The Infromthestorm site states: “BBC Sessions, London 1967 / […] / Atwood Hall, Clark University, Worcester, MA 15.03.68; 2nd Show / “Happening For Lulu”, BBC TV Centre, London 04.01.69″
***
The Kustom Records US copy, # 005, released between late 1970 and April of ’71:
Kustom Records still confuses me a bit. It’s almost as if they were active on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously (A Jeffrey Collins can be seen in a BBC report from 1971, stating he imports the discs from the USA and sleeves are added in the UK).
This particular release looks like a US release to me, compared to their European ones, which had printed covers, and was only sold by US-based sellers on eBay.
***
The UK original live experience 1967 – 68 (‘VOODOO CHILE’), matrix: JHBL A1 / JBHL B :
It came with a leaflet that Kustom Records (and Berkeley) would use for their inserts.
This unauthorized UK release received quite a bit of flak in the mainstream press, likely helping prompt a good deal of financial concern and the BBC report shown below.
Above: Melody Maker, UK, 12/1970 – below: Billboard magazine, US, 26 November 1970:
In April 1971, Billboard reports that 13,944 copies were pressed.
Finally, the (velvet) hammer came down – from Melody Maker, April 3rd, ’71:
We know from the BBC report that Jeffrey Collins imported Kustom Records discs without covers from the US and it seems obvious that he passed Kustom a copy of the UK bootleg, which then ended up as their release # 005, shown above.
However, in the end it was all for naught:
[thanks to jimihendrixcollector.com for some of these articles!]
****
Also copied by TMOQ in the US and released around June of 1971 as 71019 (matrix: JH107A/B):
***
CBM copied part of Kustom’s insert for their first version of their RAINBOW BRIDGE release (# 3213) from 1972:
Based on the extra info I received yesterday – many thanks for that – here’s part two to round out the list.
While Catnip on blue PVC is not that hard to find and the other blue ones appear occasionally, the red ones seem to be much rarer and I have never seen a purple CBM record nor was I able to find one on discogs or popsike. All have in common that the pressings are on the thin side.
First up:
JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE ERIC CLAPTON – GINGER BAKER – JOHN MAYALL – JACK BRUCE
“Microgroove”, a term CBM liked to put on their labels around this time, as these 1972/3 releases show:
Shown above are # 3316 (Beatles – Don’t Pass Me By), # 3426 (John Lennon/Rolling Stones – British Blue Jam), # 3552 (Beatles – Live Concert Atlanta) and from 1973 # BD 1011 (Bob Dylan – Seventy Dollar Robbery)
This is a pirate album containing the following tracks:
A1 –The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Stars That Play With Laughing Sam’s Dice A2 –The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Highway Chile A3 –The Graham Bond Organization – Hear Me Calling Your Name A4 –The Graham Bond Organization – Camels And Elephants B1 –John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers – No Reply B2 –John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers – I’m A Stranger B3 –John Mayall – Sonny Boy Blow B4 –John Mayall – Don’t Kick Me B5 –John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers – Stand Back Baby
Easily identifiable by the stamp:
but usually only identified as a CBM title in its reissued forms years later, known as CBM 4 with matrix markings XCQ-4A / B:
The red cardboard version is WCF’s first issue of this title with its distinct WCF-style labels (for a change also using the term “Microgroove”, which makes me think the red PVC copy shown first was also the original issue):
Matrix list: XCQ-4 – MB-1 – MB-2 / 707, 707 A /B and XCQ-4-B 707
Reissued ca. 1973 in WCF’s typical folder-style cover with blank white labels and a 707 A/B matrix:
**
Second: radiocord / elton john
The blank back above. Also exists on black PVC:
This did not really look like a CBM release to me when I first came across it but their version with the pirate logo on the insert has the same matrix number (35-4000 A/B).
**
allman brothers / duane allman – statesboro blues (# 3910, released 1973)
Also exists in purple.
**
Finally, the missing colors for these two titles:
Cat Stevens – Catnip (# 3275, rel. 1972) – > on red vinyl
Jethro Tull – ticketron (# 3436, rel. 1972) – > on red and purple vinyl
If you have images of any of these, please leave a comment, thanks.
Thanks to a trove of images I received from frequent forum contributor Karl, I can show the different font and label styles used by WCF in previously unseen detail, as well as three excellent quality slip sheet variations for this Hendrix title.
