Collecting log: My Lucky Day (when I happened to get a rare sample record)

In Japan, Brilliant Disguise, the first single off the album TUNNEL OF LOVE in 1987, was released twice commercially as a 7" format: one as a standard two-track disc (backed w/ Lucky Man) and another as a low-budget, one-track reissue (CBS SONY 07SP 1070 and 04SP 1075, respectively). To boost the sale of these singles and the album, CBS/SONY distributed three promo/sample 7" counterparts (the same catalog numbers as aforementioned and XDSP 93096). Two of them have become highly sought-after collectibles, one solely for its rarity (center; this post) and another not only for its scarcity but also for the unique promotion-only sleeve design (left; see also 11/20/2016).

No, no, this rather short post is not about a track commercially released online as the second single from WORKING ON A DREAM, an album released in 2009 with mixed reviews (BTW, I own only a few collectibles from this album). Since the demise of the Coronavirus pandemic, I have been able to visit a few second-hand record stores in my local area regularly (about once every month). Obviously, net auctions and online shopping were not enough to enjoy hunting vinyl records and satisfy my interest and inquiring mind as a collector. What was lacking was an exciting and exceptional moment to visit a store onsite, pick up a vinyl record, and, luckily, find an unexpected bargain at a low price.

"2024-04-04 (April 4, 2024; see the receipt)" was my lucky day.
The only distinguishing marker between promo and stock copies
of this rarity is a "Sample disc" indication in Kanji above the right-
side company logo on the SIDE A label. No Japanese words that
refer to "Promotion only" or "Not for sale" are printed on the label
and grocery bag-style sleeve.

This happened last month when I went to one of the regular stops (the same used record store mentioned previously; see 02/23/2020). Just then, the store was selling a bunch of 7" singles and EPs at a discount. Among hundreds of domestic and imported discs, I dug out two "regular release-looking" copies of Brilliant Disguise one-sided single (CBS/SONY 04SP 1075), known as a Japan-only low-budget 7" release with no B-side track. Both were sold for one coin [i.e., 500 Japanese Yen (JPY)], which equaled three bucks and a little more and cost 100 JPY higher than the retail price (400 JPY) when originally released in 1987 (cf., the standard two-sided single with Lucky Man was sold for 700 JPY). I owned only one copy of this relatively limited edition, so there was no reason to miss the opportunity to get the two in fairly nice condition at a bargain price.

Sample and regular discs share the same
matrix number machine-stamped on
SIDE A (04S0-1075A1).

Then, to my surprise, one of them was found to be a sample copy, which was only recognized by a small, boxed three-letter Kanji character printed on the A-side label (the B-side is blank). The store staff probably was unaware of this or forgot to indicate it on the price tag because tons of 7" singles were for sale back then. As I already mentioned almost nine years ago (07/12/2015), this one-sided single has significantly enhanced its value in the collector's market solely because of its extreme rarity but nothing else, like the other two sample releases [i.e., sample copies for LIVE/1975-85 5-LP box (CBS/SONY 75AP 3300-3304; see 11/23/2020) and those for the BORN IN THE U.S.A. Master Sound reissue (CBS/SONY 30AP 2878)]. Just to mention a couple of examples (according to my previous post and Popsike; here), eBay sold it for $360 in 2015 with seven bids and even fetched $620 in 2022 with 22 bids! Simply unbelievable.

Many Japanese sample 7" copies have leaked from radio
stations. Such copies are generally stamped on their sleeves
to indicate some date (e.g., the airplay date), the location of
a radio station, or both. The pictured example reads "October
19, 1987, Osaka," where the year is shown in the Japanese
Calendar as "(Showa) 62." The release date of this single in
Japan was October 10, 1987.

Certainly, the above three examples are seldom seen in the market even here and are considered to have been pressed in quite limited quantity compared to many other sample releases. However, they are generally not my prime collecting targets since there are no substantial differences from regular issues. In my view, these samples are like U.S. promo album copies in the 1980s (except those for THE RIVER; see 11/23/2016), which were, in fact, nothing but stock copies with a gold promo stamp on the rear sleeve. Just so you know, CBS/SONY released an advanced promo 7" for this first single cut from TUNNEL OF LOVE with a completely different cover artwork (CBS/SONY XDSP 93096; shown in the top image of this post), which truly deserves a top collectible among many Japanese promo pressings (for details, see 11/20/2016).

