1975 -1977 recordings,

[strombringer101]

Have a question to the mighty Led Zeppelin collectors that post some stellar Live Zeppelin shows on Youtube. 

I  been listening to this 1975 live soundboard recording of different concerts played in America. The sound is incredible, (he does state he did some sound touch ups) than I listened to his 1977 recording compilation. and the sound is terrible. performance wise the shows selected are great, but the sound quality is (be Nice) not good. Can anyone refer me to some great sounding 1977 recordings, besides (Listen to this eddie)

[ZepHead315]

All of the Millard LA tapes (6/21, 6/23, 6/25, and 6/27) sound phenomenal and are worth having. The 4/28 Cleveland and 6/11 New York audience recordings are pretty good as well. 

Unfortunately, the 1977 soundboards are pretty flat and dry in comparison to the 75 soundboards. This is because they were taped on cassette as opposed to reel to reel (as memory serves). 5/22 Fort Worth and 5/30 Landover are probably the best sounding ones. I'd go for remasters of the soundboards from people like Liriodendron, North_Bridge, and Sue Dounim. They do a good job at getting as much as they can out of those tapes. Check out Lirio's remaster of 5/30 as a for instance:

 

[SteveZ98]

Here's a sample of the North_Bridge remaster of May 21, 1977. If you want the full show in lossless quality, send me a message.

 

 

[John M]

This version of Destroyer on Black Beauty sounds good.  If the link does not work go to Black Beauty and go to the last version of 4/27/77 on BX "Bad Girl Songs"  It includes up through Battle of Evermore.

 

http://starship.jpn.ph/zeppelin/beauty/disp/boot.jsp?R_idx=2491

 

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by John M

[Xolo1974]

8 hours ago, John M said:

This version of Destroyer on Black Beauty sounds good.  If the link does not work go to Black Beauty and go to the last version of 4/27/77 on BX "Bad Girl Songs"  It includes up through Battle of Evermore.

 

http://starship.jpn.ph/zeppelin/beauty/disp/boot.jsp?R_idx=2491

 

 

This is a good source as well

https://zoso.me/2017/08/16/1977-sources/

I have to say, your original assessment is the same as mine. I've listened to all of the 77 boards out there and i just can't stand'em. Winston and others have done a really good job getting the best out of them....but i still prefer the audience recordings. My 77 listening is generally restricted to the LA dates (check out the 'Mike the Mike' Winston remasters for the 21, 23, 25 and 27th of June)....although a lot of people also like the audience recording from New York (11th June 77) and Cleveland (28/4/77).

Cheers

 

 

 

[Strider]

On 8/30/2018 at 11:59 AM, strombringer101 said:

Have a question to the mighty Led Zeppelin collectors that post some stellar Live Zeppelin shows on Youtube. 

I  been listening to this 1975 live soundboard recording of different concerts played in America. The sound is incredible, (he does state he did some sound touch ups) than I listened to his 1977 recording compilation. and the sound is terrible. performance wise the shows selected are great, but the sound quality is (be Nice) not good. Can anyone refer me to some great sounding 1977 recordings, besides (Listen to this eddie)

I'm afraid you're out of luck. The 1977 boards sound like shit compared to the 1975 boards. And, depending on how tolerant your 'bootleg ears' are, you won't find any audience tapes the equal of Mike Millard's San Diego and L.A. Forum recordings and the Dragonfly June 23 recording.

My ears are pretty tolerant so I can get enjoyment out of April 28 Cleveland, April 30 Silverdome, the June 7-14 MSG run, July 17 Kingdome, and July 24 Oakland. But I'm in the minority.

[Xolo1974]

6 hours ago, Strider said:

I'm afraid you're out of luck. The 1977 boards sound like shit compared to the 1975 boards. And, depending on how tolerant your 'bootleg ears' are, you won't find any audience tapes the equal of Mike Millard's San Diego and L.A. Forum recordings and the Dragonfly June 23 recording.

My ears are pretty tolerant so I can get enjoyment out of April 28 Cleveland, April 30 Silverdome, the June 7-14 MSG run, July 17 Kingdome, and July 24 Oakland. But I'm in the minority.

