Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE 3LP box (Update 3, Part 2/2)

As I mentioned in my previous blog post (09/04/2025), I’ll introduce two articles here that reported on this classic bootleg, published in early and mid-1979 — likely shortly after it began circulating in the collector's market (the authors appear to be unidentified).

The last issue (March 1979) takes a look at 
the state of the bootleg industry.

The first appeared in Bomp!, a U.S. music magazine based in Burbank, north of downtown Los Angeles, California, that ran from 1971 to 1979. In its March 1979 issue (No. 21, the final issue), there is an article titled SPECIAL REPORT: BOOTLEGGERS — Rock Robin Hoods or Commie Threat? which includes an interview with an anonymous bootlegger along with reviews of recent bootleg releases (pp. 22–23). The bootlegger, described in the article as “one of the kingpins of this secret industry,” admitted to regularly releasing three or four albums a month and maintaining a catalog of nearly 100 past titles, considering themself one of the “Majors” in the underground record business. In the interview, the bootlegger also mentions Springsteen once, when asked why “today’s bootlegs seem to be so much more nicely packaged than those white jacket with paper insert things of a few years ago,” even though the question refers not specifically to Springsteen’s bootlegs but to others, such as Beatles or Stones titles:

(excerpted) Personally I feel the risks involved make the bucks more than well-earned — but also as an opportunity to make a mark in history with some really fine albums that we, the fans, and even the artists, can be proud of. There are in fact many artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, who have openly encouraged bootleggers.*
*The interview was conducted before Springsteen and CBS Records sued Californian bootleggers, including the infamous Andrea Waters, a.k.a. Vicky Vinyl.

PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE is among the ten vinyl bootlegs picked up in the accompanying bootleg reviews (written by the magazine staff, not the bootlegger), where it was concisely described as follows (transcribed as it is):

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Piece de Resistance - Piste
Springsteen fans will go nuts for this 3-record boxed set, all live, including the complete concert from his Sept. 19, 1978 Passaic, NJ appearance. There's lots of stuff not on regular albums, including a whole side of Mitch Ryder medley ("Devil With a Blue Dress", "Good Golly", "C.C. Rider", "Jenny Jenny") and of course all his hits. Bruce, who openly endorses bootlegs, is said to be especially pleased with this one.**
**I don't know whether that was true. However, Springsteen was reportedly delighted when he was handed his first-ever bootlegs, THE JERSEY DEVIL, after the Santa Barbara concert on November 1, 1975 [Clinton Heylin (1995) Chapter 7. Vicki's Vinyl. In: BOOTLEG: The Secret History of the Other Recording Industry, p.135, St. Martin's Press (New York); Clinton Heylin (2012) Chapter 6: 1978–79 — The Ties That Bind. In: E STREET SHUFFLE: The Glory Days of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, p.188, Penguin Books (New York)].

Bomp! was published bimonthly or quarterly. Therefore, the March 1979 issue suggests that PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE was released in early 1979, or even by the end of 1978. As I noted long ago (see 01/25/2015), this also contradicts the widespread belief that this bootleg appeared after LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND (a.k.a. WINTERLAND, 1978), another landmark triple-live-LP bootleg capturing a December 1978 FM broadcast concert at the Winterland Arena.*** It would have been impossible for a bootleg of the December concert to be released by the end of that year or even in early 1979.
***To my understanding, the source of this misconception is Heylin's E STREET SHUFFLE, cited above (on page 187), which states: "When that three disc set (i.e., LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND) sold well, they (i.e., Vicky Vinyl and her conspirator) issued the Passaic FM broadcast too, as the memorable Pièce de Résistance ..." (parenthetical annotations by this blogger). 

Two "DARKNESS Tour" Brucelegs reviewed in an Aussie magazine issue, which was out in June 1979. Left and center: As you all know, the sleeve artwork — both front and back — of the RASES CAIN double LP bootleg is taken from Dave Marsh’s cover story in Rolling Stone #272 (August 24, 1978). Right: Although the shrinkwrap is partially torn in places due to aging, #01667 of the triple-LP box from my collection remains in sealed condition.

