straps on the Gibson and Jimmy moves to the effects pedals. A few snare shots and bass shuffles from John Bonham is the signal for the guitarist to lean back and exhort a fierce moaning wail from the Gibson. Robert stakes a stance to his immediate right –the spotlights pick out the pair in regal splendour  and then BLAM!

They launch into Train Kept A Rollin’, the old Johnny Burnette barnstormer The Yardbirds used in their heyday, and indeed Zep played on their first US tours. Now it is being revived to kick start what will be two hours of full-on power and excitement.

Tom and I are extremely fortunate to be watching all this action unfold just a few mere feet from the stage. As the band begin their ascent to the stage, Peter Grant acknowledges us and nods approvingly as Dave Moulder ushers us to the side of the stage. In effect, we have been allowed into their tight-knit inner sanctum.

Watching Led Zeppelin live on stage from this ultimate vantage point is, unsurprisingly, an astonishing experience and one that we will repeat in Mannheim and Munich later in the week.

To be continued…

Extract from the book Led Zeppelin Feather In The Wind – Over Europe 1980 by Dave Lewis.

 

…………

OVER EUROPE PIC 1

Coming soon…

Feather In The Wind Led Zeppelin Over Europe 1980 – 40th Anniversary Limited Edition

TBL designer Mick Lowe and I are working on a 40th anniversary package of the Feather In The Wind book.

As with my Knebworth book last year, this 40th anniversary limited edition will have a glossy newly designed book jacket plus a new 3,000 word interview insert with the author. Each insert will individually numbered and signed by the author -as will the books. This will be in a strictly limited edition and when they are gone they are gone…more on this to follow soon.


It was 50 years ago:

Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most famous Led Zeppelin performances -their bill topping appearance at the 1970 Bath Festival.

Too mark that event here’s the details of that performance as chronicled in the Evenings With Led Zeppelin book

June 28, 1970 – Bath Festival of Blues & Progressive Music ‘70 – Bath & West Showground – Shepton Mallet, England

Setlist:

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed And Confused, Bring It On Home, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Organ Solo/ Thank You, That’s The Way (introduced as ‘The Boy Next Door’), What Is And What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times Medley (inc. Rice Pudding, Mr. Soul, Beck’s Bolero, Down By The River, The Hunter, Think You Need A Shot (The Needle), Honey Bee, Long Distance Call, Boogie Chillun’, Hideaway, El Paso Blues, The Lemon Song, I Need Your Love Tonight, That’s All Right, etc.), Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown (inc. Sing A Simple Song, It’s Your Thing, etc.), Long Tall Sally (inc. Say Mama, Johnny B. Goode, That’s All Right

 Background Info:

Much has been said and written about Led Zeppelin’s historic performance at the 1970 Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music. It was certainly a key turning point in the band’s career, especially in their homeland. Just over two months earlier, The Beatles had officially called it quits, and by the time the Bath Festival had wrapped up, it was clear that Led Zeppelin was now the most popular band in the world. “Official” declaration of this fact came in the form of the Melody Maker Poll Awards in September, when Zeppelin had seized the mantle from The Beatles and were named the World’s Top Group.

Unlike the 1969 Bath Festival which was held at the Recreation Ground in Bath, the 1970 Bath Festival was held at the Bath & West Showground in Shepton Mallet, 15 miles south west of Bath. The attendance at the 1970 Festival was significantly higher than the previous year, with over 150,000 fans in attendance (the 1969 Festival was considerably smaller, with Zeppelin performing to approximately 12,000 fans).

The band played on the second day of the festival, June 28, and started their performance at 8:30 pm. The set opener was the newly-penned Immigrant Song, which bore little resemblance to the LP track as Robert had ad-libbed much of the lyrics. For the next two hours and twenty minutes, the band put on one of the greatest performances of their storied career.

Press Reaction:

Melody Maker (July 4, 1970) – Cover Story: Five Encores for Zeppelin!

by Chris Welch & Chris Charlesworth:

 “Led Zeppelin stormed to huge success at the Bath Festival. As about 150,000 fans rose to give them an ovation, lead singer Robert Plant told them: “We’ve been away a lot in America and we thought it might be a bit dodgy coming back. It’s great to be home!”

