JOIN US FOR A DAY OF LED ZEPPELIN 50TH ANIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS…

TTICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR THE LED ZEPPELIN AT 50 TBL CELEBRATION DAY EVENT:

Following on from last December’s hugely enjoyable ‘Ahmet We Did It’ 02 Ten Years Gone event at this venue, we are going back to the pub on Sunday September 30 for a day of Led Zeppelin 50th Anniversary Celebrations…

Here’s the line up:

Dave Lewis and Julian Walker Present..

Led Zeppelin at 50 – It’s Been A Long Time 1968 -2018

Led Zeppelin 50th Anniversary TBL Celebration Day Event

Sunday, September 30, 2018

The Atlas Pub

16 Seagrave Road,Fulham, London, SW6 1RX

From 12.00 Midday to 8.30PM

Nearest tube: West Brompton (District Line, London Overground, and Southern train services)

A Day of Led Zep Celebration – Guest Speaker Forums, Video Playbacks, Zep Quiz and more

Guest Speakers already confirmed:

Mike Tremaglio will be coming over from the US to talk about the Evenings With Led Zeppelin book with Dave Lewis

Mark Blake – author of the forthcoming Peter Grant biography Bring it On Home

Chris Charlesworth – former Melody Maker journalist who covered Zep extensively in the early 70s

Patrick Humphries  journalist, author  and broadcaster discusses the Led Zeppelin The Fairport Convention Connections and more..

Luis Rey and Andy Adams – talking about the forthcoming 50th Anniversary updated edition of Luis’s Tape Documentary book which Andy helped edit

Phil Tattershall – well known UK Zep collector/authority presenting ‘Confessions of a Led Zeppelin Taper’

TICKET DETAILS:

Advance tickets for this event are now on sale – price £10.00

Please note, there is a ceiling limited on how many we can accommodate – so order your ticket as soon as possible to ensure entry.

Order via Pay Pal at the link here:

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/led-zeppelin-at-50-its-been-a-long-time-1968-2018-tbl-celebration-day-event-the-atlas-pub-september-30-2018-order-tickets-here/

The early response has been great with fans already confirmed to attend from the UK, US, Italy and Germany.

We look forward to seeing all that can make it along

Dave Lewis & Julian Walker

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Led Zeppelin News Update:

Many thanks to James Cook.

The complete Led Zeppelin News email goes out every weekend. To receive it each week sign up here:http://tinyletter.com/LedZepNews

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

http://ledzepnews.com/

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Jimmy Page & Robert Plant MTV Unledded – 24 years gone….TBL Archive Special:

24 years ago this month, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant reunited for two performances filmed by MTV at the London TV Studios for their Unplugged series. Appropriately dubbed Unledded, this saw the pair roll back the years with an inspiring re-evaluation of the Led Zeppelin catalogue. In its way this was every bit as significant as the 2007 O2 reunion as they sort to put into perspective their past achievements. The omission of John Paul Jones was in hindsight, a poor misjudgement but at the time, we were more than grateful for this reuniting of the pair. I was lucky enough to attend both days filming – indeed I was involved in supplying the TBL database for the ballot of ticket distribution. Looking back It was an incredibly exciting period that would lead on into more memorable nights in the company on the ensuing 1995/96 world tour.

This TBL archive special reproduces the passionate review of those two MTV Unledded performances I wrote for TBL issue 10 – it’s incredible to think that it’s all of 20 years ago as once agin it seems like a second ago –but a lifetime. It was another of those truly fantastic times to be a Led Zeppelin fan again…..so let’s travel back to the late summer of 1994 and two very special August days.

DATELINE: FRIDAY AUGUST 26

“I Want My MTV”.

Twelve hours later I’m sitting in the Dog And Trumpet pub off Carnaby Street as the appropriate soundtrack of Sting’s voice cuts across the smokey bar from the Dire Straits juke box choice.

I want my MTV? You bet I do. Last night had been truly remarkable. I can hardly believe it has actually taken place. I mean I’ve dreamed it often enough. Sharing our fresh memories around the Royal National Hotel (which seems to have become something of a Zepp stop off landmark since the Conventions) in the afternoon with TBL staffers Gary and Kam, Grant from Canada, Billy Fletcher from Scotland and Liz and co., well it certainly did happen – and despite a period of daytime fatigue which reduced me to drinking water(!) I was now ready to gird my collective loins for another memorable evening.

