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.

BORN TO RUN US pressing LP variants: the short-lived, CX-encoded noise-reduction disc released in the early 1980s (Part 2 of 2)

Large round sticker glued on the
shrinkwrap on the front side of
CX-encoded LP sleeves.

When exactly was the CX version of BORN TO RUN released? According to Billboard magazine ("CBS Steps Up Push On CX LPs," Nov. 13, 1982), CBS Records had a plan to concentrate on the label's strong-selling artists and groups for CX alternates. Among those included were Meat Loaf, Claude Bolling, Boston, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Aerosmith, Johnny Cash, and Bruce Springsteen. Early next year, the magazine reported that a then-latest catalog listed 137 titles available ("CBS Stresses CX Commitment," Billboard, Jan. 29, 1983). Subsequently, around May 1983, the CX catalog was approaching the 200 mark, 30% of which were classical titles (although I do not know whether the listed number of CX titles was indeed manufactured or included the future releases yet not pressed). At the same time, ironically, the record company started to mull the abandonment of CX as a commercial disc configuration ("Doubt Cast On Future Of CX," Billboard, May 21, 1983) for the reasons shortly described in the last post (09/30/2021).

Compared to the gate-fold sleeve for the standard "JC"-prefixed release, my "CX" copy showed no noticeable difference except the gold promo stamp and small "CX" identification sticker on the rear face.

 

The spine also prints "JC" but not "CX." The promo stamp shows the
typical style of the U.S. Columbia Records in the era. Check similar
examples on THE RIVER (09/12/2014) and NEBRASKA (09/28/2016).

Although I have not seen any CX-related documents issued by Columbia/CBS Records that explicitly listed Springsteen titles, it is reasonable that his third album was reissued in the noise-reduction format between late 1982 and early 1983. The relevant Discogs entry concluded that it was 1982. My copy is housed in the gate-fold sleeve with the "JC"-prefixed catalog number (Columbia JC 33795), which is indistinguishable from the standard issue (classified as Release 7 in the blog post on 07/29/2016) unless you notice a small CX identification sticker on the rear. In addition, there is another large round red CX-logo sticker on the front if the sleeve remains shrink-wrapped, as shown in the recently featured Discogs entry (here; see also the top image). I do not know if the CX album originally included information sheets introducing the new technology, just like the Half-Speed Mastered (HSM) series that first attempted to improve the sound quality of this album. My used copy came with no insert sheets.

Matrix numbers printed on the
labels of the three U.S. audiophile
reissues in the early 1980s for
the mid-1970s masterpiece.

By contrast, the CX-encoded vinyl disc differs from the conventional "JC"-prefixed disc in the label descriptions and dead-wax matrix numbers. A small CX logo is found on the red labels on which a newly assigned matrix number is printed for each side (CXAL 533795 or CXBL 533795; cf. those for "JC" pressings are AL 33795 or BL 33795). The addition of "CX" in the two codes is obvious, but what does the leading digit "5" mean?  Before the CX discs, Columbia Records released the aforementioned HSM edition twice, originally in 1981 (HC 33795/HAL 33795) and then in 1982 for the reissue (HC 43795/HAL 43795). So, based on the release order, the three audiophile renditions out in the early 1980s might have been assigned the successive catalog/matrix numbers in the first digit position (i.e., 3, 4, and 5), although the HSM series are 5-digit numbers while the CX edition is a 6-digit.

A CX-encoded disc is easily recognized by the logo on the labels. In addition, the unique matrix number is printed right below the side indication on each label.

Disc's dead-wax space also carries the same matrix numbers, as found on the record labels, in machine-typed lettering. Interestingly, the first of a six-digit number ("5" of "533795") was absent originally, which was added by hand-etching on each side (see the pictures below).

