"Led Zeppelin III" is the third album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded between January and July 1970 and released on 5 October 1970 by Atlantic Records. Composed largely at a remote cottage in Wales known as Bron-Yr-Aur, this work represented a maturing of the band's music towards a greater emphasis on folk and acoustic sounds. This surprised many fans and critics, and upon its release the album received rather indifferent reviews. Although it is not one of the highest sellers in Zeppelin's catalogue, Led Zeppelin III is now generally praised, and acknowledged as representing an important milestone in the band's history.
Led Zeppelin III, released in 1970, was a departure from the band's previous two albums, which had established them as one of the premier hard rock bands of the era. The album showcased the band's versatility and musicality, incorporating elements of folk, acoustic rock, and even world music into their sound. One unique aspect of the album was its spinning wheel gimmick cover.
The cover of Led Zeppelin III featured a circular cutout in the center of the front cover, revealing a rotating disc with various images printed on it. The disc could be rotated by pulling a tab on the side of the cover, allowing fans to view different images while listening to the album. The spinning wheel gimmick was a departure from the band's previous album covers, which had featured more traditional artwork.
The spinning wheel cover was designed by Zacron, a British artist who had previously worked with the band on the cover of their second album. The concept behind the cover was to reflect the album's diverse range of influences, with each image on the disc representing a different aspect of the band's music.
In addition to the cover, Led Zeppelin III was also notable for its musical content. The album featured acoustic and folk-inspired tracks such as "Gallows Pole," "That's the Way," and "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp," which showcased the band's versatility and musicianship. The album also included harder rock tracks like "Immigrant Song" and "Out on the Tiles," which demonstrated the band's ability to blend different styles and genres seamlessly.
Despite its departure from the band's previous sound, Led Zeppelin III was a commercial success, reaching number one on the US Billboard charts and selling over six million copies worldwide. The album's unconventional cover design added to its appeal and made it a collector's item for fans of the band.
The spinning wheel gimmick cover also became a hallmark of Led Zeppelin's brand, with the band using a similar design for their next two albums, Led Zeppelin IV and Houses of the Holy. The success of the spinning wheel cover also inspired other bands to experiment with their album art, with Pink Floyd's 1973 album.
This album "LED ZEPPELIN III Spinning Wheel Gimmick Cover" includes the original custom inner sleeve with album details, complete lyrics of all songs by and photos.
Music Genre:
Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
Album Production Information:
The album: "LED ZEPPELIN III Spinning Wheel Gimmick Cover" was produced by:
Record Label & Catalognr:
Plumb/Red Atlantic 940.051
Media Format:
12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 320 gram
Front Cover Photo of "LED ZEPPELIN III Spinning Wheel Gimmick Cover" Album
The album cover of Led Zeppelin III is a visually striking, psychedelic collage featuring a white background dominated by large, looping hand-drawn letters spelling 'Led Zeppelin' and 'III'. These letters are outlined in dark blue and contain a mix of colorful imagery—vintage aviation, celestial elements, surrealistic faces, birds, butterflies, abstract patterns, and pop-art motifs.
Scattered throughout the background are additional circular cutouts filled with various illustrations, including a grinning mouth, a zeppelin airship, a dragonfly, a Victorian-era figure, and an assortment of stars and planets. These designs are overlaid with vibrant splashes of color, giving the cover a chaotic yet mesmerizing feel. The spinning wheel mechanism beneath the top layer allows images in the cut-outs to change when rotated, creating an interactive experience.
At the bottom right corner, the Atlantic Records logo is prominently displayed in blue alongside the stereo catalog number "50 002." This edition is known as the French "spinning wheel" version, maintaining the unique feature that adds to the album’s legendary artwork.
Back Cover Photo of "LED ZEPPELIN III Spinning Wheel Gimmick Cover" Album
The back cover of Led Zeppelin III presents a striking, high-contrast black-and-white composition, featuring the four band members' faces arranged in overlapping circular frames. The design has an almost ghostly, screen-printed quality, emphasizing deep shadows and stark highlights.
Centered at the top, Jimmy Page's face emerges from a dark background, his expression intense and enigmatic. His long hair blends into the shadows, giving his portrait an ethereal feel. Below him, Robert Plant’s image dominates the lower circle, his signature wild curls framing his face. A golden Celtic-style cross, intricate in design, is placed near the bottom of his portrait, adding a subtle mystical touch.
To the left, John Paul Jones is positioned within a smaller circular frame, his long, wavy hair illuminated against a contrasting dark background. His expression is calm yet serious. On the right, John Bonham's face appears, partially shrouded in darkness, his gaze direct and piercing.
In the lower left corner, a stylized “III” symbol, rendered in a metallic beige tone, adds a distinct visual balance. The white background further enhances the bold contrast of the faces, making the imagery feel raw and powerful. At the bottom right, small text credits the album’s distribution by Kinney Filipacchi Music S.A.
