LED ZEPPELIN 'SONG REMAINS THE SAME' FIRST US PRESSING 1976 2-LP LIVE '73 TOUR

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LED ZEPPELIN 'THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME' FIRST US PRESSING 1976 2-LP LIVE NYC 1973 TOUR ~ CLEAN! A BEAUTY!
LED ZEPPELIN  "THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME" 2-LP SOUNDTRACK FROM THE FILM "THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME" RECORDED LIVE JULY 27-29, 1973 ~ MADISON SQUARE GARDEN NYC LABEL: SWAN SONG SS 2-201 RELEASED: OCTOBER 22, 1976 U.S. FIRST PRESSING ~ EMBOSSED ~ GATEFOLD ~ BOOKLET 'EMBOSSED' PICTURE FRAMES ON FRONT & BACK COVER GATEFOLD w/ 8-PAGE BOOKLET OF PICTURES & PHOTOS PRICE CODE ON SPINE '1198' MIXING: ELECTRIC LADYLAND STUDIOS NYC MASTERING: STERLING SOUND STUDIOS NYC RECORD COMPANY: SWAN SONG (ATLANTIC RECORDING CORPORATION) MANUFACTURED & DISTRIBUTED BY ATLANTIC RECORDING CORPORATION "MARKETED BY WEA RECORDS LIMITED" VERSION PRESSING: SPECIALTY RECORDS CORPORATION (SRC LOGO IN MATRIX) RECORDING ENGINEER: EDDIE KRAMER LINER NOTES: CAMERON CROWE ALBUM DESIGN & ART BY HIPGNOSIS MATRIX (SIDE A): (Etched) ST-SS-763683-N (SRC LOGO) 1-1 MATRIX (SIDE B): (Etched) ST-SS-763684-L 6 MATRIX (SIDE C): (Etched) ST-SS-763685-P 1-3 (SRC LOGO) MATRIX (SIDE D): (Etched) ST-SS-763686-N L.Z. 4 (SRC LOGO)
CONDITION: VINYL: EX- to EX    JACKET: VG++    BOOKLET: EX
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've been going thru my massive vinyl record collection these past few weeks and pulling out some LPs that I thought that someone else would want for their collection. I've been collecting records for over 45 years and it's time to pass some of them on to the next generation of collectors.
This week on EBay I am offering up this clean, crisp, beautiful, 1976 First U.S. Pressing of Led Zeppelin's classic first live album "The Song Remains The Same." 
This is my original copy, purchased back in the mid 70's, shortly after it's release, that I've taken great care of for many years. It's a beauty! See details on Condition below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a first pressing, Swan Song SS 2-201 copy, complete with the 'textured', stamped embossed cover, and the 8-page color booklet containing great photos and many stills from the film.
This original 1976 first pressing mix sounds magnificent; deep, wide, dynamic and clear, plus it has a bit more 'edge' compared to 70's reissues and what came later. This is the way this album is meant to be heard and still sounds amazing.
Inside the front cover is a fantastic essay by Cameron Crowe. His introduction tells why Zeppelin was so great, and he makes the band sound almost mythical.
The booklet is clean, bright and tightly secured, and is a nice added touch. Some individual pages are dedicated to specific members of the band, and the pictures make it feel like the viewer is peeking into the personal worlds of their rock star lifestyle. Many of the pictures are stills from the movie, which also explored each of the band members personal lives and fantasies.
This also comes with it's original Atlantic company inner sleeves. Some pressing plants used black inner sleeves, but only a few. This beautifully pressed 'Specialty' first pressing used the standard dark grey Atlantic sleeves.
Most people who purchased this album played it to death, and didn't take care of it, so clean, crisp, complete, true first pressings like this one have become hard to find and much more appreciated 45 years later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is the 2-LP live soundtrack to Led Zeppelin's concert film of the same name, "The Song Remains The Same", recorded during the band's three night stand at Madison Square Garden in NYC back in July 1973.
Led Zeppelin built their reputation on their live shows, and rapidly gained notoriety as the most exciting live band on the planet.
