Celebration Day: John Bonham - A Celebration concert

We are hugely honoured and proud to be invited to headline a concert to celebrate the life and legacy of the late, great John Henry Bonham in his hometown of Redditch, today, Sept 22, in the year marking what would have been his 70th birthday.

We check into our hotel and refresh ourselves with our favourite
tipple before heading off to the venue.

Peter having already visited the birthplace of Bonham at 84 Birchfield Road, before attending St Michael Churchyard in Rushock, Worcestershire, to visit the final resting place of his idol. 

The venue is a huge Marquee just off the square where the magnificent statue to Bonzo stands.

We are greeted by the charming Ros, the organiser and her husband Dave who is kind enough to take us to visit the site of the vast bronze statue situated at Mercian Square in Redditch. The statue looks great in photo but even better when witness there in front of us. Truly impressive. We are fortunate enough to meet with the creator of the artwork in Mark Richards, we chatted over a beer about his work and future plans.

With scultor Mark Richards

We also had a chance to talk with people who have made the
pilgrimage from the far-flung corners of the world to be present today. There is a backstage area with hospitality where the bands can relax before the show. We chatted to Debbie Bonham, Johns sister, who will be singing later despite just recovering from a throat infection only last week.

Debbie reminded me that when we first met many years ago she commented on a resemblance to Planty and her recommendation that I should front a Zeppelin tribute band, prophetic words.

Nice to see Dave Lewis, an old friend who has given Letz Zep his

support over the years, the author of several books on Led Zeppelin and the editor of the website and magazine Tight But Loose, many consider him the voice of Led Zeppelin an the unofficial biographer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Peter Tulloch with Debbie Bonham

Me old mate Steve Way, also a huge Zep fan, but nice to meet    Bev Bevan, someone I have not had the pleasure of  meeting before. 

As we chatted Debbie was called to the stage for her 90 minute set. As soon as Deborah Bonham starts to sing we all know she has something special. She performed songs by artists like Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, and her own inspiration Maggie Bell.

Her set includes songs from Paul Rodgers but the highlight of the set is undoubtably the set closer; ‘A Little Help From My Friends’ with Johns wife Pat and daughter Zoe joining her onstage. Debbie is a fantastic singer and deserves recognition as such.

Letz Zep took to the stage a little later than planned, as the venue

was packed with people eager to hear the music of Led Zeppelin we opened by tearing straight into ‘Immigrant Song’ followed by ‘Black Dog’, a couple of tough opening songs, followed by ‘The Song Remains the Same’ and ‘The Rain Song’ which are really well received.

We leave the stage, and under a projection of John Bonham himself as Peter performs ‘Moby Dick’, Bonzos’ showcase number, to the delight of the audience. It the time left we play an emotional ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and finish the set with a rousing version of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ before taking a bow and exiting the stage to a video message from Jason Bonham who is on tour in the States.

38 years ago the world lost the greatest of drummers, the peerless John Bonham. Unsurpassed, his influence is a potent today as it ever was. Even after all these years, Bonham still ranks as the best drummer of all time

Tonight was a fantastic occasion, a place in history, nothing like this concert has happened before or will ever again. For Letz Zep to headline this event, and share the stage with Debbie Bonham, is the greatest of honours. A big thank you to all involved, and for those who supported and attended this special event.

John Bonham - A Celebration

Letz Zep are hugely honoured and proud to be invited to headline a concert to celebrate the life and legacy of the great John Bonham in his hometown of Redditch on Sept 22. In the year marking his 70th birthday.

Tickets are strictly limited to 1000 and all proceeds go to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

                  Tickets from http://johnbonhammemorial.com

Tireless work by the John Bonham Memorial has brought this about to coincide with the unveiling of a statue in Bonhams home town of Redditch earlier this year.

A vast bronze statue of the late Led Zeppelin drummer has been unveiled in his home town. Created by sculptor Mark Richards and situated at Mercian Square in Redditch. Weighing approx. 2.5 tonnes and depicting Bonzo in action behind the drum kit. The statue features his symbol of three interlocking rings along with the date of his birth and death.

