I absolutely love early Led Zeppelin, especially with regards to their live material when it still reflected their blues influence. This recording makes very good use of space while documenting an important transitional time in their career, ie You Shook Me through Stairway to Heaven. My most favorite part of the album is John Paul Jone's contributions. His organ and bass work really carry the band. He was extremely underrated for his ability. My biggest gripe about this disc is something that stands out sooo much, but isn't discussed, which is overdubbing. While Traveling Riverside Blues is excellent and many here agree, it has many overdubs over the open slide part, ie. solo at the end. Other tracks have them as well, but not as overbearing as "On Stage" by Chuck Berry, "Got Live if you Want it" by The Stones or "Skull and Roses" by the Grateful Dead. Overall, its a great album, but just be aware that even the best have to add a little extra to spice it up.

Led Zeppelin's second album was my "gateway Zeppelin" experience. That is what I like most about this studio/live recording.

While I have always loved the songs and sounds of II, the production values were HORRIBLE! It has a muddy, bottom heavy sound that never did the songs justice. On this BBC live in the studio double disc, the best of II are there with a dynamic, bright and inspired (LIVE) sound.

The original Led Zeppelin II can only be enjoyed at 1 or 2 o clock on the volume. This BBC studio set sounds great at 10 or 11 o clock!

Stop reading these reviews and BUY THIS DOUBLE CD!

My wife got this for me for Valentines. Not knowing anything about this collection I thought it was just going to be a rehash of songs I already had. From the minute I popped it in though I realized that the versions presented here (in fact duplicate but unique versions of some songs) really highlight what a great band Led Zeppelin was, as their songs could morph at any moment into something totally unexpected, yet still pound with the energy that they are known for. I'm going to enjoy listening to this one as it brings a new freshness to these songs, even though they were recorded almost 30 years ago.

It is a good example of the first few years of Led Zeppeling-however, there is a lot of duplication of songs (three versions of "Communication Breakdown" for example)and the first CD plods a bit. That being said, the second CD is an excellent BBC concert from 1971 and, if you enjoy Led Zeppelin, that is why you should purchase this CD>

Which should you buy? Both, but if it must be one, I recommend How the West Was Won. The biggest reason is sound quality. How the West Was Won has fantastic sound quality - the best of any Zeppelin album, whereas BBC Sessions seems average or below average, worse than the studio recordings. This opinion seems to be contrary to most of the reviewers here, and I certainly know nothing about mixing recordings, but to my ears the HtWWW sound is much fuller, more alive, and better differentiated than BBC. In terms of musical performance, leaving aside sound quality, I love both albums, but again I would pick HtWWW first.

The first CD of BBC Sessions is early Zeppelin (1969), and very bluesy. This stuff is great, especially Something Else, Travelling Riverside Blues, and both versions of I Can't Quit You Baby. If you love the early blues side of Zeppelin most, this is the CD for you. HtWWW has much less of that, although it does have some - obviously including Since I've Been Loving You and the Whole Lotta Love medley.

The second CD of BBC Sessions is from a 1971 concert. All the songs on it, except Thank You, are also performed in the 1972 concert recorded as HtWWW. Thank You is a truly great song, and its ommision from HtWWW is unfortunate, but on the other hand HtWWW contains several tracks not on BBC CD2 (some are from Houses of the Holy, which did not exist at the time). All these songs are great (HtWWW does not contain a bad track), but especially Over the Hills and Far Away, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, The Ocean, and Bring it On Home. If you are looking for more classic live songs from Zeppelin at their absolute best, HtWWW is the album for you.

A brief comparison of some of the best songs that are on both BBC Sessions and HtWWW with the studio versions:

Stairway to Heaven:
HtWWW version is better than both BBC and the studio version, BY FAR. Plant's voice on the HtWWW version is fantastic, including all the asides he makes throughout ("Wait a minute..", "Remember laughter?", etc). Page's guitar on the the HtWWW version is perfect (and longer than the BBC and studio versions). Perhaps the best performance for each of them I've ever heard on any song. The BBC version is great. Both versions prove that this song deserves every accolade it gets, but I like the HtWWW version better.

Going to California:
Again, I prefer the HtWWW version. It is extended, with extra guitar work between the verses, and it is lovely. The BBC version is also great, and I think both are better than the studio version. Plant's performance in the BBC version might be better than HtWWW, but the extended guitar makes up for it.

That's the Way:
I prefer the BBC version. It is a bit simpler than the HtWWW version, and in this case that is better. Great stuff. Again, both better than the studio version.

Whole Lotta Love medley:
HtWWW is longer, and I prefer the songs in the medley, especially Hello Mary Lou. Both BBC and HtWWW are great, but HtWWW is again better.

