Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: LIVE on Coral Records

LIVE on Coral Records: the first ever professionally looking Springsteen bootleg prompts CBS Records to file a suit against a record retailer in New York City to halt selling the copies in the summer of 1976.

Released in late 1975 or early 1976, LIVE on Coral Records (NR-909-2) was probably the most famous bootleg of Springsteen throughout the vinyl era. As already introduced in the last blog, this title captures one of the most important concerts in his career that is performed 41 years ago tonight and aired through radio broadcast on WNEW-FM in Manhattan, New York City. Unlike the contemporary Bruceleg releases back then, this double-disc release came out in an attractive gate-fold and full-color sleeve (outer sleeve only) with the custom black & silver labels. However, what makes its existence widely recognized to music fans and industry people is the fact that CBS Records, involving Springsteen and The Bottom Line club from where the bootlegged performance was aired, accused a City's record store of displaying and selling many copies of this underground artifact.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE 8/15/75 (black & white sleeve)

Various vinyl bootleg releases of the legendary FM-broadcasted Bottom Line show in New York City on August 15, 1975.
I think most of these came out in the mid to late 1970s except for THE BOSS IS BACK in color sleeve (and possibly the double-LP version of THE GREAT WHITE BOSS with the NO NUKES stage shot on front).

BORN TO RUN US pressing LP variants: Album credit variations

Test pressing and gold promo-stamped copy for the
Half-Speed Mastered series LP released in 1981.
Hand-written codes on a plain white cover indicate the
matrix numbers scratched out in the dead wax area.

Originally released from Columbia Records in 1975 (with the catalog number PC 33795) and reissued several times, including the early repressing (JC 33795) and the recently remastered 180-g vinyl, the U.S. release of BORN TO RUN LP is available in a wide variety of variant forms. Thus far in this series, I have picked up variations initially focusing on different pressings of the LP discs (i.e., test pressing and white label promo), then production error/export variants, and recently, 7" singles of the title track (i.e., vinyl versus styrene disc) cut from this masterpiece. However, what gives rise to variations most is the album track information and production credits printed on the rear side of the gate-fold sleeve. Over the years, these descriptions are occasionally subjected to correction, revision, and reconfiguration. Here I summarize the notable differences as I observed regarding album credits and others, including the company logos.

Collecting log: Fade Away / To Be True US45 misprinting

Sealed with a store header card? (Never seen before)
Along with an open copy of the misprint version.

This is a short and quick note on a recently obtained old 7-inch disc. Shown left are two copies of the US release of Fade Away backed with Be True: one (on the right) is a used copy I have long owned while the other was advertised as "factory-sealed" when I bought it recently. It is, however, very likely a re-shrink-wrapped package as it came with a bizarre store header card that seems to be nothing to do with the Columbia Records. The main cause of purchasing the copy is simple: it was cheap and, although released 35 years ago, still looked better than my old copy. "To Be True", stamped on top of the one-side printed paper card, also called my attention. As well known, this erroneous B-side title can only be found on the record label, but not anywhere on the sleeve, which is another indication that this is a "once-opened" copy rather than being "factory-sealed" (looks fine, nevertheless). Otherwise, how would have the wrong song title been known and stamped on the header? I wish it could be a genuine factory-sealed copy, though.

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: ROULETTE (the U.S. version of unreleased/studio-outtake collection)

With the exception of Frankie (live in Cleveland,1976), all materials are studio recording. I Wanna Be with You is from the DARKNESS session, Backstreets is performed in string arrangement, and The Height is of course Meeting ...  The original comes with the silver labels on both sides with the hand-etched matrix numbers RT9-101-A and RT9-101-B. Obviously, this my favorite bootleg had been overplayed by myself, as evidenced by a lot of spindle marks around the hole in the record.