The new Tight But Loose magazine is almost ready to go. We signed off the proofs yesterday and it should be all ready to ship out at the end of the month.

Many thanks to Mick Lowe, Gary Foy, Cliff Hilliard and Jez Firth for their help with this issue and all the contributors who have made it what it is.

With so much recent Zep related activity, this 27th issue of the magazine has grown in to quite an epic. Over the past three months, designer Mike Lowe and I have spent many hours honing the text from a variety of contributors into a 40,000 word chronicle of essential Led Zep reading past and present.

Yes that’s 40,000 words – in effect a mini book.

Here’s what’s in store:

• There’s an exclusive preview of the contents of the forthcoming Jimmy Page visual autobiography with a series of photos reproduced from the book via Genesis Publications

• There’s extensive coverage of the Band Of Joy recent activity. Steve Sauer,Larry M Bergmann jr, Stephen Humphries, Jamie Harvey and myself file on the spot reports from a variety locations on the experiences of witnessing the latest twist in Robert’s tale. Steve Sauer also offers a perceptive guide to the original sources of the songs that make up the Band Of Joy album

• On the 30th anniversary of the death of John Bonham, his son Jason in another exclusive interview for TBL, reflects on the intervening years and his thoughts on his Dad three decades on. He also discloses his plans for the forthcoming Led Zeppelin Experience project. Gary Davies and I also offer a fans reaction to the events and aftermath of September 25th 1980.  Gary’s view is one of the most moving I’ve ever read on this subject. It captures the real essence of the effect that John’s loss and the disbandment of Led Zeppelin had on him as a young Zeppelin fan growing up in the Midlands area Bonzo hailed from.

• There are further exclusive interviews with Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa and Jason Bonham – the key players in the formation of Black Country Communion, the most talked about rock supergroup of the year as they tell their story of how their debut album came together.

• Mike Tremaglio again opens up his exhaustive files to track Led Zeppelin flying high on tour 40 years ago in 1970. From Iceland through the Bath Festival, Germany and onto America –  the saga unfolds through a series of key images and background info. Mike reveals more strange tales from the road including how resistance from local authorities thwarted more than one planned Zep festival appearance that summer of ‘70.

• Part Two of my conversation with legendary NME scribe Nick Kent offers some illuminating views on how the punks saw Zep, the final era of the group and Nick’s thoughts on the 02 reunion and their ongoing legacy.

• John Paul Jones latest news, CD reviews from Gerard Sparaco and other news wrap up another iluminating issue of the Tight But Loose magazine.

So what’s not to like about all that!

This one is an engrossing read, in fact it might well have been a good idea to supply a pair of reading glasses with each issue, such is the depth of text with over 40,000 words to wade through. A captivating read designed to take you back to the music with fresh perspective.  As I have often noted – Web sites are great for browsing: The Tight But Loose magazine is for reading again and again – tangible collectable and re readable. An eagerly anticipated physical product to be opened, read, stored and coveted as a key Zep reference work.

This single issue cost including postage and packing is £6.50 UK , £7.50 Europe  and £8.50 USA/Rest of world.

For the amount of detailed info and in depth stories,  I’d consider that pretty good value for money.  I accept we are in recessionary times and life’s luxuries for us all are at a premium, but there are some little treats worth hanging onto. I believe Led Zeppelin fans will find that the TBL magazine is one such item.

The disappearance in recent years of Tower, Virgin, Zavvi and Borders has severely limited the magazine’s distribution. So ordering direct from the site is the main method of getting the message out.  It’s a cold hard fact that currently the sales of the TBL magazine in relation to the number of hits on the TBL site is not high – a lot of visitors have yet to indulge. It could well be you are reading this and have never seen a copy.

The fact is, if you love Led Zeppelin you will love this magazine and if you visit this site you need it in your life!

To highlight that fact, here is some feedback from satisfied TBL subscribers:

I received my copy yesterday – it really is a great read, and well worth the subscription.  I only signed up in the past 12 months, and now wish I had done so years ago! Dawn Atherton- UK

The new TBL mag – what can I say, it was already a great magazine in black and white but the new colour format takes it to another level. Congratulations to you and all involved in.’’  Russell Ritchin- UK

‘’Just wanted to drop you a line to say how much I am enjoying reading the latest edition of Tight But Loose – as always! And I love the revamp in design. Packed with interesting articles, the latest news, it’s a real joy to read and a must for any Zep fan’’-  Mick Bulow- UK

‘’Received the latest TBL issue. The best ever. Like the new design and layout. I am savouring each and every article. Keep up the good work!’’ Damien Grieff- UK

‘’Got  the new TBL – superb edition – particularly enjoyed the Nick Kent piece & Robert’s guitarist interviews – keep up the magnificent work’’
Colin Sheil-Ireland

’’Just wanted to drop you a quick line that I received my TBL 26 yesterday.
A fantastic issue’’. Dave Robert-Canada

‘Hi Dave, magazines arrived today. I would like to congratulate you and let you know that the new all colour TBL is superb’’.  Michael Smith -Australia

‘’Thanks a lot for the last issue of TBL 26.  As usual a great issue with many interesting articles – fantastic’’. Alessandro Borri – Italy

Here’s a link to a review of TBL 26 from another satisfied customer:
http://www.briangardiner.ca/rambleon/?p=238

Encouraging feedback such as the above, is of much inspiration and a real incentive for me to produce the very best magazine possible. It’s frustrating though that due to a lack of major distribution and awareness, the magazine has yet  to reach out to anything like it’s potential audience. That’s a situation I am on a mission to change.

The TBL magazine remains the DNA of the TBL proposition but it needs your support and now. Buy it, tell your friends about it, and help spread the message on facebook  groups etc.  If you have any distribution ideas or methods of  creating awereness and increasing sales , I’d very welcome any feedback and ideas.

So please consider these words carefully and react by making a purchase if you haven’t already done so – all you have to do is click on the ’Tight But Loose Order Here Now’’ link.

To the ongoing subscribers of the magazine, I offer a heart felt thank you for your support and loyalty. There’s a treat in store with TBL 27 so please keep subscribing and keep reading. To those that now take the plunge and order TBL 27, I offer thanks in advance – I sincerely hope you find the product worthy of future investment and in turn come back for TBL 28 and subsequently take out a 2011 subscription next year.

This is a timely moment to have some sort of justification of what TBL is and does and something of a call to arms, because 30 years ago next week, the final curtain looked to have been drawn on the Led Zeppelin saga with the death of John Bonham.

But as I often say – so much has gone but so much remains.

30 years on from that fateful September day, the world of Led Zeppelin is a living breathing place to be and the Tight But Loose magazine remains a significant stop off point from which to view it all.

You can share that view by investing in TBL 27 today.  Then get ready to set aside some quality Zep reading time and be enthused by the various features that in turn will further enhance your enjoyment of the music that continues to be such an inspiration to us all.

I look forward to welcoming on board new readers to a magazine that since 1978, has striven to present a platform of communication for Led Zeppelin fans the world over – from east to west and past to present.

Long may that continue, but for it to do so I need your support. Many thanks in advance.

Sincerely,

Dave Lewis

September 16th 2010