Dazed and Confused:
I like the BBC version more. The violin bow playing is gentler on my ears than in HtWWW :). Very cool.

To summarize, BBC Sessions is a very good CD. It is especially fun to notice how Zeppelin tweaked the songs and lyrics. However, How the West Was Won is BRILLIANT.

Undoubtedly Led Zep's best Blues-influenced Cd as it includes their rawest live versions of numerous Blues classics such as "You Shook Me" (written by Willie Dixon & J. B. Lenoir and first recorded by Earl Hooker as an instrumental which was then overdubbed with vocals by Muddy Waters in 1962), Willie Dixon's "I Can't Quit You Baby" (previously made famous by Otis Rush), and "How Many More Times" (which incorporated lyrics from the great Albert King's "The Hunter" and Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years"). It also includes an exquisite live version of my favorite Zep Blues tune: "Since I've Been Loving You." I can't think of any band that could perform a song in so many different ways, yet each one feverishly impassioned, and this Cd is testimony to that. Each member is at the top of his game on this Cd as shown by Plant's vocal power, Page's blistering guitarwork, etc. Not to be missed for true Led Zeppelin fans. (If you like Blues, be sure to also check out "Tea for One" on 'Presence' as well as Joe Bonamassa's version on 'You and Me').

I was very please to hear this double cd which include classics of the band. It is really cool to hear other versions of theses songs.
My choices of highlights would be "You shook me", "I can't quit you baby", "What is and what shoud never be", "Hearthbreaker", "Since I've been loving you", "Black dog", "Stairway to heaven", "Going to California" and "Thank you". At last, we have these precious recording of the band with a good sound.

If you love Zep you are in one of two catagories of people. Those who own this and those who need to buy this. Even if you own the complete studio works you still need this to make your collection complete. Jimmy's work isn't recorded onto CD...It's BURNED into it.

This CD is a must have for any Zepplin fan. I do not think that there is any better Zepplin album which demonstrates the improvisational attitude the band had in its early years. With 3 versions of "Communication Breakdown" and 2 versions of "Dazed and Confused", this CD offers a unique opportunity to listen to songs with radically different sounds yet still be the same. For me the almost 14 minute version of "Whole Lotta Love", with a "Boogie Chillun", "Fixin to Die", "That's Alright Mama", "A Mess of Blues" medley in the middle, makes the entire compilation priceless. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Really good CD. If your a fan of Zepplin then this is a must own. Remarkable clarity and a different twist to some of the great songs they are known for.

This is a great collection of songs. All 3 comunication breakdowns are good the last sounds like jam sandwich from Deathwish. The girl I love is realgood it has all the elements. Something else has good piano from Jones. The long version of you shook me is the best version it has it all Thank yous much better than the studio. This Starway to Heaven is the first time they played it live. This version of Whole lotta love may not be has good has the one on How the west was won but its good and different.

5 FIVE stars for How The West Was Won

I cant believe BBC has been the only live Zep CD around, for how long?

Its about time, better late than never, that Page has let teh world know through How The West Was Won that they were the best band of all time, WHEN they were on and RECORDED right.

All bands have ON nights and OFF nights. Thats just the nature of the game.

Add to it if you get a lame recording, like the BBC, you get junk.

I have ran this BBC through all types of media, high end, and even the Ipod of myself and others, just flat bad.

The younger gen today, I used to try and play it for them, it was ALWAYS, um, ok man, thats like okay, if you say soooooo.

well it was all there was for live. Now, my nephew is a total convert with HTWWWon. Now HE shows it all off to his buddies.

Its now gone on sale, guess I will get a couple bucks for it.

If you don't know who these guy are by know, where have you been?

Zeppelin is arguably the best rock band of all time. They touched many a soul in there short time with us. If John Bonham was still around they probably would have given us at the very least another decade of great music. Oh well hind sight is 20/20 and we all miss John!

This cd is Zeppelin at it's best. It's so alive sounding it just crackles with excitement. These guys were masters at their craft and this cd along with the now famous DVD they released a few years back proves it.

If you like old school rock?, this is a must have.

Any Zeppelin cd is a 10+ and this is no different!!

Though these recordings are not a truly live concert (and there is probably a flashing "APPLAUD" sign for the audience), it is still amazingly brilliant. Robert's singing was especially deep, raunchy, and emotional. The version of "Thank You" is the absoulute best version EVER...the solo is absoulutely saccharine on electric guitar, nothing like the studio version on Led Zeppelin II, which is acoustic. There are 2 "Dazed & Confused" versions, but I should hope that any Zeppelin fan prefers the longer one, with the violin bow solo and all. What is really unique and enthralling about the 18-min or so version of "Dazed & Confused" is that the solo is enchanting and eerie...because there is no screaming crowd to interrupt, and the dead silence of the entire place allows the solo to be very echoey and very mysterious, like Pagey himself.

