Cyprus Rocks

Cyprus Rocks! Classic Rock Festival is the brainchild of Eddie and (the beautiful) Elaine Yates. Who successfully blend rock festival and a summer break for like-minded people, well…. Namely fans of classic rock of course. Lately Eddie has hung up his mankini, and in unison we all praise the Lord for his mercy upon us, and taken more of a back seat, leaving the running of the event to Mario.

A week-long event on the beautiful island of Cyprus. Famous of course for the place where Richard Coeur de Lion married his princess Berengaria, before setting off on Crusade into the Holy Land.

Also the populous of the Mediterranean Islands. Settled by the Mycenaean’s in the 2^nd century BC then subsequently occupied by the Assyrians, Egyptians and Persians, from whom the island was taken in 333 BC by Alexander the Great himself. The island was annexed by Great Britain (hoorah). So we shouldn’t really have been surprised that all the power sockets are UK and the cars all drive on the left, just like home. Did you know Halloumi cheese originated on the island? No? well it did.

Odins Day is upon us at last as we have been anticipating this one for a while and it’s nice to be finally on the plane sipping a pre-arrival Gin and Tonic! As if not enough to do as it is, Mario has the extra stress of Monarch flights going under, leaving band members stranded at home. Could have been a bit of a disaster there, but Mario manages to get alternative travel and everything is fine. Phew.

Arriving late-ish at the airport we are met by Artist Liaison, namely Drew, who is from Cyprus itself, born of the sea. Her voice like the siren welcomes weary travellers to her paradise home.

Well it’s late, and we spotted a pub still open just at the top of the hill, I think we should go say a cheery hallo to our fellow weary pilgrims, seeking refreshment before retiring for the night and falling into the arms of Morpheus and to sleep in Elysium.

It is mid-morning when I am disturbed from my esteemed repose, Hyperion is high on  his horse and sweats in the eye of Phoebus, and as usual I have missed breakfast. Thankfully so has Andy so we venture up the hill once more in seek of sustenance, tonight is the welcome party. There could be trouble ahead.

Evening draws nigh on Thors Day as we are greeted once more by Drew, Artist Liaison, and we are introduced to our fellow wandering minstrels. Friends of one another do we declare ourselves to be.

                                        Peter and Drew 

As the sun slowly sets beyond the horizon the waxing moon rises to dance upon the wine-dark sea. Tranquillity prevails, for the present at least, for I know what happens at the welcome party and this mad lot of rockers! So I am determined to pace myself, and live up to my reputation as El Santo.

First band of the evening Stone Free, Mario himself takes the stage and sets the bar high indeed, Great covers of Bread Fan by Budgie and 20th Century Schizoid man! They Rock! We are feasted and wined by our gracious host.

This photo says it all. Taken just 30 minutes before Letz Zep stage time, Peter sporting a fine suntan, spending his time wisely by the pool with a small beer. No longer Pete the Beat, now Pete the Beet-Root. Then the  two Pale Riders, Andy and Jack who have obviously not seen  a minute of daylight since the moment they arrived.

Every day there are fantastic events to be enjoyed, with marvellous bands. Who’s Next, very good, Very surprised at how good The Toxic Twins are, vocalist Danny doing an excellent rendition of Steven Tyler.

The events that lay ahead of us, a pool party with a special appearance  by the fantastic Jimi Anderson, and yes, I imagine someone will fall in at some point. Culminating in a farewell party with a much anticipated set from Nazareth vocalist Carl Sentence, and much more in between. All in all a great diverse selection of very good bands, to cover the full spectrum of the classic rock genre. Music for all seasons.

The main stage set upon the beach itself, with such beautiful natural lighting casting long shadows upon the golden sands. Perfect setting for the powerful and dramatic music that beckons.

So what is it that makes this event so special? is it this jewel of an island set in the silver sea? The excellent organisation from Mario, Drew and the tech crew? The exquisite cuisine? the bands? Well of course they all play  a part, but mainly the fantastic bunch of mad rockers who come together to celebrate all that is good in the world. In one space at one moment of time, it’s these lovely people that make this event so special. We love you all.

So, they say Cyprus Rocks is the probably the best rock holiday on Earth, a bold statement, can there be any truth in it?

Damn straight!

