Item Description
We come from the land of the ice and snow, From the midnight sun, where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands, To fight the horde, singing and crying, Valhalla, I am coming On we sweep with threshing oar, our only goal will be the western shore.
We come from the land of the ice and snow, From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore, Of how we calmed the tides of war, We are your overlords.
On we sweep with threshing oar, our only goal will be the western shore.
So now you d better stop and rebuild all your ruins, For peace and trust can win the day, despite of all you re losing.
LED ZEPPELIN: Led Zeppelin III LP.
FIRST UK PRESSING, ISSUED 7th OCTOBER, 1970.
RED MAROON ATLANTIC LABEL: Atlantic Deluxe 240 -1002 In the tradition of the early Led Zeppelin UK albums, variations to the label text happened during the initial stages of pressing the pre-release records and printing the labels.
There were no variations to Atlantic Deluxe 240 -1002 covers, all the text was consistent and remained unchanged until the late 1971 - early 1972 rotating wheel covers had the 240 -1002 catalogue number altered to the new Kinney Records , K 5002.
That was for for the re-designed Kinney green orange Atlantic labels, so first issue red maroon label records and covers only existed for just over one year....a very short period for a huge selling album.
The only cover variations concerned how the incredibly complex and bulky gatefold covers were folded and assembled, this particular first edition cover had a very interesting variation because when it was folded at a slight angle, the spine had an extra part of the back added to the square shaped spine to create....
a rare wide spine Led Zeppelin III cover.
I have never seen this before and I doubt if I will ever see I again, the slight angle did not affect how straight the cover itself was assembled, only the inside of the gatefold was slightly out of line with the front it was stuck onto to create the additional compartment to accommodate the front s wheel.
The spine is nearly perfectly straight, if with a white border underneath the main black title background, intended to be exclusively the colour of the spine.
Best seen in my close up picture of the central title lettering , there you will see the unusual sight of a white and black spine, the bottom or left hand white border is so thick, it represents approximately a third of the overall size of a now, wide spine .
Amazingly all the very thin outside edges black thin border is 100 present and that is major rarity for this cover, so none of the black edging or piping was lost during the assembly and gluing.
Variations create individuality and the just finished 1960 s decade was inspired by and thrived on non conformity, it would require a printer experienced with making LP covers to explain how this was possible, without intending to create a wide spine with a third of it white.
My experience with this cover since buying the album and cassette version in 1970, does allow me to positively state, this is an astounding condition gatefold cover regardless of having a wide spine .
Then, the once only played record was always going to have a very special condition cover, for the best indication of a Mint record, please look at the spindle holes, especially Side 2 s for the substantial amount of delicate micro thin shavings, almost defiantly still in the same position of the final stage at Polydor s pressing plant back, in September, 1970.
Fortunately, pressing Led Zeppelin III was fairly straight forward and I can place the order of events into three sections.
All the vinyl was identical, so was the staggering sound quality for all records on sale in record shops on the 7th October,1970.
This only concerns minor label text, for the three stages, this record has the second phase labels, to actually identify the actual first pressing, they had A-5/ B-5 matrix endings right up to Stage 2 , then into the third stage when a mis-titled track added to the Led Zeppelin legacy of mistakes with label printing.
An earlier production credit was completely tied into a management and artist battle of wills between Jimmy Page Peter Grant, NOT a printing error, this record has A-5/ B-7 matrix endings and therefore Side 1 s labels has Celebration Day incorrectly printed as only Celebration , in effect, changing the meaning of the song.
As two Stages had passed during the manufacturing, far less records had that the rarer of the label text variations, I am more concerned with condition s.
Fully detailing a pressing is a matter of presenting my records accurately as possible, without ever resorting to copying from text books or websites, where far more mistakes are made than any 1960 s 1970 s printers All the first pressings had exactly the same top quality vinyl and textured labels with the usual Polydor/Atlantic design, the order of events for the labels will make the ideal place to start, it really is very simple and will not take long.
STAGE 1 The top section of the labels above the white dividing band had the production credit: Produced By Jimmy Page Executive Producer: Peter Grant Peter Grant s credit was disputed by the band, well, Jimmy Page really, only the very first printed batch of labels had that and the catalogue number was printed without a hyphen as 2401002 ......
I did say this was minor STAGE 2 a.
Peter Grant s credit was removed but it remained unchanged inside the gatefold cover, Produced By Jimmy Page was moved into the bottom half underneath the white band with the Atlantic lettering and logo.
The new location for all following labels was positioned underneath the Warner Bros.
Music Ltd.
credit.
b.
Stage 1 Stage 2 s first printed labels had the correct full title for the track on Side 1, Celebration Day.
STAGE 3 This Record s Labels As above for a , the third batch of labels contained a printer s error, the track was credited as Celebration without Day , unlike the claims made on ebay for that being exclusive to the earliest records made, the reverse is true MAITRIX: 2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7 Like the catalogue number on the unamended Stage 1 labels the suffix 2401002 was scribed as just given, but the spine and the inside of the gatefold cover have the usual and intended Atlantic format of the catalogue number, 240 1002.
