Led Zeppelin III and ITTOD Album Jackets

[docron]

I've got a few questions about the albums Led Zeppelin III and In Through The Out Door that might be good for dicussion...

1) Led Zeppelin III featured the rotating picture wheel behind the album jacket...

Were all the albums the same as far as the artwork on the album/wheel goes? Also - did all the albums have this wheel or just some of them?

2) In Through The Out Door featured a few different album jackets in the brown paper bag...

I was wondering if one of these cover arts was more rare than the other, if so, which one is the most rare? This interests me because I have two different In Through The Out Door albums and would like to know more about them

Any help/insight/cool facts/stories behind either of these album jackets would be cool.

[lzfan715]

1) As far as I know all the albums pressed on vinyl have a rotating wheel. I don't think the cds do though, but I'm not surea bout the mini lps. Jimmy did not like the way LZ3 turned out, he thought it was "bubblegum pop like". You can also get it on picture disc, with the normal cover and the inner wheel.

2) There are 6 covers, I currently have 4/6, and am looking for the last two. I don't know which are rare. I am having a hard time finding B and D though. The cover of ITTOD, is a bar since, but the bar is based on a bar in New Orleans, I think but don't quote me on it. He met a girl there, I think it was Charlette Martin (the mother of his daughter Scarlet), but don't quote me on that either because I'm not too sure. I do know that he met a girl there that he date for some time.

[likecats]

There are 6 covers for ITTOD, A - F. I have them all and I think one or two were less common than the others but it was so long ago I can't remember which.

[lzfan715]

Do you by any chance have a picture of each cover? I really need B and D pictures. The people on ebay never know what cover is what. If not that's okay, I just thought I'd try.

[Stargroves Tangie]

. The cover of ITTOD, is a bar since, but the bar is based on a bar in New Orleans, I think but don't quote me on it. He met a girl there, I think it was Charlette Martin (the mother of his daughter Scarlet), but don't quote me on that either because I'm not too sure. I do know that he met a girl there that he date for some time.

I believe the bar is called The Old Absinthe House, and he met his ex-wife Patricia there.

[lzfan715]

Thanks for clearing that up. I totally spaced when I posted it.

[Stargroves Tangie]

Thanks for clearing that up. I totally spaced when I posted it.

No problem- I also learned about it right here on the board.

I have the D cover of ITTOD, on this cover it's a side view of the man in the white suit at the bar and he is facing to the right.

If you see an ITTOD for sale on eBay, maybe you could email the seller and ask them to look on the upper spine of the album to see what letter is there so they know what cover it is. Good luck in your search!

[lzfan715]

I usually do that, but sometimes people just don't know. They also sell is without the paper bad, but my personal favourite is when they sell just the paper bag.

[likecats]

I have them scanned in a Photobucket album, but it doesn't look like they'll display here. If I can figure out a way to show them, I'll put them all up.

[docron]

Quickly looking at the one I have in the album rack nearby it says C. I've never looked at these letters before, its interesting that it denotes the cover. My other one I'm not sure about its in the attic in my non-used collection (yes, humidity controlled).

Regarding Page thinking Led Zeppelin III is "bublegum pop", well, I can see that, but its always reminded me of a heavy trip.

P.S. regarding someones post above, I know the CD version I have does not have this picture wheel, but my vinyl does.

[DragonOfDarkness]

Regarding Page thinking Led Zeppelin III is "bublegum pop", well, I can see that, but its always reminded me of a heavy trip.

Haha... me too. III (oddly enough I'm listening to it right now) is my personal favorite Zep album for various reasons. In my humble opinion it's their most underrated work. The artwork for the album just doesn't seem to fit the music. Looking at the cover you'd expect it to be some psychedelic 60s workout. Far from it, thankfully.

[LukeTheDuke]

I've got a few questions about the albums Led Zeppelin III and In Through The Out Door that might be good for dicussion...