• Side One:    p G o    CXAL533795-2A      COLUMBIA NY
• Side Two:    p G o    CXBL-533795-2B     COLUMBIA NY
                    (straight, stamped; oblique, hand-etched) 

The "COLUMBIA NY" stamp, frequently found on the label's vinyl discs pressed in the 1980s, signifies that the disc was mastered at recording and mastering studios owned by Columbia Records in New York City. Other matrix markings include another stamp, "p," which generally indicates that a given disc was pressed at the Pitman factory, NJ. However, a "G" is inscribed after "p," which refers to Columbia Records' another pressing plant in Carrollton, GA. My simple interpretation is that one plant was responsible for cutting the master disc while the other engaged in vinyl pressing — just speculation. I do not know what a small "o" stamp means, which is already present on the run-off space of an early vinyl pressing of the first album released in 1973 (see the post on 09/26/2015).

Matrix numbers and other dead-wax markings on Sides One (top)
and Two (middle). Note the hand-etched first digit "5," which was
missing in the original five-digit code stamped on each side. The
remaining machine stamp shown on the bottom is found on
both sides and indicates where the recordings were mastered.

Alright then, is the sound quality really improved on the CX disc?  Unfortunately, I do not own the decoder hardware. So, I cannot say anything about it as I have not experienced the expanded sound yet through the decoding system.

Columbia/CBS Records predicted that their new technology would become standard on the future LP releases, which in reality did not happen. Considering the unique encoding system and short-live span, we collectors can safely say that the "CX"-encoded edition of BORN TO RUN LP is a rare item among many vinyl collectibles. However, how rare is it? 

Neither the Blinded By The Light book (P. Humphries & C. Hunt, 1985, Plexus, London) nor early issues of the Backstreets magazine describe anything about the CX disc, as far as I have checked. A complete lack of information makes it quite difficult to estimate the number of pressing even roughly. This case is not unlike that of the "CBS Special Products" edition of THE RIVER (Columbia PC2 36854; see 12/23/2017), although the CX-encoded album is probably much rarer.

An example of CX samplers I own (Holland CBS SAMP 35). Although
several CX compilation promo-only albums are released in the U.S.
and Europe, I have never seen any of these featuring Springsteen's
tracks. The introduction to "CX" is printed on the rear side of the
custom sleeve in English (shown right), French, and German.

In addition, there is yet another factor that renders the estimation a little bit more complex. As already told, the "CX" gatefold sleeve is not easily distinguished from the regular "JC" sleeve manufactured from the late 1970s to the demise of the vinyl era in the 1990s. It appears that's why all the CX copies were differentiated by the two stickers on the sleeve mentioned earlier (one large on the front shrinkwrap and another small glued directly on the rear). However, most of the used copies in circulation are shrinkwrap-removed, eliminating the large sticker together. Remember that the sleeve is gatefold and unless the shrink is removed, the inner side is not viewable. This led me to assume that a certain fraction of the CX copies of BORN TO RUN LP may have been and still is circulating while unnoticed by sellers, buyers, or both. If so, the actual pressing number of the CX version in circulation would be more than what we could estimate from the collector's market.

To date, no other CX alternates of Springsteen's LPs have been confirmed to exist for commercial releases in the U.S. The "demo" version of THE RIVER disc, briefly mentioned in the last post (09/30/2021), will be reported here sometime in the future. It must be noted that many CX discs were also manufactured in Europe, mostly Holland-pressed with the catalog number prefix "CBS-CX." However, I do not know whether or not Springsteen's CX discs were pressed there, and at least, I have never seen his CX copies of European origin before. If you know something about this, please pass it along.

— Back to Part 1.

BORN TO RUN US pressing LP variants: the short-lived, CX-encoded noise-reduction disc released in the early 1980s (Part 1 of 2)

This special vinyl edition is the one I previously mentioned as a major lack in my LP list of various U.S. BORN TON RUN releases when I replied to the comment posted by an anonymous visitor (to the blog article on 07/29/2016). It is one of about 70* new and reissue titles of various music genres from Columbia Records' unsucceeded project in the early 1980s to introduce a novel noise-reduction technology to the analog audio sound, called "Compatible eXpansion (CX)" encoding system, originally developed by CBS Laboratories in the late 1970s. 
*According to the information available on Wikipedia; however, the number differs depending on the sources.