I believe that is generally known but not how it originated, Polydor Test Pressings had plain white labels because the actual labels were not finalised, nor were the covers made yet in case alterations were made to the track configuaration.
The labels of first pressing standard manufactured records, mirrored the format scribed onto the Test Pressing LP s.
Vinyl is unaffected by minor printing changes like a hyphen and a production credit, the records that were pressed from the same metal stamping plates regardless of what happens during printing the label text.
I realise it was not ideal, but in order to show the information in the run-out grooves, I had to compile 4 items into one picture and with the poor, gloomy December light, I took pictures with a combination of light and shadows.
Turning the scribed maitrix and messages white against a black background made the four compiled pictures much clearer to read, please remember to click on the picture box to enlarge the pictures to full screen size.
Even the original 1970 inner sleeve had to have the manufacturing date added to the main picture of the inner sleeve.
I included both cryptic messages directly after the Side s they were on, they are always hard to take sharp pictures of because of how shallow the lettering is, but both will be readable in the compiled picture I mentioned.
By the time this pressing info section is finished, even the most inexperienced with the UK first pressings of Led Zeppelin III, will have every possible scrap of detail to understand any of the multitude of records pressed in 1970.
LIKE ALL UK ORIGINAL PRESSINGS, TWO CRYPTIC MESSAGES WERE SCRIBED IN THE RUN-OUT GROOVES BY TERRY MANNING, THE VINYL CUTTER AND CO- SOUND ENGINEER, ON JIMMY PAGE S REQUEST: SIDE 1: Do What Thou Wilt SIDE 2: So Mote It Be The o of the word mote has a 2 digit stamped on top, one of the wandering digits used for indexing that are spread around the run-out grooves.
I have never understood their role when all Polydor related records had the main indexing precisely set out in the initial position.
The actual text the above were derived from was far from menacing or dark, but there was not enough room to hand write the two sentences they originated in.
THEY WERE TAKEN FROM ALEISTER CROWLEY S BOOK, Philosopy Of Thelema , THE MAIN PASSAGE IS: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
Love is the law, love under will .
There is no law beyond do what thou wilt.
ORIGINAL 1970 ATLANTIC / POLYDOR POLY-LINED INNER SLEEVE, HARDLY USED, UNSPLIT, LIGHTLY AGED WITH A RECORD IMPRESSION, UNLESS A NEAR MINT RECORD, IT IS RARE TO FIND THE ACTUAL INNER THE ALBUM WAS FIRST BOUGHT WITH.
This once played record is naturally in the original and printed on in code the front bottom right is the day it was made 0770 July, 1970.
It was made a few weeks before Led Zeppelin III was released on the 7th October, 1970, obviously the inner sleeves had to be in advance of the vinyl, which would have been pressed in August to September, 1970.
You cannot possibly get any more conclusive evidence of an authentic very first UK pressing....regardless of any label text ONLY USED ONCE AND IN EXCELLENT /NEAR MINT CONDITION.
VERY FIRST ISSUE, UK ONLY, E J Day PRINTED, FULLY LAMINATED GATEFOLD COVER WITH A ROTATING WHEEL, WITH DIE CUT HOLES TO SEE MOVING PICTURES THROUGH.
ALL ELEVEN HOLES, TWELVE IF YOU INCLUDE THE HALF MOON FINGERS TURNING POSITION, HAVE PERFECTLY CRISP, AS NEW EDGES, I AM POSITIVELY INCLUDING THAT CENTRAL ACCESS TO TURNING THE WHEEL THE ROTATING PICTURES WHEEL IS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER.
THE FRONT HAS Atlantic Deluxe PRINTED ON THE BOTTOM WITHIN THE LIGHT BLUE BOXED ATLANTIC LOGO THE SPINE AND THE INSIDE GATEFOLD COVER HAVE THE ORIGINAL CATALOGUE NUMBER Atlantic Deluxe 2401 002.
THE TRACKS, SLEEVE NOTES, ALBUM PRINTER ARE LOCATED INSIDE THE GATEFOLD ON THE RIGHT HAND PANEL, PANEL, GERMAN MADE COVERS HAVE THAT ON THE LEFT HAND PANEL, MINUS THE E J Day CREDIT OF COURSE.
While on the subject of German covers, Led Zeppelin albums on the Atlantic label until 1973 and then onto Swan Song in 1975, regularly have German pressings being constantly sold on ebay as UK pressings, by those without morals.
For very obvious reasons Led Zeppelin 3 covers are borrowed from the German originals by sellers to use in place of battered, badly stained UK originals, when the wheels are loose, lost, bent or just disappeared in the 1970 s.
Also the much later re-issues are being sold as UK originals, the German Led Zeppelin 3 looks initially similar on the outside due to the same pale blue Atlantic Deluxe logo, front bottom centre.
Unlike the UK cover logo, the German cover has SD 7201, the German catalogue number printed underneath it, unlike the UK cover, SD 7201 was not printed on the spine.
