“Led Zeppelin: the Oral History of the World’s Greatest Rock Band” is the title of a soon-to-be-released  book by Barney Hoskyns  who interviewed  over 200 people including Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, their late manager Peter Grant and many other key players.

It sounds as if there are plenty of juicy stories to tell. Hoskyns notes  “Zeppelin were the biggest band on Earth in the 1970s and were a law unto themselves. They drove through red lights in limousines, there were many brutish incidents of physical violence. Any mess was cleaned up very efficiently.”

The 576-page book is due to come out on November 6. The UK version appears to have been released already under the title “Trampled Under Foot: The Power and Excess Of Led Zeppelin”

Also on the way, a new book about Heart called “Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll”. Ann and Nancy Wilson collaborated with Charles C. Cross to tell the story of the band from the early days in Seattle to the present. The digital version will be available September 18 and the Hardcover comes out October 5.

     The nominees have been announced for the 2012 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  First-time nominees this year include Guns N Roses, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Heart, The Cure, bluesman Freddie King, rap duo Eric B. and Rakim, funk act Rufus with Chaka Khan, and the Rod Stewart-Ronnie Wood group(s) Small Faces/Faces.

     Other nominees back for another shot include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Laura Nyro, the Beastie Boys, Donovan, and the Eric Burdon band War.

     Ann and Nancy Wilson are working with legendary rock journalist Charles Cross (Led Zeppelin: Shadows Taller Than Our Souls) on a new book that will chronicle their lives in rock and roll. 

     “We’re telling the whole story,” guitarist Nancy Wilson told Billboard. “I think it’s important to be kind of brutally honest without making anyone else feel bad in any way, if possible. There’s a lot of stuff you remember that’s like, ‘Wow, why did I do this with that person?’ or ‘What was I thinking?!’ or ‘How controlling was so and so?’ It’s definitely not a sensational, telltale book, because that’s never who we are. There’s going to be some wild parties and some failed relationships, but not too much more dark stuff really.”

     Heart are also working on a new album with Ben Mink.  The Wilson sisters already worked with Mink on their 2010 record Red Velvet Car.  Said Nancy, “We’ve got most of it written already…We’re writing again and working on songs with producer Ben Mink. This time we’re gonna go a little more heavy rock, a little more electric guitar. And so far so good; I think there’s some really amazing songs already… We’re still kind of polishing and buffing the rough demos so far, but we’re getting excited.”