High Resolution Photo of the Inside Page of the Gatefold Cover Side One of Led Zeppelin III Spinning Wheel
The inside page of the Led Zeppelin III gatefold cover is a stunning surrealist collage filled with whimsical, dreamlike imagery. Against a predominantly white background, an assortment of vintage illustrations and abstract designs are scattered in a seemingly random yet interconnected manner.
At the center, the album’s tracklist is neatly printed in black, listing songs from both Side One and Side Two. This text is intersected by a series of thin black lines that extend outward, connecting to various illustrations, reinforcing the sense of a cosmic, interconnected world.
Prominent in the design is a large, metallic zeppelin, outlined in yellow, floating in the lower half of the composition. Above it, a small, mechanical printing press with a tiny red-suited figure standing on top suggests an industrial or steampunk aesthetic. To the right, a pair of delicate dragonfly wings extends from a metallic structure, blending natural and mechanical elements in a surreal fusion.
Throughout the image, various smaller elements are scattered: a bucket pouring liquid, a spinning screw, vintage airplanes, a castle emerging from the mist, a butterfly hovering near the text, and celestial symbols like planets, stars, and an old-world globe. Some of these objects appear to be suspended in motion, while others are grounded in miniature landscapes.
The bottom right corner features the Atlantic Records logo alongside the text "Atlantic Recording, 1841 Broadway, New York, NY," anchoring the artwork with a formal touch. The combination of these disparate images gives the page an almost hallucinatory quality, perfectly complementing the experimental nature of the album itself.
High Resolution Photo of the Inside Page of the Gatefold Cover Side Two of Led Zeppelin III Spinning Wheel
The inside artwork of Led Zeppelin III is a mesmerizing, surrealist collage that explodes with visual intrigue. A broad, sweeping circular arc painted in soft rainbow hues frames the design, creating a sense of movement and interconnectedness. Within this arc, an eclectic mix of vintage and futuristic imagery floats against a stark white background.
Centered in the artwork is a radial, sunburst-like design surrounded by abstract organic shapes and smaller circles filled with various patterns—some resembling marble, others containing geometric textures. To the left, a large, stylized zeppelin appears diagonally, rendered in a textured black-and-white finish. Nearby, a corn cob and a mechanical joint add to the bizarre, dreamlike assembly.
Above, a vintage biplane soars in parallel with a classic automobile, both in black and white, reinforcing the collage’s historical yet futuristic contrast. To the right, butterflies and a hummingbird interact with delicate, hand-drawn elements like flowers and stars. Tiny arrows and dotted lines suggest an unseen movement or connection between objects.
In the lower right corner, a circular emblem reads "Visual Creations by Zacron," crediting the British artist who designed the cover. Below this, a golden compass-like mechanism appears, adding an element of mystery and navigation. A small, black-and-white photograph of a man, possibly Zacron himself, appears within a circular border near the bottom.
Scattered throughout are additional unexpected elements: a reclining human figure, an American flag pattern, abstract checkerboard textures, and a detailed architectural tower. The layering of these objects, mixed with precise line work and bursts of color, makes this artwork a surreal visual journey, perfectly complementing the boundary-pushing nature of the album.
Enlarged High Resolution Photo of the Record's label Led Zeppelin III Spinning Wheel
This close-up captures the vinyl record label of the French pressing of Led Zeppelin III. The circular label is split into two distinct color sections—an upper half in deep red-orange and a lower half in rich purple, separated by a white horizontal band that houses the Atlantic Records logo and key pressing details.
At the top, bold black capital letters spell out "LED ZEPPELIN III," with additional information printed below in smaller font. To the left, the catalog number "N°940.051" and format indication "33 Tours" (33 RPM) are clearly marked. To the right, "MONO-STÉRÉO" and "B.I.E.M." indicate the record’s format and rights management organization, with the matrix number "XBL 940.051-1" appearing beneath.
The central portion of the label prominently features the Atlantic Records logo in black, with a stylized "A" and the word "Atlantic" spanning across. Next to it, "FACE 1" (Side One) is written, along with the number "140," which likely refers to a catalog series.
The lower purple section lists the track titles and credits for Side One of the album, printed in neat black text. The songs are numbered and include "Immigrant Song" (2:26), "Friends" (3:55), "Celebration Day" (3:29), "Since I've Been Loving You" (7:25), and "Out on the Tiles" (4:04). Writing credits are indicated in parentheses, attributing compositions to Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham.
The outer rim of the label carries a fine-print copyright warning, encircling the design, stating "All Rights of the Manufacturer and of the Owner of the Recorded Work Reserved Unauthorized Public Performance, Broadcasting and Copying of This Record Prohibited." The bottom of the label notes "Made in France," confirming this as a French pressing of the album.
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