            “They played for over three hours – blues, rock and roll and pure Zeppelin. Jimmy Page, in a yokel hat to suit the Somerset scene, screamed into attack on guitar. John Paul Jones came into his own on organ as well as bass, and John Bonham exploded his drums in a sensational solo. And the crowd went wild demanding encore after encore… a total of five!”

           “They kicked off with a new riff from their next album called ‘Immigration Song’ (sic). They actually took some time to warm up the crowd, but this may have been intentional as they built up to a fantastic climax with an act lasting over three hours… They had made all the hang-ups worthwhile and given the crowd a night to remember – whatever else happened. In their final minutes, they paid tribute to the Masters of Rock and Roll with the songs of Little Richard, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.”

 Bootleg Recordings – 2 audience sources (129 & 119 minutes):

For years, the only bootleg recording available of Zeppelin’s set was a barely listenable audience recording. Fortunately, a major upgrade of the recording appeared in 2010 from a second generation tape. The taper recorded the performance on a Sony tape deck with a stereo microphone attached to a pole twelve feet in the air, 200 yards from center stage. While certainly not perfect, the recording captures the festival atmosphere and gives the listener more of an appreciation for the outstanding gig.

Beginning with a different lyrical arrangement of the recently written ‘Immigrant Song’ as the show opener, the band started strong and never let up in delivering one of their all-time greatest performances.

The encores were especially epic, with many rarities played during the ‘How Many More Times’ medley (with the total number of available concert recordings of each song in parentheses): Buffalo Springfield’s ‘Mr. Soul’ (1); Muddy Waters’ ‘Long Distance Call’ (6); Big Joe Williams’ ‘El Paso Blues’ (2); Elvis Presley’s ‘I Need Your Love Tonight’ (3). Little Richard’s ‘Long Tall Sally’ included Gene Vincent’s ‘Say Mama’ (2); Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B. Goode’ (1).

Many thanks to Mike Tremaglio  

Extract from the book Evenings With Led Zeppelin by Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio (Omnibus Press)

Currently out of print – we are hoping to have a reprint edition for publication ahead. More details as they unfold.



Staying with the Bath Festival…a report of the existence of film footage of the Bath appearance from 2017:

Icons of The Hall Event – Led Zeppelin Royal Albert Hall footage screened – Led Zeppelin at Bath 1970 film discussed…

  Before proceedings had got under way I studied the contents of a special display case that had various memorabilia on show – part of that was a vintage film label marked Led Zeppelin at Bath. I have previously been aware that Peter Whitehead had shot film of the band at the Bath Festival in 1970 but here was tangible evidence.

This was backed up by Professor Steve Chibnall during the forum when I asked a question about the Bath film. Steve revealed he had viewed the 20 to 30 minute silent colour footage (the label says B and W but Steve says it is colour ) and though it was rather dark in places it was usable and he hoped one day it could be restored and see the light of day.

Here’s the full transcript of the question I asked via the LZ News site:

Tight But Loose editor Dave Lewis: Hi there, my name’s Dave Lewis, I’m from the Led Zeppelin magazine, so all this has been fascinating. I’m very intrigued to hear you tell me that the Bath Festival was filmed and so you’re saying that the Led Zeppelin show was filmed?
SC: Indeed, yes.
DL: Can you tell me how much of that was filmed and still remains?
Steve Chibnall: There’s 20 to 30 minutes and a lot of it is backstage. I’ve only seen the footage, I haven’t seen it with sound. The problem, according to Peter Whitehead, was that A. He was stuck in traffic and had trouble getting to Bath so he arrived late. He was supposed to film the band arriving by helicopter and he missed that.
And then when Led Zeppelin played, they played in the dark and there was insufficient stage lighting for his cameras. So he reckoned that the footage, the live footage, was not usable. It is usable because, I mean, it can be, it can be restored now. So you can raise those lighting levels, you can see more digitally.
It looks beautiful to me and I think it was recorded, the band probably have a recording of it, I would think. So there is a possibility. He was supposed to do interviews with the band members as well, which I don’t think that ever happened. But certainly there is 20 or 30 minutes of footage from Bath. And if you look in the display case there you can see what was once a label attached to a can of film which says precisely that.
DL: That immediately made me think ‘wow.’ So, is it colour film?
SC: Yes.
DL: And who actually owns it?
SC: Peter Whitehead owns the film but Led Zeppelin, no doubt, will own the music.
DL: So could you see that coming out at some point?
SC: I’d love to see it come out, I think it would be a really good project for 2020, don’t you? The fiftieth anniversary of the Bath Festival.
DL: 2018?
SC: No, it was 1970.
DL: Oh, sorry, it would be, yeah. It would probably take that long to work it out.
SC: It would, but it would be lovely to have that, wouldn’t it?
DL: Superb, thank you very much.

