I'm really enjoying the Zeppelin I deluxe remaster. I think that Jimmy Page has succeeded in the same way that Pete Townshend succeeded with the recent Quadrophenia reissue in restoring the original warmth and dynamic depth of the vinyl mixes to replace the one-dimensional shrillness that plagued the first-generation CD releases, but has added an extra clarity and smooth fullness that is only possible with the CD format, and has done so without resorting to overcompression and without making the remasters overly loud and throwing the balance of the instrumentation out of whack--which is my prime complaint with the most recent Pink Floyd and Rolling Stones reissues, where so many of the subtleties that made the music of those classic albums so compelling has been lost in a blur of overemphasis.

The Olympia concert is marvelously bombastic, and sounds like a fully polished BBC mono recording, with the bass so full and upfront. In fact, in listening to this recording, the bass is the lead instrument, with the guitar buried underneath and off to the side with the vocals. It shows what a bone crushing powerhouse they were in the beginning, but also how masterful they were at blending power with great subtlety in a track like White Summer/Black Mountain Side.

People who complain that Zeppelin stole a lot from others can just bugger off. Their musicianship is what sets them apart from so many others, and it is this quality that came from them alone and is something that few could ever match then or since, and the concert disc in this deluxe set proves that they were in a class by themselves and deserve their legendary status.

Looking forward to giving Zeppelin II a listen tonight, and the rough mixes and backing tracks thereof.

How do these new remasters compare sound-wise to those Japanese SHM CDs that came out in 2008? Can anyone make any comparisons that have both?

The rough vox of Whole Lotta Love on disc 2 of Led Zeppelin 2 does indeed have different vocals on it but at the end it gets familiar. Clearly not the final take but they liked the end enough to leave that.

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Sighunt
How do these new remasters compare sound-wise to those Japanese SHM CDs that came out in 2008? Can anyone make any comparisons that have both?

The SHM-CD's are actually the George Marino remasters from the 90's. I've found the new remasters add more warmth and more subtlety to the sound. Also they seem closer to the orginal recordings (in the sense they sound more "analog" than the previous remasters).

These releases blow away exile and some girls deluxe.....I still can't listen to the overdubbed songs..zzzzzzz

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stonehearted
I'm really enjoying the Zeppelin I deluxe remaster.....

People who complain that Zeppelin stole a lot from others can just bugger off. Their musicianship is what sets them apart from so many others, and it is this quality that came from them alone and is something that few could ever match then or since, and the concert disc in this deluxe set proves that they were in a class by themselves and deserve their legendary status.

Looking forward to giving Zeppelin II a listen tonight, and the rough mixes and backing tracks thereof.

Hope you don't mind the edit....I just wanted to comment on the 'musicianship' part of your post.

I LOVE Zeppelin, especially II, III, ZOSO and Physical Graffiti. I LOVE how they evolved and grew from, to my ears, a 'simple' blues stomp band to the musically diverse band they became with a wonderful array of styles. Side 2 of III to me is just beautiful. Gallows Pole and Tangerine are amongst my very fave tracks by anyone ever, and I am looking fwd to receiving my Led Zep III Super deluxe vinyl/CD pack from Amazon in the days ahead....

BUT for me...whilst the BAND is GREAT the musicianship was always a bit sub-par in some fashion. Jimmy Page to my ears is/was on over-rated guitarist, that somehow sounds clumsy to me. Never smooth and prone to awkwardness. Especially LIVE. Bonham was great. Jones on bass sounded OK, on keys was again just OK.

BUT ROLLED in together - EXPLOSIVE!!!!

What I LOVE about them on record though is that hidden instrument - THE SPACE and the echo of NOTHING. When they are playing soft, by their standards!, like on the first few minutes of Kashmir for example, you can literally HEAR the space behind the instruments. It's odd, and to me no other band has ever had the echo of nothingness behind the main tracks they managed to capture. That 'nothingness' fills in where nothing else needs be. It gave their studio recordings a unique atmosphere that I sincerely hope these new remasters don't meddle with!

