What!!! Neall 'IS' the second coming,never have I seen or heard a more articulate man.Plays drums ok to!

Just listened to Porcupine Tree 'In Absentia'now giving ITTOD a spin.I still don't like 'Fool in the Rain',Hot Dog better despite 'that solo.Can't really fault second side though.Next up 'Focus live at the Rainbow!'

My parents gave me their old Philips mantle valve radio to me when i was nine or ten years old to listen to the old serials and 'the goons'which I still love to this day.As the valves warmed up (sorry digital guys)the first thing I heard was the mega riff to WLL with that spacey mid section,the solo,and Plants keening roar about 'you need love'.'I have never forgotten that moment,ever.As the announcer said 'here's another by The Led Zeppelin'(everything was by 'The' in those days)and we were into the Immigrant Song.This was 71or 72.I still can remember playing air guitar under the covers.Soon after I got my first guitar and my first portable stereo.Hand me down lps were Elvis,Shadows,Duane Eddy,first lp with my own money,More of the Monkees,Slade Alivee,Purples Made in Japan(still my fave live lp)then Zep3,then 4.I still remember hearing 'Stairway' for the first time,running downstairs saying to dad ,put this on the big stereo!Being a hippie jazzer he was impressed.Not bad son,don't like that noisy Hendrix fella though.Years later my father died on Hendrix's birthday,he hated him with a vengeance,Zep were ok as long as it didn't get 'too loud'

I can see your point zephead as many my friends don't get rush and yes sometimes they seem to be a bit restrained on stage but heck there's a lot of musical wizardry gizmos up there to control not to mention the music itself.One band that polarizes all my friends is Dream Theater ,another band with indifferent stage presence due to a lot of music wizardry going on up there.Yes Neal gets a lot of attention now which I feel is justified because in the past all he was noted (rubbished)for was his dungeon and dragons and Ann Rand philosophy lyrics.Bonzo is still my no1 because of his power and feel,but dare I say it Neil is technically a better drummer and one of the worlds best.

Opeth-Pale Communion and Dream Theater-Dramatic Turn of Events

I thought the Clockwork Angels dvd is their best ever and Neil Peart was just incredible.I just wish I had the money to see them before they call it a day.Over here in Oz there is only a minority interest and couldn't see them coming over.

Weird band,brilliant musos,hope Herb gets well soon.Still love Mr Krinkle and the video.

Rush Everyday People

The Song Remains The Same soundtrack.Had the latest version six months and finally got round to listening to it all uninterupted.I don't think I have been able to do that since my vinyl dble lp in the dark ages.Absolutely blown away despite the edits.Also listened to Tool 'Laterus' and Scott Walker best of.

Well said tiptop22.I'm a tad older than you and I was working in my first job in a record shop when ITTOD came out and it sounded tired.The two Van Halen lps were out and i was amazed at the Eruption solo(as was a lot of people).So Van Halen was my new Zeppelin along with Rush.Not sure what state of mind EVH has at the moment.According to many sources he has heaps of things in the archives. I would love to see a live dvd/cd from the Fair Warning tour(there's video out there somewhere).Now with all the Zep action going on at the moment ,VH are very low down the list.

Been a Zephead since mid 70s(age 13).Tried the Dead at roughly same time and didn't get it although they intrigued me.About ten years ago(gone!)I bought a best of and the penny dropped.Got over ten cds of them now.Love American Beauty,Workingmans and Terrapin Station.Live Dead I have owned on vinyl since 70s(jap print!)but you really have to be in the mood for that one.

As mentioned in my previous post the glue on the cover was coming away,now I have a four panel fold out. Cover now under a pile of heavy books glued back in place.

Got the 2cd deluxe as with 1 and 2.The re master is certainly more clearer but the main improvement as with the other releases is JPJ's bass.Being a guitarist/bassist this is a revalation.The companion disc threw in a few surprises.Always wanted to hear Jennings Farm Blues,never been able to find it.Is there a vocal take ?As it is its great.That's The Way is lovely.I like both versions.Great alternate take on SIBLY.On Tiles in the Bathroom or whatever it is I can finally hear properly what Pagey and Jonesy are up to.And I have always been blown away by Bonzos effort here.A few minor quibbles.I find Friends a bit of drag without the vocals and Immigrant Song and Celebration Day not that startling different.Nice to have the wheel back but the top join is coming apart and warping(this happened virtually the moment I took off the shrink wrap).I feel the booklets could have been just a little bit better but then I should have splurged for the box sets.Just my two cents worth.

Zep 3 2cd deluxe,Groundhogs Split

Agreed,good live album,but I wish they would release the whole concert.Other songs were House of King,a lute solo and I believe Anonymous.There's video footage on you tube and a bootleg dvd exists.

In my teens in the mid 70s I discovered Focus.Yes that was the band with that song with all that yodelling and blitzkrieg guitar.But there was so much more to them than Hocus Pocus.I collected everything on them.My mates couldn't understand why I liked such drivell.Play zep,play purple etc they would say,anything but focus.Only one person liked focus and that was my late father and he was a jazz muso.So any takers?

The second record I ever bought was Made in Japan when i was 12 in 1974.Ii bought it because this chick who was about 4 to 5 years older than me said it was a great album and that Slade Alive(my first lp)sucked.I was trying to impress her I think.Still have that lp scratches and all to this day,one of the best live albums ever.Studiowise Machine Head is the pick,though In Rock and Burn are just as good.Avoid House of Blue Light.

Great to see Whishbone Ash here.I gave Live Dates a spin after I blew the dust of it.Great atmospheric live album.I even gave Locked In a go,err not so good,no wonder it was deep in the archives.

Tea for One by Joe Bonamassa. Taurus by Spirit just to remind me what all the fuss is about.Dusted off my Time Circles cd and gave the old Spirit another go.Quirky old bunch.

Quote from the Time Circle collection cd liner notes by Spirit by Randy California.'those guys used to come up and sit in the front row of all our shows,and we became friends.If they want use that,that's fine.I'll let them have the beginning of 'Taurus' for their song'.'

As i mentioned in a previous post I am certain that Randy didn't have a problem with it.Andes is the one with the problem.I am sure the Randy California quote was in a Guitar Player mag from eons ago and have been searching the shed archives for the last week!

I seem to recall reading somewhere a long time ago(when Randy was alive)that he agreed that the opening notes were lifted from Taurus but Jimmy expanded on that theme and he (Randy)was ok with that because after that the two songs were completely different.Of course ,as mentioned above,this smells of money grabbing by Andes and I was actually surprised when he reckoned Randy was pissed off with Page because of what I had read was otherwise.May you sleep peacefullyRandy and ol Ed Cassidy.

Carve Away the Stone I have always thought as filler and had not listened to it for ages.Had another go at and,yeah,its a grower!

Joe Satriani, Flying in a Blue Dream cd.

Our little town has a small fair every second Sunday.Two little old ladies had a stall with jams,cakes etc.Standing out like dogs you know what,was a mint vinyl copy of zep 1 plum label.How much?A dollar,love!She said 'do you like music,I have a lot of Being Crosby.That ones all that noisy stuff'Thanks dear.