Rock ‘n’ roll icons Led Zeppelin have announced that they will be reissuing their first three full-length LPs this summer. On June 3, the band will re-release Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III. The albums will also be made available as deluxe editions, each containing previously unreleased studio and live material from the recording time frame of that particular album. This the first installment of what the band stated as an “extensive reissue program” of all nine of their studio albums, which have been remastered by guitarist Jimmy Page. “The material on the companion discs presents a portal to the time of the recording of Led Zeppelin,” Page stated. “It is a selection of work in progress with rough mixes, backing tracks, alternate versions and new material recorded at the time.” He added, “The catalog was last remastered 20 years ago. 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.”
Zeppelin certainly won’t be short on variety with this reissue. Every album will be released on a variety of mediums, including single CD, two-disc deluxe CD, single LP on 180-gram vinyl, double deluxe-edition vinyl, and digital download. To top it all off, a limited-edition “Super Deluxe Boxed Set” of each album will be released that will include a CD and vinyl copy of the album, a digital download card, a hardcover book with rare and previously unreleased photos of the band, memorabilia, a high-quality print of the original album cover, and a replica copy of the band’s original Atlantic Records press kit. Only 30,000 copies of each limited edition will be released, and they will all be numbered. As far as bonus material goes, the reissue of the band’s debut album, 1969’s Led Zeppelin will include a live recording of the band’s concert at The Olympia in Paris, France on October 10, 1969. The band’s secpnd LP, Led Zeppelin II, will include five different mixes of songs on the album, the backing tracks for “Thank You” and “Living Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman)”, and the previously unreleased song, “La La”. The re-release of Led Zeppelin III is set to feature seven studio outtakes and three previously unreleased tracks – “Jennings Farm Blues”, “Bathroom Sound”, and “Keys to the Highway/Trouble In My Mind”.
Led Zeppelin are undoubtedly the greatest band of all time. They are the #1 selling artist in audio music history, having sold over 300 million albums worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2005, the band was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The band is ranked #1 on VH1‘s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, and Rolling Stone Magazine has said that Led Zeppelin is “the heaviest band of all time.” The band’s discography has an astounding five diamond albums and fourteen multi-platinum albums. Led Zeppelin are pioneers of heavy metal, proving to today’s generation of metal bands that heavy is volume; it’s an attitude.
In 2007, Led Zeppelin reunited for a show at the O2 Arena that was the band’s first in 27
years. Over 20 million people worldwide applied for tickets via a lottery system, but only 18,000 lucky fans were able to pack in to the legendary O2 for this legendary concert. Featured at this concert once again is drummer Jason Bonham, son of Zeppelin’s late original drummer John Bonham, has officially been Led Zeppelin’s drummer on several occasions since the band broke up in 1980 after John’s death. Jason debuted with Zeppelin in 1988 at with the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary concert.In 2012, Led Zeppelin released a CD/DVD via Atlantic Records of their 2007 reunion concert at London’s O2 Arena. The show was produced to honor the late founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun. Officially titled Celebration Day, the concert was released worldwide on October 17, 2012 on 1,500 screens in over 40 territories. After the theatrical run, Celebration Day was then made available in multiple audio and video formats on November 19. On December 26, 2012. Led Zeppelin were honored at the Kennedy Center Honors. Back in January, Led Zeppelin garnered the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album for Celebration Day. – by Matt Bishop (Bottom Right Photo Courtesy of Ross Halfin/Getty Images)
Led Zeppelin Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc:
All tracks recorded live at the Olympia in Paris on October 10, 1969
1. “Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown”
2. “I Can’t Quit You Baby”
3. “Heartbreaker”
4. “Dazed And Confused”
5. “White Summer/Black Mountain Side”
6. “You Shook Me”
7. “Moby Dick”
8. “How Many More Times”
Led Zeppelin II Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc:
1. “Whole Lotta Love”
2. “What Is And What Should Never Be”
3. “Thank You”
4. “Heartbreaker”
5. “Living Loving Maid (She’s Just A Woman)”
6. “Ramble On”
7. “Moby Dick”
8. “La La”
Led Zeppelin III Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc:
1. “The Immigrant Song”
2. “Friends”
3. “Celebration Day”
4. “Since I’ve Been Loving You”
5. “Bathroom Sound”
6. “Gallows Pole”
7. “That’s The Way”
8. “Jennings Farm Blues”
9. “Keys To The Highway/Trouble In Mind”