A small CX identification sticker is not pasted on the shrink warp,
but directly glued on the lower right corner of the rear side of
the gate-fold sleeve (Columbia JC 33795).

The "CX"-encoded disc program would allow vinyl sounds better not only by reducing record surface noise but also by extending dynamic ranges. The "CX" is said so because a CX-encoded disc could even sound normal on any regular audio device (with an acceptable level of dynamic range compression), although you can benefit from the noise reduction/dynamic range expansion process if your playback system is equipped with add-on CX-decoder hardware. 

However, despite what the record company officially claimed, the debate over its "compatibility," a key part of the "CX" project, continued even inside the company. Early on, some of the label's own producers, engineers, and artists criticized that the CX-compressed action was audible without using the decoder, disputing the claim of its single-inventory compatibility. The same was outside the company. Among those who strongly opposed this new technology were Ken Perry of the Capitol Studios and Bob Ludwig of New York's Masterdisk, two cutting engineers associated with Springsteen's works ("CBS Fields CX Knocks," Billboard, June 27, 1981). In addition, there were no CX software releases from other major record labels and companies, which also hindered its widespread use. Consequently, the CX-sound system had become extinct on the vinyl format around the time when the CD arrived on the scene quickly. The technology was successfully applied on laserdisc, though.

What is described as the demo "CX" version of THE RIVER Disc 1
is visually distinguished from the standard pressing only by the
deadwax's matrix number (XRD-BL-36855-2A on Side 2) that
appears in the contrast-changed uppermost part of the image.

Because of the short-lived format, I had long been unaware of the existence of the CX-encoded version of the BORN TO RUN LP available commercially. However, it was not this album that made me realize CX alternates on Springsteen's LP titles. Back in 2016, through the usual search on eBay, I came across a curious auction item with the headline, "COLUMBIA EXPERIMENTAL DEMO CX ENCODED #20/500 Bruce Springsteen The River." 

Being a vinyl collector but not an audiophile, I had never heard of or known anything about the audio technical term "CX." Obviously, the auctioned demo LP prompted me to explore other examples of the unique vinyl format on Springsteen's back catalog. Then, I found a piece of relevant information in a Steve Hoffman's Music Forum thread entitled CBS "CX encoded" LP's (starting on May 9, 2005), where someone self-proclaimed as a die-hard Springsteen collector recalled his encounter with the CX version of the third album in Houston, TX, years back. To quote his post, he concludes: I passed on the record -- much to my eternal regret, as I've never seen another one, either in person or offered for sale anywhere at anytime (posted on Jan. 23, 2014). His words were enough to stimulate my instinct as a collector to try to dig out the CX-encoded BORN TO RUN LP.

— To be continued to Part 2.

Collecting log: THE WILD, THE INNOCENT & THE E STREET SHUFFLE U.S. LP — Why are the first pressings with "ROSALITA" hype stickers so scarce?

Two examples of the stickered copies in my possession. Left: The album title appears cream-yellow on both front sleeves (though the purple stickers are colored differently), indicating that these copies are the second pressing (Columbia PC 32432). Right: Company logo and catalog number printed on each rear sleeve (upper) and the Side Two matrix number of the “bright purple sticker” copy (lower).

About a year ago (08/24/2020), I wrote on the hype sticker (   INCLUDES  "BADLANDS"  35318   ) for Springsteen's fourth LP, DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN (Columbia JC 35318), assuming that this round-cornered rectangle seal was the first example of album-specific stickers of his original vinyl releases in the U.S. However, it was not true. Even though not so often, used copies of his second album, THE WILD, THE INNOCENT & THE E STREET SHUFFLE, have turned up online auctions with its hype sticker on the shrink wrap (   FEATURES  "ROSALITA"  32432   ). I overlooked this fact because I believed that such stickers were coupled with the pressings whose catalog number is prefixed with "PC" rather than "KC," as two examples are shown above from my collection. As we all know well, the former is assigned for the second press (PC 32432) issued in 1975 around the BORN TO RUN era until the third pressing with the catalog number prefix "JC" and barcodes (JC 32432), while the latter is given to the original released in 1973 (KC 32432). 

