Jimmy Page Statement:

Jimmy has released a statement via his official website regarding the Stairway To Heaven court case:

A few weeks have past since the judgement of the Stairway to Heaven case in Los Angeles, with the jury reaching a unanimous decision in a remarkably short time. Throughout the lengthy journey to that verdict, and even more recently, I have received and been aware of the overwhelming wave of support, encouragement, and congratulations that has been deeply moving.
I’d like to take this opportunity to personally thank all those who contributed such a positive energy to me.

Thank you
Jimmy Page

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STOP PRESS:

The Complete BBC Sessions – Communication Breakdown Preview:

50 days to go and counting…

UK Link:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/jul/28/led-zeppelin-hear-unreleased-version-communication-breakdown-bbc-sessions

US Link:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/hear-led-zeppelins-loose-live-communication-breakdown-w431146

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LZ News:

Led Zeppelin News Update:

In conjunction with the Led Zep news site, each week I will be re- producing highlights from their weekly email update news summary. This goes out every Sunday. Sign up details are below. Many thanks to James Cook.

The big news this week was the announcement that Led Zeppelin’s “BBC Sessions” release from 1997 has been remastered and expanded and will be released on September 16. “The Complete BBC Sessions” will include a bonus disc featuring more tracks from the shows on the original release. Just like last time, this album has been remastered by Jimmy Page and John Davis. The new release will include new session-by-session liner notes from Tight But Loose editor Dave Lewis. The release formats will be familiar to anyone who bought the remastered studio albums: Download, 3CD, 5LP, 5LP/3CD super deluxe box set. Just like with the studio albums, we broke the news that this was on its way before the official announcement.
•A new release of Led Zeppelin’s Tokyo, September 23, 1971 show included a bonus CD of a soundboard recording of “Black Dog,” likely from Osaka, September 28, 1971. That means it’s likely that the full show is on its way.

Jimmy Page

•Jimmy Page released a statement about the “Stairway To Heaven” trial on his Facebook page on July 23. You can read it in full here.

Robert Plant
•Robert Plant performed three shows in Italy this week.
July 20: Milan, Italy
Poor Howard
Turn It Up
Black Dog

Rainbow
What Is And What Should Never Be
No Place To Go / Dazed And Confused
All The King’s Horses
Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You
Little Maggie
Fixin’ To Die
Bluebirds Over The Mountain / Whole Lotta Love
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Rock And Roll
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Going To California

July 22: Naples, Italy (Exact setlist unclear)
Black Dog
Dazed And Confused
Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You
Whole Lotta Love
Going To California

July 24: Italy (Setlist unknown for now) •Pro-shot footage of Robert Plant performing “The Lemon Song” on July 1 in Belgium has been released online.

Upcoming events:
July 27 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in the Czech Republic.
July 28 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Austria.
July 30 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Croatia.
August 2 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Germany.
August 3 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform in Switzerland.
August 5 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at the Wilderness Festival in the UK.
September 16 – “The Complete BBC Sessions” will be released.
October 8/9 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters will perform at the Festival of Disruption in Los Angeles.

The Led Zeppelin News email goes out every weekend. To receive it each week sign up here: https://t.co/yp9fGJMSGH

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Led Zeppelin ‘Stairway To Heaven’ plagiarism case goes to appeal:

Again let us hope reason will prevail…

See story in links below.

http://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven-plagiarism-case-goes-to-appeal/
http://teamrock.com/news/2016-07-26/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven-case-goes-to-appeal

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Baron Wolman Woodstock Exhibition at Proud Gallery Camden:.

The Proud Gallery in Camden are staging an exhibition of the legendary US photographer Barn Wolman’s Woodstock photos. It runs from July 28 to September 11

Baron was Rolling Stone’s chief photographer for many years – he shot the famous image of Jimmy Page’s guitars by the side of the stage at Oakland in July 1977

I attended the launch of the exhibition on Wednesday night – there’s some amazing images to be seen. An companying book on Baron’s Woodstock photos is also just out.

Here’s more info about the exhibition:

July 28 – September 11.

This summer, Proud Camden brings in the festival season with a nostalgic collection of photographs taken by the esteemed photographer, Baron Wolman. This exhibition explores the innovative genius of one man as he transformed music photography through his idiosyncratic style and spontaneous aesthetic, perfectly documenting the music, the people and the sheer hedonism of the legendary Woodstock Festival.