Such small small details are hard to see on a PC, but turn the cover over and on the back bottom right corner has a rather large clue, printed in large black bold letters is MADE IN GERMANY I MUST START BY INSISTING HOW AMAZINGLY CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL WHITE BACKGROUND THIS BEAUTIFUL FIRST ISSUE IS, NOW THE REALITY OF MANUFACTURING SUCH A COMPLEX GATEFOLD COVER.
In the 60 s and early 1970 s, a white cover was normally more of an ivory white, almost a light cream colour, as the years moved past the 1970 s, a pure white was introduced, but not in 1970 I am referring to the original ivory white background here.
THE UK COVERS ABSORBED THE VERY THICK GLUE NEEDED TO HOLD THE EXTRA INNER WHEEL , THE WHOLE GATEFOLD COVER WAS GIVEN AN EXTRA SKIN OF THICK CARDBOARD TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH A UNIQUE DESIGN.
OFTEN MISTAKEN AS AGEING OR STAINING.
ANY OTHER COLOUR THAN A WHITE BACKGROUND WOULD HAVE MASKED THE GLUE SO IT COMES WITH THE TERRITORY, HOWEVER A STUNNING CONDITION COVER LIKE THIS MUST NOT BE DOWN GRADED BECAUSE IT WAS THERE IN 1970 WHEN FIRST BOUGHT, I KNOW BECAUSE IT WAS THERE ON MY COPY BOUGHT THE DAY OF RELEASE THIS COVER ONLY SUPERFICIALLY HAS THAT SHOWING ANYWAY, OF COURSE THERE ARE GROSSLY DISCOLOURED AND STAINED ORIGINALS, I AM ONLY DISCUSSING HARDLY USED COVERS WITH NEAR MINT / MINT RECORDS AND PROTECTIVE ORIGINAL 1970 POLY-LINED INNER SLEEVES INSIDE THEM.
THE SIMPLE WAY TO TELL IF THIS WAS FROM THE FIXING GLUE OR AGEING AND STAINING IS FROM THE TOP, NOT UNDERNEATH, IS BY LOOKING AT THE GLUE POSITIONS.
AROUND THE FRONT AND BACK S PERIMETER OR MORE LIKE A BORDER AND THEN ACROSS THE CENTRE.
ASSUMING THAT IS NOT DISCOLOURATION OR AGEING, LIKE THIS COVER THE AREAS AROUND THAT WILL BE THE ORIGINAL 1970 WHITE.
THEN YOU WILL HAVE A PERFECTLY STORED, BARELY USED COVER, WHICH INDEED THIS IS, THE RECORD WAS ONLY PLAYED ONCE I meant not to type that in capital letters, better late than never, Part 2 involves the inside due to the same scenario, the left hand panel always has an aged appearance when compared to the right panel.
Usually the inside escapes ageing unless the cover has been left in damp conditions and stored outdoors or even worse in the much claimed golden find s in attics.
Once again the excessive glue affected the far left panel because of the rotating wheel within the die-cut outer cardboard, the right edge of the right side panel had the internal glue line there from sticking the record storage compartment together.
Please see my pictures for how this cover follows the same pattern for top condition records, especially for the main pure white background to the wonderfully surrealistic artwork, the left side can often be slightly darker due to the glue., but not on this remarkable cover.
The rarest feature of this cover is the continuous thin black border is 100 in place, that border surrounds the entire outside edges and meets the black spine at both ends.
The mentioned slightly angled gluing together of the inside to the outside, due to the bulk inside at the front, created a fractional overlapping edge to the outside.
Amazingly even the bottom right corner is still 100 present, the lack of support underneath that fraction, had a minor curl effect , I cannot stress enough how average use would have worn that bottom right corner s border clean away without that supporting backing finishing fractional under the front s far right edge.
Even most of the fully supported bottom right corners are badly worn away there with use and storage, this incredible cover is precisely how it was first made, under those circumstances I have to grade this as how it was finished in August to September, 1970 and compare that to how it looks today in December, 2014, it should be Mint ANY MINIMAL NATURAL AGEING IS HARDLY WORTHY OF INCLUSION, BOTH ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
A REALLY STUNNING LOOKING COVER WITH A PERFECT SPINE WITH ONLY THE MEREST BRUSHING TO THE ENDINGS.
HANDLING/ STORAGE SIGNS AND MINIMAL BRUSHING TO THOSE THIN EXPOSED STANDING EDGE S THIN BLACK BORDER, INCLUDING THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURING ON THE OTHER CORNERS, THAT SIMPLY HAD TO HAPPEN OVER A 44 YEAR PERIOD.
A FEW RIPPLES AND SOME OF THOSE WERE CREATED WHEN THE DIFFICULTY OF FOLDING AND ASSEMBLING SUCH A UNIQUELY DESIGNED GATEFOLD COVER.
A REALLY BEAUTIFUL COVER, I INSIST ON THE STRICTEST GRADING OF EXCELLENT / NEAR MINT CONDITION, FOR UNIQUE DESIGNS LIKE THIS, I PLACE FULL EMPHASIS FIRMLY ON NEAR MINT AND NOT EXCELLENT.
