l just discovered another one of the record companies dirty tricks?

So if you turn around and the R channel is now on the L and you turn back around again do you associate the memory? Fascinating phenomenon. 

Or at least it would be if you knew that is what you what you wrote. Which is....? What exactly do you mean by "so many"? Which ones? Exactly?? And what do you mean by "once again"? How many Zep albums were they swapped on??

It can be strange, you just need to try and get a new perception, especially if you have seen a group live.

I saw the Hot Sardines, a Jazz group, wonderful, live, wide stage. Piano right end, Trombone left end (behind Christmas Tree actually). Drums, sax, trumpets, upright bass, all spread in a line, behind  Singer right of center, Tap Dancer left of center.

Loved them, bought this double album, 1 disc Live from Toronto; 2nd Live from Joe's Pub, NYC.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NBD1QDF/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07NBD1QDF&linkCode=as2&tag=thehotsar-20&linkId=e9c1ffbe28da46c9ebf6b4f4da7fd6de

I know Joes Pub, been there many times, put that disc on first

Huh? Everything is reversed. I know the stage is smaller width and depth, but Piano clearly on the left, singer off center Left.

Checked the date, it turns out Donna was there at that performance with her twin sister. Yes, she says, the Piano was on the left.

here's a video of them at Joes Pub, piano left

https://hotsardines.com/videos/

Second listen of LP, knowing it was correct, real, I could push my prior memory out and enjoy (accept) the imaging my system presented. These are excellent recordings, I highly recommend them.

One nice feature of McIntosh vintage equipment, is their Mode Switch, Stereo, Reverse Stereo, Mono, and other shifts of channels that are very helpful with final balancing of your system. Reverse Stereo, you could simply put it 'right' as you wish.

btw, it is possible the original was reverse of reality, the re-issue correct.

Oh the horror!

If it bothers you so much, just swap inputs on your pre when you play that album...

channel phasing effects can be off, when you swap channels.

the mix...is the mix...in most stereo albums. They are NOT dual mono.

properly done 'stereo' has specific ambience cues which are phase sensitive, complex micro and macro in situ phase sensitive, with a dual channel aspect in a given perceived instrument position....and swapping channels means that the stereo effect is then ...totally messed up.

Thus... one is forced to deal with the record or source material (stereo material) as it comes/arrives/exists. 

If one swaps channels in a stereo mix..invariably... the instruments seem bunched at the one left or right speaker, and sound as if the sound is turned slightly inside out, and the center fill is gone..everything is sonically a mess, essentially.