Deborah Bonham Band at Milton Keynes Stables:

Following their hugely successful charity show with Paul Rodgers in Chichester, The Deborah Bonham band tour reaches The Stables in Milton Keynes on Thursday night. Support comes from the excellent Steve Rodgers. See http://www.steverodgersmusic.com/index.html

Deb’s new album Spirit is available on the tour as a pre release digi-pack  CD limited edition. The album features Band of Joy drummer Marco Giovano and Robert Plant makes a guest contribution on the track What it Feels.

In an interview featured in the last TBL issue Deborah told me how pleased she was for Robert to appear on the album:

‘’He plays harmonica on the track What It Feels. He did it in Austin. It’s a total thrill that Robert did that. Marco initially asked him and then I spoke to Robert and he said he’d love to do it. I was just knocked out when I heard. It’s got that Nobody’s Fault But Mine feel – you can notice it as soon as it comes in, and you know it’s Robert. It’s so cool the way he played it right off the wall. When it came back I was jumping around the studio screaming – we were so excited. To have that is fantastic, that’s just made it for me that he’s playing on the album.’’

Here’s a message from  Deb via her Facebook page:

Hi everyone. We’re at The Stables Milton Keynes this Thursday 11th – it is one of the best venue’s ever set up by the wonderful Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth “Wavendon Allmusic Plan Ltd (WAP) is a registered charity, founded in 1969 by the world-renowned jazz musicians Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth. It has a vision to:”engage the widest range of people with music in all its diversity” Sir John and Dame Cleo began the realisation of that vision with the development of The Stables Theatre, in some outbuildings at their home, as a venue for concerts and education activities. In October 2000, the new Stables Theatre opened its doors, with a second phase of development opening in 2007. It is now home to The Jim Marshall Auditorium with 448 capacity and presents around 350 concerts and 250 education sessions each year. Can’t wait! Hope to see some of you there…” DB

I’m planning to get over for this one with the TBL crew of Tom, Phil and Michaela and look forward very much to catching up with Deb and the band. Look for a report on TBL web.

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Deborah Bonham Interview:

Here’s the link to an excellent interview with Deborah Bonham on Folk Notes Blast

http://www.folkcast.co.uk/ShowNotes/shownotes_blast007-DeborahBonham.html

For further tour date info visit:

http://www.deborahbonham.com/

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Andy Johns 1952 -2013

Sad to hear the news of the passing of producer/engineer Andy Johns age 61. Andy was the engineer on the Led Zeppelin third and fourth albums. He also received the engineer credit for No Quarter on Houses of The Holy, Bron Yr Ayr, Down By the Seaside, Night Flight on Physical Graffiti and Poor Tom on Coda. Andy’s older brother Glyn engineered the first Zep album.

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Record Store Day Countdown:

April 6 –Day 6 in the countdown to World Record Store Day with 14 day to go. Today’s choice just has to be Presence by Led Zeppelin – as purchased the day it reached the Bedford shops 37 years ago today. I bought 2 copies that day. One still retains the shrink wrap, the other copy has an inscription written for me by Aubrey Powell the co-designer of the sleeve –this says ‘’What’s that obilisk exactly?’’ –a reference to the mysterious sleeve. This was signed for me when Po came here to film some stuff here for a Robert Plant video in 2005. As for the album – no boogies with Stu, no hat’s off to Harper’s. No funk or reggae parodies –no mellotrons or synths. Just full on full power Led Zeppelin. The basic bass/drums/guitar/vocal approach gives the record a very live feel – leading to my conclusion that Presence is the nearest they got to capturing over a complete studio album, the unpredictable edge and power of their on-stage performances. It’s also stock full of Jimmy Page’s genius guitar rages. Achilles Last Stand, For Your Life and Nobody’s Fault But Mine are all as good as anything he has ever applied himself to. For Your Life might be his very best solo ever– and as for that track, there was a time this was the most underrated in their catalogue. Not anymore. Since they demolished it at the 02 reunion we all know how crucial it is. In summary: Presence portrays the real heart and soul of Led Zeppelin more vividly than anything else they released. I played it all the way through nonstop earlier and on this April morning 37 years on….it sounded utterly fantastic. Try it yourself and feel it bite…(DL)

April 7 – Day 7 in the countdown to Record Store Day with 14 days to go. Today’s choice is Pictures At Eleven by Robert Plant. On February 25th 1982, I had a memorable meeting in Swan Song with Robert and Jimmy following a phone call from Robert in which he requested I brought in a batch of photos and memorabilia they were considering for what would emerge as the Coda sleeve. During that meeting, Robert told me he had completed the recording of his first solo album – and how nervous he was of about it all. A few months later on the afternoon of Friday June 18th, the Warner/Atlantic rep who called on the WH Smith record department I managed, gave me a white label test pressing with the album unstitched sleeve slick. It remains one of my most treasured vinyl LP’s. Hearing it for the first time was an utterly thrilling experience as it ushered in the new era of Robert Plant solo artist. Along with Fate of Nations it’s my favourite album of his –superb playing from Robbie Blunt, passionate vocals and great songs.

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Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters Down under – you tube round up: More clips from the tour…

And finally a little bit of Robert Plant nostalgia prompted by the inclusion of Pictures At Eleven in the Record Store Day countdown and the death of Margaret Thatcher who presided over this era……here’s the way we were in 1983…

Until next time…

Keep listening, keep reading…

Dave Lewis/Gary Foy

April 9th, 2013.

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