THE LABELS ARE IN PRISTINE CONDITION AND THE FAINTEST OF FAINT SPINDLE ALIGNMENT TRACES SHOW THE RECORD WAS ONLY PLAYED ONCE.
THERE ARE NO SCRATCHES, OVER THE WHOLE OF THE TWO SIDES THERE ARE NO OBVIOUS FEATHER LIGHT, NEAR INVISIBLE TO INVISIBLE HANDLING TRACES.
THE RECORD LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PRESSED TODAY, NOT 44 YEARS AGO, DEEPLY GLOSSY AND JUST ONE PLAY IS A DREAM SCENARIO, ESPECIALLY FOR SIDE 2 s ACOUSTIC TRACKS.
THE DELICATE VINYL SHAVINGS ARE TIGHT AGAINST THE SPINDLE HOLE S OUTSIDE RIM OF, SO I COULD PLAY IT.
THE SOUND IS JUST STAGGERING, FOR ALL MY ATTENTION TO PRESSING AND PRINTING DETAILS, MY LOVE OF THE MUSIC CAN FINALLY COME INTO THE EQUATION.
THE POTENCY OF A VERY FIRST PRESSING WITHOUT ANY WEAR IS UNBELIEVABLE, INCLUDING ALL THE ACOUSTIC TRACKS, THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO STATIC AND MOST CERTAINLY, NO CRACKLES OR CLICKS.
THE RECORD IS IN MINT CONDITION.
SIDE 1 Immigrant Song Jimmy Page /Robert Plant Friends Jimmy Page / Robert Plant Celebration Day John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page / Robert Plant Since I ve Been Loving You John Paul Jones / Jimmy Page / Robert Plant Out On the Tiles John Bonham / Jimmy Page / Robert Plant SIDE 2 Gallows Pole Traditional, arranged by Jimmy Page Robert Plant Tangerine Jimmy Page That s The Way Jimmy Page / Robert Plant Bron-Y-Aur Stomp John Paul Jones / Jimmy Page / Robert Plant Hats Off To Harper Traditional, arranged by Charles Obscure Produced by Jimmy Page.
Recorded in England At: Headley Grange, East Hampshire - May June 1970.
Olympic Studios, London - May June 1970.
Island Records Studio, just built at Basing Street, London, in July 1970.
Sound Engineers - Andy Johns Terry Manning.
Mixed August,1970, at Ardent Studios, Memphis, USA.
1969 was the year Led Zeppelin inherited the mantle of the world s greatest rock band and for the first time they dispensed with the once mandatory obligation to release singles to be successful in Britain.
In the late 1960 s the world s leading artists like the Beatles, Bob Dylan Brian Wilson dropped out of touring in order to become studio recording artists only.
Led Zeppelin were were very much the leaders of the new breed of musicians who thrived on live concerts and only releasing albums, then their LP s were of the awesome variety They of course had little or no control outside the UK of singles being taken from albums and being released, here they had relied entirely on their first two amazing 1969 LP s.
The year drained the band and following a tradition started by Traffic when they formed in 1967, to recharge their batteries, Jimmy Page Robert Plant also went to the countryside and rented a cottage overlooking a valley, while getting it together to write new songs.
The gatefold cover s inside liner notes partly tell how in the early part of 1970, they stayed at Bron-Yr-Aur, an old 18th century cottage on a hill in Gwynedd, Wales.
Not only recovering from their first year of tremendous success, this was directly after an American tour and provided a haven, a few months living in peace and quiet.
That setting was not exactly conducive to heavy electric rock, they played and wrote many acoustic songs, the main reason the second side is indeed entirely acoustic, including a song titled after the cottage they found so much inspiration in.
The old cottage was without water from taps or even electricity, it was not just the feel of the place, it only permitted acoustic guitars, Jimmy Page had also been listening to a great deal of folk music.
One of the albums he later said was a firm favourite and was obviously playing constantly during 1970 was Fairport Convention s Liege Lief , released in late 1969.
It was Sandy Denny s last album with them until 1974, in the following year Sandy was invited to sing that amazing duet with Robert on their fourth album.
As well as admiring and enjoying Richard Thompson s incredible guitar playing on that truly inspired Liege Lief , Jimmy also loved Bert Jansch s acoustic guitar style.
The late Bert, had written sleeve notes for the first real album of another folk artist who had a song on this album named after him, Roy Harper.
Roy met Led Zeppelin at the 1969 Bath Festival and Jimmy loved his acoustic guitar style, the pair often got together over the years and in particular in this acoustic flavoured 1970, he guested uncredited on Roy Harper s acclaimed Stormcock album.
Their break in Wales was over and was now time to record a third album to establish their colossal talent was not just another fleeting trend, a common occurrence in the post psychedelic era.
For a band who had rejected the singles format in the UK, it meant a whole year passed without them releasing any new records, for fans expectations were extremely high.