Another article, published in the June 1979 issue (Vol. 2, No. 5) of Roadrunner, an independent Australian music paper, is more detailed and brimming with enthusiasm for his live performances. It is also more extensive (nearly 900 words), partly because it reviews BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN RAISES CAIN (Omega 917), a double LP bootleg presenting an incomplete version of the Roxy 1978 FM broadcast — missing roughly one-third of the concert — as well as PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE. The piece appeared in the official album review section (page 20), with the bootleg titles listed rather anonymously, likely due to their unofficial status: Bruce Springsteen "Live in L.A. and New Jersey 1978" (Bootlegged). The review began as follows:

I was surprised that a U.S. classic bootleg was 
reviewed in a magazine published in a faraway 
Oceanian country shortly after its release.

They say that in his early days, Bruce Springsteen ached so much with yearning to perform that he would play anywhere and hock his music endlessly looking for a break. Listening to these 10 sides is to experience an artist so grateful to be on stage playing his songs that he gives everything, his heart and his soul, to the performance and the audience. One who strives only for perfection and hopes only to be the greatest. (underline by this blogger)

The underlined sentence above explains a major reason I was so drawn to these artifacts, especially in my youth: PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE and another double bootleg of the same Roxy 1978 concert (with a slightly different tracklist from RAISES CAIN) were the fourth and fifth copies in my bootleg collection, acquired 44 years ago on August 29, 1981 (see 11/03/2015). 

The review then moves on to focus on the outstanding live performances captured on the two bootlegs (about 500 words) — which I won’t elaborate on here — before concluding as follows:

If you've ever doubted the man's credibility, the over-bearing romanticism and the whole rain-swept-Jersey-Street imagery that he purveys (and who hasn't ever doubted it?) The antidote lies here. There have been too many outlandish claims on Springsteen's behalf, but I swear there are moments on these two albums that inspire like no other music I've heard. (underline made by this blogger)

Emphatic and almost evangelical, this closing remark is subjective yet highly persuasive because it is grounded in lived experience rather than abstract claims. Though published in 1979 and inevitably nostalgic, it still strikes me as a remarkable review that resonates today. You can find and read the above articles online, if you're interested and willing to do a little digging.

— Back to Part 1.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE 3LP box (Update 3, Part 1/2)

One of the two new additions came in an unusual hinged 
box, apparently a replacement for the original during its 
time in second-hand circulation.

Speaking of September, it’s impossible to talk about this month without bringing up the legendary 1978 FM broadcast performance (09/19/1978) — first released on the triple-vinyl bootleg PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE from the U.S. West Coast in the late 1970s, later reissued on CD bootlegs in Europe in the 1990s, and finally made officially available online in 2019 as part of the live archive series. Among all these versions, the vinyl bootleg — hardly in need of an introduction and legendary in its own right — still holds a special place for collectors, myself very much included. Since my last blog post on it five years ago (see 07/26/2020), I've added two more copies to my stash — I admit, I just can’t help myself. Thankfully, neither came anywhere near the steep prices these records commanded during the 1980s — when both Springsteen’s popularity and vinyl bootlegging were at their peak — or even in the 1990s; instead, they cost little more than skipping a couple of lunches.

Scanned images are taken from the last volume of a catalog provided by a Japanese vinyl-bootleg retailer I frequently used. If my memory serves me correctly, this B5-sized, 54-page stapled edition was issued in early January 1990. The image resolution of displayed album jackets is low, but twelve Brucelegs (#17–#20 and #23–#30) are still visible in the left image. By the way, the headline could be translated as “★★  Out-of-Print Bootlegs A to Z — Jacket Photo Corner  ★★,” although neither the albums nor the artists/groups are arranged alphabetically. As shown on the right, brief descriptions are provided for selected bootleg titles, including PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE (#29, indicated by green rounded boxes). An original numbered pressing was listed at ¥9,800, while an unnumbered reissue copy sold for ¥6,000 — roughly corresponding to US$68 and $42 based on the JPY–USD exchange rate 35 years ago, which was still something of a bargain, as these were sold at the final clearance prices.

Anyway, here’s an update to the listing of original numbered vinyl bootleg copies, which now totals 159 entries (compared with the previous survey, which documented 96 copies on 07/26/2020) — many thanks to everyone who provided information about their copy.

As before, the listing highlights the differences between early and late numbered issues: early copies carry yellow generic labels rather than Slipped Disc Records labels on the vinyl, with serial numbers stamped on a small plain sticker instead of directly on the slick insert (see 12/13/2015 and 07/26/2020 for label and numbering images). Yet I often encounter misleading descriptions, such as “This bootleg was originally released under Slipped Disc Records.” One new finding from this survey is that, in two cases, the same numbers (#150 and #650) appear to be shared by three independent copies (see the image below).