Like I said, I had previously been aware that Peter Whitehead had shot the Bath Festival in 1970 but this was real tangible evidence it exists and it was great to chat to Steve afterwards and hear first hand from someone who has actually viewed it. Quite weather it will ever see the light of day officially only time will tell. It was incredibly exciting to be right there as this revelation news was unfolding.

Sadly there ahs been no updated information on weather the film will surface – it’s surely on every Zep fans wish list…

And finally on Bath 1970:

There’s some great Bath 70 pics and stories on this website link:

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/bA1.html


LZ News:

Led Zeppelin News Update:
Latest news via the excellent LZ News website…

Led Zeppelin

  • The headline performances at the John Bonham celebration event in Redditch which had been scheduled for September 25-26 have been postponed until September 25, 2021.

Jimmy Page

Robert Plant

Upcoming events (subject to lockdown restrictions):

September 9 – A “one-of-a-kind” item donated by Robert Plant will be sold at Julien’s Auctions
September 25-26 – The next John Bonham celebration event will be held in Redditch.
October 8 – The affordable version of Jimmy Page’s Anthology book will be released.
2021
June 18-20 – Robert Plant will perform as part of Saving Grace at the Black Deer festival in Kent.
September 25 – The 2021 John Bonham celebration event will be held in Redditch.

Many thanks to James Cook.

Sign up for the regular LZ News email here:http://tinyletter.com/LedZepNews

Led Zeppelin News Website: Check out the LZ News website at

http://ledzepnews.com/

 


People’s Front of  Zeppelin:

George Fludas has been in touch as follow:s;

I wanted to share our latest video from People’s Front Of Zeppelin. We did Carouselambra with a special guest appearance by Jimmy Sakurai on guitar.  Hope you dig it.

I think we all will…it is absolutely brilliant…

Led Zep and rock book reviews:
Here’s a very informative series of rock book and Led Zeppelin reviews via James James YouTube channel -plenty of very nice comments about the books I’ve been associated with -many thanks to Michael Rae for pointing me to these clips. The links are below:
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwv_CEHLFDc&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR23ZaAIRT0S5phfZfIpVebeoU7SJMlkY38auFxwRG2wvBOXCo3acerBFQM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pKtrpqREBM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0N1Msvi9bdF5DhdvDnLNsu_8FK5hcVIGObwRCOZKCt9is0-vJESkXaMVs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9WKqaHPm5M&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2KGMJG6ouAPWEtybzPME1EAgmEYQw9kr6iXs0ITeYkIo7QF6S0syr2jtY

Boy Dylan… 

With the vinyl version not available until July 17 and after reading Richard Williams epic review in the new issue of Uncut, I decided I needed the new Bob Dylan album Rough And Rowdy Ways in my life as soon as possible.

The CD version released today that I ordered has just arrived. I am very much looking forward to hearing the thoughts and visions of an artist who has kept me enthralled for the past 50 years…

So…my initial thoughts on the new Bob Dylan album Rough And Rowdy Ways…

The first Bob Dylan album I bought with hard earned cash was Self Portrait. The 1970 covers based double album mish mash that confused his audience and critics alike. It prompted the writer Greil Marcus to open his review of the album in Rolling Stone magazine with the immortal line ‘’What’s this shit?’’

Maybe I was easily pleased aged 16 but I actually loved it so you could say I am used to Bob Dylan’s artistic quirks. I might add the second Bob Dylan I purchased not long after, was the legendary bootleg Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1966 so that put my particular credibility way back up.

The fact is the career of Bob Dylan has been fascinating me for the past 50 years and it continues to do so.