John Bonham and John Paul Jones joined Jimmy and Robert at another rural setting in East Hampshire, Headley Grange was a long neglected old country house but another ideal setting to pick up on the feel of the songs with the band back as a unit, rehearsing the new material.
The studio facilities there meant recording began May and June, while also travelling to London to record in Olympic Studios, they completed the album at Island Record s newly built, Basing Street Studios.
Then it was off to America for a tour but the master tapes came with and the album was mixed in Memphis, at Ardent Studios in August,1970, quite an enchanting way to make an album because it was inspired by stepping outside the modern world and really touching base with Jimmy and Robert s musical roots.
By 1970, Jimmy Page s production skills and the band s ability to make stunning records with the likes of Eddie Kramer, created a really special album.
it was not just about acoustic music, there was also heavy rock, psychedelia and slow burning electric blues, you may have gathered I am very fond of their third album and extremely fussy about how I hear it Led Zeppelin 3 was released early October,1970, that anticipation from their fans and this one was rewarded with a remarkable LP, all of the elements of their stunning first two records were there, but so much more.
The year s live concerts had tightened Led Zeppelin into becoming a formidable band and they took that into making this LP, as well as magical surrounding s that led to such fantastic material.
An ability in a recording studio had been beyond question even before they recorded their debut album, in Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones they had the UK s most sought after session musicians and arrangers throughout the 1960 s.
After the first pair of LP s, in 1970 Led Zeppelin 3 had taken giant strides in sound textures, having followed Jimmy Page since 1966 when he joined the Yardbirds, I naturally bought the debut and second Led Zeppelin LP s in 1969 and was hooked for life, buying their latest albums had become a very exciting event by 1970.
I feel it is essential to share my experience and knowledge about first pressings, today the internet gives instant knowledge, but with that comes fallacies, fables and mistakes, some innocent but there is a deliberation for financial gain that is distasteful.
I often feel the only way to offset that is present solid facts but they are in truth boring in comparison to hearing an album as incredible as this, I also try to include how it felt to actually buy these great records as they were first recorded released.
Going along to my local record shop and returning with an unbelievable looking cover,re-instilled the joys of the unexpected, the 1960 s had made us so accustomed to.
Just when you thought that those heyday of astounding covers were over and they were now becoming bland and merely functional after such magnificent psychedelic late 60 s artwork, here was an absolutely stunning gatefold cover.
A turning wheel cover designed by an old friend of Jimmy s from his Art school days, a rotating wheel on the front moved the variety of images set behind the die-cut little round windows, with so many different pictures to bring round, it had never been thought of or attempted before or since.
Here was the ultimate cover to hold and move around the rotating pictures while you listened to the record, such inspired music was never better represented.
Strong memories of my first impression in 1970 of the great Led Zeppelin 3 are the very reasons why an original album of this magnitude is still capable of giving you all the same excitement a Zeppelin fan experienced in 1970.
To get close as possible to how you first bought the album, was always my burning ambition when I first started selling great albums like this, every years moves further away and it gets harder to do, but when I can produce stunning first pressings like this, it s well worth waiting for.
This might be a non analogue digital era but all the constant re-mastering onto CD formats and then any subsequent downloading to Ipods or hard drives, will never be a substitute for the real thing.
The real beauty of these true great albums is anyone who missed that era, time may not allow you to slip back to experience a Led Zeppelin concert, but the magic of original vinyl allows you the same experience of exactly how the music sounded on the day an album was first released.
As ever the condition of a record that is essential in our digitalised, clinically clean sound now available, but having just been blown away yesterday and just before starting writing this, hearing the stunning sound quality again from this incredible first pressing, those 44 years were turned all the way back to that day of release, in October,1970 when I first saw and heard Led Zeppelin III.
As early as 1970, the back and some of pictures on the rotating wheel cover, would become the last to feature pictures of the band, in fact, even the 1982 Coda only had band pictures inside the gatefold, purely to represent the mixture of early and later tracks as a retrospective collage.
Time for some music Please bear in mind this massively heavyweight, deep groove record is not even close to being run-in yet, pressing related static will be included but not as permanent fixtures, but that was only trivial during my earlier play and maybe all but removed.
I was amazed by the fullness of the bottom end on the rock tracks and acoustic tracks, the album sounded absolutely stunning I had to make a concerted effort to turn my attention to the pressing info, I can t wait for a second hearing.
Even the very first run-in grooves right from alongside the actual outside edge of the heavyweight record, only have the faintest possible, low level static, too low to include really, I am trying to be objective and critical...of near perfection In reality, Side 1 has problem free and silent run-in grooves, the merest static of a Mint record and then with simply astonishing power, Jimmy Page s really heavy guitar riff introduces, Immigrant Song .
The extra tightness in their playing I mentioned before, is there to hear because that was gained since their second album in 1969.
With the thunderous bass and drums from the two John s and Page s guitar was also mastered at the maximum volume, all in a fantastic sensory first stereo mix.
That excessive volume created major problems for overplayed and abused copies, which most were This record has that incredible volume all the first pressings were mastered with, as usual I make sure my own amp is kept at the customary extremely loud setting.
