I tried all sorts of things to salvage it: I tried to pick it up from the vocal mike, and from the other amplifier mike; I even thought I could get enough of it and then run it through Amp Farm, or some kind of amp modeling software, but that was just alchemy at that point.

Ed: I would have loved to have seen it, because I saw it years ago on VH-1, who showed it with just the raw audio.

Kevin: I've seen that too, and I've heard a mix of it, but it wasn't recorded on the multitrack, for whatever reason.

Ed: Is there anything new coming from Jimmy and Robert, or from the Led Zeppelin vaults that you can talk about?

Kevin: I don't know; I don't think so. Never say never, but I think we'll see peace in the Middle East before that.

Ed: [chuckles] OK.

Biking Through China For Charity

Ed: One last question: can you tell me a little bit more about the charity you're involved in?

Kevin: The one for the China bike ride? It's an English charity that supports kids with learning disabilities, and also fights against prejudices in the workplace and in society against people with learning disabilities.

Iron Maiden's manager, Rod Smallwood, is doing the ride, and some months ago he mentioned it to me over a tequila. About a week ago, I suddenly said to him, is there any more space for additional riders? He said, 'I think it's taking off in a month, and you may be way too late'.

I asked him to have a look and see. So he checked and said, 'All right, you can come along. If you can raise the donation money!', and consequently, I'm soliciting like crazy.

I've got some interesting contributors. I got a nice email and donation from Neil Peart; I totally didn't expect that at all. I thought, "he can't be reading my online diary!" And Steven Tyler and all the Iron Maiden guys--they're the best, kindest people in the business, also some of the Dream Theater guys have chipped in, the manager of Finnish metal band H.I.M. So it's been fun to see all the feedback!