Led Zep reissues..

[Jerjo]

Listening to my copy of the new III right now. My only complaint is that "Hey Hey What Can I Do" should have been included on the bonus tracks. "Friends" is playing now and it seems, I dunno, clearer. More separation and distinct separation of the instruments than I remember.

Oh, the wheel that was on the old LP is now on the deluxe CD and works just fine.

[Plasmatopia]

Streaming, if there ends up being one big player like Spotify, could potentially be to the small distributors what Walmart has been to Main Street...

[Rael]

Hey Jeff Carney, if you're reading this thread, what is your verdict on these remasters? I don't have much digital to compare them to, but I thought the download of "II" sounded surprisingly good overall.

[Neoman]

Does anyone know when the next set of editions is due out?
I am curious as to what will be on the IV album.

[zeprogmeister]

I heard October for the next batch..

I really enjoy the reissue of III. For LZ the original editions sound good for the most part but I think the original of LZ3 must have been done from a tape a few generations away from the master. I was never into this album as much as some of their others but I am really digging it now.

[The Czar]

I know a lot of people say they don't have room for cds anymore, so that is why they get digital. And I assume they pay for the lossless digital they listen to.
I for one don't like digital copies of anything that I can buy physical copies of... or burns for that matter.
Yes, I was the asshole who said (when I was annoyed at King Crimson for re-releasing Red 5 years later with a new remix stereo cd) I'd burn the Road to Red box (which I didn't) and not buy the new 2cd version of Red (still have yet to buy it). In the past, I have been known to push buttons. Jeff Carney verify that! I apologize for any douchey behavior in the past. I rarely post here anymore, but had a few things to say about the streaming and Zep reissues.

Spotify or anything where you get a lot of music and the musicians are getting close to nothing is sad. I don't do it, because I don't have physical copies of the cd, artwork, lyrics, liner notes....all the good stuff that comes with the music.
But to say "Oh well, too bad for you. Shouldn't have made a bad business deal." That just sounds like someone who doesn't care about music. I feel that most people who listen to mp3s and never buy cds or vinyl are just into music because they are obsessed with the new gadget to play music on.
I think that if there were no ipods or iphones or mp3 players, most people wouldn't even care about music and it would be more (dare I say) pure fans?
The only streaming site I use is bandcamp.com. The artist is in full control of their music and how much it sells for. I have found a lot of cool bands there.

As for the reissues of Zep...well, I have heard nothing but good things about them. I have not investigated about the box sets and what comes in them, but I do know I want the 2cd versions. I just started buying the 2009 Beatles remasters, because I am in full on Beatles, McCartney and Wings mode right now! So I'll have to wait for when I'm not broke!
Do the Zep reissues have anything to keep the disc from getting scratched (unlike the Beatles, which is really my only complaint about them)?

[The Czar]

I think this is a good statement from Prehensile Pencil at the bottom of his post, but I thought that the full post was important to repost:


From Prehensile Pencil
Although our label, Ad Hoc Records is still running, we are indeed sad to mention that ReR USA Distribution, after more than eleven years of dedicated service, is closing shop. Our business model for distributing Chris Cutler’s ReR catalog, and the other labels we stocked, no matter how radically downsized, was simply not able to survive amidst the general public’s inclinations to illegally download music for free (from YouTube or personal blogs) or legally, for fractions of pennies (from streaming services, like Spotify).

After two years of steadily and rapidly declining sales of both compact discs and legal-entity downloads, we found ourselves in a position where we could neither afford to outright buy multiple copies of new releases, or to do any sort of advertising. So, the writing was on the wall. I had, as the President, the right to declare bankruptcy on behalf of ReR USA, forfeiting any and all debts that the company owed to its creditors. Instead, I've accepted the position to pay off the company's debts, and eventually close shop completely, with a clean slate.

Thanks to all of our customers, some of whom were with us since day 1. It was a pleasure to serve you.

I offer a caveat now, without anger or frustration, but from experience, to those who feel no compunction when d/l'ing illegally, or feel that streaming everything for next to nothing is good: You are sadly aiding and abetting an industry whose technology has become unhinged and disproportionate to what is needed for its own, healthy survival. And you are the ones who will suffer for this practice in the long run, as musicians with integrity will soon be no longer able to make the creative wares which you crave, but do not wish to pay much (if anything) for.

Peace.

[ronmac]

I just started buying the 2009 Beatles remasters,

just curious, mono or stereo?

[The Czar]

Stereo.
I would like the mono box, but it's out of my price range...and I can still buy the individual cds at Target for $12.99

[NeonKnight]

Finally picked up I and III. Had some initial reactions...

I:

All tracks beautifully separated and pristine sounding to these ears. First song hits like the proverbial tons of burning Zeppelin raining down upon Lakehurst NJ. (ohthehumanity)

What really stands out on that first album is the delicious marriage of the acoustic guitar track and the cranked up Telecaster I believe Jimmy used at the time. I know it was done before (by the Who, Kinks and countless others), but somehow Jimmy gets it to sound so much more bad-ass then anyone else before, and very few others since, come to think of it. Seems like a lost art that should be resurrected more often these days, that acoustic/electric interface that actually makes a song rock harder then adding two or even three electric guitar tracks...

I was really looking forward to another live release, I actually prefer most of the time to listen to my favorite band in all their raw and natural live glory, and this 10/10/69 show in Paris does not disappoint. Well actually maybe a little, the first song-Good Times Bad Times/Communications Breakdown- seems more then a bit rough, yet also thats more then understandable at this early stage. They get nothing but better from there on in, with John Paul standing out with some booming gut busting bass sounds. God this version of Heartbreaker is fantastic, it must have been beyond stunning to hear it back then, before II was even released!

III:

Much as I adore I, I think I was even more excited to get to III, even though there is no companion live release, there is the companion disc, with alternate takes of some of the most wonderful music Zeppelin ever released. Every single tune on the companion is sweet to me, I've never heard any of this material before, so to hear the stuff that did not quite make the original cut is such a bonus! I can tell I'll be listening to this companion disc a lot in the near future, not that the remastered stuff is not appreciated, it also sounds great.

Both releases also contain great packaging, so cool that III has the rotating wheel again, and the photographs! Outstanding! So cool to see the difference in the band from I to III, so young and raw at first and then assuming world wide rock star status with the wallets and attitudes to match.

Guessing that some of the photos will also be seen in the upcoming Jimmy Page photo-autobiography, which may also become an auto-buy. (Along with II of course)

[The Czar]

The booklets are disappointing.
No liner notes

[NeonKnight]

To each his own, but I think two CD's, with all the added photos are more then fair for $13 each.

If I want more, I'll get Jimmy's book for $50, and there is always the upcoming inevitable complete box set, with all their releases and I'm sure plenty of liner notes...

[Neoman]

I love all 3 & CAN NOT wait for the next batch!!!