Some LZDVD thoughts

[BB Page <traders55@xxxxxxxxx>]

I had to go to a few different stores before I could
get both the DVD and CD releases today, due to some
sell outs already.  The few tracks that I've listened
to of HTWWW have been pretty good.  I also got a copy
of the new 5-27-77 soundboard in the mail also, so
it's been a busy Zep day.

As for the LZDVD, I enjoy it the most out of all the
music concerts and video collections I've bought of
other bands' commercial releases on DVD.  Whoever was
responsible for the LZDVD, they did an excellent job.

What struck me when going through the discs was that
the manner in which these discs were assembled,
culling a number of shows from each era, was the way
to go.  Yes, it was great to see quality footage of
Earls Court and Knebworth.  I don't think I would have
enjoyed them as *much* if it was the whole concert of
each show.  After a certain number of tracks, it's
time to move on to a different show and different
camera operators, film stock, etc, before you can get
bored of one era.

The new treatment of the Madison Square Gardens '73
tracks was a notable improvement over what is on the
TSRTS video.  The picture is clearer, the contrast and
colours are better, the sound is great, and the show
comes off much more better.  I would go so far as to
say I *hope* TSRTS gets a full restoration, and brings
that film up to the standard as we see of the MSG '73
tracks on the LZDVD.  I think TSRTS's reputation would
do much better if "the real movie" could come out like
these new MSG tracks.  Perhaps Page and co. could even
resynch the film and the sound better, and phase out
some parts of the hoaky imaginary sequences or cheap
special effects (like on DAC).

My last wish is that the HTWWW audio concert makes it
way to super audio CD format.  The audio of the
Immigrant Song over the Australia '72 footage was
apparently the same one from the HTWWW, but sounds
much better because you can hear it in DTS sound. 
Let's get this concert on a higher quality CD format
in the future?

Final thought on the DVD footage - it's apparent, in
part at least, why Page "lost it" as his career went
on during the time that LZ was together.  He started
dancing too much and showboating.  While that was
needed for spectacle, I think it took away from his
ability to play more coherently.  Some flubs that I
would hear on a bootleg, I now can see it was from him
moving around erratically.