Missing planes trains and automobiles

Just how it came to pass that I missed my flight home from Tenerife is not entirely clear, well not to me anyway.

Tenerife is a volcanic island and part of the Canaries, named by the Romans due to the abundance of dogs on the island, and not canaries as is commonly assumed. Billys fact of the daaaayyyyyy. You know Latin, Canines = Canaries, obvious now isn’t it.

Now most of you should know by now that I am the most sensible of rock gods. Nice cuppa tea before hitting the stage, maybe a biscuit. Certainly no partying for Billy. Well, that isn’t entirely true anymore.Last night I slept on the floor being stepped over by fellow guests, tonight, in stark contrast is the brand new Hard Rock hotel. My room is of particular magnificence, with various gifts from the hotel generously scattered around the suite.

Somehow, I managed to break by tour bag last night, so off I trot in search of a new one, several beers later the purchase is made and there is time to enjoy the views from the Jacuzzi over the town whist enjoying a chilled glass of the complimentary champagne.

Tonight is the first event to be staged at this magnificent edifice, so we are first band to play here. Slightly later than usual start tonight as we are competing with the Champions League final, Juve v Real. Thankfully no extra time or penalties were needed so can get onstage on time. As soon as the game finishes the flood gates open and the people quickly arrive. Some even have come again after the previous nights show in the north of the island.

Ok a few minor sound problems, but finally managed to fix it, with not much help from Nobby who was spotted in the pool at sound check and in the bar during the show asking girls if they fancied a coffee in his room. 
His ols chat up line from days of yore.
But all goes well. Some of the audience to seem a trifle drunk, one bride-to-be shouting to me that it is her last night of freedom! and offered me to join her after the show for a private drink in her room, of course, I graciously declined. 
As she was very, very drunk.

Another gig another after-show party!! this time at Micky Dee’s bar, The Rock Lounge, the Motorhead and Scorpions drummer was not in attendance tonight, but a cool bar where I am unceremoniously thrust onstage with the local band for a rousing version of Immigrant Song. Beautiful setting above the beach with the moonlight shimmering off the silver sea.

This is the scene for the fates to conspire for me to miss my flight. For some unknown reason, Nobby had booked us out on an early flight, we were all hoping for some time to relax on this most beautiful of resorts, but no, our car is booked for 9.30 am.

I would like to tell you more of this exciting evening only I don’t recall much more. There are lots of pics with me and random people I do not know where they were taken. But apparently the blame mainly is on the shoulders of a Polish girl who came equipped with everything one could desire to keep the party going all night, and it did!

I did manage to get back to my bed this time, but unfortunately, didn’t do so well in getting out of it again as I slept through the alarm and missed the car and my flight home, so I am stuck here for at least another day, in paradise. Or maybe I’ll go to Barcelona for a few days? Oh well, I’ll just have to Gin and bear it! I’m off the pool. See ya.

                                          Me, myself and I

Update: luckily, the rather attractive Italian promoter named Bella I had meet at the show last night heard of my, erm…… plight? Is that the right word? My predicament maybe? Situation, that’ll do. She has saved the day, Bella is driving from the north of the island to rescue me. She has kindly arranged a room and a flight home tomorrow afternoon. A different airport, so after the plane, I’ll get the train, and collect my automobile.

As lucky happen-chance would have it, she is free tonight for dinner too!
So all's well that ends well, as they say.

I hear it is raining in the U.K. Maybe if I play my cards right I can miss this flight too.

Tenerife

Now, I was surprised to actually hear many a complaint about the content of my first book, not, as one would expect, due to its storyline, no, actually the complaints have not come from the people so cruelly depicted in the book, they loved being lampooned in its pages. The complaints came from those not mentioned in the book! One can only assume that people love to be lampooned at every opportunity. Gluttons for punishment.

This presented me with an idea for a business opportunity, anybody giving me £50 will get a mention in book two. So please be patient when a random name pops up unexpectedly in the most inappropriate of places.

Perhaps it would be a better idea to put all the sponsored stories in one chapter for easy listing. I look upon it as more of a crowdfunding exercise.

But back to the music. As always, the tour starts with a hefty few dates in Spain, covering all points of the compass, from the ancient city of Cordoba in the south, to Bilbao in the north. A journey east, and then onto Barcelona for a week, which we use as our base until we return to the UK.