In recent years my appreciation of Bob Dylan’s studio work has centered on the superb Bootleg Series of retrospective releases – the last of which was the magnificent Blood On The Tracks set.

I very much enjoyed his Sinatra’s covers album and I always follow his career – I am glad he still out there performing though I have long since experienced that for myself – I checked out around 1992 on that score

However, he is the greatest living poet and he is right up there in my favourite artists of all time –always will be.

Now comes a new album Rough And Rowdy Ways – his 39th studio album of which I am proud to say I own a bulk of.

Here’s my initial thoughts  on the album…

It alternates between semi spoken shimmering croons and free falling R and B grooves. Lyrical references abound, the voice, a seasoned deep toned burr with as Chris Charlesworth noted in his Just backdated review, a similar texture to Tom Waits. The Johnny Cash Rick Rubin produced striped down American Recordings album is another reference point.

Among the eleven songs, I detected echoes of the past such as Street Legal’s  New Pony, Oh Mercy’s Most Of The Time and Blonde on Blonde’s Highway 61’s Rainy Day Women 12 & 35.

In I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You Dylan has created a modern day Lay Lady Lay for our generation that moved me near to tears. The overall album production echoes the sparseness that Daniel Lanois brought to Oh Mercy and Time Out Of Mind .

In these crazy uncertain times, there will be many occasions ahead when musical salvation will need to be at hand. I’ll therefore be looking repeatedly to Rough And Rowdy Ways to accompany me when I feel the need, as another Dylan (Thomas) put it, to ‘rage at the dying of the light’.

At 79 he may not be as he once sang, forever young but Bob Dylan remains forever compelling and this new album is a work of rare reflective beauty.

Dave Lewis – June 24,2020

 


On the player:

June 19:

On the player celebrating his Birthday – Nick Drake – An Exploration of Nick Drake – Heaven in a Wild Flower

Like so many others, Nick Drake’s music passed me by first time around – even though I’d heard the likes of Time Has Told Me and Hazy Jane on the Island Records sampler albums Nice Enough To Eat and Bumpers .

Fast forward to1985 – the Island Records rep that called on the record store I managed left a preview cassette with tracks from upcoming albums – one of them was two tracks from the then forthcoming Nick Drake compilation An Exploration of Nick Drake –Heaven in a Wild Flower . I was certainly taken by Northern Sky and Hazy Jane 1. However it took a couple more years for me to really get it.

In 1987 when I was managing the Our Price record shop in Northampton, one of the staff often had the Heaven in a Wild Flower album on the instore player. It was then that my ears where really opened. I quickly purchased that compilation album and followed it with the Hannibal label release Time Of No Reply. Five Leaves Left, Bryter Later and Pink Moon soon followed.

The magic of Nick Drake’s music has accompanied me ever since. In late 2009 I wrote a major feature for Record Collector on the making of the Five Leaves Left album.

Rarely a week goes by when one of his albums does not find itself on the player here. I have many books and magazines on the subject and I am very much looking forward to Richard Morton Jack forthcoming authorised biography.

Elegant, observational and forever autumnal, Nick Drake ‘s catalogue of work has a unique quality all of its own.

This superb compilation album lives up to its title as an exploration of Nick Drake – and one worthy of repeated investigation…

Dave Lewis – June 19 2020.

On the player – Saturday is platterday:
June 20:
Saturday is platterday – on the player Cat Stevens Tea For The Tillerman – he looked and sounded great on last night’s BBC One show and I’m looking forward to the forthcoming 50th anniversary remake of the album
It was 43 years ago today…June 21:

Loading up the brilliant Led Zeppelin Listen To This Eddie three CD bootleg set – as recorded 43 years ago today –June 21 1977 at the LA Forum – taped by the late great Mike Millard –an amazingly atmospheric audience recording – and one of the very best latter era Zep concert performances …
June 23:
On the player here – the epic For Badgeholders Only Live at The LA Forum double album bootleg – as recorded on this day in 1977 – a classic Led Zeppelin performance with a guest appearance from Keith Moon…. and sounding great…

Dave Lewis Diary Blog Update:

I was feeling a very blessed man on Father’s Day – lovely cards from Sam and Adam and an Espresso Martini mixed by the ladies here…it doesn’t get much better…thank you Sam,Adam and the good lady Janet…

Wednesday treats at the Vinyl Barn…
At a very warm and sunny Vinyl Barn on Wednesday, I was well pleased to find a compilation album by the great Focus on the Polydor label featuring Hocus Pocus and Sylvia – plus an excellent CD Great Lost Elektra Singles Vol 1 with rare tracks and B sides by the likes of Elektra label artists Paul Butterfield, Phil Ochs and David Ackles – top stuff. Thanks Darren Harte.