"Don’t trust the numbers on numbered 
boxed sets," someone in Southern 
California once told me when I acquired
a few records from his collection in the 
mid-1990s. Here’s an example: three 
copies share the same serial number 
(none in my possession).

By the way, I have been curious about how this bootleg was received by fans and collectors when it first began circulating in late 1978 or early 1979. It’s easy enough to imagine the excitement of anyone who managed to get hold of a copy and play it. What really interests me, however, is how it was actually covered in the print media at the time. Back then, there were no guide or reference books that comprehensively covered Springsteen bootlegs*, and it was not until the mid-1980s that such publications became available to collectors — for example, the bootleg file inclued in Blinded By The Light (P. Humphries & C. Hunt, 1985, Plexus, London) and a few other privately issued works, such as The Bruce Springsteen Bootleg Bible (Tony Montana, 1985, Montana Production, Inc., place of publication unknown).
*This may not be true for Hot Wacks issues from the late 1970s; however, I haven’t had the opportunity to read any of them.

In the next post, I will introduce two magazine articles that reported on this bootleg title — one briefly and the other in more detail — both published in 1979. 

— Continued to Part 2.

Collecting log: 40 years after the BORN IN THE U.S.A. Japan tour — nostalgic old bootlegs and miscellaneous vinyl/CD collectibles related to the official album (Part 2 of 4)

The B5-size flyers were most likely distributed at or near the
Tokyo and Kyoto concert venues as well. English translations
of the Japanese text and descriptions provided by this blogger.

One more trivial recollection concerning bootlegs: I remember that on April 23, the final date of the Japan leg in 1985, a young guy was handing out what looked like flyers as I walked down from Osakajōkōen Station (Osaka Castle Park Station) — the nearest stop on the JR Osaka Loop Line — toward the concert venue, Osaka Castle Hall. Out of curiosity, I took one, which turned out to be a pre-order form for a then-unknown three-disc bootleg titled BORN IN THE AMERICA, slated for release on May 20, according to the description. Initially, I expected this new release to feature live recordings of Springsteen's first-ever concert(s) in Japan. However, I quickly realized the flyer explicitly stated “LIVE IN U.S.A. 1984,” although it provided no further details, such as the date, venue, or tracklist.

The flyer also gave ordering instructions, asking buyers to send 6,800 JPY (about US $27 at the time, roughly $80 in 2025) via registered mail to a listed address — a collector’s shop called Universal Records Inc., located in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, long regarded as the mecca of bootlegs in Japan. Delivery was free until April 30, after which an additional 800 JPY shipping fee applied. Living in Kyoto back then, I had no way of knowing whether the shop actually existed, so I naturally refrained from placing an order. After all, this was 40 years ago — no email, no internet, no social networking apps, and calling Tokyo was very expensive!

Images are taken from the relevant Discogs entry (here), as my own copy has been in storage at my parents' house for years. Mine is also shrink-wrapped but lacks the small silver sticker that reads "Special Limited Red, Blue, white wax [sic]."

Nevertheless, by mid-July, I found the bootleg in stock at one of my regular stores — JEUGIA's Shin-Kyogoku Sanjo branch in Kyoto — pressed on red, white, and blue vinyl, just as the flyer had advertised. The foldout insert sleeve carried no recording date or venue, and bootleg guides often noted the source as unknown (e.g., Last Ride In A Pink Cadillac; see 04/23/2016 for this booklet) or listed it incorrectly from Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherfold, N.J., August 1984 (e.g., Wanted Vol. 1 by Jan Rodenrijs [1994]; see 12/08/2020 for this excellent guidebook; and the original entry in the Discogs database here).

Last Ride In Pink Cadillac (authors unknown, circa 1986), included in
the gorgeous 6-LP bootleg box set GRANDE FINALE, is a concise
discography that exclusively lists and reviews Born in the U.S.A. tour
bootlegs — 97 titles in total, not including GRANDE FINALE itself.
Numbers in parentheses indicate sound quality ratings on a scale
from 12 to 21, with higher numbers representing better quality. For
example, THIS GUNS FOR HIRE (5LP), sourced from an excellent
audience recording, is rated 19, while the dubious honor of receiving
the lowest rating (12 to 13) goes to LEEDS 85 (4LP).