An example of the press kit for the second album containing unused
custom stickers (not in my possession; although I don't remember when
and where I got this image, the pictured kit must belong to a fellow
collector somewhere). Who does own it now?

Indeed, as far as I've checked online, most of the stickered copies currently and previously in circulation are the second pressing, with the third pressing minor in number. For this reason, I've long wondered why the first pressing with the custom sticker is so scarce and seldom found on the market. A clue to my trivial question may lie in the fact that back in 1973, as shown in the image right, the album's press-kit packages contained a batch of unused stickers, among other promotional stuff (i.e., the album's lyric sheets, an official letter from Laurel Canyon Ltd., a DJ time strip, and photocopies of some newspaper articles). Inclusion of the official letter from Laurel Canyon, but not from the record company, probably means that Columbia Records had nothing to do with the promo kit, which was packed by Springsteen's private management.

If so, these custom stickers must not have been originally glued on the shrink-wrapped album sleeve when the first-pressing (KC-prefixed) copies were shipped to wholesalers. Instead, the stickers were sent out to the office of Laurel Canyon Ltd., where someone might have pasted them on the album covers one by one manually for the promotional purpose, just like how the picture sleeve for his 1973's debut single Blinded By The Light was hand-manufactured (See the Lost In The Flood collector's website for a full account of the Blinded custom sleeve story). This could be an explanation to answer my own question.

This promo copy with a DJ time strip is the only example I know of the
first pressing (KC 32432) with the hype sticker (not in my possession).
Note that the sticker is directly glued to the LP sleeve that was shrink-
removed (Image taken from the auction).

Of course, the above is my pure speculation. However, the only one "KC" pressing with the custom sticker I've ever seen might support my guess. Although not exactly remembering, perhaps about a year back, I found this copy sold on eBay (see the image right; I refrained from bidding at the auction because of the fair sleeve condition), which is currently listed on Discogs as a promo copy (see here). Take a look at the photo and note that the sticker is pasted directly on the sleeve from which the shrink wrap has already been removed. The way the sticker is glued probably indicates that this copy did not carry the sticker originally when shipped in sealed conditions from one of the three Columbia Records' manufacturing factories. The speculation needs to be further examined, though.

Three examples of non-sticker versions of "KC"-prefix pressings in my possession. Left: A regular pressing (middle) is pressed at Santa Maria and still shrink-wrapped, with the matrix-number suffixes 2C/2C. Two promotional copies (top and bottom) are Pitman pressings with the matrix-number suffixes 2A/2E and 1A/1A, respectively. The discs for these promo releases are identical to regular red-label pressings since no white-label promo are known to exist for the U.S. release of this album. Center: "Demonstration" stamped on the rear sleeves (red, 1A/1A; black, 2A/2E). The shrink wrap was removed from these promos in order probably to stamp the promo indication on the rear sleeve. Right: Side One label of the 2A/2E copy with the promo stamp. Lower Right: DJ time strip glued on the bottom of the front sleeve for the 1A/1A copy, which also comes with the lyric sheets from Laurel Canyon Music Ltd. (This copy was previously mentioned: see 12/27/2015).

In 1975, when BORN TO RUN (Columbia PC 33795) became a hit nationwide in the U.S. (and after that), Columbia Records campaigned to promote his back catalogs, probably resulting in the "PC"-prefix copies with the sticker pasted on the shrink wrap, the most commonly found stickered version. It is also probable that such stickered "PC" repressings might have appeared in 1977 when the record company seriously considered releasing the promotion-only 12" edition of Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) on both sides (Columbia AS 330; unissued)* or in 1979 when the promotion video clip from the 1978's performance (July 8th, Phoenix, Arizona) was premiered on television in the U.S. (later issued commercially on video and DVD).
*Bruce Springsteen: Blinded By The Light, P. Humphries & C. Hunt, p. 154, Plexus, London, 1985.

Interestingly, as in the case for the DARKNESS LP (see 08/29/2020), two versions of the hype sticker are available for the second album, which differs in the background color (bright or deep purple: see the top image).