"The Immigrant Song" has defintitely been served its justice on this album, more rock-able than the studio version for SURE! And one of my favorite things about the song "What is and What Should Never Be" is that during the song's ending, while Robert sings, "Everybody I know seems to know me well but they really didn't know that I move like..." he changes "move" to something else...haha I shall leave you in suspense. It's quite cute really, and will make you laugh if you pay attention. And even though there are two versions of "Whole Lotta Love," how can anyone not like the medley version, which is extremely bluesy, thanks to the incorporation of "Boogie Chillun" and "That's Alright Mama?"

One last thing I would like to point out is that the versions of "Going to California" and "That's the Way" are very serene versions. They do not sound like the studio versions, but that's what's so nice about them; they are a different side to the songs. The mandolin is more prominent in "Going to California." Also, "That Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair" is absent from any studio album and it's a groovy blues song with a raunchy riff.

"BBC Sessions" is a most enjoyable album and I highly recommend it to all fans...but if you are a more wilder fan that needs to hear them live n' loud you should try "How the West Was Won" instead. It is one of the few sources we have of Zeppelin captured live, and each song is different than the next. Don't miss out on Percy, Pagey, Jonesy, and Bonzo doing what they do best! YOU DON'T KNOW ZEPPELIN TILL YOU'VE HEARD 'EM LIVE!!!

Seriously, is it just me or do Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me, the Whole Lotta Love medley and How Many More Times all go on to long? Face it, there's only so much you can do with a simple guitar/bass/drums/vocalist lineup. And not many rock bands can, in my mind, pull off ridiculously LONG songs all because they aren't half as good as the jazz musicians (who can do ridiculously LONG songs quite perfectly, by the way).
Okay, so maybe the jams are too much. So why does this only warrent two stars? For one, none of the four versions of Communications Breakdown (or either take of I Can't Quit You Baby, for that matter) do much for me. I used to like Black Dog, until I heard the studio original and realized which one was better. And Stairway to Heaven is awful (this take, that is!) Plus expect note-for-note redos of What Is and What Should Never Be, Dazed And Confused (the more compact version, not the eighteen-minute freakout), You Shook Me (one of the finer tracks on Zep I), Thank You, Heartbreaker and Since I've Been Loving You, as well as a version of Immigrant without the double-tracked scream...why?
However, there are a couple of interesting music here. Girl I Love, Traveling Riverside Blues (by far my favorite performance) and the wah-wah freakout Whole Lotta Love (Again, not the medley but a shorter take) all are interesting, and the cover's OK. Buy Cream's BBC Sessions disc instead, it's leagues better.

This is Led Zeppelin at it finest moments, pure raw to the bone bluesy rock n' roll live on the BBC. Very well done every track is good and sounds just as great or greater than the studio versions. You got the likes of:)
You Shook Me
I Can't Quit You Baby
Communication Breakdown
Dazed and Confused
Black Dog
Thank You
heck, just take a gander, try them out yourself, you'll see what I mean, just awesome. This should be in every Zep fans collection, you'll wish you were behind the booth at the BBC, watching them pour it out, LIVE!

I'm surprised by the unanimously great reviews of this thing--nobody else resents paying $25 for it? "Travelling Riverside Blues" is awesome, but I own it in two other formats. "The Girl I Love" is great, but short. The 13-minute "Whole Lotta Love" medley on disc 2 is the obvious highlight of the whole set: I have never heard such an interesting 13-minute song before, ever. It does not let up, and it does NOT get boring. And remember it's live--that's pretty impressive.

However, some songs (namely the first 2 on disc 2) are very mediocre. Jimmy's solos are pretty killer, but his riffs and rhythm playing are sloppy in the extreme. And Plant's singing? His vocals on "Immigrant Song" are bad enough to ruin the song. I wouldn't mind a few misses--in fact I would expect them on any live album--but what they are asking for it is absolute rape. Therefore, I would recommended this only for the diehards among us.

I will say, though--this is the best live Zep you can get, and if you own Led I-IV, it really IS cool to hear those same songs stripped of all the studio trappings, however imperfect the result may be.

