Soulful blues-rock singer-songwriter Deborah Bonham first got the urge to perform when she was six years old and experienced her brother, John Bonham, pounding the skins at a Led Zeppelin concert. After his untimely death in 1980, she set out to cultivate her own branch of the Bonham family tree's musical heritage, which now also includes second generation master drummer Jason, John's son.

Read: Deborah Bonham Duchess album review

Her U.K. debut 'For You And The Moon' was critically praised, and a second album, 'The Old Hyde', followed.

It is her U.S. debut on Atco, 'Duchess', that finds her truly coming into her own as an artist, however. Featuring thirteen original songs, the album fuses blues, soul, hard rock, English folk, and more, powerfully showcasing Deborah's deeply soulful vocals throughout. 'Duchess' is set for release 23rd June, 2008.

Deborah Bonham's ace band includes former Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley, bassist Ian Rowley, keyboardist Gerard Louis, and guitarist Peter Bullick.

Thirteen original songs with highlights including "Pretty Thing," "Grace," "Love You So," "Chains," and "Hold On," featuring Jason Bonham on drums and guest vocalist Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, Queen).

Duchess tracklisting:

1. Grace
2. Jack Past 8
3. Hole In My Heart
4. Hold On - featuring Paul Rodgers
5. Love Lies
6. Pretty Thing
7. Love You So
8. How Do You Feel
9. Chains
10. Duchess And The Shufflemeister
11. Waiting So Long
12. (If You) Had A Little Love
13. Blue

Deborah will be performing the following UK live dates:

MAY 2008

Sunday 25 May - Riga Club Southend
Tuesday 27th May - 100 Club London

JUNE 2008

Saturday 21 June - Blues On The Farm Festival Chichester
Saturday 28 June - Hyde Park Calling (TBC)

JULY 2008

Friday 4 July - The Stables Theatre Milkton Keynes
Saturday 5 July - Gosport Waterfront Festival
Saturday 12 July - Marlboro Club Ilfracombe
Saturday 19 July - Cambridge Rock Festival

Deborah Bonham - Duchess on amazon.co.uk

Duchess on amazon.com

Rhino

Deborah Bonham Myspace
Deborah Bonham Official Website

Like Plant, we hail from West Bromwich in the heart of the Black Country (indeed, my dad frequented the same drinking hole as Planty) and wondered what the leonine rock god must make of the changes to the 'second city' since he last strolled its streets. Gone are the grubby factories and warehouses, replaced by shimmering glass towers and a slick, cosmopolitan atmosphere. We were certainly struck anew by the city's transformation as we wandered down the canal-side before the gig.

It seems Brum is not the only thing to have changed - there's no trace of a Black Country twang in Plant's voice and his partnership with Krauss on 'Raising Sand' is a departure from the heavy rock of his Led Zeppelin days. It's also the stuff of music critics' wet dreams: a beautiful bluegrass angel collaborating with the hoary old man of rock to make one of the finest and unlikely parings in recent musical times.

Anticipation was high for this, Plant's homecoming performance. From a purely anthropological bent, there was also much fun to be had in identifying fans there for Alison Krauss and those there for Robert Plant. Needless to say there were ponytails aplenty on men of a certain age and later in the evening, some head-banging in the aisles to some of the rockier numbers. Of course I can only speculate that they were Led Zep fans ...

But before I discuss the main act ... the support. This was Scott Matthews, Wolverhampton-based urban-folk troubadour whose band and he were, he cheerily confessed, 'shitting ourselves'. The local feel of one up-and-coming Black Country lad supporting another made good, set a nice tone and the audience warmed to Matthews fast. He opened with the beautiful "Dream Song", arguably his best work to date, and gave a soulful and professional support to the main act.

As "Rich Woman's" swampy guitars kicked in, Plant and Krauss crept out from either side of the stage each looking a million dollars. There's a strange kind of symmetry seeing them live, all big blond hair and even bigger voices, although this is as far as the visual resemblance goes. In her diaphanous, floaty dress with her perfectly coiffed hair, Alison Krauss looked like she'd been whisked in from Stepford; whereas Robert Plant, wearing block colours and some pretty fine winkle pickers, looked every inch the rock god. He trod the stage like a caged animal for the first few songs, a mesmerising "Sister Rosetta" and "Through the Morning, Through the Night", and I like to think it did the old boy some good when he finally let rip on tracks like "Nothin" - it certainly looked and sounded like it!

The two were on fire; their voices were nothing short of awesome and melted into each other's tones perfectly. "Stick with Me Baby" was mesmerising. I'd expected them to sound good, but this good? Krauss's demure presence belied a torrent of feeling conveyed through her singing which was by turns eerie and angelic. Her rendition of Tom Waits' "Trampled Rose" was goose-bump inducing and her violin playing exceptional. Her voice was as sweet as honey but more penetrating than any I've heard in a long time, filling every crevice of the cavernous NIA.

Despite the obvious difference between her vocals and Plant's blues wail, his voice was equally on form. He sang as if he wanted to tear the audience's eardrums out on tracks like "Gone, Gone Gone" and an old Led Zeppelin track (that's the head-bangers happy then).