• Bright purple sticker (Sides One / Two):    P AL-32432-2C        /  P BL-32432-2C
• Deep purple sticker   (Sides One / Two):    P AL-32432-2G  1T  /  P BL-32432-2K  2T

(straight, stamped; oblique, hand-etched) 

 

As deduced from the matrix numbers, my copy with the deep-purple sticker came from Columbia Records' Terre Haute plant. The bright purple-sticker version was probably pressed at the Pitman factory based on the elimination method since neither 1T/2T (= Terre Haute pressing) nor 1S/2S (= Santa Maria pressing) plant-specific signature is inscribed on the dead-wax portion of the vinyl disc. I don't know whether the background color of hype stickers reflects the difference in the location of pressing factories.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: THE GREAT WHITE BOSS — Making a comparison of the various editions (Part 3 of 3)

Three issues of the double-disc edition differ in the record label designs (hereafter referred to as Issues 1, 2, and 3, from left to right). I guess that Issue 1 (with weird illustrations on the labels) is the original pressing, and the other two are repressing.

Compared with the triple-vinyl box sets (see 07/26/2021), the double album version of THE GREAT WHITE BOSS has been more widely circulated since the early 1980s and is even nowadays relatively easy to find at second-hand shops. This concise edition was probably released originally between late 1979 and 1980 (or 1981), as its front sleeve features a stage shot from the second night (September 22, 1979) of the Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) Concerts For a Non-Nuclear Future (NO NUKES; 04/25/2019 and 11/12/2020). A documentation log of my collection records my first copy (Issue 2: see below) purchased at an import branch of the chain-music store called Jeugia in Sanjo Street, Kyoto City, November 1981.

The double-disc version of this bootleg includes Circus Song (live) from the official
source (the track list image taken from the rear sleeve). Note that the triple-disc
version (07/26/2021) contains only The E Street Shuffle on Side Two.

The track configuration is basically the same as the Bottom Line part of the 3-disc set that lacks Kitty's Back from the entire performance (Sides 1 to 4: early show broadcast on WNEW-FM radio). However, the 2-LP version additionally includes Circus Song (live) on Side 2, which is taken from the Columbia/Epic's Play:Back promo 7" EP released in 1973 (US Columbia AS 52; briefly mentioned on 02/23/2021). I guess, like me, many probably have heard for the first time this rare official live track through this vinyl bootleg (The same live recording of Circus Song is finally released in 2005 as a bonus DVD track in the BORN TO RUN 30th Anniversary Edition box). 

Record labels from three variants of the double-disc edition. Left: Issue 1, Sides One to Four (from left to right, upper to lower). Upper right: Issue 2, Sides One and Three (left and right, respectively). Lower right: Issue 3, Sides One and Four (left and right, respectively). For Issues 2 and 3, the label on the other side is the same as shown in each label image, but without rubber-stamped texts.

There are several variants in record labels for this title, roughly grouped into printed and blank ones. As far as I know, the former is further divided into two completely different designs. One label has no letters and words but features a weird black & white illustration on each side (mainly three figures and one creature from all four sides); I don't know whether these characters are original by the bootleggers or taken from somewhere. Hereafter, this release is called Issue 1. The other is the King Toot label in pale pink or moss green color, often used for U.S.-made copies of original vinyl bootlegs (which is referred to as Issue 2). For example, this bootleg label is also seen on a pirate copy of the original "E" TICKET in my possession (see 10/19/2014). Finally, the latter blank labels are mostly white, with a few color variations such as orange and yellow, and frequently rubber-stamped minimum information on the content (artist name, recording date, etc.). These blank-label releases are collectively designated as Issue 3.

A comparison of dead-wax matrix inscriptions revealed that all hand-etchings are identical among the three issues (shown are those inscribed on Side One).

The label variation suggests that one or two of these releases were piracy and copied from another. Is that true?  A bit surprisingly, all three bootlegs share identical matrix inscriptions on each side of the double disc, clearly indicating that the same set of stampers (or mothers) have been used for pressing the three variants (check the images immediately above showing Side 1 matrix inscriptions).

