Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: "E" TICKET (concluded)

A fake stamped cover release
with a different text string and
inappropriate record labels

There has been another version of the stamped cover that looks like an early or advanced pressing (also check a brief note from brucespringsteen.it). From my viewpoint, this white cover LP represents a typical example of pirating a famous/popular bootleg. Apparently, the bootleggers have reproduced it without exactly knowing what the original form of LP was like, which resulted in a completely different stamp on a white cover (that reads "ADVANCE PRESSING - E TICKET - COLLECTORS ITEM") and incorrect labels on the wax  (that should have been Ruthless Rhymes rather than hörweite stereophonie for the very early pressing).

Apparently pirated (not a repress) as
compared to the genuine second copy

On the other hand, the second pressing in black & white sleeve has been copied and re-released much more frequently through the years. These pirated copies, which include poorly photocopied sleeves to picture disc editions, are generally distinguishable from the originals by matrix numbers, labels, overall printing quality, and sleeve design that often omits the spine description "Howeite / Bruce Springsteen - "E" Ticket / ESB 75-002." As mentioned in the previous post (Oct. 12) and shown here, the first copy of "E" TICKET I obtained many years ago was apparently a pirated copy of the bootleg, with a plain spine, a noticeable loss of the picture details, and different labels and matrix inscription (that is "E TICKET A/B" instead of "ESB-75-002-A/B") on the wax.

Finally, the most important question still remains to be addressed — that is, why do the stamped covers exist?  His answer was so simple that I had the wind taken out of my sails a little. Sometimes bootleggers pressed the vinyls before the labels or sleeves were completed. In such a situation, if a bootleg LP were to be released, the first pressing should not come with them. Instead, plain white covers and white or available substitutable labels (Ruthless Rhymes, in this case) were used temporarily until custom sleeves and labels were ready. According to him, this was indeed true for this legendary Bruceleg. The initial edition of "E" TICKET was manufactured simply following the traditional customary practices of making bootleg records (i.e., just stamping on a plain white cover) because the photo sleeve of that DARKNESS outtake shot and custom hörweite stereophonie labels were still under preparation when the very first vinyl pressing had become available to the bootleggers.

The first boxed edition 3LP recording of
the legendary Winterland 1978 concert

Bootleggers often swapped their "artifacts" in their community for fun and hobby, or just for making more profits by selling otherwise unavailable titles at their local markets. Supposedly, these initial copies, back then maybe available in a rather small quantity, were distributed among bootlegger's peers and their inner-circle members, including Bruce fanatics and enthusiastic Bruceleg supporters/collectors like him. The hand-written serial numbers were introduced probably to give some specialty and potential value to the otherwise dry and tasteless looking of the white cover, which was another customary practice of manufacturing bootleg. It is noteworthy to mention that a very similar practice has been observed in another landmark release, LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND, the first issue of which was the limited-box edition with a stamped four-digit number on the yellow insert; the famous deluxe fold-out sleeve version came out a little later (which has also been heavily pirated over the years).

By the way, I am looking for the transcription or scanned copy of the following article: Dadomo, Giovanni — 'Bruce in Boots', review of Fire on the Fingertips, Sounds 1979. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could kindly help me with this.