The stones surrounding the sculpture are influenced by the artwork for the 'Houses of the Holy' album and the piece also features zeppelin airships.

The sculpture is also emblazoned with the words:

 ‘The most outstanding and original drummer of his time, John Bonham’s popularity and influence continue to resonate with the world of music and beyond.”

It will be a fantastic occasion, a place in history, nothing like this concert has happened before or will ever again. For Letz Zep to headline this event is the greatest of honours.

We are particularly pleased for Peter, a huge Zeppelin and Bonham fan, who bases his style on that of Bonzo. 

For Peter to be performing at a concert celebrating his life and legacy is of his hero is:

‘One of the top five greatest moments of my life’ says Peter.

A series of high-profile events are planned for 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin.

Already this year Led Zeppelin have released unheard versions of ‘Rock and Roll’ and ‘Friends’ on 7” vinyl for Record Store Day. Also, last March the band released a remastered edition of their 2003 live album ‘How The West Was Won’.

Reportedly there will be a brand-new Led Zeppelin live album released at some point this year. In an exclusive interview with Planet Rock magazine Jimmy Page said:

“I can't give the game away, but there's a recording that’s another multi-track that we'll release, it's so different to all the other things that are out there’’.

The band’s first ever official illustrated book entitled ‘Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin’ will be published by Reel Art Press on 2nd October 2018. 50 years to the month since the band changed their name from The New Yardbirds to Led Zeppelin.

With more events likely to be announced soon.

The Queen of Rock

The Queen of Rock turned and smiled at me, ‘Hello’ she said sweetly.

We are soon to depart on our budget airline, yes I know, the glamour. But at least our destination is glamourous, a paradise island set in the wine dark Mediterranean Sea.

The seat next to me had been empty ‘til just a few moments before we are due to take off. I had been lazily gazing through the in flight magazine and didn’t see the Queen of Rock board the plane and take her seat next to me.

Slim, petite and clad in black, with Mediterranean good looks and sartorial elegance, she holds out her hand and introduces herself. ‘Charmed’ I respond.

I note the full sleeve tattoo as she offers me her hand in friendship. Her dark hair cascades over her shoulders as she leans forwards towards me.

We have mutual friends it transpires. She is an accomplished musician, from a little town in Italy called Rome, and also appearing on the same festival as Letz Zep this weekend.

I offer her a Gin and Tonic, well it is the least I can do and the 4 hour flight seemed to…..well……to use a term of phrase, to fly by. The Queen of Rock is the most engaging of company.

We are welcomed on our arrival, it is late afternoon and the heat reminds us that we have arrived at our Mediterranean setting. As beads of sweat start to trickle down the brow, the Queen of Rock takes her leave and we part.

That evening there is a welcome party for the artists and the VIP guests and the setting couldn’t be more beautiful. A tropical bar upon a golden beach, as the sun sets and the moon rises the reflection dances upon the silver sea. The band strikes up.

The various artist, all here for the celebration of music, all introduce themselves, nice people some I had met before, some are new. As I approach the bar the Queen of Rock is sitting serenely and unaccompanied.

‘Can I buy you a drink?’ she offers. I of course decline, being a gentleman and all that, some would say old-fashioned perhaps. However, a gin and tonic quickly appears. The first of many.

It’s 4am when I stir from my esteemed repose. The early morning sunlight gently illuminating the room in a golden haze bringing promise of another beautiful day.

I feel drowsy and slightly hungover. I notice I am fully dressed and totally alone, only, the room is unfamiliar. How did I get here? And more importantly, who’s room is it?

I scan the corners of the room for clues, all is quiet, all is calm. Although the bass guitar in the corner of the room offers a clue to the inhabitant.

My thought go back to the night before, what was the last thing I remember? oh yes the Queen of Rock buying me a Gin and Tonic, then a tequila, or whatever it may have been, I’m not entirely sure but I do now recall our shots being quaffed from the cleavage of a young blond lady with generous breasts.

