268 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
268 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
50 rarest Led Zeppelin and related records
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by Robert Godwin
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Trying to determine the 50 rarest albums by Led Zeppelin is somewhat
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like trying to determine the 50 rarest coins - it's a matter of opinion.
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Not only that, new ones are always turning up. The following list is
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based primarily on the recording's scarcity, and does not include
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bootleg recordings.
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At this writing, the rarest official Led Zeppelin release is the
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original Japanese Atlantic/Polydor pressing of "Immigrant Song" backed
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with "Out On The Tiles." The only official single to feature both songs,
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this disk is valued at $2000 by collectors. Runner-up on the list is
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"She Just Satisfies", a solo single recorded by Page and drummer Bobbie
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Graham for the Fontana label in 1965, which has been known to be worth
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as much as $700.
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The third most sought-after Zeppelin release is "Communication
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Breakdown"/"Good Times Bad Times," a promo-only item with an interesting
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history. In 1969 Atlantic tried to pressure Zeppelin into releasing a UK
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single, but the band resisted because they did not approve of the
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'commercial implications.' As a result, the record was pressed but did
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not get past the promotional stage. Copies of this sell steadily for
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$200.
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Next is a curiosity from the African nation, Angola. Two things
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contribute to the rarity of this piece: it was pressed just prior to a
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major political upheaval (which still continues), and it is the only
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Zeppelin piece to be licensed in such an obscure (in rock and roll
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terms) land. It comes with a very attractive picture sleeve and is
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extremely hard to find.
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Prior to the release of Led Zeppelin I in 1969, white label test
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pressings were distributed quite extensively by Atlantic to college and
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FM radio stations. The labels of these promos say "Test Pressing", and
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feature the typed words, "Led Zeppelin." If you can find one, expect to
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pay as much as $200. Atlantic, still pushing for a British single
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release, pressed a mid-1969 promo of "Whole Lotta Love"/"Living Loving
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Maid." The band again foiled the company's intentions, and as a result
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these rare promos now sell for over $150.
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Back in 1968, Atlantic's U.S. division disseminated promo
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seven-inch copies of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"/"Dazed And Confused."
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This came in an attractive picture sleeve depicting the Hindenburg
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crash. This very hard-to-find release today commands as much as $150. In
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1972 Atlantic tried yet again for a U.K. single, this time with the
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approval of Robert Plant. However, Plant could not convince the rest of
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the band and we are once more left with a promo-only of "D'yer
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Mak'er"/"Over The Hills And Far Away." Collectors should note that this
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is the only record available with these two songs back to back.
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Another facet of Atlantic's massive push for Zeppelin in 1969
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included an in-store promotional album featuring Page and company on one
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side and Dusty Springfield on the other! Slipcased in a black and white
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cover, the album includes songs from the first album that are
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periodically interrupted by some unintentionally hilarious voice-overs
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encouraging the prospective consumer to "fly higher with Led Zeppelin."
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This remnant of stranger, if more innocent, days currently sells for
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approximately $150.
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And speaking of stranger days, we now take a leap back to the
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summer of 1966, when Robert Plant was still struggling in his native
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Birmingham with a band named Listen. Listen signed with CBS and recorded
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a single that is now valued at $120. Very few were sold - it seems no
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one was listening - and most extant copies are promos or DJ releases.
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Plant then recorded two other failed singles as a solo artist. There is
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some evidence that CBS was trying to groom Robert to be the next Pat
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Boone, and it is even suspected that his vocal tracks were slowed down
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in order to make his croon more convincing. These bizarre artifacts no
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sell for about $120 apiece.
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Another quirky early solo release is John Paul Jones's 1964
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debut with Pye Records. "A Foggy Day In Vietnam"/"Baja" was also
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released in the US by Parkway. Both versions are valued at roughly $100.
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The US version is dated "1962" on the label; the error is not explained.
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In the early Seventies, SR International licensed LZ II from
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Atlantic for distribution through the RCA record club. This resulted in
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a variation on the traditional "Brown Bomber" jacket. Pressed in
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Austria, this very handsome piece is now valued between $100 and $150.
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Similarly priced is the original Japanese pressing by Nippon Grammophon
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of Led Zeppelin I, which features a gatefold cover. Another jacket
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variation to watch out for (and there aren't very many) is the "German
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double", which combined the first two albums in a beautiful gatefold
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jacket. This was released without the knowledge or consent of the band
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and was almost immediately withdrawn - $120 to $150 will probably cover
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this one. Rumor has it that there is Yugoslavian version; if you find
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yourself in Ljublyana of Zagreb, buy it!
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BBC's broadcast of Zep at the Paris Theater in 1971 has been
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bootlegged beyond belief, but the original BBC transcription disks are
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extremely hard to find. Prices vary enormously on this release, but do
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not expect to pay any less than $100 for a single album. The Westwood
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One radio network has re-broadcast most of the BBC shows a number of
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times. These Westwood pressings usually sell for $100 to $150 for the
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complete two-album set. A four-song promo for Houses Of The Holy was
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pressed for the US Armed Forces Network; again, expect to pay $100.