**
**
**
USA: 1971
Matrix for all WCF versions: LPR 28 A / LPR 28 B / LPR 29 A / LPR 29 B
Variations include the letters ‘tvc’ in a triangle and “SIDE 2” on sides 28 A / B and “SIDE 1” on 29 A / B
Source: A copy of this Rubber Dubber bootleg:
2nd & 3rd pressing:
“- The front cover of these two albums are slightly different; One has a circular logo stamp in the lower right corner, while the other has a stamp that says “Yours truly, Rubber Dubber”. ( http://infromthestorm.net/hendrix.html#boot )
Above: Stamp from the back of the album. This version came with four light-blue labels, same font as shown below.
Matrix: 70-001-01 A / 70-001-04 D / 70-001-02 B / 70-001-03 C
Source: First date on Hendrix’ Cry Of Love tour, April 25th, 1970, as correctly stated on the WCF inserts. Eventually, four different audience recordings would surface from this date but in the 1970’s and among those pressed on vinyl all originated from the Rubber Dubber source, known as the “near” source with a 1 minute long cut in the middle of “Ezy Rider”.
discogs dot come lists no less than 23 different vinyl versions for this, so this was a very popular title in the 1970’s with many different bootleggers copying it. “The sonic quality here is not very impressive, but the performance is great” (Allmusic review). The WCF version represents this recording in HOTWACKS and only achieves a very low “Poor to Gm” rating, owing some of it to it being a copy and a lot to the limitations of the Rubber Dubber source tape. The bass is inaudible and the drums are very low in the mix.
“This show has widely been regarded as one of The Experience’s top shows, but due to quality concerns it has never been released in official terms. (Jimi Hendrix.com)
***
Copies – an attempt at making sense of some of the copies found based on their most obvious differences:
(and 2.) TMOQ (+ WCF as shown above):
The record wiki on TMOQ states that they released their copy of the Rubber Dubber album around June of 1971 – ALIVE # 71003, shown here in a pre-sticker version. The colored pig stickers were introduced that year.
I wish I could pinpoint in which month WCF released theirs but so far that is just not possible. My feeling tells me that if the date is correct for 72003, then it was likely TMOQ.
**
3. The rare Dittolino Discs version, also ca. 1971:
Matrix: JH 1-4 70413/4/5/6 F
**
4. The by now obligatory CBM copy of WCF’s copy:
“Live at The Forum – Los Angeles April 25, 1970(Contraband [Munia] LPR 28/29 / – / 2LP) (LP1: Red labels / LP2: Black labels) ftbfs: B044c (Los Angeles Forum, Los Angeles, CA 25.04.70 [Almost Complete*; 1st Source (Near source)])
notes:
– Matrix: Record 1: Side 1: LPR-28-A and SIDE 2 b/w Side 2: LPR-28-B and SIDE 2 / Record 2: Side 3: LPR-29-A and SIDE 1 b/w Side 4: LPR-29-B and SIDE 2.
– Generally the same front covers as used for Munia 1622, but with the bottom part of the picture cut and replaced with the tracklist. Loose inserts. The first has brown print, while the second is slightly different, with purple print, in poorer quality (seems to be a Xerox copy of the first), and also has a small drawing of a vinyl LP in the bottom right corner.” (http://infromthestorm.net/hendrix.html#boot )
Year: 1972
**
5. Abstract Records / M1622 Matrix copies
Matrix: Record 1: Side 1: M-1622-A and S-2325-A b/w Side 4: M-1622 D and S-2332 8 / Record 2: Side 2: M-1622-B and S-2326 b/w Side 3: M-1622-C and S-2327
**
6. WCF insert design without a track list & MUNIA Records “Re-Channeled For Super-Stereo” versions:
I have so far only found this insert with ‘Dragon’ labels:
I have combined them here since both versions seem to have the same LPR 28 A / LPR 28 B / LPR 29 A / LPR 29 B matrices.
Versions re-titled ‘Scuse Me While I kiss The Sky‘:
It is probably safe to say that Rubber Dubber – by this time out of business – had nothing to do with this release. The matrix endings point to a reissue of the Abstract Records / M1622 version.