We have a new JPJ, Les having hung up his syrup to retire to the south coast where he bought a boat and has discovered the delights of aquatic pursuits. He can be now regularly seen sailing up and down the Solent singing jaunty sea shanties, getting new tattoos and watching cartoons of Popeye the sailorman. Now is the time to cue all the references to Captain Pugwash. Seaman Stains being the most popular reference, quickly followed by Rodger the cabin boy, and Master Bates.

Enter Donny, of Irish extraction, and, being a young chap, is full of testosterone and very keen to sample the local wares, in all its glorious shape and form. Donny has settled in very quickly and has been out shopping in the trendy Camden area of London to purchase some clothes in 70’s style. This mainly comprises of a pair of the tightest jeans I have ever seen ‘The Mighty Tighties’ and some flowery girls blouses such as worn by members of Led Zeppelin in that era. Lonny soon discovers that this semi androgynous look is a big hit now as it was then.

The bastard.

At gig number one he had three girls giving him a massage backstage! He has settled in well, masterful on both bass guitar and keys where his No Quarter is a highlight of the evening.

From hence we set off for dates in the Baltic, Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade, where we had a spanking good time.

So exciting times, as now I sit on Norwegian airlines on the way to Tenerife for two sold out shows, with our Spanish promoter Nobby Mills. The El Pollon tour continues.

it’s 11pm when we land, haven’t a clue where our hotel is tomorrow as Nobby hasn’t told me. But I do know both the shows are sold out and Nobby has arranged a party, he is delighted also that I am now liberated and is keen to relive his ‘Cock Squad’ days, when, in the days of his youth he claims to be hitting 3 girls every night, except Monday, as that was his day off. Nobby thinks of himself as a sex object, he asks for sex and girls object is closer to the mark.

There could be trouble ahead!

Well, there is good news and there is bad news. First the good news. We have the most beautiful of hotels. The oldest building in the village, weighing in at over 400 years old, made of ancient oak and featuring the original kitchen with huge stove and ceramic sinks.

My room has incredibly high oak ceiling and a huge wrought iron medieval style bed. It looks very comfortable. The bad news is I never got to find out how comfortable it was, as, after the party arranged by Nobby. Of which I recall nothing! But sadly, as I got to my room I realised my key was the bottom of my gig bag, and as I kneeled down to open it I fell asleep on the floor outside my room, I was awoken from my esteemed repose by the Pete the beat, up for his early morning walk and in hot pursuit of a fridge magnet. I had pulled the beautiful Persian rug over me for warmth in the night. Well. If the bed was anywhere near as comfy as the floor would have been a result.

As we travel now to the next show all the band are nursing horrible hangovers, distant memories of the night before come trickling back, the Jaeger bombs, whos bright idea was that? Apparently, I may have spent the night on the floor in the hallway with other guests stepping over. But it appears that I fared the best of the band, the others got into all kinds of scrapes. So, yet again. I am the most sensible and well-behaved member of the band. Those boys!!!!!!! I don’t know what Randy got up to but he is light as a feather after losing that heavy load.

Checking in at todays hotel, it would appear I have the executive suite with panoramic views of the ocean and my own jacuzzi.

‘It’s theeeeeeeeee good life. la la laaaaa la la laaaaaaa’

Jimmy Page - The Next Generation

It’s been a long time since I wrote a blog. So a lot of catching up to do. It’s been a hectic month with one thing and another.

I write this from my premium single room in Iceland, I have come out here to promote the band and my book. Which is selling like hot cakes and getting great reviews. Amazon has already sold out of stock twice and has restocked for a third time.

It is good to have Andy back on guitar, he has been away for a month so we had Chris Cawte on guitar for London and Holmfirth. A fantastic player he is too, a big thanks for standing in. It was just like the old days as we had Simon Jeffrey back on the drums for a re-union. A big thanks to Simon.

The Borderline was really where it all began for us, and when we first performed in front of Jimmy Page, (it’s all in the book wot I wrote) and got to meet the great man after the show. In Dorking last Friday we played in front of Jimmy Page again!!! Only this time it is the son of Jimmy Page, also called Jimmy. Jimmy Page, the next generation.

Little Jimmy was at the very front all show and stayed around to greet the band, he said that his Dad had come to see us years ago and thought we were fantastic, and now his son agrees too. Nice chap actually, and looks just like his father. He was impressed with Andy's guitar playing.

