...This weeks' column begins with an announcement that The Chronicles of Led Zeppelin Label (TCOLZ) will release their last LED ZEPPELIN title this month with "Final Winterland", a 6CD set that literally chronicles the bands' November 6th and 7th, 1969 performances at San Francisco's Winterland with what the label claims as the 'best' transfer of sources to date.  I for one am excited that the label tackled these shows-and absolutely love the chosen cover shot! (which I've never seen before, which is amazing), but certainly taken by surprise that this is really it for them. What TCOLZ brought to the Zeppelin collecting community was one of the most honest and straightforward catalog efforts, and they will be greatly missed. I know there are many advocates and supporters out there so from here, thanks to those behind the scenes at TCOLZ.  To supplement the title announcement yesterday, the label issued this statement:

These are rather not comonly released shows, possibly just for the fact they were always sourced from high gen and not so well sounding tapes. After several years, I've finally reached better sounding transfers for both dates. The November 6th was previously released by Image Quality on "Room 2/3" triple CD set but this title missing some chatters and sounds more muffled. Tarantura's "Punk" is much worse, missing some actual music and suffered from strange speed issues that are not available on the IQ title. Few months ago T2K released their own box titled "Lead Set", including this night using the 2nd source as primary and added 1st tape to complete tho gaps. Sadly, this title, beside of being virtually most complete, is equalized heavily and some edits are made in a rather poor way. I used two different versions of so called source no. 1 to make this version the best sounding and most complete. The version I prepared has longer intro and much of chatter between the songs that other titles missing. The 2nd tape source for November 6th is released in its entirery only on T2K box but as was said, this set is suffering from heavy equalization. My transfer is also free of some glitches and pops that can be found on T2K release. The November 7th tape is heavily overlooked by the collectors because only 2 titles were released in the past from this concerto: Image Quality's "Room 2/3" and Missing Link's "The Winter Of Our Content". Both titles are missing some chatter and also sounds tinner when compared with my own version.

...A couple of new ROLLING STONES releases to point out this week as well...SODD will issue "Raretracks+" 1CD/1DVD-R which compiles some alternate versions from 1974-1983 along with seven familiar and common promo clips for Black And Blue, Some Girls and Emotional Rescue...And, Dog N Cat Records will release "More Fast Numbers" 2CD (pictured above) that covers the Pathe Marconi recording sessions from 1977-1988.  There are also two new BEATLES titles to relay here in the column tonight...Arriving on the Masters Of Oranges Label (?) is "Hey Jude" 1CD that pairs up the original mix of the album as we've known it, with what is referred to as the 'Ampex Reel to Reel Version' of the tapes...Strange Apple has released "Let It Be" 1CD plus limited bonus CDR with the mono mixes...whatever...

...A pair of RAINBOW titles too, also from different labels..."Lost In Bremen" 2CD from Darker Than Blue transfers a fantastic audience tape from Stadthalle in Bremen, Germany on January 30, 1980 and "Birmingham Rising" 2CD on Rising Arrow is a Birmingham Odeon, UK performance skillfully captured from the audience on September 11, 1976...Look for the new OASIS 2CD (w/bonus 2CDR) "La Man De Dio"  from the Betrayer Deluxe Label which captures the band live at the Hot Festival at Polo Field in Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 10, 2006 and is skimmed from the soundboard...

..Last, and most certainly not least...there was some sort of call to action from a couple of Japanese boot labels to seriously focus on representing any and all SHERYL CROW as possible this Spring!  There appears to be a new label leading this battle cry called Natural Woman Records with a couple titles from Vague Records and the lone wolf from Switch On Sodk (?)...they break down like this:

from Natural Woman Records:
Acoustic Sincerity 1CD Secret Acoustic 1998 soundboard
Everyday Sessions 1CD Nity Church Sessions for Broadcast, January 31st, 1999 soundboard
Back To The Farm 1CD Woodstock '99 soundboard (July 23, 1999)
Two Angels 1CD Live At Mountain View, Shoreline Amphitheater, October 30 & 31, 1999 soundboard
C'mon Feel Some Noise 1CD The National Breast Cancer Coalition Benefit Concert at Hammerstein Ballroom, New York on March 6, 2002 soundboard (+ more)
Happy Snow Valentine 1CD Olympic Game Concert, Salt Lake City, Utah, February 14, 2002 soundboard
Merci And Tres Bon! 1CD Live At Le Trebendo, Paris on March 28, 2002 soundboard (+ more)
Cool Bier Night! 2CD Live At Metropolis, Munich, Germany on March 23, 2002 soundboard (+ more)
Enjoyable Beautiful Angels 2CD Live At Central Park, New York City on September 14, 1999 FM soundboard

from Vague Records:
Fork In Missouri Road 2CD Live At Academic Hall Auditorium, Southeast Missouri State University, December 14, 2001 ( + more)
40 Years Old, So What? 2CD Old El Rey Theater, Los Angeles, February 11, 2002
This Is Not A Gig 2CD Live At "Shine" 385 W. Broadway, New York City on April 30, 2001 with Keith Richards

from Switch On Sodk:
The Wembley Concert 1CD Live in London on February 18, 1999 soundboard

...and that concludes all the particulars known at publishing time on this first Tuesday in March 2010...Congratulations!...We have just about made it to Spring!  Thanks for passing through and I'll meet you back here next week.  Have a good one.

Svengi, March 2, 2010