Several of these later and the Queen of Rock is a little unsteady on her feet, I take it upon myself as a true gentleman to escort the lady back to her apartment, thankfully not too far from the beach on which we revelled the previous evening. But where is she? She is absolutely nowhere to be seen.

I rise from the comfort of the opulent bed in search for my missing drinking partner. The apartment is large and airy but she is nowhere to be seen, I don’t recall the journey back to her accommodation, but she must have entered with me, otherwise I couldn’t have accessed the room! Or even know where it is for that matter!

But where is she? I further check the room for signs of life, of revelry, of anything, but the apartment is empty and pristine. A puzzling mystery, a bit like the Marie Celeste, only we aren’t at sea, or in a boat! Ok nothing like the Marie Celeste then.

The only room I haven’t checked is the bathroom but something is stopping the door from opening, an unknown object blocking it from the inside.

I push harder, there is a thud but eventually I push hard enough to open the door and there laying curled up comatose on the cold marble floor lay the Queen of Rock looking most indecorous.

With the utmost gallantry I lift up the poor girl and help her to bed. Unfortunately she has taken a firm grip on the shower curtain and the whole thing comes crashing down, she continues to hold on and drag it across the apartment floor and into the bedroom, ignoring my instructions to let go of the shower curtain she continues to drag the curtain and the rail halfway across the bedroom floor.

But I am still weary, and she never really had regained consciousness as we both slipped back into the arms of Morpheus and slept soundly, despite the heat we are both fully dressed. I did manage to kick my shoes off however.

‘What the hell happened last night? The voice of the Queen of Rock rudely waking me from a rather pleasant dream. It is now nearly noon the sun riding high as we had slept long into the day.

Glancing around the room it did look liker a bomb had hit it, or a wild party, neither were true of course. The room looks wrecked, the remains of the shower unit strewn over the bedroom floor. The Queen of Rock examines the extent of the damage in the bathroom as I attempt to get another 15 minutes or so of shut-eye. My rest is disturbed by the figure of the demure bass player standing full square in front of me, she points at her face. As if awaiting an explanation of some sort? I am a bit mystified.

‘Yes?’ I respond, wondering what the matter could be.

‘I have a black eye’ she continues, ‘what happened last night?’

‘I have no idea’ I explained, as I examine the swelling and bruising which blemishes her right eye. 

Then a dark distant memory came flickering back. The bathroom door wouldn’t open, something was stopping it from opening, it couldn’t have been her face could it? No surely not, it couldn’t have been, no, I wasn’t really slamming the door into her face was I?

Of course I wasn’t, I convince myself.

Well. Valour? Discretion is the better part of it or so they say.

'I have no idea how you got that black eye’ as I shrug my shoulders in innocence.

‘Humph’, she sighs as she reaches for her phone, 25 missed calls and 23 unread messages the led display informs us.

‘Oh shit’, she declares, ‘I’m meant to be rehearsing, I can’t do anything before breakfast so let’s go eat’.

The Queen of Rock dons the biggest pair of sunglasses I have ever seen do disguise the blackening around her eye and we leave in search of a decent lunch.

There is thankfully a cool breeze, as we stroll up the gentle incline towards the local tavernas when a voice calls out breaking the silence.

 ‘I have been trying to call you’.

It is the voice of the singer in her band bellowing across the parched dry lawn which separates the apartments from the street.

He  continues......

‘we have to rehearse the……….….; he never finishes that sentence………………….’ Oh………hello Billy………..’

He says in abject shock.

All time stops, as we all stand motionless, faces appear at windows and from doorways, a scene frozen in time, some brushing their teeth, other with half a bacon sarnie unceremoniously stuffed in their gob, we all stand there motionless. No one speaks, no one moves. Even the birds cease their singing. Like a Mexican stand-off, or the final scene from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

I turn the Queen of Rock, and she looks up at me through her dark glasses.

