Collecting log: GREETINGS first US pressing LP (KC 31903 with the matrix suffix 1A/2A)

It was a little surprise to me that, after 42 years of the release, I was able to find a well cared, beautiful used copy of the first pressing LP at a local record shop in a small town in the Far East

From last Saturday to this Wednesday, here we had 5 consecutive national holidays. So, I took a short trip to visit a local used record shop I have never been before, and found a used stock copy of GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK, N. J. At the first face, the sleeve was in pretty fine conditions, as pictured here, which made me think that this one was a Japanese press missing an Obi. I usually don't pay particular attention to regular releases, but I noticed that the catalog number printed on the spine started with the prefix "KC".

Collecting log: LAST AMERICAN HERO FROM ASBURY PARK, N.J., Japanese custom promotion-only compilation LP

Two copies in my possession, one in excellent condition and the other in good condition.
Found on the insert sheets are the English lyrics for 10 tracks (left) and their Japanese translations (right).

Definitely, one of the rarest and most sought-after LP releases from his entire official vinyl catalog. Given the estimated value of £1,400 or more for a mint copy, this promotion-only compilation album is ranked at the 5th position on the whole listing, and taking the 2nd place on the album listing (just next to the complete press-kit package of BORN TO RUN or so called "the Script cover" release), of the Top 40 Worldwide Springsteen Rarities that appear as the feature article in the number 329 issue (November 2006) of Record Collector magazine.

BORN TO RUN US pressing LP variants: unusual red labels (JC 33795)

Hand-etched matrix numbers read AL 33795-1CJ SS / BL 33795-1BJ SS

I don't exactly remember when I obtained this second catalog number issue with the US Columbia prefix "JC" (JC 33795). There is no particularity with regard to the fold-out sleeve that appears standard for the reissue of this album with the bar code and a single-line producer credit without spelling errors. However, the record label is unusual. It's a red label without a yellow Columbia rim, which resembles like red European reissue labels. On each side on the label are black lettering around the center hole and white lettering on the rim that starts at 7 o'clock saying "Columbia" Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. Marca Registrada. Not a misprint or production error because the basic design (especially that of the rim) differs from the normal US Columbia labels. Probably, a minor label variation for the Columbia Records-reissue series (maybe after 1980?) that is nothing to rave about but to record it here,for reference purposes.

THE RIVER rare Mexican single sleeve 2LP

A rare Mexican reissue copy released in 1986 under sealed conditions, although the shrink is torn here and there.

This is not a highly sought-after gate-fold release (CBS LP2S-103) of the double album, but the single sleeve reissue (CBS LP2S-125) out sometime in 1986. Searching through the internet for the original Mexican release many years ago, I found this particular copy in sealed conditions on set sale at a local shop in Mexico. The sealed original gate-fold sleeve copy for 19.00 euro!!! I thought this was a bargain price because back then, I was NOT aware of the existence of the single sleeve version at all.

My First Vinyl Bootlegs (concluded)

The three in original form (or sort of)

Information about original vinyl copies of Springsteen bootlegs have been available from various published sources including literature and internet reviews. For me, although out of date covering only up to 1984, Chris Hunt's section of Blinded By The Light (P. Humphries & C. Hunt, 1985, Plexus, London) is still the primary source when referring to vinyl Bruceleg titles.

According to BBTL, the first edition of HOT COALS FROM THE FIERY FURNACE on Hoffman Avenue Records (HAR164; the original copy of THE JERSEY DEVIL: Ragamuffin Gunner) was pressed on multicolor vinyl with picture labels and came in an orange and black slick cover. Among the three bootlegs I'm talking about, relatively detailed information is available for this old bootleg, in part because the man who made it is long publicly known, and featured and interviewed in essential readings such as BOOTLEG: The Secret History Of The Other Recording Industry (C. Heylin, 1996, St. Martin's Griffin, New York). I know slightly more than what are said about the pressing number and slick cover variation. So, this vinyl title is going to be featured on "Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited" sometime in the future.