Something New from Led Zeppelin Being Mastered Now

Hopefully they overdub Page's guitar too lol...

 

It involves several chants, spells, a Magic 8-Ball and an ouija board all used in the proper order and only on certain days of the month.

 

I know someone who know JP well, but I'd be pushing for Osaka '71 if i did get a message through to him

 

Then let's asked for both of them, right? Let's do it if you know how to get in touch with him.

 

As long as it isn't Tempe '77!

 

As popular is Fort Worth '77 is with the fans there is no way in hell Page would release it officially. It's a very "loose" sounding show for one thing (i.e. how they f--k up "In My Time Of Dying" and have to start over)- nothing really cringeworthy but probably not up to Jimmy's "perfectionist" standards. And of course there's also the patches using the audience recording in the soundboard if yer talking about an official release of the soundboard- again, not up to Page's standards.

I've always said I would like to hear a soundboard, multitrack or even an alternate audience source for Tempe just to see how well and/or badly they played the first seven songs (missing on the circulating audience tape)!

 

Is IMTOD a genuine cock up though? It sounds to my ears like the guitar goes out of tune and Page stops playing for about 8 bars and straps on a replacement. Or I might be thinking of a different boot.

 

I definitely don't believe any soundboards will be released for the 50th Anniversary, but going forward, in 2023-2027, it might be a different ballgame.

Of course this is pure speculation (and partly wishful thinking on my part), but Zep could of course decide to release the soundboards for copyright protection purposes. Now, they don't have to release anything that's been kept secret and safe for copyright protection, but everything that is out there needs to be protected or else someone might release it legitimately. Now granted, I don't believe there is any particular revenue to be made by releasing such material, but I suppose they could do it in a very limited edition or for a very short period. Look at Dylan's live 1966-box, consisting of mostly soundboards. That might have been a game changer (even if it wasn't in a limited edition), showing that there is a market for such stuff. Compile a mega box with, for example, all 1977 soundboards (which are not in Zep's vault but already out there), throw in Greensboro May 31, 1977 to make it even more attractive, call it "Power Mystery & The Hammer of the Gods - The Led Zeppelin 1977 soundboards", make it a limited edition of 200, charge 2500 USD, release it in December 2027, and you will have copyright protection while everything will still be available as bootlegs. But importantly, no one else will be able to sell Destroyer on iTunes or use the material in a context not approved by Zep.

Given that Page and the rest want to keep control, and that they do care about the legacy, and given the copyright situation, I don't completely rule out a totally different approach from what has been. You could on one hand hand say that, yes, Seattle 1977 would tarnish their reputation if it was to be released officially, but, on the other hand, you could also make the case that our band was so important that even when we were bad, it should still be released and within our control through a very limited edition. Everybody that would buy such a release would know what they are buying....From Zep's perspective since the bootlegs are already there, everybody knows how bad they could be in 1977/1980, that's why keeping copyright control seems fairly reasonable. Why should anyone else be allowed to package the (damaged) goods and release it under an official banner as "prime material"?

But time will tell.

 

IMHO the main barrier is that most Zep soundboards just don't sound as good as, say Dead and Dylan soundboards. Zep's sound, especially from 1973 onwards, was meant to be huge, and the PA systems of the day, the venues of the day, and the four guys and their instruments/voice combined for a lot of really unbalanced sounding soundboards.

It's the rare Zep board where Page or Jones is not buried in the mix (or standing too far out in the mix). Yes, Dylan went electric - but his sound did not depend on the effects, heaviness, and overall massiveness like Zep's did, so there's a lot of wiggle room in how his boards can sound. Yes, the Dead had enormous amplification, but they also had dedicated tapers who were mixing down the live feed with recording in mind - that's a far better (more balanced) source to have available than a front of the house soundboard mix that is meant to compensate for problems with the venue's acoustics, and for imbalances in the on-stage amplification level of each member's instrument. So while I suppose Page could have his hand forced by EU copyright laws, he's not going to do it unless he absolutely has to, because the sonics just aren't there.

