TBL 35 continues to take shape – this week I’ve been working with designer Mick Lowe on the lay out for Mike Tremaglio’s’ extensive chronicle of the 1973 Europe and US part one tour dates. This is a fantastic piece –some 13,000 words that really captures the development of the band when they were on fire in Europe and bigger than ever in America. To compliment the 1973 US tour log, there’s also a three page ‘We were there’’ feature on the Kezar Stadium gig with some brilliant pics and text provided by Dan Cuny, David Miller,and Michael Collins Morton and Gary Hodges.

All in all this one is shaping up to kick start the TBL 2013 subscription in fine style and is set for publication next month.

All this effort will be worth it if of course if the magazine gets seen and read by the widest possible audience . That is the challenge ahead –  which is where you come in…

To re- iterate ALL TBL subscriptions expired with issue 34  so NOW IS THE TIME TO RE SUBSCRIBE!

A target email is going out to prompt all lapsed subscribers -your earliest response to this will be much appreciated..

If you are new to TBL – then this issue is the perfect way to find out what it is all about.

All subscribers will be receiving a bonus 10×8 print with an exclusive Led Zeppelin image all individually numbered.

All copies of the TBL magazine will also be individually numbered.

Tight But Loose offers physical Led Zeppelin collectable content and presents unique essential Led Zeppelin reading…combined with that old fashioned thrill of actually waiting for something…and knowing when that package lands on your doorstep – the waiting will be worthwhile.

To subscribe to the 2013 TBL magazines – covering issues 35 , 36 and 37,  here’s the ordering link:

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

You can also order TBL 35 as a single issue at this link:

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/?page_id=20595

Many thanks in advance for all your support.

DL

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DL Diary Update:

In between the TBL 35 work in progress, we did get out to celebrate our good friend Terry Boud’s birthday. This also took in watching the second half of the Chelsea v Spurs match at the Fox. A 2-2 draw was not a disaster but it’s going to take Spurs to win their remaining pair of games and Arsenal to falter. Like countless others, I was well shocked at Alex Ferguson’s decision to retire and whatever team your follow, you cannot ignore the massive success and contribution he has made to the game. It’s the FA Cup Final tomorrow –once the season’s showpiece but –now reduced to poor billing thanks to the ridiculous decision to switch the kick off to 5.15pm. A grand tradition and institution reduced to being a warm up for Britain’s Got Talent on the TV schedules. Not good.

Oops…update post match…I take it all back!

F A Cup tradition restored….Sunderland 1973 ….Southampton 1976… Wimbledon 1988 …Wigan 2013 ….giant killing – what the most famous cup competition is all about…well done to them for bringing the FA Cup Final back to life!

On the player, some beautiful vinyl including Miles Davis Kind Of Blue Sessions as purchased via Record Store Day plus The Faces Coast Overtures & Beginners and Crosby Stills & Nash first album – it was good to hear my good friend Terry explaining that he had bought the new Deep Purple album on vinyl and had experienced that old thrill of wading through the sleeve and lyrics and soaking up the album as it should be heard, and a very fine album it is he reports.  Also dug out Robert’s Fate Of Nations, talking of which…

Robert Plant Fate of Nations/Kings Head  20 Years Gone:

20 years ago this month, Robert Plant performed two warm up gig at the King’s Head in Fulham. Gary and I were lucky to be in attendance at both these memorable shows. It ushered in another great Plant period with the accompanying Fate Of Nations album providing a soundtrack to the summer of 1993.

To mark this anniversary, here’s some very passionate and enthusiastic text from yours truly that appeared in TBL issue 8. I’ve run this before but it seems an appropriate moment to have a glance back 20 years ago…

Sad to think that two of the band here Kevin Scott MacMichael and Michael Lee have passed away.

Here’s the first of a two part TBL Fate Of Nations  Archive special – more next week

20 years….now where did that go?

Fate Of Nations World Tour Reviewed

Rejuvenation in Fulham…!       

What Is And What Should Definitely Be…

FATE OF NATIONS

King’s Head, Fulham, May 14 1993

Just prior to their European dates, Robert Plant chose to premier his new touring band under the pseudonym Fate Of Nations for a date at London’s King’s Head, Fulham on the Friday preceding the FA Cup Final.

Although over a million people will witness the projected 1993/4 Fate Of Nations tour, a mere 200 packed in to the South London pub to see Robert debut a new band and a new set. For the staff and locals it was no real surprise that Robert should select this venue for a warm-up as he and his band have used the place to rehearse throughout the past year.

One of the last times I had seen Robert perform in his own right was amongst the thousands at Knebworth ’90 and the opportunity to view the new line-up in this most intimate of surroundings was incredibly exciting and a throwback to those early ’80s Honeydripper days.

Even back then though, the stages were never as small as the one Robert walked on to around 10p.m. dressed in black Jeans and a cut off T-shirt, emblazoned with what appeared to be an Arabic slogan. Flanked by Charlie, Phil, new guitarists Kevin Scott McMichael and Francis Dunnery plus drummer Michael Lee, he proceeded to kick start the 1993 campaign in to action with a vibrant ‘Calling To You’ which works great live. Over the next hour the band ran through a tight no-messing selection of numbers which are likely to form the basis of the festival set they will take around Europe this summer. ‘Calling’ was followed by a return to active duty for ‘Trampled Underfoot’ played with a nagging insistency which then segued into Tall Cool One now devoid of all the samples and sounding well refreshed.

