Led Zeppelin will begin releasing its long-promised catalog reissues this year. Jimmy Page reported the news via his website last week, but the post was removed shortly after. Rolling Stone confirmed the news today with a representative for the band. He added that the reissues “would be released on the Swan Song/Atlantic label, as they were originally.
The first to come out will be the group’s initial three releases, Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II and Led Zeppelin III. The post also announced the release of “some of my own material from the archives” that will arrive this year, but he made no reference as to whether this is Jimmy Page solo material or collaborations with other artists from over the decades.
Page first announced the reissues in November 2012. Each album will come out as a deluxe edition that he told Rolling Stone would include “added sonic and visual thrills.” Page explained that he intended the reissues to include alternate mixes of the band’s songs, as well as concert recordings that were never officially released. He also said that the albums will sound much better than the versions now available. “The catalog was last remastered 20 years ago,” he said. “That’s a long time. Everything is being transferred from analog to a higher-resolution digital format. That’s one of the problems with the Zeppelin stuff. It sounds ridiculous on MP3. You can’t hear what’s there properly.”
Read more at Rolling Stone.
source: rollingstone.com
17 Responses
I have the remixes of L.A. Woman by the Doors. There’s one version that’s just sonically enhanced including a more live drum sound and one version with added parts. The new versions make the original album sound kind of foggy, at least on mp3. When I crank up my vinyl turntable, it’s still the original album mix though, which sounds fine for that technology. Just like there’s no comparison to cranking Master of Puppets on vinyl, at least in my humble opinion. One of the best sounding CDs has got to be Ace Frehley’s Anomaly. There aren’t many like it that make use of the full sound spectrum. I’m not trying to sound technical because I don’t know what I’m talking about. But Ace’s last album sounds very rich and unfiltered without sounding harsh.
DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THOSE OVERATED SCRUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amen, same songs same old lyrics, only difference is higher price
My ears are still ringing Nassau Coliseum ’75 and they were in rare poor form. Digital transfer is dangerous with leaving that warm deep groove analog record pressing in the past to compressed madness and MP3 mayhem.
I’ve never read much about bad shows in ’75, but there were some early in the year with Plant having the flu and Page having a broken finger on his left hand. Like you said, that was rare form for them. I have Luis Rey’s bootleg guide and I think he does an exceptional job “telling it like it is.” When they sucked, he lets you know it. He said the show on 2/4 at Nassau was pretty lackluster i.e “poor form of the group.” Playing was better than the first night in NY at the Garden. The shows at Nassau on the 13th and 14th were much better according to him.
From what I can tell, the poor early 70s shows were usually just a lack of energy. By the mid-to late 70s, as we all know too well, it was sloppy playing due to alcohol and drugs. Of course Plant had his vocal issues at times too. But you hit the lottery with a bad ’75 show!
Plant was 50%, Page looked zoned out and didn’t play well. ’77 run at the Garden was incredible. New Haven Railroad to Grand Central for $4.80 roundtrip and walk over to Times Square for the 99 cent whoppahs (NY accent) then walk down to da Garden. Scalpers were gettin 35 a ticket then, huge money in ’77. Bootleg jerseys were $5 each, better looking than the legit ones but made out of cheap material. I miss those bootleg jerseys outside the shows, a big no-no now. Still wondering why their first run of shows slated fer ’80 passed NYC. I heard Ron Delsener was offered less than 10%, just the food/beer and he got mad…..pretty common deal now with Buffett, Stones, etc. Buffett gets 100% for a fact.
In Sept. 1980 Zep was scheduled to play Rich Stadium in Buffalo. I didn’t have tickets – I got more into them a year or two later. You know they woulda hit NYC in ’80 or ’81. NYC has its advantages! You guys around there could see so many shows. I never saw anything over there. In Western/Central NY where I live, we only had one or two opportunities per tour to see a band.
Re: Bootleg shirts – I saw the Stones in Syracuse in ’81 at the Carrier Dome. Bought an awesome bootleg long sleeve shirt outside the show. “The Stoned Jam” – it had a crazy dragon on it.
Yeah – greed has crushed the concert industry. That’s why the promoters have to hammer you for parking, beer and food. As well as service charges. The serpent is eating its own tail. It was a fun time. I really miss those days. Nothing quite like the whole saga – hearing the concert announcement and racing down to Ticketron, getting in line, standing there for hours meeting and chatting up the people around you. Then the anticipation for the show. I used to get just as psyched for the announcements of the upcoming shows. Bygone era – just like the Big Bands. Haha. And sorry folks, it ain’t coming back.
Never thought i would say this for i love zep & jimmy page, but fn enough already!!! how many time r bands going to remix & remaster their catalogs!!!?The remasters from 20 years a go r fine & sound great in my opinion,,i dont need to hear robert plant taking a piss in the friggin back round!! how much more clearer does the sound have to be?? Just a $ making ploy.. i am going to listen to my zep 8 tracks!!!
8 Tracks actually are making a comeback, haha!