A large part of Zeppelin's appeal was their live concerts and this was the first chance that many fans, who didn't get to see the shows, got to hear the band perform their classic songs in a live setting.
Hearing great, live, extended versions of "Stairway to Heaven" and a half-hour version of "Dazed and Confused" blew our minds in 1976, and is now the stuff of rock legend.
This album contains nearly 2 hours of live Led Zeppelin, arguably at their prime, performing some of the heaviest rock music ever made. 
John Bonham plays his drums with thundering power, Jimmy plays some amazing solos and creates some terrific guitar tones, Plant's vocals are mesmerizing, and JPJ keeps it all together and holds down the bottom end with fantasic keyboards and bass work.
You get a fantastic version of "Stairway to Heaven", complete with the classic “Does anybody remember laughter?” ad lib, you have the classic head-banging grooves of “Whole Lotta Love,” “Celebration Day" and “Rock and Roll" as well as stoney extended versions of “Dazed and Confused” and "No Quarter". An amazing collection of classic Led Zeppelin material.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album captured the spectacle that Zeppelin had become by 1973. This is Led Zeppelin at their extravagant, excessive peak of power, captured before Robert Plant's voice started to fade and before alcohol, heroin, and excess took their toll on the band.
Robert Plant’s 4-octave range voice was was starting to go by the end of the 1973 tour and he sings some of this material, such as “Rock and Roll” in a lower, more restrained style, but it's still Robert Plant, one of the best Rock singers of all time.
Luckily, Plant was able to dig deep for these final shows of the tour in NYC. His vocals on this album are fantastic and better than on most of the 1973 tour. He sings with power, grit, emotion and character.
At the time, we only had their earlier albums to go by, and to most of us, his vocals sound amazing. It's only with 45 years of hindsight that we realize he wasn't at his peak 1971 form by 1973.
~~~ Recorded by legendary sound engineer Eddie Kramer, the music is taken from three concerts the band performed at Madison Square Garden on July 27-29, 1973.
Unknown by fans at the time, the music on these records was carefully stitched together by Jimmy Page and Eddie Kramer, taking the best moments of those 1973 Garden shows to create the best live album they could.
It's more of an 'assemblage' than an actual recording of how it really went down. Page attempted to 'improve' on the performances by splicing together bits and pieces from different shows and different performances to create the songs. 
This is also a Soundtrack to the film of the same title, 'The Song Remains the Same', so the music had to be sequenced and carefully edited to match the pace and scenes of the movie.
Jimmy Page has said that this album “wasn’t necessarily the best live material we had, but it was the live material that went with the footage"
Despite not being a truly live concert recording, and not being the very best that Zeppelin was capable of on that tour, it's still a fantastc, amazing live album and contains some of their best performances and iconic songs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In 2007, Jimmy Page 'remastered' the album and destroyed some of it's original flow, charm and power. It was expanded and tinkered with again by Jimmy for the 2014 deluxe re-release.
Most pure Led Zeppelin fans were not happy with those later re-issues and preferred the sound and song selection of original pressings like this one. The reissues were a bit strange and difficult for those of us who grew up listening to the original version and mix.
The re-issued versions of this album are generally loathed and hated by true Led Zeppelin fans.  The reissues edit a big chunk out of one of Jimmy Page’s best guitar solos ever on “No Quarter”, cut out Plant's introduction to "Stairway", and edits down "Whole Lotta Love", making original First pressings like this copy, essential to hearing the concert the way the band originally intended.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album was originally released in 1976, after both 'Physical Graffiti' and 'Presence' were released, but contains nothing from those classic albums. The 1973 concert captured on these discs was heavily focused on material from 'Houses of the Holy', their 5th album, not a bad thing. I feel that the songs from 'Houses of the Holy' are all far superior live compared to the original studio versions, in fact almost all of the songs on this album are developed into longer, deeper performances that are much better than the original studio versions.
This is an amazing sounding live album. All analog. In 1973, you didn't have all the technology and digital 'trickery' that you hear in modern concerts and modern mastering studios. It was just 4 guys with a guitar, bass, keyboard and drums that created such a powerful, intense, expressive and emotional sound. The perfect balance of 'Light and Shade' that Jimmy always talked about.
