Led Zeppelin Reissue News

I'm with Tony\Big h on this, I don't tend to re-buy stuff I've already got on vinyl, and certainly not vice versa. I've got LZ3 & 4 on vinyl and Mothership on CD (about six quid from asda as I remember!) And that scratches my Zeppelin itch for now, although having said that I wouldn't mind a copy of TSRTS at some point.

Jim.

Well even though I am interested in the additional material the SQ will have to be mighty fine to exceed what I am now listening to on Classic Records, currently on II after playing I.....hey ho!

Richard

The 24/96 for me is the interest, I am well covered for the rest, hope they do come out as HiRes purchases on their own right, not keen on £91.99 to get those HR files/download card.

I don't tend to re-buy stuff I've already got on vinyl, and certainly not vice versa.

Jiimmy I'm not following your logic here. If I reverse the sense of your sentence I get ' stuff I've already got on vinyl I don't tend to re-buy'. Are you just re-inforcing your point by saying it twice?

I know that sounds pedantic, but I am genuinely trying to comprehend, not offend.

I was seriously thinking about getting a couple of these for my own collection but when I see the track listing for the Deluxe II  + III discs as Rough Mixes, No Vocals  and Backing Tracks then it will now be a wait and see.

I was lucky enough to see the first night of TSRTS in London (traumatic event I won't go into now).

Never ever felt it was a good representation of what they were like on stage as I had seen them a couple of time before then.

Agreed. It has something lacklustre about it I just can't put my finger on. Prefer 'Live at the BBC' myself.

G

I was listening to the (excellent quality) boot recording of the Paris Olympia 69 gig (which will be on two LPs or 1CD with LZ 1) earlier on my iPod and something struck me.

That show is 78 minutes long without "Moby Dick" (which has never been on any of the boots of that show). Mobys of the period were typically 12 to 15 minutes long, which makes the whole gig 90 to 93 minutes long - you could squeeze it on a double LP but obviously not a single CD.

So what will have to go? Hopefully "Moby Dick" itself will be cut. Some of the Plantations  will go, which is a kind of a shame, as many of them are very funny. Also "How Many More Times" will probably get edited as it's over 20 minutes long.

It'll be interesting to find out.

By the way, for those who haven't heard this show, the version of "Heartbreaker" (its live debut IIRC) is simply awesome, and shows just how untouchable this band were/are when at the top of their game.

I think this one will be the only one I'll go for. Never really been into endless reworkings or outtakes.

Just picked this up on the Diverse Vinyl newsletter

The companion audio for Led Zeppelin features a previously unreleased performance recorded on October 10, 1969 at the Olympia Theatre in Paris. The nine-song set features seven tracks from the album, including an epic 15-minute version of “Dazed And Confused,” as well as “Heartbreaker” and “Moby Dick,” which would debut on Led Zeppelin II later that month.

The Led Zeppelin II companion audio gives fans the first peek into the band’s recording sessions, with alternate mixes of five songs from the album, backing tracks to “Thank You” and “Living Loving Maid (She’s Just A Woman),” and the previously unreleased track “La La.”

The nine tracks featured on Led Zeppelin III’s companion audio continue to offer a window into the band’s recording process with seven studio outtakes of songs from the album as well as three previously unheard compositions: “Jennings Farm Blues” (an instrumental forerunner of “Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp&rdquo, “Bathroom Sound” (an instrumental version of “Out On The Tiles&rdquo, and their take on the blues classics “Keys To The Highway/Trouble In Mind.”

I know I'll buy the hi res downloads.

This weekend I've revisited the Remasters box set. I bought it when it was released in 1990 and played it once. About ten years ago when I was cleaning my collection after I bought my RCM I played it again. Both times I was disappointed with the SQ compared with the original LPs and just left it in my collection. Well, with the system I have now, it's quite listenable and certainly much better than Mothership, although the 1st presses and Classic Record reissues are still much better. Fingers crossed the new reissues will be even better and not on a par with Mothership.

Hi Steve,

Off thread but I was interested in your comment above on the LZ box set and was wondering whether you  still have the recent Stereo Beatles's box set that you were disappointed in with wrt SQ, whereas I mostly enjoyed it, as if so what does it sound like on your upgraded system now?

Richard

The Beatles reissues are still listenable and enjoyable but could have been better if they'd been analogue mastered. The 1st presses are much better as I think I showed you. 

Steve, slightly off-topic and out of interest, have you heard any of the recent Miles Davis Mono Masters on LP? The original master tapes were - like the Beatles and (presumably) Led Zep - transferred to hi-res digital and then mastered for vinyl.

They (the Davis Monos) sound really good to my ears and demonstrate that mastering from digital isn't always bad.

Are those the RSD issues on Legacy? No I haven't. The thing with Miles Davis is that his catalogue is reissued by so many companies that you can pick and choose what you want. I recently bought the Analogue Productions Prestige Mono Series of 'Relaxin' and this is superb, being remastered fully analogue. In the near future there will be a MFSL 45rpm of Kind of Blue and Music Matters are releasing some single 33rpm albums. These are the ones I'd go for.

ATB

Steve

without doubt.  cant wait

-patrick

Not sure Steve, I was lent them for review purposes - they were definitely Sony Legacy though. And very fine they sounded too...

Here are the tracklists for the CD/2LP version of the Olympia gig included on LZ1.

"How Many More Times" has 12 minutes lopped off (I'm guessing large sections of the medley, which is a pity), and a couple of other tracks a minute or so removed. "Heartbreaker" has about 30 seconds cut - there is a big Page fluff in the middle of his solo so I'm presuming that's what has been edited. I am also guessing that most of the Plantations have also been excised.

For the CD:
1.Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown [3:52]
2.I Can’t Quit You Baby [6:41]
3.Heartbreaker [3:50]
4.Dazed And Confused [15:01]
5.White Summer/Black Mountain Side [9:19]
6.You Shook Me [11:56]
7.Moby Dick [9:51]
8.How Many More Times [10:43]

For the 2LP version:
LP 1, Side A
1.Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown [3:52]
2.You Shook Me [11:56]

LP 1, Side B
1.Heartbreaker [3:50]
2.Dazed And Confused [15:01]

LP 2, Side A
1.White Summer/Black Mountain Side [9:19]
2.Moby Dick [9:51]

LP 2, Side B
1.I Can’t Quit You Baby [6:41]
2.How Many More Times [10:43]

The "Classic 45RPM" sound pretty good, well even better than that tbh, if this will be anything near it we will have a winner.

I am truly looking forward to this release, and i know my best mate will be going to go banans over this, i just hope they do not dissapoint us.

ps. Just make the record sound lively and fun with a good solid foundation..

Don't hold your breath Eargasm. These aren't going to be analogue mastered like the Classic Records releases.

Had an email from HMV which says it is offering 10% off this re-issue for pre-orders.  Other might be interested.

They are no cheaper than What Records or Amazon.

According to analog planet website all these reissues are from a high quality digital source.

Shame I have the classic records versions though so got to think whether to cancel my pre order or keep it only for the additional material.

You're a lucky boy having the Classic Records versions. I have the first four of them and wish I had bought the others. I'm buying the double/triple LP versions for the extra material via Amazon. They can always be returned if they're crap.

Steve

In a yearning for some Zeppelin, I took a listen to Mothership. More of a time waster than the Forum  but I knew that.  Then, I listened to Over the Hills on Spotify and it sounded just right. Are these albums simply imprinted on my ear drums from worn out cassettes?

Those of you with the Classic records versions - is there enough oomph there to warrant all the fuss?