Collecting log: recent miscellaneous purchases under COVID-19 (2021)

The small 20th-anniversary logo is printed
on the main booklet and outer slipcase for
the promo-only multi-CD set picked up here.

The controversial and tumultuous Tokyo Olympics was over, and as exactly predicted, we suffered from the fifth wave of COVID-19, the worst so far that has hit all over Japan. Although I live far from the Metropolitan area, the number of infected people was seriously significant and peaked at the highest ever in late August. As a result, the national state of emergency here was extended by the end of September, limiting my collecting activity low and hunting exclusively on the internet until recently. It was just two weeks ago that I was able to visit a "physical" record store for the first time since the post-fourth wave period in late June this year. Nevertheless, I obtained some interesting items that may be worth blogging about as miscellaneous collectibles. In this post, I show two such examples (CD and vinyl albums) released here in the 1980s from CBS/SONY Inc. (Tokyo, Japan), both of which are promotion-only compilations featuring or involving Springsteen. These were new to me and have not thus far been listed in the Discogs database and most probably in others as well.

CBS/SONY GROUP 20TH ANNIVERSARY  (CBS/SONY XDDS 93001-5)

This set is a significant finding that surpasses other custom promo-only CD compilation releases from Sony Japan previously mentioned (see 09/30/2019 and 11/12/2020). Born To Run, the only Springsteen's tune included, appears as track eight on the second CD named POPULAR that focuses on foreign artists.

Back then, black and white coloring was likely
applied to Sony's custom promo-only 3" CD
releases, as seen in the Human Touch/Better
Days promo disc (see 03/19/2017).

Even though being a long-time collector in the Far East, I had never known that this deluxe multi-CD compilation celebrating the company's 20th anniversary was released here more than 30 years ago in 1988 (i.e., CBS/SONY was founded in 1968 as a joint venture between Columbia Broadcasting Systems and Sony). The promotion-only package contains five discs (four full-album-length CDs plus one 3-inch CD-EP). The full-length CDs are stored in a bulky jewel case that is built in a thick folded cardboard holder. The holder also carries a mini gate-fold paper sleeve for the 3" disc and two booklets for the CD albums and CD-EP in a single pocket inside. Moreover, this cardboard holder comes in a custom paper slipcase.

The CD holder has the same prints as the
slipcase on the front, rear, and spine, though
the 20th-anniversary logo is absent.

Disc One is called CLASSIC, a self-explanatory title with 21 orchestral recordings spanning between 1968 and 1988. POPULAR is the name given to Disc Two that gathers 20 tracks from the label's foreign artists/groups, including Springsteen's Born To Run on track 8. Both Discs Three and Four share the same title, LOCAL, featuring a total of 39 songs from domestic Japanese musicians. Finally, the CD-EP entitled CBS RECORDS 101 YEARS collects six historical recordings from as early as 1903 to as late as 1958. The title is obviously connected to the invention of the gramophone, the prototype of the turntables and record players, in 1887 (i.e., 101 years ago from when the set was issued).

The glossy 54-page booklet features the label's representative albums chronologically between 1968 and 1988, picking up BORN TO RUN, DARKNESS, THE RIVER, BORN IN THE USA, LIVE/1975-85, and TUNNEL OF LOVE from his back catalog.

Besides its volume and packaging, what is impressive is the two booklets, especially the main one consisting of 54 pages that describes a detailed account of the company's history and activities in the past 20 years (written in Japanese, of course). It also features small color pictures of representative album releases year by year from 1968 to 1988, with six selections from Springsteen's discography. Another booklet with 12 pages gives explanations of the early recordings and the performers included on the CD-EP with the brief history of CBS Records in the U.S.  

Almost a year ago (11/12/2020), I blogged about the miscellaneous purchases during the COVID-19 days in 2020, mentioning another gorgeous Sony's compilation 2-CD set called COMMEMORATIVE COMPACT DISCS (SONY TDCD 90042-90043; Lost In The Flood collector's website also introduces it in the CD section). However, in my opinion, even that compilation is put in the shade by this volume set.

BIG HIT ON CBS/SONY - APRIL -1985  (CBS/SONY XAAP 90074)

The custom two-tone color sticker has the effect as if the record were manufactured and released from the Tower Records chain. Note that four songs appear twice on the vinyl disc, with We Are The World as the lead-off track on Side One and the closing number on Side Two. No insert or info sheet is included in my copy.

Unless a bootleg, any vinyl pressing, coming in a plain white sleeve carrying minimum information, is of special interest to record collectors since such a copy might often serve as an advanced or test pressing, promo-only release, or sample disc. This one is such an example issued from CBS/SONY in the mid-1980s. Although it was for me a never-seen-before sample rarity, I nearly passed it since Springsteen was not mentioned on the tracklist. Then, however, I recalled that the main track, We Are The World, features him as one of the solo singers in USA For Africa, a superstar group organized for the famous charity purpose early in 1985. The disc's dead-wax matrix numbers are as follows (all stamped):

• Side One:   XAAP-90074A1     〄CS        [〄, Japanese Industrial Standards; CS, CBS/SONY]
• Side Two:   XAAP-90074B1

The JIS acronym-CS stamp is found on only Side One of the vinyl discs pressed from the early 1980s (probably 1982) until 1989 when CBS/SONY stopped manufacturing analog records (for the image, see 11/20/2016). In the case of Springsteen's LP and 12" discs, NEBRASKA (CBS/SONY 25AP 2440) and the following albums up to TUNNEL OF LOVE (28AP 3410) have this triple code while only the JIS mark is stamped on THE RIVER (40AP 1960-1; for the image, see 09/25/2014) and the extremely rare The Killer Tracks From The River (XDAP 93030; for the photo, see 09/19/2017) released in 1980 and 1981, respectively.

Generally, I don't collect regular versions of omnibus or compilation albums that include one track or a few performed by Springsteen. Instead, I have tried to obtain promotional counterparts or unique custom promo-only editions to commercial issues. The 7" and 12" singles of this all-star charity recording or the album released under the same title were (and still are) no exception. So, for the first time, this purchase has provided me with the opportunity to listen to his outstanding contribution to this particular song played on vinyl sound.