Festival Pier 5 p.m.:
Here we go again. The waiting this time out takes place in an orderly queue along the Thames. It’s a markedly more relaxed atmosphere amongst us – many are here for the second night and we know what to expect. The prospect is mouth-watering and aids the good natured banter amongst the faithful. It’s good to see so many familiar faces again – fans I’ve been in touch with for years – Howard Mylett, Luis Rey, Tim Ellock, Andy Adams – this gathering is a mini convention in itself.

Over at the London Studios the demand for entry seems to have heightened considerably with many more red ticketed guests in line. Lining up towards the door is a tense time with more than a little confusion of who is eligible to go in and who is not. Once inside studio 2 it’s evident there is far more in attendance tonight with many standing around the doorways at each corner of the studio. The warm up music is one of Robert’s Indian choices. Once the big door is shut with a boom and the red light goes on, it’s also evident that those assembled are a lot more relaxed tonight and in the mood to enjoy every moment of this last night of filming.

This state of mind transcends to the players involved and, after a polite intro, Jimmy and Robert stride up and take the stand. Looking well at ease, Robert throws a nutmeg to the intended set list by switching into What Is And What Should Never Be and then Thank You. The opening number is marred slightly by some feedback but Thank You is spot and inspires the first spontaneous cheer of the evening when Jimmy turns his back towards Michael and spits out a fluid Gibson solo. As Luis Rey might put it – tonight Jimmy Page is definitely on!
The set list for the rest of the proceedings is similar to last night. The Battle Of Evermore is perfection – a modern day mantra that puts any previous precarious incarnations well in the shade. During a break following a false start for Gallows Pole, Robert sings the opening line to When The Levee Breaks explaining that “this was one we did to eight people including two sheep in Wales last week”. Gallows duly follows and is again heightened by some intensive Plant scat singing at the close.

The end of part one break allows again for some exchange of views amongst the crowd. The consensus of opinion is that the latter two takes will surely end up in the finished article.
Back on stage with the orchestra. Rain Song is performed with much subtlety if not just slightly more hesitantly than the previous night. “This is one of everybody’s favourites ‘ is the signal for them to take it up a gear for another startling delivery of Since I’ve Been Loving You the solo of which inspires another spontaneous burst of applause from the appreciative audience.

Another considerably enjoyable factor tonight is he relaxed on stage banter between Robert and the audience. The intimacy of the studio allows for a clear rapport – inspiring heckles from the likes of Mr Gary Foy – “Tell us a joke, Jimmy” – “He doesn’t know any” replies Robert – “I know you’re here David . . . although I can think of one . . . Dear David . . what would we do without our Dave .. .

Another sketch revolves around Robert’s comment on his in-between song rap on the various bootlegs – “Have you heard some of the talking on the bootlegs – crap isn’t it?” – “Especially last night” shouts out some wag – “Oh wait till I tell Jimmy that!” says Robert, moving over to where Jimmy is tuning up.
The Moroccan roll of Four Sticks and Friends bursts forth with the latter infinitely better than Thursday’s version. I am sitting next to the wife of one of the string players and her enthusiastic whoops and hollers confirm the fact. During another change over of gear Robert muses on a call from the audience on what it’s all about. .. “What’s it all about? Well . . . it’s a way to spend a life.”

Indeed, and for the next fourteen minutes, my life is considerably enhanced, spent in the company of messes Plant and Page as they deliver a new revamped version of Kashmir. This really is awesome. A mesmerising performance complete with retro “Woman talkin’ to ya!” adlib from Plant during the drawn out section and an Improvised last five minutes which really does reincarnate the spirit of Led Zeppelin with dazzling accuracy as they Improvise dangerously around the speeded up finale. Page In particular Is so spot on, laughingly aping the dance steps of Mr Finger Cymbals – and then tearing nonchalantly Into a battering blistering clatter of notes against the similar battalion ot Michael Lee. It brings to mind the crazed unpredictability of middle period Zepp live epics such as Dazed and No Quarter – and all the while Plant undercuts It with the pleading charm of the lyric and the Egyptian section bring It on home, quite literally. It’s a devastating statement that had me hugging and shaking hands with fellow devotees at the finish In glazed triumphant abandon. Truly, this Is the pride of Plant and Page.