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"Stairway To Heaven" probably would have sold quite well as a single,
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but it was never released. However, in a ploy to get the maximum amount
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of airplay, Atlantic pressed seven-inch promo of the song with a picture
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sleeve. $100 will probably get you one of these in mint condition.
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Overseas seven-inch pressings are many and varied, but two of the rarest
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are the Spanish picture sleeve promos from Houses Of The Holy. The
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sleeves are entirely different from the commercial releases and are
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worth approximately $80 apiece. Another overseas gem is a Brazilian
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promo EP that was included in special issues of Rock Espetacular
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magazine. The EP features the blues epic "Since I've Been Loving You,"
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along with "Friends" and "Celebration Day." This is the only 7" with
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these three songs and is valued at $65. Eastern bloc pressings were very
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limited; one of the rarest is the Yugoslavian seven-inch of "D'yer
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Mak'er," accompanied by a nice picture sleeve. This is worth about $60.
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All 10 of Zeppelin's albums were available as white-label promos, with
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the most valuable being LZ I, which commands from $50 to $100. Also be
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on the watch for the mono white label version of Houses Of The Holy.
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Some of the rarest releases come from Japan. Several late-Sixties Nippon
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Grammophon-pressed singles are now valued at $60. A US promo for
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"Gallow's Pole" can be had for about the same money.
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Moving back to 1968, the Yardbirds released and then promptly withdrew a
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single featuring Jimmy Page, entitled "Goodnight Sweet Josephine."
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Although the song is really quite poor, it is a shame that the B-side
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was not given more of a chance. "Think About It" includes some of Page's
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best work with the band and hints at things to come. If you are lucky
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enough to find a copy, be prepared to pay $60. If not, buy the British
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edition of the Yardbird's Little Games, which includes six tracks with
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Page that do not appear on the US original.
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P.J. Proby's album, Three Week Hero (Liberty), was the first commercial
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release featuring all four members of Led Zeppelin (Plant plays
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harmonica). Worth approximately $50, this UK-only record is still sought
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after by Proby collectors and Zep fans alike.
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Another valuable promo is an Atlantic-licensed EP with picture sleeves
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designed for jukeboxes. These occasionally turn up for $30, but can cost
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as much $60.
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An Australian pressing of Led Zeppelin II that featured a picture of the
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band inside the gatefold, instead of the traditional blimp in
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floodlights, was quickly withdrawn. It now commands $50. Another classic
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piece that was also withdrawn is Live Yardbirds Featuring Jimmy Page.
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Released by Epic in 1971 to cash in on Zeppelin's growing popularity,
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the album featured poorly produced recordings of the band in action at
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the Anderson Theater in NY. Jimmy Page, who owned the rights to the
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Yardbirds' name, served an injunction against Epic demanding immediate
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withdrawal of the offending piece. Although Page maintains that the
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band's performance is inferior, this album is highly recommended. His
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playing is forceful, and the early version of "Dazed And Confused" is
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historic. Counterfeits sell for approximately $40, but it is well-worth
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investing the extra $20 or so to get an original.
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Some EP variations from Mexico are available periodically for about $25
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to $35; these usually come in handsome picture sleeves. Also look for
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similar items from Taiwan. There are several variations of the fourth
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album, but one of the most sought-after is the pink vinyl edition
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released in the UK.
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Ten standard singles were released in Europe, but there were a few
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interesting variations. "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"/"Out On The Tiles" from
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Holland is not available anywhere else, and two pieces from Italy -
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"Heartbreaker"/"Bring It On Home" and "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"/"Immigrant
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Song" - are also unique. All three are valued at $20 to $40. Another
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unique Italian promo piece pairs the live version of "Rock And Roll"
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from TSRTS with a disco track by the Trammps. This was intended for
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jukeboxes only.
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Five thousand copied of "Trampled Underfoot"/"Black Country Woman" were
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pressed and given away in a printed sleeve to store owners who bought
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inventory of Zep's albums. These are still quite elusive and are valued
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at $20. The 10 most common singles were made available in New Zealand in
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the mid-Eighties in a boxed set. Each disk came in a blue WEA dust
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sleeve and the pressings were of superior quality. One odd aspect of the
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set is that some of the A- and B-sides are reversed, presumably by
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accident. Due to its size and scarcity, the set now sells for about
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$100.
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Our list cocludes with two cover variations. In Uruguay, where most of
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Zep's albums were released, an extremely strange promo copy of ITTOD was
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pressed. It has a picture of the band on the cover, which suggests that
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it could be a pirate. The other is definitely not a pirate. A UK version
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of LZ I that features the name of the band and the Atlantic logo in blue
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lettering instead of orange now fethces $20.