Man did Zeppelin diehards really have to wait seventeen years for a recording like the 'BBC Sessions' to be cleaned up for an 'official' release? Well it was worth the wait, just for the second disc alone. Although I had heard the legendary 1971 broadcast numerous times, to be able to possess one of the greatest live recordings of all time was too good to be true. The double shot opening of "Immigrant Song" and "Heartbreaker" has to rank with the greatest Zeppelin recordings ever and both blow away their classic studio versions. This was the band at their peak as a recording and touring act and quite possibly the greatest live act in the history of rock music. "Black Dog", "Stairway", "Since I've Been Loving" and "Dazed and Confused" are still fresh and powerful and these could be the definitive recordings of those songs as well. The medley in "Whole Lotta Love" is a killer combo of blues and Elvisabilly, flawless!! Not to neglect the first disc which is a series of BBC appearences in Zep's first year in business, but the 1971 sessions will always hold a special place in my heart. First disc includes essentials from the first two lps but also great rarities such as "The Girl I Love" and "Somethin' Else". Can't really consider "Riverside" a rarity since it was featured in Zep's first box set. End of disc one is a brief live set which shows a young, hungry band already set for world domination. Led Zeppelin freaks should consider this essential unless they have the bootlegs and novices might consider this their first live Zeppelin to justfy their naiscent worship of messieurs Page, Plant, Bonham and Jones.

This double live album cannot dissapoint. It is without a doubt AMAZING material. This shows that LED ZEPPELIN was, in the early days, possessed. They were just so crazy. I have just about everything Zeppelin. I have never really been impressed with other live recordings. Though they are not bad, I would certainly rather listen to a studio recording over say THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME. But with BBC sessions, you get the band fresh, on their toes and ready to astonish. They are far from being tired on these recordings and they simply want to kick some ass. Which is what they do. Aside from that, there is more than just live versions of the songs you know. A couple of rare songs show up here as well. The tune THE GIRL I LOVE HAS LONG BLACK WAVY HAIR is a totally rockin' blues track. I can't believe they kept that one a secret as long as they did. Plenty of insane face melter solos from Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant when his voice wasn't ragged, but crisp.. and right on the money. Bonzo wails the f**K out of those drums.. and JP JONES does... whatever it is he does, its frikin rad. All goods on this thing. Yeah, five stars indeed.

Beware! The live version of "Since I've Been Loving You" on this compilation is not for the faint of heart! It will remind you why Led Zeppelin were rock giants among pure amateurs. What other band could take one song, pull your heartstrings and then bludgeon you over the head with sheer rock power... and make you love it!

This CD set finally sets to rest the "Zeppelin as Heavy Metal" argument. They were NOT heavy metal. This is louder than loud amplified blues, yes, but it is their live show that displays their unbelievable dynamic breadth. The band was more rock and roll than it was "Sweet Leaf."

If you have ever been a doubter of their music after these long years, please at least give this a listen. Live, the Zep weren't FM radio superstar darlings. They were a bunch of guys who happened to make great music when they go together. Here, it sounds like they are just enjoying playing together- no record charts, nothing and everything to prove.

It's unbelievable.

First, the music sounds a little studio-like, which makes it different from How the West was won, as music from the latter is heavier, but you have to take the length of the music into account. Obviously, there are no songs which stray over the 20min boundary, which is good. The great thing aboput this album is you get a 1969 recording of Zep. The music sounds stronger than that in the studio.
For casuals, get this, How the West was Won and the Early Days and Latter days.

True Led Zeppelin fans may have noticed this album. It is a collection of old classics...left overs and live tracks. "Coda" was quite boring but this album has great songs like "The Girl I Love...", "Travelling Riverside Blues", "Somethin' Else". The ten first songs are studio tracks but the rest of the album is live...and a great live it is. "Stairway to Heaven" has probably the best live version in this album I have ever heard. "Immigrant Song", "Heartbreaker", "Black Dog", "Thank You" etc... are the songs I love. Two "Communication Breakdown" studio tracks and a live version? Well, I love them all.

Of all the recent Zeppelin (re)releases this is, in my opinion, the one to get. It is packed with amazing performances by the whole band and, in my opinion, it is more consistent, accessible and interesting as a whole than "How The West Was Won" (Plante is particularly at his best for these performances).

In two CDs (the first recorded in 1969, the second in 1971), you get a ton of classic songs (mostly drawn from Zeppelin's "prime" era between I and III). Some reviewers have mentioned that Zeppelin IV classics such as "Rock and Roll" and "Evermore" are missing. While true, this is explained by the 1971, pre-IV recording date and is compensated for by extremely early versions of "Black Dog", "Stairway" and "Going To California".

You also get the opportunity to compare live versions of:
Communication Breakdown (which appears three times)
I Cant Quit You Baby (which appears twice)
Dazed And Confused (twice, as well)
and Whole Lotta Love (which appears once within a classic Zeppelin medley towards the end of Disc 2)

Finally, this also contains an astounding version of "Thank You" (the album closer) which greatly surpasses the studio version.

