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BBC Sessions vs. old BBC Recordings boot


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So one problem I have is that I'm going off of my memory of an old BBC recordings vinyl that I no longer have. I've done a tad of research online, and haven't found the answers I'm looking for. I figured I'd have some rapid luck here.

I do recall this old vinyl having a similar cover, at least I know it was white with some faint imagery on the front, similar to the official BBC Sessions release.

I know some of the songs were represented on both albums, but don't know (for sure) which ones are solely on the official release.

I also assume that there was no overdubbing on the old boot. If true, does anyone know the origins of those overdubs? (other shows, newly-recorded licks?)

I was able to find a few references to old BBC boots, but none were obviously the one I used to have; and non offered images of the cover.

So, with that...please offer up anything you got! Thanks!

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The BBC bootleg cover is white, but with a drawing of a pig-shaped blimp.

The sound quality is a little less on the bootleg, but its WELL worth it to get the complete shows. Still among the top in sound as far as bootlegs go though, very enjoyable.

The BBC bootleg includes a bunch of redundant songs (more than on the 97 release), with 5 Communication Breakdowns rather than 3, 3 You Shook Me's instead of 2, 3 I Can't Quit You's instead of 2, etc... it doesnt matter though, because they play the songs differently each time (also different years).

The concerts were part of radio shows and interviews, and the bootleg leaves the shows together (better flow as the commentary and interviews are included). The interviews alone are great extras. The official release managed to capture most of the best performances, yet some are left out, and the flow is sort of broken due to cutting the interviews.

The radio and t.v. shows included on the bootleg are listed below:

Show: "John Peel's TOP GEAR" 3-3-1969

Setlist: You Shook Me - Communication Breakdown - I Can't Quit You Baby - Dazed And Confused.

(I'm 90% sure that all of this show is on the 97 release, and would be 100% but I'm not sure about Communication Breakdown as I have not listened to it in a while)

Show: "RHYTHM & BLUES w/ Alexis Korner" 3-19-1969

Setlist: Alexis Korner's Introduction - What Is And What Should Never Be - I Can't Quit You Baby - You Shook Me - Sunshine Woman.

(This show is also part of the "Anybody Got A Les Paul?" bootleg, but none of this broadcast is on the 97 release, as the sound quality is a little rough because it was recorded privatley by someone as it was broadcast over the radio)

Show: "Chris Grant's TASTY POP SUNDAE" on 6-16-1969

Setlist: The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair - Communication Breakdown - Somethin Else - What Is And What Should Never Be - Group Interview w/ Chris Grant

(I believe all of this show is on the first disc of the official release, sans the interview and What Is And What Should Never Be. The group interview is HILARIOUS. The interviewer is HORRIBLE and John Paul basically talks the interviewer into the ground and makes him look like an ass)

Show: "John Peel's TOP GEAR" on 6-24-1969

Setlist: Whole Lotta Love - Communication Breakdown - What Is And What Should Never Be - Travelling Riverside Blues

(All of this show is on the first disc of the official release)

Show: "BBC ROCK HOUR w/ Alan Black" on 6-27-1969

Setlist: Alan Black Introduction - Communication Breakdown - I Can't Quit You Baby - Alan Black Interview - Dazed And Confused - Interlude w/ Adrian Henry - White Summer/Black Mountain Side - You Shook Me - How Many More Times

(AWESOME interview with Jimmy and Robert. This is my favorite show off the bootleg. I think I Can't Quit You, Dazed And Confused, You Shook Me, and How Many More Times on the first disc of the release is from this show)

Show: "THE JULIE FELIX SHOW" on 4-23-1970

Setlist: White Summer - Black Mountain Side

(Performed for a t.v. program, and the only show on the bootleg that isn't for radio. None of these are on the official release)

Show: "JOHN PEEL SUNDAY IN CONCERT" on 4-1-1971

Setlist: John Peel Introduction - Immigrant Song - Heartbreaker - Since I've Been Loving You - Black Dog - Dazed And Confused - Stairway To Heaven - Going To California - That's The Way - What Is And What Should Never Be - Whole Lotta Love - Thank You - Communication Breakdown

(All of this show (except for What Is And What Should Never Be & Communication Breakdown) is on the official release, even part of John Peel's Intro in the beginning of Immigrant Song. and makes up almost the entire 2nd disc. This is an amazing set, and the band is firing on all cylinders)

I do not know where the overdubs come from or anything too indepth like that. Listening to the bootleg though, I'm not even sure its over-dubbed at all.. Sounds about exactly the same, just remastered for the release. All I know is its a great companion to the official release, and has alot better flow and give you a more in-depth look at the band in the early years.

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hmmm, I know the boot of which you speak, but my (faded) memory insists it wasn't the pig cover. I recall it being more of the type imagery of the 97 release (or other similar photo like the back covers of ZepIII.) But, I could be wrong.

The interviews sound familiar, though. Again not sure if I'm confusing them with another boot or not.

Had I know my memory would be affected in this way, I wouldn't have....

...well, yeah, I guess I still would have.

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hmmm, I know the boot of which you speak, but my (faded) memory insists it wasn't the pig cover. I recall it being more of the type imagery of the 97 release (or other similar photo like the back covers of ZepIII.) But, I could be wrong.

The interviews sound familiar, though. Again not sure if I'm confusing them with another boot or not.

Had I know my memory would be affected in this way, I wouldn't have....