1) Led Zeppelin III featured the rotating picture wheel behind the album jacket...

Were all the albums the same as far as the artwork on the album/wheel goes? Also - did all the albums have this wheel or just some of them?

2) In Through The Out Door featured a few different album jackets in the brown paper bag...

I was wondering if one of these cover arts was more rare than the other, if so, which one is the most rare? This interests me because I have two different In Through The Out Door albums and would like to know more about them

First question: what country of pressing are you talking about? Because there are so many differences from country to country.

Assuming that you're interested on the US pressings only and reading the other answers written, I'ld like to add:

• the rotating wheel is for the earlier pressing and some reissue (i.e. classic records 180gr); in other countries we had different pictures sleeves in gatefold, single and rotating sleeve (sometimes really different); some earlier pressing with the famous (do what shall wilt) (so note be it) written on the run off (some people call it dead wax: it's on the blank vinyl around the label at the end of the songs); pretty rare is the white label promo mono pressing ; all the recent picture disks are counterfeit items and not original pressings
  
• ITTOD - there are 6 different sleeves for each different pressing, so you can look for more than 6 albums only (I guess not less than 4/5 slightly different pressings); the biggest difference in US pressings is the color of the seal / mark on the outer brown sleeve; early pressing are darker and later pressings are light blue (if I remember well it's almost the same for canadian pressings).
  

All the issues have slightly different labels: the catalog number write SP, MO, PR, RI etc at the end of 794346 number, referring to the plant / town of pressing.

To my knowledge there are no rarer letters than others; I find a little bit difficult to discover all the 6 different sleeves as white promos from Japan.

I've never seen a white label test pressing from US but I know of gold stamped promos.

On the CD front, it's still interesting to find a Long Box edition (of course the vinyl reissues have the rotating wheel but not 6 different sleeves, as I know).

And now, from my worldwide LZ discography web site, here's a picture of all the 6 sleeves:

p.s. III is my favorite album too, with my favorite song on (Tangerine)

[docron]

Regarding Led Zeppelin III... I can't say the cover doesn't fit the album... theres weird shit going on in the record and you can just hear a sort of strung-out theme through the whole thing.

The whole thing about LZ III is that it is a MUST to listen to that record all the way thru without skipping tracks to get the right feel from it. The cover does alot to set the theme too. As far as a total package goes, III is my favorite Zeppelin album. Its really the first time they really broke their own mould.

[DragonOfDarkness]

The whole thing about LZ III is that it is a MUST to listen to that record all the way thru without skipping tracks to get the right feel from it.

Exactly. As a whole, the entire album has a perfect flow to it. It's almost as if they just sat down together in the studio and recorded it live. Such a gem.

[BUK]

On ITTOD each picture is taken from the point of view of each of the people in the bar. I have 7 brothers and sisters, so for Christmas that year I bought them all a copy of the album. What a ruse! I got all six, I had to buy 12 of them.

We used to sit an office chair and put the album covers around in a circle at eye height, put on Caroselambra and spin. It felt like you were in the room (guess what we were doin!). Hey, we didn't have ps3 y'know!

I'm looking at three of them now.

I've got cover shots from the bartender's point of view, the old rummy and the girl by the juke box.

As a matter of fact the shot of the guy in the white suit holding the assumed dear john letter is lit on all the covers. It is accompanied by the lighter graphic swish. The reverse side of each cover has the point of view of the person directly opposite the person on the cover's point of view.

The lit paper cover shot from the old rummy's POV is backed by the unlit shot of the smiling black lady at the end of the bar.

The lit paper cover shot from the bartender's POV is backed by the chick by the jukebox.

The chick by the juke box lit paper cover shot is backed by the unlit bartender POV.

The back cover shots featuring the unlit notes are slightly different from the cover shots from the same POV that feature the lit note.

So in actuality there were 12 different shots used in the production of these six album covers.

