Vinyl: Led Zeppelin III RARE UNDOCUMENTED 5/7 UK Peter Grant CREDIT 1970 UNPLAYED PERFECT SOUND ON ALL ACOUSTIC TRACKS~SUPERB Wheel COVER

We come from the land of the ice and snow, From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands, To fight the horde, singing and crying, "Valhalla, I am coming!" On we sweep with threshing oar, our only goal will be the western shore. We come from the land of the ice and snow, From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore, Of how we calmed the tides of war, We are your overlords. On we sweep with threshing oar, our only goal will be the western shore. So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins, For peace and trust can win the day, despite of all your losing.

LED ZEPPELIN: "Led Zeppelin III" LP. THE VERY FIRST UK PRESSING, 16th OCTOBER, 1970. Well, who would thought in 1970 how many instant vinyl experts selling original "Led Zeppelin III" LP's, would spring up after being fed details by websites. Websites claiming to have 'definitive facts' about indexing in the run-out grooves and printed credits on the labels.The first thing to get right is, the sheer volume of records required to distribute to British record shops for a band as colossal as Led Zeppelin, we do know advance orders for the album were in excess of 80,000, this was 1970 and not 2016! The vast majority of us read the music papers every week (I read three a week!), saw the early promo adverts and then waited for the one that announced the release date, then straight into your nearest record shop to buy the record without even considering ordering it in advance. So what if you did? The same applied because vinyl was not competing with any other media, other than to also buy the cassette tape version, which I did on the 16th October, 1970. This subject does not hold any mysteries, but trying to estimate how many copies had been pressed in advance of the release date simply cannot be done, to cover the whole of Great Britain, most likely a minimum of ten times the 80,000 because "Led Zeppelin III" went straight to No.1 and remained in the UK charts for 40 weeks. There never was a time when record shops ran out of records for the Beatles in the 60's, by 1970, the UK record companies were accustomed to manufacturing on such a huge scale, if necessary contracted pressing and extra printers made sure the record shop shelves were never left empty. The reason I have started with that is because I am offering a very first pressing of "Led Zeppelin III" that does not fit into any of the convenient preset pressing sequences. In fact, so rare, I have never seen another before, then variations had to exist and I'm certain there will more surprises when such a vast amount was made. Until now, it was accepted to state the very first pressing's maitrix was '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B5,' there appears not to be any 'B6' and the first digit rise on Side 2 went straight to '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7,' which is commonly accepted as the second pressing by websites and vinyl text books. By then the imposed second pressing had several text and credit amendments, so many, the labels had to re-designed to position them, I will fully detail them all soon. According to everyone else, label alterations accompanying the two digit rise on Side 2 to 'B7,' were a second pressing, well, this record has all the very first pressing exclusive label text and design but the maitrix happens to be..... '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7.' I have constantly stated 60's and 70's records cannot be fitted into nice and cosy patterns, the era itself was nothing like today, there's no question at all now that this is an extremely rare "Led Zeppelin III", but the rarest of all, is the record has never been played and is in true Mint condition. Was there a record company or music business connection to account for such a rarity? I bought this from an old contact and friend who had no history of the album and being only into Soul records, had no interest in asking at the time. He knows a Mint record though! Jimmy Page was not a musician to leave the music Led Zeppelin recorded onto Master Tapes, to anyone, he would demand to hear the mastering to vinyl before allowing production to begin....and anything that he did not approve of, even during production! Hence the label amendments, which I will leave for a full documentation, nearly all the Led Zeppelin first pressings have evidence of Jimmy listening to Test Pressing records and rejecting them. That accounts for the end digits of the maitrix increasing, no doubt why a Polydor record like this jumped from 'A//1 / B//1' to 'A5 / B5', the fact, the maitrix was not machine stamped as usual in the Polydor pressing plant, strongly suggests Page's rejections up to '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7.' If so, there had to be a Test Pressing machine stamped with '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B6,' then that was dropped and a hand written maitrix with '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7' accepted. Something on Side 2 upset the perfectionist nature of Jimmy Page and he was not going to allow the album to be pressed until he had it corrected to his satisfaction. So, the question arises, did Jimmy Page reject the '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B5' Test Pressing, then the '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B6' Test Pressing before finally accepting '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7'? Did Polydor ignore his demands, or was there an error made and they pressed from the metal plates that produced the'2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B5' Test Pressing? Hand written maitrix changes were there on the 1969 debut "Led Zeppelin" album and the fact there was a missing '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B6,' yet still arrived at a hand written maitrix for the '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7,' cannot be ignored. That alone eliminates earlier labels used on a later pressing, with so much to get through, I had better move along, should any of this be new to you, please see my close up picture of the Side 2 label centre, there you will find nearly all the text changes that followed very quickly after these very first labels. Plus you can also grade the record visually without needing to see the vinyl, not only are the labels literally like brand new, still inside the spindle hole are the most delicate vinyl shavings from the 1970 pressing process. I examined that very carefully because I am have to play and hear the record, if this was Jimmy Page's approved mastering or sound, that was the very reason I became a professional record seller in the first place and experiencing vinyl rarities. How exciting to think this record has the very sound Jimmy Page fought so hard for and insisted on, yes, the currently accepted sequence of the pressings needs to be completely revived. I will try to fit this record into the sequence, but this record really is THE very first pressing and it makes perfect sense to arrive at '2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7' before the label amendments were made....unless Polydor had other ideas. I dislike any form of guesswork for records so solid facts only will follow and I will place this record alongside the first pressings but there is something fundamentally wrong with ignoring the missing 'B6' Test Pressing and assuming 'A5' was approved by Jimmy Page. If that was not true, how can this record exist in the first place, please do not send me emails on this subject, I just do not have the time for long exchanges, all I know is here in what is becoming a rather long description! Old fan? In late 1968, I saw the New Yardbirds/Led Zeppelin playing live in a pub in North London, I still have the 'Melody Maker' with the Classified Adverts gig announcement.