Disc 1 (Side 1 / 2):   SIDE1    GWHBS  /  SIDE2    GWHBS
Disc 2 (Side 3 / 4):   SIDE3    GWHBS  /  SIDE4    GWHBS
(All matrix codes are hand-etched)

Then, did these three issues appear on the collector's market simultaneously or almost around the same time?  Most probably no, as a few but significant differences are recognizable in the single-pocket back & white sleeve.

There are a few notable distinctions in the LP sleeve between Issues 1 and 2/3. Left, Album title lettering (upper, Issue 1; lower, Issue 3); Center, image quality (left, Issue 2; right, Issue 1); and Right, spine width (left, Issue 3; right, Issue 1).

Overall, Issue 1 exhibits noticeably better printing quality on the front sleeve than Issues 2 and 3. For example, the bootleg title in white letters on the bottom is much clearer and vivid against the background, and the featured stage shot image from NO NUKES has a higher resolution (BTW, I'm eagerly looking forward to the official release of this concert footage scheduled to be this fall). Moreover, the spine of Issue 1 is thicker (ca. 5 mm) enough to hold two vinyl discs, whereas the sleeve for the other two is substantially narrow, looking like for a single LP. So, I presume that the Issues 2/3 sleeve is a reproduction from Issue 1 and that these vinyl issues are probably repressing. Furthermore, I observe that these two postulated repressings, especially the King Toot issue, are somewhat inferior to Issue 1 concerning the quality of the vinyl discs. All these suggest that it is worth trying to dig out Issue 1 if interested in this bootleg.

My first copy still retains the price tag on the shrink wrap (3,500 JP
Yen = US $15.69 based on the exchange rate back in Nov. 1981). My
hand-writing memo on a piece of paper indicates when and where I
bought it (40 years ago!). The first Japanese edition of the Born To
Run biography is issued in 1982 (translated by Hiroaki Kobayashi,
CBS/SONY Publishing Inc.).

Checking back on my purchase log showed that the double-disc edition of this title was the seventh vinyl Bruceleg obtained in 1981, the year I started collecting these underground releases (see 08/14/2015). The immediate previous (sixth) bootleg added to my collection was the NASSAU box, one of the worst Brucelegs made from the poor sounding-audience recordings in the vinyl era that must have disappointed almost all collectors who purchased this 3-LP set from THE RIVER tour. So, I was really excited by the first listening to the Bottom Line concert in a very listenable FM-broadcast quality. I used to play this bootleg while reading Dave Marsh's Born To Run semi-authorized biography (Dell Publishing, 1981). That's because the book begins with the chapter titled "The E Street Shuffle," which introduces in details the legendary performance of the hot summer night in New York City.

— Back to Part 1 or Part 2.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: THE GREAT WHITE BOSS — Making a comparison of the various editions (Part 2 of 3)

Original Hangman (left) and later Blockhead (right) editions in my possession.
As previously shown (07/22/2017), the former consists of two semi-transparent
blue LPs (the Bottom Line part) and one opaque lilac 12" EP (three live tracks
from New York City '73 and Boston '77), all sides of which carry Hangman labels. 

The triple-record box edition of THE GREAT WHITE BOSS is the third vinyl release that bootlegs the radio-broadcasted live at the Bottom Line in the summer of 1975. The track configuration of the first two discs (Sides 1 to 4; the Bottom Line part) is the same as that of a preceding LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE 8/15/75 but differs from that of Coral Records' LIVE. Thus, I'm not so sure, but I guess that this bootleg is a copy of one of the two predecessor releases, although obvious edits include fade-in/out and removing snippets of disk jockey's talks on some tracks. 

As noted shortly in the last post (07/21/2021), two very similar editions have circulated in the collectors' market. The original was released in the late 1970s and pressed on colored wax (white, red, dark blue, pale blue, purple, etc.) with a black and white Hangman drawing label or blank labels in various background colors (e.g., black, white, blue, grey, and so on). This means that the three discs did not necessarily come with the custom label in a given box, making it rather difficult to dig out a "perfect" copy with such a custom label on all six sides. Such variations concerning the label design and vinyl color are also true for the only known other Hangman's LP release PAID THE COST TO BE THE BOSS (see 12/10/2017 for some information and fellow collector's comments on this label and title).