I had forgotten about all this crap. What a marketing scheme! I bought 12 of these.

PS Don't forget the black ink picture that turned into colors when you added water, as the inner sleeve.

I'm sure all this info is somewhere on the net.

PPS Don't try the office chair thing... people will just think you look stupid.

[MadScreamingGallery]

On ITTOD each picture is taken from the point of view of each of the people in the bar. I have 7 brothers and sisters, so for Christmas that year I bought them all a copy of the album. What a ruse! I got all six, I had to buy 12 of them.

We used to sit an office chair and put the album covers around in a circle at eye height, put on Caroselambra and spin. It felt like you were in the room (guess what we were doin!). Hey, we didn't have ps3 y'know!

I'm looking at three of them now.

I've got cover shots from the bartender's point of view, the old rummy and the girl by the juke box.

As a matter of fact the shot of the guy in the white suit holding the assumed dear john letter is lit on all the covers. It is accompanied by the lighter graphic swish. The reverse side of each cover has the point of view of the person directly opposite the person on the cover's point of view.

The lit paper cover shot from the old rummy's POV is backed by the unlit shot of the smiling black lady at the end of the bar.

The lit paper cover shot from the bartender's POV is backed by the chick by the jukebox.

The chick by the juke box lit paper cover shot is backed by the unlit bartender POV.

The back cover shots featuring the unlit notes are slightly different from the cover shots from the same POV that feature the lit note.

So in actuality there were 12 different shots used in the production of these six album covers.

I had forgotten about all this crap. What a marketing scheme! I bought 12 of these.

PS Don't forget the black ink picture that turned into colors when you added water, as the inner sleeve.

I'm sure all this info is somewhere on the net.

PPS Don't try the office chair thing... people will just think you look stupid.

Thanks so much for that great info BUK! Your post reminded me of how closely we would study the Zep album covers back in the day, when they were first released.

You really know your ITTOD album jackets. You've got a great memory. I have a clear memory of doing the painting with water on the inner sleeve but the only thing that I can remember of what you wrote (and it was only after reading what you wrote that triggered the memory) was that the shots were from the perspective of different people in the bar - beyond that it's either all new to me or my memory is worse than I thought. ITTOD was the first Zep album that was released after my husband and I were together and the first one we purchased together. I didn't purchase 12 but I do remember buying several copies of it before I finally gave up. Years later, I learned that there was a small opening in each of the paper bags through which you could view the tiny letter.

I love your office chair story! Funny that you should mention an office chair because, just last weekend, when I heard the news about Jimmy and Jonesy playing at the Foo Fighters' concert, I jumped into my husband's office chair and took it for a few spins (completely straight and sober, though).

[Cecil.]

So was there a rare cover for ITTOD from a fan point of view?

[Evster2012]

Thanks so much for that great info BUK! Your post reminded me of how closely we would study the Zep album covers back in the day, when they were first released.

I have to echo this sentiment. Gazing at the cover while the vinyl was spinning on the turntable was an integral part of the experience. The artwork became part of the feel of the music. You can't listen to Sick Again while checking out the Houses of the Holy cover! Same goes for Yes' Roger Dean covers and of course Pink Floyd's.

It should also be mentioned that because of the two sides of a record, you had, in effet, two opening and two closing tracks on each album. Black Dog and then Stairway. Misty Mountain Hop starts a whole new chapter which ends with Levee. Track order was everything!! So much of that is lost today with cds and their tiny artwork, and beginning to end playlists.

Nice to see you BUK! How you been old friend? PM me.

[beatbo]

you can see all the versions of the cover art for ITTOD on this very site:

link select ITTOD

the six covers were lettered A-F on the spine, E being the most manufactured. since it is difficult to see the spine numbers with the paper bag while the album was still shrinkwrapped, a mint condition unopened ITTOD is still a suprise. i have an A - F all opened unplayed, an E and an A opened, played and painted, an E, B, and three others unknown that are still sealed.

value will mostly vary based on whether a collector is trying to fill his collection of 6, but all are relatively inexpensive.