I have stopped adding new vinyl
releases to my collection after I
bought a copy of the double white
LP of GREATEST HITS (Sony
Records Int'l SIJP-1081/2), the
first Japanese vinyl pressing in 36
years since TUNNEL OF LOVE
in 1987.

Having said that, honestly, I can't deny that I'm feeling happy with the unexpected outcome of this purchase. The case was like winning the lottery, as I had no idea it was an extremely rare sample copy before purchasing it. While my collecting career has had several "lucky days" in the past (for instance, see 01/30/2020 and 05/14/2022), I'm greedy and eagerly await the next unexpected finding, which brings a unique joy and reminds me of the thrill of vinyl hunting.

P.S. By the way, I have some feelings about the recent compilation and cover albums pressed on a variety of colored vinyl, which have become a commonplace standard when it comes to releasing vinyl titles. I find them rather boring and uninspired, mainly because of the lack of new material. In addition, they are not so rare but not cheap (not even considering the recent Yen depreciation here). Surely, collecting them all in different colors is fun. Still, I can't help but think selling these kinds of duplicates is too much of a money-grabbing scheme, so I have refrained from buying any of the latest vinyl releases (and am just disappointed to know that the BORN IN THE U.S.A. 40th Anniversary Edition is slated for release as a single LP without any unreleased tracks and concert footage).

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: ALL THOSE YEARS — unofficial but the first retrospective release of a supectacular 10-LP box collection (Part 3 of 3)

One of the ten white label test pressing discs of the
ultimate Bruceleg. Shown is Side Two of Disc One,
as indicated by the matrix number "SR 112," hand-
marked on the plain label and engraved on the vinyl
deadwax (not in my possession). Photos provided
courtesy of hrubesh.

 

"As the man behind many older bootlegs, including All Those Years, one has to be impressed with the sincerity and integrity of Mr. Dane* as a bootlegger."
(unsigned article,1989) Bootleg Compact Discs: An exclusive investigation into illegal CDs. Backstreets Magazine, Number 29, excerpted from p. 16.
*Pseudonym for an anonymous member of the Italian Great Dane Records label who was interviewed by the magazine for the article when he participated at the Austin Record Convention, Texas, in the Spring of 1989. Needless to say, the label purportedly released the first known Bruceleg CD (i.e., YOU MEAN SO MUCH TO ME) early that year.

"Great Dane consists of a group of collectors. We select artists using our 'heart', [and] we select our production considering three things: popularity of the artist, quality of available tapes and the sales potential. There's nothing original in this, except that we consider Europe as our market."
Clinton Heylin (1995) Chapter 17. It was less than twenty years ago ... In: Bootleg: The Secret History of the Other Recording Industry, excerpted from p. 310, St. Martin's Press (New York).

"Great Dane even managed to remaster (and upgrade) the famous ten-album Springsteen bootleg set All Those Years, jamming it all into a five-CD box. The original vinyl version, which had also originated in Italy, had excited considerable comment in the wake of Springsteen's own disappointing three-CD collection Live 1978-85 [sic]."
Clinton Heylin (1995) Same source as above, excerpted from p. 311.

As most of you know and referenced in the above quotes, this "ultimate in bootlegging" came out in Italy 40 years ago, allegedly released by the folks who played a significant role in establishing one of the pioneering bootleg CD labels in the late 1980s. Based on what I've seen in my career of collecting and the relevant information available in print and online publications and databases, three different editions were produced and circulated in the underground market by the mid-1980s, as detailed below:

• Serially numbered 10-picture disc/red box sets with a bonus red-colored, one-sided 7" single (said to be strictly limited to 50 copies released in 1984). The picture (same as the front image of the box package) is one-sided only on each disc, whereas the other side is plain red.
• Serially numbered black 10-LP/black box sets, generally referred to as originals (reportedly limited to 1000 copies released in 1984).
• Un-numbered black 10-LP/black box sets, regarded as reissues (around 500 copies released in 1985 or later).

The original 1000-limited numbered copies are distinguishable from the late un-numbered issues by three differences on the back cover of the accompanying booklets. The band members' list and Roman-numeral year notation strongly suggest that the original black box (left) was already out in the market before the release of Springsteen's 7th album in June 1984 and the subsequent promotion tours in 1984-85.

