Earlier this year, Led Zeppelin surprised many with the reissue of their first three albums as deluxe sets. For that, we thank them. Not even a year later, Zeppelin is at it again, planning to make you groove and sweat all over again with two new reissues coming this fall. On October 28th, the group will release deluxe editions of its 1971 album, Led Zeppelin IV, and its next record, 1973’s Houses of the Holy.
These deluxe editions, similar to the previous deluxe reissues, will include the original LP, newly remastered by guitarist and producer Jimmy Page. A second disc of previously unreleased live material and studio cuts is an added bonus. Each release will also be available as a single album, a single vinyl LP, a deluxe double-LP, digital download and a super deluxe box set. The super deluxe box set features the CDs, LPs, a download card, an 80-page hardbound book with never before seen photos and memorabilia and a high-quality print of the album cover.
Zeppelin’s fourth album has become one of the best-selling albums in history since its 1971 release. With tracks like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Rock & Roll,” “Black Dog” and “When the Levee Breaks,” the album, which is technically untitled, has been certified 23-times platinum. Although hard to better something that is perfect, the deluxe edition contains previously unreleased versions of each of the album’s eight tracks. Included are alternate mixes of “Rock & Roll,” “Misty Mountain Hop” and “Four Sticks,” a mandolin/guitar mix of “The Battle of Evermore” and a markedly different version of “Stairway to Heaven” that the group recorded at Los Angeles’ Sunset Sound Studio, which lets fans hear one of the most revered songs of all time as they have never heard it before.
Houses of the Holy contains the singles “Over the Hills and Far Away” and “D’Yer Mak’er.” This album, certified 11-times platinum since its 1973 release, has been reissued and the deluxe edition bonus disc contains rough, in-progress mixes of “The Ocean” and “Dancing Days.” Things get funky with varied instrumentation for two tracks: a guitar mix backing track for “Over the Hills and Far Away” and a version of “The Rain Song” with the omission of John Paul Jones’ piano.
Here are the track listings for the deluxe edition’s companion audio discs:
Led Zeppelin IV (Companion Audio)
1. “Black Dog,” Basic Track With Guitar Overdubs
2. “Rock and Roll,” Alternate Mix
3. “The Battle of Evermore,” Mandolin/Guitar Mix From Headley Grange
4. “Stairway to Heaven,” Sunset Sound Mix
5. “Misty Mountain Hop,” Alternate Mix
6. “Four Sticks,” Alternate Mix
7. “Going to California,” Mandolin/Guitar Mix
8. “When the Levee Breaks,” Alternate U.K. Mix
Houses of the Holy (Companion Audio)
1. “The Song Remains The Same,” Guitar Overdub Reference Mix
2. “The Rain Song,” Mix Minus Piano
3. “Over the Hills And Far Away,” Guitar Mix Backing Track
4. “The Crunge,” Rough Mix – Keys Up
5. “Dancing Days,” Rough Mix With Vocal
6. “No Quarter,” Rough Mix With JPJ Keyboard Overdubs – No Vocal
7. “The Ocean,” Working Mix