All told, this album is a must have for any Zeppelin fan (big or small) which traces the changes and development of Led Zeppelin's live style during their first crucial years. ESSENTIAL.

I have Led Zeppelin albums 1-4 and Houses of the Holy and i thought i should add a greatest hits album to my collection. I looked at the early days and the latter days and i realized, they were missing many great songs and was somewhat pricey. I then chose this album. Its live(my preference of listening) and some of the great songs such as stairway to heaven and black dog even sound somewhat.. better. If your just getting into Zeppelin or need something to your collection, this is the album for you. Lets look over the songs

Hits- I can't Quit on you baby, Communication Breakdown, Dazed and Confused, What is and What Should Never be, Whole Lotta Love

Those were the hits on disc 1 it also includes other great songs such as Somethin else, and one of my personal favorites You Shook Me

But Disc Two is the disc that really shows Zeppelin's Greatness
It includes the super hits Immigrant song Black Dog Stairway to Heaven and Going to California.

This album is great except, unfortunately its missing the Battle of Evermore and Rock n Roll which is why i gave it 4 stars. I highly recommend a combo of this album and Led Zeppelin 4 so you can have ultimate Zepp experience.

this cd makes me feel like I am sitting in some small nightclub in Europe in 1969 with a few friends watching these 4 legends play a few songs,these recordings are phenomenal,it's like listening to these songs for the first time again,Plant's voice is totally raw and live.

Stairway to heaven is a little overplayed on most FM stations,but this version makes it seem like a new song,and the 18+ min version of Dazed and Confused,well,that speaks for itself.

I could'nt be happier with the purchase.

I DON'T EVEN HAVE THIS ITEM,BUT I STILL DON'T LIKE IT.IF YOU ASK,IT'S BECAUSE LED ZEPPELIN IS BAD LIVE.YOU CAN'T EVEN HEAR ROBBERT PLANT'S VOICE VERY WELL AND THE SOUND QUALLITY ISN'T VERY GOOD.THE ONLY TIME THEY SOUNDED GOOD LIVE WAS HOW THE WEST WAS WON.THAT RIGHT THERE IS A PIECE OF MASTERPEICE.I HIGHLY THINK THIS BBC SESSIONS CRAP IS WASTING MONEY.

I am not a die-hard Led Zeppelin fan. But I have come to have enormous respect for the quartet of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. I have come to realize that the efforts of a great work ethic have produced some of the stuff that legends are made of - and Led Zep takes the cake. At the same time, I have always been a fan of the music that has been a part of the "BBC Archives". These archives contain legendary live recordings, exclusive studio sets, and documentaries that are a must for any music fan. Since there is a well-known shortage of official "live" albums by Led Zeppelin, when I found out that "Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions" was being made available, I was most interested in this collection. While I don't consider a lot of the material, Led Zeppelin's "best" material - I just continue to have more and more respect for what was one of the all-time great bands.

When I review a live album, I usually prefer the album to basically be a full recoding of a concert. I normally am not one for edited concerts or live compilations. However, with "Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions", I felt I had to adjust my thinking. This compilation is attempting to surface material that was broadcast back from 1969 through 1971 - and has basically been "lost" (except for those who had bootleg recordings). The important thing to note is that the emphasis of the material is going to be from Led Zeppelin's first four albums - or what I term "the early days". The collection includes material that were broadcast on three separate BBC Radio programs: John Peel's "Top Gear" (Broadcasted 3/23/1969 and 6/29/1969), "Chris Grant's Tasty Pop Sundae" (Broadcasted 6/22/1969),"BBC Rock Hour" ("One Night Stand") (Broadcasted 8/10/1969) and Radio One's "In Concert" (Recorded 1/4/1971).

"BBC Sessions" is broken up into two CDs. The first CD focuses on material from "Led Zeppelin I" and "Led Zeppelin II". The shows that derive this material are "Top Gear", "Tasty Pop Sundae", and "BBC Rock Hour". The one thing to note is that much of this material is going to focus on Led Zeppelin's Blues days. While I am not the biggest fan of the Blues, I had enormous respect for the quality of the music that Led Zeppelin created in this genre. The one thing I don't like is that the music is mixed up. I would have preferred the collection to have the music in the order by which the shows were broadcasted. It seems the "Pop Sundae" material was broken up - disrupting the flow. If the collection preserved the originaln chronological broadcast order, I think this would have allowed us to see how Led Zeppelin progressed from their Blues roots into a Hard Rock band. It is worth noting the material from the first "Top Gear" broadcast ("You Shook Me", "I Can't Quit You Baby", and "Dazed and Confused") comes entirely from "Led Zeppelin I".

