Collecting log: I enjoyed digging for old vinyl bootlegs in Japan's Samurai city

Three additions from my mid-March trip to Kanazawa—I never
expected to find these old-timers at cheap in a regional city.

About two weeks ago, I took a three-day trip to Kanazawa, a historic city on the coast of the Japan Sea, renowned for its well-preserved "samurai" districts from the Edo period (1603–1867), its traditional crafts, and its rich cultural heritage. Like Kyoto, this city was fortunate to escape destruction during World War II, preserving much of its historical charm. As one of Japan's wealthiest castle towns, Kanazawa earned its reputation as a "samurai city." 

As is my habit, I made a quick stop after work at a second-hand record shop I had found online and deemed worth visiting there. The shop was fantastic—packed with used vinyl records—and I thoroughly enjoyed the thrill of digging for unexpected finds, even through the short visit. 

Kanazawa is located in the northern part
of the Chubu region of Japan (Chube
means "central"). Japan regions map by
Peter Fitzgerald is licensed under
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
(CC BY-SA) 4.0 International.

Naturally, I headed straight to the Springsteen section, where I was delighted to find several old vinyl bootlegs, including the three I purchased, as shown in the image above. The Singer's Original Double Disk (SODD) version of YOU CAN TRUST YOUR CAR TO THE MAN WHO WEARS THE STAR is an all-time classic, and I never pass up the chance to add another copy to my collection—provided the price is reasonable. This one set me back 1,800 JPY (roughly 12 USD). Much like the original numbered box edition of PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE, I simply cannot resist purchasing it (for example, see 07/26/2020).

Another find was LIVE AT THE HAMMERSMITH ODEON Nov. 18, 1975, a typical West Coast bootleg from the late 1970s. As you know, the full performance was officially released on DVD in 2005 as part of the BORN TO RUN 30th Anniversary Edition, followed by a double CD in 2006 and a quadruple vinyl set in 2017. While not exactly rare—I already own three copies—none feature the cigar-smoking Trade Mark of Quality (TMoQ) labels, making this particular version irresistible.

Left: The copy acquired in Kanazawa is the third addition to my collection of the orange SODD insert version (with black World Records labels; see 10/22/2022), which is regarded as the earliest pressing according to Blinded By The Light (P. Humphries & C. Hunt, 1985, Plexus, London).
Center: With the addition of the TMoQ disc (top), all I need is the Slipped Disc label version, which is missing from my collection.
Right: A new entry features my personal favorite on Side Two/Track One.

The third pickup was ODDS & SODDS, a live compilation LP featuring recordings from 1981 soundchecks as well as club appearances and tour performances from 1984. With a few exceptions, such as HOT COALS FROM THE FIERY FURNACE, I generally rank miscellaneous compilations lower than live bootlegs from a single concert or studio-recording albums. As a result, I had long overlooked this title, despite being aware of its existence and passing up several opportunities to buy a copy since its initial release in the mid-1980s. This time, however, I saw no reason to hesitate and grabbed it at a cheap price.

I brought back old vinyl bootleg boxes that had been long forgotten
and stored in my parents' house. PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE (3LP) is
a reissue with no serial number but pressed from original stampers.
Two same-looking copies of WINTERLAND, 1978 (3LP), better known
as LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND, differ in vinyl colors, one black
and another gold/yellow. LUTHER (3LP), said to be named after a
famous Italian football player who is enthusiastic about Springsteen,
collects studio outtakes and unreleased tracks on colored vinyl (orange,
white, and green). THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD '80 DOWN (5LP)
features many Japanese texts on the box and booklet, givining the
impression of a Japanese release. However, such descriptions have no
connection to Springsteen and his music at all. SON YOU MAY KISS
THE BRIDE is a later double picture disc edition containing a mediocre
cartoon poster.

On the other hand, I had no luck with official releases. In the New Arrivals section, I dug out four copies of the NO NUKES soundtrack LP (Asylum ML-801). This triple live album was pressed at all three of Columbia Records' plants to ensure an expedited release for the 1979 holiday season, as the concerts had taken place in late September. Since all my copies—including the test press and white-label promo discs—were manufactured at Columbia's Santa Maria plant in California (see 05/04/2019), I carefully examined the labels and deadwax matrix markings of these four to see if any were from the Pitman plant in New Jersey or the Terre Haute plant in Indiana. Unfortunately, however, all four turned out to be from Santa Maria (most probably because of its geographically closest location to Japan).

Finally, on my way home from the trip, I stopped by my parents' house in Kyoto, where some of my vinyl records remain in storage (see 04/16/2015). This time, I selected six bootleg boxes to bring back with me—none of them essential or particularly significant releases, at least in my view. However, aside from the SON YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE box, I acquired these titles in the early 1980s, during the early years of my vinyl-collecting journey (see 08/14/2015, 08/16/2015, and 09/02/2015 for posts on my first bootleg purchase). While these unerground releases may not hold much importance in a broader sense, they carry deep personal significance. So many years have passed, yet the thrill of those discoveries remains as vivid as ever.