Just as well I am introducing an undocumented Led Zeppelin pressing, because of my extensive experience I can place this rare pressing, with yet another major fact. As it happens, I do have concrete evidence it was not a case of the earlier printed labels being attached to later vinyl. This was certainly not from the 'A5 / B7' second stage, because it had an error made on the Test Pressing that was replicated on the standard records. The album's sound engineer, Terry Manning, started to hand scribe Side 2 with '2401002 - A5', realised the error and turned the 'A' into 'B', well, this record does not have that error and it belonged to the earlier initial pressings, when the non amended labels were attached.

THIS RECORD'S VERY FIRST PRINTED RED & MAROON ATLANTIC LABELS: Atlantic Deluxe 2401002 The top section has of the labels above the white dividing band has the credits;

Produced By Jimmy Page Executive Producer: Peter Grant

Peter Grant's credit was hotly disputed by the band, well, Jimmy Page really and only the very first pressings made have them, "Executive Producer: Peter Grant" was removed and "Produced By Jimmy Page" was moved into the bottom half underneath the white band with the 'Atlantic' lettering and logo. The second location on all following labels was positioned underneath the 'Warner Bros. Music Ltd.' credit. These very first printed labels had the correct full title for "Celebration Day", when the labels were hastily being re-designed and a new template created, the track was credited as "Celebration" in error, unlike the claims on ebay for that being exclusive to the earliest records made, the reverse is true! ATLANTIC LABEL: Atlantic Deluxe 240 -1002, 1970 PRESSING SEQUENCE IN THREE STAGES. I must include this record in the very first stage because logic states it had to exist before records with the second printed labels. So this is the inclusion and I am not going over all first edition before without wear or standing pressure on the thin black borders, they even run up to and around the turning position to spin the wheel, they are like new in every position. Oh yes, just to prove the record was inside a very first sleeve and cover, the coded inner sleeve was made in September, 1970. The only way I can really outline the pressing sequence is to state 99.999% of very first pressing will have the maitrix ending with 'B5' on Side 2, but 100% of very first pressing will have the incorrectly credited, first printed labels. There you have a solid fact nobody can argue with, until the webstes catch up, I fully expect outraged emails demanding I fall in line with their version, don't waste your or my time, I do not get involved with websites or bloggs, just find the finest vinyl for my customers. There should be another first pressing with 'B7' and the very first pressing labels out there, on the other hand, should it turn out to be a one of a kind, then whoever buys it will have one of, if not the rarest UK Led Zeppelin pressed of all time. I'm just thrilled to handle such a rare record, my pleasure will be hearing the sound selected by Jimmy Page from a Mint first pressing. In the tradition of the early Led Zeppelin UK albums, variations to the label text happened during the initial stages of pressing the pre-release records, luckily "Led Zeppelin III" was fairly straight forward and I can place the order of events into three sections. All the vinyl was identical, so was the staggering sound quality for all records on sale in record shops on the 16th October,1970. That was down to Jimmy Page and he even refused to back down for something on Side 2, sound levels etc. were important to him. So this concerns the label text, for the three stages, this record has the very first printed labels, to actually identify the actual first pressings, the maitrix given in my heading was universal to them all, regardless of Side 2 rising twice more than Side 1. I was always mystified by the missing 'B6' but not anymore, the relationship between 'B5' and 'B7' now makes perfect sense, Jimmy Page was not happy with 'B5' or 'B6' or there would not be a hand scribed maitrix for 'B7,' Polydor were so meticulous in 1970, try to find any of their records from any year without a machine stamped maitrix, I cannot think of one! Then not many musicians went this far into the finalised mastering vinyl, Jimmy Page was clearly very frustrated by the procedure. For the next Led Zeppelin album in 1971, to master "Led Zeppelin 4" or "Four Symbols" to vinyl, Jimmy sought out George Peckham who's legendary logo's were "Pecko" / "Porky." All the first pressings had textured labels and the usual Polydor / Atlantic design, the order of events for the labels really is very simple and will not take long, for comparison purposes I will include the above very first pressing details that included this record, as a summary. STAGE 1 (This Record's Labels) The top section of the labels above the white dividing band had the credit: Produced By Jimmy Page Executive Producer: Peter Grant Peter Grant's credit was disputed by the band, well, Jimmy Page really, only the very first printed batch of labels had that and the catalogue number was printed without a hyphen as '2401002.' When the labels were altered it was re-printed as '240 - 1002.' The music publishing credit received the full title, 'Warner Bros. Music Ltd.' but when the labels were re-arranged and corrected, 'Ltd.' was omitted. STAGE 2 a.) Peter Grant's credit was removed but it remained unchanged inside the gatefold cover, "Produced By Jimmy Page" was moved into the bottom half underneath the white band with the 'Atlantic' lettering and logo. The new location for all following labels was positioned underneath the 'Warner Bros. Music (Ltd.')