We had a great little trip in The Balkans with Damir, our fourth show in Slovenia, and another packed house. It was literally one of the loudest audiences we have ever played in front of, actually deafening roar at the end of the songs. Jack, our new John Paul Jones, couldn’t quite believe it and had to take a few steps closer to the edge of the stage to get a better look.

Jack played a blinder and his solo in No Quarter is fast becoming a highlight of the set.

And a day off to explore the Dragon Bridge and the castle, Ljubljana is a beautiful city, and we had plenty of offers from locals to show us the sights. Peter is keen to add to his expanding fridge magnet collection.

So, onto Croatia, we have played here once before at a festival along with Wishbone Ash. But not in Zagreb before. The Border was closed for some reason, and 6 hour delays at the border, thankfully our local driver knows of a smaller check point and we are through with no problem.

A fantastic show and well attended. After two encores no one wants to go home and we play Babe I’m Gonna Leave You to end the night. Lot’s of well wishes appeared backstage for photos and a pick from Andy, Jack has no picks left after just 2 shows. One guys said he had been waiting for us to come there for 5 years and it was well worth the wait.

The party somehow managed to carry on back to the hotel, Andy forgetting what room he was in, at one point he was sleeping in Pete’s room, then found his way into Jacks room. Finally came stumbling into my room at 4am and fell asleep on the floor. A spanking good time was had by all.

I think we all needed to let some steam off after a stressful month.

As we are not actually in Europe anymore smoking is allowed everywhere, amazing how we get used to not smoking, in Belgrade we are treated to local dishes at a traditional Serbian restaurant. At tonight show we have promoters and agent from all over the region, and well as everyone who is, or has ever been, in a band, as well as some local TV celebrities, including the bloke who does a mystic show on the telly and his beautiful assistant, chatting to her she is very interesting and well informed on local culture and art.

The show is slightly delays due to a protest march through the city. The lights go down, the roar goes up and Bam Bam……, we blast into Good Times Bad Times. The next two and a half hours are pure magic, what a great audience and a great show. After the show I had an in depth interview with a local journo, she was very tall, elegant too. Somehow again, there seemed to be a party back at our hotel! What is it with all these parties all of a sudden? Or maybe they have always gone on and I just wasn't invited!

I’m sure Jack is inviting everyone who was at the show back to our hotel. Anyway, as usual I am first in bed, it’s been a long day.

Anyway, here I am now in Iceland and the weather is awful, but things are looking up, there is a knock at my hotel room door, it is the girl from the hotel reception, she is still in her hotel uniform, though it doesn’t look exactly regulation, the skirt is a little shorter and the heels are higher, she is interested in my book apparently, well I better go then, see ya!!!!!

What goes on tour don't stay on tour

It is available at last, my first book: Letz Zep backstage ‘What goes on tour don’t stay on tour’ is finally on sale.

And first reactions are good ‘All you wanted to know about the life of a touring band and more. Much more’ says Kris Gruber of Radio Dacorum.

The book was written on planes, trains and automobiles over the last 6 months and the odd hotel room.

The book tells the story of the bands journey from local pub gigs to some of the biggest stages in the world. From Madrid to Moscow, Lisbon to London and Barcelona to Brazil.

Tales of being ‘encouraged’ to perform at gun-point in Venezuela, had shot-guns pointed at us in Brazil. Facing a knife-wielding maniac in Morocco. Performing on amazing stages like the ancient Amphitheatre in Rhodes. The Paris Olympia Theatre and the Heineken Arena in Madrid.

What is it like to have Robert Plant turn up at one of our shows and performing in front of Jimmy Page.

From the early days of The Marquee Club and the St. Moritz Club, touring with Ozzy Osbourne and Roger Daltrey. Filled with lots of helpful advice on how to be a success in the notoriously cut-throat world of the music industry, and how to sustain that career.

Including all the amusing stories from back-stage of a hard working international touring rock band.

The book is available on presale right now:

https://newworldmusic.com/uk/downloads/bk724-rock-god/

and is flying off the shelves :D

And on general release from March 1. Or if you prefer, buy one at the shows. Then I can sign it for you!!