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There are, no doubt, worlds of Zep oddities waiting to be discovered and
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suitably price-tagged. Meanwhile, the foregoing should supply
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Zeppophiles with plenty of drool for thought.
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Label (* Title Country
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A/P Immigrant Song/Out On The Tiles (with p/c) Japan
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F She Just Satisfies/Keep Movin' (by Jimmy Page) UK
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A Communication Breakdown/Good Times Bad Times (promo only) UK
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A Over The Hills And Far Away/Dancing Days (with p/c) Angola
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A Led Zeppelin I (white label test pressing LP) USA
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A Whole Lotta Love/Living Loving Maid (promo only) UK
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A Babe I'm Gonna Leave You/Dazed And Confused (promo with p/c) USA
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A D'yer Mak'er/Over The Hills And Far Away (promo only) UK
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A Led Zeppelin I/Dusty Springfield (promo only LP) USA
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CBS Our Song/Laughin, Cryin, Laughin (by Robert Plant) UK
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CBS You'd Better Run/Everybody's Gonna Say (by Listen) UK
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CBS Long Time Comin'/I've Got A Secret (by Robert Plant) UK
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Pye A Foggy Day In Vietnam/Baja (by John Paul Jones) UK
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Pa A Foggy Day In Vietnam/Baja (by John Paul Jones) USA
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A Led Zeppelin II (LP w/different cover) Austria
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A Led Zeppelin I (LP w/gatefold cover) Japan
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A 1st & 2nd Led Zeppelin (first 2 albums in gatefold cover) Germany
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BBC Live at Paris Studios, 1971 (BBC transcription LP, radio UK
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only)
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AFR Houses Of The Holy (one-sided LP; radio only) USA
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LW Maxell presents The Best Of The BBC Rock Hour (2 LP live UK
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in 1969, and 1971, radio only, in p/c)
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WO In Concert (2LP, live in 1971, radio only) USA
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A Stairway To Heaven (mono)/Stairway To Heaven (stereo) USA
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(promo with p/c)
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AH D'yer Mak'er/The Crunge (promo w/different p/c) Spain
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AH OTHAFA/Dancing Days (promo w/diff. p/c) Spain
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RE Since I've Been Loving You/Friends; Celebration Day Brazil
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(promo EP)
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AS D'yer Mak'er/The Crunge (with p/c) Yug.
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A Led Zeppelin (white label promo LP) USA
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A Whole Lotta Love/Thank You (with p/c) Japan
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A Living Loving Maid/Bring It On Home (with p/c) Japan
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A Gallows Pole (mono)/Gallows Pole (stereo) (promo only) USA
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E Goodnight Sweet Josephine/Think About It (by the Yardbirds) USA
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L Three Week Hero (LP by P.J. Proby) UK
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A Dancing Days; D'yer Mak'er/TSRTS; The Crunge (promo, p/c) USA
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A Rock And Roll; Black Dog/Stairway To Heaven (promo, p/c) USA
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A Led Zeppelin II (with different inside cover) Australia
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E Live Yardbirds Featuring Jimmy Page (withdrawn LP) USA
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AP Good Times Bad Times; Communication Breakdown/Dazed Mexico
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And Confused (with p/c)
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A Immigrant Song/Tangerine; Out On The Tiles (with p/c) Mexico
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A Whole Lotta Love; Living Loving Maid/Heartbreaker (p/c) Mexico
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AG D'yer Mak'er; OTHAFA/Black Dog; Misty Mountain Hop (p/c) Mexico
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4 Track Custard Pie; Boogie With Stu/Night Flight; Down By The Taiwan
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Seaside
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A Led Zeppelin IV (LP on pink vinyl) UK
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A Bron-Y-Aur Stomp/Out On The Tiles (with p/c) Holland
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A Heartbreaker/Bring It On Home (with p/c) Italy
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A Bron-Y-Aur Stomp/Immigrant Song (with p/c) Italy
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SS Rock And Roll (Live)/Disco Inferno (The Trammps) (promo) Italy
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A The 10 Legendary Singles (Boxed Set) NZ
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SS In Through The Out Door (prom w/different cover) Uruguay
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AP Led Zeppelin I (with blue lettering on the cover) UK
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(* Abbreviations: A=Atlantic, P=Polydor, F=Fontana, Pa=Parkway, AFR=Armed
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Forces Radio, LW= London Wavelength, WO=Westwood One, AH= Atlantic Hispavox,
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RE=Rock Espetacular (magazine), AS=Atlantic Suzy, E=Epic, L=Liberty,
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AG= Atlantic Gamma, SS=Swan Song.
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______________________________________________________________________________
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Robert Godwin is the author of "The Illustrated Collector's Guide To Led
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Zeppelin," which is available from Collector's Guide, PO Box 305, 688
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Brant Street, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 3Y2.
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