By far his finest moment was on "Fortune Teller", an amusing old standard on which Alison supplemented his bluesy delivery with haunting backing vocals. Of this track he confided that he'd first come across it in the '60s and that only two others knew it - he got 'free prescriptions and a long memory' he self-deprecatingly joked.

On other songs his sound was more restrained, allowing the gravely textures of his voice to reveal themselves in a wonderfully new way. The two were generous to each others' performances, stepping back to spotlight the others' strengths through songs which ranged from the old standards from "Raising Sand" and beyond, to blues, country and soul.

The legendary T-Bone Burnett, a black-clad, narrow and angular presence on the stage, was met with adulatory cries of 'you the man T-Bone!' from an enthusiastic crowd when he performed two of his own tracks. Krauss nodded to his producing the score to 'O Brother Where Art Thou', on which Krauss sings, when she threw in "Down to the River to Pray" with Plant joining in for backing vocals.

To see the three on stage together, their chemistry and obvious ease with each other, was a live crystallization of the successes of 'Raising Sand' and was really something. In short, the gig was a triumph. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss made it look so easy and surpassed the elegance of their recordings. Long may the partnership between the bluegrass beauty and rock beast continue.

By: Lindsey Davis

For years, I had heard of the band Godsmack, but never really knew much about them. A friend of mine, here in England, recently read Godsmack frontman/founder Sully Erna's autobiography, The Paths We Choose - and it was funny to find out that Sully comes from Massachusetts and now lives in New Hampshire - my old state. The band was pretty much in my backyard the whole time, but it took someone in England to turn me on to them.

Sully Erna seems like a cool guy. I watched a couple interviews with him on YouTube and I like his open mindedness towards life and music. When I listen to Godsmack I can't help but think of Metallica and Alice In Chains, so I'm glad that Sully's up front about them being his influences - along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

Originally a drummer, there's also footage on YouTube of Sully Erna and Godsmack drummer Shannon Larkin's drum battle "Batalla De Los Tambores" from Godsmack's DVD "Changes". You've gotta love the way the drums slide onto the stage. They sound great - and it's good to hear the Rush segment at the end. (You can also find that video on Shannon Larkin's Yamaha page.)

Click here for more Godsmack videos

"I Stand Alone", the first single off of Godsmack's third studio album, 'Faceless' was featured on the soundtrack for The Scorpion King and is also in the video game, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (Watch video), along with "Straight Out of Line". They've had other songs in movies, and I think it's always good to see bands getting their music in movie soundtracks. I wonder if Godsmack will do more with video games? I think they should.

To celebrate 10 years as a band, Godsmack released their Greatest Hits album, 'Good Times, Bad Times... Ten Years of Godsmack' December 4th, 2007 on Universal.

The Greatest Hits album includes most of their commercially released singles along with a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Good Times, Bad Times". The video for it is fun to watch, but seeing the opening shots of Boston like the bridge, the infamous Citgo sign and the fan wearing the Red Sox shirt makes me feel a little homesick!

Watch Godsmack - "Good Times, Bad Times" video on Yahoo

Good Times, Bad Times - 10 Years Of Godsmack on amazon.com

Good Times Bad Times: + DVD on amazon.co.uk (UK release - December 10th, 2007)

Track listing:

1. Good Times, Bad Times
2. Whatever
3. Keep Away
4. Voodoo
5. Bad Religion
6. Awake
7. Greed
8. I Stand Alone
9. Straight Out of Line
10. Serenity
11. Re-Align
12. Running Blind
13. Touche
14. Speak
15. Shine Down
16. The Enemy

+ 75 minute DVD acoustic performance filmed in Las Vegas (check listings).

Musicians on album:

Sully Erna - vocals, guitar, drums
Tony Rombola - guitar, backing vocals
Robbie Merrill - bass, backing vocals
Tommy Stewart - drums
Shannon Larkin - drums

For more information, go to:

Godsmack on Myspace
Godsmack Official Website

Drawing of Sully Erna credit: Milek Jakubiec

By: Jenny May - Band Weblogs

Led Zeppelin is set to play a reunion concert at the O2 Arena in London on - New Date: December 10th, 2007 (pushed back from the original date of November 26, 2007 due to Jimmy Page fracturing his finger). Apparently over 25 million people registered for the ballot which was initially going to close on September 17th, but has now been extended until midday Wednesday September 19, 2007 due to crashed servers and high demand. Successful applicants will be notified 01 October 2007. Tickets are £125.00 + booking fee.

Led Zeppelin band members showing up for the gig at the O2 Arena include singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, and bassist John Paul Jones. This will be their first performance together in 19 years. Jason Bonham will replace his late father John Bonham on drums. This should be a major treat for all Led Zeppelin fans, and if you can't get a ticket, then hopefully there will be suitable at home viewing options.

Along with Led Zeppelin, other bands and artists set to play include Pete Townshend, Foreigner, Paolo Nutini and Bill Wyman And The Rhythm Kings.

The show is a tribute concert to the late Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records and is being held to raise money for the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which pays for university scholarships in the UK, US and Turkey. Ahmet Ertegun was a close friend and conspirator to Led Zeppelin.

For tickets and more information go to:

The O2 Arena Official Website
Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Official Website
Buy Led Zeppelin 1 and more on amazon.com

Led Zeppelin Official Website

By: Jenny May