Discussion
My wee brother has announced that he wants a Led Zeppelin CD for christmas. Fine says I but I don't know what to get. Obvious choice is some form of greatest hits but I'm looking to the mighty PH collective for advice. Any must have tracks to be on the soon to be purchased disc?
Cheers
Cheers
Depending on how much you want to spend...
www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=CD&title=123132&p=34&g=48 for £39.99
or:
www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=CD&title=115913&p=34&g=48 for £13.99
Both are "Greatest Hits" packages and have most of what a new Zep afficionado could want.
www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=CD&title=123132&p=34&g=48 for £39.99
or:
www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=CD&title=115913&p=34&g=48 for £13.99
Both are "Greatest Hits" packages and have most of what a new Zep afficionado could want.
It all depends on whether he already has any LZ discs or not. If yes, then find out which. If not, then Remasters would be a good start or you could be generous and buy the Early Days and Latter Days compilations or super-generous and buy the big boxed set. If you are feeling especially loving, then you can I think buy all the albums as a boxed set.
Whatever you buy, it will be good, though In through the Out Door, Presence and Coda are for the more advanced student of Zeppelinology and The SOng Remains the Same is nowherer near as good a live album as How the West was WOn.
Whatever you buy, it will be good, though In through the Out Door, Presence and Coda are for the more advanced student of Zeppelinology and The SOng Remains the Same is nowherer near as good a live album as How the West was WOn.
Personally i always prefer to hear a rock band live, therefore for me, "How the West was Won", is without the definitive live Led Zep album...
I would think that is definitely a good starting point and shows them at their best. If he has recently gotten into them, its like that the latests issues (i.e. this CD and the accompanying DVD) are what may have whetted his appetite, so good call there IMO.
I would think that is definitely a good starting point and shows them at their best. If he has recently gotten into them, its like that the latests issues (i.e. this CD and the accompanying DVD) are what may have whetted his appetite, so good call there IMO.
charlescrawley said:Good call Charles, although I was a bit miffed to find a distinct lack of "When the levee breaks" omitted from the cheaper one.
Depending on how much you want to spend...
www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=CD&title=123132&p=34&g=48 for £39.99
or:
www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=CD&title=115913&p=34&g=48 for £13.99
Both are "Greatest Hits" packages and have most of what a new Zep afficionado could want.
But a great introduction all the same.
I would say either:
a) Get him the eponymous first album, which is effing great BTW and suggest he start from there in chronological order.
or b) get the BBC Sessions double CD, which has a nice mixture of their studio stuff, presented in a rrough chronology in live settings. The live tunes are fairly true to the album counterparts, suggesting that Zep were in fact a real live band, honing their skills on stage before heading indoors. The sound is good on this set and you do get the full lemon squeezing effect of a band at the peak of their powers.
I had the usual experience of jumping in with the recommended 5-star album choice (4 Symbols, Untitled whatever you want to call it) and I was a bit perplexed, not unimpressed, as to how they arrived at this juncture. Listening to the preceding three albums was enjoyable but I would definately say go for the first album and take it from there.
Hope this helps.
a) Get him the eponymous first album, which is effing great BTW and suggest he start from there in chronological order.
or b) get the BBC Sessions double CD, which has a nice mixture of their studio stuff, presented in a rrough chronology in live settings. The live tunes are fairly true to the album counterparts, suggesting that Zep were in fact a real live band, honing their skills on stage before heading indoors. The sound is good on this set and you do get the full lemon squeezing effect of a band at the peak of their powers.
I had the usual experience of jumping in with the recommended 5-star album choice (4 Symbols, Untitled whatever you want to call it) and I was a bit perplexed, not unimpressed, as to how they arrived at this juncture. Listening to the preceding three albums was enjoyable but I would definately say go for the first album and take it from there.
Hope this helps.
http://www2.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/artistIDSearch.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1&artistID=317&artistName=Led+Zeppelin&primaryID=-1&secondaryID=-1&tertiaryID=-1
Looks like HMV have the first few albums for £6.99.