The second CD is devoted entirely to the "In Concert" broadcast. While the first CD had much more of a Blues feel, this one is going to have much more of a Classic Rock feel. (even though there is a Blues medley for "Whole Lotta Love"). This CD includes a good cross section of material from the first four Led Zeppelin albums. This also has much more of a feel for a true concert as opposed to the first CD, which has more of a feel of a broadcast of live songs. As mentioned above, I normally would not like this, but I feel the intent of this was to basically bring the stuff "out of the vault". The second CD also includes "Thank You" - this particular song was not broadcasted on the "In Concert" recording.

One thing that is very important when considering this collection is the sound quality. Prior to the release of "BBC Sessions", much of this material was basically available from bootleg. Also, keep in mind - this stuff comes from a 25 month period from 1969 through 1971. While we all know that Jimmy Page is a legendary guitarist, he must get enormous credit as a record engineer. Page remasters this collection as brilliantly as I have ever heard any mastered. There are many references that "BBC Sessions" shows Led Zeppelin in "raw" form. I couldn't agree with that statement raw. The amazing thing is - as you listen to this CD, you can almost pick out every sound that is made. In other words, you can hear Jimmy Page's guitar, John Paul Jones' keyboards and bass, and John Bonham's drums in a most intricate manner. Of course, don't forget the incredible and unique vocals of Robert Plant. While "Stairway to Heaven" may be one of the all-time overplayed Classic Rock songs, the version that is included on the second CD will just completely blow you away.

One thing worth mentioning is that you will hear different variations of the same song on this collection. This is truly one of the major strengths of this collection. This shows the versatility and talent of Led Zeppelin as a band for being able to pull this off. Multiple versions include: "Communication Breakdown", "Dazed and Confused", "Whole Lotta Love", and "You Shook Me". As for Led Zeppelin being seen in a "Jam Band" style: "How Many More Times" (1st CD) and "Whole Lotta Love" (2nd CD) are terrific while "Dazed in Confused" (2nd CD) was a bit overdrawn.

The liner notes include a terrific 2-panel write-up by Luis Rey in regards to Led Zeppelin and the BBC broadcasts. As mentioned while this isn't my favorite Zeppelin material, it still is of very good quality. It's too bad they didn't have material taken from the mid 1970s - the period that I consider the most creative of Led Zeppelin's career. Still this is good stuff - and definitely worth checking out.

Led Zeppelin is great. It's my favorite band, and in my opinion they affected the whole modern rock, not to mention the 70's rock. This double cd captures them in their early days, in their whole greatness and power.

CD 1 is a collection of radio appearances that the band did. The songs were recorded in a studio, and not in front of a live audience. In few of them you can hear two vocals, or two guitars (Page was the only guitarist in Led Zeppelin, and they didn't use any hired guitarists, so they had only one guitar in their live performances). Most of them are in a pretty lousy sound quality, and not a lot different than the original versions, but it's still good after all.
There are two versions of Communication Breakdown, which has similar structures, but the sound of the distortion is different. I liked the second one better - I think that Robert sings there better.
You can also find some Blues covers - I never paid much attention to "something else" - A fast and short one, with a nice piano solo by John Paul Jones. "The Girl I love..." is a very nice rocker, with a catchy riff and a great solo. "Traveling Riverside Blues" is really great.

The end of CD 1 has a live concert by Zeppelin, in the Playhouse Theater. In here you can really feel the energy that filled Zeppelin's shows. In this concert there are:

Communication Breakdown - the rhythmic guitar is kinda missing during the solo, but you get to love it this way. This song rocks live.

I Can't Quit You Baby - WAY better than the shorter version, and than the studio version. Page is amazing on this one.

You Shook Me - again, better than the shorter. Its timing is 10+ min, and every second is worthwhile. If the song would have been more flowing, it could have been better, but it's still great.

How Many More Times - that one is a kind of a bummer. Not flowing, and Robert and Page has this annoying thing where Robert wails some meaningless words, and Jimmy plays the same notes in the guitar - this is no music and it's not fun to listen. And when they have a part of "The Lemon Song" is it, the song totally lose it. Except that, it's cool. Good guitar solo, good ending, and after all it is Led Zeppelin, and it is a good song.