As the Vietnam War raged on, the Woodstock generation became more aware of their power to change the world by challenging cultural restraints, ideas and institutions. Public rallies, peace-protests and demonstrations created a unified feeling of hope and purpose and for the first time a mass culture saw itself as completely interconnected and began to take on a global rather than a local responsibility.
What was conceived as “Three Days of Peace and Music,” advertised for 50,000 people, soon became one of the most important music festivals in history, attended by over half a million people, and a defining moment for the counter-culture generation. Woodstock was the people’s festival where positive and like-minded individuals were brought together to celebrate their values, concerns and feelings for the world around them. The magic of Woodstock is a stunning demonstration of the true power of community and still holds an enduring influence today, becoming an inspiration for those who believed that things could change for the better. Even once the music was over and the people had left, Woodstock was not the end, but the beginning of music and pop culture as we know it.

Wolman was at the inception of Rolling Stone magazine, capturing icons of the 60s and 70s, including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Rolling Stones. His candid and evocative photographs of Woodstock offer a rare insight into this illustrious event, capturing the true essence of the celebrated rock ‘n’ roll festival. He would venture to the outskirts of the festival, taking photographs of the audiences and their leisure activities away from the music, explaining that “I ended up spending most of my time out in the wild with the crowd because what was happening out there was just too interesting not to explore.” Wolman gives us a vivid and honest view, documenting not only the music and performances but also the cultural and political aspects of people protesting against the war, animal killings and government.

With his unobtrusive approach, Wolman’s techniques resulted in photographs that captured the rawness and emotion of a generation. Woodstock by Baron Wolman brings together a collection of iconic images that have come to epitomise our collective cultural memory, showcasing a revolutionary moment in the history of music and one of the greatest events to have ever occurred.

See link at:

https://www.proudonline.co.uk/exhibitions

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John Pidgeon: 1947 -2106:

I was sad to hear the news of the passing of writer and radio producer John Pidgeon. I was a big admirer of John’s writing – he helped establish the pioneering UK rock monthly magazine Let It Rock back in the early 70s. I was an avid reader of this mag and it helped shape many of my tastes and opinions on music. John also wrote a great biography on Rod Stewart and The Faces – I was actually checking this out when I was working on the Classic Rock website Faces top ten listing recently. Aside from his writing John was at the helm of BBC’s comedy radio coverage helping to establish The Mighty Boosh and many others. RIP.

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Deborah Bonham Band at The Stables.

The excellent Stables venue in Milton Keynes played host to the Deborah Bonham Band last Friday  – and once again it was great to be in their company. The set was a combination of old and new – I Need Love being an early highlight.

As usual it was the depth and emotional edge of Deb’s vocal delivery that captivated. The whole band though are a joy to watch –there’s a genuine on stage chemistry at play, the sprightly Take Me Down with Deb on guitar being an obvious example. The combination of Deb’s Joplinesque vocal and the band’s Humble Pie/Free like swagger hit a real peak on No Angel. Pete Bullick’s guitar work here was just awesome.

A powerful authentic arrangement of Hey Joe and the nod to the family tradition that is Rock And Roll sealed a hugely entertaining set.

In these uncertain times, watching the Deborah Bonham Band is a tonic you can rely on. An uplifting time is guaranteed

Dave Lewis July 23, 2016.

Pic above – with Tom, Phil and Deb after last Friday’s show.
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Top Ten Faces Songs – Classic Rock website:

The Top Ten Faces songs as compiled for the Classic Rock website by yours truly..I had some fun narrowing this one down – what a band…
Rising from the ashes of 60s mod-rockers The Small Faces, the Faces were the ultimate good time band. Building on the foundations laid down by their former incarnation, it was the addition of former Jeff Beck Group guitarist Ron Wood and swaggering, lad-about-town singer Rod Stewart to the core trio of bassist Ronnie Lane, keyboard player Ian McLagan and drummer Kenney Jones that helped bring success on both sides of the pond, lending swagger and verve to their soulful rock’n’roll. Raise a glass to their 10 greatest songs…

View the list at:

http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-07-25/top-10-faces-songs

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DL: THE COUNTDOWN TO 60.

Latest entries on the DL countdown to 60…

With my 60th birthday in sight, the countdown commences. Every day up to September 5 I’ll be posting (in no particular order) a countdown of my favourite 60 singles , favourite 60 albums and gigs …the 60 at 60 DL faves…

Here’s a summary of the past week’s entries:

THE GIGS:

The Gigs: At 45…
DEBORAH BONHAM BAND – LED ZEPPELIN CONVENTION ROYAL NATIONAL HOTEL LONDON – MAY 23, 1992:
The Bonham family set the seal on an unforgettable Zep Convention weekend that Andy Adams and I organised with a Sunday afternoon performance that included the late much missed Mick on bongos and John’s daughter Zoe on vocals – along with Deb Pete and co –and mum the late Joan proudly watching from the side. There was not a dry eye in the house when Deb sang her family lament The Old Hyde – it remains one of the most emotional performances I’ve ever witnessed… I am very much looking forward to catching up with Deb and co at the Milton Keynes Stables gig tonight –where once again when this song is performed there is sure to be a great big lump in my throat… here’s a performance from 2011…

The Gigs: At 44
LED ZEPPELIN – EARLS COURT SATURDAY MAY 17 1975..
Zeppelin lift off…and the beginning of the dream….