[docron]

yes, i do recall being able to "cheat" the system once in a while... you could see the letter on the spine thru the paper bag on occasion..

but most people didnt even realize that these letters meant anything or that the album had various covers.. i dont think too may people really thought anything of it.

[docron]

Neither of my copies are "painted".

I want to do it so bad just to see if it even still works, and to get the full album experience while its playing. I still to this day have never seen what one looks like painted.

Was it advertised as "paintable" or did someone stumble upon it one day by accidentally spilling something on it? I'm interested to know.. and if it wasn't advertised, I wonder who the first person to discover it was!?

I kinda wanna keep the lore alive though... so don't go posting any pictures of it painted on this thread... or if there already are pictures of it on this thread, don't tell me because I didn't know enough to recognize it.

No wonder this album packaging won a Grammy.

Its pretty outstanding on all fronts.

[LukeTheDuke]

Was it advertised as "paintable" or did someone stumble upon it one day by accidentally spilling something on it? I'm interested to know.. and if it wasn't advertised, I wonder who the first person to discover it was!?

advertised? I don't think so but it wasn't a secret; personally, at the time, the record store seller told me but I know it's still unknown to most people.

I read it on magazine as well (I mean, at that time, of course).

The most unknown thing is about the letters on the spine and it's really useful for collectors (as me )

[MadScreamingGallery]

Neither of my copies are "painted".

I want to do it so bad just to see if it even still works, and to get the full album experience while its playing. I still to this day have never seen what one looks like painted.

Was it advertised as "paintable" or did someone stumble upon it one day by accidentally spilling something on it? I'm interested to know.. and if it wasn't advertised, I wonder who the first person to discover it was!?

I kinda wanna keep the lore alive though... so don't go posting any pictures of it painted on this thread... or if there already are pictures of it on this thread, don't tell me because I didn't know enough to recognize it.

No wonder this album packaging won a Grammy.

Its pretty outstanding on all fronts.

advertised? I don't think so but it wasn't a secret; personally, at the time, the record store seller told me but I know it's still unknown to most people.

I read it on magazine as well (I mean, at that time, of course).

The most unknown thing is about the letters on the spine and it's really useful for collectors (as me )

I don't ever remember that the inner sleeve could be painted with water was advertised. I think that it got around via word of mouth - at least that's how we learned of it. I thought that the person who first "discovered" it had accidentally spilled water on the sleeve and the colors appeared and then word of it spread among the fans.

[MadScreamingGallery]

I have to echo this sentiment. Gazing at the cover while the vinyl was spinning on the turntable was an integral part of the experience. The artwork became part of the feel of the music. You can't listen to Sick Again while checking out the Houses of the Holy cover! Same goes for Yes' Roger Dean covers and of course Pink Floyd's.

It should also be mentioned that because of the two sides of a record, you had, in effet, two opening and two closing tracks on each album. Black Dog and then Stairway. Misty Mountain Hop starts a whole new chapter which ends with Levee. Track order was everything!! So much of that is lost today with cds and their tiny artwork, and beginning to end playlists.

Nice to see you BUK! How you been old friend? PM me.

Track order and packaging were absolutely critical. Because we had to manually turn the album over in order to play the second side, there was a pause before the next stage of whatever journey the band was taking us on started. I also realize that, back then, I knew the music much more intimately than I do now. Part of it was not just the tactile experience with the vinyl but also the visual one. We all knew the width of each song's track, just by sight. We became so familiar with each song that we could put the needle right down into the correct groove if we wanted to hear a portion of a particular guitar solo repeated.

[Suz]

We became so familiar with each song that we could put the needle right down into the correct groove if we wanted to hear a portion of a particular guitar solo repeated.

Sigh....I did that with cassettes, too, until I wore them out. I really miss that.