However, for a young Bruceleg junkie, it wasn't difficult to deduce from the tracklist that this triple-vinyl set was essentially a reissue of the double LP BORN IN THE U.S.A. LIVE Vol. 1. 21-7-84 Montreol [sic], combined with excerpts — mainly encore performances — from the four-record set BORN IN CINCINNATI. Both titles had already circulated locally here before the Japan leg of the tour began, and I had acquired both by then: LIVE Vol. 1, on March 19, 1985; CINCINNATI, on December 15, 1984. The bootleggers simply reconstituted these two sources to present the set as if it were from a single concert recording. Moreover, the mediocre and uninspired album title, along with the sleeve design based on the Star-Spangled motif, was largely borrowed from the latter, one of the earliest and, in my opinion, worst bootlegs from this long-stretched 1984-85 world tour. According to the inaugural issue of Wanted, mentioned above, BORN IN THE AMERICA (reportedly limited to 300 copies) and LIVE Vol.1 are of Japanese origin — yes, both have stamped, not hand-etched, matrix numbers in their dead wax, at least.

I could probably go on about these bootlegs, but I’ll stop here and turn to three collectibles from that official big-selling album — each a bit too minor or mundane for a standalone blog post, yet still worth mentioning.

— Continued to Part 3 / Back to Part 1.

Collecting log: 40 years after the BORN IN THE U.S.A. Japan tour — nostalgic old bootlegs and miscellaneous vinyl/CD collectibles related to the official album (Part 1 of 4)

The ticket was mailed to me in a registered envelope from the
Osaka office of Udo Artists Inc., the tour promotion and man-
agement agency. A clipping — likely from a newspaper, though
uncertain — with the headline “Grammy Winner Bruce’s First-
Ever Japan Tour Becomes a Reality” appears to predate the
addition of two concert dates, April 13 in Tokyo and April 23
in Osaka, as those dates are not mentioned in the article.

This past April in Japan brought something of a celebration on social media among Springsteen fans and collectors. As you might know, this year marks the 40th anniversary of his first—and one of only three, if the one-off Amnesty concert is included — tours to the Far East, promoting his seventh album, BORN IN THE U.S.A. (see 04/23/2015 and 01/27/2018 for Japan tour-related posts). I was a junior in college when I had the good fortune to see him perform on the second night (April 23) in Osaka, which was also the final show of the Japan leg — a performance often regarded as the best of the eight played here. By the way, you might wonder why I’m not talking about the Kyoto concert held four days earlier (April 19), especially since I’ve occasionally mentioned on this blog that I was born and raised in this ancient capital city. The reason is simple: I missed it due to a critical mix-up that left me without a ticket — still one of the most regrettable memories of my youth.

As noted in my old handwritten purchase log, I gave the two double-
LP sets from the first night in Osaka a low sound quality rating (C on
an A-to-C scale), likely because I had been overexposed to excellent
FM-sourced bootlegs from the 1978 tour, such as PIÈCE DE
RÉSISTANCE and LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND. Note that the
4-LP gatefold edition is not listed here, as this version of the log is
relatively old, dating from the late 1980s, and predates its acquisition.

While I feel tempted to write something about the concert itself (see 04/23/2015), I’ll refrain — after all, it would likely turn into a dull, subjective personal account. Instead, as a collector, I’ll focus here on some of the miscellaneous vinyl and CD collectibles associated with this monster album that have not been featured before on this blog. They may not be especially rare or valuable, but they’re still worth noting. Before that, however, let me revisit my purchase log of bootleg records of the two Osaka gigs on April 22 and 23, 1985 (As far as I know, no vinyl bootlegs have ever been released for the Kyoto concert).

Left: All of the albums, except for the complete 4/22/1985 set (bottom right), were released in 1985, and every title was purchased at JEUGIA music stores in Kyoto city, as mentioned in the main text. Right: The clear LP bag holding the LP (SECOND DAY AT CASTLE HALL Vol. I, backside, which is nicely done) features a JEUGIA logo imprint, which is outlined with a dashed yellow line.

Although the tracklists on all eight sides are identical, as shown
in the image above for Side One, the dead-wax matrix numbers
differ between the two double-LP versions (top) and the quad LP
edition (bottom) of THE BOSS IN THE EAST.