I'm still wondering whether the hanged man's drawing is the original by the bootleggers 
or was stolen from somewhere (though I guess the latter is probably the case).

The other release on Blockhead Records appeared probably at the latest by the early 1980s, for which black vinyl discs were commonly available (although the limited copies seem to have carried colored discs). As far as I've seen, the Blockhead label operated exclusively to reissue famous or popular Springsteen's bootlegs such as THE JERSEY DEVIL (the first-ever Bruceleg released in 1975), FIRE ON THE FINGERTIPS (one of the two legendary studio-outtake bootlegs from the early Bruceleg era), PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE, (need the explanation?), and THE JERSEY DEVIL LIVE - PALLADIUM 76 (a copy of PAID THE COST ... mentioned above). Thus, the Blockhead version are easily distinguished from the original by the differences in record labels and vinyl colors. Naturally, then, a collector's typical question is whether the Blockhead edition is a repressing or pirate copy of the Hangman's?  The relevant Discogs entries describe the respective matrix run-out codes as follows (Note that there are no indications as to whether these codes are machine-stamped or hand-etched):

• Hangman (link to Discogs):   ZD1-2A-B/BR1-2 
• Blockhead (link to Discogs):  ZD-2A/B 1A/B BR-1/2

As both are quite similar to each other, the information from Discogs might support that the Blockhead edition was repressed using Hangman's mothers or stampers.

Hangman (left) and Blockhead (right) use different stampers for vinyl pressing. Images compare the matrix code "ZD-1A" hand-etched on Disc 2/Side 3, and the inset shows the two-digit number "42" inscribed only on Hangman discs.

As exemplified in the image above, however, the direct comparison revealed that the matrix code on each side of the three discs is identical but differs in handwriting style and position between the two editions. Moreover, all three Hangman discs carry an additional hand-inscribed number "42" on each side's dead-wax space, which is not present on any Blockhead discs. The exact matrix codes of the Hangman discs are listed below:

Disc 1 (Side 1 / 2):  ZD-2A      42  / ZD-2B      42 
Disc 2 (Side 3 / 4):  ZD-1A      42  / ZD-1B      42
Disc 3 (Side 5 / 6):  BR-2        42  / BR-1        42    (12" EP played at 45 rpm)

[All matrix codes are hand-etched; the two-digit number 42 is absent on Blockhead discs]

Crucially, Hangman's Disc 3 is a 12-inch 45-rpm EP, whereas Blockhead's EP is played at 33⅓ rpm. All these disc-associated characteristics conclude that the Blockhead box is not a repressing but a pirate copy of the original Hangman set.

Comparison of the box packages. Upper: Hangman's cover image (right) is more detailed than Blockhead's picture (left). Lower: The Hangman box (right) is shallower than the Blockhead box (left). The depth measures 12 and 17 mm for the former and latter boxes, respectively.

Finally, I still occasionally encounter sealed copies of this box set when conducting web-store searches or checking online auctions. Then, how can we know which edition corresponds to a given copy without opening the package?  As always, the printing quality of the insert cover is a good measure to distinguish the original from its pirate copies. As shown immediately above, the Blockhead image looks more contrasted black and white, resulting in the loss of details. Another clue lies in the box depth. My Hangman copy came in a visually thinner black box than the Blockhead copy. I don't know if this is a definitive measure, though.

— To be continued to Part 3 / back to Part 1.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: THE GREAT WHITE BOSS — Making a comparison of the various editions (Part 1 of 3)

Vinyl bootleg copies of the legendary Bottom Line concert had been more common and readily
available under this title than any other, such as the infamous LIVE on Coral Records. Here,
four copies are compared, two each from the triple-vinyl box (above) and double LP set (below).