**
8. The Mushroom Records, K&S and Ruthless Rhymes, POD label and BOX TOP reissues, ca. 1975-early ’80’s, re-pressed from the TMOQ plates of 72003 ALIVE:
Ken’s POD label reissue on black vinyl not shown but existence is confirmed. Below, the BOX TOP reissue from the early 1980’s:
**
8. Miscellaneous 12″ Reissues
I have a feeling the matrix of this black label reissue is one already listed in this post.
**
9. Live In LA April 1970 7″ 2 x EP, made in the UK
As always, if you have further information, please leave a comment.
****
“The “far” source is exactly that, but sounds less so in the merge. The near source is lifted from the Rubber Dubber bootleg of the show…somehow the two compliment each other. Hats off to the original fan who merged these!” What you hear in the YT clip below is a combination of both sources and sounds better than any of the vinyl bootlegs.
Los Angeles Times (27 April) ‘Jimi Hendrix at the Forum’ – review by Robert Hilburn:
“In his first major Los Angeles appearance in more than a year, Jimi Hendrix showed a near capacity audience Saturday night at the Forum that he has lost none of his box office appeal and raw excitement. About a year ago Hendrix went into a period of inactivity. He talked about various regrouping plans, finally appearing with drummer Buddy Miles and bassist Billy Cox under the title ‘Band Of Gypsys’. But Miles was soon back as head of his own group. Thus Mitchell rejoined Hendrix for the current tour. Redding who was asked to do the tour had other commitments. […] Opening Response Wearing a multi-coloured head band and tight black leather pants, Hendrix drew an enormous opening response from the audience as he went through such early hits as “Foxy Lady.” The newer material generated less enthusiasm. As always, Hendrix was more a personality than a musician. Though his voice and lyrics have few distinguishing characteristics, he generates a charge of electricity that virtually ignites the huge arena. Hendrix is a powerhouse of sex and sound. Hendrix does with his guitar what Joe Cocker does with his voice: reaches new levels of communication and emotion, levels far beyond that which most guitarists and vocalists once felt were possible. On Saturday, he seemed freer of gimmicks, more serious of purpose generally, than last spring at the Devonshire Downs Pop Festival in Northridge. Because of this, perhaps, the audience Saturday was less enthusiastic at times than at Devonshire Downs. But his bombing raid version of the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ (as featured in the ‘Woodstock’ movie) and ‘Purple Haze’ brought the audience to its feet for an ovation that lasted several minutes.”
Entertainment World (08 May), ‘The Jimi Hendrix Experience’ review by Jim Bickhart:
“Jimi Hendrix returned to L.A. and a raucous full house last week, but Hendrix, charismatic second-stage demigod of the Cream Generation, who was surprisingly enthusiastic on stage, did not have the audience wrapped constantly around his little finger pick. The Hendrix Experience, presently a mixture of the original group and last winter’s short-lived Band of Gypsys, is an unbalanced power trio with Jimi a top-heavy leader. Bassist Billy Cox (from the Gypsys) and drummer Mitch Mitchell were next to inaudible behind the – guitarist’s deafening amplification. They did not fill the huge musical gaps left by Hendrix’s noisy, undisciplined guitar style. While the crowd was most enthusiastic for the material from the group’s old albums, it was these songs which made this concert deadly dull. Jimi’s attempt to update too-familiar guitar solos became pure cacophony, and Cox was half asleep as he played bass runs first created by Noel Redding. New material was a lone bright spot, with Hendrix apparently trying to inject some music into his ‘music.’ ‘Message of Love,’ ‘Easy Rider [sic] ‘, and ‘May I Come Along [sic, Hey Baby} all featured guitar breaks that bordered on being tasteful. The audience seemed bored by them though, waking up for a familiar medley of the national anthem and ‘Purple Haze.’ With Hendrix were the Buddy Miles Express, who played a very good but short set of soul and blues numbers, with leader Miles doubling on vocals and drums, and Ballin Jack, from Washington, playing mediocre Family Stone-like music but eliciting good crowd response.”