Hola Barcelona

Vitoria is a lovely place, historic town, wonderful atmosphere. I love just walking around the old town. Always a good gig here too, although tonight some idiot let off a pepper spray or something similar during No Quarter, I mean, who does something like that? Anyway, if the idea was to disrupt the show it didn’t work, we simply took a quick 20 minute break so the venue could open the doors and clear the air. The band went and stood outside with the crowd for photos and the like, until everybody came back into the venue again. We came back with a point to prove and performed one of the best sets of the tour so far, and a bit of a party after the show too!  Jack Paul Jones has now acquired the nickname here in Spain as El Nino Pollon.

So, onto Pamplona, another historic town, famous for the running of the bulls of course. But again, a lovely old town to walk around and sample a few local beers and tapas. After the show, we found a bar playing retro 50’s music and a few people dressing the part and jitterbugging all over the place. Got talking to a local geezer as he is the spitting image of Noddy Holder from Slade. An uncanny resemblance, he didn’t know who Noddy Holder is, but after a few rousing choruses of Merry Xmas Everybody from myself and Pete the Beat and it dawned on him of whom we refer.  However, we had to cut our interesting conversation short due to the fact that he kept farting and stinking the place out.

‘Did you just fart?’ Pete enquires of him. ‘Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’ he confirms with a broad Buzz Lightyear type of smile and has both thumbs up to signify his pride and delight in a job well done.

And now onto Barcelona and a few days rest to recover fully from our gas attack, I mean the pepper spray in Vitoria not Noddy Holder flatulence in Pamplona of course.

Being a big show we have many family and friends coming into Barca today for the gig on Wednesday. Including a star appearance for Le Chameau himself, our long-suffering guitar tech of whom regular followers of this blog will remember well, mainly for ordering a nice bowl of Nada. Nick is also the hero of my book ‘What goes on tour don’t stay on tour’ due out on March 1^st.

As tradition now has it. It seems we always play in Barcelona in or around the birthday of our promoter Robert ‘Nobby’ Mills. So tonight we will dine in the famous Los Caracoles restaurant close to Las Ramblas, the area of Barcelona famous for it’s shopping, bars and restaurants. A Mecca for tourists.

Nobby is famous for prowling Las Ramblas claiming to be a ‘big player’ in from The States, Texas Long-Horn they call him, and he is carrying a heavy load. Sadly for Nobby, he has been doing this for years and everyone is wise to him now, but this does nothing to deter Nobby from indulging in his favourite pastime, namely just harassing the girls of The Ramblas who are just going about their day trying to earn a dollar.

Well, it had to happen, the rain is come!

Sad Hill

Hello from Bilbao. We had a pleasant day off in Madrid, a fantastic show too, the biggest so far, before heading off to the Basque region again.

On our drive from Madrid to Bilbao we took a detour just south east of Burgos to visit Sad Hill Cemetery, Famous of course for the final scene of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. The three-way gun fight was filmed on this very spot in 1966, and the last of the trilogy, following a Fist Full of Dollars and A Few Dollars More and directed by Sergio Leone.

We have our own El Feo with us, I’ll leave you to decide the Good and the Bad.

The place is right band in the middle of nowhere and not that easy to find, and strangely, not on a hill either, despite the name. But still looks pretty much the same as it did in the movie. Starring Clint Eastwood, Lee van Cleef and Eli Wallach. It’s apparent also what a good choice of location, isolated with different panoramic views make an amazing back drop.

We spent about 30 minutes wandering around, whistling the theme tune of course, I defy anyone not to, and recreating the gun fight.

Nice to be back in Bilbao, lovely city and a great audience., and last night saw the inclusion of Achilles Last Stand for the first time on this tour. Today. We drive just 50 minutes down the road to Vitoria, the site of a huge and decisive Napoleonic battle. And another victory for Wellington, defeating a full French Marshal.

The turning point was the capture and crossing of the old Roman bridge which caused the French to be outflanked and a relatively quick victory for the British.

And yes, we are also doing some gigs, we are two weeks into the tour and with only seven shows left to go, it has flown by.

More laters

Whisper tales of gore

It’s Monday, it’s Madrid and it’s the half way mark of the Spanish tour, and everyone has been well behaved with no tales of gore to report, well, none that the band will let me publish anyway.

Last time I wrote we had an epic race against time to make it to San Sebastian for the show.