As expected, vinyl bootlegs of the Osaka shows began to surface a couple of months later. The first to circulate were THE BOSS IN THE EAST Vol. I and II (TBS 22485 and 22486) — two double-disc sets capturing the first night (April 22), which still show up fairly often in online auctions here. Back in the summer of 1985, I found them for sale at a music store in Kyoto called JEUGIA (Karasuma-Shijo branch). However, I couldn’t afford to buy both at once — each set cost 5,000 JPY (about US $21 at the time, roughly $62 in today’s money, based on an online inflation calculator). So, I picked up Volume II first on July 10, mainly because it included Devil With The Blue Dress Medley performed exclusively on that night. It took four more weeks for a poor student to get Volume I — on August 6, according to my purchase log. 

Probably a few years later, a pirated copy — not a reissue or repress — of the above sets appeared as a 4-LP gatefold sleeve edition (Dynafidelity 22487). It was issued under the same title with the subtitle THE COMPLETE 4/22/85 on the front and a claim of “LIMITED EDITION 300 SET/PIECES” on the rear sleeve. I ignored it when it first came out but eventually picked up a copy on September 27, 1991 — again at the Karasuma-Shijo branch. Note that the records play back slightly faster than the actual performance.

Two snapshots were taken abroad the Shinkansen bullet train and
at the Japan Railways (JR) station where it stopped — possibly
during the trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. Alternatively, could they have
been taken during a one-day round trip from Osaka to Hiroshima,
as he reportedly visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
on April 21?

Shortly after the original release of THE BOSS IN THE EAST, another JEUGIA branch — located at Shin-Kyogoku Sanjo and specializing in vinyl imports — began accepting reservations for a similar two-volume bootleg set covering the second night I attended, with a 1,000 JPY deposit. The price was the same as that of the first-night bootlegs. By the end of that summer, SECOND DAY AT CASTLE HALL Vol. I and II (TBS 23485 and 23486) became available, and August 30 turned out to be a truly joyful day — I had finally gotten what I’d been eagerly waiting for, something that would let me relive the excitement and emotion through the magic of bootlegging!

A few months later, yet another bootleg of this concert appeared: LAST NIGHT IN THE EAST, a triple-disc set that came with a cheaply made insert and two snapshots. Although it was pricey at 8,000 JPY, I managed to purchase it at the Karasuma-Shijo branch on November 18, 1985 — simply because I had been there and believed it was an independent pressing, not a pirate copy of SECOND DAY ... (which, as it turns out, it was). Most likely, a similar 3-LP set, LAST NIGHT IN JAPAN (which I don't own: see the Discogs entry here), was merely a reissue of this title, featuring a redesigned insert but omitting the photos.

The copy I received is hand-numbered as No. 9 of 100. The concert
date, "April 22," on the front and rear sleeves is incorrect, and the
booklet contains a misspelling, printing “reson” instead of “reason.”

Fourteen years later, in 1999, the first CD edition (Piggham 12–13) of the final night was finally released by Piggham Records — a European CD-R bootleg label whose titles were relatively rare in Japan at the time. I probably learned about this release through LuckyTown Digest, the well-known online Springsteen message/discussion board of the era, and placed an order with the Spanish retailer mentioned earlier (see 12/08/2020). It became one of the last bootleg CDs I added to my collection before I stopped collecting that kind of material.

— Continued to Part 2.

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 could not 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 underground 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.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: 'E' TICKET, its very limited first edition, also known as the advanced release (Part 5 of 5)This article supplements and follows up on the previous posts on this bootleg in October 2014.

"Another (fake)" advanced copy (upper)  differs from a
genuine copy (lower) in several respects.

Content-wise, the final post on the very first release of this classic bootleg focuses on a topic that may be rather unimportant or uninteresting to you: comparing it with another "ADVANCED PRESSING - E TICKET - COLLECTORS ITEM" that also came in a simple white cover with only the above title printed on it. For years, this release seemed (and still seems) to have caused confusion among bootleg collectors, which is still observed in online vinyl record databases and blog articles. An example is found in the relevant Discogs entry (see the image below) that describes it as being pressed in Germany and released in 1975!

I don't know exactly when this particular bootleg was manufactured and began to circulate. As far as I checked, none of the bootleg catalogs I received from domestic retailers in the mid-to-late 1980s listed this version among many pirated varieties of "E" TICKET (see the image immediately below). It was probably issued in the late 1980s but not imported to Japan (although I am not sure as I lived in Kyoto, where not many bootlegs were readily available, unlike in Tokyo) or released after, maybe in the 1990s when vinyl records became minor as a bootleg medium because of the advent of CD.