Rgds
Rod
Perth

the bonus stuff doesn't look like something that would appeal to me to buy these albums again

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bitusa2012
What I LOVE about them on record though is that hidden instrument - THE SPACE and the echo of NOTHING. When they are playing soft, by their standards!, like on the first few minutes of Kashmir for example, you can literally HEAR the space behind the instruments. It's odd, and to me no other band has ever had the echo of nothingness behind the main tracks they managed to capture. That 'nothingness' fills in where nothing else needs be. It gave their studio recordings a unique atmosphere that I sincerely hope these new remasters don't meddle with!

Yes, I know what you mean about the spaces and the atmospheric quality of the recordings, particularly on the early albums. When listening back in the day in my darkened room, I used to imagine them being recorded in a similar way--in a large and darkened studio space. That atmosphere of space, I think, is part of the "light and shade" approach that Jimmy Page brings to music. I'm sure you will be delighted to find that this quality is indeed preserved on these new remasters. Rather than being "meddled with", this atmospheric quality is instead restored and enhanced.

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Silver Dagger

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Mr.D

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Silver Dagger

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Jimmy C
I really don't hear that much of a difference between this remastering and the remastering from the CD Box set from a few years ago, which I believe used the 1990 Remasters.

They don't sound brick walled, but it's certainly not a revelatory difference to my ears.

Yep - I can't hear much difference either. It's not radical. And why couldn't they have given us a 5.1 mix??? I gues that will be in the next re-release in 5 years!

A fan who posts as Holland123 has created dvd-a 5.1 mixes of all the Zeppelin catalog except TSRTS and Coda...I think you can find them on Kickass torrents...they are amazing!

Ugh - love to hear them. I don't do torrents but are there any other ways of obtaining these?

If you live in the U.S. I'll send you one of them so you can check it out. Email me at rmccombsii@att.net.

Page was never clumsy to my ears. He came into his own when he formed Zeppelin I think.

Listen for example to "Since I've been loving you" intro before Plant's vox begin - beautifully executed, metered, superb note choice and bloody fast and smooth.

And it's overplayed no doubt but the solo to "Stairway" is testament enough that he is one of THE greats. And song nicking aside, he was a great composer in his own right.

Still don't know why he ended up on "One hit" though...

I have only listened to LZ I so far and I heard a great difference between this one and previous remasters. Things were leaping out at me with a definition I'd never heard before.

Also, I think Jimmy CHOSE sloppiness as part of his style. What makes me think that is the fact that he was a session musician for so many years. You don't get session work if you're a sloppy guitarist and if you can't play the same thing exactly the same way repeatedly. Also, you can hear examples in 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You', 'Stairway' and 'The Rain Song' that demonstrate how precise a guitarist he could be when he felt it appropriate.

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OzHeavyThrobber
Still don't know why he ended up on "One hit" though...

On July 16, 1985 Jimmy was contacted at the Plaza Hotel in NY by Ronnie Wood with an offer to stop by the studio to contribute to a track of Keith's. (Jimmy was in town for a few days after his performance at Live Aid in Philadelphia). Jimmy agreed and
stopped by RPM Studios later that evening, jamming with Ronnie and Keith well into the night. He contributed to the track (One Hit To The Body) the following day.

It's my understanding The Rolling Stones brought in a number of "guests" during the Dirty Work sessions to help lighten the mood, particularly the tension between Mick & Keith.

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keefriffhard4life
the bonus stuff doesn't look like something that would appeal to me to buy these albums again

They are quite interesting. Ramble On without the lead guitar and different vocals, some instrumental tracks ie no vocals. They mostly sound like early workings of the master track, like Whole Lotta Love - it's clearly the take they used for what went on the LP - but the vocals are completely different until the end.

It's the last time they'll be remastered I'm sure. The remasters sound great. Nothing is slammed.

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crholmstrom
Listening to the concert disc from the new Led Zeppelin 1. It's awesome.

In the midst of the long guitar solo in White Summer you hear Page play what sounds like became the opening licks to Over The Hills...

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GasLightStreet

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crholmstrom
Listening to the concert disc from the new Led Zeppelin 1. It's awesome.

In the midst of the long guitar solo in White Summer you hear Page play what sounds like became the opening licks to Over The Hills...

Wow! Page plagiarizing himself!
I wonder if he will sue himself?

HA HA!