Having booked flights from Sevilla to Bilbao, Vueling airlines cancelled the flight and dumped us in Madrid instead, claiming that Bilbao airport was closed due to high winds, however we got an alternative flight, from Madrid to yes Bilbao, and no the airport wasn’t closed, nor were there any high winds. A lovely day in fact. So we made the show, just, even though the airfare cost more than the nights fee, but y’know, the show must go on.

I reckon as the flight was late anyway, Vueling lost their slot in Bilbao and needed a plane in Madrid. So our flight was biffed off.

A stint of 4 shows on the bounce, San Sebastian was followed by Santander, then A Caruna and Vigo.

All good shows and well attended, we have a few new songs in the set to go along the theme, seeing a welcome return of Trampled Under Foot. Always a crowd favourite.

                                  The late nights are taking it's toll

Then a long but pleasant drive south to Madrid, the capitol of Spain, placed at the heart of the city. Nice spot of tiffin en-route of course to break up the journey. I do like the Spanish cuisine, the wine ain't bad either come to think of it!

We have a couple of days off in Madrid before the show here, the boys wasting no time in getting out on the town. Jack Paul Jones asking where is the best place to go for to sample the night-life in Madrid. On a Monday night? I don’t think there will be much action, but if there is, then those boys will find it.
Peter on his eternal quest to collect a fridge magnet from ever city we visit on our travels.

Myself? I’m having a night in doing me laundry. Yeah!!!! Rock and Roll Babys!!!

But also, today is a red-letter day! My book is now proofed and off to the printers and is on schedule for release on March 1^st. Called Letz Zep backstage. ‘What Goes on tour don’t stay on tour’ full of amusing stories from behind the scenes of the biggest and best tribute to Led Zeppelin in the world! What? like me doing me laundry in Madrid on a Monday night? Nope, a bit more colourful than that. with tales of gore aplenty!

I’ll keep you posted
Rock on

The rain in Spain

Hello All.

We arrived on a beautifully sunny day for a show in Murcia. Great to see so many people returning to see the band again. Then onto Grenada and for the first time a show in Cordoba, a very beautiful place. It has the second largest Old Town in Europe, complete with Roman bridge and lovely gardens. another warm day, still out in the evening in Tee Shirts, in January!
it's great to get back playing again after a 3 week winter break, Jack, the new JPJ has settled right in and is enjoying his first visit to Andalucía.

8TV, the local Andalusian TV station come to film our show in Jerez the next day. They interviewed Nobby, our promoter. Spending our day off in Gibraltar, although Nobby forgot his passport and they wouldn’t let him in.

Much to our amusement.

                            I need a passport to come to the UK?

After our show in Algeciras, again, so many familiar faces, oh and did they feed us? The restaurant attached to the venue was amazing and the food, and the wine, kept coming, necessitating the need for a pre-gig snooze.

Rather than drive our day off the length of the country for our show tonight in San Sebastien, instead, we had a glorious day in Sevilla, enjoying the sun and the Flamenco. We thought it a good idea to catch a flight to Bilbao in the afternoon after breakfast in Saville.

And then the rain came.

Pouring rain. torrential rain, and driving winds. And so we find ourselves still sitting at the airport when we should be sound-checking in San Sebastien. Our flight cancelled due to the bad weather.

It’s very quiet now in the terminal waiting room, I’m the only one here, everyone else has got a voucher for a sarnie and a cup of tea. Whereas, I’m frantically trying to make alternative arrangement to get the band to the show on time. At least Peter will get me a cuppa tea. Thank God it’s a late gig tonight.

11pm onstage. There is still hope, maybe we should all play a song of hope… just to make sure.

The race begins…………

Led Zeppelin I

Is it really 48 years since Led Zeppelin released their debut album? The eponymous Led Zeppelin?

12^th January 1969 was the day the world changed forever. Nothing quite like this had ever been heard before. From the staggered intro to Good Times Bad Times, those mind-blowing triplets on the bass drum from John Bonham, just pushed the urgency of the songs on to greater heights. Plants searing vocal and the full attack of the guitar solo and the die was cast.

Zeppelin had arrived.

Babe I’m Gonna Leave You clearly displays the light and shade of what was to become a Zep trademark, haunting vocal, full of angst and pain, followed by thunderous riffs to shake the listener out of his melancholy.