The title was presumably named after GREAT WHITE WONDER, the first documented vinyl bootleg of the rock era released in 1969. Maybe, this one is not an essential vinyl bootleg. It is neither the first nor definitive release among those that capture the legendary Bottom Line live broadcasting in New York City, August 1975 (see 08/11/2016 and 08/15/2016). However, the album title THE GREAT WHITE BOSS probably represents one of the most familiar among hundreds of live Brucelegs in the vinyl age, along with the landmark releases like PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE or LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND. That is probably because, compared with its predecessors (i.e., LIVE on Coral Records and LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE 8/15/75), this version has been widely circulated as several variants that differ in disc number, labels, cover art, etc. So, I had long considered adding it to the blog's classic vinyl bootleg category.

The pictured bootleg is one (#10) of the several titles on Deranleau's
list (see below) that have not been mentioned on this blog so far. I love
cover drawings of old vinyl bootlegs like this, which are amateurish but
well done generally. From the title, I expected that the bootleg would
include a Prove It All Night  1978 live, hopefully, a version not heard
before (actually, not on the record). Unfortunately, when mail ordering
this (January 1982), no track information was available from the import
retailer. Back then, purchasing a bootleg wasa kind of thrill, often
resulting in a disappointing outcome, though.

As you already know and as found in the bootleg section of the Blinded By The Light book (P. Humphries & C. Hunt, 1985, Plexus, London), there are roughly two vinyl editions issued under the bootleg name, one being boxed triple records while the other consisting of two vinyl discs in a single-pocket sleeve. The box set appeared earlier, at least a few years before I started collecting in 1981. The first issue of the Backstreets fanzine (issued October 1980) features an article on a serious U.S. Springsteen collector where he compiles 30 Bruceleg albums in his possession, including the 3-LP set (see below). As noted previously (12/10/2017), I consider his list shows an example to overview what bootlegs were available back up to then (i.e., before the official release of THE RIVER), although missing such pioneering releases as THERE AIN'T NOBODY HERE BILLBOARD TONIGHT and LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE (mentioned above) and including non-significant reissues and pirate copies like KING OF THE ALLEY and OCTOBER STORIES.

Springsteen’s bootleg albums (compiled by Ken Deranleau, Backstreets Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 2, 1980)

You Can Trust Your Car to the Man Who Wears the Star (2) — From 1976 [sic]. Fire on the Fingertips “E” Ticket — alternate studio tracks some without vocals. Firewax — Also known as Fire or  Fire Vinyl. Contains a great version of “The Fever.” Piece de Resistance (3) — A personal favorite. Live at the Hammersmith Odeon Live at the Roxy (2) Roxy L.A. in Stereo (2) Return to Rock ‘N’ Roll Prove It Every Night — Two interviews plus “Good Rockin’ Tonight.” Bruce Springsteen and the E Streeters. Live in the Promised Land (3) Hot Coals from the Firey [sic] Furnace King of the Alley — Many unusual tracks. Thunder Rouge Bruce Springsteen ’78 (2) — Live in Cincinatti [sic]. Springsteen Raises Cain (2)

Flat Top and Pin Drop Ragamuffin Gunner (2) — Lots of unusual tracks. The Jersey Devil Harley in Heat Philadelphia Special (3) — Red, white and blue vinyl. Includes Gary Busey on “Rave On” and “Quarter to Three.” Agora, Part 1 (2) Agora, Part 2 (2) October Stories More Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. The Boss of E Street — “High School Confidential” and “Pretty Flamingo.” Box O’ Rocks (5) Bruce Springsteen Live (2) — From the Bottom Line. Great White Boss (3) — White vinyl. Paid the Cost to be The Boss Note:  This is a literal transcription of the original list that contains a few errors, as noted. Indicated in parentheses are the number of vinyl discs (if more than two, although some titles miss such information).

As listed at number 29, the triple-record edition was originally released with Hangman labels on various colored pieces of vinyl, although based on the circulating copies, some carried plain labels instead. The original Hangman release was followed by a very similar black box issued from the Blockhead Records label with the insert cover almost indistinguishable unless closely examined. So then whether was the latter a repressing or a pirate copy to the original?

— To be continued to Part 2.