‘Busted’ I say to her and we continue on our search for a decent breakfast and a black coffee.

Rehearsals will have to wait.

The night is long and full of terrors

The night is quiet, nothing stirred. I had finished watching a crap late night movie with a small glass of Pino before turning in the for the night and now I lay in bed drifting off into the land of nod.

As I slip softly into the arms of Morpheus next to me I can hear the gentle soft breathing of the Lovely L, as she too falls into  a gentle sleep by my side.

My mind starts to tick ever so slightly, as I don’t remember hearing L come in tonight, actually, I now start to recall, I wasn’t even expecting her, but what  a pleasant surprise it is to have her next to me sleeping. 

I smile.

I start to stir a little more as I remember that L isn’t even in the country at the moment, She is abroad. So how can she be here? Yet the soft sound of her gently and dreamily breathing can clearly be heard right next to me.

Delighted with the thought of her surprising me like this I am now fully alert as I turn a sit up. To greet her with a soft kiss upon her brow.

I turn, but there is nobody with me, I am totally alone.

No doubt I was dreaming, I must be imagining that she here with me. Thinking so hard of her soft eyes that I must have imagined I heard her breath.

I smile at myself the return to by dreamy thoughts and finally to sleep again.

But there it is again! This eerie breathing! actually in my bed, but I now know that I am alone. It is the witching hour and now I am awake and the soft rhythmic breath of somebody in a deep sleep is in my bed is both clear and close. So close. So spooky!

Goosebumps send a shiver down my spine and my blood runs cold in my veins, as I feel the icy claw of fear clutch at my beating heart.

It is said the mind can play tricks on us, as I imagine all kinds of horrors the night time brings, dreadful night, the child of hell, and this spirit is laying invisible next to me in my comfortable bed.

I do not move, I cannot move gripped in fear but I can open my eyes to look around the darkened room, lit only in the shadows by the silver moonlight which opaquely dances in the night. I see no other person, nobody, I know the pillow next to me is empty but the sound of breathing so close to me is undeniable and real and getting louder.

I summon up all of my courage and in one fell swoop I sit up and put on the light, reaching for the first world war bayonet I keep next to the bedside cabinet, I turn to face the opposite side of the bed, armed and ready to meet with whatever terror the night may hold, what demonic succubus may be waiting for me in the mad shadows.

The pillow is still empty! There is simply nobody there. I am alone.

As I scan the now illuminated room to try make sense of this eerie phenomenon, the inexplicable breathing in my lonely bed my eyes are drawn a little lower than into the middle of the bed, where I find spread out to his full length, with legs akimbo is my Maine-Coon cat, snoring away in his comfort and bliss! Oblivious to the terror he has wrought.

He goes by the name of EL Pollon he does and the little bugger shook me right up he did.

Zeppelin over Europe

After the UK leg of the tour Europe now beckons at last, over the Easter period we have a 5 show stint, three shows in Germany and one in Switzerland and a return to La Belle France. all arranged by our wonderful German management company. We thank you.

We have brought  few new songs into the set, which is now dangerously approaching two and half hours for a this return to some of our favourite venues and some new ones too.

We arrived at our hotel in Germany just in time to catch the second half of the Champions League Semi Final, and then the highlights of both exciting games.

I afforded myself a small beer at the hotel bar followed by a shot of Jack with Pete 'The Beat' 

The venue Z7 in Switzerland is just fantastic, and our biggest crowd there to date. Once again the in house catering excelled itself once more and kept us very well wined and dined.

We brought enough of our new range of tee shirts to last the tour, however, so popular is the new design proving we actually sold it all out on the first date and have hardly any left for the rest of the shows.

Quite a bit of driving on this leg of the tour, after Switzerland we drove through Austria and Lichtenstein, around Lake Constance and through the town of Friedrichshafen. Where Ferdinand von Zeppelin established his dirigible and the Zeppelin was created quite apt I thought. 

