KNEBWORTH DISTRIBUTION BOOK LATEST: 

After the most intensive of mail outs from here, I am very pleased to announce that all pre orders and current orders for the Led Zeppelin Then As It Was – at Knebworth 1979 book have been distributed. UK purchasers should be receiving their copies this weekend or early next week. Delivery to Europe, USA, Australia, Japan and elsewhere should follow over the next couple of weeks.

After all the trials and tribulations of recent week with it all, I am very happy and somewhat relieved to be receiving feedback comments such as these:

Another masterful book. It provides a wonderful insight from the fans who attended these last magical UK shows. The book is truly a thrilling read with so many interesting photos and stories, so different from other “bland” Led Zeppelin books churned out these days. May I please pass on my thanks and congratulations to all who took time and contributed. The Bootleg / Memorabilia and ITTOD singles and albums add a wonderful finishing touch. All in all another triumph!  Cliff Hilliard

Wow.  First glance it’s amazing…one for the ages. Another perfect portrait of England and Led Zeppelin, the culture, the back stories as your personal intimacy, passion and love drips from every page and pixel. Well done. Paul Macfarlane

 This new edition is greatly expanded, with many more photos as well.  This is an excellent book, well worth buying, and highly recommended.  Julian via Underground Uprising web site.

 Thanks to everyone at Tight But Loose for the hard work that obviously went into this book. . Brings back memories of the gigs… the pure joy of seeing Zeppelin for the first time – tremendous effort. Mike Goode

 For those of us unlucky enough to be born in the wrong decade to attend, Dave makes the sights, sounds and smells (yes really!) of that legendary pair of concerts come alive.  With his usual attention to detail and enthusiasm he transports us back to a time when so much was at stake for the reputation of the band.  Even just reading it gets the adrenaline flowing, following the stories and first hand accounts of those lucky enough to attend.  The build up, the concerts themselves and the reception to them are all fully realised in vivid detail.  If, like me, you weren’t there, this book is the closest thing you’ll get to understanding what made those two gigs such key events in the band’s already extraordinary story. And even if you were there, there’s a lot more to the experience than just 3 hours on stage, as the book amply demonstrates.   Fascinating chapters on the technical aspects, memorabilia, bootlegs and the return to Knebworth complete the story.

 So open something cold, pull up a comfy chair, take the phone off the hook and immerse yourself in the most comprehensive record ever compiled of what just might be the most important gigs the band ever performed on British soil.  Written by a true fan for all fans, the quality of the book does the occasion full justice and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  If you care about Led Zeppelin, you need this on your shelf, or preferably in your hands, living and reliving those August evenings from years gone by!  A worthy addition to any fan’s Zeppelin library. Richard Grubb.

Looking ahead – to ensure delivery before Christmas I would strongly advise you order as soon as possible – there are good stocks now but that is likely to decrease into the next month. I aim to endeavour to process orders as received for the speediest turn around possible.

Important note when ordering : Signing of books:  I will dedicate and sign each book to the book purchaser as listed -unless informed otherwise.

If you are buying the book as a gift and would like a specific personal dedication for the person you are buying for, please state the name you would like the book signing to – use special instructions section of pay pal if paying by pay pal or email me at davelewis.tbl1@ntlworld.com).

Suffice to say –many thanks for your patience and support. Let me know what you think of it as your copy arrives…

TBL ISSUE 36:

With the Knebworth book distribution under control, I will now be turning my attention to the despatch of the new issue of the TBL magazine which is printed and all ready to go – and looks great. I am aiming at shipping these out week commencing December 9^th. Perfect pre Christmas reading…talking of which… 

GIVE THE GIFT OF TBL THIS CHRISTMAS/ TBL GIFT IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS:

It’s that time of year again and if you are 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 of course you can just treat yourself!

Here is a round up of prime TBL Product on offer this Christmas –all orders will be processed and dispatched as received:

FEATHER IN THE WIND –LED ZEPPELIN OVER EUROPE 1980

The book that takes you up close and personal to Led Zeppelin on their final tour – now at a bargain low price – order at this link:

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/?page_id=9965

LED ZEPPELIN FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM

For fans old and new, this is the definitive compact companion to their music. Order at this link:

All books personally signed by the author!