* credit. * That movement was enough to re-print it without 'Ltd.' b.) Stage 1 & Stage 2's first printed labels had the correct full title for the track "Celebration Day," as found on this record. STAGE 3 The third batch of labels contained a printer's error, the track was credited as "Celebration" without "Day," unlike the claims made on ebay for that being exclusive to the 'earliest records made,' the reverse is true! MAITRIX: 2401002 - A5 / 2401002 - B7 Like the catalogue number on the non amended Stage 1 labels the suffix '2401002' was scribed as just given, but the spine and the inside of the gatefold cover have the usual and intended Atlantic format of the catalogue number, '240 1002.' I believe that is generally known but not how it originated, Polydor Test Pressings had plain white labels because the actual labels were not finalised, nor were the covers made yet in case alterations were made to the track configuration. The labels of the first pressed standard manufactured records, mirrored the format scribed onto the Test Pressing LP's. On these very first pressings, I had better make it clear, records pressed with the above maitrix and the corrected Side 2, had to be the first pressings regardless of the label text. Vinyl is unaffected by minor printing changes like a hyphen and a production credit, so the records that were pressed with the same metal stamping plates that produced the Test Pressings, like this record was, are 100% the first pressings. Confused? It's easy, it was metal stamping plates that were disposed of and new sets were made, for websites and ebay sellers to announce' first'/ 'second' / 'third' pressing purely based on a digit, is ridiculous! Same Master Tapes, cannot be be deemed to be a whole new pressing cycle beginning, in most cases it had yet to begin! This happened between sound engineers and now and again, the artists took an interest, for Led Zeppelin records, they had Jimmy Page to deal with and he never compromised! I realise it was not ideal, but in order to show the information in the run-out grooves, I had to compile 4 items into one picture and even the rare original inner sleeve, exclusive to very first pressings, also had to have the manufacturing date added to the main picture of the inner sleeve. Trying to fit so many important features into 12 pictures was not possible, but it means you can actually see the Terry Manning hand scribed indexing on the metal stamping plate that produced the final Test Pressing records. Polydor's meticulous indexing can be seen on their own label and any of the labels they pressed like Atlantic up to late 1971 and once there was a rise to either Side's digits, any sound engineer mistakes were not normally repeated. They waited for the next set of metal stamping discs or 'stampers' to be made and the mistake was never seen on the next pressing batch with an increased digit on the maitrix ending. Just look at the final Led Zeppelin album for Jimmy Page's determination to get the best possible sound for record buyers, for "Coda", even I draw the line at transcribing the mountain of crossed and and re-written indexing as Jimmy forced the smallest issue to the limit. LIKE ALL UK ORIGINAL PRESSINGS, TWO CRYPTIC MESSAGES WERE SCRIBED IN THE RUN-OUT GROOVES BY TERRY MANNING, THE VINYL CUTTER AND CO- SOUND ENGINEER, ON JIMMY PAGE'S REQUEST: SIDE 1: "Do What Thou Wilt" SIDE 2: "So Mote It Be" THEY WERE TAKEN FROM ALEISTER CROWLEY'S BOOK, "Philosopy Of Thelema", THE MAIN PASSAGE IS: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. Love is the law, love under will". "There is no law beyond do what thou wilt." ORIGINAL 1970 ATLANTIC / POLYDOR POLY-LINED INNER SLEEVE, HARDLY USED, UNSPLIT, LIGHTLY AGED WITH A RECORD IMPRESSION, UNLESS A NEAR MINT RECORD, IT IS RARE TO FIND THE ACTUAL INNER THE ALBUM WAS FIRST BOUGHT WITH. This once played record is naturally in the original and printed on in code the front bottom right is the day it was made; '09-70' = September, 1970. It was made a few weeks before "Led Zeppelin III" was released on the 7th October, 1970, you cannot possibly get any more conclusive evidence of an authentic very first pressing....regardless of any label text! UNUSED ONCE AND IN EXCELLENT+++ / NEAR MINT CONDITION. VERY FIRST ISSUE, UK ONLY, 'E J Day' PRINTED, FULLY LAMINATED GATEFOLD COVER WITH A ROTATING WHEEL, WITH DIE-CUT HOLES TO SEE MOVING PICTURES THROUGH. ALL ELEVEN HOLES, TWELVE IF YOU INCLUDE THE HALF MOON FINGERS TURNING POSITION, HAVE PERFECTLY CRISP, AS NEW EDGES, I AM POSITIVELY INCLUDING THAT CENTRAL ACCESS TO TURNING THE WHEEL! THE ROTATING PICTURES WHEEL IS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER. THE