The Gigs: At 43…
LED ZEPPELIN – EARLS COURT SUNDAY MAY 18 1975..
The Second night….this bootleg which I got in 1976 is a remnant of the magic…

The Gigs: At 42
LED ZEPPELIN MANNHEIM ESSTADION JULY 2 1980
Another side of the stage experience….and what a night…

The Gigs: At 41….
THE SMALL FACES – RAINBOW THEATRE, APRIL 27 1977
This was the much heralded Small Faces reunion tour –the gig itself was good but somewhat lacklustre – however as an occasion it was an awesome night – and what a thrill to see Steve Marriott singing live on stage – and yes many a glass was raised during the evening… My good friends Dec Hickey and Phil Harris were there too…

The Gigs: At 40
DAVID GILMOUR – ROYAL ALBERT HALL, SEPTEMBER 24 2015
Awesome show from last September in the company of TBL subscriber Joe Galanick and his wife Jendy and Tom Locke. This was an absolute masterclass in how to carry the Floyd legacy with dignity and style.
As I wrote at the time…”As for David Gilmour – well I have finally seen what it is all about….he may be a somewhat unassuming guitar hero – but guitar hero he certainly is.”

The Gigs: At 39
ROD STEWART – OLYMPIA, DECEMBER 28 1978
His band at the time with Carmine Appice on drums were a really tight unit and this was Rod in all his leopard skin glory. His on stage showmanship absolutely captivating – I was lucky enough to be right down the front – a memorable pre new year’s ever party night.

THE ALBUMS:

The Albums: At 45…
In the summer of 1978 I walked in to the HMV store Bedford where my good friend Phil Harris then worked – there was a mournful aching guitar solo coming out of the in- store speakers – followed by a vocal line that said ‘’and now that it’s all over’’’’.
What’s this playing Phil?’’ I enquired –‘’The new Thin Lizzy album’’ he replied. Hearing just that brief extract was enough to make an instant purchase. The album was Live and Dangerous – the track Still In love With You with that scintillating Brian Robertson solo…it still sounds utterly brilliant….as does the whole album.

The Albums: At 44
THE WHO – WHO’S NEXT
An album of immense economy – nothing is out of place, everything flows from start to finish, no filler from Baba O’Riley though to the last gasp of Won’t Get Fooled again – just played it all though and it sounds as thrilling as it did when I first purchased it back in 1974.

The Albums: At 43
LET IT BLEED – THE ROLLING STONES
From Keith’s intro on Gimme Shelter (one of the greatest intros of any song anywhere) through to the fade out of You Can’t Always Get What You Want, this is an absolute Stones tour de force…loved it from the day it came out in December 1969..and still love it as much today…

The Albums: At 42
GEORGE HARRISON – ALL THINGS MUST PASS
The best Beatles solo album bar none – overflowing with brilliantly affecting songs

The Albums: At 41
MARQUEE MOON – TELEVISION
I purchased this album in March 1977 on the strength of a major review of the album by celebrated rock journalist Nick Kent in the NME – I was not disappointed one bit – Television, the ice kings of rock led by Tom Verlaine still sound utterly dynamic.
Many years later in 2010, I was lucky enough to interview Nick for the TBL mag and he signed my copy of the NME. That Television review and his brilliant writing in general, was a major inspiration on my own ambitions to put pen to paper.Thank you Mr Kent…

The Albums: At 40
BOB DYLAN –DESIRE
Mr Zimmerman at his most enigmatic – he takes you on a compelling storytelling journey of characters and locations – we hear of Hurricane, Sara, Isis and Joey and visit Mozambique, Durango and Black Diamond Bay. He brings it all alive in tight semi acoustic arrangements with Scarlett Rivera’s violin adding a reflective poignancy. Bought it the day it came out in January 1976 – those characters and locations have been with me ever since and this is still one of my most played albums.