Leaning heavily on the blues with the songs I Can’t Quit You Baby, and You Shook Me, songs by Willie Dixon, Zep expanding the songs to a full eight minutes. Dazed and Confused debuted the eerie violin bow scraped across the strings of Page’s psychedelic Fender Tele, and the pre-punk Communication Breakdown, the world would never be the same again.

Recorded in Olympic Studios in London, close to where I live, in just 36 hours. The album was a self-funded and a commercial success. But was not well received by the music press critics. This is probably more likely to the press at the time being out-of-touch and not ready, or quite understanding, what it was that was gracing their ears. The world of music was changing and Zeppelin were the fore-runners, launching a whole new genre of harder rock music that was to dominate the 70’s.

The artwork being the Hindenburg disaster fully explains the music on the music on the vinyl record enclosed inside, magnificent and explosive, with a hint of danger. /Don't get too close!

Will we ever see such an influential debut album from an artist ever again?

You're him aren't you

Welcome to the first blog of 2017. It was back in July last year the last time I wrote. The reason for being remiss is that instead of a blog, I have been writing a book on the band exploits. Full of amusing witticisms by yours truly about life on the road. But also helpful advice into what has made Letz Zep such a touring force.

Since I last put pen to metaphorical paper the band has been very busy. The band has been to Latvia, Germany, Finland, our ever increasingly popular acoustic shows had an outing or two, very enjoyable too.

At The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool, we were joined onstage by the Mona Lisa Twins for the acoustic segment, and with no rehearsal, they did a fantastic job. Hope we can do it again one day.

                                       The Mona Lisa Twins

After five shows in six days in Germany we had some time off in Paris, France. In the Montmartre area. The picture-postcard image of Parisian cafes and bars. Just a bit of a hike up all them stairs until we reach the fabulous Sacre-Couer. Of course, we do all the tourist bit, Eiffel Tower. Louvre etc..

Pete the Beat is our drummer, it is his first visit to the French capital city, and being a Francophile, Pete is off early every morning to walk the streets of this famous city.

Our show here is at La Cigalle,  a fantastic venue and very well attended. Nice to be re-united with some of our old crew from our recent tours in France. Michel, tour manager and Le Chameau as guitar tech, or drink attendant. Nick, or Le Chameau (The Camel) keeps the Jack flowing nicely. And tonight in Paris a film crew for a new promo DVD for the band!! Watch this space!

                                                 Chameau

We cover the length and breadth of the country, a fantastic return to Nantes. And two new venues in Normandy, which are both Sold Out! One being in the middle of nowhere, about an hour before the show thousands of people turned up to queue in the rain to cram into the venue.

And so onto Holland. Always nice to meet up with friends, and we have a guest on bass and keys, Steve Turner is guesting for these 4 shows. Just like old times, and yes, he is still as miserable as ever. Tho’ he did perk up a bit at the after tour party in Sneek.

The Melkweg is always a great atmosphere, but not much time to party on after the show as we are staying in Sandspoort after the show, in a well-posh hotel!

So anyway, I have finished writing the book and waiting to be printed and published. I got the publisher and the distributer on hold. All I am waiting on is the title, the book just flowed, but the title is proving to be a poser. I’m sure I’ll come up with a great title soon. I am going with the working title of ‘You’re him aren’t you’ for now, but that may change.

The working title is based on what people say to me just before I am asked for a pic.

Thanks to Nick for his tour diaries, they brought back a lot of happy memories and a great insight to behind the scenes of a hard-working band. I just can’t believe we used to go out drinking ‘til 4am after every show! How did we do it? I’m right off to bed nowadays after the gigs!

So the tour finished on 20^th December, and the next tour begins 26^th January, no rest for the weary. After the huge success of our Tales of Storms’, we are looking forward to returning to road. 2017 is the 10^th anniversary of Led Zeppelin reforming for a one-off show at the 02 London. Which grows ever more likely to have been the last ever show. To mark this momentous occasion we are calling our 2017 tour ’10 Years Gone’.

Next stop Spain! With our long-time promoter, simply known as EL Feo de Cojones, Siiiiiiiiiiiii, mucho Cervesa y patatas bravas.

For full gig listing go to - http://letzzep.com/giglisting.php