FRONT HAS "Atlantic Deluxe" PRINTED ON THE BOTTOM WITHIN THE LIGHT BLUE BOXED ATLANTIC LOGO THE SPINE AND THE INSIDE GATEFOLD COVER HAVE THE ORIGINAL CATALOGUE NUMBER; Atlantic Deluxe 2401 002. THE TRACKS, SLEEVE NOTES, ALBUM & PRINTER ARE LOCATED INSIDE THE GATEFOLD ON THE RIGHT HAND PANEL, PANEL, GERMAN MADE COVERS HAVE THAT ON THE LEFT HAND PANEL, MINUS THE 'E J Day' CREDIT OF COURSE. While on the subject of German covers, Led Zeppelin albums on the Atlantic label until 1973 and then onto 'Swan Song' in 1975, regularly have German pressings constantly sold on ebay as UK pressings, by those without morals. For very obvious reasons, "Led Zeppelin 3" covers are 'borrowed' from the German originals by sellers to use in place of battered, badly stained UK originals, when the wheels are loose, lost, bent or just disappeared in the 1970's. Also the much later re-issues are being sold as UK originals, the German "Led Zeppelin 3" looks initially similar on the outside due to the same pale blue "Atlantic Deluxe" logo, front bottom centre. Unlike the UK cover logo, the German cover has 'SD 7201,' the German catalogue number printed underneath it, unlike the UK cover, 'SD 7201' was not printed on the spine. Such small small details are hard to see on a PC, but turn the cover over and on the back bottom right corner has a rather large clue, printed in large black bold letters is; "MADE IN GERMANY" I MUST START BY INSISTING HOW AMAZINGLY CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL WHITE BACKGROUND THIS BEAUTIFUL FIRST ISSUE IS, NOW THE REALITY OF MANUFACTURING SUCH A COMPLEX GATEFOLD COVER. In the 60's and early 1970's, a white cover was normally more of an ivory white, almost a light cream colour, as the years moved past the 1970's, a pure white was introduced, but not in 1970! So I am referring to the original ivory white background here. THE UK COVERS ABSORBED THE VERY THICK GLUE NEEDED TO HOLD THE EXTRA INNER 'WHEEL', THE WHOLE GATEFOLD COVER WAS GIVEN AN EXTRA 'SKIN' OF THICK CARDBOARD TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH A UNIQUE DESIGN. OFTEN MISTAKEN AS AGEING OR STAINING. ANY OTHER COLOUR THAN A WHITE BACKGROUND WOULD HAVE MASKED THE GLUE SO IT COMES WITH THE TERRITORY, HOWEVER A STUNNING CONDITION COVER LIKE THIS MUST NOT BE DOWN GRADED BECAUSE IT WAS THERE IN 1970 WHEN FIRST BOUGHT, I KNOW BECAUSE IT WAS THERE ON MY COPY BOUGHT THE DAY OF RELEASE! THIS COVER ONLY SUPERFICIALLY HAS THAT SHOWING ANYWAY, OF COURSE THERE ARE GROSSLY DISCOLOURED AND STAINED ORIGINALS, I AM ONLY DISCUSSING HARDLY USED COVERS WITH NEAR MINT RECORDS AND PROTECTIVE ORIGINAL POLY-LINED INNER SLEEVES INSIDE THEM. THE SIMPLE WAY TO TELL IF THIS WAS FROM THE FIXING GLUE OR AGEING AND STAINING IS FROM THE TOP, NOT UNDERNEATH, IS BY LOOKING AT THE GLUE POSITIONS. AROUND THE FRONT AND BACK'S PERIMETER OR MORE LIKE A BORDER AND THEN ACROSS THE CENTRE. ASSUMING THAT IS NOT DISCOLOURATION OR AGEING, LIKE THIS COVER THE AREAS AROUND THAT WILL BE THE ORIGINAL 1970 WHITE. NEVER ONLY PLAYED! I meant not to type that in capital letters, better late than never, Part 2 involves the inside due to the same scenario, the left hand panel always has an 'aged' appearance when compared to the right panel. Usually the inside escapes ageing unless the cover has been left in damp conditions and stored outdoors or even worse in the much claimed golden 'find's' in attics. Once again the excessive glue affected the left panel because of the rotating wheel within the die-cut outer cardboard, please see my pictures for how this cover follows the same pattern for top condition records, the right side does indeed has a pure white background to the wonderfully surrealistic artwork, the left side is slightly darker due to the glue. The rarest feature of this cover is the continuous thin black border is 100% in place, that border surrounds the entire outside edges and meets the black spine at both ends. ANY MINIMAL NATURAL AGEING IS HARDLY WORTHY OF INCLUSION, BOTH ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. A REALLY STUNNING LOOKING COVER WITH A PERFECT SPINE, FOR ONCE I AM INCLUDING NO WEAR TO THE TOP OR BOTTOM ENDS/ LEFT SIDE CORNERS. NO HANDLING/ STORAGE SIGNS OR RUBBING TO THOSE THIN, VERY EXPOSED STANDING EDGE'S THIN BLACK BORDER. THERE IS NO PRESSURING ON THE OTHER CORNERS, WHICH IS MIRACULOUS OVER A 46 YEAR PERIOD. A FEW FAINT TO NEAR INVISIBLE RIPPLES AND SOME OF THOSE WERE CREATED WHEN THE DIFFICULTY OF FOLDING AND ASSEMBLING SUCH A UNIQUELY DESIGNED GATEFOLD COVER. A REALLY BEAUTIFUL COVER, I INSIST ON THE STRICTEST GRADING OF NEAR MINT CONDITION, THE LABELS ARE IN PRISTINE CONDITION WITHOUT ANY SPINDLE ALIGNMENT TRACES ON EITHER SIDE. THE RECORD LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PRESSED TODAY, NOT 46 YEARS AGO, DEEPLY GLOSSY AND UNPLAYED IS A DREAM SCEANARIO, ESPECIALLY FOR SIDE 2's ACOUSTIC TRACKS. THE SOUND WILL BE JUST STAGGERING, FOR ALL MY ATTENTION TO PRESSING AND PRINTING DETAILS, MY LOVE OF THE MUSIC CAN FINALLY COME INTO THE EQUATION. THE POTENCY OF A VERY FIRST PRESSING WITHOUT ANY WEAR IS UNBELIEVABLE, INCLUDING ALL THE ACOUSTIC TRACKS. THE RECORD IS IN UNPLAYED, MINT CONDITION.