Above: The inner panels of the Tarantura CD release
Disc (09 May) ‘U.S. Fans are better rehearsed than groups!’ review by Judy Sims:
“I survived the Jimi Hendrix concert. I was lucky – just a few bruises and a small cut on my left hand, plus an hour’s worth of tremblies in the legs. I’m beginning to wonder about the whole concert jive trip, where thousands of young people, most of them sane, pay a great deal of money to watch a performer be mobbed by the lunatic fringe. Sure, it’s healthy spontaneous emotion, the fans love Jimi and Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton and Ian Anderson. The fans love them to death, almost. Concerts in this country (and, I suspect, elsewhere) are rehearsals for riots, mini-bloodbaths disguised as good times. I’m sick of all those writhing, shouting masses of people who won’t stay in their seats, who don’t care if the rest of the audience can see, who only want to satisfy their own personal ego urges by getting near the stage and the so called ‘magic’ of the performer. Ian Anderson told a reporter here that American audiences are better rehearsed than the groups, and it’s true; a certain segment of each crowd knows just when and how to elude the guards or ushers, knows exactly the shouts and whistles and hand waving required (and when) and has an uncanny awareness of the performer’s attitude and the ushers’ impotence – or strength. At the huge Forum last Saturday, about 20,000 people crammed in to see Jimi Hendrix in his first appearance here in almost a year. He was preceded by Buddy Miles and his new group, a jive act if ever there was one (and there was) and a new group called Ballin’ Jack. The ‘swinging groovies,’ the spaced-out worshippers, leaped from their seats for Buddy, but they weren’t inspired to rush the stage. Yet. For one thing, the ushers were efficiently keeping the aisles clear and the front of the stage area vacant; for another thing, the crowd wasn’t going to waste its energies for Buddy, they wanted Jimi. For a while I thought Jimi was going to thwart them. He was relaxed, cool as ever, and did an almost casual set. He teased us with a few erotic movements during ‘Foxy Lady,’ but after that he just stood there and played that guitar – mostly new songs from his Band of Gypsys album. I was in the second row, directly in front of him, the best concert seat I’ve ever had. Also the worst.., at the end of the set Jimi broke into our National Anthem and ordered us to stand up, stand up, which we did. The aisles filled, but still the space down front remained miraculously clear. Kids started leaping over the seats so they could stand on chairs in the first two or three rows, and people from the aisles crowded into the rows. The ushers massed in front of the stage. Then Jimi went right into ‘Purple Haze’ and all hell broke loose. It was as if that song were the pre-arranged signal. The aisles spilled forward, and in less than one minute the entire area was solid humanity – waving, shouting people, some sitting on their friends’ necks, some perched precariously on the backs of seats. I was jostled but unharmed. I couldn’t see. As ‘Purple Haze’ ended and the closing number, ‘Voodoo Child,’ began, there was an incomprehensible (and terrifying) backward thrust. Everyone up front was somehow invisibly thrown back with sledge-hammer force. Chairs went over, people went down. Like a fool, I’d been standing on my chair trying to see Jimi through the crowd, so I we over the back of the chair and stayed there, suspended like a trapeze artist. I like Jimi Hendrix; I think he’s of very few real innovators and a most incredible performer. But it’ll be an icy day in hell before I’ll see him at the Forum again. I’m afraid of his audience.”
’37’ on the labels vs ’39’ in the matrix, no wonder someone got confused.
This and the Hendrix insert are the first were WCF used the ” Compatable for STEREO ” phrase.
STEALIN’, the 2nd rock bootleg ever produced, had originally been released by Ken & Dub in September of 1969.
WCF/Berkeley Records released this title two more times. First, ca. 1974 as part of their series of releasing albums in a wrap-around folder cover: “There was also a release that has an orange folder wrap-around cover with blank labels, & no matrix.” (bobsboots.com)
Where did the inner sleeve come from though?
**
And in 1975, when they reissued many of their old stampers in b&w covers and branded as Berkeley Records (with a fake UK address):
The matrix number was now ‘ 2010 A / B ‘ and bobsboots reports: “This Label had been been releasing titles by copying TMQ LPs and creating their own cover. The quality of the recordings was therefore less than the original TMQ. Since this LP has the same unique track order as the TMQ release, one would assume that this was a copy of it. However, the quality on this release is just as good as the TMQ version.”
****
The track names are all incorrect. When CBM released this album as Rainbow Bridge, they (re-)used the same track names.
USA: 1971/2 – TMOQ’s MAUI, HAWAI album (also a copy of INCIDENT…) was released in June of 1971, so WCF’s version likely came later.
If you know the matrix number, please leave a comment.
Just like STEALIN’ this was another title that was copied many times by different bootleggers. It goes back to this somewhat obscure US release on a label referred to as Dragon:
The two inserts that came with the album were thankfully picked up by the copying labels and used for their own art work. WCF picked the left one and TMOQ the right one.