The Albums: At 39

WOODSTOCK – MUSIC FROM THE SOUNDTRACK – VARIOUS ARTISTS
I got this triple album set on my 16th birthday in 1972. This was another major musical education for me with so many great performances to enjoy. Joe Cocker, The Who, Crosby Stills & Nash, Santana, ten years After, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix etc . This prompted me search out more albums from many of the acts on this legendary set. In a timely moment – it was great to view the legendary Baron Wolman’s Woodstock images at the Proud Gallery exhibition launch last night

THE SINGLES:

The Singles: At 45
BORN TO RUN – BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Loved it from the moment I first heard it on the album back in September 1975 – one of the most uplifting tracks ever recorded by anyone,anytime…all together now –‘’one, two ,three, four….!!!!’’
The weekend starts here

The Singles: At 44
TO SIR WITH LOVE – LULU
The sound of the 60’s – fantastic Lulu performance on the theme from the 1967 movie of the same name… great film too with a cast including Sidney Poitier, Judy Geeson, Lulu, Michael Des Barres etc

The Singles At 43
GOD ONLY KNOWS THE BEACH BOYS
1966 and all that …a masterpiece of production –the genius of Brian Wilson

The Singles: At 42
SHAKIN’ ALL OVER – JOHNNY KIDD AND THE PIRATES
Pioneering British rock’n’ roll….way ahead of it’s time – and still sounds amazing -I’ve had the orginal single on the HMV label since the early 70s l

The Singles: At 41
BROWN SUGAR -THE ROLLING STONES
I watched this awesome clip on Top of The Pops in April 1971 and bought the three track maxi single –still one of the great rock dance records ever produced – and happy birthday today Mick Jagger –one of if not THE greatest rock star of all time…

The Singles: At 40….
W.O.L.D – HARRY CHAPIN
I’ve loved this touching observational tale about an ageing disc jockey since it came out in the mid 70s. Brilliantly sung by the late great singer songwriter Harry Chapin

The Singles: At 39
THEME FROM SHAFT – ISSAC HAYES
That incessant wah wah, the soaring string arrangement and the understated vocals…what a combination – a hit in November 1971. This awesome single was played over the PA before Zep came on stage at Wembley Empire Pool and Jimmy Page inserted some riffs from it during the performance of Dazed And Confused at the Manchester gig the next week.

To be continued… 

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DL Diary Blog Update:

There were two visit to the Vinyl Barn last Friday :

Friday treats at the Vinyl Barn…Part One:  The first visit today yielded a superb Bobby Darin album I Wanna be Around on UK Capitol and a US pressing of The Beatles Revolver on Capitol…lovely!

Friday vinyl treats at the Vinyl Barn Part Two: I’d left my bike near the stall and went back to get it – I’d already looked at this very fine original Parlophone 1967 UK stereo pressing of The Beatles Sgt Pepper album complete with cut out insert and original red and white swirl inner sleeve..a second look made me realise it would have been so wrong to leave it in the racks- thanks Darren Harte it had to be done!

It was good to have a couple of nights out this past week. Being in Bonham company is always a tonic and so it was last Friday at the excellent Stables venue in Milton Keynes. At the gig it was great to catch up with Mark Harrison, Dawn Atherton, Paul Harper and Michael and Bob.

Meanwhile on Wednesday I met with long time TBL contributor Krys Jantzen to attend the Baron Wolman Woodstock photo exhibition at the Proud Gallery. I’ve  long since had a fascination with the Woodstock Festival so it was a thrill to view so many offbeat images from that legendary event. The exhibition runs until September 11 – be sure to check it out if you are in the Camden area.

The 50th anniversary of England’s World Cup victory is on Saturday. As a 9 year old I can vividly recall watching it in glorious black and white on our TV at home. What drama it was – it’s safe to say that match really kick started my obsession with the beautiful game. I’ve been reading a fair bit about that fabled World Cup win this past week and it’s hard not to get watery eyed when one thinks of the late great Bobby Moore and Alan Ball -and the fact that Ray Wilson, Nobby Stiles and Martin Peters are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

On Saturday, like millions of others, I’ll be remembering that glorious Saturday afternoon of half a century ago -we really will never see their like again…

Busy here on various things – a major feature has just been wrapped – more on that soon, plus prep on TBL 42 and some other things mulling.

On the player – The Yes album, Beach Boys Pet Sounds, Jethro Tull Stand Up and a host of recent singles I’ve picked up, including Canned Heat’s Going Up To The Country – another Woodstock related memory and Chris Farlowe’s Out Of Time – which was the number one record on the UK chart this week 50 years ago when England really were the World Champions…

Dave Lewis, July  28, 2016
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You Tube Clips:

Led Zeppelin: Osaka , September 28 1971

Robert Plant: Werchester 2016.

Until next time…

Have a great weekend,

Dave Lewis/Gary Foy – July 28, 2016.

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