From hence onto our show in the beautiful medieval town of Memmingen in Baveria. The old town has many courtyards, castles, palaces and fortifications is one of the best preserved in all of southern Germany. Simply Stunning.

Peter and myself went out in  search of fridge magnets for his ever-growing collection, and refreshed ourselves with a local beer, well… when in Rome and all that. Known as the town of human rights, this refers to the Twelve Articles, considered to be the first written set of human rights in Europe, which were penned in Memmingen in 1525. With the biggest historical re-enactment in Europe. It commemorates the invasion of Wallenstein and his troops in 1630. We met one of the re-enactors during our restorative beer in the towns old Square. He kindly kept us engaged informing us all about the local history.

Anyway I digress, the show went very well, the eager crowd demanding a full 4 encores. The next day another 4 hour drive to Dresden, our first visit to the venue and the great city. A Sell Out crowd to boot!

We are welcomed to the venue by and old friend and promoter who is the man behind this show, he has a few requests for the set tonight that he would like to hear. As there is no curfew so we can let rip a little. The Rain Song once again brings the house down. We will be flying home for a couple of days before flying out to Paris for a Sold Out theatre show.

Leaving from Londons City Airport for the short hop to the City of Lights.

Thankfully, free booze on the flight, now there is a novelty nowadays, and a reunion with Le Chameau, The Camel, our famous guitar tech.

Chameau is famous in France and has his own fan club with large cheers from the crowd whenever he enters the stage, and rightly so.

Chameau reminded me of the time we were in Geneva, where he bought his lovely lady wife a beautiful turquoise ring as a gift, however, he managed, by deciding to spend his day off in London rather than with his devoted wife, to incur the wrath of his good woman and was not entirely welcomed home with a loving embrace.

The day after our return I had a phone call from Mrs Chameau, I of course, in order to gain some grace with the charming wife of Chameau, enquired as to the reception she gave to the lovely gift from Geneva, ‘Oh’, she replied excitedly ‘he hasn’t given it to me yet’.

The voice of Chameau could be clearly heard in the background shouting from the other room ‘That’s ‘cos you told me to stick it up my arse’.

How I larfed, anyway. also a reunion with Michel, Mr. Rock n Roll

himself, and also a dear friend. We are fortunate to have him as our tour manager and tonight, he will also be utilising his sound engineering skills. There is not a man of more rock n roll on Gods green Earth than Michel, the man they call Le Machette. The Machete.

As we arrived the night before the show give me tme before soundcheck to grab a taxi into the centre of town for lunch in the George V hotel with our lovely latest member of the SKA Music Ltd entourage.

There is a public transport strike in Paris today so stage time is held back to allow for latecomers to get into the magnificent Theatre De L’Allegria.

The sell-out crowd were well up for it from the start and got right behind the band, and the house packed despite the strike. The show is going well and all the songs received with vigour, until Moby Dick, highlighting the skills of our drummer Peter Tulloch. Which was rudely interrupted by the fire alarm going off inexplicably. Bit harsh on the ears, but then I ‘spose it needs to be.

One of the French crew cam flying down the stairs 5 steps per stride!. It took about 10 minutes for the alarm to be turned off and the further 5 minutes for the power to be restored to the stage.

We finished the show to some suprise pyromania from our wonderful French crew, even more of a surprise as we hadn't yet finished the set and still had a good few minutes to go and then still had the encores to play yet! 

Large strips of silver strips still falling from the ceiling as I belt out the opening refrain to 'Immigrant Song', whilst coughing up the tinsel which continues to fall onto the stage,

                                          Standing Ovation

A great evening, thank you to all who came, the band are in a celebratory mood so just time for a few after show drinks before retiring for the night. As we depart the hotel at 9am for our flight home to London. 

Well, meant  to be 9am but our cab driver was a bit of an idiot and parked blocking all the traffic despite there being several loading bays, so we set off to blaring horns and dirty looks from other road users who seemed to think their inconvenience was all my fault. 

Only a short drive to Orly and the quick flight back to Dear Ol' Blighty, and a well-deserved fortnight off.