Disc 2 opens with great rocking versions of Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, and Black dog. All of them are fantastic. I stopped listening to the studio versions of all of these songs! Well, except Since I've Been Loving You, where the studio version is great as well.
Then comes Dazed and Confused. It starts excellent, but in the six minutes breakdown (before the solo) it's going nowhere. The solo is also not that good; again that flowing problem. It's good, but not more than that.
After that, you are getting compensation - the first ever playing of Stairway to Heaven, which is wonderful by all means. Yet the studio version is equally good. The compensation goes on with an acoustic set of Going to California and That's the Way, both quiet and beautiful. Whole Lotta Love comes afterwards with power and energy; good drum solo by John Bonham during the interlude. The blues medley is cool and fun, with a nice guitar solo in it.
The concerts end with and electric version of Thank You - the best guitar solo of the Album is here, and the keyboards fadeout, make you feel like you have just got out of something special.

To summarize it all - this is great album by a wonderful band, and you will enjoy it if you are a rock fan, or if you are a Zep fan in particular.

And one more thing about Zeppelin's live albums. They are all pretty... similar. You have the long version of Dazed and Confused, the Whole Lotta Love blues medley, and Stairway to Heaven and each one of them. Not to mention that almost all of CD 2 from here, is also in How the West Was Won - a similar opening, acoustic set, and more. 10 out of 17 songs in HTWWW are in here as well. I want to buy it, but I'm not sure because of it. Or perhaps I'm wrong? HTWWW is great despite that?
A little variation will be good. There are a lot of songs both from the early days (Good Times Bad Times, When the Levee Breaks, and more) and the letter days (in My Time of Dying, Ten Years gone, Trampled Underfoot, Achilles' Last Stand...)

That's it, I'm shutting up. Enjoy BBS Sessions!

BBC Sessions (1997.), a collection of early Led Zeppelin radio sessions

The Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions are a priceless addition anyone who is even remotely a fan of the great band. Copies of official Led Zeppelin live performances are extremely hard to come by (the only others really are 'Song Remains the Same' and 'How the West was Won') and so this double CD is a timeless capture of the band in their early years. What makes this compilation more than just a collection of live radio broadcast performances is the fact that it also captures Led Zeppelin in their transition period (I'm referring more here to the second CD which has the early 1971 sessions) and includes a very much unrefined, early but certainly enthralling version of 'Stairway to Heaven'. The other CD has performances from 3 recording sessions in 1969 with much of the bands early stuff (i.e. Led Zep I and some of II tracks) as well as 3 tracks which do not feature on any of Zeppelin's studio albums. These tracks, 'That Girl She Got Long Black Wavy Hair', 'Travelling Riverside Blues' and 'Somethin' Else' make great extra additions to any Led Zep fan's song collection. What we basically see with the Sessions, the first CD in particular, is the essence of early Zeppelin at its rawest and freshest. The band show great perfection in a number of ways with these radio performances whilst at the same time giving a great deal of improvisation which works really well.

Most of the songs which were recorded live at the BBC appeared on John Peel's 'Top Gear' a few days after they were performed in each case - there are a few exceptions, 'Since I've Been Lovin You', 'Black Dog' and 'Thank You' from the '71 sessions were remarkably not transmitted, a bit of a loss really but still they're here now on this unique CD!

CD 1 contains lots of the hard rocking early stuff and they play it live in style. There are 3 great renditions of 'Communication Breakdown' and the 10 minute version of 'You Shook Me' is a real treat. I personally enjoy the second CD more than the first. 'The Immigrant Song' and 'Heartbreaker' start the whole thing off in emphatic style before Led Zep do a classy performance of what I would rate as their greatest blues track, 'Since I've Been Loving You'. An early, pre Zep IV release of Black Dog follows this - an interesting listen - the start fooled me at first as they begin this version with the 'Out On the Tiles' riff! The 5th track, an 18 minute version of 'Dazed and Confused' is what Zeppelin live is all about - a brilliant performance of one of their best ever tracks. Jimmy Page's guitar playing here is sensational with some brillaint experimentation, coupled with some fast, killer lines blending in with this - Led Zeppelin were truly one of the masters of that great 70's art of drawing out a track whilst live as long as possible whilst still keeping that suspense and imagination. In context, the following track, the early version of Stairway to Heaven is mindblowing. Not only is it a great performance of the track but how weird must it have been for the audience to be one of the first to hear what was to become one of the great rock anthems of all time! Led Zep follow this up in style with some of their acoustic stuff with folk ballad 'Thats the Way' and 'Going To California', a track which is one of the most inspirational acoustic tracks of all time. The band round off with a 'Whole Lotta Love' medley with some blues covers incorporated within and then a finale in the shape of 'Thank You' which, in my opinion outstrips the version on the Led Zep II studio album.

All this leaves me to say is that with the BBC Sessions you are witnessing a timeless capture of perhaps the most influential rock band of all time. Led Zeppelin are performing at their best here and this double CD should be just as important as the studio albums in any Zeppelin collection.