A bootleg catalog from the late 1980s lists an example of a typical pirate release of "E" TICKET, which came in an insert cover. Back then, because of a fervent demand for Springsteen's underground releases, Japanese bootleg retailers usually asked for high prices for vinyl bootlegs, as shown here, especially of old famous titles like this used copy, even though it was not an original or early pressing, as indicated by "RE" (=reissue). Compared to the bootleg's price (6,800 JPY), an official LP was generally sold for 2,500 or 2,800 JPY in Japan.

Discogs describes the release year as 1975,
which is wrong. The label name is misspelled.

If you own a copy of this copycat, you would instantly deny that it was released in the late 1970s as an advanced release of one of the most famous Springsteen bootlegs. For example, I can mention at least the following four facts to explain why:

• The white sleeve is much cleaner in appearance and manufactured of better quality, which cannot be considered from the 1970s' plain white cover often used for West Coast bootlegs. As you see in the image on the top, white covers from the 1970s are generally prone to showing age.
  
• The album title is not stamped but printed in indigo color on the front sleeve, which contradicts why the early release had to employ a stamped cover before the famous black-and-white picture sleeve edition (i.e., the delay in printing). The rear sleeve also prints "PROMOTIONAL COPY—NOT FOR SALE." Although this note is a hackneyed expression repeatedly used by bootleggers to conceal the identity of their products, I have seen few bootlegs featuring this phrase on Springsteen's original bootlegs released in the 1970s.
  
• The hörweite stereophonie label was reproduced on the wax in different colors with inferior printing quality. As I already pointed out (10/19/2014), this custom label was not used for the "genuine" advanced or early pressings, probably due to the same reason why the picture sleeve was not used. Instead, such vinyl pressings came with Ruthless Rhymes labels, one of the several representative West Coast bootleg labels frequently used in the late 1970s.
• The matrix numbers, handwritten ST / MX 1 on SIDES ONE and ST / MX 2 on SIDE TWO, were obviously taken from a label inscription "℗ 1971 Deutschland (ST/MX) 33 1/3 r.p.m." (which is also printed on Ruthless Rhymes labels). To my knowledge, however, none of the early or original discs carried such numbers on the deadwax space (their matrix numbers are ESB-75-002-A / ESB-75-002-B), clearly indicating that this "advanced" pressing has nothing to do with the early or original release of the classic bootleg.

The images on the far left compare album titles stamped (upper) or printed (lower) on the front sleeves of the two advanced releases. The comparison is also made for record labels between an original regular pressing (middle left) and a "fake" advanced disc (middle right). Part of the round rim text on each label is magnified in each upper right corner to compare printing quality. Note the difference in the diameter size of the stamper rings. The "fake" advanced release carries a "promotional copy" indication on the bottom of the rear side sleeve (far right); no such promo notification is present in the "genuine" advanced copies or regular pressing in a black-and-white picture sleeve with the German production credits on the rear.

Shown deadwax matrix numbers are from SIDE TWO
of a "fake" advanced disc with reproduced hörweite
stereophonie labels (top), a "genuine" advanced disc
with Ruthless Rhymes labels (middle), and a relatively
common original press with original hörweite
stereophonie labels (bottom).

Okay, but how did the bootleggers come up with the idea of releasing a "fake" advanced edition of the classic bootleg? Although there is no evidence, I guess the bootleggers who made it, probably manufactured somewhere in Europe in the late 1980s or 1990s, knew about the behind-the-scenes story of releasing "E" TICKET. It seems to me that this obvious copycat LP is not just a bogus product but an homage to this classic bootleg that every (old) serious Springsteen fan and collector must have added to the collection in any form or edition. What do you think about this?

When I wrote for the first time on this bootleg soon after I launched this blog site (10/12/2014), I never thought I would write about it again after ten years. Also, I did not expect I would have continued the blog thing for ten years. And I don't know when my record-collecting journey will come to an end...

— Back to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, or Part 4.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: 'E' TICKET, its very limited first edition, also known as the advanced release (Part 4 of 5)This article supplements and follows up on the previous posts on this bootleg in October 2014.