SIDE 1 "Immigrant Song" (Jimmy Page /Robert Plant) "Friends" (Jimmy Page / Robert Plant) "Celebration Day" (John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page / Robert Plant) "Since I've Been Loving You" (John Paul Jones / Jimmy Page / Robert Plant) "Out On the Tiles" (John Bonham / Jimmy Page / Robert Plant) SIDE 2 "Gallows Pole" (Traditional, arranged by Jimmy Page & Robert Plant) "Tangerine" (Jimmy Page) "That's The Way" (Jimmy Page / Robert Plant) "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" (John Paul Jones / Jimmy Page / Robert Plant) "Hats Off To Harper"(Traditional, arranged by Charles Obscure) Produced by Jimmy Page. Recorded In England At: Headley Grange, East Hampshire - May & June, 1970. Olympic Studios, London - May & June, 1970. Island Records Studio, Just Built at Basing Street, London, in July, 1970. Sound Engineers - Andy Johns & Terry Manning. Mixed At Ardent Studios, Memphis, USA - August, 1970

1969 was the year Led Zeppelin inherited the mantle of the world's greatest rock band and for the first time they dispensed with the once mandatory obligation to release singles to be successful in Britain. In the late 1960's the world's leading artists like the Beatles, Bob Dylan & Brian Wilson dropped out of touring in order to become studio recording artists only. Led Zeppelin were were very much the leaders of the new breed of musicians who thrived on live concerts and only releasing albums, then their LP's were of the awesome variety! They of course had little or no control outside the UK of singles being taken from albums and being released, here they had relied entirely on their first two amazing 1969 LP's. The year drained the band and following a tradition started by Traffic when they formed in 1967, to recharge their batteries, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant also went to the countryside and rented a cottage overlooking a valley, while getting it together to write ew songs. The gatefold cover's inside liner notes partly tell how in the early part of 1970 they stayed in 'Bron-Yr-Aur,' an 18th century cottage on a hill in Gwynedd, Wales. They were not only recovering from the first year of tremendous success, this was directly after an American tour and it turned into a few months living in peace and quiet, that setting was not exactly conducive to heavy electric rock, they played and wrote many acoustic songs, the main reason the second side is indeed entirely acoustic, including a song titled after the cottage they found so much inspiration in. The old cottage was without water from taps or even electricity, it was not just the feel of the place, it only permitted acoustic guitars, Jimmy Page had also been listening to a great deal of folk music. One of the albums he later said was a firm favourite and he was obviously playing constantly in 1970 was Fairport Convention's "Liege & Lief", released in late 1969. It was Sandy Denny's last album both them until 1974 and the following year she was invited to sing that amazing duet with Robert on their fourth album. As well as admiring and enjoying Richard Thompson's incredible guitar playing on that truly inspired "Liege & Lief", Jimmy also loved Bert Jansch's acoustic guitar style. The late Bert, had written sleeve notes for the first real album of another folk artist who had a song on this album named after him, Roy Harper. Roy met Led Zeppelin at the 1969 Bath Festival and Jimmy loved his acoustic guitar style, the pair often got together over the years and in particular in this acoustic flavoured 1970, he guested uncredited on Roy Harper's acclaimed "Stormcock" album. Their break in Wales was over and was now time to record a third album to establish their colossal talent was not just another fleeting trend, a common occurrence in the post psychedelic era. For a band who had rejected the singles format in the UK, it meant a whole year passed without them releasing any new records, for fans expectations were extremely high. John Bonham and John Paul Jones joined Jimmy and Robert at another rural setting in East Hampshire, Headley Grange was a long neglected country house but it was an ideal setting to pick up on the feel of the songs with the band back as a unit, rehearsing the new material. The studio facilities there meant recording began May and June, while also travelling to London to record in Olympic Studios, they completed the album at Island Record's newly built Basing Street Studios. Then it was off to America for a tour but the master tapes came with and the album was mixed in Memphis, at Ardent Studios in August, 1970, quite an enchanting way to make an album because it was inspired by stepping out side the modern world and really touching base with Jimmy and Robert's musical roots. By 1970, Jimmy Page's production skills and the band's ability to make stunning records with the likes of Eddie Kramer, created a really special album. it was just about acoustic music, there was also heavy rock, psychedelia and slow burning electric blues, you may have gathered I am very fond of their third album and extremely fussy about how I hear it! "Led Zeppelin 3" was released early October,1970, that anticipation from their fans (and this one!) was rewarded with a remarkable LP, all of the elements of their stunning first two records were there, but so much more. The year's live concerts had tightened Led Zeppelin into becoming a formidable band and they took that into making this LP, as well as magical surrounding's that led to such fantastic material. An ability in a recording studio had been beyond question even before they recorded their debut album, in Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones they had the UK's most sought after session musicians and arrangers throughout the 1960's. After the first pair of LP's in 1970 "Led Zeppelin 3" had taken giant strides in sound textures, having followed Jimmy Page since 1966 when he joined the Yardbirds, I naturally bought the debut and second Led Zeppelin LP's in 1969 and was hooked for