Although I don't own the red-box edition, according to collectors who own all three versions, they were pressed with the same stampers. By appearance, the black-box sets are almost indistinguishable between the original and reissue, except for three noticeable differences on the rear cover of the accompanying 20-page booklet:

• Two new members back then (Nils Lofgren and Patti [misspelt as "Patty"] Scialfa), who joined the E Street Band upon the North American and subsequent world tours promoting BORN IN THE U.S.A. released in 1984, are not mentioned in the members' list on the original booklet but appended to the reissue one.
• Printed Roman numerals differ from each other between the two booklets (MCMLXXXIV or MCMLXXXV), most probably indicating the individual release year (1984 or 1985, respectively).
• As widely known, a limited number is handwritten for the original release only using a silver ink marker, although there are exceptions (see below).

Did bootleggers prefer Roman numerals
to Arabic numerals? Shown is a limited
number handwritten on the booklet for
one of the fifty copies of the red box

release (not in my collection).

Interestingly, close examinations of limited serial numbers of several copies (including my two copies and a dozen others whose images are available online auctions and databases) made me aware of or confirm the following facts:

• For the red-box edition, Roman numerals were used to denote a limited serial number with the total copy number at the bottom (e.g., XXX/L = #30/50). On the other hand, Arabic numbers were employed for the original black-box release to indicate a serial number alone without the total copy number (which is believed to be 1000 copies).
• Although seemingly small in quantity, a certain fraction of the black-box reissues carrying the MCMVXXXV-printed booklet have circulated with serial numbers exceeding #1000 (e.g., "#1120"). I don't know whether such numbering was originally made by bootleggers, although the handwriting styles are similar to or almost the same as those found on the original booklet. The highest serial number I have seen so far is #1238.
  

As far as I examined, serial limited numbers
exceeding #1000 were always coupled with
the presumed year notation MCMVXXXV
(= 1985) but not MCMVXXXIV (= 1984),
indicating that such limited numbers were
specifically given to the reissue copies.

Although trivial, I'm curious about why the bootleggers have shown key numbers, such as release years (for both red and black box sets) and serial numbers (only for the red box), in Roman style on the booklets. Such numerals are harder to recognize, especially in large numbers (which reminds me of Fibonacci's achievement in introducing Arabic numerals to the Western world early in the 13th century).

Left: A test-press box contained ten white-labeled discs and a booklet still under production. The booklet was not bound together but left as individually separated sheets, probably because some pages had not been fully printed yet (see the image below). Right: Another test press came in a non-standard box (likely a prototype or error in production) with the hinge fastening at the bottom instead of on the left side. Photos provided courtesy of hrubesh.

Upper: Unfinished booklet pages with no text and no back-
ground color. Note that pages 2 and 19 are on one sheet
next to each other in the unbound status. Lower: The
corresponding pages from the released booklet are shown
for comparison. Upper images courtesy of hrubesh.

Finally, as a collector based in the Far East island, it's always my pleasure to communicate with fellow Boss collectors around the world. To wrap up this three-part vinyl bootleg article, I would like to share a glimpse of the ultimate collectibles of this legendary Bruceleg, which I do not own, unfortunately. Although principally, my blog policy has been "Not to write about what I don't own," this opportunity is an exception. These particular test-pressing copies are owned by someone widely known among collectors' circles who, I think, needs no introduction (check the photo credits, please).
I got to know him through my blog activities years ago, and since then, I've been impressed by his dedication and enthusiasm as a fan and collector. It's a rare privilege to present such super rarities to you vinyl bootleg lovers, collectors, and connoisseurs. Really amazing, and enjoy what he shows, like I did!

— Back to Part 1 or Part 2.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: ALL THOSE YEARS — unofficial but the first retrospective release of a supectacular 10-LP box collection (Part 2 of 3)

"You certainly love Bruce Springsteen and his music. That's sure because only true lovers can buy a ten record set; this album has been made for guys like you. So we can avoid talking about how great he is, and how good his songs are: we both know. Here we want to introduce to you these records, that, of course, are the results of a deep passion and lengthy work. They contain recordings from twelve years of Springsteen's career, trying to cover every tour he has made."
Quoted from the preface of the booklet included in ALL THOSE YEARS.

As I wrote in the last blog (02/23/2024), my financial status as a university student did not allow me to purchase this magnificent release when I first saw it was out in 1984.  Undoubtedly, a 10-LP bootleg was a surprising and impressive release in its volume alone, and the concept every hard-core collector can share was well-represented by the accompanying 20-page booklet. To be honest, however, I did not become engrossed in this box too much initially because of the extraordinarily high price and because I much preferred live bootlegs of a whole or nearly complete single concert (just like the Official Live Archive series) to those of compilations from various locations. The latter reason also mainly explains why I wouldn't say I liked the official live retrospective box released in 1986 (see 11/21/2019).

