ZAP Japan Copy Label

Around 1980, the Japan ZAP label appeared, presenting good quality copies of relatively fresh U.S. titles. These are to be distinguished from the Japanese attempts at copying the look of Ken’s Ze Anonym Plattenspieler label insert design a couple of years before via the titles Queen Free In The Park, Deep Purple Never Before and Wishbone Ash Ashes Are Burning.

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Beatles – ED SULLIVAN SHOW CBS TV STUDIOS ZAP 0514 (MK514)

There are many different vinyl versions of this title. This is the Japanese version described in HOTWACKS as having a “deluxe green/white cover”. The original in the dark cardboard cover with the copied wraparound insert (also marked ZAP-0514) was a copy of Melvin Records’ ED’S REALLY BIG BEATLES BLASTS and released in 1980.

Back of the original used for the Japan version and the rainbow label featured on one side:

Finally, the true original, MM05 from 1977:

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Beatles – THE ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE 1963 ZAP 1042 (UK-2826)

Although a Japan only LP release, this is till very much a copy job as it was crafted out of the BY ROYAL COMMAND and TOP OF THE POPS EP’s plus five Deccagone 45’s.

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Beatles – THE DECCA TAPES ZAP 1047

Deluxe blue cover copy of the Circuit Records US title, originally released December. 1979.

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Beatles – LIVE FROM THE SAM HOUSTON COLOSSEUM ZAP 1049/1050 BVP 006A/B/C/D

The pink cover version, released ca. 1980

Compare to the original version from 1979, brought to you by the Tobe Milo folks:

Onstage at the Sam Houston Colosseum. Few images convey the madness of a Beatles performance and that “in the eye of a hurricane” felling JPG&R must have felt better than this one

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Beatles – Studio Sessions 1 ZAP 1061 and Studio Sessions 2 ZAP 1062

Copy of the 1973 Contraband LP’s, which were itself copied from TMOQ’s OUTAKES 1 + 2 (first released in July of 1972). CBM elected to move TMOQ’s opening track “Do You Want To Know A Secret” from the A 1 to the A 6 position.

First time a JASRAC logo (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers) makes an appearance, elevating these releases to an almost official status, indicating that copyright fees may have been paid. Were they really or was this just a hoax? Released ca. 1980. The person behind the sadly recently taken offline niigata1116/Beatles/boot pages stated they had bought their copy in 1985.

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Beatles – FIVE NIGHTS IN A JUDO ARENA ZAP – 1063

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John Lennon – IMAGINATION LIVE ZAP – 1064

A straight copy of the TMOQ release TELECASTS dressed up as an official release.

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Beatles – COMPLETE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION 1963 to 1969 ZAP – 1065

Another straight copy of an old TMOQ title but this time copying the cover design as well. Uses an insert, not a deluxe printed cover for the authentic bootleg feeling.

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Beatles – SHEA STADIUM ZAP – 1071

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1981 JOHN LENNON/BEATLES JAPAN 2/3 LP COMPILATIONS:

Most of these were released in 1981 in the wake of John Lennon’s murder when the demand for musical mementos spilled over into the bootleg realm.

The typesetting on several of these covers was done using a simple typewriter, giving these a rather improvised and unfinished feel, as far as the artwork is concerned. Almost all copy previously released titles by Wizardo, TKRWM, Melvin, Audifon, CBM and Hoffman Avenue Records but do not hide this fact. There were also two new creations.

“ONE TO ONE CONCERT + MORE” / “ANGEL BABY”

A GUITAR’S ALLRIGHT JOHN / PLOP PLOP FIZZ FIZZ

LIVE PARIS OLYMPIA / AT SHEA STADIUM

Disc 1 is a copy of Contraband’s LIVE PARIS OLYMPIA (correctly dated on the back cover, just getting the venue still wrong).

Disc 2 presented what was then the most complete video sourced version of the Shea Stadium concert, including four tracks by the opening acts in excellent mono quality.

POP GO THE BEATLES / YOUNGBLOOD

Matrix: 63 A 1 M * 63 B 1 M * 63 C 1 M * 63 D 1 M (machine stamped)

Sides 1 + 2 combined the newly upgraded material just made available on the 1980 EP FOUR BY THE BEATLES (L-1453)

with nine other BBC tracks to form a new creation. Disc two was a straight copy of Audifon’s YOUNGBLOOD.

THE ECHOES OF A DREAM + 20 × 4

Stylistically fitting right in: A Japanese copy of INDIAN ROPETRICK and 20 X 4 with an outtake from the photo session that 20 X 4 used. HOTWACKS states the cover is blue & white. Blank white labels.

Matrix · IRT 614 A / B J1 / TBF 615 J1 A / B (handwritten)

CASUALTIES COLLECTOR’S ITEMS

I spotted this on eBay being offered as a genuine promo for over $1,000 (!) showing that this was one successful pirate job. Some bootleg knowledge or at least research can be useful. Originally released in 1979 and 1980 by “Richard” (as he is called in Heylin’s book) who wanted to make a “real record” and disliked bootlegs with their shoddy slip sheets. His entrepreneurial spirit also extended to some of the tracks as he created ‘frankenstein’ versions that never before existed (like a mono “Penny Lane”with the extra trumpet ending and the long intro + extra bar version of “I Am The Walrus”).