 

As times rolls on I'm just afraid all these live soundboard Zep recordings will be lost, thrown out, or tape deteriation loss.
Once they are gone we lose the music and rock history. Now if the sound quality is so bad u wouldn't so worried, at least try to get best sound out to the public instead of boots. I really don't how Page stores all these original recordings, some kind of climate control vault or what? What kind of recording tape did they used back in late 60's, 70's, and 80's on their live soundboards?

 

I mean, I have to imagine that by this point they are all digitized.

 

For the 2003 DVD and HTWWW Kevin Shirley said they listened and recorded all of the multitracks wich were 45 hours.

 

The dead also had a few people on their team who wanted to document them badly enough to spend some time getting it right, something even hugely successful performers often lacked, as stunning as that seems.

 

I was just listening to the raw Destroyer soundboard & the Germany`73 fragments.
I can`t imagine something like LA`77 or Paris`73 existing even in Destroyer quality and not
coming out as some form of bonus material or official chronological boot compilation to accompany a main release even if only rarities performed live.No they are not multitrack pro recordings but there is enough detail and dynamics to capture the atmosphere as long as they don`t go crazy messing too much trying to make everything louder and brighter.Paris`69 worked pretty good.
Either way we`ll all find out soon enough.I just think more is better.Less is more and creating demand has not proven to satisfy well with Led Zeppelin live archives.

 

I fully agree, but at this stage I do believe his hand will be forced. Is one thing to let bootleggers do their work and always being able to strike down upon them, but another to let "bootleggers" legitimately release material. Next year will be pivotal. All the Fillmore fragments and Texas Pop will be up for grabs even if there might be licensing problems (Zep or someone else will probably have to work something out with holders of As Long As I Have You and No Money Down.). But given that even Beach Boys are protecting live tracks from 1967, I wouldn't be surprised if Zep decides to protect live tracks from 1969.

 

Just to add; all those 50th anniversary releases (Sgt Pepper, My Generation, Grateful Dead's first, Wild Honey, Yardbirds 68, The Who at Fillmore) are all "coinciding" with copyright protection. This year will probably see a White Album 50th anniversary. And Zep's 50th anniversary, which probably will include tapes from 68, is bound to partly be for copyright reasons. I wouldn't at all be that surprised to in a few years see a release like "Led Zeppelin the 1970-71 acoustic sessions", with the tapes from Bron-Yr-Aur, because otherwise someone else will release them. Yes, the finished painting is what Page (and Zep) loves, but I think he and the rest will be interested in protecting the sketches as well, even if that wasn't the original intent.

In the Dylan Live box from 1966, there are five discs with "fairly good audience tapes" which was considered worthy of protection (and to get the "complete 1966"). And remember, you only have to release it in very limited editions to get protection. If you don't get the legitimate release of Seattle 1975 in the extremely limited "1975 soundboard box", it will still be widely available as a bootleg. But that's way in the future (2025). All in all, this is why I don't rule out a completely changed modus operandi for Zep going forward (and I think Jimmy Page is sort of implying that in the Planet Rock interview). But not this year because it can be "covered" under the 50th anniversary banner.

What will The Who do with Amsterdam 1969? Beggars Banquet (even if Stones are more complicated due to the ABKCO situation)? There are so many of the classic bands that needs to face the music or give away the copyright during the next few years.

 

You're assuming he even has the tapes for Texas Pop. He probably doesn't and has what we have; bootlegs.

In addition, if the sonics aren't there then he won't deem them important unless there's an artistic expression overriding that. So regardless of what bootleggers might do, I don't think people should assume that material without a certain level of SQ are going to flood the market here. Too many assumptions being made, about what they have in addition to what they might want to do.

Is it really worth copyrighting something that won't have commercial appeal? It's a fine line IMO.

EDIT: But you do have a point in that, with the changes, they might loosen some of their criteria in order to protect certain recordings with they are important enough.

