I believe I have ONE Led Zeppelin album in my possession. They’ve never been my favourite band, for some reason or another. I’ve basically grown up with them and grown to like them more over the years. I’ve heard that they’ve done a great job re-mastering some of their renderings. Oddly enough, I haven’t seen LZ 4 on the list yet. Is it in the plans to have this one re-mastered as well?
Were I to build my collection with re-masters, which one(s) would you suggest I begin with?
The deluxe LZ IV and Houses of the Holy are due out on October 28.
Of the first three re-issues I like LZ I the best–it has the live set from Paris '69 as the second disc.
If you want a REALLY exhaustive discussion on the pros and cons of the re-issues, head over to the Steve Hoffman music forum. There were several multi-page threads on the new versions earlier in the year.
It’s my understanding Jimmy Page is remastering and re-releasing them all in chronological order (with the possible exception of the soundtrack The Song Remains the Same, which already got a remastered re-release not too long ago). And yes, the first three were released already, and IV (Zoso or whatever you want to call it [technically it’s untitled]) and Houses of the Holy are scheduled for October. I agree the live disc included with the LZ I remaster is a great addition.
As for recommendations, well, I’d suggest picking them all up as they’re released, especially if you don’t already have the albums, but I’m a fan, so I would say that.
Actually, the one I have is LZ 4. And it’s been AGES since I last listened to it. To give you a general idea, it’s on vinyl… and I’ve switched to CDs for at least the past 30 years. But I’ve caught songs here and there on the radio ever since.
I figure it’s never too late, and if I want to re-immerse myself in the Zep universe, might as well do it with first class stuff. And given my somewhat limited knowledge of the group’s production, I am soliciting the opinion of Doper cognoscenti.
Thanks for the help.
OK, then. Here’s a brief overview of the discography (I have too much free time):
Led Zeppelin I (1969)
The most blues-influenced album. Setting aside for the moment the issue of Zep’s active and/or passive laxity in crediting their sources, this remains nonetheless a strong “heavy blues” reworking of blues standards and is the basis for what Zep would later (that year) develop into the seminal Heavy Metal sound. Standout tracks include the rock classics “Good Times Bad Times” and “You Shook Me” but also the quieter “Your Time is Gonna Come” and “Black Mountain Side”.
Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Possibly the most well-known album (in that IV is mostly known as the “Stairway” album, not necessarily for its totality). This is the one that cemented Zep as one of the progenitors of Heavy Metal as a rock form, given “Whole Lotta Love” and “Heartbreaker”, amongst others, but note it also contains the more contemplative “Thank you” and “Ramble On”. Also has John Bonham’s signature drum track “Moby Dick”.
Led Zeppelin III (1970)
More folk-influenced and overall a quieter, more acoustic record, but also includes Rock standard “Immigrant Song” as well as what I consider Zep’s best blues number “Since I’ve Been Loving You”.
Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
The “Stairway” album. Also includes instant classics “Rock and Roll” and “Black Dog” but does have quieter tracks like “The Battle of Evermore” and “Going to California”
Houses of the Holy (1973)
A slightly different, perhaps more cohesive sound across this one. “Over the Hills and Far Away” and faux-reggae “D’Yer Mak’er” are classic-rock-radio standards, but for my money, “The Ocean” is the standout track. Also includes John Paul Jones’ signature track, “No Quarter”.
Physical Graffiti (1975)
Double album comprising fifteen tracks, some of which had been recorded for prior albums. As such, it’s a pretty good cross-section of the Zep sound to that point in their recording career. For what it’s worth, when asked which single album would be the best introduction for a new Zep fan, my Zep-head friends and I usually suggested this one (Houses was our next selection, as a single-album non-cheat). “Trampled Under Foot”, “Kashmir”, and maybe “Night Flight” are the radio standards, but also includes (again) a great blues track, “Ten Years Gone”. Oh, and the Richie Valens tribute, “Boogie with Stu” (recorded with Ian Stewart).
Presence (1976)
Recorded and released in lieu of a tour while Robert Plant was recuperating from an auto accident, this one has the Page guitar orchestra piece, “Achilles Last Stand” as well as AOR radio staple “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”. “Tea for One” is the blues track.
In Through the Out Door (1979)
This one is John Paul Jones’ calling card. It’s keyboard-heavy, from “Carouselambra”, “South Bound Saurez”, and “Hot Dog” to the swirling synths of “All My Love”, not to mention the spanish-influenced break in “Fool in the Rain”. Also has AOR-radio classic “In the Evening” and the bluesy “I’m Gonna Crawl”.
1976 also saw the release of The Song Remains the Same, which as mentioned is already available in remastered and expanded form (and worth it if only for the inclusion of the version of “Since I’ve Been Loving You” from the film). Essentially a concert record from Zep’s 1973 tour recorded in New York’s Madison Square Garden, it has the most well-known live recording of “Stairway to Heaven” as well as Bonham’s 10-minute drum-solo workout on “Moby Dick” and Page’s violin-bow epic 29-minute “Dazed and Confused” and the extended “Whole Lotta Love”. The remastered album also includes surprisingly concise versions of “Heartbreaker” and “The Ocean” along with additional tracks not on the original release.
I guess I’ll also mention Coda (1982), though I’m not sure there’s much reason to. I don’t know if Page plans to remaster this one as well, but it’s a grab-bag of unreleased out-takes and alternate takes. Perhaps most notable is a very good version of “I Can’t Quit You Baby”, but the offerings are mostly sub-standard for Zep, and it’s obvious.
I’ll recommend LZ II
Thanks Just Ed, that was an excellent summary. Your time was most definitely not wasted.
Thanks Just Ed. Nicely done.
Zeppelin always has been my favorite band. In a fantastic stroke of luck their introduction into the market coincided with when I first became conscious about serious music and continued for the next dozen years. From about the age of ten until college they were putting albums out, all eagerly anticipated. That’s probably the thing I’m most struck by when considering the experience of anyone who came to know them after the fact, that they weren’t exposed to the chronological changes and progression that defined each new offering. That’s something inherent to most every top tier rock and roll band, just like with the Beatles, Stones, Allman Brothers, Who, ZZ Top, Pink Floyd, EL&P, etc. That makes it no less remarkable in Zep’s case though. Each new LP was anticipated, savored, relished and ingrained into our consciousness as the songs found their way into our everyday experience and recreational preference.
So omni-not, I hope as you’re winding your way through the catalog that you too can perceive, appreciate and enjoy the sense of what it was like to progressively come to know these offerings in the surprising and influential manner in which they were first experienced and appreciated.
Wow, Just Ed. Thanks much for that overview. On Tuesday, I pretty much blindly went and bought my first re-mastered Led Zep (Led Zeppelin III), which I have yet to give a listen to. I was pleasantly surprised by your description, which, coincidentally, pretty much meshes with my own tastes. So I shan’t/shouldn’t be disappointed with the outcome.
I’ll keep your post close by if and when I decide to expand my discography.
I do appreciate everyone’s input.
Many thanks.
And if other aficionados want to chime in with their two cents, by all means…