...well, yeah, I guess I still would have.

I had a vinyl boot of this in the 80's. The cover was a famous b/w 69 promo shot where they are all within the same frame, rather than a composite of four photos. I believe the background was blue. If I bump into the pic I'll post it.

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Hmmmm, we may be on to something here.

Do the audio contents sound similar to the above descriptions?

Now that I've thought on it a minute, no. Although it had BBC sessions, mine had "Travelin the riverside blues" (sp?)

and methinks it had Live Aid thrown in. I saw a better match for you here

Stryder

The BBC boot has a quarter panel b/w design similar to but different from the official release. It is a few albums down.

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ill let ya know more later, im pressed for time right now, but ill come back and edit my post... hope some of this helps you out a little

mine has travelling riverside blues too.... i just havent gotten to that show in my setlist edit... will after i get out of class

P.S., if that link above is really the album cover, whoever made it was clearly out of ideas. (i get the same sandwich)

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ill let ya know more later, im pressed for time right now, but ill come back and edit my post... hope some of this helps you out a little

mine has travelling riverside blues too.... i just havent gotten to that show in my setlist edit... will after i get out of class

Awesome...thanks for the info thusfar. I'll check back later.

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Oops. the person I meant that for is going to have a hard enough time getting the joke IN context (which was "no beef").

My bad. Here is the link proper:Stryder

Yeah, I looked at that one, but it was definitely a mostly white (or very light) cover...but not black.

I'm actually leaning towards this one, though it wouldn't have had the later stuff from '71.

But I'm not convinced.

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The later stuff from '71 is the entire second disc of the official release... there very well may have been other bootlegs with the same material, or even from a different company who slapped a different cover on it.. the above (really long) detail is the one I have though.

P.S., I finished the above edit, I'm about 95% sure what is on the official is what I said, with the exception of a few songs which I have not really had time to compare latley... anyways, it is what it is.

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wow... i just went to that link, and im sort of perplexed by it... im 100% sure the official release is dated 4-1-1971, but the one in the link has the same setlist dated 3-25-1971... there is a small possibility that one in the link is mis-dated...

i would say one is the recording date and the other is the broadcast date, but i know for a fact the 4-1-1971 recording was recorded on that date and first broadcast on 4-4-1971..

so ive today become increasingly more interested in this perplexity...

do you know for a fact those songs on the release were on the bootleg you had?

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wow... i just went to that link, and im sort of perplexed by it... im 100% sure the official release is dated 4-1-1971, but the one in the link has the same setlist dated 3-25-1971... there is a small possibility that one in the link is mis-dated...

i would say one is the recording date and the other is the broadcast date, but i know for a fact the 4-1-1971 recording was recorded on that date and first broadcast on 4-4-1971..

so ive today become increasingly more interested in this perplexity...

do you know for a fact those songs on the release were on the bootleg you had?

Man...I wish I had more facts here, but I am going off of 25 (25!) years of foggy memory.

I know it was white or light, the pig doesn't ring a bell. True, someone could have duped the boot and slapped a diff. cover on it. One would think, though, that we'd find some image of that. Who knows.

I think the 6.27.69 setlist is the closest to my memory.

Ya know...I need to find a version of that in its entirety and give it a listen...maybe something will sound familiar.

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First off....the BBC Zep series are the most bootleged Zep performances ever. There were literally dozens of titles...labels...w/ varied artwork covers. It was'nt until the cd boots came out that a complete BBC boot was available. I had many different versions....some repeat performances...some from different ones.

As far as the overdubbs.....none of the performances were broadcast live and were all tinkered w/ in post production....some had obvious overdubs, others very little if none at all (I'd have to go back and listen to them all again)

All I know is the official BBC release is just a "best of" and you should definitely seek out the whole series in it's entirety. Even if from different releases.

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First off....the BBC Zep series are the most bootleged Zep performances ever. There were literally dozens of titles...labels...w/ varied artwork covers. It was'nt until the cd boots came out that a complete BBC boot was available. I had many different versions....some repeat performances...some from different ones.

As far as the overdubbs.....none of the performances were broadcast live and were all tinkered w/ in post production....some had obvious overdubs, others very little if none at all (I'd have to go back and listen to them all again)

All I know is the official BBC release is just a "best of" and you should definitely seek out the whole series in it's entirety. Even if from different releases.

So, re: the overdubs...in theory, even the vinyl boot I recall in early 80s might have had some layered guitars?

Do you know if Page retained those dubs for the official release, or were these dubs done specifically for that official release?

Good tip on obtaining all BBC releases. Man do I need another hard drive.

Thanks for your (and everyone's) input!

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So, re: the overdubs...in theory, even the vinyl boot I recall in early 80s might have had some layered guitars?

Do you know if Page retained those dubs for the official release, or were these dubs done specifically for that official release?

Good tip on obtaining all BBC releases. Man do I need another hard drive.

Thanks for your (and everyone's) input!

The overdubs were done at the time of the broadcast. To my knowledge, Page has NEVER added new performances to any Zep material (although the idea is intriguing- maybe the three survivors could get together and "finish" Swan Song.)

On the other hand, Page is NOT shy about editing performances, and one thing that is different from bootleg to official release on BBC Sessions is the Whole Lotta Love medley from '71. I don't remember all of what's missing off the top of my head, but certainly That's Alright is MIA.

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