Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: BORN TO BE THE BOSS original black vinyl pressing (Part 2 of 2)

The copy in my possession (the yellow one) is not currently
with me as I keep it back in my hometown (parent's home).
So, I don't have further details, but what I wrote here.
(Image of the matrix number on SIDE 1 is taken from Eddy's
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics website)

Following the original black-vinyl pressing, the next came up was the picture-disc edition, subtitled SPRINGSTEEN SUMMER '85 printed on the leather-like sticker that is glued on the clear plastic bag holding four discs. Strangely, the bag depicts multiple wavy lines (at least three variations in wave color, yellow, red, and light blue), which makes it hard to see picture discs inside. My purchase log recorded that I bought a copy (the yellow one), right in the summer of 1985 (1985/08/23), at the aforementioned imported record shop in Kyoto (Part 1; BTW, back in 1985, a copy of this set was quite expensive). The four picture discs were made from stampers that were different from those used for pressing the original vinyls since hand-etched matrix numbers don't match up between the two (black vinyl, BS 1 to BS 7; picture disc, TT 1A to TT 1G; note that SIDE 8 is blank without matrix codes on both versions). This clearly indicates that the picture-disc set is not a reissue of the original but a pirate pressing. Each picture disc has "PRINTED IN AUSTRALIA" printed on both sides, even though the original is believed to be Swedish origin.

SIDE 7 matrix inscriptions look double on the clear vinyl
due to the transparency.

With the rapid development of the home delivery service here in the mid-1980s, my main option to get underground releases had gradually shifted from hunting in-store to mail-order to domestic bootleg retailers. As I wrote before (02/15/2015 and 10/26/2019), around in 1987, BORN TO BE THE BOSS became available through mail order and distributed in Japan, together with FOLLOW THAT DREAM and TEARDROPS ON THE CITY. From what I've seen, these repressings account for most vinyl copies for the three Swedish titles currently in circulation (excluding the apparent pirate copies). Compared to the other two titles that are faithful reproduction to each original, this 4-LP set differs from its first issue in that the records are pressed on clear vinyl.

In contrast to the picture discs released in 1985, the clear-vinyl edition shares the identical matrix numbers (BS 1 to BS 7) with the original black-vinyl version on each side of the individual discs. So, the black and clear discs were made from the same stampers. Except for vinyl colors, I could find no significant differences between the two editions. Generally, however, reissue sleeves more or less exhibit inferior printing quality when compared with original or earlier releases (as seen in the above two Swedish re-releases). In fact, the close comparison of the rear-sleeve block fonts used for tracklisting revealed slight deterioration, like partial block cracks here and there, with the clear-disc edition.

Note that the rear sleeve fonts for the clear-disc pressing (right) are printed in somewhat inferior quality.
For example, compare "R" of "RIVER" between the two sleeves.

Although not always useful, originally accompanying inner sleeves serve as a measure to distinguish one pressing from another. All the four black-vinyl discs in my possession are stored in a plain white envelope with a center die-cut hole, which is lined with the semi-transparent thin sheet, like that of the original TEARDROPS. On the other hand, the four inner bags for the clear-vinyl version share commonality with those of FOLLOW and TEARDROPS repressings: (1) with no die-cut hole, (2) cut at two upper corners, and (3) stamped a similar code (N 11/3/6) on the bottom right corner. These suggest that the three titles were repressed simultaneously at some point in the mid-1980s (hence circulated together, as I saw in Japan). 

The two editions show some differences in the specification of Inner record bags, like FOLLOW THAT DREAM and TEARDROPS ON THE CITY, the other two 1981-tour bootlegs from Sweden. Left, black vinyl; right, clear vinyl.

Honestly, because of the twin Stockholm releases, I had never gone deep into this London set. It sounded (to me) a little flat and distant with high audience noise (which is essential to feel the live atmosphere but too much in this release). Having said that, I used to listen to it for the then-rare live tracks like Follow That Dream, Johnny Bye-Bye, and Can't Help Falling In Love, all not performed in any of the previous tours. With average sound quality, these quiet songs were more listenable than rocking tunes on this bootleg.
— Back to Part 1.