Before the flood of vinyl Brucelegs in the mid-1980s, mostly from
Europe, colored vinyls were still relatively rare. This live compilation
single LP was obtained in September 1983 at 3,380 JPY (roughly
US $14 and, based on Inflation Calculator, estimated to be $44 in
2024) from Kinnie, Japan's most famous vinyl bootleg shop in
West Shinjuku (西新宿) during the 1970s and 1980s.

Moreover, live-compilation bootlegs in the early 1980s were often based on random collections of previously bootlegged live recordings, which usually disappointed me (for example, PRISONER OF ROCK 'N' ROLL; see the image right). Finally, the full tracklist for the entire twenty sides of the ten vinyl discs remained unknown to me as it was only found in the booklet inside the box package. So, it wasn't until detailed bootleg discographies became available, such as the bootleg section of Blinded By The Light (P. Humphries & C. Hunt, 1985, Plexus, London), that I really got interested in this unofficial retrospective box.

"Even true lovers as you are, know better some periods of Springsteen musical life and don’t know much about others, so we have tried to give more room to some years than to others. We believe it would have been useless including different versions of Born To Run and Racing In The Street or many excerpts from the Darkness On The Edge Of Town tour; we’d bet all of you that have bought this set, have already got Piece De Resistance or Live In The Promised Land.”
Quoted from the preface of the booklet.

If I'm not mistaken, the different versions of Born To Run (still unreleased) and Racing In The Street (officially released in 2010 on THE PROMISE), both mentioned in the booklet's preface (see immediate above), appeared for the first time on "E" TICKET and DO I HAVE TO SAY HIS NAME?, respectively. Besides masterpieces like the former, the latter has been one of my favorite studio outtake bootlegs ever since it was originally released as a black vinyl with custom black labels, followed by several colored vinyl versions and a picture disc edition. I bought the black vinyl version on July 1982 when I was a high-school boy, through mail order from a record shop in Kobe (神戸) City at the expense of 4,000 JPY (equivalent to circa US $16 back then, which would cost $50 in 2024). Note that DO I HAVE TO SAY HIS NAME? is most probably the earliest bootleg known to feature Jersey Girl (live), the same version later included in both the unofficial and official retrospective live box sets.

As can be known from the preface to the accompanying booklet (see the second quotation above), more than half of the live recordings in this box were unheard of or unfamiliar to me as of early 1984. However, when I acquired my first copy (an unnumbered reissue) in 1987, not a small portion of these live recordings (for example, Steel Mill live, a Cleveland 1976 concert, and THE RIVER-tour rehearsal session) had already been available on several other independent bootlegs, and one live track (Jersey Girl) had been released officially. So, it was the early E Street material between 1972 and 1974 on Discs Two to Four that mainly gave me a fresh and thrilling LIVE experience "through the magic of bootlegging" (for example, see 11/13/2023).

Two CD editions of the 10-LP box set were released in Italy in the
early 1990s: first LIVE AND UNRELEASED 1971-1979 (4CD) from
Seagull Records, then followed by ALL THOSE YEARS (5CD) from
Templar Records. The former was a straightforward copy of the vinyl
set without the tracks on the last two vinyl discs (Records 9 and 10),
possibly avoiding a copyright protection issue (bootleggers' 10-year
rule; of course, that was not legitimate). The latter employed the same
tapes used for the vinyl edition, although the set eliminated three
tracks (Oh Mama Why, Sha La La, and Wreck On The Highway)
likely due to space limitations. My Seagull copy (Discs 3 and 4) got
hit by "CD-rot" and lost its readability soon after I purchased it in
1990, like some early copies of Great Dane titles (2022/10/28).

 

I often think if there were a few weaknesses in this 10-LP set, the 1980 and 1982 parts might be considered: the aforementioned tour rehearsal in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and two club appearances in New Jersey. Although such recordings were rare and interesting, in my opinion, the period could have been better represented by other superior sources in terms of live performance, such as the 1981 "Vietnam Veterans" concert. As far as I remember, there was only one song from this benefit show that was bootlegged in the vinyl era (namely, the one and only, and simply stunning performance of Ballad Of Easy Rider, captured on WHO'S BEEN COVERED BY THE BOSS, another live compilation triple picture-disc bootleg).

— Continued to Part 3 / Back to Part 1.