On June 23, 1979, the Billboard Issue reported a momentous
event—the Largest Recording Seizure in Los Angeles Ever: the
confiscated bootlegs included "E" TICKET, although the actual
album title was not given in the article (Note that Billboard has
released magazine issues into the public domain by releasing
them on Google Books and the Internet Archive).

Arguably, "E" TICKET is one of the most famous and important releases in the history of Springsteen bootleg, emerging in the late 1970s and often pirated in the vinyl era. The sound quality is splendid as a bootleg, probably sourced from a demo cassette provided to a New York publisher in 1975 (see below). In addition, the bootleggers wisely avoided using a slick insert cover (the standard of bootleg back then) and borrowed a great outtake shot for DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN (as you know, officially used for the front sleeve of the U.K. 12-inch single off THE RIVER; see 12/22/2019). So, the album sleeve was quite appealing, looking like an official product as if it followed DARKNESS, although the material was nothing related to this album. And don't forget that this release was one of those bootlegs that upset the man and the record company in 1979, leading to one of the most famous lawsuits against bootlegging in the history of the U.S. music industry.

In 1978, FIRE ON THE FINGERTIPS was 
reviewed in two U.K. music newspapers by
Giovanni Dadomo in Sounds and Susan
Hill in Melody Maker.

Chronologically, it was the first illegal LP exclusively sourced from studio recordings of outtakes and unreleased tracks, including instrumentals. Perhaps FIRE ON THE FINGERTIPS came out and circulated earlier in the underground market. However, this equally important bootleg was not a full studio-recording bootleg and contained two live recordings among the five featured songs. Whether which bootleg appeared first may be the subject of the debate. Although not definitive, the reason I believe the above is that FIRE ON THE FINGERTIPS was picked up and reviewed in 1978 in two British music newspapers, Sounds (September 16 issue) and Melody Maker (November 11 issue), whereas "E" TICKET was reported as a subject of the lawsuit in 1979 in two major U.S. magazines, Billboard (June 23 issue; anonymously as an unauthorized album; see the image above) and Rolling Stone (September 6 issue; being mentioned the actual title).

The original picture sleeve of "E" TICKET has a printed spine, while 
as far as I know, all FIRE ON THE FINGERTIPS issues, including  
the original, have no such spine, except for a later copy shown here.

It is widely known that the source of the FIRE ON THE FINGERTIPS material is a six-track 12-inch acetate that was originally given to Intersong, a U.K.-based music publishing company, in 1973. Although the acetate also contained THE FEVER, this demo track was not included in the bootleg despite plenty of room for the inclusion (the complete content was later digitized properly and released in 1992 on a bootleg CD titled FORGOTTEN SONGS). In contrast, to my knowledge, there has been scarce information about the actual source of "E" TICKET, except for one case explained below. 

If I'm not mistaken, the second bootleg that featured unreleased
and studio outtakes from BORN TO RUN recording sessions was
ROULETTE, pressed in the U.S., and the third was VISITATION AT
FORT HORN, pressed in the U.K., although the latter bootleg
contained only one new track (i.e., a double vocal version of Night;
Linda Let Me Be The One was already included in the former).

Since the reunion tour in 1999-2000, I have stopped collecting bootleg CDs and occasionally downloaded what interested me from fan-based websites early in mp3 and lately in lossless formats. I remember, suddenly in early 2014, the fourteen tracks of the BORN IN THE STUDIO CD (see 06/01/2024), which included all the "E" TICKET tracks, were upgraded to high-resolution audio formats (in 16-bit/44 kHz and 24-bit/96 kHz) and distributed through torrent download websites. This was all thanks to the dedicated efforts of a group of American concert tapers/collectors known as JEMS, who told the tale of how they came to handle the source tape worth being upgraded in the text file attached with audio files (an excerpt; the full text available here at BruceBase Wiki):

Late last year [2013; annotated by this blogger], JEMS’ friend and fellow collector CB told us that he believed a cassette he had received from someone in the New York music publishing business not long after the release of Born to Run could likely be the original source tape for all subsequent copies and releases of this material.

I don't know of any other specific testimonies on the original source of "E" TICKET, although the information is still far from clear, and the details, such as the publisher's name, remain unknown. Mike Appel might have distributed such tapes to promote Springsteen and the then-forthcoming album (just my guess). However, even if this was true, he probably does not remember that.

— Continued to Part 5 / Back to Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.