A standing ovation Is nothing less that they deserve. Back they stride for the new look That’s The Way . . . and off they go again as the lights go up. Some people think it’s all over… but a welcome announcement to return to our seats signals the arrival of Jimmy and Robert who group seated at the front of the stage. Jimmy dons the Ovation double neck. A tape loop recreating the absent Moroccan musician due to play on this number revolves around the studio. This Is the starting point of the premier of the new Plant/Page composition Wonderful One. The loop has a repetitive percussive feel similar to the opening of Come Into My Life from Fate Of Nations. The song itself develops mournfully as Jimmy drifts over the strings. Plant sings, poeting couplings In the All My Love vein as the gentle love song washes over. It’s shivers down the spine time yet again for me.
Intact the exercise Is repeated when they decide to run through that number again for the benefit of the camera angles as Plant baits the technical crew – “Mike we need the loop now but not that loud.”

Wonderful One Is the first newly premiered live Plant Page composition since they ushered In Hot Dog and In The Evening in Copenhagen and Knebworth. I feel the same Instant affinity for Its as I did for the latter epic. If this Is where the future lies then let them take you there,.,

Exit stage left and again It seems all over, ., until an MTV official consults with the outside Manor Mobile Studio and realises there need to be more , and back they stride again, “We’re going to do one number again and then one we didn’t think we were going to do. So here goes” I for one have no objection for them doing another take of That’s The Way with Jimmy weaving some beautiful descant chording around those familiar lyrics. Finally, and this time it really is finally, with help from Paul on guitar and the hurdy-gurdy man, Robert leads them through a welcomed Nobody’s Fault But Mine (“Another one we did in Wales to eight people Including two sheep”). However this is not the heavyweight blues stomping Presence arrangement but a swinging rootsy semi-acoustic run through with Jimmy on the Ovation double neck, In fact this arrangement has far more In common with the Blind Willie Johnson original than any other version I’ve heard them attempt and It all flows to a satisfying climax, “We’ll see you again soon.” There’s a great moment for the cameras as they make their way from the stage – Jimmy and Robert cuddle together both smiling gleefully. It’s a moment that crystallises the spirit of the whole event.

The lights go up, revealing so many similarly smiling happy faces. As the technical crew move In, talk goes around that Jimmy and Robert will reappear once the crowd has dispersed to re-shoot Gallows Pole minus the audience as some of the camera angles didn’t quite come off. In the end they decide against it – staying In the studio canteen to meet and greet the well-wishers before exiting the building after twelve, For Robert, It’s back to the Midlands to follow the latest fortunes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, A relaxed looking James Patrick emerges with chauffeur, happy to pose and sign autographs.

For me It’s all too much – along with several fellow shell shocked members of the Zepp fraternity it’s down to the pub to celebrate and dissect Just what It’s all meant, “Dancing Days are here again” Is the repeated chorus. And really I guess that’s how It’s been.

It’s a strange feeling that prevails In the 48 hours that follow me back to Bedford and relative normality. “Daddy, how did you get on in London?” asks Sam – one day I hope she will grasp the enormity of It all. But, like all key Zepp related events, It’s virtually Impossible to explain the feeling that has been evident throughout these remarkable days. But it did happen and that Is happened with the utmost Integrity for the legacy of Led Zeppelin makes me feel so good.

AFTERMATH
Just twelve months ago, such events of course would have been beyond the wildest expectations. With Jimmy seemingly set to hit the road with Coverdale and Robert committed to the Fate Of Nations World Tour – that was until fate took a hand Itself with that meeting In Boston last November. And then came the Initial rehearsals, the Buxton appearance and now this.
What was most striking about the MTV filming was the sheer integrity with which they approached the whole affair. Without all the hyperbole of a fully-fledged Led Zeppelin reunion, Jimmy and Robert have managed to recreate the key ingredients of the Zepp ethic by cleverly reinventing the catalogue. In recycling those original songs for ’90s consumption, the pair have brought a respect to this project that has been sorely lacking in the mega tour reunions of their ’70s peers. It also goes to prove what dividends a lengthy period of rehearsal can provide. The chemistry of this re-alliance was more than plain to see and perhaps it put into perspective once and for all the shortcomings of the ill-prepared Atlantic 1988 reunion. You can’t expect it all to come flowing back within days – but given a responsible period of preparation and the affinity these long term musicians and friends have for each other becomes very evident.