Source: A fragmented audience recording from both free Hendrix and the Experience shows July 30th, 1970 , which became known as the “Rainbow Bridge Vibratory Colour-Sound Experiment”. 17 minutes of heavily edited live material appear towards the end of the film “Rainbow Bridge”. Hendrix’ performance was arranged to inject some much needed excitement into the floundering film project. The JHE had a show to play in Honolulu on August 1st anyway, so the timing fit. Less than 1,000 people saw the actual sets Hendrix played that day. The movie was released in the fall of 1971.
“Disc two contains an audience source from this show but is far from complete. Its origin is unknown to me although it could be taken from Incident At Rainbow Bridge, Maui, Hawaii, a single LP on the Dragon label and contains only a few tracks from the show. It sounds like it is sourced from very clean vinyl and has commentary from someone during “Guitar Intro” which is really the intro to “Hey Baby” from the early set. The quality is fair to good and will appeal to serious Hendrix collectors. Jimi’s guitar is high in the mix with the drums almost nonexistent but it is still an interesting listen where Hendrix is in excellent shape and makes me wish I had the entire audience source. The third track is actually “Jam Back at the House/Straight Ahead” and not “Villanova Junction Blues” as listed. “Here My Baby Calling” is “Here My Train A Coming” from the early set and “Incident At Rainbow Bridge” is the proper “Villanova Junction Blues” which segues into a minute of “Ezy Rider” that has the drum intro edited with the tail end of the song. This audience source is very fragmented but still a nice inclusion in the set.” (from a review of the CD bootleg Maui Hawaii on the Scorpio label)
from an eBay ad: “The introductory minute of side one is an overview of what we are about to hear from who, I assume, is the person recording this concert. It’s an excellent tribute and introduction to a fabulous performance. The recording is very well done, and the playing is unlike anything you have ever heard. The track list is a little strange because, while there are only five tracks, you’ll hear pieces of “Red House” and “Hear My Train A’Comin”, as part of the noted tracks.“ Rainbow Bridge Vibratory Colour-Sound Experiment, Haleakala, Kailua (Maui) (HI), United States. 30th July 1970, 1st show: Side A 1. Intro / Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) (titled ‘Some Slow Thing’) 2:07 [“This track has a spoken introduction dubbed over by an unknown male voice. This was added later, not spoken at that time.” Geldeart/Rodham “From The Benjamin Franklin Studios Part 2]
Rainbow Bridge Vibratory Colour-Sound Experiment, Haleakala, Kailua (Maui) (HI), United States. 30th July 1970, 2nd show: 2. Red House (titled ‘Boogie It All Together’) 6:50 3. Beginnings / Instrumental Jam / Straight Ahead (titled ‘Guitar Improvisation’) 11:38
Rainbow Bridge Vibratory Colour-Sound Experiment, Haleakala, Kailua (Maui) (HI), United States. 30th July 1970, 1st show: Side B 1. Hear My Train A Comin’ (titled ‘Get On Home Boogie’) 8:37
Rainbow Bridge Vibratory Colour-Sound Experiment, Haleakala, Kailua (Maui) (HI), United States. 30th July 1970, 2nd show: 2. Villanova Junction / Ezy Rider (titled ‘Stevie’s Walk’) 6:52 Total duration: 36:04
The Bootleg release history for this title, slightly amended from Geldeart & Rodham’s book:
B12a. INCIDENT AT RAINBOW BRIDGE MAUI, HAWAII (Dragon) B12b. MAUI, HAWAII (Trade Mark Of Quality JH 106) – released June, 1971 (Trade Mark Of Quality TMQ 71018) RE B12c. LIVE IN HAWAII-1970 (WCF: Hen 37) B12d. MAUI, HAWAII (no label listed, deluxe cover, see below)
I have never seen this pressed in another color but black. There is also a copy with the matrix number HEN 5000 C/D, which looks almost identical to the original:
Finally, a picture disc version was also released.
USA: 1979
Source: Audience recording from Jimi’s last concert at Fehmarn Festival, Germany on 6 September 1970, 12 days before he passed away. Quite the attention-magnet and coup for such a small bootleg label, it must have been their biggest seller.