This First Pressing copy of 'The Song Remains the Same' gives us all the proof we need that, in their prime, Led Zeppelin was untoppable, the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world.
This 2-LP live set was not very well recieved when it was first released back in 1976, but over time it's become appreciated, respected and loved. It has aged well, like a fine wine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This fantastic Live album contains many classic Led Zeppelin tunes. The songs on this original First Pressing include:
Rock And Roll Celebration Day The Song Remains The Same Rain Song Dazed And Confused No Quarter Stairway To Heaven Moby Dick Whole Lotta Love
~~~~~~~~ The album opens up strongly with a hi-octane version of the Led Zeppelin classic “Rock And Roll,” one of the greatest opening tracks in rock ‘n’ roll history. The song is raw, dripping with energy, and full of Jimmy's howling power chords played over John Bonham’s explosive drumming.
Pure vintage Led Zeppelin jumping out of the speakers right from the start.
This song segues effortlessly into the second track “Celebration Day,” not giving the audience any time to recover or catch their breath.
Right from the start, it's obvious that Jimmy Page was still firing on all cylinders in 1973, and at the height of his powers as a guitarist, before heroin and ego made him a shell of himself just a few short years later. By the middle of the 1977 North American tour, Page’s playing was almost embarrassing, full of missed notes, and lacking both emotion and the skills he was known for.
Fortunately, Jimmy's playing on this album is totally amazing. On the second track, “Celebration Day”, he plays both of the lead guitar parts of the song simultaneously, weaving his fingers all over the fretboard with mesmerizing speed, energy and thunder. His solo is spectacular and Bonham’s drumming is superb.
Next up is the fantastic combination of “The Song Remains the Same”/“The Rain Song.” 
"The Song Remains The Same" is another rocker featuring Jimmy playing his twelve string, which takes the song to a new level.
The upbeat song transitions smoothly into an achingly melancholy version of “The Rain Song.” It's gorgeous, heartfelt and grandiose.
It's one of Robert Plant's favorite compositions and his vocals are completely riveting. J. P. Jones plays some masterful and moody Mellotron, replacing the strings heard on the studio version.
It relaxes the crowd before they start to rock out again and is a perfect ending to side One.
Flipping the record over, we get an amazing 27 minute long, stoney, trippy, version of “Dazed and Confused”, complete with JPJ's haunting bass lines and a master class on rock guitar playing, lengthy pretentious violin bow solo and all. This song is Jimmy's spotlight, but Plant's vocals are great, loose and spontaneous, throwing a line from John Phillips/Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco" into the mix.
Keeping the dark, mysterious, stoney atmosphere going, side 3 kicks off with “No Quarter”, which takes the 'Houses of the Holy' studio version of the song and expands on it, building a darker, more menacing, mystical jam that includes one of Jimmy Page’s finest fuzzy guitar solos which slowly builds to a fantastic climax. The arrangement and performance of this song is spellbinding. Bonham’s cymbal crashes and Page’s wah-wah pedal adding to the dark, chilly atmosphere. This song is also where John Paul Jones shines on his keyboard. 
The live version of “Stairway” on this album is stretched out, with Page adding new guitar phrases in his extended solo. Plant's vocals in the final verse are magestic, powerful and electrifying. A terrific version of this classic Zeppelin tune, and the highlight of the album.
Robert Plant introduces the song with the words “This is a song of hope...”, which is removed on the re-issues, and his powerful vocals are stunning. He tosses in the classic “Does anybody remember laughter?” ad lib in the middle.
Jimmy Page famously used his Gibson EDS-1275 double neck guitar on this track, playing some fantastic acoustic 12-string work in the beginning, switching to some blistering electric 6-string work for the heavier middle section.
Page's solo on the original studio version is hard to beat, but Jimmy also does an amazing solo on this live version.
Like every live album released in the 70's, there's a drum solo, but here it's compact, concise and intense, not drawn out longer than it needs to be. It's also moved to side 4 of this album. Bonzo's playing on "Moby Dick" is amazing, featuring fast complex fills, gong playing, bare hand percussion, and mesmerizing stick work. Bonham was truly a master of his drum kit.