Finally in employing the extra trappings of the orchestra and Egyptian players, this MTV project has definitely proved to be a case of them completing the painting of a previously unfinished picture. The experimenting with those numbers is something that maybe would have emerged had there been a 1980s tour Part One. This was always the beauty of Led Zeppelin – never a vehicle for mere rock music. Time and again they transcended the genre. Now 14 years on in the hands of two of the main components, the group’s legacy has been reborn. And they have ultimately proved that they really were the very best. Page and Plant. . . Plant and Page . . . whichever way it lines up, the chemistry remains.

It’s been an undoubted privilege to witness this artistic rebirth at first hand. And when I recall the intensity of performances such as the reworked Kashmir and the newly created Wonderful One, I’m filled with the hope and pure joy that this really is a new beginning and that very soon both on screen and on tour, every one of their followers worldwide will get the opportunity to bask in their glory.

For never before in the post 1980 years, has the spirit of Led Zeppelin shone so vividly than when Robert Plant and Jimmy Page recreated the magic within the intimate surroundings of Studio 2 in the London TV Centre over August 25/26 1994.
And when it’s subsequently aired on MTV, I’m sure seeing will be believing.

Dave Lewis  September 7th, 1994

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More from the TBL Archive…

Hot August Night in 1971:

As it’s that time of year, it was good this week to pull out the August 23 1971 recording from Fort Worth – all of 47 years gone. Here’s some thoughts on this fantastic  performance which remains one of my all time faves…

Going to Fort Worth…A Hot August Night of Electric Magic in 1971…

By comment consent the go-to recording for evidence of the Zep prowess on their seventh US tour is Going To California the famous audience recording from Berkeley September 14th. Alongside that undoubted gem, I have great affinity for the less profiled audience sourced tape that captures part of their set live at the Tarrent County Convention Center Fort Worth in Texas on August 23rd 1971. This surfaced around the late 1990’s on a two CD set titled Hot August Night via the Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin label (TDOLZ042).

The story behind this recording came to light in an interview with the taper published in Hugh Jones’ superb Proximity magazine in the summer of 1997.It revealed how the taper had used a Sony TC110 recorder –rather foolishly he only took a Sony C120 cassette to record on –thus when he turned over the tape he began recording over the opening segment of the show he captured on the first side of the tape. For that reason the recording kicks off just as Jimmy is getting into the violin bow solo during Dazed And Confused. The good news however is that from a vantage point of being in the fifth row right in line with Jimmy – the sound quality of the guitar resonates loud and clear. As an example of the aggressive virtuosity the guitarist effortlessly achieved that night–this is a riveting recording. Stairway To Heaven is captured in its intense embryonic live setting while Celebration Day comes reeling out of the traps in a full on double neck bombardment.

The taper is so close to the action you can her several off mic comments from Plant and Bonham. ‘’Can I have a cup of tea’’ says Robert before a perfect delivery of What Is And What Should Never Be. The version of That’s The Way is thrilling in it’s intimacy with JPJ’s mandolin shining brightly. An edit of Moby Dick showcases the usual Bonzo stampede.

Whole Lotta Love opens with one of those improvised muscular choppy riff exercises that Jimmy often slotted in eventually forming the riff that ate the world. Following a stirring medley, the taper took a stroll backstage and bumped into Plant as they awaited an encore – he was quite a way back in the venue for the taping of Communication Breakdown which abruptly cuts.

It’s a shame this Fort Worth recording only exists in a series of set list highlights. However, what is here in my view, is as at times as good as anything captured from the entire 1971 era. With Robert’s vocals being slightly low in the mix, this is an absolute primer in illustrating the instrumental side of the band. Page, Jones and Bonzo are on fire here locking in to some incredible musicianship time and time again. Put simply, as a live band Led Zeppelin at this period were just breathtaking in their ambition.