The Beast from the East

Upon arrival at our bijou hotel in Zaragoza, I am excited to find that my room comes complete with a washing  machine! This is pure manna from Heaven!
With a day off and time to wash some clothes. You have no idea how excited I am at this prospect.

Also by lucky happen-chance, the day we have off is 14th February, St Valentines Day.

Thankfully, for those who take an interest in this annual event,  Zaragoza can be a romantic city, beautiful cathedral on the banks of the river and is full of good restaurants, and we found a small Italian before heading off into the old town in search of the mysteries of the graffiti filled back-streets and the dive bars hidden therein.

After we drank several dive bars out of Jack, we decided time to retire for the evening and head back to our groovy hotel in the old town, the streets are eerily quiet at 4am.

This short walk inexplicably took a lot longer than the expected 5 minutes, more like an hour! The Police even followed us for a short while! God knows why, but we gave them the slip by using the hotel side entrance.

The tour of Spain finished in a blaze of glory, the final four shows culminating in a packed house on a Sunday evening in Terrassa, where I was invited up onstage with our opening act for the evening, Deaf Leppard, for a rousing version of ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’. Despite only knowing 5 words to the song I think I pulled it off?

After which it was the short drive to Barcelona and a well-deserved night off, ok we did drink one or two of the dive bars clean out of Jack again, before and after the essential visit to Caracoles, the best restaurant in this historic city.

                                   Amaretto Darling? Two?

The company in Barcelona was both charming and delightful, and a great pleasure to spend some down time with. 

We have only one day off then 2 more shows after one day in the UK, so it is 16 shows in 23 days with only 3 actual rest days. Of which none were actually spent resting, more like frequenting the many dive bars, well, ain’t they the best?

                                    Then the snow came.

Britain froze, the Beast from the East they so called it.

The biting cold froze the very pits of our souls. Yet it could not stop the Letz Zep juggernaut on its quest to bring the very best of the music of Led Zeppelin to the nation. We drove through the land of the ice and snow and fulfilled all our touring commitments, well done to El Gremlino our driver. He earned his crust those shows.
His gnarly little hands tightly clutching the wheel.

After such a hard-touring schedule the band are on fire! Playing every show with the same vigour and enthusiasm as the first. 

A big thank you to those who braved the inclement weather and attended the shows.

Onto Legends of Rock in Great Yarmouth, so many good bands, so many lovely people. Oh, and Eddie, great accommodation for the band this year! You pulled the stops out there! Please don’t tell me it was in error!

We arrived at Legends as early as we could to enjoy the occasion and meet up with friends old and new. We would like to spend more time checking out many of the great bands they have on the weekend event, but our tour schedule won’t allow that, so we take as much in as possible whilst there. Even found the pool table this year! much to our delight! Andy is a bit of a demon actually.

Nobby Mills our promoter from Spain has flown in to be in attendance too. so a small reunion there! 

We are also delighted to recive an invitation to the wedding of our good friends Jess and Debbie, a wonderful couple and we wish them every happiness.

As always, the band put in a sterling performance. A big thank you to the crew for the seamless running and the excellent sound. With so many bands these guys really knock their pipe out.

Sadly, we have to leave soon after breakfast for our show in Holmfirth tonight, the venue is opposite Sids Cafe from the popularTV series Last of the Summer Wine, Nora Batty house isnt far either. 

If you are consudering going to Legends of Rock, please book early as it regualrly sells out. 

The London show looms large, and the launch of our new range of merch, rather dashing too if I don’t say so myself. Wonderfully designed by Silvia Perett. As always only top quality gear, one of me, one of Andy, and I think one of Peter to follow soon.

Andy tee shirt come in both Black and (Andy) Gray, singer tees only in Black, the colour of my immortal soul.

The show is selling very fast and approaching a sell out on the night, also, by coincidence, the same day Led Zeppelin release the remaster ‘How the West was Won’ on all formats and for the very first time on vinyl. So, this show, being Soho, we name the show ‘How The West End Was Won’.