An alternate and complete source with improved source was acquired by Dagger Records, the home of official Hendrix bootleg recordings and released as The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At The Isle Of Fehmarn in 2005. The label gave the following background information about its source: “Unbeknownst to Hendrix, the promoters captured the group’s entire performance by feeding two overhead stage microphones into a consumer grade Revox reel-to-reel tape machine located off to the side of the stage. The resulting document, rough hewn and unmixed, is clear and not unlike the amateur audience recording featured on the initial Dagger offering Live At The Oakland Coliseum.”
****
It sounded like a great idea at the time, riding the coattails of the Woodstock movie and album, recreate the festival experience in Germany in an almost “weather-proof” location ‘Isle of Wight-style’ on an island. Three young guys with no prior experience got together and started organizing and bills were accumulated totaling 500,000 Marks while at the same time only 10,000 tickets at 28 Marks had been sold (in the end about 25,000 tickets were sold, falling well short of the expected 60,000 patrons).
Friday, September 4th came and it was pouring with rain. The first bands struggled through their sets on stage or had to abandon it (Renaissance, for example), while some did not appear (Cactus never traveled to the festival site). The next day was drier but cold and windy. MC Alexis Korner had the unfortunate task to inform the crowd that Procol Harum and Ten Years After would not appear. At least, Mungo Jerry, Canned Heat and Sly & The Family Stone did. Jimi arrived that day from playing the Berlin Super Concert 70 and it was decided to move his performance to Sunday.
Sunday started sunny and clear if cool and Jimi finally took the stage just before 1PM to some booing from the audience for the delay, to which he replied along the lines of: “I don’t care if you boo, as long as you do it in tune”.
HOTWACKS states: Made from the same plates as ‘Live E.Jay’ (Dittolino Discs).
WABC-FM New York radio broadcast – 17 November ’70, officially released on9 April 1971, possibly after several bootleg titles had already been spotted. This created a unique situation, where for the first time in the history a commercial release had to compete with bootlegs containing identical material, available in sufficient quantities to cause concern.
However, as I have written here before, I am somewhat doubtful of the claim found on wikipedia, taken from Heylin’s book, stating ” It has been said that the release by an eastern bootlegger of the whole 60-minute aircast rather than the 40 minutes selected by Dick James Music significantly cut into the US sales of the live album.”
None of the single LP releases, like radiocord or Keylo’s VERY ALIVE [really a TMOQ release] contained the complete broadcast. The double album shown here would be the only one that fits that description but it is quite hard to find, which is not what you’d expect from a significant seller, even 40+ years after the fact. I don’t doubt that all of these bootlegs combined put a modest dent into sales of the official album (I would be surprised if it was more than 25,000 although whether this was before or after the official release date would have to be looked at in detail), especially VERY ALIVE in its imitation brown leather cover is still easy to locate these days but that is the risk you take as a record company when you release a performance that was already broadcast to potentially hundreds of thousands of listeners several months earlier.
The original broadcast had consisted of:
I Need You To Turn To Your Song Country Comfort Border Song Indian Sunset Amoreena Bad Side Of The Moon Take Me To The Pilot Sixty Years On Honky Tonk Women Can I Put You On Burn Down The Mission (including My Baby Left Me & Get Back) My Father’s Gun (encore)
**
KNOCKIN‘ EM DEAD – ALIVE / LIVE (E JAY) is the only bootleg that contains the whole show (but not in the original running order):
Side 1: I Need You To Turn To / Your Song / Bad Side Of The Moon / Country Comfort
Side 2: Can I Put You On / Border Song / Sixty Years On
Side 3: Indian Sunset / Honky Tonk Women / Amoreena / Take Me To The Pilot
Side 4: Burn Down The Mission (including My Baby Left Me & Get Back) / My Father’s Gun
****
A similar situation to Deep Purple’s H Bomb, which was available with the same type of stamped cover, either with Dittolino or ‘title’ Kustom labels:
This points to a rather close working relationship between Kustom and Dittolino Records. Both were mainly copy labels, with Kustom focusing on European releases, and both operated at the same time, from 1971 onwards, when this Elton John title taken from his radio broadcast was released. I do not think however, that Kustom was a side label run by the same people who did Dittolino Records.