There are certain audience recordings that genuinely capture the pure authenticity and intimacy of Zeppelin in full flight. Hot August Night is one of them. It remains one of my favourite remnants of this era. What might be dubbed as Going to Fort Worth, is a scintillating Zep audio experience right up there with Going To California. It’s what the term ‘Electric Magic’ was invented for.

Dave Lewis August 23, 2018

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Chris Charlesworth Just Backdated Blog: Here’s another excellent piece by Chris on attending the January 22,1975 Led Zeppelin Chicago gig..

Give or take a day or two, 50 years ago this week four lads assembled in a cramped rehearsal room in London’s Chinatown to play together for the first time. It went well, which is a bit of an understatement really, and I would cover their progress when I arrived on Melody Maker 20 months later. It seems right and proper then that I should mark this anniversary with a post about them so here is my MM report, unedited, of their Chicago gig on January 22, 1975. Elsewhere on Just Backdated I write about the shenanigans that followed this show, but this is my review of the show itself. One thing I recall, oddly, about this tour is that the back stage passes were badges taken from children’s birthday cards: “I’m 3 today” or whatever!

It’s cold outside, freezing, sub-zero and bitter, but inside Chicago Stadium, a superstructure designed to accommodate ocean liners, 20,000 Led Zeppelin fans are roaring in unison as if some giant orgasm has overtaken each and every one.

They’ve recognised the opening notes to ‘Stairway To Heaven’, the song they all came to hear. Even Robert Plant made a reverent speech before Page plucked the opening strings on the lower fretboard of his Gibson twin-neck.

“We… uh… recorded… now let me see… 14 sides of music including the new album in our career… and uh… well, we think that this song is… uh… pretty bloody good… eh, Jimmy?” says Plant. Jimmy grins and the crowd roar.

Danny Goldberg, a harassed-looking New Yorker with a pony-tail who runs Swan Song Records for Zep in the States, was telling me about ‘Stairway’ on the way to the concert. “It’s amazing,” he said. “The FM radio stations in New York have done a poll on what is the most requested album track and for two years it’s been ‘Stairway’. Nothing else comes close to it. They’re always playing it.”

Up there on stage Zeppelin are giving the song a new dimension. Page is subtly altering the guitar feed-in, twisting a note here and adding an extra one there, but it’s Plant’s vocal that charges the song with drama.

It took about three numbers for his pipes to clear out and now he’s shifted into top gear. Spoken asides between lines, building to a frenzy as Page moves up to the 12-string neck and crashes on open chords that ring out like echoes in a tunnel.

“To be a rock and not to roll…”

Lights everywhere, sparkling off a silver ball, and everyone is on their seats, cheering madly. John Bonham, in white boiler suit and black bowler hat, stumbles off his drum podium and nods back to the crowd, John Paul Jones, demure in gold embroidered waistcoat and fitted black pants, grins, and Page, relinquishing the twin-neck to a roadie, bows very low.

“Thank you, Chicago,” says Plant, and the group retire to an ovation that continues for ten minutes, building in waves of hoarse cheering until the group return, plug in and punch out the definitive riff of ‘Whole Lotta Love’. Page, guitar slung as low as ever, duckwalks around, jerking out the notes that have become standard lesson number one in heavy guitar tuition, long black hair covering the right side of his face.

‘Love’ moves into ‘Black Dog’ with the aid of four explosions atop the five lighting towers that beam down on the band, and it’s off again for five minutes before Zep return with ‘Communication Breakdown’, to make it almost three hours from the golden boys of heavy rock, three hours of incredible music that will be repeated nightly until Zep’s US tour, the first major rock tour of the US in 1975, winds up at Los Angeles on March 27.

The tour, however, was almost cancelled at the last minute, for Jimmy Page is playing under a severe handicap.

The third finger of his left hand, the one that’s used by all guitarists to bend notes, was two weeks before the tour trapped in an interconnecting carriage door on a train at Victoria Station.

The jolt broke a bone and specialists say he won’t be able to use the finger for another two weeks. He takes a pain-killer before going on stage.