All went well, packed house, fantastic reaction from the lovely people, and we didn’t have to go far to find a dive bar.

A great night, even if I did manage to lose my keys and couldn’t get into my house ‘til gone 3am!

Next stop…….. Germany

The rain in Spain - Tour 2018

And so it began, 14 shows in 3 weeks in Sunny Spain, Well maybe not so sunny at this time of the year. The weather is decidedly inclement and reminds us much of the weather we thought we left behind in England.

The plan was to arrive in Valencia the night before the tour starts to be relaxed and refreshed for the tough run of dates. However, partying til 4 am wasn’t really helping that cause. But like the troopers we are we battle through, do a great show then hit the bars in the old town once more.

We do not have our usual driver on this trip, instead we have a local. A good worker, but speaks no English, but then it gives us all a chance to practice our Spanish. Which is good enough to introduce the band, order food and drink and get into trouble.

On drums we have Don Pedro, the Pedromadre! El Guapo on guitar, El Nino as JPJ and of course myself El Santo on vocal. Why do people laugh when I am introduced as such?

Onward to Castillon, where we are appearing on TV with Nacho, a famous magician here in Spain. He has his first TV series where he displays his magic tricks for us. As well as amazing some of the audience as they enter the packed venue. Nice bloke too.

To Murcia and Malaga, in the teaming rain. I don’t think this part of the world has seen such rainfall, streets flooded, thankfully this doesn’t seem to affect the attendances too much. Nor the band spirits which remain high. Nothing like working with a good bunch of guys.

Seville is a lovely town where we spent our first night off, doing the tourist bit by the cathedral.

The band fully warmed up now and latest additions to the set, The Song Remains the Same and The Rain Song going down particularly well. We are doing 4 encores per night and we need the rest day, or should I say, go into the old town and get drunk day.

Including a walk along the river by the Torre D’Oro, a drunken horse and carriage ride around the town, the open top carriage certainly was exposing!  When we left Seville, I got the impression it was just about the right time, as we would soon have worn out our welcome in some of the bars, not to mention the monastery!

And then the snow came.

It is a long drive north to Burgos, a lovely old town full of history and tales of Napoleonic sieges. The Duke of Wellington himself held the town. Statues of El Cid adorn the bridge.

Woke up the next day to reports of an earthquake in Burgos! Apparently a biggie, reports of people in the shower hanging on for grim death, dogs hiding under the bed, people fleeing for their lives. I don’t know anything about this, I must have slept through the lot.

Now every tour has a mishap, and ours came in Burgos, where a bloke resembling Beavis from the cartoon made off with a load of our cash! However, we did know where he worked and were able to exact a form of revenge before the drive to Oviedo.

Now, Santiago de Compostela !!!!!!

There is a name that resonates through the century’s. A place of pilgrimage, the magnificent Cathedral where the relics of St James rest, whom the town is named after! We stop at the marvellous building and pay homage to the saint in a manner we felt appropriate.

We finished the show and once the public had left the building the venue put all the shutters down, I thought this a bit odd as we haven’t loaded the gear into the van yet. I asked them to open again only to find the shutters had broken and we and our equipment locked inside the venue!

It is festival time here and the streets full of revellers. But we somehow managed to find a quiet little street just by the old city wall for some peace and privacy. The sound of my heeled boots on the cobble stones sounds more like cloven hooves rattling down the ancient and now misty street.

Boiro is a small fishing village, the smallest town on this stretch of dates, but we still get a police escort to the venue! Apparently the biggest man-hunt in all of Spain came to an end recently. Nice little venue too, and well attended as was the Monday night show in A Caruna.

So: 5 shows on the bounce, a we play the full set every night, the crowds still want more, and we can’t resist giving it to them.

Today a travel day, and then a much needed day off in Zaragoza. I’ll be back with more later.

Gigs and dive bars,

Hoping you all had a great festive season. After a short rest we start 2018 in earnest!