life, so buying their latest LP's had become a very exciting event by 1970. I feel it is essential to share my experience and knowledge about first pressings, today the internet gives 'instant knowledge, but with that comes fallacies, fables and mistakes, some innocent but there is a deliberation for financial gain that is distateful. I often feel the only way to offset that is present solid facts but they are in truth boring in comparison to hearing an album as incredible as this, I also try to include how it felt to actually buy these great records as they were first recorded & released. Going along to my local record shop and returning with an unbelievable looking cover,re-instilled the joys of the unexpected, the 1960's had made us so accustomed to. Just when you thought that those heyday of astounding covers were over and they were now becoming bland and merely functional after such magnificent psychedelic late 60's artwork, here was an absolutely stunning gatefold cover. A turning wheel cover designed by an old friend of Jimmy's from his Art school days, a rotating wheel on the front moved the variety of images set behind the die-cut little round windows, with so many different pictures to bring round, it had never been thought of or attempted before or since. Here was the ultimate cover to hold and move around the rotating pictures while you listened to the record, such inspired music was never better represented. Strong memories of my first impression in 1970 of the great "Led Zeppelin 3" are the very reasons why an original album of this magnitude is still capable of giving you all the same excitement a Zeppelin fan experienced in 1970. To get close as possible to how you first bought the album, was always my burning ambition when I first started selling great albums like this, every years moves further away and it gets harder to do, but when I can produce stunning first pressings like this, it's well worth waiting for. This might be a non analogue digital era but all the constant re-mastering onto CD formats and then any subsequent downloading to Ipods or hard drives, will never be a substitute for the real thing. The real beauty of these true great albums is anyone who missed that era, time may not allow you to slip back to experience a Led Zeppelin concert, but the magic of original vinyl allows you the same experience of exactly how the music sounded on the day an album was first released. As ever the condition of a record that is essential in our digitalised, clinically clean sound now available, but having just been blown away yesterday and just before starting writing this, hearing the stunning sound quality again from this incredible first pressing, those 44 years were turned all the way back to that day of release, in October,1970 when I first saw and heard "Led Zeppelin III." Before I move onto the music, details of original UK vinyl is common knowledge for many collectors but for anyone new to the original pressings, please read my main headings for precise details about something often quoted by sellers but only in parrot fashion. All first issues of "Led Zeppelin 3" have two cryptic messages scribed in the run-out grooves, the shiny non music part between the last track and before the labels. Side 1 has,"Do What Thou Wilt" and on Side 2 is, "So Mote It Be", those messages are exclusively on the first pressings and the first Kinney orange and green Atlantic label, you will need to check that to be ceratain. Apart from adding an air of mystique to the album, it becomes a useful reference point for identification purposes. With the greatest care,I gently pushed the delicate vinyl shavings to one side, then aligned the centre hole and placed my stylus into the very first groove alongside the actual edge of the record. Amazingly doing that for the first time in 46 years, to find Side 1 has problem free and near silent run-in grooves, the merest static of a Mint record and then with simply amazing power, Jimmy Page's really heavy guitar riff introduces, "Immigrant Song". The extra tightness in their playing I mentioned before, is there to hear because that was gained since their second album in 1969. With the thunderous bass and drums from the two John's and Page's guitar was also mastered at the maximum volume, all in a fantastic sensory first stereo mix. That excessive volume created major problems for overplayed and abused copies, which most were! This record has that incredible volume all the first pressings were mastered with, as usual I make sure my own amp is kept at the customary extremely loud setting. That way I can say there's not even a hint of the terrible distortion the average condition original pressings suffer from. They were subjected to really heavy plays in the initial few weeks of purchase alone, I had friends who left albums like this on continuous plays all night for weeks on end! I immediately hear if the sound is precisely of a mint record, I had better cut out my normal stream of of connected details. On top of that heavy instrumental backing, Robert Plant's majestic vocals just soar with absolutely perfect sound definition. What a fantastic impact to begin an album with, "Immigrant Song" followed on from how their previous album was propelled along at a blistering velocity from the the opening track! Finishing into a completely silent first gap, ultra faint static and into the studio mutters of a false start,"Two" is called out for the second take and after one more attempt Jimmy Page settles comfortably into the acoustic guitar intro. I just love those moments that were left on a record, because they give you a feel of the actual recording session, something bootleg collector's know rather well! The clarity from Jimmy's acoustic guitar intro is just stunning, without any form of surface sound even here, as you can actually hear Jimmy Page's fingers sliding along the guitar strings as he changed chords. CD's continue to re-master Led Zeppelin albums, but I have yet to hear anything that is even close to touching this