There was little in-between chat from Robert aside from the obligatory ‘’Good Evening’’ and a brief opening statement: “Welcome to the first night of a tour that takes in Morocco, Casablanca and many other strange places”. ’29 Palms’ came next, clearly the song of the moment to be found on radio, on TV and now live and happening in Fulham High Street and embellished with a slowed-down complete ending.

The new line up is firmly spearheaded by Francis Dunnery’s lead playing supplemented by Kevin MacMichael with Phil Johnstone concentrating on guitar rather than keyboards. This makes for a much punchier sound than the ’88 to ’90 outfit and the whole set up echoes the air of rejuvenation that Robert is experiencing with this new phase of his career. It was immediately apparent that on stage he has already created a productive alliance between the two new guitarists.

Judging by this opening set, it would also seem that Roberts fave Zep album at the moment might well be ‘Led Zeppelin 2′ as there were no less than three selections included from that album.

First up was What Is And What Should Never Be’ (what a joy it is to write that statement!). Incredibly, it’s first live airing in 21 years. And it sounded wonderful, performed very faithful to the original right down to the stereo planning between the PA for the power chord guitar outro shared by Kevin and Francis. Following a passionate pairing of ‘Tie Dye On The Highway’ and ‘Nirvana’, Francis slugged out the intro to ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and Robert proceeded to re-enact a slice of his history with his first ever solo non-Zep reunion rendering of that old cock rock classic.

The middle part found Francis delivering the required fret board effects across Robert repeating the line “Just a little bit, just a little bit”, ala the old BBC version.

All too soon this compact performance was over, but not before the band were called back for two encores. They ran down the new ‘Promised Land’, a number that grows in stature on repeated hearings (I’m constantly waking up with the chorus in my head). Finally a rousing Livin Lovin’ Maid’ with Robert stalking the stage majestically and baptising the front row (yours truly included) in a shower of sweat in the process.

The message was clear for all those in attendance at this first night run through. The Fate Of Nations tour is underway and ready to trail blaze its way across Europe and beyond with a vitality that will impress any audience it encounters.

“We must be in Heaven” laughed Plant as he left the stage, paraphrasing that Woodstock ‘Tie Dye On The Highway sample. Indeed we were . . .

Dave Lewis  – May 16 1993

TOUR WATCH SUMMARY:

Venue: Kings Head Fulham

Friday May 14, 1993

Background: Robert and the band have been consistent visitors to the popular London pub venue for the past year (pics of Robert and the staff adorn the walls in the public bar) and he had promised landlord Les a couple of warm up dates as far back as early April. This first show was much more low key than the May 20 show. Those with a keen eye would have seen a group called Fate Of Nations billed as the Friday attraction at the Kings Head in the NME gig guide for that week. The lucky few that were in the right place at the right time and paid the £5 entrance fee were treated to a very personable first night preview with less than 150 in attendance.

In The Crowd/Backstage: Nigel Kennedy puts in a non playing appearance and Fontana’s Dave Bates and ‘Fate Of Nations’ engineer Mike Gregovich also spotted. General low key turn out mostly filled by Fulham set regulars with just a few lucky Plant/Zep heads down the front (say hello Gary, Krys, Kam and Julie!)

Soundcheck: The band (minus Robert) come in around 5pm and run through instrumental versions of ‘Trampled Underfoot1, Tie Dye On The Highway’ and ‘Nirvana’. Francis practises the solo of ‘What Is And What Should Never Be.

Set List: Calling To You/Trampled Underfoot/Tall Cool One/29 Palms/What Is And What Should Never Be/Tie Dye On The Highway/Nirvana/Whole Lotta Love-Encores: Promised Land/Livin’ Lovin’ Maid. (NB – The written set list taped to the stage had ‘Heaven Knows’ crossed out after ‘What Is, so it can be assumed that number had been rehearsed).

Performance Notes: Robert wears a cut down ‘Om Kalsoum’ T-shirt and just for safe measure has the lyrics of Nirvana’, ‘Tall Cool One and ‘Hurting Kind’ taped to the floor of the stage (‘Hurting Kind’ is subsequently not performed). The band are a little rough at the edges but look to be well at ease with each other and perhaps well relieved to be finally playing in front of an audience. There’s a no messing approach to the set with little in between spiel. Trampled’ and Tall Cool One’ sound particularly vibrant in their new guise, but What Is And What Should Never Be is the song of the night, returning to live duty for the first time in 21 years and causing this writer to swoon just ever so slightly as Plant effortlessly delivers the opening line.

A truly manic ‘Livin’ Lovin’ Maid’ completes a great night in the most intimate of surroundings and for me personally the best live Zep related experience since Leicester University five years previous. The next day’s FA Cup Final stalemate draw between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday seemed all the more tedious with the hangover I was experiencing! (DL)

Here’s a you tube clip from the MTV Roadblock series that covered the second show.

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Some more excellent you tube clips:

Seasick Steve with John Paul Jones perform Over You on Later with Jools Holland:

Robert Plant presents Sensational Space Shifters…Black Dog down under:

Until next time…

Have a great weekend

Keep listening, keep reading…

Dave Lewis/Gary Foy

May 10th, 2013.

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