 

Some inspirations this past week:

A lovely Fathers Day…

My copy of the new issue of Mojo dropping through the door…

Talking ”record collecting bollocks” for over an hour on the phone with my fellow record collecting enthusiast John Parkin…

Catching up on the phone with an old  friend Mick Sharp who was a big influence on my writings in the 1980s…

A late night date with the new Bob Dylan album…

Picking up the new Casino vinyl release A Memory Frozen Forever…

Update here: Despite a number of highs noted above, disappointingly there have been some more lows and in the last couple of days I’ve succumbed to more feelings of deep anxiety and depression.

This is a real disappointment as there have been a number of inspirations that should have kept such feelings at bay. My inability not to do so has once again led to feelings of selfishness and self loathing.  Not good…and I have to say it’s been a real strain trying to get this update together…not sure what the answer is but I’ll keep trying to find it…

Further Update Friday PM: I have felt a lot better this afternoon thanks to some great support yet again – thank you Mark H, Keith C, Steve L – and of course the good lady Janet who has been amazing ..and the music which is constant salvation…

Thanks for listening – stay safe and well you very lovely people…

Dave Lewis –  June 26, 2020

Until next time, stay safe and stay well…

Website updates written and compiled by Dave Lewis

Follow TBL/DL on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/tightbutloose.loose

The TBL/DL Facebook page has regular updates and photos – be sure to check it out

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

6 Comments »

  • VHP said:

    Hi Dave,

    Hope you and all your family are keeping as well as possible during these difficult times.

    Roy Watson – couldn’t agree with you more. Lets just take since the O2 in 2007 – nearly every year since 2009 he has promised to release a CD / LP of all new music / play live. Neither has happened. As I have said before, I can’t be the only person who visits this site that would love to hear something all new – and more than just the 2 ‘working bits’ on It Might get Loud’. Thats not a lot in 22 years since ‘Clarksdale’.

    Maybe we should be optomistic & think that Jimmy is being productive and has been playing guitar during lockdown? But I do wonder after being so long away from releasing all new music / playing live will it be too little too late? If he does finally release something new theI will buy it, but it does seem at the moment that the O2 could well be his final full length live performance?

    Anyway, stay safe everyone.

    P.S, this September / December marks 40 years since Bonzo & John Lennon sadly died. Where has all that time gone?

  • roy.watson said:

    just to say Dave I’ve just watched the unboxing on you tube of Jimmy Page’s Anthology book. Apart from the O2 in Dec 2007, we had nothing else from him for twenty years – what a huge disappointment Page has been. All I can say is happy retirement Jimmy Page

  • Swin said:

    Just managed to get a copy of “A memory frozen forever” .Happy Daze.Keep up the good work with TBL Dave,have been subscribing since ’94.Stay safe.Everonward Swin.

  • Dave Lewis (author) said:

    Many thanks Neil

  • Neil said:

    Hi Dave

    Long time reader/lurker but I rarely post anything anywhere.

    That Focus LP has an extremely special place in my life and I hope it lifts you in these difficult times.

    I will write you a separate email another time to explain myself better but until then, keep on keeping on and it’s an inspiration to read your work and see you out there.

    Neil

  • Mike Wilkinson said:

    Hi Dave,
    Agree with the Dylan review, I think it’s wonderful.
    Nick Drake – believe it or not, I’ve never even heard of that album before! How did I miss it?

    Finally, lots of Zeppelin references in latest issue of H’or Deuves fanzine if you haven’t seen it.
    Cheers
    Mike Wilkinson

Leave your response!

Add your comment below, or trackback from your own site. You can also subscribe to these comments via RSS.

Be nice. Keep it clean. Stay on topic. No spam.

This is a Gravatar-enabled weblog. To get your own globally-recognized-avatar, please register at Gravatar.