The way I’ve always viewed it is that given the soundboards are so bad for 77, we’re bloody lucky to have the Millard recordings. There are many people that hanker for the LA soundboards to be released so we can have matrix tapes. But for the life of me, I can’t see that they would add anything to already terrific recordings

[ZepHead315]

1 hour ago, Xolo1974 said:

The way I’ve always viewed it is that given the soundboards are so bad for 77, we’re bloody lucky to have the Millard recordings. There are many people that hanker for the LA soundboards to be released so we can have matrix tapes. But for the life of me, I can’t see that they would add anything to already terrific recordings

I'd be down with having the soundboards for 6/22 and 6/26, the two non-Millard shows. Then someone like Liriodendron, Sue Dounim, or North_Bridge could remaster them to make them sound as good as possible. Beyond that, I honestly agree. The Millard tapes are so good as is. 

[Blaize86]

I don't know how any fan can listen to a soundboard recording. It takes the important elements out of the the reason we like bands live in the first place.There is  no reverb, bottom, bass or echo. They all sound like crap. Give me good audience recording especially in 1975 when they had more bass bottom than 1973 and band was tighter than 1977. When you get past Plant's  opening numbers, you get used to it as he gets stronger.  

[strombringer101]

On 8/30/2018 at 2:56 PM, SteveZ98 said:

Here's a sample of the North_Bridge remaster of May 21, 1977. If you want the full show in lossless quality, send me a message.

 

 

Holy Shit this is what I am talking. Excellent recording with rich bass and Pages guitar effects in full effect. Yeah I will be sending yeah a message! 

[gibsonfan159]

On 9/5/2018 at 8:12 PM, Blaize86 said:

I don't know how any fan can listen to a soundboard recording. It takes the important elements out of the the reason we like bands live in the first place.There is  no reverb, bottom, bass or echo. They all sound like crap. Give me good audience recording especially in 1975 when they had more bass bottom than 1973 and band was tighter than 1977. When you get past Plant's  opening numbers, you get used to it as he gets stronger.  

Oh, there's plenty of bass. PLANG PLANG PLANG PLANG PLUNK PLANG

[strombringer101]

Holy Crap this Version of Sick Again 77' Houston is beyond words. I am amazed how strong Zeppelin was live in 77' this is like a punch in the gut. In your face heavy rock. Yeah!! I know your name and no you don't look the same but sure did rock many moons ago!!!

[rm2551]

13 hours ago, strombringer101 said:

Holy Crap this Version of Sick Again 77' Houston is beyond words. I am amazed how strong Zeppelin was live in 77' this is like a punch in the gut. In your face heavy rock. Yeah!! I know your name and no you don't look the same but sure did rock many moons ago!!!

Its also a great sounding soundboard - is that due to the remaster effort? Is there another '77 Sick again that has this A+ SB sound that was also a kick ass version???

Edit: 77-05-30 sounds ok (listening to the start)

Edited September 20, 2018 by rm2551

[rm2551]

Does anyone know the source used for this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iFwqXSQn20

I know the imagery is a compilation of various nights from audience and the Seattle screen - and it is done really well. The sound quality is quite good, is it something they decided to release "off the shelf" of the live vaults? (I think it's a matrix of a board and AUD - not sure...)

[gibsonfan159]

2 hours ago, rm2551 said:

Does anyone know the source used for this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iFwqXSQn20

I know the imagery is a compilation of various nights from audience and the Seattle screen - and it is done really well. The sound quality is quite good, is it something they decided to release "off the shelf" of the live vaults? (I think it's a matrix of a board and AUD - not sure...)

Sounds exactly like a slightly compressed version of the Winston remaster. 

[Sticks of Fire]

The 1975 boards do sound amazing.   The 1977 boards sound more like the 1973 boards.    

Sure hindsight is 20/20 and we’ll never know for sure but the ‘73 & ‘77 could possibly have sounded better with just a few simple settings.   Maybe they were recorded with normal bias tapes which would not have as much top end as a Chrome or Metal bias cassette.  Or they were recorded with Chrome cassettes but the bias setting was set to normal and not Chrome.  Anyone who was a big cassette person knows these little things can affect the frequency range.   

I was a taper for years and love audience tapes but it’s funny how people whine about having these boards.  We’re lucky as hell to have any of them!   

[confounded_bridge]

2 hours ago, Sticks of Fire said:

The 1975 boards do sound amazing.   The 1977 boards sound more like the 1973 boards.    

Sure hindsight is 20/20 and we’ll never know for sure but the ‘73 & ‘77 could possibly have sounded better with just a few simple settings.   Maybe they were recorded with normal bias tapes which would not have as much top end as a Chrome or Metal bias cassette.  Or they were recorded with Chrome cassettes but the bias setting was set to normal and not Chrome.  Anyone who was a big cassette person knows these little things can affect the frequency range.   

