I really love this thread - some great stories and actually quite diverse.
I was 16 in 1990, and just starting my obsession with Zeppelin. It is kind of goofy but I actually first liked the band in the early 80's, although I didn't realize it yet, when I saw the SCTV parody of "Stairways to Heaven" featuring 30 different stars doing their rendition of the song (it is just a K-Tel style commercial, but Google it and enjoy if you've never seen it). Anyway, a buddy of mine tried to capitalize on my obsession by playing me a single-LP version of the Baton Rouge 2/28/75 show, thinking I'd pay him a hundred bucks for it. I scoffed, but found myself going to the record store he got it from. I instantly found a goldmine (pun intended as I scoured Goldmine magazine constantly after that). My first purchase is still my favorite show - the "207.19" and "214" release of the Seattle 3/21/75 show. When the soundboard came out I was ecstatic to say the least, but I still like to listen to that INSANE Dazed and Confused. After that I was mostly into the CD versions, going to local record shows around Milwaukee on a monthly basis.