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GasLightStreet

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keefriffhard4life
the bonus stuff doesn't look like something that would appeal to me to buy these albums again

They are quite interesting. Ramble On without the lead guitar and different vocals, some instrumental tracks ie no vocals. They mostly sound like early workings of the master track, like Whole Lotta Love - it's clearly the take they used for what went on the LP - but the vocals are completely different until the end.

It's the last time they'll be remastered I'm sure. The remasters sound great. Nothing is slammed.

i'm sure there are interesting things on there but money it tight and i own that complete studio albums boxset

I got my copies for $13.88 each--and that's the 2-disc deluxe version. Most places have a discount sale going when a release is first out. So it's a great buy even if you own the complete album box set, because I can tell you the mixes on these are fantastic--it's like the vinyl has been perfectly transferred to CD only without the snap, crackle and pop of the old records. It will be like hearing LZ again for the first time, and seriously, you won't even want to listen to your other CD versions after you've heard these. So starve yourself for a couple of days, live on bread, water, and spaghetti for a week--it will be worth it!

LZI extra disc is pointless, a well known bootlegged gig from a bit too long after the LZI sessions and it's been edited.

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stonehearted
I got my copies for $13.88 each--and that's the 2-disc deluxe version. Most places have a discount sale going when a release is first out. So it's a great buy even if you own the complete album box set, because I can tell you the mixes on these are fantastic--it's like the vinyl has been perfectly transferred to CD only without the snap, crackle and pop of the old records. It will be like hearing LZ again for the first time, and seriously, you won't even want to listen to your other CD versions after you've heard these. So starve yourself for a couple of days, live on bread, water, and spaghetti for a week--it will be worth it!

Sounds good...just received the 2-disc deluxe copies a couple days ago at $13.88 via amazon pre-order (Zep II was $14.88 for some odd reason).
I'm holding out until tomorrow night to listen to all three at my art studio with killer stereo, good friends, and a case of beer.
It will be like the 1970's all over again!

And...the wheel spins on the Zep III!!! haha

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

I listened to LZ1 with my earbuds at work. The remaster is really good. I heard a lot of parts that I had never heard before (little guitar & keyboard fills, etc.). I'm going to have to get the other 2, sigh. LZ3 should be phenomenal.

Wondering if Physical Graffiti deluxe version will come with two discs worth of outtakes, demos, live stuff, etc.
I'm sure there's a mountain of good stuff from that period.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

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keefriffhard4life

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GasLightStreet

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keefriffhard4life
the bonus stuff doesn't look like something that would appeal to me to buy these albums again

They are quite interesting. Ramble On without the lead guitar and different vocals, some instrumental tracks ie no vocals. They mostly sound like early workings of the master track, like Whole Lotta Love - it's clearly the take they used for what went on the LP - but the vocals are completely different until the end.

It's the last time they'll be remastered I'm sure. The remasters sound great. Nothing is slammed.

i'm sure there are interesting things on there but money it tight and i own that complete studio albums boxset

They're not limited editions so, as they say, the print won't change.

So much better than exile deluxe and some girls deluxe, sorry to say, all the overdub stuff the stones did is lame from historic point of view

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His Majesty
LZI extra disc is pointless, a well known bootlegged gig from a bit too long after the LZI sessions and it's been edited.

Not for me - never heard it until this reissue!

An overrated band that was envious of the Stones.

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Brstonesfan
An overrated band that was envious of the Stones.

Uh huh.

You know what was overrated? Hootie & The Blowfish. 14 million wrong people.

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GasLightStreet

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Brstonesfan
An overrated band that was envious of the Stones.

Uh huh.

You know what was overrated? Hootie & The Blowfish. 14 million wrong people.

Hate the Hootie!

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GasLightStreet

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His Majesty
LZI extra disc is pointless, a well known bootlegged gig from a bit too long after the LZI sessions and it's been edited.

Not for me - never heard it until this reissue!

Seconded! Besides, you won't here the bootleg as full and clean and clear as on disc 2 of the deluxe.

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stonehearted

Seconded! Besides, you won't here the bootleg as full and clean and clear as on disc 2 of the deluxe.

It still sounds iffy due to how it was recorded and it's chopped up.

Yah can't have been that much of a Led Zep fan before if this is the first time you heard that concert.