The better Led Zeppellin live recordings on vinyl.

Why did Classic bother?

1) It's Led Zeppelin. It's gonna sell.
2) When it sounds like crap, they can be blameless.
3) Completionists would "wring their hands and moan" about the omission.
4) It's Led Zeppelin. It's gonna sell.

Cheers.

Tom

The best package for experiencing Zeppelin live is the 2 disc Led Zeppelin DVD set from a few years back. I think HTWWW is the CD music only equivalent as i recall.

Zeppelin live as with many major rock acts of their day live was never about sound quality, so no sense in obsessing about that in teh case of Zeppelin live. You need the video to really absorb what was going on.

A good CD only supplement to that package to get a big taste of raw Zeppelin in their prime with Ok sound then is the BBC Recordings CD package.

The best Led Zeppelin live recording, to me, is the BBC session. Other live albums (HTWWW, TSRTS) are not even close.

Thanks for the first four thoughts and suggestions. It was the BBC sessions that was in the back of my mind. Acoustic Sounds has it for $250, although it is a 4 LP set. I think it's a matter of finding their better performances, and taking the sound quality for what it is. I think a really great performance makes it easier to be less critical of sound quality as well.

Hey Fjn04,

As an avid zeppelin freak, all mentioned above are true and also too there are very few zeppelin shows recorded that Page would be happy with to release. From what I have read he is kinda picky and rightfully so.

I have dozens of sound board recordings that i think with today's available mastering software one could take some of the material and make it some what pleasing to listen to.

One show jumps out at me "Led Zeppelin Live at Fillmore West 04/27/1969 which is in my opinion only one of there best performances. They play as version of "as long as i have you" that you will never forget in fact its a melody of a few cover songs. But GOD damm no one since has ever done what they DID.

I can email it out to who ever wants it, but just that one song :)

Kev

You're not missing anything by not having In Through the Out Door or Coda. Jimmy Page was not even around for In Through the Out Door as he was busy with heroin at the time.

Look for 'One Night Stand' (BBC Rock Hour from June 1969). Although it would be nicer to have some shows from the 70's, since that's when their best material was written. Presence will always be the standard to judge any rock album by.

P.S. - I think that One Night Stand is taken from the BBC Sessions and has one song that BBC Sessions does not, which is White Summer / Black Moutainside. It's a shame it was left off the BBC Sessions release as it's Jimmy Page at his best and was written by him.

I've recently heard Stairway To Heaven by LZ, The band members have kept secret the meaning of this song and responded evasively to questions related to her.

Donjr: You're not missing anything by not having In Through the Out Door or Coda.

I am planning to do without these last two, on favor of some
live stuff. I saw both HTWWW, and BBC sessions at Barnes and Noble last night, so they are available on CD anyway.
Thanks for the suggestion for ONE NIGHT STAND.

Kev: One show jumps out at me "Led Zeppelin Live at Fillmore West 04/27/1969 which is in my opinion only one of there best performances.

Thanks Kev, I will keep an eye out for that one. Occasionally we have local record shows where a vinyl copy of it could surface.

FYI- Just read Hammer of the Gods by Steve Davis. I can't imagine it not holding the interest of a big Zep fan. Definitely an interesting read IMO.

Fjn04, I'm sorry the show I mentioned may not be available on vinyl. If you wanna hear it contact me.

Thank You!

I do like In Through the Out Door, but there was always a symmetry between John Bonham and Jimmy Page that was missing on that album. It was nice that it was so succesful after most reviewers thought it was going to flop. I think that album turned on a lot of people to Led Zeppelin that weren't fans prior to it.

You'll have search around to find it, but the Copenhagen Warmups are floating around out there on vinyl. Sounded pretty good. Those were the shows Zep did while preparing for the 1980-81 US tour. And then Bonzo choked on his vomit. Still kills me. Had tickets for an October 1980 gig in Buffalo. Then, it all went to hell.....

Thanks. Just listened to Houses of the Holy Saturday. I forgot how great this one is.

"The Song Remains the same" was also a movie - watch it!
How the West Was Won - never heard of it. not a zep original- skip it!

How the West Was Won is a two disc set- one audio, one DVD, with live performances by Zeppelin. I think some of the Copenhagen warm up shows were included on the HTWWW DVD.