 

I don't assume Zep got the Fillmore, Seattle or Texas Pop tapes. But the key thing here is that those tapes might be released by someone else outside of Zep's control in 2020. Whether or not that will happen is of course another matter. If you are a collector sitting on the Pontiac film from 1977 or Seattle Pop from 1969, I don't think you are that interested in releasing it, but rather use it for exchange of rare tapes of other artists. For a collector/tape hoarder, its more worth unreleased.

As I mentioned, I don't think there's a commercial appeal here at all, I think its (mostly) just a matter of artistic control. I don't think Who are releasing Fillmore 68 to make money, I think they release it to keep control. If you do copyright it, you control where the music is being used, you can't use the music in a movie (without Zep's permission), you can't legitimately release it in formats not approved by Zep, you can't use it a commercial etc. As I also mentioned, would they go down that route, I don't think they would flood the market with soundboard tapes (the market is already flooded), its easy to make a limited release (to beat the boots) just to draw a line in the sand. Also, the number of shareholders in Zep are still limited. In twenty/twenty five years to come, you'll have to deal with a number shareholders in each estate. Its easier to agree today than tomorrow.

But I don't know, I'm just speculating. It might be that they don't care, but when Jimmy Page alludes to ten years of releases (which coincides with a lot of 50th anniversaries/loss of copyright control), I can't help but wonder whether or not we will see a different approach. Its perfectly possible for Zep to purchase the Montreaux tapes and lock them away. But if they don't, then what will happen?

 

Shirley was referring specifically to the 13 shows (which encompassed 45 hours in total) used for the DVD and HTWWW releases;

1) Royal Albert Hall, 1970
2) Long Beach Arena, 1972
3) L.A. Forum, 1972
4-6) Madison Square Gardens, 1973 (three nights)
7-11) Earl's Court, 1975 (five nights)
12-13) Knebworth, 1979 (two nights)

Of course, it's not the sum total of multi-tracks in the Zep archives; we know of the mythic Japan '71 multi-tracks, Southampton '73, and dear knows what else... Jimmy's recent comments about the upcoming release of a new multi-track-sourced live album this year - and supposedly something a little different - would clearly indicate the Old Magus still has a few magic(k) tricks up his sleeve... I can't wait for the music even if I know they'll be packaged in those damn cheap cardboard digipacks with absolutely no inner sleeves to protect the CD's inside!!!

 

And just to get carried away, they could of course set up a streaming service. Only prime material, the multitracks, will get physical releases, but the rest of it (directly from the bootleggers), could probably be available as a supscription streaming service with a suitable caveat in order to get copyright. Actually knowing through a friend of mine how difficult it is to get Zep to say yes (not just expensive) to to their music being used in movies, I would surprised if they just let copyright pass them by in orders for others to use it.

 

Doing a quick back of the envelope calculation, I do think one would have to throw in Southamption and at least two Japan mulitracks to get to 45 hours along with the 13 shows you mentioned. (Not criticizing you, just making an observation.)

 

Oh yeah I should have linked that old article I was reading.I`m going bonkers waiting for more info!
It`s like I`m trying to distract myself by putting clues together into something completely logical but when it`s announced we`ll probably be confused as to why the decisions were made!
I`m also looking forward to possibile interviews with Page!

 

James planned 18 months for this 50th thing?!

 

I think somebody -either Jones or Bonham- missed their cue to come in once Jimmy started off the intro. At least the band had the good grace to laugh it off and just start over

As far as I'm concerned Page would certainly have nothing to lose by starting up a Zeppelin "Official Bootleg" series. Most of the people buying the things would likely be people who have already got the boots, but would love to have proper official releases of them. One way or another Jimmy Page needs to realize that Zeppelin fans aren't as picky or discriminating as he is...we'd care more, Jimmy, if you chose to Frankenstein away all the mistakes instead of leaving them be!

 

Jimmy Page said in an interview a few years ago that he doesn't have hard drives, but that doesn't mean Warner Music Group don't have them all digitalised (both 2-track stereo and mulit-track recordings).