If you would like a specific personal dedication please state what you require – (use special instructions section of pay pal if paying by pay pal)

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/?page_id=14483

TBL 2013 SUBSCRIPTION:

A TBL 2013 Subscription – the perfect Christmas gift which ensures you keep up to date with every issue.

The current TBL subscription is still active – TBL 35 is out now with TBL 36 imminently due and TBL 37 due early next year.

To order the TBL 2013 Subscription go to the TBL 2013 Subscription link here

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/?page_id=18106

THE TBL GIFT PACK:

For a limited period we are offering an exclusive bargain TBL Gift Pack

The pack includes the following items:

*TBL Not just a band T –shirt

*TBL issues 33 and 34

*Plus the exclusive 10 x 8 art print of the superb Don Cuny on stage at Kezar Stadium image.

All for just £12.99 plus postage and packing!

This a great introductory pack to the world of TBL and makes for a great Christmas gift item.

If you are new to TBL this is a bargain priced way of getting on board – if you are already signed up, why not offer this bargain pack to  a fellow Zep fan to embrace the TBL experience this Christmas!

Order at his link:

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/?page_id=22773

So there are some gift ideas for Christmas – all orders processed as received for speedy delivery as possible.

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 TBL ARCHIVE SPECIAL: THE WALDORF HOTEL, LED ZEPPELIN AND ME – 34 YEARS GONE:

34 years ago today on a late cold November afternoon, I walked into the plush surroundings of the Waldorf Hotel in London and ordered a vodka and lime at the bar just behind Richard Cole who was organising drinks for three quarters of Led Zeppelin.

The occasion was the annual Melody Maker Poll Awards for which Peter Grant had rounded up Robert, Bonzo and Jonesy to accept a remarkable seven awards. Richard Cole and assorted roadies and tech guys and Swan Song personel were in attendance.

I was there reporting it all for what would become Tight But Loose issue number 4. Some of the text of that report (unbeknown to me) would years later be suitably exaggerated in The Hammer Of The Gods book.

I remember spotting Robert wearing the pair of bright yellow and blue Nike trainers he’d acquired at the Wembley Goal Diggers soccer tournament the previous Sunday which I’d been along to watch. I made a mental note to seek out a similar pair on my return to Bedford – they were my style gurus as well back then and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one though I drew the line at investing in a dragon suit!

There was an air of supreme confidence amongst the Zep camp that afternoon – their delight in scooping so many awards in those post punk days could be clearly seen. It really did feel like ‘The 1980’s Part One’ was ready to usher in a new exciting era for us all.

It was a fantastic thrill to be in their company that November afternoon way back – the full story can be fund in the Zep On the Town chapter in the Knebworth book.

 Here’s a photo from that memorable afternoon….  

TBL ARCHIVE SPECIAL:CODA 31 YEARS GONE:

One more date of anniversary note in the last few days: November 22nd 1982 – that was the day Coda emerged into our lives on a grey November morning . For me personally it was also just around the time the good lady Janet and I first got together – oh yes couple fell in love to the plaintive strains of We’re Gonna Groove. It may not have been quite like that but when I invested in every conceivable format of said album (LP, cassette, US LP, white label promo) I think the good lady had an indication of how things might be ahead when it came to such matters!

I’d already been privileged to see the cover mock up a while back having been lucky enough to be involved in the process of selecting photos for the inner cover. On Robert’s request ( he phoned me at home), I took in a batch of photos and cuttings for them to view in a meeting I had with Robert and Jimmy at the Swan Song office in March of that year. Whilst there Robert rang the photographer Neal Preston to get him on board with his seminal shots. On that memorable afternoon, Robert informed me he had completed work on his first solo album and in his words it was ‘’A new step forward’’. Robert and Jimmy waded through my pics and cutting and pulled a few out (The Bath Festival backstage pic I showed them made the final cut) and then they were off in search of rare rockabilly records in Camden. Another one for my memoirs.