I was a taper for years and love audience tapes but it’s funny how people whine about having these boards.  We’re lucky as hell to have any of them!   

The  1973  tapes  were  badly  transferred, that's  why  they  sound  like  shit. The  tape  machine  was  not  azimuth  adjusted.

[Sticks of Fire]

4 hours ago, confounded_bridge said:

The  1973  tapes  were  badly  transferred, that's  why  they  sound  like  shit. The  tape  machine  was  not  azimuth  adjusted.

That’s what everyone says.   True or internet myth? Hard to know the facts.   Sometimes someone says something and it gets repeated a million times and it becomes fact. 

Edited April 14, 2019 by Sticks of Fire

[confounded_bridge]

15 hours ago, Sticks of Fire said:

That’s what everyone says.   True or internet myth? Hard to know the facts.   Sometimes someone says something and it gets repeated a million times and it becomes fact. 

It  is  hard  for  me  to  believe  that  they  made  all  these  recordings  with  incorrect  bias. I  mean, all  of  them? It  can't  be  that. The  "quick  and  dirty  transfer"  scenario  fits  better  in  my  opinion.

[Sticks of Fire]

7 hours ago, confounded_bridge said:

It  is  hard  for  me  to  believe  that  they  made  all  these  recordings  with  incorrect  bias. I  mean, all  of  them? It  can't  be  that. The  "quick  and  dirty  transfer"  scenario  fits  better  in  my  opinion.

You sort of just lroved my point.   No one knows for sure.   Maybe they were high speed dubbed in a lo-fi 1980s boom box?  

[PeaceFrogYum]

10 hours ago, confounded_bridge said:

It  is  hard  for  me  to  believe  that  they  made  all  these  recordings  with  incorrect  bias. I  mean, all  of  them? It  can't  be  that. The  "quick  and  dirty  transfer"  scenario  fits  better  in  my  opinion.

It may be hard to believe but anything was possible on the 77' tour. Everyone in that circus was pissed to the gills 24/7. The band, management, and road crew. The fact they played so many damn fine shows that tour is testament to their combined constitutions. The very fact the tour did not crash and burn by the end of the 1st leg is just amazing.

Knowing how messed up the road crew was I am surprised we don't have Captain & Tennille spliced in.

[confounded_bridge]

7 hours ago, PeaceFrogYum said:

It may be hard to believe but anything was possible on the 77' tour. Everyone in that circus was pissed to the gills 24/7. The band, management, and road crew. The fact they played so many damn fine shows that tour is testament to their combined constitutions. The very fact the tour did not crash and burn by the end of the 1st leg is just amazing.

Knowing how messed up the road crew was I am surprised we don't have Captain & Tennille spliced in.

My  post  was  about  '73  not  '77.

[Sticks of Fire]

Does anyone know for sure?   Were the 1973 shows recorded on reel to reel?   Or cassette?  If they used reels in 1975 and on earlier tours why would they have used a cassette machine in 1973?  

Were the copies swiped from Jimmy 1gen cassette copies of the reels and then we have bad copies of the 1gen cassettes stolen from Jimmy?   Jimmy May have the entire 1973 tour in Master Open reels

[confounded_bridge]

28 minutes ago, Sticks of Fire said:

Does anyone know for sure?   Were the 1973 shows recorded on reel to reel?   Or cassette?  If they used reels in 1975 and on earlier tours why would they have used a cassette machine in 1973?  

Were the copies swiped from Jimmy 1gen cassette copies of the reels and then we have bad copies of the 1gen cassettes stolen from Jimmy?   Jimmy May have the entire 1973 tour in Master Open reels

1973  and  1975:  Reel  to  reel

1977: Cassette

The  '73  and  '80  sbd  recordings  were  stolen  from  Jimmy's  house. That's  why  they  circulate  since  the  eighties  and  thats  why  we  have  never   seen  a  new  '73  or  '80  sbd  released  by  E.V. Whoever  transferred  the  sound  from  the  reels  to  the  cassettes, did  a  really  bad  job  with  the  tape  machines. The  '75  and  '77  sbd  recordings  most  likely  come  from  a  showco  employee  which  copied  the  original  master  tapes  before  giving  them  to  Jimmy. E.V.  buys  the  first  generation  copies  and  releases  them.

Edited April 15, 2019 by confounded_bridge

[PeaceFrogYum]

17 hours ago, confounded_bridge said:

My  post  was  about  '73  not  '77.

Whoops