original flawless mastering to vinyl. Providing a record has unworn grooves as these most certainly are, how can "Friends" possibly be improved? Considering an acoustic guitar dominated this song, such superb and crystal clear audio, there was never any reason to change a single thing. Then there's the sensational first 1970 stereo panning effects that disappear into a void of centralised re-panning, because these are full strength and completely unworn music signals, they will definitely blow away any CD! Not even the slightest static in the next gap and I am extremely fussy, a brilliant production of "Friends" is essentially heard from original vinyl, with a touch of the great "Kashmir" from the 1975 "Physical Graffiti" album, in an earlier incarnation. Another completely silent gap, so another perfectly clean intro, "Celebration Day" explodes from my speakers in really powerful sound, with every single part of this recording in the most stunning audio clarity. Now a superbly delivered Robert Plant vocal, John Bonham was a colossus of rhythm! The stereo is mesmerising to follow so I will not attempt to describe the amazing panning effects, Jimmy's two guitar parts, the lead and rhythm are constantly changing positions in the right and left speakers. All heard in perfect sound quality, now a key track from a sound grading perspective of this album, the gap remains as silent as a tape, if there was any surface sound I would say so, I never duck describing in full such an exposed to noise intro like this, slow searing blues of "Since I've Been Loving You" has a fantastic, ultra clean and clear intro to my own personally most loved "Led Zeppelin 3 " performances. Astonishingly, the whole of that long and really slowly building up opening section, has a completely silent background for Jimmy Page's inspired burning blues guitar, John Bohnam's drumming and John Paul Jones' bass guitar and organ. Literally is no surface sound at all during the superb instrumental intro and the whole duration of the magnificent "Since I've Been Loving You". This album's original senses tingling stereo mix finds Jimmy's guitar panned almost entirely into the left channel, plus a part of John's immense percussion is in with it. From the right speaker, the organ, the drums and bass, Robert Plant's vocal is equally spread across both of the channels. There's amazing sound movement as well, with the organ and guitar changing their positions in the speakers, this is Led Zeppelin playing the purest, slow blues and what a sensational performance! At first they smoulder along, the burning emotional intensity then ignites and erupts into simply awesome music! This is a track I detest hearing from worn out vinyl, there are so many places where the instrumental backing drops right away leaving a near silence, in fact, the whole of the track is usually drowned out by loud annoying crackles and clicks, all this is in the most stunning sound quality imaginable. Robert's vocals are as inspired as anything he ever sung, the sound from the record is heard to it's maximum power, as well as having the immaculately clean sound this left the pressing plant with, back in 1970. The song's ending has just John's drum snares quietly still resonating with a few fading organ notes, even here there's no surface sound at all. Then after just a split second break, the next perfectly clean intro comes thundering in, "Out On The Tiles" returns to the pile driving heavy rock in real style. Loud and extremely heavy, just the way to enjoy Led Zeppelin! I mentioned before how the sheer impact of the music had the same force as their live concerts on the first pressings, well, "Out On The Tiles" makes an entrance straight from those last organ notes from,"Since I've Been Loving You." Not only is there none of the usual crackles and clicks, there is no surface sound at all, that dramatic impact is emphasised by the way your senses are mercilessly assaulted from the stereo panning effects. A far better example comes just after the first chorus, Robert Plant begins singing the next lyrics,"I'm so glad I'm living," and on the word "living", the first pressings have the word "Stop" said from the right speaker. I believe that was Jimmy Page's voice calling out an instruction during the recording of the backing track, Page's guitar is heard in staggering sound quality, the bass guitar and drums couldn't be more powerfully projected than this record. John Bonham's drum rolls begin in one speaker and carry on into the opposite channel in a really tremendous feat of true stereo effects! This record is beyond any superlatives, but now for the toughest side of any Led Zeppelin LP for potential wear induced major sound irritants, I fully expect none beyond faint natural static! An amazing record, Side Two has near silent run-in grooves, so yet another ultra clean intro begins, which is so essential to this opener, because Page's single acoustic guitar intro for "Gallow's Pole" is panned entirely right and the sheer clarity of that intro is just breathtaking, but then that was how this record was first pressed in 1970! There is staggeringly clear sound on the acoustic guitar & vocals only intro, also from that right channel, Robert Plant's vocals with the acoustic guitar and the guitar now move across into the left channel, where they are accompanied by Jimmy's second acoustic guitar. The effect of hearing both the two differently recorded guitar parts playing in both ears, is incredible, especially when in such stunning razor sharp audio of Mint vinyl. A banjo style from Page was ideal for this traditional song, a really magical moment happens when Page's electric guitar comes in, giving the track a really rousing ending. With the fantastic mixture of acoustic and electric instruments, fading out gradually into a silent gap, Jimmy's gently played acoustic guitar at the beginning of "Tangerine," is stunningly clear again and sharp edged. This deeply beautiful song is the album's most melodic track, at first a folk style guitar works