We finished 2017 in the snow of Germany. With a short 5 date tour, taking in the historic city of Nurmburg. We arrive the night before the show, and go of for a wander to discover the delights of this ancient and beautiful city.

It is late and the bars are sadly closed. The cold starts to bite and we despair of finding a local hostelry that will sell refreshment to the weary traveller, such as we.

Luckily, one of our party spots a bar closing, the wrought iron chairs scrape along the pavement alerting us to their presence. Inside the small dark venue as the heavy velvet curtains are drawn tight.

We ask if perhaps there is time for just one quick drink, after which we will be on our merry way, all the better for the refreshment we can hope to find within.

Our gracious host explains that we are of course welcome, however, we must know that although in all appearance closed to the outside world. The bar is in fact well known to the locals as a sort of speakeasy.

A small wrap on the window allows entrance to those wishing to have a small nightcap before retiring to rest their weary head.

I think we left a 4am, not really sure. But a fantastic bar, Not a large choice of spirits, but what they did have was good and we sampled the lot!! Cool and friendly people too, who showed a lot of interest in the strangers from a strange land.

Of course, when in Nurmburg a visit to Zeppelinstrasse just has to be done before heading to sound check. A good show to start the ball rolling and an extra-long Moby Dick from Pete the Beat. He is from Liverpool y’know!

We have illustrious company with us, and with a day off to enjoy this great city of Berlin , I thought a city tour would entertain our guest.

A short cab ride and we find ourselves in the Boho part of town, in the old East Berlin sector. Where graffiti adorns the walls and trendy dive bars appear every few yards.

Well, to fend off the hag of winter our first stop is a cool looking dive bar, just fortify ourselves for the walk around town in the biting cold, that gnaws at our feet. Full of locals who are all very charming and welcoming to us.

I forget just how many double Amarettos we consumed. But that bar became the extent of our city tour. Before braving the winter cold back to our hotel.

Great city Berlin, love it.

Knowing that it is near the end of the tour, we are doing 4 or 5 encores a night now. Everyone is full of festive spirit, oh, and full of other spirits too,

To Erfurt then, and a lovely old medieval town where Martin Luther lived as a monk.

At last we finally get to do the authentic German Christmas market!

Gluhwein, even an Amaretto version. And upon tipping our gracious Taverner he will ring a bell and bellow at the top of his voice something about drinkgeld, money for booze!

Good man!

Then the snow came.

The last of the Germany shows was fantastic, NEURUPPIN - Kulturhaus Stadtgarten. After 5 encores we left the venue to the small scattering of snowflakes falling gently upon us from the dark and doleful sky.

Very pretty of course, but with a three hour drive to Frankfurt airport the next day we decided on an early start as not to miss the flight due to the adverse weather conditions.

We made it home ok, and made it to Amsterdam for the final show of 2017. Always good to play Amsterdam. To see so many regulars and new friends too.

2018 got of to a fantastic start when I heard that Liberation, one of the most important national newspapers in all of France has a music section, one that most artist would kill their bass player to get even a sentence in this prestigious publication. Well, guess who got the whole page front cover picture? Yes that's right, your truly!

But I digress, last night the Hertford Corn Exchange, Really good venue, and only a 50 minute drive home for me to Ealing, Do you know Ealing? Marvin Gaye sang about it?

His big hit from 1982?

‘When you live in Ealing hmmmmmmm………….. that …….. Sexual Ealing ……ahhh yeah’

Oh c’mon you must have heard it?

As 2018 marks the 50^th anniversary of the formation of Led Zeppelin, this is the theme of our tour this year  Performing the entire spectrum of the music from this most iconic of bands.

A good turn-out from  a lively audience, who lapped up every second. Not only great to get out and play what seems an eternity. Even though poor Andy is still suffering from the crippling after effects of the Flu. We all put in a fine performance, blew away the cobwebs and a chance for us to try out some new material for the up and coming tour of Spain which starts in just over a week.

From whence I am sure, there will be more tales of gore!