Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: TEARDROPS ON THE CITY 3LP (concluded)

This is a follow-up posting to the last blog that attempted to clarify the differences between the original and reissue releases of this famous triple vinyl bootleg from THE RIVER European Tour in 1981.

Upper, the original matte surface;
Lower, the reissue laminated sleeve

[4]  As already mentioned, the notable difference is observed in the interior sleeve: the original has non-laminated matte surface. On the other hand, the reissue sleeve is laminated and becomes more darker than the original, most probably due to the use of re-photograghed image of the original one. This not only reproduces the fold line on the center of the sleeve as shown previously (that is NOT an actual fold), but also results in noticeable loss of picture details (for example, compare the mechanical appearance of a telephotographic camera). Like the outer colored sleeve, the interior image is also slightly expanded and therefore cut a little on its margin when compared to the original sleeve.

Bootleggers seem to take care of the inner sleeves as well
for the original press (left).

[5]  The plain-paper inner sleeves holding a vinyl record also show some distinction between these two releases. Firstly, the inner sleeves from the original pressing have cut-outs at the four corners while only the upper two corners are processed for the reissue sleeves. Secondly, unique to the original press is that each inner sleeve is lined with semi-transparent plastic sheet, the treatment too well-prepared for a bootleg. Thirdly, you can find the difference in a stamped number that is found on the bottom right corner of each inner sleeve. Although it is not possible to know what these numbers mean, they seem to be pressing-specific, namely N10/3/2 for the original pressing (both the two copies I own) and N21/1/1 for the reissue. Supposedly, these different numbers may reflect difference in the timing of the release of the two pressings (i.e. early and mid 1980s). However, the numbering style is pretty much the same, suggesting that these inner sleeves are provided by the same supplier.

Finally, what I found interesting is that Twist and Shout, the final encore tune that is included as the last track on Side 6, continues to play beyond the track and even on the run-off groove of the dead wax. This manufacturing error, which has probably occurred during the cutting of a lacquer master, is commonly associated with the two different releases. The observed fact represents evidence that the two different releases are actually pressed using the same stampers, and explains why I call the mid-1980 release as a reissue rather than a pirate copy or bootlegged bootleg.