I’ve just acquired another copy of ‘Presence’ by Led Zeppelin on the Swan Song label (catalogue number SSK 59402).

Originally the 1st press matrix on the correct label (left) was believed to be stamped A2/B2. This new copy has stamped A1/B1 matrices and comes with the correct embossed sleeve. So, I’ve corrected the page to include this updated information.

Click here to go to the full details of this classic Led Zeppelin album and compare the original with the reissue.

6 people are in a bar (The Off Beat Lounge) watching a guy burning a ‘Dear John’ letter. The sleeves vary by changing the viewpoint from each of the watcher’s perspectives. Each of the 6 sleeves is identifiable by a letter code (A-F) at the top of the spine.

The Watchers:

Fat guy in the doorway
Blondie next to the bar
Barman
Black woman laughing at the end of the bar
Piano player
Brunette woman next to the jukebox

‘A’ SLEEVE

The front of sleeve A is shown from the fat guy at the door. The back is the black woman laughing. Brunette by the jukebox is the only watcher not visible in this combination.

‘B’ SLEEVE

The front of sleeve B is shown from Blondie’s viewpoint, the back is from the piano player’s. All 6 watchers can be seen in this combination.

‘C’ SLEEVE

The front of sleeve C is now the barman’s perspective (we are moving clockwise around the bar…), and the back is Brunette by the jukebox. Only 3 watchers are visible in this combination.

‘D’ SLEEVE

The front of sleeve D is from black woman laughing, the back is from fat guy at the door (which should therefore look the same as the front of sleeve A…). Again, as per sleeve A, Brunette by the jukebox cannot be seen.

‘E’ SLEEVE

The front of sleeve E is now from the piano player’s view, whilst the back is from Blondie’s viewpoint (so in theory the same as the front of sleeve B…). All 6 watchers are visible.

‘F’ SLEEVE

The front of F has now moved round to Brunette by the jukebox and the back has once again come round to being the barman’s view (which should be the same as the front of C…). Just 3 watchers in this combination.

A fascinating concept! There are some slight ‘continuity errors’ if we were being ultra picky; e.g. in the C front cover, the letter is already alight, whilst the back of F, the letter is unburned and still has the cigaretter lighter just below it about to set fire to it, and a few of the watchers’ poses are slightly different when you compare…but I suppose it proves that none of the shots were re-used and that a separate image was taken for all 12 fronts and backs.

Check out the different label styles for the 1st press and then the reissue:

The 1st press label uses a more condensed font, includes track timings and has the words ‘Made in UK’ whereas the reissue label from c.1979 has a different font, no track timings and the words ‘Manufactured in the UK’. Click here to see all the details and matrix variations for Led Zeppelin ‘Presence’.

There are different versions of ‘The Song Remains The Same’ too so you can use the same guidelines to spot the differences between reissues and 1st pressings. The ‘Manufactured in the UK’ label style seems to have been used first on Bad Company’s ‘Desolation Angels’ in 1979 (SSK 59408). Anything prior to this should have the ‘Made in UK’ label style for a first pressing.

NB. SSK89402 ‘The Song Remains The Same’ 1976 first pressing label style is different again and doesn’t carry any country of manufacture information. Click here to see the original and reissue labels.