Well. Sort of…..

It’s been a fantastic week for The Wiltshire Museum in Devizes, gaining enormous worldwide publicity for the photo in their collections that has recently been identified as the original of the iconic image used on the Led Zeppelin IV album from 1971. The previously unknown figure is likely to be Lot Long, a 19th century thatcher from Mere.

This story encapsulates lots of elements that appeal to me – museum collections, the power of tenacious and thorough research, the pulling power of a big name and guitar music!

I was also reminded that this is not the only Led Zeppelin album cover to feature Wiltshire in a starring role. Their 1990 Remasters album cover was the iconic crop circle that appeared near Alton Barnes earlier that year.

This got me thinking about other starring roles for Wiltshire in music. There are some great bands that hail from Wiltshire (XTC, Subhumans and The Bolshoi to name a few) but there are all sorts of other links as well:

• The Timelords video for Doctorin’ The Tardis, filmed at Yatesbury airfield and other iconic Wiltshire locations. (also indulges my extra-curricular passions for Dr Who and pillboxes!)

• Radiohead’s King of Limbs album inspired by an ancient oak in Savernake Forest

• The last weeks of Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)’s life at Clouds House, West Knoyle and Salisbury Hospital

• Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios at Box

• Eddie Cochran’s tragic car crash in Chippenham

• and of course Spinal Tap’s glorious Stonehenge

I fear this could run and run so I’m going to stop now……