Kustom Records Discography [Deep Purple, Beatles & Elton John titles also produced by Dittolino]:
– DEEP PURPLE H-Bomb ASC-001, Matrix numbers on vinyl: side1: 2001-A; side 2: 2001-B
Live in Aachen, Germany – 11 July 1970. Probably a copy of this 1970 Italian bootleg – possibly the first to be produced in Italy:
– THE BEATLES – Live At Shea / The Only Live Recording ASC-002, Matrix: SHEA – 1/2
– THE BEATLES – Judy ASC-003, Matrix : A/1 2002 – A / B/2 2002 – B[all pirated officially released tracks, with every song title changed by the bootleggers.]
– ASC-004 ?
– JIMI HENDRIX – Goodbye Jimi Kustom 005
A quality degenerated copy of the UK White Cover Folks bootleg # 723:
“[WCF’s] most successful title was a superb Hendrix collection, Goodbye Jimi, drawn from BBC Top Gear radio sessions, which apparently sold some 9,000 copies.” [Heylin, p. 148]
Dittolino also issued this title as LIVE EXPERIENCE(S)
as did TMOQ did under this title in June of 1971 as JH-107 / 1841 / 71019:
– ELTON JOHN – Goodbye Knockin’ Em Dead – Alive 006
Source: London, Empire Pool (not Wembley Arena as stated on yessongs.nl/08-GFTO.html ) – 28 October 1977, night # 5 of a six night run
First 68 minutes of the concert only, very good quality audience recording. The rest of the tape unfortunately never saw a release. The missing songs are “Flight Jam”, “Awaken”, “Starship Trooper” and “Roundabout”.
****
036:
Source: Isle of Wight Festival, East Afton Farm, Isle of Wight 30 August.1970
30:47 mins.
***
Polydor released Isle Of Wight in November of 1971 initially in the UK only. The album contained a selection of the songs performed that day:
Side 1. Midnight Lightning 7:21 / Foxy Lady 8:40 / Lover Man 3:18 Side 2: Freedom 4:21 / All Along the Watchtower 4:27 / In From the Storm
As we can see, the bootleg does not overlap with the official release.
Quality rated “Exs”
****
037 (79-037 used on cover) 79 referring to the year 1979 perhaps.
There is some confusion around this one in Hot Wacks as well. In the appendix, it is called BBC CONCERT. In the Led Zeppelin section, it is listed under its correct name but as K&S 007, which had already been assigned to the Kinks repressing of TMOQ’s LONG TALL SALLY. I am pretty confident that BBC BROADCAST was never pressed on red wax in a limited edition of 200 as claimed there.
The same track list as Contraband’s BBC ZEP :
****
038:
Another reissue of a Contraband title. Previously featured in this post
Notes from a JT bootleg discography:
Ticketron US Tour April 1972 bootleg album 1972 Thick As A Brick Cross-Eyed Mary A New Day Yesterday Aqualung
LP Instant Analysis Records 3436 LP CBM 3586 (re-release with a title misprinting of { “Ticketro US Tour April 1972”} LP ??? 79–038 (Canadian; re-released as { US Tour}) There are two covers of this one. One mentions “ticketron” and one mentions “Volume II”. The last three songs are also on {Baltimore and Around}.
***
039:
A very rare double LP from K&S only listed in the HW appendix. Gatefold cover back shows recycled artwork from the old Phonygraf/Wizardo (later Mushroom) release NEIL YOUNG WITH CRAZY HORSE shown here, which had already been used on K&S 030 BOULDER COLORADO:
Same grey-ish labels as on the previous Jethro Tull album. I have found no information regarding actual content. If you know (or can provide better images), please leave a comment – thank you.
CLOSER TO QUEEN MARY – 150 copies pressed on blue PVC from TMoQ 71039 plates
****
018:
100 copies on green PVC for this reissue of TMoQ 71068 that presents a partial Let It Be movie soundtrack as an audience recording from a movie theater.
****
019:
100 yellow discs made from the TMoQ 61002 plates
****
020:
150 green and orange copies for this 2 for1 budget reissue formerly known as TMoQ 7506 and before that individually as 71059 (HOT RATSAT THE OLYMPIC) and 71010 (200 MOTELS).
This title can still achieve significant auction results: $400+ for K&S, up to $400 for TMOQ colored or sealed and $1000+ for the clear splatter version shown here.
My friend and main go-to person for bootleg research pointed out that this number looked like the 4xx series the 70s GLC label was using (GLC 411: Rolling Stones – All Meat Music ?; GLC 412: Neil Young – Young & Old; GLC 413: Elton John – B-B-B-Benny – Live in London; GLC 415: Crosby Stills Nash and Young “we waited 3 years for this”).
