Disc 1 is a compilation of songs from three various BBC sessions in 1969.
Disc 2 is a 1971 concert from the Paris Theatre in London.
Disc 1
1. "You Shook Me"
2. "I Can't Quit You Baby"
3. "Communication Breakdown"
4. "Dazed and Confused"
5. "The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair"
6. "What Is and What Should Never Be"
7. "Communication Breakdown"
8. "Traveling Riverside Blues"
9. "Whole Lotta Love"
10. "Somethin' Else"
11. "Communication Breakdown"
12. "I Can't Quit You Baby"
13. "You Shook Me"
14. "How Many More Times"
Disc 2
1. "Immigrant Song"
2. "Heartbreaker"
3. "Since I've Been Loving You"
4. "Black Dog"
5. "Dazed and Confused"
6. "Stairway to Heaven"
7. "Going to California"
8. "That's the Way"
9. "Whole Lotta Love"
10. "Thank You"
There were countless bootlegs of these recordings circulated before the official release. This release was widely welcomed by Led Zeppelin fans, though it was noticed that some material which is available on the bootlegs was not presented (including one session from 1969 which included the unreleased "Sugar Mama"), and that other tracks had been edited (including the "Whole Lotta Love" medley, which is missing a number of tunes).
One of the most bootlegged material ever and certainly the most common Led Zeppelin rarity, the BBC Sessions is being hailed as the first official "live" release, since "The Song Remains the Same" in 1976. However, it was only a soundtrack to the film and not a true live album... the same applies to the BBC Sessions which features various selections from their appearances in 1969 and 1971.
Fans will be delighted by the obvious upgrade in sound quality over any previous bootlegs or "radio-only" CDs of its occasional appearance on the airwaves. The only complaints are the unnecessary edits and incomplete songs, most notably the "Whole Lotta Love" medley from 1971 and the "It's Your Thing" jam during a performance of "Communication Breakdown". Since most hard-core fans already have this material in near-mint quality, a more complete BBC Sessions (maybe a 3-CD set) might have been more appealing.
The group's pure intensity and power is captured on the BBC Sessions and hopefully there'll be more rare material from the vaults released in the near future, perhaps a proper home video.
When John Paul Jones was asked, he said: "We're forever looking around. We keep promising ourselves to find all the footage we've got and get it together. There is a possibility." Let's hope the next project sees the light of day soon.
Unfortunately, there is a "lost session" missing here, that the BBC apparently does not have in its vaults. March 19, 1969 featured a performance on the BBC "World Service R&B" show, hosted by Alexis Korner. A rare tape has recently surfaced from the original AM broadcast, which includes: "What is And What Should Never Be", an incredible version of "I Can't Quit You", "You Shook Me" and an unreleased song "Sunshine Woman"
So, get yourself a copy of these great Zep performances from the BBC... but don't throw away your bootlegs just yet. :-) (review article from Nov. 1997)