The album closes with a breathtaking, rousing version of “Whole Lotta Love,” another Zeppelin classic. This live version is much looser and better than the album version, which was all about Page's studio tricks and mastery.
On this energetic live version, Page's riffs are fantastic and he engages in a long trippy 'battle' with the theramin before suddenly turning the song into a frenetic boogie-woogie jam, then returning back to the menacing main riff for the closing part.
The tune features a break midway through the song, featuring John Lee Hooker’s “Let That Boy Boogie”, acknowledging their debt to, and love of, the blues.
The whole band is on fire and Plant sings his heart out on this fantastic album closer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album is clearly a 'must own' for any fan of 70's rock and is essential for any fan of Led Zppelin. in addition, it needs to be experienced on a crisp, clean, punchy and dynamic First Pressing, like this copy. This is the way this album was meant to be heard, and still sounds amazing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONDITION: I tried to show good hi-resolution photos of the cover, labels and vinyl in my pictures.
I purchased this copy, new, back in the mid 70's, 50 years ago, and have taken great care of it since.
VINYL: The vinyl still looks excellent. Clean and bright. No scuffs, scratches, or dings. It looks fantastic across all 4 sides and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
I rarely grade an open, used record as Excellent, but this one is close. Crisp and clean. Beautiful!
The Deadwax has the etched first pressing markings and identifiers. It has the 'specialty' pressing stamp, but is otherwise rather plain, as many first pressings are. 
See the full Matrix marks for all 4 sides above.
I tried to show some close-up pictures of the vinyl to show how good it looks. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.
LABELS: This is pressed with the 'classic' colorful Swan Song labels. The labels have the 1976 date, the 'WEA' comments, and the 'SP' suffix for the Specialty pressing plant.
The labels are clean and bright. No marks or damage. Side 4 has the 'E A S T' embossed around the spindle hole, unique to 'Specialty' pressings.
The spindle holes are still sharp and clean, suggesting minimal playing and my careful handling over the years.
JACKET: As you can see from my pictures, this still looks very nice for a nearly 50 year old OG copy. 
This thick, all black jacket is notorious for showing ringwear, dirt, scuffs and damage, but this copy is still quite nice. 
No ringwear and still a beautiful clean black cover. The artwork is bold and bright, the corners are sharp, and the original gloss is still present.
This first pressing has the 'textured' stamp-embossed picture frames on the front and back.
There is a linear 'dent' on the back cover, which I showed a detail of, but it's not bad and on the back of the album. Not a scratch and no white showing thru. Not sure how or when that happened, but it should be pointed out.
The inner gatefold is clean and crisp. The booklet is clean, bright, and tightly bound. The spine, with the original price code, is straight. A nice survivor.
This also still has it's original Atlantic company inner sleeves.
Overall, I'll call the whole record VG++, due to the 'dent', but the vinyl is very clean and crisp.
Due to it's mostly black design, this album is almost always found with dings, marks, fingerprints and scratches, but this copy is a real beauty.
This record has been sleeved and stored properly for decades, protecting it, and is still quite nice and complete for an original pressing. This copy is all original, and a real gem. I'm sure you'll love it. As I mentioned, these are hard to find in clean condition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** NOTE: I'm selling this rare 'Collector' record "AS IS" and "NO RETURN". It's rare and as described and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I’m recently retired and downsizing and letting go some gems and rarities from nearly 45 years of vinyl record collecting. Check out the many other fantastic 45s and 33s coming soon to my page!
All records have been carefully evaluated and graded by me. I visually inspect all records under bright light, personally gently clean them with a soft cloth and then, if unsure, play them on a modern high-end turntable to get a true picture of condition. Please look at all the high-resolution pictures I added. They are all my own and are of the actual record being sold. The pictures are part of the description and can show small details, label variations, and condition better than I can put into words. 
My grading is fair and honest. I have had over 3,500 happy and satisfied EBay customers over the years, with 100% positive feedback, and I have been buying/selling on EBay for well over 25 years, so please bid with confidence!
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THANK YOU for looking and reading if you got this far.  -- JOHN