BBC Sessions was one of my first introductions to the music of Led Zeppelin, and classic rock / blues-rock in general. It got me completely hooked, for good reason. This double live album rocks like nothing else; it is without a doubt the most energetic and musically on-target live material that I have ever heard, period. The band's hunger and talent is tangible on every track.

Disc 1: Focuses on the early material. Some songs have multiple versions, all of which are different in interesting ways. "Traveling Riverside Blues" (not released on a studio album) is a terrific change-of-pace, and "What Is and What Should Never Be" is performed to great effect. All of the tracks are quite strong.

Disc 2: Contains music from LZ I, II, III and IV. This may be my favorite single disc in the world. "Immigrant Song" and "Heartbreaker" start things off, and are performed with almost unbelievable energy. In my opinion, they are both far superior to the studio versions. "Since I've Been Loving You" follows, and it's terrific. Then we get a blazing "Black Dog" and a lengthy, improv-heavy "Dazed and Confused". The next song is a killer version of "Stairway to Heaven" - it is the first performance of that song, and it is done brilliantly, even better than in the studio. The rest of the songs are terrific, especially the blues medley, which showcases LZ's complete mastery of that genre. You have to hear it to believe it.

BBC Sessions should be in every Led Zeppelin enthusiast's collection, but it can also serve as a great introduction to what is, in my opinion, the greatest rock 'n' roll band of all time. No other live album yet recorded is this good, and there are damn few studio albums that can match it. It's worth ten times the price.

This album is absolutly amazing! I'am only 18 years old and this
great band was way before my time and I think that there is no other hard rock band ever like Led Zeppelin. This album is full
of great rare live recordings from the BBC Station. Songs like
"Stairway to Heaven", "Whole Lotta Love","Dazed and Confuzed" and jaw dropping set of "Black Dog". "Going to California" is my favorite song on this album. It captures the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin. You should definitly buy this album now! Its
definitly worth it.

Led Zeppelin's "BBC Sessions" is a great treasure trove of live material the group recorded for the BBC between 1969 and 1971. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham were one of the rock world's greatest live acts, as this live set clearly shows. Granted, several songs are repeated, like "Communication Breakdown" (3 versions), "You Shook Me" and "I Can't Quit You Baby" (2 versions), but who's complaining? One of Zeppein's live trademarks was never to perform any song the exact same way, so each version of "Communication Breakdown," for example, differs somewhat from the other versions, as the band wanted to jam on it in a different, fresh way each time. And it works. Other goodies include a smokin' version of "Travelling Riverside Blues" (the rare studio version is only available on the 4-CD "Led Zeppelin" box set, but this live BBC version is just as good), and a brilliant performance of Zeppelin's signature song, "Stairway To Heaven." I also love the band's extended workouts on display here, including an 18 1/2 minute jam on "Dazed And Confused" (with Page getting some truly wild sounds out of his guitar), and the nearly 14-minute blast through "Whole Lotta Love," in which Zeppelin also insert some blues favorites like "Boogie Chillin'" and "That's Alright Mama." So, what are you waiting for, Zepheads---"BBC Sessions" totally deserves a place in your Led Zeppelin collection.

A few of these tracks were found on bootlegs and radio. Nice to have them on a cd. As I mentioned in a review for "How the West Was Won", you should also pick up the latest DVD release. A few of these tracks are also on the DVD. The video release for "Traveling Riverside Blues" is also on the DVD.

This is one of the great live releases of any band in rock history. As often as I have heard Stairway to Heaven, this slightly rawer version is stunning and makes it a whole new listening experience - actually better than the classic studio version I think. Page smokes throughout the 2 dicks. The only flaw is having 3 versions of Communication Breakdown on disk 1, but thats not a really a problem. This one really burns and is highly recommended. Possibly LZ's best, but thats a hard call.

Disc one features fourteen tracks that were recorded and played on various dates through out 1969.I found something good about all three versions of "Communication Breakdown".It holds one's interest because each version sounds a bit different.There are two cuts here that either I've never heard or I just plain don't remember,"The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair" and "Something Else".Anyone remember the show 'Top Gear'?There are several tunes here from that gig,like "I Can't Quit You Baby","Dazed And Confused" and the always fun to hear "Travelling Riverside Blues".Disc two is of a live concert that was recorded at the Paris Theater in London on April 1,1971.Starts off with the hard rock staple "Immigrant Song" then goes on with "Heartbreaker","Black Dog",the ever beautiful sounding "Going To California" and six others.What caught me by complete surprise was their medley of "Boogie Chillun'/Fixin' To Die/A Mess Of Blues".This set was mastered and assembled by Jimmy Page himself,so you KNOW the quality will be nothing short of superb.A must have for all Zeppelin fans.