perfectly with lovely chords from the acoustic guitar. The sound is awesome, I cannot stress enough how just superb this sound reproduction is and how the first two songs on this acoustic side are normally in terrible sound, and due to their acoustic fragility they become painful, an unlistenable mess. Not on this immaculate record, without even the natural static I would expect from other albums, as I said just now, even the second side is absolutely perfect! From a near silent gap, the beautiful "That's The Way" features glorious sound textures that are just as vitally heard in pristine sound quality, which is exactly how the wonderful song plays. The very tone of beautiful acoustic guitars is stunningly clear, but the major effects from this great track is the sheer power of the mastering to vinyl. The overwhelming waves of sound produced is in audio so pure, I can only describe this a being master tape quality, Robert's voice has a certain tone lost on worn out vinyl, here it rings out with such immaculate sound even during the subtlest vocal inflections. This is the very sound of the acoustic tracks that would appear on the next year's "Four Symbols" LP, a combination of fantastic acoustic guitar sounds with the vocal, the sheer clarity of the harmonised "ah's" is unbelievable. Sound quality of this excellence is so rare on these, the most sensitive tracks on the entire album, even more so than the slow blues of "Since I've Been Loving You", a lovely psychedelic sound effect has a really soothing quality, now as the final note of "That's The Way" dies away naturally, the very short gap runs as smooth as silk and in total silence on yet another absolutely vital position on this second side. Another purely acoustic intro for the brilliant, "Bron -Y-Aur Stomp", is so stunningly clean, I can't even tell the beautiful sounds are being generated by a record, except for having such fantastic analogue sound quality! Acoustic blues of this delicacy is still being thoroughly enjoyed in awesome sound quality from original 1970 vinyl, this is most certainly a rarity, when it is though, this dazzling first made stereo mix really comes into it's own. Re-mastering the track was nothing short of a criminal act! Every single handclap, guitar note, percussion, lead vocals and backing harmonies, were all so carefully crafted into the stereo panning effects, all Led Zeppelin recording's became renowned for having such an intoxicating listening experience. This acoustic side is such a tough one to find still with the original 1970 sound perfection like this, from yet another silent set of linking grooves,"Hats Off To Harper" is a continuation of acoustic blues and it became the most perfect ending for this acoustic set. With the stunning bottle neck or the slide blues guitar, from such an inspired Jimmy Page entirely in the right channel and Robert Plant' staggering vocals positioned from the left, the effectiveness here was a form of musical perfection. The sound is just stunning! The "Harper" Led Zeppelin tipped their hats towards, is of course the great Roy Harper, may be not a widely known name but he is a musical genius! Pink Floyd also acknowledged Roy Harper as a colossal talent on their 1975 Syd Barret tribute LP, "Wish You Were Here." If anyone hasn't heard his music, check out any of one of Roy Harper's albums, you will be left wondering how such talent could possibly go so overlooked. A track normally full of explosive crackles but even as exposed as this is without any drums, there is not a suggestion of surface sound, just the slide guitar and the single voice is all you hear. This is a truly immaculate playing record, when fully tested on this acoustic side, does it deliver! {Roy}

R & M RECORDS. My lifetime's love of music and records began at a very young age, the arrival of the Beatles and the 1960's decade in general had a very profound effect. It was only natural to bring all my first hand experience of collecting vinyl into becoming a professional record seller. Nearly thirty years ago we entered into the wonderful atmosphere of record fairs with the highest possible standards set. When the Internet became the world's new market place for vinyl, in 2001 it was time to join ebay. Those standards were rigidly adhered to as they will always continue to be, the basics of honesty and integrity were very much part of the era the music I love originated in, so here is our friendly and very efficient service we are proud to provide; EVERY RECORD IS FULLY PLAYED AND COMES WITH A 'NO ARGUMENT' MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. I USE GOOD OLD COMMON SENSE AS WELL AS A GLOBALLY ACCEPTED GRADING TERMINOLOGY FROM THE U.K. "RECORD COLLECTOR PRICE GUIDE" BOOK. THERE IT CLEARLY STATES "Sound Quality" AFFECTS EVERY GRADING LEVEL AND THAT IS THE ONE AND ONLY POSSIBLE WAY TO ACCURATELY GRADE RECORDS. i.e. COMBINING A STRICT VISUAL INSPECTION WITH VERY CLOSELY LISTENING TO EVERY SECOND, UNLESS PERHAPS IN THE CASE OF GENUINELY UNPLAYED VINYL. EVEN THEN WE STILL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A RECORD WHEN A CUSTOMER RECEIVES EITHER A SEALED OR AN UNPLAYED RECORD. We take 100% responsibility after an item has been posted and offer our fullest support in the event of any problems.

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POSTAGE COST FOR LP's UK: UP TO VALUE OF £46, FIRST CLASS RECORDED DELIVERY £5.00 UK: OVER VALUE OF £46, FULLY INSURED SPECIAL DELIVERY £9.00 EUROPE: FULLY INSURED VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR £15.00 USA,JAPAN & REST OF THE WORLD FULLY INSURED VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR £20.00 POSTAGE COST FOR EP's & 7" UK: UP TO THE VALUE OF £46 FIRST CLASS RECORDED DELIVERY £3.00 UK: OVER THE VALUE OF £46 FULLY INSURED SPECIAL DELIVERY £6.00 EUROPE: AIR MAIL VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR £10.00 USA, JAPAN ETC. AIRMAIL VIA INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR £12.00

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