“I can’t play any blues at all, can’t bend notes either,” he told me before going on stage at Chicago. “It’s the most important finger for any guitarist, so I’m having to modify my playing to suit the situation. A shame, but it can’t be helped.

“We’ve had to cut ‘Dazed And Confused’ from the set and substitute ‘How Many More Times’ which we haven’t played in four years. I’m still doing the violin bow routine but we’ve had to alter even that and I can’t do it as well as I’d like to. I can tell it’s not as good as it usually is, but the audiences don’t seem to notice.

“We almost cancelled the tour, but we couldn’t, as we’d sold all the tickets and a postponement would have meant chaos. It couldn’t have happened at a worse time, either.”

Plant, too, was complaining of illness. “I’m catching ‘flu and can’t sing properly,” he said.

Illness and broken finger bones are not the only problem that Zep are having to cope with on this junket. There were riots when tickets went on sale in several cities and the worst incident occurred at Boston, where the council refused to grant a licence for the concert.

As a result the concert scheduled for February 4 has been cancelled, the first time in seven years of touring that a Zep concert has been cancelled. An extra date has been added at Nassau Coliseum to make up for the cancellation, and tickets are being distributed to Boston fans by mail order. All mail with Massachusetts postmarks received preferential treatment.

Boston was actually the venue of one of the first US appearances by Zeppelin, so the band feel bad about the cancellation. The real reason for the ban, however, was not so much the rioting fans as the tense racial situation in a city where recently there have been riots over school bussing arrangements. The City Fathers are reluctant to permit any large gatherings, so it’s just unfortunate That Led Zep seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The tour opened this week with three concerts at the 20,000 capacity Chicago Stadium, the third of which I saw. “It takes them a few concerts to get into stride,” one of the roadies told me backstage. “By the time this band gets to Madison Square Garden, it’ll be one of the best rock acts ever to set foot there.”

Zep’s three hour set, there is no support act, includes five new songs that’ll be on the Physical Graffiti double album, due for imminent release. The hold-up, as always with Zep, is because of the artwork.

Two of the new pieces stand out. ‘Kashmir’ is a long song, a builder with a complex ascending riff, while ‘Trampled Under Foot’ is an out-and-out rocker with a simple catch-line that would make an excellent single. ‘Trampled’, in fact, might eventually take the place of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ as a power finale.

Zep, in common with a few others in their league, have the ability to hit an audience right from the start, merely by their actual presence. In Zep’s case, the number is ‘Rock And Roll’, and the effect is like a steam-driven locomotive gathering speed for a long, express journey from the opening staccato notes.

Plant, bare-chested and golden hair curling over his shoulders, is the very epitome of the rock star, a super stud whose blatantly sexual manoeuvres around his stage rival anything from Tom Jones Las Vegas routines to David Cassidy’s more primitive but similar expressions of virility.

The slightly-built Page, shy, sleepy features hidden behind a mass of black curls, dressed in white silk suit and black embroidered shirt, prowls the stage with a Les Paul tucked in a little above knee height.

John Paul Jones keeps out of the picture, alternating between three Fender basses (one fretless) and only really making his presence felt when he moves to the keyboard. His Mellotron work on ‘No Quarter’ was a coup de grace.

Two new songs follow ‘Rock And Roll’. The first, ‘Sick Again’, is a trite comment on the LA scene and hangers-on that Zep accumulate whenever they visit California. Another uptempo rocker. The second is a reworking of the blues standard ‘In My Time Of Dying’ which features Page on slide throughout. Then it’s ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’, and ‘The Song Remains The Same’, which moves into ‘The Rain Song’, the first opportunity for Page to play delicately and use his twin-necked guitar.

Two new pieces, ‘Kashmir’ and ‘Wanton Song’, come next before Jones’ solo on ‘No Quarter’. Then it’s ‘Trampled Under Foot’ before Bonham’s tour de force, ‘Moby Dick’, which now includes a 15-minute drum solo, a powerdrive extraordinaire that has the audience standing time and time again at its false conclusions.

‘How Many More Times’ is Page’s new vehicle for the violin bow scenario, modified slightly because of his broken finger but still impressive, especially the part where he uses a stabbing echo and apparently duets with himself. ‘Stairway’ closes the set.