Eight month’s later, the album seeped out with little fanfare. The fact is (mad as it now sounds) at that point Led Zeppelin were hardly held in reverential terms. Their influence would of course become evident in years to come. It did enjoy some good reviews and entered the chart at number 4 but compared to past glories. It had a definite feeling of unfinished business. That grey melancholy front cover seemed to mirror the whole mood back then. Whilst the release of those eight cuts did spell something of a closure on the story it was all a little low key.

My copy here was signed by Hipgnosis designer Aubrey Powell when he came here to film some of my memorabilia for a Robert Plant video.  As he put it ”The End”. Or at least the end of another beginning.

Back in the retail day, I ran a competition with some rather fine prizes on offer (I think Gary Foy won at least one of them)  – I wish I could find one of the posters we had up in store…they were class…it’s in the loft somewhere!

31 years on it Coda holds up pretty well, there is some absolute class content in there -and now 31 years down the line Jimmy is has conducted a similar exercise in telling us much more than we already know about the darkest recess of the Zep studio archive…that’s the mouth-watering  prospect in store with the re issue programme due next year…

 TBL ON THE GRASSY KNOLL:

Many months ago Mark Harrison told me he would ensure there would be some TBL presence on the grassy knoll when he visited Dallas for the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination… he was as good as his word – here’s Mark with the TBL magazine in the cold and rain on Dealey Plaza Dallas Texas, November 22nd 2013 as history was marked… 50 years gone….thanks Mark…an honour for TBL to be with you on such a momentous occasion….

CLASSIC ROCK RADIO:

On Monday I did an interview about the Knebworth book with the always affable Jon Kirkman at Classic Rock radio – it goes out this Sunday afternoon (December 1^st) on the Jon Kirkman show on Classic Rock Radio.

Here’s the info:

http://classicrockradioeu.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/led-zeppelin-then-as-it-was-at.html

DL DIARY UPDATE: 

Well I have to say mailing out the Knebworth books was some challenge …I counted them all in and I counted them all out and it made for some very early morning and late night stints to get them signed and packed and despatched…anyway it’s a big relief they are all out there – and now for TBL 36….one upturn of being ensconced in the book packing last weekend was that I missed watching Spurs utter thrashing by Man City –the prospect of that other lot from Manchester down at the Lane on Sunday isn’t too bright but hey, maybe there will be a backlash in our favour – here’s hoping…

DL at Queens Drive Post office Bedford November 27^th: He writes them, he packs them, he sends them – the one man TBL phenomenon….does JK Rowling do this?!

On the playlist some vintage Zep –mainly BBC Sessions and Texas International Pop Festival…this got me in the zone for a bit of freelance work concerning Zep in that era that I also managed to fit in amongst the packing….also on – Zep One Night Live In Southampton vinyl, Fleetwood Mac Then Play On vinyl, a bit of big band jazz rock via Centipede Septober Energy (than you Andrew R.), Miles Davis Mellow Miles CD, Mike Heron from the Incredible String band’s solo album Smiling Men With Bad Reputations which has Jimmy on one track (than you John P.) Beatles Live At The BBC Vol 2 and the excellent 4 CD Crosby Stills & Nash compilation that has just come out at a bargain price.

Sad to hear the passing of actor Lewis Collins age 67– star of the Professionals TV show – another part of our 1970s heritage passes on…Bodie, the character he played in The  Professionals was the good lady Janet’s absoloute fave.

Can’t believe it’s nigh on December which with TBL 36 to go out and hopefully more Knebworth book purchases, it’s  is sure to be full on. I’m aiming to get away next Tuesday afternoon for the Bert Jansch tribute concert – in fact I need to search out the Bert vinyl LP’s I have and get well acquainted with his rare acoustic beauty. Such plaintive tones will make for the required chill out as more stamps are stuck on envelopes over the next few days.   

DL       

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AND FINALLY

JOHN PAUL JONES WITH DAVE RAWLINGS –

A very nice version of The Band classic The Weight from the current tour…

Until next time…Keep listening, keep reading…

Have a great weekend

Dave Lewis/Gary Foy – November 28th, 2013.