That way I can say there s not even a hint of the terrible distortion the average condition original pressings suffer from.
They were subjected to really heavy plays in the initial few weeks of purchase alone, I had friends who left albums like this on continuous plays all night for weeks on end I immediately hear if the sound is precisely of a Mint record, I had better cut out my normal stream of of connected details.
On top of that heavy instrumental backing, Robert Plant s majestic vocals just soar with absolutely perfect sound definition.
What a fantastic impact to begin an album with, Immigrant Song followed on from how their previous album was propelled along at a blistering velocity from the the opening track Finishing into a nearly silent first gap, only ultra faint static and into the studio mutters of a false start, Two is called out for the second take and after one more attempt Jimmy Page settles comfortably into the acoustic guitar intro.
I just love those moments that were left on a record, because they give you a feel of the actual recording session, something bootleg collector s know rather well The clarity from Jimmy s acoustic guitar intro is just stunning, without any form of surface sound even here, as you can actually hear Jimmy Page s fingers sliding along the guitar strings as he changed chords.
CD s continue to re-master Led Zeppelin albums, but I have yet to hear anything that is even close to touching this original flawless mastering to vinyl.
Providing a record has unworn grooves as these most certainly are, how can Friends possibly be improved? Considering an acoustic guitar dominated this song, such superb and crystal clear audio, there was never any reason to change a single thing.
Then there s the sensational first 1970 stereo panning effects that disappear into a void of centralised re-panning, because these are full strength and completely unworn music signals, they will definitely blow away any CD Not even the slightest static in the next gap and I am extremely fussy, a brilliant production of Friends is essentially heard from original vinyl, with a touch of the great Kashmir from the 1975 Physical Graffiti album, in an earlier incarnation.
Another completely silent gap, so another perfectly clean intro, Celebration Day explodes from my speakers in really powerful sound, with every single part of this recording in the most stunning audio clarity.
Now a superbly delivered Robert Plant vocal, John Bonham was a colossus of rhythm The stereo is mesmerising to follow so I will not attempt to describe the amazing panning effects, Jimmy s two guitar parts, the lead and rhythm are constantly changing positions in the right and left speakers.
All heard in perfect sound quality, now a key track from a sound grading perspective of this album, the gap remains as silent as a tape, if there was any surface sound I would say so, I never duck describing in full such an exposed to noise intro like this, slow searing blues of Since I ve Been Loving You, has a fantastic, ultra clean and clear intro to my own personally most loved Led Zeppelin 3 performance.
Astonishingly, the whole of that long and really slowly building up opening section, has a completely silent background for Jimmy Page s inspired burning blues guitar, John Bohnam s drumming and John Paul Jones bass guitar and organ.
Literally no surface sound at all during the superb instrumental intro and for the whole duration of the magnificent Since I ve Been Loving You .
This album s original senses tingling stereo mix finds Jimmy s guitar panned almost entirely into the left channel, plus a part of John s immense percussion is in with it.
From the right speaker, the organ, the drums and bass, Robert Plant s vocal is equally spread across both of the channels.
With some amazing sound movement as well, with the organ and guitar changing their positions in the speakers, this is Led Zeppelin playing the purest, slow blues and what a sensational performance At first they smoulder along, the burning emotional intensity then ignites and erupts into simply awesome music This is a track I detest hearing from worn out vinyl, there are so many places where the instrumental backing drops right away leaving a near silence, in fact, the whole of the track is usually drowned out by loud annoying crackles and clicks, all this is in the most stunning sound quality imaginable.
Robert s vocals are as inspired as anything he ever sung, the sound from the record is heard to it s maximum power, as well as having the immaculately clean sound this left the pressing plant with, in 1970.
The song s ending finds only John s drum snares quietly still resonating with a few fading organ notes, even here there s no surface sound at all.
Then after just a split second break, the next perfectly clean intro comes thundering in, Out On The Tiles returns to the pile driving heavy rock in real style.
Loud and extremely heavy, just the way to enjoy Led Zeppelin I mentioned before how the sheer impact of the music had the same force as their live concerts on the first pressings, well, Out On The Tiles makes an entrance straight from those last organ notes from, Since I ve Been Loving You.
Not only is there none of the usual crackles and clicks, there is no surface sound at all, that dramatic impact is emphasised to the point your senses are mercilessly assaulted from the stereo panning effects.
A far better example comes just after the first chorus, Robert Plant begins singing the next lyrics, I m so glad I m living, and on the word living , the first pressings have the word Stop said from the right speaker.
I believe that was Jimmy Page s voice calling out an instruction during the recording of the backing track, Page s guitar is heard in staggering sound quality, the bass guitar and drums couldn t be more powerfully projected than this record.
