In praise of bootlegs

[asthmaticeog]

Recently, I've aquired the demos for Fugazi's "In on the Kill Taker," recorded by underground legend Steve Albini, then scrapped. They crush the official release like a grape.

Today, I was given a copy of Cheap Trick's "In Color," recently re-recorded by, coincidentally enough, Albini. Cheap Trick has no plans to ever release these recordings, but again, they destroy the official release.

I've also come into posession of an unreleased Cure concert tape from 1981. Quite excellent.

And don't even get me started on all the vintage live recordings of Gang of Four going around. SWEEEEEEET.

So what music bootlegs do you have that thrill you? Greatful Dead doesn't count, they're allowed, and therefore less fun. (Sorry E.P. & Koolzip...)

[Beware the Beast Man]

1. Various Drunks with Guns recordings.

Namely "I Got the Gun," "Punched in the Head" and "Wonderful Subdivision."

The best DWG copy I heard was one a friend of mine had. A friend of his taped it from a turntable that ran a couple RPMs too slow. It sounded even slugdier and messier than the genuine article.

[progmom]

2. I have a bunch of Joni Mitchell boots

sigh....I'm such a girl.

[Fenris]

3. "Tommy" demo tape (the entire "opera") with Townshend singing

No Daltrey.

Also, two volumes of Pogues bootlegs.

And a metric ton of Clash demos and a "Live in Tokyo" concert (which kicks ass). Oh, also, live in Cardiff. And London I think.

A demo of Neil Young singing "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" with a single guitar.

A disc of rare Penetration material including a live concert, IIRC.

Some requisite Fall stuff.

[asthmaticeog]

6. I've heard some of that Who stuff.

There was a flexi-disc that came with some coffee-table book about them that had Townshend's demos for "Pinball Wizard" and I think "Magic Bus," maybe?

'Twas cool.

[tigereye]

10. Pogues bootlegs

swoon....

Tommy with Townsend sounds great. I've always liked his voice better than Daltrey's.

[Beware the Beast Man]

4. Also, some Beatles recordings that didn't make it on to the Anthology.

Including an early take of Norwegian Wood with a guitar lead in place of the sitar part.

[bbernardini]

5. All kinds of things. A list (and a link to my entire list) inside!

First off, the link to my full list:

http://bbernardini.mktrading.org/othernew.html

It's big. Really big. All kinds of cool stuff. Some of my treasures are the Was (Not Was) show I attended last year, several rare live Negativland recordings, my closing in on complete collection of Frank Zappa's 1988 tour...golly, there's just tons. Go look for yourself. :)

[asthmaticeog]

7. Holy cats.

I sure wouldn't mind hearing Negativland's "True/False" tour stuff - that was one of the best shows I've ever been to in my life. My collection is *really* modest compared to the list you're sportin', but maybe I might have something worthy of a trade?

That's a HELL of a collection you've got. My hat's off to you.

[bbernardini]

9. Check your inbox.

:)

[NNadir]

8. I have beaucoup old Dylan bootlegs.

It's been decades since I bought I bootleg though.

[no name no slogan]

11. had a couple Joy Division bootlegs in the 80s

which have been superceded by "official" releases. A couple of live shows from 1980, including the Moonlight Club. It was right about when the strain was really starting to show on Ian, but before he got too sick to perform. A little sloppy performance-wise, but haunting given the timing.

I'd like to get my hands on those GoF recordings. Almost went to their show about this time last year, but ended up in the hospital instead. :(

[asthmaticeog]

17. That's cool - I've never heard a good JD boot.

I found a copy of the coveted "Dante's Inferno" on vinyl in the late '80s, got it home and wondered why the hell it was so coveted, it sounded rancid.

[ET Awful]

12. Bob Dylan - Newport Folk Festival 1965, his first electric set ever

Great stuff :)

I know I've got the tape in a box somewhere, I haven't listened to it in years though.

[johnnie]

13. Lots of Beatles

I have the Pistols Jock Box 6 album set that's pretty cool.
I have a lot of others, but nothing that really stands out as being something great.

[asthmaticeog]

14. Regarding the Beatles -

Do you have "Kum Back?" That's one of the few boots I have that's actually on vinyl, and the version of "Two of Us" on there totally slays me.

[johnnie]

16. I don't have that one

But I have a few others from that time period and it might be on one of them. Off the top of my head I can't think of a version of that song that was funny. A lot of mine are on vinyl too and I haven't listened to them in a long time.

[CanuckAmok]

15. Killing Joke - The Bum's Rush

PiL - Commercial Zone

Pink Floyd Live at Germersheim

Devo - Clockout

All great.

I'd love to hear the Albini-tainted Cheap Trick album. I have the 7" of Big Black covering "He's a Whore", and it's inspired!

[jane_pippin]

18. I just have one Rolling Stones bootleg

it's the Record Mirror box set (vol 2.) and it's pretty good. Nothing earth shattering, but a fun listen.