Looks like HMV have the first few albums for £6.99.
ferg said:
selmer said:
Get him the eponymous first album, which is effing great BTW and suggest he start from there in chronological order.
Agreed...
Every one of Zeppelin's albums were different, and in their own way had something to offer, a compilation doesn't really do them justice, but the first six are "must haves"...
Led Zeppelin 1
Led Zeppelin 2
Led Zeppelin 3
Led Zeppelin 4 (The runes album)
Houses of the Holy
Physical Graffiti
(Saw them live at Earls court in '75, and both Knebworths, August '79).....plus Plant and Page numerous times since.........
>> Edited by Wacky Racer on Monday 13th December 20:24
I have to say that I tend to find compilations annoying, because I buy them to see if I like a band, and then when I want to buy more of their stuff, I've already got half of each album.
I would suggest that you ask your brother which of their stuff he has already listened to (if he knows), and buy the album with that in, since each album has it's own style, and at first, he may like one but not another. I started a Physical Graffiti, then worked forwards to 1, then bach to Presence, although I don't have any of their live stuff.
Hope this helps
I would suggest that you ask your brother which of their stuff he has already listened to (if he knows), and buy the album with that in, since each album has it's own style, and at first, he may like one but not another. I started a Physical Graffiti, then worked forwards to 1, then bach to Presence, although I don't have any of their live stuff.
Hope this helps
Zod said:
Whatever you buy, it will be good, though In through the Out Door, Presence and Coda are for the more advanced student of Zeppelinology and The SOng Remains the Same is nowherer near as good a live album as How the West was WOn.
Agreed, as a Zeppelin fan for nearly 30yrs, I think I have every album they made (and some they didn't). Some are more of an acquired taste, but the earlier ones are better for cutting your teeth on - I think most non-cognoscenti would consider 'Stairway to Heaven' as an essential track to have (as would I) if that's the case you need the Fourth album.
But
Zod said:
If you are feeling especially loving, then you can I think buy all the albums as a boxed set.
you know it makes sense. Nowadays I don't listen to Zeppelin as much as I used to and in fact I only have one Led Zep disc in the Car cd changer (an MP3/CD with 99 tracks on it!
) 
>> Edited by catso on Monday 13th December 22:33
The DVD was for me what I had been waiting for since the invention of the medium. I was too young to see them when they were still together, had seen Plant and Page at Wembley and the film of The Song Remains the Same. but that DVD transports me to another world. I enjoy lots of rock groups, but nobody gets close to Led Zeppelin.
>> Edited by Zod on Monday 13th December 23:13
>> Edited by Zod on Monday 13th December 23:13
Zod said:
The DVD was for me what I had been waiting for since the invention of the medium. I was too young to see them when they were still together, had seen Plant and Page at Wembley and the film of The Song Remains the Same. but that DVD transports me to another world. I enjoy lots of rock groups, but nobody gets close to Led Zeppelin.
>> Edited by Zod on Monday 13th December 23:13
Yep - this applies to me too - although i have never seen page/plant live. It is the only DVD i have ever bought, and only the second one i own!
Currently have Led Zep 2 in my CD player to walk to work!
definitely one of my favourite ever albums...I would recommend Led Zep IV since it has 
stairway to heaven which I'm guessing is the track he is most familiar with. Let him listen to that a few times, then make sure he plays "rock and roll" and "black dog" plenty of times. Then if you can run to it give him Led Zep II and watch with satisfaction as "Whole Lotte Love" gives him a hefty shove down the road of Zep enlightenment
stairway to heaven which I'm guessing is the track he is most familiar with. Let him listen to that a few times, then make sure he plays "rock and roll" and "black dog" plenty of times. Then if you can run to it give him Led Zep II and watch with satisfaction as "Whole Lotte Love" gives him a hefty shove down the road of Zep enlightenment Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff