Music Review: The Complete BBC Sessions, Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin.

One of the positive aspects of the tussle that's been happening between Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and Jimmy Page regarding reuniting the band is that Page has been able to focus on repackaging their recorded library.

That process is all but complete as their albums have all been re-engineered and rereleased. This collection of the sessions they laid down on various BBC radio and television programmes pretty much wraps up the project.

Because they broke the mould when they started out in 1968, by deliberately not recording or releasing singles, they proved a problem for the BBC whose programmes were very much oriented around bands playing their latest single.

Nonetheless Led Zeppelin forced a change of policy at the Beeb, and this three album set revisits the sessions between 1968 and 1971.

Fans have long chased bootlegged versions of this material, and when you hear the original recordings it's easy to understand why.

Without doubt Led Zeppelin was, during this period at least, a unique and unparalleled artistic act, steeped in the blues, but through their individual and collective musicality they delivered a sound that resonates equally well today.

Six separate BBC sessions are represented here, from shows like Top Gear, the World Service, Tasty Pop Sundae, the In Concert series and for the legendary John Peel. Most of the songs from Led Zeppelin's set list are played.

In all cases, of course, the recordings differ from the versions that appeared on their albums.

This was just how it was with the improvisational approach to their playing, which means that the sound is very fresh and often raw.

Rating: 5/5 stars