Led Zeppelin on Twitter

The question came up last week on FBO, who do you follow on twitter for Led Zeppelin news?

Here are a few, which I will also add to the sidebar:

Start with the lists:

http://twitter.com/ECrefugee/led
Led Zeppelin Tweets

The artists themselves:
Jason Bonham
Black Country Communion
Them Crooked Vultures

Webpages:
Lemon Squeezings (Steve Sauer)
Achilles Last Stand
Led Zeppelin Examiner
Manic Nirvana (Robert Plant Site)
Robert Plant Homepage (Fan Site)
The Year of Led Zeppelin
ZepFest 2011

Related

Foo Fighters
Joe Bonamassa
Glenn Hughes

Jeff Woods Talks to Robert Plant

Here in the Toronto area, Jeff Woods has been doing the Legends of Classic Rock on Q107 radio for years. He's a known entity as a top notch rock journalist and radio personality.

When Robert Plant did his recent rounds of media in support of his new album, Band of Joy, he did lots of TV and newspaper, but no radio. It wasn't accidental, as Plant intentionally decided to do no radio interviews. Woods, and Legends of Rock, wouldn't take no for an answer and got the only radio interview with Robert Plant on his recent promotional tour.

A little background - let me tell you, getting Robert Plant to speak to radio stations, was not an easy task, despite it not being the first time I sat down across from him to talk music. You see, he’s not a fan of commercial radio any longer. Getting asked for the millionth time about his old band getting back together no doubt part of the problem. In fact Robert didn’t want to speak to commercial radio stations, PERIOD, and so none were granted interviews this time around.

Taking no for an answer is not something Legends likes to do, so with the efforts of Universal Music Canada, we pushed until in the 11th hour, we got the green light, the ONLY such approval for commercial radio in North America, apparently.

Despite our usual approach being recording audio and video, as we’ve done in recent months with Carlos Santana, Rush, Bachman/Turner, Ronnie Wood, and others, – in this case, for reasons unknown – no video. We figured audio was better than nothing at all, and so on the 16th of September 2010, I walked into the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto with my recorder and there he was, ready to go. After making a joke about really enjoying Supertramp on the radio that morning … followed by the punchi-line: ‘with the volume turned to zero’, we got down to talking about how his new album came together …

You can hear the interview in it's entirety here.

Jimmy Page Book Due for Shipping Today

If you ordered the Genesis Publication, Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page, today is the day you have been waiting for. Originally scheduled for release in August, the pictorial autobiography is due to ship today.

If you haven't ordered a copy of the limited edition book, Genesis has some available on a first come basis. The leather bound hand made book sells for £495 (plus shipping) (approximately $800) and can be ordered from Genesis Publications.

Order fast as this fantastic book is sure to sell out. I only wish I could spring for it: it would be a jewel in any collection.

John Henry Bonham (May 31, 1948 - Sept 25, 1980)

Saturday, Sept 25th, was the 30th anniversary of John Bonham’s death. While many of us listened to recordings, watched Zeppelin DVD’s, had a drink in his honour or held a concert, some fans went to John Bonham’s grave site to pay respects.

One fan, Dawn, who posts online under the name Badge Holder, wrote of her visit and posted it on For Badgeholders Only (FBO), the Led Zeppelin mailing list. She solemnified the occasion with such dignity that I requested permission to repost it here:

Hi Everyone

I just wanted to let you all know that I went to pay my respects at Bonzo's
grave today. I had never been to Rushock before, but suffice to say - thank
God for sat-nav. I'll try to paint a little verbal picture of the place,
for the benefit of those who have never been.

Rushock is a tiny village in the middle of some of the most beautiful
countryside that England has to offer. I drove down several miles of
narrow, winding country lanes bordered by high hedgerows. Several sections
were single-track and with blind bends, I was driving very carefully, as
there was no way of knowing if another car was coming the opposite way.
Thank goodness that didn't happen, as one of us would have been faced with a
lengthy, tricky reversing manoeuvre to execute - I'd probably have ended up
in a hedge or a ditch somewhere. It did also make me think of Bonzo roaring
down those country lanes that you see in TSRTS.

The church and the village hall next door are at the top of a hill. It's
typical of a well-kept English village and there were lots of parish
notices on the noticeboards. The church was open, although there was no-one
from the church around there as far as I could see. I walked inside and
noticed a strong smell of floor polish. The church is very small, very
simple and beautifully kept. A blue carpet runs the length of the aisle,
with dark wooden pews either side and there's a stained glass window at the
far end.

I then went outside into the churchyard. It's been a beautiful day today -
warm with bright sunshine, a perfect end-of-summer day in England. I
spotted Bonzo's grave immediately, all the drumsticks are still there along
with some beautiful floral tributes, messages, badges, CDs and all manner of
Zep-related paraphernalia. There was a beautiful all-white floral
arrangement of lilies, carnations and some other flowers which I don't know
the name of (sorry, I'm no horticulturalist!) - from Dave Lewis and all at
TBL. Then I noticed the flowers from Bonzo's family. I don't mind
admitting that I stood there and the tears poured down my face - just
thinking of all that Bonzo gave to us all through his music and how tragic
it was that he was gone too soon. The love that so many people still feel
for him was plain to see, and I just found it so moving.

There were a few other people around who were almost certainly Zeppelin fans
- so if any of you are reading this, yes, I was that woman in the black
jeans and Zep T shirt, crying and sniffling.

I said some prayers for Bonzo and thanked him for all that he did and all
that he left us with - such incredible, life changing music. I said all of
this from myself, but also on behalf of our FBO family. I hope you're all
okay with that. I feel really lucky to have been able to go to Rushock
today, it really is a beautiful place.

Dawn

Black Country Communion on Planet Rock

Black Country Communion played a private gig for London radio station Planet Rock listeners on Monday, the day before the release of their fabulous self titled debut CD. There is video of the event and while, sadly, the vocals are buried in the mix (likely due to bad camera position), the videos give a nice peek at BCC.

A few thoughts: A Les Paul run through a Marshall Amp: Joe bonamassa has a Wah-Wah pedal and he’s not afraid to use it: A Hammond Organ for God’s sake. I love this band.

Black Country


One Last Soul


Beggarman

Black Country Communion Release

The Black Country Communion album hits the stores, and download sites, today. My review is here, and after a few weeks listening I can say unequivocally, I love it.

Black Country Communion

1. Black Country 3:15
2. One Last Soul 3:52
3. The Great Divide 4:45
4. Down Again 5:45
5. Beggarman 4:51
6. Song of Yesterday 8:33
7. No Time 4:18
8. Medusa 6:56
9. The Revolution in Me 4:59
10. Stand (At The Burning Tree) 7:01
11. Sista Jane 6:54
12. Too Late For the Sun 11:21




Meanwhile Planet Rock had a preview on Sunday, which can be heard for a limited time, and a live show today, which isn't on the website yet.

Robert Plant on the Today Show

Robert yesterday morning on NBC's today show. Including the controversial statement that original The Band of Joy played American "Spook" music.

Also played a pretty funky version of Angel Dance.



It will be interesting to see if there's any fallout from the statement.