John Bonham s drum rolls begin in one speaker and carry on into the opposite channel in a really tremendous feat of true stereo effects This record is beyond any superlatives, now for the toughest side of any Led Zeppelin original vinyl for potential wear induced major sound irritants, whether the record is 44 years old or not, I can say in advance.....
there are none An amazing record, Side Two only has faint static in the run-in grooves, another ultra clean intro begins, which is essential to this opener, because Page s single acoustic guitar intro for Gallow s Pole is panned entirely right and the sheer clarity of that intro is just breathtaking, but that was how this record was first pressed back in 1970 Just sensationally clear sound for the acoustic guitar and vocals only intro, also from the right channel, Robert Plant s vocals in unison with the acoustic guitar, now move across into the left channel, where they are accompanied by Jimmy s second acoustic guitar.
The effect/impact of hearing the two differently recorded guitar parts playing in both ears, is incredible, especially in such stunning, razor sharp edged audio of Mint vinyl.
A banjo style from Page was ideal for this traditional song, a really magical moment happens when Page s electric guitar comes in, giving the track a really rousing ending.
With the fantastic mixture of acoustic and electric instruments, fading out gradually into a near silence, Jimmy s gently played acoustic guitar at the beginning of Tangerine, is stunningly clear again and sharp edged.
This deeply beautiful song is the album s most melodic track, at first a folk style guitar works perfectly with lovely chords from the acoustic guitar.
The sound is awesome, I cannot stress enough how just superb this sound reproduction is and how the first two songs on this acoustic side are normally in terrible sound, due to their acoustic fragility, they become painful, an unlistenable mess.
Not on this immaculate record, without even the natural static I would expect from other albums, as I said just now, even the second side is absolutely perfect From a near silent gap, the beautiful That s The Way features glorious sound textures that are just as vitally heard in pristine sound quality, which is exactly how the wonderful song plays.
The very tone of beautiful acoustic guitars is stunningly clear, but the major effects from this great track is the sheer power of the mastering to vinyl.
The overwhelming waves of sound produced is in audio so pure, I can only describe this a being master tape quality, Robert s voice has a certain tone lost on worn out vinyl, here it rings out with such immaculate sound even during the subtlest vocal inflections.
This is the very sound of the acoustic tracks that would appear on the next year s Four Symbols LP, a combination of fantastic acoustic guitar sounds with the vocal, the sheer clarity of the harmonised ah s is unbelievable.
Sound quality of this excellence is so rare on these, the most sensitive tracks on the entire album, even more so than the slow blues of Since I ve Been Loving You , a lovely psychedelic sound effect has a really soothing quality, now as the final note of That s The Way dies away naturally, the very short gap runs as smooth as silk and in total silence on yet another absolutely vital position on this second side.
Another purely acoustic intro for the brilliant, Bron -Y-Aur Stomp , is so stunningly clean, I can t even tell the beautiful sounds are being generated by a record, except for having such fantastic analogue sound quality Acoustic blues of this delicacy is still being thoroughly enjoyed in awesome sound quality from original 1970 vinyl, this is most certainly a rarity, when it is though, this dazzling first made stereo mix really comes into it s own.
Re-mastering the track was nothing short of a criminal act Every single handclap, guitar note, percussion, lead vocals and backing harmonies, were all so carefully crafted into the stereo panning effects, all Led Zeppelin recording s became renowned for having such an intoxicating listening experience.
This acoustic side is such a tough one to find still with the original 1970 sound perfection like this, from yet another silent set of linking grooves, Hats Off To Harper is a continuation of acoustic blues and it became the most perfect ending for this acoustic set.
With the stunning bottle neck or the slide blues guitar, from such an inspired Jimmy Page entirely in the right channel and Robert Plant staggering vocals positioned from the left, the effectiveness here was a form of musical perfection.
The sound is just stunning The Harper Led Zeppelin tipped their hats towards, is of course the great Roy Harper, may be not a widely known name but he is a musical genius Pink Floyd also acknowledged Roy Harper as a colossal talent on their 1975 Syd Barrett tribute LP, Wish You Were Here.
If anyone hasn t heard his music, check out any of one of Roy Harper s albums, you will be left wondering how such talent could possibly go so overlooked.
A track normally full of explosive crackles but even as exposed as this is without any drums, there is not a suggestion of surface sound, just the slide guitar and the single voice is all you hear.
This is a truly immaculate playing record, when fully tested on this acoustic side, does it deliver Roy R M RECORDS.
My lifetime s love of music and records began at a very young age, the arrival of the Beatles and the 1960 s decade in general had a very profound effect.
It was only natural to bring all my first hand experience of collecting vinyl into becoming a professional record seller.
Over twenty years ago now we entered into the wonderful atmosphere of record fairs with the highest possible standards set.
When the Internet became the world s new market place for vinyl, in 2001 it was time to join ebay.
Those standards were rigidly adhered to as they will always continue to be, the basics of honesty and integrity were very much part of the era the music I love originated in, so here is our friendly and very efficient service we are proud to provide EVERY RECORD IS FULLY PLAYED AND COMES WITH A NO ARGUMENT MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.
I USE GOOD OLD COMMON SENSE AS WELL AS A GLOBALLY ACCEPTED GRADING TERMINOLOGY FROM THE U.K.
RECORD COLLECTOR PRICE GUIDE BOOK.