Hasty getaways, police escorts and armed bodyguards are all part of the routine on a Zeppelin tour. The band are hustled directly off the stage into the usual waiting limousine while the audience is still waiting for a third encore.

On arrival at the hotel the band locked themselves away for an hour’s conference with Peter Grant before venturing out into hotel lobby and bar which were rapidly crowding with fans who’d heard where the group was staying.

This week Zeppelin take possession of the Starship, the personalised rock and roll jet that will ferry them to and from gigs with Chicago as a base. This method of touring, used by Zeppelin on previous tours, is unique: it’s also extraordinarily expensive.

Many thanks to Chris.

Check out Chris’s always excellent Just Backdated Blog

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Book Update:

The new Making Of video for the forthcoming Led Zeppelin By Led Zeppelin book is pretty sensational. The book looks mightily impressive.

The Definitive Jimmy Page biography by Chris Salevitz has received an incredible amount of coverage in the press – mainly honing in on the rather more sensationalist aspect of the book of course.

The Led Zeppelin Live 1975 – 1977 book is available in a TBL limited edition – see link below. There has been some distribution problems with the stock I ordered which I am hoping will soon be rectified. I did an interview about the book for the Express online website see link here:

https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1005930/Led-Zeppelin-Live-1975-1977-Led-Zeppelin-tour-photos-John-Bonham

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/led-zeppelin-live-1975-1977-the-photographs-of-terry-oneill-michael-brennan-and-baron-wolman-edited-by-dave-lewis-special-tbl-limited-edtion-in-a-run-of-just-150-signed-by-the-editor-plus/

The Evenings With Led Zeppelin book is now confirmed for September 27. The book will be launched at the TBL Celebration Day gathering at the Atlas pub on September 30.  There’s also the possibility of an Omnibus Press launch for the book just prior to that. More details on this as they unfold.

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VIP Victoria Record Fair Saturday September 8,2018

The VIP Record Fair is staged at the Horticultural Halls, 80 Vincent Square, Victoria, London Saturday, September 8 – always an excellent Fair, I am aiming to be in attendance and this will act as a bit of a post Birthday extended celebration -I will duly adjourn to the nearby pub The Royal Oak to toast my coming of age. I look forward to seeing all that can make it along.

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DL Diary Blog Update:

Friday treats at the Vinyl Barn: At the always excellent Vinyl Barn last Friday I was well pleased to find a copy of the splendid 1970 sampler album Going Home – the sort of thing I love to collect – a UK pressing, one side on the Reprise label, the other Warner Bros featuring tracks by the likes of, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, James Taylor, The Grateful Dead and The Faces,– many thanks Darren! 

We had a great day out in Brighton with our very good friends Max and Julie last Saturday. There’s always plenty to see there and this time around there were plenty of Mod fashions to be seen as there were plenty of Bank Holiday Mod events. As the pic shows, of course there was no getting away from the day job!

On Monday night the well known UK broadcaster/football presenter  Adrian Chiles was the subject of an interesting documentary Drinkers Like Me – Adrian Chiles billed as follows: In this revealingly intimate documentary for BBC2, Adrian Chiles takes a long hard look at his own love of boozing

I wasn’t able to watch it then as (irony of ironies), I was down the pub watching Man Utd v Spurs! Here’s a pic of me and the very likable Adrian Chiles taken at the Robert Plant Band Of Joy gig on September 2, 2010 at the London Forum – a rare one too as neither of us have a pint in our hands…oh yes!

I chose my viewing wisely that night though as I watched Tottenham Hotspur record a rather splendid 3-0 away victory over Manchester  United. Here’s me toasting the glorious Sours in the Fox & Hounds after the match…it tasted good. Here’s hoping they can keep the momentum going on Sunday when they visit high flying Watford.

Massively busy here on various projects and plans – not least the in progress TBL 44. There’s the Victoria Fair ahead, Dec is over from Ireland next week which is very timely as my Birthday beckons next Wednesday September 5.

Before that though, there is another very special birthday to celebrate, namely the good lady Janet on August 31. We will be out and about celebrating that fact for sure this Friday….

Dave Lewis – August 28, 2018

Until next time, have a great weekend