Sides A+B live at the London Rainbow on 20 February 1972 and sides C+D BBC Paris Theater 30 September 1971
floydboots.com states that the above was the first issue of this double LPwith just 200 copies made on orange and light blue PVC, however not everyone agrees, see the list below.
A Vicki Vinyl/Ken co-production? The sub title hints that this might be a new pressing of TAKRL’s 1903 IN CELEBRATION OF THE COMET master, which was a copy of the German bootleg Best Of Tour 72
It should be noted that reissues of the TAKRL release and ECLIPSED both exist with Dessie Records and Verzyl paper labels. Two of the three tracks on the second disc had previously been available on yet another early TAKRL release: # 1913: NOCTURNAL SUBMISSION : ROBOT LOVE but Hot Wacks claims this was a copy of Contraband’s Floyds Of London
floydboots states that this does exist with a deluxe cover in a rare variation. If anyone has a good image of this, do leave a comment. The matrix number changed later to ECL 1-4:
I found the following list during my research but it clearly has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Unless you were there or one of the associates kept notes and they are available, it is very hard to say. which insert color was the genuine first issue.
1) 404 A-D. First pressing, big yellow insert cover, original yellow/white “Ruthless Rhymes” labels.
2) 404 A-D. First pressing, green (record 1) & blue (record 2) vinyl, 100 made, big red insert cover with stamp imprint, original yellow/white “Ruthless Rhymes” labels.
3) 404 A-D. First pressing, blue (record 1) and orange (record 2) vinyl, 200 made, big red insert cover with stamp imprint, original yellow/white “Ruthless Rhymes” labels.
4) 404 A-D. First pressing, big white/brown insert cover, record 1 with white label, record 2 with green label.
5) ECL 1-4. Second pressing, little yellow insert cover, white label.
6) ECL 1-4. Multicoloured vinyl, 50 made, little yellow insert cover with sticker, black/white cartoon labels. This also exists on black PVC.
7) RUTHLESS RHYMES GLC 404 A-D. Third pressing, green/blue vinyl, 100 numbered edition, big brown insert cover, silver/red “GLC” labels.
9) LXXXIV Series #54, reissue of the “Ruthless Rhymes” edition, green/blue vinyl, 100 numbered edition copies.
***
Missing from the above list are pressings made with Slipped Disc, yellow RECORD 1/2 and Dessie Records labels – “RE-ISSUED AGAIN ON THE ‘DESSIE RECORDS’ LABEL USING NEW PLATES (MATRIX NUMBER – DESSIE A/D GR L-29708).”:
***
Auction results for this title vary quite a bit, with the colored Ruthless Rhymes and LXXXIV versions selling for as much as $500 and the MCV/Verzyl versions even close to $1200 but all other versions hovering around the $50+ mark.
This release has been copied in Europe several times with deluxe covers (copying the tree lady art work on the back) and box sets referred to by a color.
****
Jimi Hendrix ‘BROADCASTS – Maui‘
Reissue of this classic TMoQ combo 7502 and about the third incarnation and also the third on colored wax. Also exists in red & green and with blank labels.
***
ditto ‘LIVE AT THE L.A. FORUM 4-26-70‘ “SCUSE ME…” version
Back in the day, many bootleggers issued this title, Rubber Dubber, Munia, TMoQ, … it was even available as a series of four 7″ records. The insert originally showed an image of Jimi’s head but a dark spot appeared on the Hen and TMOQ versions and more rounds of copying the copy transformed it into something looking like an expressionist art piece.
The splatter/mcv discs are usually found with Mushroom label designated packages but not in this case.
***
Jethro Tull ‘MESS‘
Two different reissues of this early TMoQ title recorded by Dub Taylor shortly after Led Zeppelin’s Blueberry Hill performance.
****
ROLLING STONES ‘(in exotic) “HONOLULU“‘
A reissue of Pig’s Eye # 09
***
ditto ‘SUMMER RERUNS’
Originally out as TMoQ 72011
***
Frank Zappa ‘METAL MAN HAS HORNETS WINGS’
Originally on Wizardo Records – WRMB 365
****
And two example of stamps with different fonts (the second example may not even be a stamp and may have been produced significantly later):
****
I’m probably missing a few. If you know of any others, do leave a comment.