THERE IT CLEARLY STATES Sound Quality AFFECTS EVERY GRADING LEVEL AND THAT IS THE ONE AND ONLY POSSIBLE WAY TO ACCURATELY GRADE RECORDS.
i.e.
COMBINING A STRICT VISUAL INSPECTION WITH VERY CLOSELY LISTENING TO EVERY SECOND, UNLESS PERHAPS IN THE CASE OF GENUINELY UNPLAYED VINYL.
EVEN THEN WE STILL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A RECORD WHEN A CUSTOMER RECEIVES EITHER A SEALED OR AN UNPLAYED RECORD.
MY DESCRIPTIONS WILL ALWAYS BE 100 HONEST AND TOTALLY ACCURATE ON ALL GRADINGS FROM V.G.
VERY GOOD , TO THE ULTIMATE MINT CONDITION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR ITEMS ARE WELCOMED AND WILL BE PROMPTLY REPLIED TO.
WE ARE FULLY EXPERIENCED AT SHIPPING WORLDWIDE AND NO EFFORT IS SPARED TO PROTECT RECORDS AND COVERS ETC.
WE WELCOME BIDDERS FROM ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
ALL RECORDS ARE REMOVED FROM THEIR SLEEVES AND PLACED INTO NEW PROTECTIVE CARD SLEEVES AND THEN PLACED INTO NEW, HEAVYWEIGHT PLASTIC OUTER SLEEVES.
THE GREATEST ATTENTION IS PAID TO MAKING THE PACKAGING EXTREMELY STRONG SECURE.
EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT IS MADE TO ENSURE A SAFE DELIVERY AND WE ONLY USE THE VERY BEST QUALITY PACKAGING MATERIALS, THE COST OF THE ITEM IS IMMATERIAL, EVERY RECORD IS TREATED EXACTLY THE SAME.
WE DO NOT TREAT POSTAGE AS A MONEY MAKING PROJECT, POSTAGE IS LESS THAN COST, USING ONLY PROFESSIONALLY PACKED BOXES WITH SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTIVE PACKAGING THAT DOES WEIGH A LITTLE EXTRA.
UNDER PAYPAL EBAY S GUIDELINES, ALL RECORDS WILL BE SENT VIA A FULLY INSURED TRACKABLE SERVICE.
We have kept all our charges at the same level for years now, but due to the Post Office s new price increases, regretfully we will have to increase the cost of LP s, however, singles will remain unchanged.
Ebay were aware of that happening and have increased their minimum postal cost for LP s to 7.00, that figure has been enforced by the UK Post Office and it will become our UK First Class, Recorded Delivery cost for albums up to the value of 46.
A temporary reduction this week means we can now post LP s for 5, but who knows how long before the Post Office return to 7? For LP s valued above 46, the cost will be 9, we are unhappy about either increase but our high standard of packaging has meant in 13 years of ebay trading, there has not been one record damaged, we are determined to maintain that in the present and future.
IN THE UK RECORDS UP TO THE VALUE OF 46 WILL BE SENT RECORDED DELIVERY, OVER 46 WILL BE SENT SPECIAL DELIVERY.
FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD ALL RECORDS WILL BE SENT VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR.
POSTAGE COST FOR LP s UK: UP TO VALUE OF 46, FIRST CLASS RECORDED DELIVERY 5.00 UK: OVER VALUE OF 46, FULLY INSURED SPECIAL DELIVERY 9.00 EUROPE: FULLY INSURED VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR 15.00 USA,JAPAN REST OF THE WORLD FULLY INSURED VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR 20.00 POSTAGE COST FOR EP s 7 UK: UP TO THE VALUE OF 46 FIRST CLASS RECORDED DELIVERY 3.00 UK: OVER THE VALUE OF 46 FULLY INSURED SPECIAL DELIVERY 6.00 EUROPE: AIR MAIL VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR 10.00 USA, JAPAN ETC.
AIRMAIL VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR 12.00 PAYMENT DETAILS.
WE WILL SEND ALL WINNING BIDDERS AN INVOICE WITH THE FULL PAYMENT AND POSTAL DETAILS, AS NEAR TO THE AUCTION ENDING AS POSSIBLE.
OUR AIM IS TO MAKE YOUR PURCHASE SMOOTH AND TROUBLE FREE.
FOR UK BUYERS WE ACCEPT: PAYPAL, CHEQUES, POSTAL ORDERS BANK WIRES.
FOR OVERSEAS BUYERS WE ACCEPT: PAYPAL, INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDERS IN POUNDS STERLING ONLY.
OR BANK TO BANK WIRE TRANSFERS.
WE WILL NOT MAKE FALSE STATEMENTS ON CUSTOMS DECLARATION FORMS AND WILL ALWAYS CONDUCT ALL OF OUR BUSINESS WITH TOTAL HONESTY.
AS MUCH AS WE SYMPATHISE WITH THE WAY SOME COUNTRIES CHARGE SUCH HEAVY IMPORT DUTIES, WE WILL NOT LIE.
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